At the gate of Kempfer Royal Academy, a dozen guards took turns watching over the entrance.

Not far off, the chaotic clatter of hooves drew near.

The guards recognized the newcomer instantly.

"Teacher Saori! Coming all this way to check on us is truly—"

"Move!"

Azure Battle Qi flared like solid flame, forming a sharp cone ahead. The guards scrambled aside, clearing a path. Saori and Xier charged straight out of Kempfer.

It took the guards half a moment to react.

"Sa... Saori... No! Alert the academy at once! The Tyrant of the Radiant Ten Stars has left campus without permission!"

Kempfer wouldn’t see peace anytime soon...

Meanwhile—

Deep within the Poison Fog Swamp, at the Emerald Dragon’s lair, an inhuman battle raged...

"ROAR!!!"

A silver dragon bellowed, unleashing a frigid gale. Lightning crackled wildly in the sky.

With a mighty flap of its wings, it sealed off the wetlands below.

Fear flickered in the Emerald Dragon’s pupils. It stomped on the battered Apsen Giant beneath it and surged upward.

The giant was already covered in wounds, half its body withered.

Even if it survived, it’d be useless...

"Holy Dragon Lord..."

Kozi’s face glowed with serene devotion as she prayed...

Ever since the Iceflower Evil God Dragon purged the Demon Kind, a new faith had quietly spread among the people.

—The Holy Dragon Faith.

Its followers were often those who’d lived on Reno Continent’s borders, suffering deeply under the Demon Kind’s tyranny.

Unlike the Imperial Capital at the continent’s heart,

they were humanity’s forgotten.

After the Dragon Fang Mountain incident, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon’s status soared in their hearts.

It evolved into full-blown worship.

Yet in the Imperial Capital, this faith was seen as heresy.

Especially among nobles.

Thus, to them, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon bore another title:

—Iceflower Holy Dragon.

The silver and emerald dragons clashed midair for the first time!

Ear-splitting roars echoed through the swamp. Kozi instinctively raised a Battle Qi barrier to block the soul-shaking decibels.

Had Saori been there, she’d have noticed subtle differences.

Same silver-reflective scales—but the eyes were utterly changed.

The Iceflower Evil God Dragon’s gaze now burned crimson, drenched in dragon blood.

"ROAR!"

Its roar carried endless sorrow and rage. Jaws wide, it lunged straight for the Emerald Dragon.

As a high-tier magical beast and dragon kin,

the Emerald Dragon was far weaker in rank than this silver giant. But it had one advantage: calmness.

*BOOM!*

It unleashed a torrent of dragon breath.

Though it didn’t know how the earlier boy had survived its breath, this blast drew on its very dragon crystal’s power.

Kozi clenched her fists nervously. Even as a human, she sensed this breath’s terrifying might.

Compared to before, it was firefly versus moonlight!

Yet the Iceflower Evil God Dragon showed no hint of dodging.

Or rather—it had forgotten how to dodge!

Its mind held only one thought:

—Tear this green lizard apart for hurting someone precious!

*ROAR!*

Shock flashed in the Emerald Dragon’s serpentine eyes. No kin would ignore dragon crystal-powered breath like this!

But the silver dragon did exactly that!

It charged head-on through the corrosive blast. Closer inspection revealed ice shields forming instantly over its scales—same color, nearly invisible.

Melt. Regenerate. Melt. Regenerate...

An endless cycle.

Before the Emerald Dragon could react, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon was upon it.

Those blood-red eyes seemed to swallow its soul.

A massive maw clamped down on the Emerald Dragon’s shoulder, icy breath freezing the air.

"SCREECH!" The Emerald Dragon howled. Emerald blood gushed like a fountain from between the silver dragon’s fangs.

In agony, it tried to pry the Evil Dragon off with its claws. But the silver beast coiled around it like an octopus!

Wings folded tight, it clung to the Emerald Dragon’s body. Its eyes burned redder, greedily devouring flesh and blood.

The Emerald Dragon’s wails grew desperate. Its wings faltered, collapsing under the weight.

*CRASH!*

They slammed into the ground, cracking a massive crater.

What followed was gruesome...

The silver dragon pinned the Emerald Dragon down, claws locking its limbs. Pressure mounted, twisting the giant frame with sickening *cracks*.

It finally realized—this foe was beyond its power.

But... it was far too late.

