Ser Wilderness, Citadel of Crimson Flame.

The Red Iron Dragon coiled upon the massive throne, his scales gleaming with a dull luster.

The discomfort of returning to the Material Plane had completely faded. Now, upon careful reflection, his previous experiences in the Serene Spirit Wilderness felt like a vivid yet distant dream.

Opposite him was the Iron Dragon Sorog.

This Iron Royal Duke of the Aola Kingdom was currently focused, listening intently to the news brought back by his kin.

"...That's the general situation in the Serene Spirit Wilderness."

The Red Iron Dragon concluded his narration methodically.

The habits of the fey, the value of emotional fruits, the special properties of black oil, the preliminary agreement reached... He presented this information point by point, each detail clear and precise.

Plane development was a massive undertaking, but Garoth himself would not spend too much time on this aspect.

He had already made a good start. Next, it was up to the kingdom's system to operate and serve him.

"Emotional energy directly influences material output... even granting activity to inanimate objects?"

The Iron Dragon Sorog mused thoughtfully, "That is quite different from the laws we know in the Material Plane."

"No wonder the fey could so easily accept the story Vira concocted."

"In the environment of the Serene Spirit Wilderness, a 'story' capable of stirring emotions might itself be a unique form of power."

He lifted his head, his gaze piercing through the shimmering motes of light floating in the air to settle on Garoth.

"The value of this plane may be greater than we initially imagined. It's not just about resources, but its very rules. Contact with a brand new world can also greatly advance our kingdom's theoretical knowledge and the development of alchemical technologies."

Garoth gave a slight nod.

"That is precisely my thought."

He said, "However, the prerequisite for everything is establishing a stable and controllable channel."

"If we rely solely on the planar teleportation Vira performs, the cost is too great and it cannot support large-scale personnel and material exchange. That can only serve as a backup plan for emergencies."

"Constructing a stable cross-planar channel is indeed no simple project."

The Iron Dragon Sorog concurred, his expression turning serious. "This requires us to invest significant resources and technical expertise."

Cross-planar technology was not something the Aola Kingdom had systematically mastered before.

However, among the Romania nations that now held Aola in reverence, Matna, Cambruk, Reebos, and Lothrian had all accumulated some relevant knowledge.

Most legendary-tier spellcasters had also studied planar knowledge.

And now, these scattered technologies had been compiled into the knowledge halls of the Aola Kingdom, eagerly absorbed and integrated by the kingdom's alchemists and mages.

"With the combined strength of our entire nation, pooling the technical knowledge of the various states."

Sorog continued, "Although it will still take some time, creating a stable channel is not impossible."

"More importantly, we not only have the specific coordinates of Verdant Home Grove, but the fey there, especially Vira, are willing to cooperate with us. This can solve many technical difficulties."

He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts, then said:

"With that, we don't need to shoulder every single difficulty from start to finish."

"We can first concentrate our efforts on building a preliminary channel framework on the Material Plane side. Then, through this fragile but already established connection, we can send a pre-prepared vanguard team, including craftsmen, alchemists, spellcasters, and so on, along with various alchemical components and materials, to the Serene Spirit Wilderness first."

"Then, we work from both inside and out, constructing in both directions."

"This way, our efficiency can be greatly improved, and the risks will be reduced."

Garoth listened, slowly nodding, a glint of approval flashing in his eyes.

"Proceed according to your plan. You have my full support."

He said, then shifted the topic back to matters within Romania.

"How is the progress on occupying the Rhen Plateau?"

This place was once the territory of the Sax and Lyon Kingdoms, a vast land completely comparable to the Aola Kingdom's current territory.

The site of the decisive battle between Aola and Lothrian was only a small part of the Rhen Plateau.

In the past, the situation on this plateau was sensitive, serving as a buffer zone between multiple powers, watched by many, with no single kingdom able to fully control it.

But now, it was practically already in Aola's pocket.

After securing the Rhen Plateau, relying on this vast land, the Aola Kingdom's population and territory would experience explosive growth.

The Iron Dragon Sorog carefully considered his words, clearly having prepared for this question.

"There are quite a few remnants of the old Lyon Kingdom who have claimed territory and declared themselves rulers."

He said, "To these people, we only gave them two choices: submit or die."

"Some of them are willing to pledge allegiance to Aola. We have already begun reorganizing their forces. As for the other part that stubbornly resists, Samantha is leading teams to purge them."

"According to the latest intelligence, the resistance has weakened significantly."

"It won't be long before the Rhen Plateau completely belongs to us."

His voice paused for a moment, then the Iron Dragon continued, "Also, the site selection and preliminary planning for the new capital have been finalized."

