Chapter 300: Chapter 300: The Golden Dragon Palace
Just as the Phoenixes were divided into numerous clans, the dragons also possessed their own clans, noble families, and bloodline lineages.
Dragons were an exceptionally powerful race. As a whole, they were considered one of the strongest races in existence, second only to the Phoenixes and rivaling even the mighty Qilins.
The Phoenixes and Qilins were elemental races by nature.
The Ignatius Clan, for example, consisted of Fire Phoenixes, while the Kimurai Clan was composed of Lightning Qilins.
Dragons, however, were different. Unlike the Celestial races, they were not born with an inherent elemental affinity.
In truth, all Celestial races were elemental beings by nature.
Dragons did not belong among them.
They were no different from races such as vampires, werewolves, or angels—powerful beings, certainly, but ultimately mortal races rather than Celestial ones.
That had not always been the case.
The dragons’ distant ancestors were said to have descended from a Celestial being.
Yet countless generations had passed since then, and with time their Celestial heritage had grown increasingly diluted.
In the current era, there was barely any trace of Celestial blood left within the dragon race.
"And that’s exactly why they hate us Celestials so much," Grace Ignatius said with a smug smile.
"Because, compared to them, we are the purer beings."
"Yeah, it would be best if you didn’t go out of your way to aggravate them. They’re not exactly the talkative type," Damian said with a weary sigh.
"Does it really matter?" Grace asked with a smug smile. "It’s not like they can do anything to us while you’re here. You could wipe out the entire dragon race by yourself if you wanted to. Even dragons aren’t stupid or arrogant enough to challenge you, my beloved."
Damian shook his head. "I’m not going to kill anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary. Violence doesn’t solve every problem, especially when we need powerful warriors to help defend our universe. You really need to change the way you view your enemies, Grace."
As he spoke, he gently ran his hand through her crimson hair.
Grace leaned into the touch, clearly enjoying it.
"Fine," she said reluctantly. "I won’t antagonize them unless they actually deserve it."
"Good enough for me," Damian replied with a nod.
Avenya glanced around at their surroundings.
"Okay, but where exactly are we?" she asked curiously.
The group was currently making their way down a vast mountain unlike any they had seen before.
The entire landscape was covered in trees and vegetation bearing both green and blue pigments, giving the mountain a strange yet beautiful appearance.
Countless creatures inhabited the region.
They came in every imaginable shape and size, and nearly all of them looked like apex predators capable of tearing apart lesser beings without effort.
Yet not a single one approached the group with hostility.
The beasts instinctively understood that the people before them were beings they could neither challenge nor threaten.
As a result, they kept their distance, carefully avoiding any actions that might be interpreted as aggression.
Some of the friendlier creatures even approached them out of curiosity.
They lowered their heads and allowed Damian and the others to pet them, behaving more like affectionate pets than terrifying monsters capable of devastating entire ecosystems.
Of course, it was all because of Damian.
As a Heavenly Son who also possessed the soul of a World Tree, he was viewed by nature-born creatures as both their guardian and creator.
To them, his existence was sacred. Treating him as their master wasn’t a choice. It was an instinct engraved deep within their very being.
"We are currently in the magnificent world known as Dragonia," Damian explained as they walked.
"It is one of the largest worlds in the entire universe. In fact, among all worlds inhabited by intelligent races, Dragonia is the largest and possesses the greatest abundance of natural resources."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"And right now, we’re in a region the dragons call the Forest of the Unforgotten Emperor."
"The Forest of the Unforgotten Emperor?" Avenya repeated with a puzzled expression. "I know about the World of Dragons, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that place."
"That’s because it isn’t particularly famous," Damian replied. "However, the dragons have an ancient legend. According to it, the Firstborn Dragon, the founder of the dragon race and the legendary Golden Dragon Emperor, constructed a palace somewhere within this forest. After his demise, the palace supposedly vanished without a trace."
Tiana’s eyes lit up immediately.
"Let me guess. It’s not actually a legend, and the palace really exists?"
"Of course it does." Damian chuckled and gently rubbed her head. "Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here."
"So that’s our destination?" Grace asked.
Damian nodded.
"I want to obtain the essence of the Golden Dragon Emperor and use it to become the Progenitor of Dragons. More importantly, I seek the weapon he left behind. It carries a portion of his essence and is currently sealed within the Golden Dragon Palace."
The group continued deeper into the ancient forest. Grace, Hela, Tiana, and Avenya followed closely behind Damian as he navigated through the dense wilderness with absolute certainty, as though he already knew the exact path they needed to take.
