The cold, deathly, and all-corroding Power emanating from the Evernight Curtain felt like countless invisible vipers gnawing at his Domain, consuming an immense amount of Magic Power every second.

Both sides pushed their Domains to the absolute limit. The boundary between the golden light and the black curtain pulled back and forth, with neither able to advance another inch.

The surrounding mountains continuously collapsed from the aftershocks of this world-shaking duel. The earth fissured, and the sky itself seemed to be torn in half.

After a long stalemate, the Black King was the first to move.

It took a deep look at the golden, blazing sun and the tiny yet unignorable human figure above it. Then, its enormous body began to slowly retreat.

The Evernight Curtain contracted along with it, finally retracting into its body.

It chose to retreat.

It wasn’t that its strength was insufficient, but that this war of attrition had lost its meaning.

It couldn’t kill this Golden Dragon. If the fight continued, it would only result in mutual destruction, allowing a third party to reap the benefits.

Seeing this, Sun also dissipated his Solar Furnace.

The golden light faded, once again revealing his magnificent body covered in streamlined scales.

He was panting heavily, the fighting spirit in his golden eyes undiminished, but he didn’t give chase.

He knew that today’s battle was over.

The sky returned to its original dim appearance, leaving behind only a ravaged landscape and the turbulent, raging Elements in the air.

The two Giant Dragons faced off from a kilometer apart, their gazes clashing with sparks still flying.

The Black Dragon turned its massive body, and with a beat of its wings, it transformed into a black streak of light, disappearing over the horizon with reluctance and vigilance.

The remaining Demon Fire Crow Group, as if granted amnesty, scrambled to follow their master.

Only when that suffocating pressure had completely vanished did Raylo release his hand from the Soul Horn.

His palm was drenched in cold sweat.

"You did great, Sun."

Raylo flew over to Sun on Baofeng and praised him sincerely.

Sun shook his enormous head and let out a low draconic roar, his voice laced with a hint of excitement and a trace of regret.

Clearly, the inconclusive battle had left him wanting more.

"Let’s go. We need to catch up with Ed and the others."

Raylo patted Sun’s hard Dragon Horn.

"The treasure is what’s important."

Sun nodded. His hundred-meter-long body carved an arc through the air as he flew abreast of the Storm Griffin King, chasing after Ed and the others.

The rest of the journey was uneventful.

The group traveled swiftly and, by dusk, had safely transported the excavated Space Stone Wall to Black Stone Castle.

...

Meanwhile, the retreating Black King did not return to its lair.

Guided by the Fire Demon Crows, the Black King stopped at the mountain peak Raylo and his group had previously left.

Its crimson draconic eyes swept over the area, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, the Black King snapped its head up and its Dragon Tail whipped out without warning!

BOOM!!

Empowered by its Domain Power, the solid mountain peak was sliced in half as if it were tofu.

The upper half of the mountain collapsed with a tremendous roar, turning into billions of tons of rubble that cascaded down.

One spot caught the Black King’s attention.

Amidst the deluge of rock and dust, a thirty-meter-square area seemed completely out of place.

The ground in that area was as smooth as a mirror, forming a stark contrast with the fractured rock around it.

Strangest of all, the tumbling rubble and billowing dust seemed to ignore the area’s existence. Everything flowed ’over’ and ’around’ it, yet not a single speck of dust managed to fall within.

It was as if that square region didn’t belong to this world at all.

The Black King brought its massive head closer, its draconic nostrils sniffing the air.

An extremely faint fluctuation of Space Magic Power, on the verge of dissipating, entered its senses.

The crimson light in the Black King’s eyes flickered erratically.

The Black King stared at the empty space, a complex look of deep thought and greed intertwined in its dark red eyes.

It seemed... to have discovered something far more interesting.

...

Inside Black Stone Castle, the lights were bright.

The Space Stone Wall that Coal Ball had cut out was carefully placed in the small square of the castle’s inner courtyard.

"Alright, everyone did a great job."

Raylo stood on the steps, looking at the miraculous creation before him, and nodded in satisfaction.