"The Twilight Plains, the site of our decisive battle with Lothrian. The overall terrain is flat, sufficiently vast, and basically located at the center of the Rhen Plateau, making it suitable as the location for the new capital."

"Currently, everything is proceeding according to plan."

He leaned forward slightly, adding, "With the Earth Manipulator obtained from Lothrian, and our spellcasters and alchemist corps... constructing the new capital is not difficult."

"It is estimated that the main structures can be completed within a year, and the scale will far surpass that of the Citadel of Crimson Flame."

"Of course, full completion will require more time, but that won't affect the capital's operation."

The Red Iron Dragon nodded in satisfaction, the throne beneath him emitting a faint creak.

"Sorog, without you, the Aola Kingdom would not have achieved today's glory."

He did not stint on his praise, his voice carrying recognition. "This achievement belongs to me, and also to you. The effort you have poured into the kingdom, I have seen it all."

Hearing this, the Iron Dragon grinned.

"Garoth, my brother, that is our shared glory."

"But I understand clearly, you are the pillar and foundation of Aola. I merely add bricks and tiles. Without your strength and prestige, the kingdom could not have risen to this point in such a short time."

Mutual recognition was an important factor in maintaining a good relationship.

Both understood this.

In this cruel world, loyalty and trust were also precious things.

Then, the Iron Dragon straightened his expression, his face turning serious again.

"While you were in the Serene Spirit Wilderness, something happened."

He said, his tone grave.

Under Garoth's gaze, the Iron Dragon continued, "An orc fleet appeared in the Cold Water Ocean near the Permafrost Tundra."

Hearing this, the Red Iron Dragon's posture noticeably became more attentive.

He adjusted his position on the throne, his eyes fixed intently on Sorog, waiting for him to continue.

The Iron Dragon went on, "When the orc fleet was discovered, I immediately contacted all of Aola's legendaries and notified all vassal states, instructing them to prepare for war with the orcs."

"You know, those savages have never been easy to deal with."

"Their vanguard forces often herald a subsequent large-scale invasion."

"But..."

His voice paused. The Iron Dragon's face revealed a deep expression of wariness, the alertness a powerful being feels when facing an even stronger existence.

"Before the orcs could even formally make landfall, the matter was already over."

"I saw, or rather, many coastal observers saw it."

"A city of colossal size, blotting out the sky, tore through the heavens, appearing above the vast ocean. Then, it unleashed a torrent of destruction that made heaven and earth change color, annihilating the orc fleet almost in an instant."

As he spoke, spiritual energy light glowed in the Iron Dragon's eyes.

Haloes intertwined and condensed in the air, gradually forming a dynamic scene.

In the scene, a behemoth hovered above the ocean.

It was a city, a real, flying city.

Its underside was covered with complex magical array patterns, its walls towering, its turrets numerous, its scale even surpassing many ground-based cities.

Then, layer upon layer of magical arrays unfolded beneath the colossal city. Light rippled out like waves, illuminating the entire sky.

The next moment, the light cascaded down.

A torrent of pure, blinding white light, so intense it robbed one of color perception, fell towards the sea like a river of stars leaking from a collapsing firmament. The light was so dazzling that even Garoth, watching the scene, couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.

The orc fleet melted directly within this light.

Whether it was their sturdy ships, their powerful orc warriors, or even those legendary beings who had activated their Domains, all evaporated within this radiance, not even a speck of ash remaining.

The entire process lasted less than three seconds.

When the light stream vanished, only a massive circular vacuum zone remained on the sea surface. The seawater had been completely vaporized, revealing the seabed rock melted into a huge pit. The surrounding seawater rushed back in, forming a gigantic vortex, emitting a deafening roar.

Simultaneously, the colossal city withdrew back into the folds of space.

It was as if it had never appeared, leaving behind only the empty sea surface and the still-spreading waves.

Seeing this, the Red Iron Dragon's pupils contracted for an instant before returning to calm.

"Halden's Sky City?"

He asked slowly.

The Iron Dragon nodded solemnly. "Yes."

As he spoke, he constructed three more scenes.

All were similar.

A colossal city suddenly appearing from the horizon, unleashing light that destroyed everything, completely annihilating the orc fleet at sea. The angles were different, the locations were different, but the outcome was exactly the same.

"The orc fleets approached the Atlantis Continent from four directions simultaneously."

Sorog explained. "Their scale wasn't large, each fleet consisting of about thirty to fifty ships. They were likely just probing vanguard forces, trying to establish a foothold here for subsequent invasion or other actions."

"But they all perished in the sea."

The Halden Empire had always held a special position on the Atlantis Continent.

It had always existed here, not overly interfering with the development of other nations on the surface, primarily focusing on enhancing its own strength and confronting other empires.

After implementing the Abyssal development project, it had invested most of its resources and time in this aspect.