"SCREECH!!!... SCREECH!!!... screech..."

The Emerald Dragon thrashed wildly, spraying dragon breath without sparing its crystal.

Tragically, no matter how it twisted, the blasts couldn’t touch the silver dragon feasting on its back.

Its cries faded to whimpers.

Twitching weakly, it stilled at last.

Yet the silver dragon kept devouring...

Emerald flesh stained its flawless, noble scales.

"Stop... Liangjie..."

Apsen stayed conscious, worried for Liangjie—and what foolishness he might do.

Seeing the Iceflower Evil God Dragon soar had stunned him, but pride swelled stronger.

He’d always known this freakishly strong kid wasn’t ordinary.

Just not... this.

To others, the bloodthirsty silver dragon was a monster threatening the land. But to Apsen...

It was still his son—Sima Liangjie.

"Stop, my son!"

Apsen coughed up a mouthful of vital blood. The withering spread faster, creeping toward his healthy side.

"Quiet!"

A graceful young girl landed lightly beside him, face pale.

Kozi.

Hiding was pointless now.

"Can you shrink like before?" she asked urgently. The chewing sounds made her scalp prickle.

"You’re..." Apsen whispered weakly. Seeing Kozi’s determined eyes, he closed his own. His form shrank slowly back to human size under her astonished gaze.

"So this is the lost Apsen Giant clan’s..."

"You know much, little girl..."

"Something like that..." Kozi gave a self-deprecating smile. Purple Battle Qi coiled into a giant serpent, lifting Apsen gently. Then it sharpened like a blade, slicing into his skin.

"Hold on, giant. I’m isolating the dead flesh to stop the poison spreading."

"Troubling you, child. This old man really is past his prime..."

Kozi stayed silent, focusing her Qi while avoiding the bloody scene.

Apsen continued:

"Child, one favor?"

"What?"

"Make Liangjie stop..."

"Liangjie?"

"That one."

Kozi followed his gaze. Her stomach churned violently. She turned away, gagging.

After a moment, she glared at Apsen, flushed with anger.

"You can’t expect me to stop the Holy Dragon Lord! Impossible! We must wait for his fury to fade!"

"Holy Dragon Lord?" Apsen chuckled weakly. Kozi kept working, her Qi acting like modern surgery.

"Even without a dragon crystal, you’ll be fine?" Apsen smiled despite his pain. Kozi marveled at his calm.

Wait—did he just say something crucial?

Dragon crystal!

"Disaster!" Kozi realized their true mission. But now...

She glanced over. Her stomach lurched again.

Half the Emerald Dragon’s corpse was already devoured.

The silver dragon suddenly reared its head. Foul breath steamed from its jaws, strands of meat clinging to every fang.

Rain washed blood from its scales.

The crimson glow in its eyes faded, turning milky white... then vanished.

A blinding white light flared. The dragon’s form shrank steadily.

It transformed into a silver-haired boy, collapsing onto the remains.

Unconscious...

Had she not seen it, Kozi couldn’t believe the sky-shaking Iceflower Holy Dragon was just a child.

As a loyal believer, she had a duty to protect him.

Gritting her teeth against nausea, she shaped purple Battle Qi into a scythe. Gently, she cut away clinging flesh and bound the boy with Qi threads.

She carried him over, arms outstretched like holding fragile treasure.

—Kozi cradled the silver-haired boy close.

Her porcelain cheek brushed his handsome face tenderly.

"Dragon crystal!"

Holding him, she forced down bile and sent purple Qi threads probing the Emerald Dragon’s remains.

After a while...

"Gone! How?! Unless..."

Kozi stared dumbfounded at the boy breathing evenly in sleep.

"He ate it!?!?!"

*Ding.*

A chime echoed in her mind.

Before entering the swamp, she’d left Battle Qi markers to avoid getting lost—and ward off intruders.

"Someone’s coming... Who dares intrude now..."

She looked down at the boy, now peacefully asleep. Tenderly, she placed him in Apsen’s arm.

"Giant, guard the Holy Dragon Lord. Harm comes to him, and I hold you responsible!"

With that, Kozi vanished like a gust of wind into the dead trees...

Whoever approached—she’d be their first obstacle!

She would protect the Holy Dragon Lord!

—The Serpent, third of the Radiant Ten Stars,

—Luo Hua October Fragrance!