Under the Red Dragon

The autumn wind swept across the boundless grassland, over the mountain peaks where the dragons dwelled, making the fiery winds that perpetually surrounded the dragon nests more temperate.

Even the red dragons, submerged in the scorching magma, keenly sensed the slight change in temperature, despite being enveloped by boiling lava flows.

Ironically, the red dragon's flesh and blood were inherently yang and vigorous, brimming with fire, yet they were averse to cold and loathed the frigid winter.

Should a red dragon venture into extremely cold regions, their strength would even diminish, leaving them vulnerable to being beaten by opponents far weaker.

Similarly, the red dragon's influenced subordinates were wary of launching conquests in winter. While the cold winter affected most races and creatures, the red dragon's followers were disproportionately impacted.

Karon had previously struggled to understand why ordinary tigers, not particularly powerful and possessing fur no stronger than a red dragon's scales, could withstand the harsh cold.

Those ordinary tigers never feared the cold winter, even thriving in it, while the mighty red dragons, a species nearing perfection, were inferior in this aspect to even a common tiger.

However, as Karon gradually mastered his body, he discovered the real reason.

Nearly all dragons constantly emanate their power and bloodline aura, intertwining with the material world, which is one source of the dragon's nest influence.

But this also implies a form of consumption. When encountering cold auras or extreme cold forces, it transforms into resistance and suppression, further exacerbating the red dragon's depletion. A single red dragon cannot contend against the entire world.

The heat and sulfurous fumes constantly emanating from every red dragon, from the gaps in their scales, serve as evidence.

However, Karon differed from his red dragon kin. His talent, [Bloodline Solidification - Mind Overclock], enabled him to gradually perfect control over his body.

Through prolonged control practice and the aid of his bloodline talent, Karon could now freely control the opening and closing of every scale on his massive body, constricting every minute pore on his skin.

Not a wisp of qi and blood could leak from Karon's skin pores without permission, and not a trace of aura could escape his body. All bloodline radiation and field effects lay dormant under Karon's will, like the evil dragon blood within him.

Moreover, it was foreseeable that as Karon approached adolescence, with his reproductive organs maturing and gaining the ability to procreate, he could even freely control his joyous moments with partners and spouses.

Although such control was entirely unnecessary given the dragon's physical prowess and abundant energy, Karon still unilaterally felt a sense of proud accomplishment.

Karon's body at this moment resembled a colossal furnace and energy pile, sealed off from all flames and energy. All qi, blood, and bloodline energy were contained within him, forming a unified whole, completely lacking the cold aversion of other red dragons.

In extremely cold environments, Karon would not be weakened by this flaw. His highly condensed power would only intensify the reaction and resistance upon release.

Only when Karon unleashed his full power would he exhibit the characteristics of other red dragons. Normally, only the smell of molten lava and sulfur clung to his scales, a result of prolonged immersion in magma.

At this moment, Karon's body was immersed in magma, and deep crimson scales, each the size of an adult's palm, slowly shed from his body, floating and sinking in the rolling lava flows.

Dragons share some similarities with snakes. Generally, dragons only shed scales in rare instances, similar to how snakes shed their skin as they pass through life growth cycles, entering new stages of life.

Dragons also shed scales and regrow new, perfectly adapted scales during slumbers that mark the transition between age stages, a process driven by spontaneous adaptation and evolution within their bloodline.

However, Karon, constantly immersed in magma, experienced accelerated growth and change in his body and bloodline due to the excessive energy and magic.

Since scales are relatively fixed structures on a dragon's body, they often couldn't keep pace with Karon's bodily changes. Therefore, Karon proactively shed his scales periodically, regrowing new ones that better suited his body.

Once the last of his old scales had shed and new ones had grown, Karon emerged from the scalding magma.

He carefully collected his old scales and placed them in his treasure hoard. Now, a pile of shed red dragon scales had accumulated in a corner of the hoard. Though faded, these scales remained invaluable treasures in the eyes of most creatures.