This behemoth had not truly bared its fangs for several hundred years.

To the other nations, Halden felt like a colossal mountain situated on the Atlantis Continent. As long as one didn't try to cross or climb it, its presence was minimal, having almost no impact on themselves.

Many rulers of the younger generation had even forgotten.

This "mountain" was actually alive and possessed the power to destroy everything.

Now, this giant beast had finally revealed its claws and fangs.

And they were exceedingly sharp.

"Halden is making a show of force."

Garoth's words broke the silence. "They are warning the orcs not to attempt to invade the Atlantis Continent. It seems even an empire is unwilling to deal with the harassment from these fellows."

"They chose the most direct way to solve the problem: complete annihilation."

Among the three great empires, the Kantum Orc Empire was the weakest overall.

It neither developed planes nor could navigate in space, but within the planet Bernardo, the orcs were the most restless.

Right now, the Arotala Continent was dealing with orc troubles.

Halden did not want to see orcs appear on its own land.

"Their Sky City..."

The Iron Dragon took a deep breath, saying gravely, "...is practically a mobile, super-giant war fortress. The feeling it gives me is even far stronger than kingdom-level strategic super-weapons."

"The might of an empire is truly extraordinary."

Residing high in the sky, watching the tides rise and fall.

Like deities overlooking the earth.

And indeed, Halden had the confidence for this.

Their Sky City was not just a weapon; it was a symbol. A symbol of absolute superiority in technology and power, a symbol of the insurmountable chasm between an empire and other kingdoms.

"No need to dwell on it."

The Red Iron Dragon's expression remained calm as he controlled his emotions.

"At the very least, the annihilation of the orc vanguard by Halden is a good thing for us right now."

"If they had landed, they wouldn't have immediately provoked Halden. The orcs, though barbaric, are not stupid. Instead, they would have caused trouble for us."

"And now, we have one less problem to consider."

The Iron Dragon Sorog nodded, trying hard to rein in his emotions.

"You're right."

He agreed, his voice gradually regaining its usual steadiness.

"In today's Bernardo, with natural disasters erupting and empires contending, we have the opportunity to develop and grow. If the world were entirely peaceful, emerging forces like ours would have no space to rise."

The more chaotic the era, the more favorable it is for realizing ambitions.

Aola was able to establish its kingdom back then mainly because the Romanian Plains were engulfed in the flames of war, and the other nations had no time to spare, allowing the Red Iron Dragon to find a foothold in the cracks.

The current situation is similar.

The major empires all have their own focused pursuits, basically ignoring the affairs of the remaining kingdoms, creating a window of opportunity for Aola's development.

Thinking of this, the Iron Dragon lifted his head.

His gaze burned intensely as he said, "The advantage lies with us!"

Brother, that's not something you should say so lightly...

The Red Iron Dragon was startled inwardly.

He shook his head, quickly correcting, "It's too early to speak of advantage."

"What we need to do now is make full preparations, strengthen ourselves as much as possible, and quietly await the changing winds."

"The contest between empires is not something we can intervene in, but we can ensure that when the opportunity arrives, we are ready to seize it."

Sorog was momentarily stunned, then understood Garoth's meaning.

He gave a slight nod, his expression turning cautious once more.

"Understood. At this stage, what we need most is time."

"Occupying the Rhen Plateau, constructing the new capital, digesting the fruits of victory from the Romanian Plains, developing the Serene Spirit Wilderness..."

Not long after, their exchange concluded.

Sorog set about preparing for the planar channel construction while also keeping an eye on the situation on the Rhen Plateau.

His schedule was always packed, with almost no time for rest.

Garoth returned to his familiar training area.

After the respite in the Serene Spirit Wilderness, his body and mind felt as if they had been cleansed. The tension from prolonged campaigning and training had been released.

Now, back in the Material Plane, he found his training efficiency had genuinely improved quite a bit.

His muscles responded more sensitively, the flow of Dragon Qi was smoother, and even the clarity of his thoughts had increased.

In this state, he resumed his training, striving to improve himself as much as possible.

But not long after, the Red Iron Dragon's movements paused slightly. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He temporarily halted his training and retrieved a scale-shaped communication device.

This scale was golden, its surface covered with intricate runes, currently emitting a soft glow.

He channeled a wisp of Dragon Qi into it, and the runes on the scale lit up one by one.

"The inherently evil Red Iron Dragon, the bully of the entire Romanian Plains, the Evil Dragon King who treats the various nations as playthings!"

A voice pretending to be serious came from the other end, but the laughter in it was almost impossible to conceal.

"Are you prepared to face my crusade?"

It was the Gold Dragon Nasha.

Even through the communication device, Garoth could imagine her expression right now.

