Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

A new mask formed on the dragon's face, and power and memories surfaced in his mind.

That was a shared memory between the dragon Konarak and King Kolosis of Manu.

And the bond between the Gem Dragon and Manu.

Chapter 567 The Shadow of Time

Mr. Dragon dismantles the images that keep overwhelming his consciousness and quickly realizes that they are the past memories of the Dragon Priest Kroxis. He is experiencing a part of the Dragon Priest's life from the perspective of an observer, the most unforgettable part.

……

A blurry shadow appeared on the lens of the deep red crystal cluster, and a colossal creature emerged from it. Its entire body was yellow, covered in iridescent gemstone scales. The variegated colors did not diminish its wildness; instead, they gave the monster a touch of refined artistry. Diamond spines extended from head to tail, its claws and fangs were deliberately concealed by the dragon, and its amber snake eyes, with their eyelids detached, had dilated pupils. Its originally ferocious appearance softened, even carrying a hint of sorrow.

"Koranak, how is the situation?" Kroos immediately stepped forward, behind him three gem sages standing silently, awaiting the dragon's command.

“We have failed. We have fallen short. Moroki has banished the dragon priests. I have brought this news back. Kroxis, our darkness has descended.”

"So that roar earlier..." Klose's voice was full of disbelief.

“That was the lament of my father, Yemotar…”

The shock of reality caused the dragon priest to stumble, but he regained his footing with his staff, and the three gem sages were also thrown into chaos. As a result, the light of Ashplink's dragon's lair dimmed, and the chaos among the ruling class transformed into fear that spread throughout the entire city of Manu.

"Hold firm to your will, Krossis!" The Dragon Prince's rebuke, delivered with a soothing tone, steadied the weak dragon priest. This was the downside of dragons being too powerful; the fragile balance between dragons and dragon priests crumbled before the power of the Dragon Prince.

“Thanks to you, Kolanak.” The dragon priest sent the gem sage Destan down to appease the crowd. “I find it difficult to be as calm as you. That’s probably why I was ostracized by Ormhead and the others; I’m too weak.”

The eldest son of the dragon spoke with boundless tenderness to his apprentice, “Your wisdom and strength are outstanding, Kroos. But your temperament, I must admit, is a drawback of being with me. The aura of fear has weakened you too much. I’m sorry, Manu could have had a resolute leader.”

Krossis simply smiled and waved his hand. "I've long understood that I can't be a tough leader; dictatorship isn't my style. I'm satisfied with who I am now, and I have three Gem Sages, and you, the great Firstborn of the Dragon. I believe that if we unite as one, the Manu race will not suffer."

“A gentle king…” The dragon Koranak crouched on the ground, shaking its head violently, lowering its body, and its huge eyes locked onto Krosis, its gaze filled with satisfaction and contentment. “You will achieve great things, Krosis. Even the weakest dragon cub will one day spread its wings and soar, because you are my student. Even without me, you will surely grow strong.”

From the dragon's eldest son's unusual expression and words, Kroos sensed something. Filled with unease, he questioned his dragon. "I don't like this joke, Kolanak. If you think I'm too weak, I will change..."

"This is no joke, child, the end of the dragons has come." Kolanak spread his wings, showing the dragon priest his side, where a burning spot of light was scorching the dragon's body. In the area illuminated by the light, the luster of the gemstones had dimmed, a curse of the holy light.

"This is the end of the dragon race, and I have begun to bear the consequences of my father's sins."

"No! We will heal you, Kolanak, we will find a way to cure you!"

"Don't be silly, child. This light killed my father. How could you possibly stand against it?" The eldest son of the dragon's outstretched wings crashed to the ground, and spots of light had already climbed onto his shoulders.

"What should I do, Kolanak?" Kolosis said, uttering the words that came out unconsciously in his moment of confusion.

"Kill me before my curse is passed on to you, and to your people."

"No!!! I absolutely refuse!!!" Klose broke free from his confusion and waved his cane in the air as if to dispel something.

"You must make a choice!" The roar awakened Kronos once more. His enormous serpentine eyes revealed the dragon's terror. Kolanak repeated in the dragon language, issuing the most demanding divine decree: "The Mercury Staff is my gift to you as you begin your training. The gem's poison, this destructive power, symbolizes ruthless royal authority, and I too will submit to it. One day, the dragon's chosen one will grow its own wings and sever our bonds. This is my expectation of you, my student."

"This is not what I wanted!!!" Kroxis, trembling under the control of the dragon language, approached his teacher and raised his royal authority.

"This is what they need. Life is about choices. When you are put on the throne, you will face the cruelest choices."

No matter how much Klosis cried out, his body drew ever closer to his mentor, the tip of the mercury stone already aimed at Kolanak's exposed chest, at that magnificent, rainbow-like reverse scale.

"Please, Master, please don't force me to do this!" The puppet dragon priest, who was being controlled, let out the most desperate wail.

"My child, this is the last time. No one will force you again. Become a dragon, a dragon that no one dares to offend."