Even other dragons would covet the scales shed by Karon. These scales carried certain qualities of the red dragon, making them ideal magical materials for bearing earth, metal, and fire elements, and they possessed innate magical resistance to these three elements.

Their texture was also extremely durable, making them suitable not only for crafting magical artifacts but also for creating armor and shields with defensive capabilities that would entice countless warriors.

Based on a red dragon's innate ability to appraise treasures, each scale on Karon's body was worth thousands of gold coins. Selling all these old scales would make Karon a wealthy dragon.

However, Karon wouldn't be so wasteful. He could easily acquire ordinary gold coins without resorting to selling his scales, and the rewards would far exceed the act of selling them.

He planned to preserve these dragon scales and craft them into medals or special tokens of honor to commend those who made significant contributions to the dragon territory and kingdom.

This would be a unique reward and honor of the dragon kingdom, which would also enhance the loyalty and sense of superiority of his subordinates. A sense of superiority is an indispensable element of a mature social system, a manifestation of social status and class division.

Karon would make everyone understand that as long as they contributed to the dragonkin, they would certainly be rewarded.

After counting the treasures gradually accumulating in his hoard, Karon climbed out of the hoard with a satisfied expression, then spread his wings and flew into the sky, heading toward the forest.

Karon needed to hunt for food. Until a team was established to provide and inspect food specifically for dragons, Karon and the dragonkin needed to hunt for themselves.

Although a dragon's powerful body could resist and digest most poisons in the world, it wasn't completely immune. Karon trusted his subordinates but wouldn't entrust his safety to them without a mature food supply team.

Moreover, he was not only going to hunt for food but also to inspect the area selected by the bronze dragon Aliena for the new city.

Showing himself before the first group of pioneers would demonstrate his regard for Aliena and benefit his rule. The fact that a dragon was willing to protect them with his mighty power would also be enough to reassure people.

The red dragon's massive body flew across the low sky, its broad, thirty-one-meter wings and sturdy body casting a vast shadow under the sunlight.

He was in no hurry, as he was also inspecting the territory, so his flight speed wasn't fast. Even so, the flapping of his enormous wings still stirred up a strong wind.

The dragonkin at the foot of the Dragon Nest Mountain were already accustomed to the sight of the dragon, merely looking up and watching their dragon master fly by. Occasionally, some dragonkin would raise their weapons and cheer, praising the red dragon's mighty power.

In some places, there were sudden, violent explosions. Karon looked down and saw soot-covered goblins scrambling out of a half-collapsed house, while a strong dragonborn was propping up the other half of the house's rafters for the goblins.

The goblins were driven away from the center of the goblin camp and lived near the edge of the camp. With the help of other dragonkin, they had several laboratories specifically for experiments.

Just now, the goblin had destroyed another laboratory.

Karon's figure continued to sweep across the forest, flying toward the Golden City.

Although the main urban area of the Golden City was some distance from the coast and the harbor, tall watchtowers were built on the reefs protruding from the original coastline to provide early warning and evacuation measures for the harbor.

According to the suggestion made by the kraken Fafnir, the future Golden City administrative official residence and castle will also be built outside the city near the sea, and this place will become the most heavily guarded place.

Fafnir wanted to block the most likely place of danger at the gate of the Golden City, which had a kind of administrative official defending the city gate, and nobles dying for the country.

The expanded Golden City was extremely wide, even Karon could now stop on the street to visit, but Karon did not land, but patrolled in the air.

His eyes swept over the growing number of giant dragon basic schools, which were the foundation of the giant dragon kingdom and an indispensable part of building the kingdom system.

Then he swept over the tall arena being built in the center of the city, where many prisoners who did not obey the rule of the giant dragon and strong defeated will be placed in the future, as well as various ferocious beasts and strange creatures.

This is the proof of the martial style of the giant dragon kingdom, and it will also be a means to resolve civil disputes.

