After spending time racing through the skies and playing with the little dragon, Max felt genuinely happy.

It had been a long time since he had enjoyed such a simple and carefree moment. There were no schemes, no life-and-death struggles, no burdens of cultivation or hidden enemies waiting in the shadows. For a short while, he had simply laughed in the open sky with a newborn dragon whose pride was larger than his body.

Eventually, Max slowed near the mountain they had raced toward and hovered in the air.

Vormir came flying in a moment later, panting dramatically despite still trying to maintain a proud expression.

"I would have won," the little dragon declared, "if Big Brother Max had not cheated from the start."

Max shook with laughter.

"Of course. I am sure that was the only reason."

Vormir nodded seriously, completely convinced of it.

After a few more moments, Max’s expression softened slightly.

"Vormir," he said, "it is time for you to return to the Dimension of Spirit."

The little dragon blinked.

Then his tiny face immediately changed.

"No."

Max raised a brow.

"No?"

Vormir crossed his forelimbs in the air as best as a hatchling dragon could and lifted his chin stubbornly.

"I refuse," he said. "A true dragon should soar freely beneath endless skies, travel across mountains, rivers, storms, and worlds. I was not born to live inside a pocket world."

He flapped his wings dramatically and turned in a circle.

"I want freedom. I want to be unrestrained in the whole world."

Max looked at the little dragon in silence for a moment before sighing helplessly.

"You were born less than a day ago."

"That changes nothing," Vormir replied proudly.

"It changes quite a lot," Max said dryly. "Right now you are still small, inexperienced, and weak."

Vormir’s eyes widened in outrage.

"Weak?"

"Yes."

"I am a true dragon!"

"And still weak."

The little dragon looked deeply offended.

Max could not help smiling, but his tone became gentler.

"Listen carefully. This world is not peaceful. There are beasts stronger than you, cultivators who would covet your bloodline, and dangers you cannot yet understand. If I let you roam freely now, you would not be free for long."

Vormir’s prideful expression slowly weakened. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Max continued.

"The Dimension of Spirit is not a prison. It is a place where you can grow safely, train, and become stronger. Once you are powerful enough to protect yourself, I will personally take you with me on my adventures."

The little dragon looked at him carefully.

"Truly?"

Max nodded.

"I promise."

Vormir hovered in silence, thinking very hard. His tail swayed from side to side while he considered the offer.

"Will there be battles?"

"Yes."

"Hidden treasures?"

"Most likely."

"Dangerous enemies for me to defeat?"

Max smiled. "If you become strong enough."

The little dragon straightened proudly.

"Then I shall train."

He flew closer and landed on Max’s great dragon snout.

"But remember your promise, Big Brother Max. A true dragon never forgets words once spoken."

Max chuckled softly.

"And neither do I."

At last, Vormir gave a reluctant nod.

"Very well. I shall return to the Dimension of Spirit for now."

With a wave of power, Max opened the connection once more. A gentle light wrapped around the little dragon.

Vormir vanished from the open sky and reappeared inside the Dimension of Spirit.

Before disappearing fully, he shouted one final sentence.

"Tell everyone I returned by choice!"

Max burst into laughter after hearing that.

Then he looked toward the endless horizon, still smiling.

For all his arrogance and childish pride, the little dragon had already become something precious to him.

Following that, Max remained in his true dragon form for a while longer and continued roaming through the skies of Orion.

Now that he had no immediate danger pressing upon him, he allowed himself to fully experience the body of a true black dragon. He flew above endless mountain chains, crossed ruined plains scarred by ancient battles, and passed over seas that reflected his colossal shadow like a moving eclipse.

Every movement filled him with a sense of overwhelming power.

When he beat his wings, storms formed behind him. When he dove downward, the air screamed apart around his body. When he rose through the clouds, sunlight gleamed across his scales like black metal forged by heaven itself.

Countless beasts below fled in panic the moment they sensed him. Some ancient creatures hidden within forests or caverns only peeked outward briefly before retreating deeper into hiding.

Even the atmosphere of Orion seemed to acknowledge his presence.

Max laughed more than once while testing the limits of his dragon body. He twisted through the skies, accelerated through thunderclouds, and circled several massive peaks simply because he could.

Yet after enough time had passed, his excitement gradually settled.

He still had matters to handle.

Turning in the air, Max headed back toward Dragon Death Valley.

The forbidden zone soon came into view once more, its vast scar across the world still wrapped in heavy draconic mist. He descended toward the core region where the ancient black dragon corpse had once lain.

Now that corpse was gone.

Only a vast basin of cracked earth and drifting dust remained, a silent testament to what he had devoured.

Hovering above the ruined center, Max took one final glance around before withdrawing the transformation.

The immense black dragon body began shrinking rapidly.

Wings folded inward and dissolved into black light. Scales receded into his skin. Colossal limbs compressed. The savage draconic aura settled back into his bloodline.

Within moments, Max stood there once again in human form.

Even so, traces of majesty still lingered around him.

His eyes were sharper, his body stronger, and every movement carried hidden draconic force.

He flexed his fingers lightly and smiled.

"Useful ability."

Without wasting more time, Max began making his way out of the core region.

Now that the dragon corpse was gone, the oppressive draconic aura in the area had weakened considerably. The corruption was still present, but nowhere near as terrifying as before. Combined with Keeper’s Dominion and his strengthened bloodline, the return journey became far easier.

He crossed the core region first, then entered the inner region once more.

Many draconic beasts sensed him and instinctively retreated. Some trembled as though recognizing a superior bloodline ruler. Others lowered themselves to the ground and did not dare move.

Max paid them little attention.

He continued through the twisted lands, crossed the unstable zones of the middle region, and eventually stepped into the outer region once more.

Minutes later, he finally emerged from Dragon Death Valley.