It must be that kind of pretending-to-be-fierce, but actually grinning look.

"Ignorant Gold Dragon, come if you dare."

The Red Iron Dragon cooperatively lowered his voice, creating a deep and dangerous atmosphere.

"I guarantee, I will make you taste the bitterness of pain and defeat. When the time comes, you will beg for my mercy, and I, I will mercilessly refuse. Your treasures will become my collection, your lair will become my palace."

He spoke with a menacing tone, playing the part of the evil dragon very cooperatively.

At that moment, another Gold Dragon's voice suddenly chimed in, interrupting, "Evil Dragon King? Sounds interesting."

It was Alberto, his tone casual and breezy, sounding quite punchable. "But, it doesn't matter. I will take action. Justice will always triumph over evil. That is an unchanging truth."

Both Gold Dragons were currently not in the Aola Kingdom.

Shortly before Garoth was about to awaken, they, along with the Brass-Silver Dragon Deborah, had also undergone their sleep, reaching the level 20 limit. Then, to break through to Legendary, following Metal Dragon tradition, they had returned to the dragon domains for their final ascension.

They had now both reached the Legendary tier, and did so earlier than Sorog and Samantha.

"I've already built my own island!"

Nasha said enthusiastically, the excitement in her voice practically overflowing through the communication device.

"Garoth, when you come to the Undulating Throne someday, you must come visit my island! I spent a year designing and building it. It has the most spectacular sea cliffs, the most comfortable caves, and the most suitable grounds for combat and training."

"It will be a style you like, I promise!"

Alberto chimed in lightly, "Nasha's island is not bad. It's just a bit worse than mine."

Before the dragoness could get angry, Alberto skillfully changed the subject, complaining, "But seriously, the old fossils in the dragon domains are really annoying."

"As soon as we broke through to Legendary, we were summoned to listen to several lectures."

"The elder dragons repeatedly warned us that after reaching Legendary, we must not intervene in the wars of other races in any way. Violators would be directly expelled from the dragon domains. In severe cases, they might even be hunted. My ears are about to grow calluses from hearing it."

This was also why they did not appear in the war between Aola and Lothrian.

Even when the battle was intense, even though Garoth was their friend, they could not lend a hand. The dragon domains' prohibition was absolute, and the price of violation was something no Metal Dragon was willing to bear.

Even rebellious dragons like Alberto and Nasha held deep affection for the dragon domains.

They were also unwilling to violate this prohibition.

Garoth understood the dragon domains' approach.

Behind every strict prohibition, there was likely a necessary reason.

In this world, the strength of the Metal Dragon domains was second only to the empires. Although none of the Dragon Kings had reached the Immortal tier, it was said that while within the dragon domains, with the aid of the domain's arrays, they could even withstand attacks from Immortal-tier beings.

However, that was ultimately only defensive, and reliant on environmental advantages.

The Dragon Kings, to protect their kin, had almost given up their freedom, remaining almost entirely within the dragon domains, rarely venturing out.

This was a sacrifice, but also a choice born of necessity.

After all, if they were ambushed by an Immortal outside the dragon domains, they could very well perish. If the Dragon Kings died, the standing of the other Metal Dragons would plummet accordingly.

For the empires of other races, the dragon domains were difficult to attack, and the Metal Dragons did not cause trouble.

Even if the empires were slightly stronger, they wouldn't idly attack the dragon domains.

The cost was too great, the benefits too low, and it might even provoke the divine beings above.

However, under these circumstances, things below the Legendary tier were manageable. But if Legendary-tier Metal Dragons caused significant trouble outside, the dragon domains would actually find it difficult to step in and resolve it.

And the biggest trouble would be getting involved in the wars of other nations.

This would directly upset the balance, attracting the vigilance and even hostility of various powers, changing the position of the Metal Dragon domains on this planet.

An outright prohibition was the most suitable choice.

It protected the Metal Dragons themselves and also maintained the status of the dragon domains.

"After reaching Legendary, our lives have actually become more boring."

The Gold Dragon Nasha also sighed, a touch of melancholy in her voice. "Within the dragon domains, the occasional tasks are just mediating minor internal disputes, or going to some sea area to drive away monsters. Those creatures are pathetically weak, not even enough for a warm-up."

"I really want to find something interesting to do."

Garoth listened quietly, a thoughtful glint flashing in his eyes.

He pondered for a few seconds, then spoke, "I have a place I'm preparing to develop. It might bring you quite a bit of fun. Moreover, it wouldn't violate the dragon domains' prohibition either."

Metal Dragons inherently favored maintaining order and protecting the weak.

The Serene Spirit Wilderness would be a place they would like.

With Legendary-tier Metal Dragons present, the Aola Kingdom's planar development could also proceed more smoothly.