The dragon priest's staff pierced the dragon's heart. Dragon blood, tainted with a mercury-like stench, sprayed onto Kroxis's mask, and the dragon's firstborn's mournful cry reverberated through every crimson crystal.

“I betrayed my father, I fled his palace, wounded and battered! Manu, you have filled the void in my heart. Ashprink is my home, my dragon's lair! My children, tear my flesh, knock off my bones, and carve the most dazzling gems from my body, so that the light of the dragon's eldest son, Koranak, may be eternal on your crowns!” The gem dragon's body shattered into countless fragments, and a single rain fell in the underground city of Ashprink—a rain of gems.

The eldest son of the dragon left behind his final instructions.

"Klosis, this is our vow, my most beloved child, may my light endure forever... among the people of Manu..."

……

The dragon felt the intense heat burning on its body, the almost fanatical worship of the dragon priest Kroxis for the eldest son of the dragon, the echoes of which still resonated in its mind.

"I am ultimately a failed student..." Kroos's afterimage appeared before the dragon. Without the dragon priest mask to obscure it, his Manu gem-like eyes held only purity and... liberation. "Will you satisfy Kolanak?"

“Of course, I’m not a student,” Mr. Dragon said without hesitation. “I’m stronger than you, much stronger than you. I’m an excellent mentor.”

The Dragon Priest succession ceremony has concluded.

A jeweled mask covered the dragon's skull.

Chapter 568 Eternal Radiance

"Is this the soul of the dragon... the love of the dragon for its people..." The dragon reached out his fingertips and gently touched the mask on his face. The movement was cautious and careful, as if the slightest force would shatter the beautiful mask.

“Congratulations, dragon, you have achieved your wish, and I have gained a powerful ally.” The scholar stepped forward, mithril chains crawling on the ground, their tips already at the dragon’s feet. “The dragon’s soul is a fierce and conflicting force, and newly born dragon priests often need time to adapt… I can assist in adjusting those conflicts…”

"Really? But I feel great, better than ever before." Mr. Dragon turned his head, and the phantom of a dragon lay on his shoulder, its violent aura drawing out Mr. Scholar's magical dragon.

Holding his breath, the scholar regained his composure, though still tinged with surprise. "Your compatibility with dragons surprises me, old friend. You seem... to have been born for dragons."

“That’s me,” Mr. Dragon replied without any politeness.

"Today is a happy day for me."

"For me, it is the same." The dragon looked at the remains of Krossis, his fragments beginning to crystallize and turn into a gem. "A tormented soul has been forgiven, and I will continue to carry out his duty."

The dragon turned to face the Manu, who had somehow gathered. His words, resounding like a deep dragon's roar, reached the ears of every Manu. The dragon had killed Krossis, their mad king.

Gem Manu knelt around him, and Marcelo picked up the fallen mercury staff, knelt on one knee before the dragon, and offered up his royal power.

"king."

This was a promise, this was acceptance. The dragon, who had received the power of the dragon priest from Krossis, also gained something new. He picked up his toothpick-like staff and returned Krossis's crystal to them.

“I will inherit everything from Klosis and Kolanak, and love you as much as I love animals. Well, I'm an animal rights activist, so that's actually a rather precious vow.”

"The Manu Clan obeys your will." Fortunately, Gem Manu didn't seem to care much about Mr. Dragon's emphasis, although Lyle felt it was rather improper.

“Dragon Mentor, this…” Lyle, whose body had been fully restored, stepped forward. The radiant dragon crown, as the most dazzling treasure, attracted everyone’s attention with its beauty.

"This is Manu's treasure..." The dragon decided directly who would receive the dragon crown, glancing at the scholar.

The scholar bowed slightly, a gesture of deference to the new king.

“All we need is knowledge of dragon bones and you, the Dragon Priest. The Dragon Crown… I’ve made one before, and making another one isn’t difficult.”

“Very good.” The dragon handed the dragon crown to the gem Manukate, a precious gift that even the gem manager was flustered by.

After the arrival of the dragons, the Manu tribe not only resolved their survival crisis and obtained a batch of precious gems, but also ended the horrific rule of Krossis. Now, they have even reclaimed the Dragon Crown. This was not something the Manu could have obtained; the Dragon Crown should belong to the new king. However, the new Dragon Priest is far more authoritative than Krossis, and at least Kate dares not disobey the dragon's will now.

“Let’s seek the advice of the Gem Sage, Destan,” Kate whispered, returning to her flock with the precious dragon crown in her hands. Curious little Chacha stared blankly at Kate’s crown, but the sensible girl obediently remained in her place.

The dragon, now leader, swiftly issued a series of orders to the Manu, including gathering the people, relocating them back to Ashplink, and carrying out post-war cleanup. The brave Marcelo and the humble Kate became his assistants; unsurprisingly, these two will become the new Gem Sages of the Manu.

Kate went to arrange the relocation of the Manu tribe, and Marcelo came over controlling a large floating crystal, inside which was Mr. Rock.

With a light tap of his mercury cane on the crystal, Mr. Zhiyan immediately fell out. While cheering for his newfound freedom, he pieced together his skeleton and simultaneously gave Marcelo his plan to observe Ashplink for the next month. Mr. Zhiyan was going to have a good look around.

