https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-586-The-Paradise-of-the-Gold-Dragon/13677385/
Chapter 587: The Story of a Sinner
“Oh?” Kai Xiusu did not flinch with alarm. He simply kept his head raised, staring unblinkingly into Beatrice’s eyes, his powerful wing-claws lifting as his smooth, gleaming wings unfolded wide.
“This is the hospitality of your Eternal Order Realm? Strange kin… did you summon me here merely to stand as your enemy?”
Beatrice flared her wings, sending a hurricane swirling through the hall, her voice as cold as ice. “Before the Holy Relic of King Landis, there is only justice and order. All who conceal the truth shall become our foes!”
In those twin pools of molten gold, each reflected the other’s solemn dignity. Two titanic forces of draconic power surged forth, clashing and pressing against one another—air itself seemed on the verge of freezing into solid block.
The impact rippled through the great hall. The golden dragons seated in meditation stirred, their eyes snapping open, rising from their places to form a silent, solemn line behind Beatrice, their gaze fixed upon the unfamiliar Ancient Gold Dragon.
Orola fluttered her wings, wobbling slightly as she drifted between the two ancient beings. She looked up at Beatrice, her voice pleading.
“Old Division… there must be some misunderstanding! Titus was no mere legend—he saved the High Mountain Kingdom! He’s revered by mortals as the ‘Dragon of Dawn’! How could he be an enemy?”
Beatrice did not waver. Coldly, she issued her command: “Step back, Orola. This is not your concern.”
“But it’s not what you think—”
“Enough! This is too dangerous. You’ve studied our history—evil dragons have long sought to exploit our strength. Who can guarantee that the one behind you isn’t a Blue or Green Dragon skilled in deception and disguise?”
“But—”
“There is no ‘but.’ You’re still too young to judge good from evil, Orola. You lack the wisdom to discern truth.”
Beatrice’s icy gaze swept past Orola, locking onto the figure she now called “Titus.”
“I’ve already—”
Seeing her argument fall on deaf ears, the young golden dragon turned away, her gaze filled with guilt as she looked at the very dragon she had invited—her beloved “Titus.”
“Forgive me, Elder Titus… I never wanted this. The Old Division is mistaken. She doesn’t truly see you as an enemy.”
Orola twisted her head, scanning back and forth, her voice trembling with urgency—like magma boiling in her throat.
But neither side heeded her. In this clash of ancient titans, Orola felt dizzy, her wings faltering, nearly losing altitude.
“So… it’s true,” Kai Xiusu murmured, lowering his head. His earlier fury melted into calm, then into a weary, resigned smile. “No wonder you’re the Bestower of Eternal Order. Nothing escapes your eyes.”
Slowly, he folded his wings—like a vast golden moth folding its wings against its back. The oppressive draconic aura dissipated.
With the pressure lifted, Orola exhaled, wiping sweat from her brow with a claw, then sank gently to the ground.
But Beatrice remained suspended midair, her gaze sharp and unwavering as she studied the stranger. Her mouth parted slightly, revealing a row of slender gill-whiskers that fluttered like threads of shadow.
“Titus… what are you hiding?” Her voice rang like a judge in a tribunal, echoing through the monastery’s vast hall. “No suspicious presence near the Holy Relic is permitted. That is my duty as Lantis’s Guardian.”
Kai Xiusu let out a dry chuckle. After a pause, he lowered his voice. “Sometimes, concealment isn’t born of malice. It’s habit—self-defense. And… protection of those close to you.”
He lifted his head again, meeting Beatrice’s gaze. “I mean you no harm, Beatrice. But… perhaps we should speak elsewhere. Somewhere more private.”
“Very well. Follow me.”
Her reply was sharp, concise.
The other golden dragons quietly dispersed, returning to their meditative posts. Orola shot one last worried glance, then reluctantly took her leave.
But deep in her heart, she believed—truly believed—that the dragon she had invited, this “Titus,” was no villain. Perhaps it was instinct. There was something about him—reliable, solid, giving her an unshakable sense of safety.
Beatrice flared her wings, gliding effortlessly from the monastery toward a hidden valley deep within the mountains. Kai Xiusu, his Avatar in the form of an Ancient Gold Dragon, followed silently.
He was thinking.
Within the half-plane of Eternal Order Realm—crafted specifically for golden dragons like himself—Kai Xiusu knew his current Avatar’s strength would be no match for Beatrice, the ancient Guardian.
And dealing with a dragon of such intelligence? Vague riddles wouldn’t suffice.
Half-truths—those delicate lies that blur the line between truth and deception—were far more dangerous than outright falsehoods. Maybe that was the way forward.
Still, he wasn’t truly worried. Even if he fell here, it would only mean losing an Avatar. He’d lose strength, the influence in the High Mountain Kingdom, and the name he’d built—but not his soul.
“Arooo—”
As they entered the valley, Kai Xiusu was met with a chorus of wails and agonized roars—chaotic, guttural, yet muffled by an invisible barrier. The sound could not escape.
He peered into the depths. Cracks and claw marks scarred the earth. Blood-stained stone, broken chains, a ruined prison. Cold winds howled through the ravine—utterly alien to the serene, orderly sanctity of Eternal Order Realm.
On both sides of the cliff walls, runes were etched deep into the rock—dense, intricate, oppressive. They felt like a cage woven from enchantment.
A crushing aura of intimidation pressed down on him. His shoulders sank. Even flapping his wings to stay aloft became a struggle. Magic? Useless.
But Beatrice? Unaffected. She glided forward, light as a feather.
Kai Xiusu scanned the surroundings, then exhaled with a dry laugh. “Well… I never thought such a place existed within this peaceful realm. It’s like a Howling Void. Your prison?”