Coal Ball poked its small head out of Raylo’s arms and yawned.

Its Magic Power consumption today had clearly been excessive. Cutting out the wall and creating the Space Anchor Point had drained nearly every last shred of Space Magic Power from its small body.

The little guy looked listless. It gave Raylo a weak cry before making a slightly unstable flash. It transformed into a streak of black light that zipped through the window of Raylo’s bedroom, heading for its small, velvet-covered bed to catch up on sleep.

"Ed."

"Here, My Lord."

Ed stepped forward.

"Have everyone get some rest. Also, tell the kitchens to prepare the most lavish supper. Make sure there’s plenty of meat and the finest wine."

"Yes, My Lord!"

Ed accepted the order and left.

As night deepened, Black Stone Castle, which had been bustling all day, finally grew quiet.

After a grand celebratory feast, the soldiers, satisfied and slightly drunk, retired to their quarters.

Raylo stood alone in the small square. After finishing its dinner, Moonlight slowly trotted to his feet and gently nuzzled his leg with its head.

Raylo smiled, picked it up, and turned back to his room.

The Flame in the fireplace crackled, dispelling the slight chill of the night.

Coal Ball was already dead to the world on its little bed, spread-eagled and snoring evenly.

Raylo placed Moonlight on the rug, then walked to the window to gaze out at the rolling silhouette of the Black Stone Mountain Range.

「The night passed without incident.」

Warm beds and ample food quickly dispelled the group’s fatigue.

By the time the morning sun filled Black Stone Castle the next day, everyone had recovered to their peak condition.

The team reassembled in the small square within Black Stone Castle.

It was the same lineup as before.

Ed led sixteen Griffin Knights and their mounts, neatly arranged at the rear.

Ten Hill Giants stood silently like sentinels, holding massive Stone Hammers.

Sun was under the effects of the Transformation Technique, his golden scales reflecting the morning sun. His Magic Power seemed to have grown; previously, the technique could only shrink his draconic body to eight meters, but now he could manage about seven.

After a night of rest, he had not only recovered all his Power, but his aura seemed even more formidable.

Evidently, yesterday’s exhilarating battle had given him new insights into controlling his Domain.

"My Lord, all preparations are complete."

Ed reported to Raylo.

Raylo nodded, his gaze falling upon the massive Space Stone Wall.

"Sun, you go in first."

With a nimble turn, Sun was the first to pass through the spatial fissure, which rippled like a watery mirror.

Without the slightest resistance, Sun vanished silently into the wall, as if diving into a Water Mirror.

Immediately after, Ed and the Griffin Knights also followed, leading their Griffin mounts.

The Hill Giants then strode forward, walking into the spatial fissure one by one.

The light before their eyes shifted, and a brand-new world suddenly unfolded.

A dense concentration of Magic Elements washed over them, making the Magic Power within Raylo’s body begin to dance with joy.

The air was intoxicatingly fresh, mingled with the fragrance of soil and unknown flowers.

Sun was coiled up not far away, surveying his surroundings.

This was a vast world.

Underfoot was soft, thick grass, and in the distance were rolling mountain ranges and a boundless primeval forest.

At the edge of their vision, a majestic, snow-capped mountain pierced the clouds. Its peak, covered in snow year-round, reflected a holy light in the sun.

"Let’s move out. To the Giant Camp."

Raylo vaulted onto the back of Storm Griffin King Baofeng.

The party set off once more.

Sun cleared the way ahead, his massive body soaring at a low altitude and casting an enormous shadow.

Sixteen Griffin Knights guarded Raylo’s flanks, and further back were the Hill Giants, marching with heavy steps.

The sky of the Giant Dragon Realm seemed exceptionally high and distant, and the wind carried a raw, majestic aura.

Soon, a familiar scene of wreckage appeared before them.

The former Giant Camp now looked more like a ruin.

The rammed-earth walls had mostly collapsed, and the large wooden gate hung crookedly from its frame, looking as if it might fall apart at any moment.