"There are more important things that require your attention, Zhiyan." The dragon laughed and raised his hand into the mound of earth.

"Roar!!!" The gem dragon, now under the control of the Spirit Master, tore through the scholar's rock seal and stood tall behind the new Dragon Priest. The Rock Master's gaze was vacant, the crystal shards scraped from his jawbone resembling his drool. The dragon turned and instructed Marcelo.

"I will requisition the dragon bones of Kolanak for a period of time, and then I will return them to Manu."

"No, no, Your Majesty, you have already given us enough..."

“This is not a gift. I promised Colossi that the glory of the Dragon’s Firstborn Son would be eternal on Manu’s crown. This is a command, Marcelo.”

Maslow knelt down with his hand on his chest.

"We will obey your will."

Only then did the hardships endured by the Manu people come to an end.

The Mad King's terror ended, and Mr. Dragon became their new king. Lyle felt that his mentor was different now; the Dragon Soul had changed a part of him, allowing him to transfer some of his love from animals to the Manu.

Mr. Zhiyan had been studying the gemstone dragon skeleton. He hung himself on the skeleton day and night, and Lyle could hear him making unrestrained, wanton noises whenever he passed by.

The scholar has been assisting the dragon master with his work, particularly regarding the dragon priests. The Manu tribe's population is currently too small, and they still need humanitarian aid from the Wandering City for supplies and other necessities. This has also brought the Manu tribe, the dragon-kindled ones, back onto the dragon priest council's chariot. They have a grand plan, and having another tribe's support is a good thing.

Lyle suddenly had some free time, frequently traveling between Nathlan and Ashplink using the scholar's portal. This was mainly because Nia missed her new playmate, and the silly Shiba Inu's roaming area had expanded considerably. The Dragon Master had been busy managing Manu lately, so Andrei's classes had been suspended. Lyle specifically inquired about the recent situation of Shining and the other students. He learned that they were having a blast; the Dragon Master's beating classes had been canceled, and the other Bone Studies professors weren't as obsessed with violence as the Dragon Master. Apparently, some itchy lich apprentices even went to the Soul Tower to play a jumping game, indulging in a brief but intense experience of being tortured.

Aside from the serious trouble caused by the liberated Bone Spirit Apprentices in the Wandering City, Lyle's life was peaceful. William, on the other hand, had a rough time, as he was being harassed by the Spine Wheel Flying Chariot Clan, a fusion of the Abyss Demons and the Andrei Liches.

One month later.

In Ashpurink, the underground city illuminated by the jeweled sun, amidst the farewells of the Manu people.

Lyle, Mr. Dragon, and Mr. Rock stepped into the new portal.

"Mentor, where are we going?"

The dragon priest let out a hearty laugh.

"Go home, my home."

"My burial place."

Chapter 569 Burial Ground

The place Mr. Dragon called home, his burial ground, was a primeval forest hidden deep in the mountains. The moment Lyle stepped onto the damp, water-soaked soil, a strong, pungent smell of grass assaulted his nostrils. Unidentified broad-leaved plants further concentrated the moisture, their verdant green tinged with a waxy yellow; the oil seeping from the cracks in the twisted wood was likely one of the culprits making the air even more polluted.

This place is like a swamp, a swamp covered with strange trees that only reach up to your calves.

“Ancient ferns, large ancient ferns. These are living fossils, Lyle.” Mr. Zhiyan stretched out his palm, stroking the sticky resin that had accumulated on the surface of the tree trunk like insect egg sacs with fascination. Seeing the snot-like substance sticking to his hand, Mr. Zhiyan’s enthusiasm dissipated. “It has no value in carrying knowledge. But its existence still excites me.”

Nia, her voice trembling with tears, sat on Lyle's shoulder, her tentacles struggling to scoop out the sour resin from her mouth. Even Nia, who was usually indiscriminate in her intake of food, couldn't stand the taste of this ancient plant. It seemed she would learn her lesson in the future. Lyle chuckled and took a few moonfruits from his pocket, handing them to her; they were a specialty fruit of the elves, known for their cleansing and washing properties.

The Dragon Priest, Mr. Dragon, also let go of the burdens of being a leader here; perhaps it was the feeling of returning home that made him feel so at ease. He laughed heartily, ruffled Nia's hair, picked up a bone, stirred up the scattered resin on the ground, and put it back on the tree.

“I’m not particularly fond of other plants, but this is an exception. These ancient ferns have been here since the moment I became a lich; they are my waypoints guiding me home. I even commissioned the Weather Research Society to collect moisture from this area. These ancient plants love humidity and cannot tolerate sunlight.”

Lyle surveyed the surroundings; it was deserted. Through the shadows of the trees, he could only see the distant mountain walls that stretched into the clouds like a green curtain.

"So the Dragon Mentor wasn't human in his previous life?" Lyle followed the dragon's steps, while Nia slumped on his head, needing to be rubbed before she could get up. The ominous shadow extended its shadow claws, successfully making Nia laugh.