After several minutes of traveling and casual conversation, Damian suddenly came to a halt.
The others immediately stopped behind him.
"Let’s awaken the Golden Dragon Palace, shall we?"
Damian smiled as he brought his hands together, his fingers twisting into a series of intricate hand signs.
At the same time, his eyes erupted with an intense golden radiance, illuminating the surroundings as he spoke in an ancient tongue unknown to anyone present.
"Azhurvash, Zuldrak Tharnakar, Va, Rakar-Zhar, Vor Vrakath."
The moment the final word left his lips, absolute silence descended upon the world.
The wild winds froze.
The rustling leaves became motionless.
The cries of beasts vanished without a trace.
For a brief moment, it was as if time itself had stopped.
Then—
A subtle tremor spread through the air.
Grace and the others felt it immediately.
A strange vibration.
A pulse.
As though the world itself had gained a heartbeat.
The vibration grew stronger.
And stronger.
Until the entire land erupted into a catastrophic quake.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The earth split apart across the endless forest.
Gigantic cracks stretched across the land like scars carved into the world itself.
Mountains shattered and were torn apart as if struck by the wrath of an ancient god.
Rivers changed course.
Valleys collapsed.
The very foundation of the continent trembled beneath an overwhelming force.
Then countless lights appeared.
Hundreds of thousands of magic circles manifested across the heavens and earth.
Ancient runes emerged from nothingness, stretching beyond the horizon.
The sky became a magnificent ocean of golden symbols and multicolored magical formations.
Layers upon layers of ancient arrays rotated above the world, illuminating everything beneath them.
The spectacle resembled a divine carnival of magic.
A miracle that surpassed mortal understanding.
Then the world shook once more.
A deep, ancient roar echoed from beneath the earth.
A roar so old that it seemed to come from the beginning of creation itself.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The land exploded upward.
An endless pillar of golden light pierced the heavens.
Within that pillar, something colossal began to rise.
At first, only golden rooftops emerged from the shattered earth.
Then towering walls.
Then gigantic dragon statues.
Then entire palaces.
The structure continued rising.
Higher.
And higher.
As if an entire kingdom had been buried beneath the world since ancient times.
Golden waterfalls cascaded from newly formed cliffs.
Countless dragon-shaped pillars emerged from the earth.
Massive bridges forged from unknown materials stretched across the sky.
The surrounding mountains appeared insignificant before its sheer size.
Finally, after countless seconds of ascension, the complete structure revealed itself.
The Golden Dragon Palace.
A palace so vast that it resembled a divine realm rather than a mere building.
Its golden surface reflected the light of the heavens.
Ancient dragon carvings covered every wall and pillar.
An overwhelming aura of majesty and supremacy descended upon the world.
It stood proudly between heaven and earth like the throne of a god.
At that exact moment, every high-class dragon across Dragonia felt it.
No matter where they were.
Whether they were sleeping, fighting, cultivating, or ruling their territories.
They all sensed the same presence.
An ancient presence hidden within their blood.
A presence that resonated with the very origin of dragonkind itself.
Their bloodlines trembled.
Their souls shook.
An instinct older than memory awakened within them.
It was as if they all understood the same truth.
Something had happened.
Something connected to the source of their lineage.
Something related to the legendary Golden Dragon Emperor.
The instant that realization crossed their minds, every dragon stopped whatever they were doing.
Without hesitation. Without question.
They spread their wings and soared into the sky.
Racing toward the distant horizon.
Toward the place spoken of only in ancient legends.
Toward the palace of the Golden Dragon Emperor.
Toward the awakening of the Golden Dragon Palace.
...
City of Zhar, Kingdom of Zharkrin.
At the heart of the kingdom stood the majestic Castle of Zharkrin.
Upon its grand throne sat a lone Dragon in her human form, her presence radiating an aura of nobility and power.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.
Bluish-white irises, marked by vertical draconic slits, turned toward a distant horizon.
For a brief moment, she remained motionless before a smile slowly spread across her flawless, milky-white face.
"He has returned..."
Her voice trembled with excitement.
"My Master..."
The very next instant, her figure dissolved into a flash of brilliant white light.
The throne was left empty as she shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of white that raced across the heavens like a falling star.
Her destination was clear: the source of the overwhelming surge of energy that had suddenly appeared.
But she was far from the only one who had sensed it.
Across the world, every Dragon who felt that terrifyingly powerful fluctuation was already moving.
Some took to the skies in their true forms, while others abandoned whatever they were doing and rushed toward the source.
All of them shared the same thought.
Just what in the world had caused such a monstrous burst of energy to appear out of nowhere?