There are also opera houses, libraries and bathhouses still being planned, as well as shops specializing in selling the unique products of the giant dragon territory and some special equipment produced in the future, which are gradually being improved and repaired.

Karon expressed his satisfaction with the work ability of the kraken Fafnir, at least the will of the red dragon has been steadily implemented by Fafnir.

Although many people in the Golden City have long been accustomed to the figure of the giant dragon, this red dragon, the highest will ruling this place, is the only powerful giant dragon with a title in the outside world among many continental kingdoms and other civilizations, and it is still relatively mysterious.

Except for the battle to drive away the Sahua mermen, the figure of this red dragon rarely comes to this Golden City, as if this red dragon does not want its too hideous and huge appearance to disturb the people here, with a natural sense of mystery of the superior ruler.

Therefore, even the residents who have lived in the city for a long time, like the creatures of various races who have just come to this city, stared wide-eyed at the red dragon patrolling the territory.

The most ⊥ new ⊥ small ⊥ said ⊥ is ⊥ at ⊥ six ⊥ 9 ⊥⊥ book ⊥⊥ bar ⊥⊥ first ⊥ hair!

When the giant dragon dependents all knelt down and saluted the giant dragon in the sky, this atmosphere drove other people, so everyone put their hands on their chests and saluted the giant dragon in the sky.

"Praise the Lord of the Dragon Clan who rules this place, the mighty Red King, the incarnation of flames, the master of earth and metal!" People echoed the crowd, and the noisy voices reached the high sky, and the enthusiasm and atmosphere infected the red dragon in the sky.

"Roar," the huge red dragon let out a dragon roar that shook the wilderness, and then its figure went away into the distance.

At this time, Countess Bartoli, who was stepping on the deck of a giant ship in the harbor, withdrew her gradually eager gaze and said to the squinting mage Hugheser, who was also looking up and staring beside her: "What an incredible creature, Hugheser, do you say that this red dragon is just a juvenile dragon now? I thought he was a young dragon, no wonder even your teacher is very confident in this red dragon."

Hugheser shook his head, he said with a smile: "Wrong, Bartoli, we are confident in Karon not only because of his strength, but also because of his characteristics and rational wisdom, a red dragon with rationality and wisdom, tsk tsk, just thinking about it makes me feel that his future will be very unexpected!"

The beautiful and tall short-haired Countess Bartoli looked at a blue-haired woman next to her. The voluptuous and tall countess, wearing delicate deerskin flat boots, was a full 1.78 meters tall, but this blue-haired, fair-faced, and indifferent-looking young woman was a full head taller than Countess Bartoli.

Countess Bartoli smiled at the blue-haired young woman and said, "Kalit, it seems that my spending a huge price to redeem you was an extremely correct choice. If Karon Goggmora is really as Hugheser said, then the rewards I can get will satisfy me."

The human-shaped Kalit shook her head and said in a flat and indifferent voice: "You are wrong, Bartoli, I have long abandoned the Dragon Clan, and the Dragon Clan has also abandoned me, no longer regarding me as one of them."

"Those dragon cubs can't wait to tear me apart, even Karon will not allow the existence of traitors, maybe you will only get disappointment!"

The young short-haired countess was heroic and洒脱, a slight smile appeared on her beautiful face, then she shrugged her shoulders and spread her hands, and said indifferently: "It doesn't matter, you are just an attitude that I use to show to the Dragon Clan, even if this attitude is a bit too expensive, but I, Bartoli, never feel regret for my choices, that's me!"

The figure of the red dragon flew over all the populated areas within the territory, and he also passed by the villages located in the forest, and the various crops that were gradually covered with full fruits made him feel happy.

Fully reclaiming wasteland and planting food is the most important goal of the Dragon Clan territory now. On the one hand, it is to prevent the development of the territory from being restricted, and on the other hand, it is because of the growing Dragon Clan.

Ordinary animals, hunting beasts, taking tigers as an example, in areas with general species resources and scarce prey, the area of activity and hunting territory required by a tiger is generally between 100 and 400 square kilometers, and particularly powerful tigers can even reach 900 square kilometers.