“This is the Unforgiven Valley—the only place in Eternal Order Realm untouched by sunlight,” Beatrice replied, her voice as sharp as a blade. “In a way… you’re right. It’s where my father, Ferdinand, imprisoned those whose guilt is beyond measure. The sinners.”
She descended onto a rocky outcrop, folding her wings behind her with a graceful motion.
“Sinners?”
Kai Xiusu lowered his head slightly, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Even his gill-whiskers trembled. “Sinners… I haven’t heard that word in a long time. Maybe… you’re right.”
Beatrice gave him a long, thoughtful glance—then turned and stepped into a cave mouth.
Inside the deep cavern, glowing stones cast an eerie blue light down the path. The walls were still covered in endless, complex runes—each one pulsing with oppressive power.
Kai Xiusu studied the intricate carvings, their iron-bar-like precision sending chills through him. “Is this a Dead Magic Zone?”
Beatrice didn’t turn. She marched forward, wings folded tightly. “Yes. My father carved vast stretches of Dead Magic Zone and Good vs. Evil boundaries using masterfully crafted runes. This is his prison—designed to contain those who think themselves clever enough to outwit us.”
Kai Xiusu felt the pressure—waves of suppression, sapping the primordial magic within him. He smirked. “So you went all out. Must be quite the honor.”
“Just necessary precautions,” she said. “The runes let me see through all veils. Though you’re shrouded in mist… I can still feel it. You’re far more powerful than you appear.”
“Thank you,” Kai Xiusu replied, voice dry. “Though I’d rather not be praised while imprisoned.”
“Not praise,” Beatrice said sternly. “Titus. Until your intentions are clear, the greater your strength, the greater the threat to Eternal Order Realm.”
Kai Xiusu shook his claw, releasing a surge of pain. He used the motion to ask a question.
“That doesn’t make sense. If I truly had the power to break this realm, I would’ve attacked you by now. Why follow you here? Beatrice, you’re overreacting.”
“Just caution,” she said, shaking her head. “Proceed.”
“Here,” she said. “Come.”
Boom—
The massive, weighty door ahead groaned open. The intricate carvings on its surface flared with light, pulsing with supernatural energy.
One by one, they stepped through.
Inside lay a spherical hidden chamber—walls entirely blanketed in runes, leaving no angle untouched. And at the center, floating in midair, was a black gem.
The pressure intensified. At the sight of that gem, Kai Xiusu felt an overwhelming urge—to confess everything.
High-Level Verbal Spell Sphere.
Even an Ancient Red Dragon would struggle to cast a single spell here, their power halved. But Beatrice? Unmoved.
She turned, her gaze locking onto Kai Xiusu’s Avatar with cold precision.
“This is Father’s Interrogation Chamber. Even ancient Blue Dragons have failed to escape. This chamber blocks all sound, all spying, even prophecy. It should be exactly what you wanted—a secret place.”
“Of course,” Kai Xiusu said, stepping forward with a gaze like molten gold. “Then tell me… what are you hiding? What is your true purpose?”
“Give me a moment,” Kai Xiusu replied. “I’m still your guest, not your enemy.”
He closed his eyes—seeming to recall something lost, or perhaps simply hesitating.
Suddenly, a gloomy aura spread from him. A sense of sorrow, of loss, thickened the air. Even his golden scales dimmed.
After a long silence, he opened his eyes. Slowly, he extended his left foreclaw.
Hiss.
A sound of fire—crackling, ancient—filled the chamber. On his palm, a jagged, black-red flame bloomed.
“Chaos Flame? How dare you invoke such power! It will drag you into the Bottomless Abyss!”
Beatrice’s voice trembled. Her eyes widened—she stared, frozen, at the tiny flame in Titus’s hand.
Kai Xiusu’s eyes flickered with the faintest smile. There it is. A shock—something like the Abyss—was enough to shatter focus.
Boom!
The runes on the walls flared violently. Silver chains, hundreds of them, erupted from every corner, lashing toward the flame—seeking to bind it.
But the chaotic flame writhed like a tentacle from the Abyss, dancing wildly, resisting. Black mist poured through the chamber. The stench of blood filled the air.
Kai Xiusu clenched his claw, forcing control. Still, flames escaped—burning his own scales.
“I didn’t seek Abyssal power,” he said, voice strained, pain etched on his face. “I had no choice.”
He forced down the storm within. Gazing up at Beatrice, he managed a weak smile.
“Beatrice… would you like to hear an old story? The tale of a sinner… long buried in dust?”
Beatrice’s gaze remained serious—but after a pause, she nodded.
She sensed this dragon was not allied with Chaos. He was struggling against it. Fighting it. And she could feel it—the sorrow.
This was no monster. This was a dragon burdened by a past too heavy to carry.
So Kai Xiusu, weary beyond measure, lay down in the hidden chamber. His voice was hoarse, barely audible.
“Not long ago… perhaps three thousand years… perhaps four… I was still a young dragon. I wanted to uphold justice. So I gathered kin, forged bonds, built a coalition…”
Even before he finished, Beatrice felt it—compassion, sorrow, grief—washing over her, unbidden.
With each word, she saw it: a golden dragon, full of ambition, striving to change the world—like her father, Ferdinand.
She saw hundreds of golden dragons soaring through the sky, patrolling, eradicating evil wherever it festered—Red Dragons slaughtering villages, giants plundering cities, devils stealing mortal souls, liches harvesting spirits.
Kai Xiusu spoke on, weaving a tale that resonated perfectly with the values of a true Golden Dragon.
And under the full power of his [Charmer] trait—amplified by 36 points of Charisma—this ancient, sheltered dragon, untouched by the world for centuries, was drawn in. She believed every word.
(End of Chapter)
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