In areas with abundant species resources and fierce competition, even female tigers need at least 10 square kilometers of hunting territory to ensure sufficient food supply.

Male tigers, which consume more than tigresses, require at least thirty square kilometers. These tigers not only hunt various wild deer, wild sheep, red deer, and wild boars, but also consume berries, many large insects, and numerous small animals and beasts in the autumn and winter.

Although the world of Aikanya is rich in magic and the Dragon Clan's territory is exceptionally abundant in species resources, supplying the increasingly powerful Dragon Clan requires even larger territories, because the Dragon Clan cannot recklessly destroy the ecological balance through predation.

That's something even the most foolish and cruel chromatic dragons wouldn't do.

At Caron's current size, he needs to eat at least three giant antelopes, each averaging three and a half meters in length, to maintain his daily activity energy. Although he has ample magic to nourish him, dragons are not purely elemental beings.

And if he wants to go without eating for several days or even ten days, Caron must eat several times that amount. The growing juvenile dragons also have extremely terrifying appetites. The amount of meat consumed by each dragon daily is enough for a family of three to eat for a long time.

Moreover, the dragon territory also has an increasing number of followers and residents to support. Relying solely on grain purchased from other continental kingdoms in the Northern Land and hunted food can only sustain them for a while.

That's why Caron places so much importance on the foundation of agriculture, and the current territory is putting all its efforts into cultivating land and planting grain.

Once the first batch of grain is harvested, those followers will not have to compete with the dragons for resources and can use the grain to replace hunted food. The dragon territory will also no longer be controlled by the various kingdoms and nobles of the Northern Land.

Caron landed with joy in front of the fruit-laden vegetable garden. The villagers in the village had long been alarmed by the dragon's massive figure and were now trembling and prostrate on the ground, not knowing what this dragon wanted to do.

The village's elderly elder, was pushed forward and tremblingly knelt before the red dragon, saying, "Honorable Dragon Lord, I don't know what brings you here. Our village also respects the rule of the dragons and has never done anything beyond the laws of the territory. Moreover, the village is very poor now and has not accumulated any gold coins or wealth!"

"Well, it seems that these ordinary people still hold the inherent impression of dragons. With the dragon's nature of not visiting without a purpose, they must think I've come here to plunder treasure. These things still require long-term publicity and long-term changes in life,"

Caron looked at the villagers who were stuttering due to fear and said in a gentle tone, "You don't need to be afraid. I'm just happy to see the results of your hard work. Go and pick some melons and fruits from the vegetable garden for me to taste. I see that those melons and fruits seem to be ripe."

The elderly villager quickly had several young men pick a large bunch of melons and fruits, all kinds of them. Tomatoes larger than an adult's fist, green-skinned oil fruits, and a pumpkin larger than a washbasin. Even some melons and fruits that could not be eaten raw were picked by these panicked young people, each with oily skin and shining brightly, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Caron's eyes lit up. He took the melons and fruits from the villagers' clothes and swallowed them one by one. The dragon's stomach didn't care about some of the melons and fruits that couldn't be eaten raw; he just wanted to taste the flavor of these melons and fruits.

The mixed fragrance of melons and fruits spread in his mouth, but what arose was a sense of solid accomplishment, rather than the feeling of satisfying his appetite.

Caron squinted his eyes, spat out a silver coin, and then laughed loudly, "You have done well. This is the money to buy those melons and fruits. Remember, as long as you obey the rule of the dragons, then the dragons will protect your safety and due rights!"

The red dragon hadn't finished speaking when he had already taken off, and his massive figure quickly disappeared into the distance.

And those villagers who originally wanted to refuse the red dragon's silver coin could only kneel on the ground, each with red eyes, kowtowing and shouting loudly, "Thank you, great dragon, thank you for the protection of the Dragon Clan, we will always support the rule of the dragons!"

Hey, these ordinary people's requirements are so simple, just to be able to live well!