Ashen Dragon-Chapter 241 - 167 The Slumbering Giant Dragons

Chapter 241: Chapter 167 The Slumbering Giant Dragons

Once everything was taken care of, Cassius dragged his dragon form alone into the cave, the warm cavern that nearly hollowed out the mountain would undoubtedly become his perfect lair.

“Finally…”

Illuminated by the undying bright flame, the cave, surrounded by countless shimmering gold coins and treasures, saw the red dragon slowly lying on the ground, gradually curling up his massive body, his broad wings loosely folding to his sides.

Hot white steam spread everywhere, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur.

On the surface of his body, there were ripples flowing like magma, radiating an unimaginable high temperature.

Once, the red dragon needed to sleep in a magma environment to obtain abundant fire elemental energy. Now, with the ancestral dragon bloodline, the red dragon itself became an inexhaustible energy source, using fire like the dragon statue’s literal meaning, so hot that even his basic blood vessels couldn’t contain the overflowing heat.

...

All he needed to do was to release the power hidden in the bloodline seed—the light waves were just the energy overflowing from his body.

“Clink clank.”

A faint clattering sound was heard.

The red dragon’s long, thick tail gently swept the ground, pushing away scattered gold coins, clearing out a large open space, allowing him to reserve more room.

“I hope when I wake up, there will be a surprise…..”

Anticipation glowed in Cassius’s golden eyes.

He slowly closed his eyes, his breathing becoming longer, and the ripples on his body rhythmically moving with his breaths.

Abundant fire elemental energy gradually gathered on the surface of his scales, forming a thick, almost solid light film that wrapped tightly around the red dragon’s body.

Thus, a rare spectacle appeared within the cave—a giant “cocoon” nearly thirty meters in diameter emerged. Unlike ordinary cocoons, its surface flowed with magma-like ripples, and what it encased was not a transforming larva but an evolving red dragon.

Considering the species, it seemed more appropriate to call it a “dragon egg.”

This was a subconscious self-protection mechanism of Cassius; he wove a spell similar to the “Egg of Sanctuary” with the excess energy flowing out. Any creature touching this light film would be incinerated by the extreme heat, protecting the red dragon during his vulnerable period from outside harm.

Scalding magma emerged from the ground.

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Thus, Cassius fell into a deep sleep, with no knowledge of when he would awaken.

…

At the cave entrance, within the Steel Dragonwing Palace.

“Hurry up!”

“You lazy fools.”

Ramp’s impatient shouting echoed.

The tall Dragon Vein Ogre Mage was leading dozens of the kingdom’s spellcasters, busily arranging the array.

Various spells such as explosions, poisonous mist, acid rain, and even earth spikes were stuffed into it, turning the only passage into the cave into a trap-filled hazard, the graveyard that all adventurers avoided.

Suddenly, Ramp grabbed a mage in the midst of casting and angrily scolded:

“Idiot! Who told you to put an ice cone here!”

“If someone really did invade, the first thing they’d trigger would be the fire wall on the ground. Your damned ice cone would evaporate before it could hurt anyone!”

The mage, trembling all over, replied with a sobbing tone: “Lord Ramp, it—it’s my mistake.”

The ogre then released him and turned to look at the constant protection array on the other side—flashing runes appearing where columns and surfaces met, making it impossible for creatures to enter the column area without using magic, forcing them to the trap-laden path.

But with his experienced eyes, Ramp immediately noticed something wrong and asked:

“Who set up this protection array?”

A black-robed mage stepped out of the crowd, smiling flatteringly, confident that his array was set to perfection and expecting Ramp’s praise.

But no sooner had he stepped forward than he received a fierce scolding.

“Look again!”

“Idiot! You set the magic in the wrong direction! This keeps people from getting out, not from coming in!”

“Yes, Lord Ramp.”

The ogre’s foul-smelling spittle sprayed on his face, but the black-robed mage could only grin and bear it, cold sweat dripping from his forehead—after all, Ramp’s status in the kingdom was unquestionable, and his funding for magical experiments depended on this rough ogre.

Ramp raised his magic wand, pointing to a dim formation on the wall, and roared:

“Who was responsible for this damned guardian inscription?”

The hall fell silent, no one dared respond to the enraged Ramp.

“The materials for the guardian inscription are incense and diamond powder worth at least two hundred gold coins. Which idiot replaced the diamond powder with bone powder?”

“Even goblins with brains smaller than a seed couldn’t come up with such a low-grade embezzlement trick. Do you really think I can’t tell?”

No sooner had Ramp spoken than a gust of hot wind swept through the hall.

“Whoosh——”

The scorching air made even Ramp, with his red dragon bloodline, feel somewhat uncomfortable, while the tender-skinned human mages jumped around, getting almost peeled by the heat, hurriedly casting various protective spells.

Yet the temperature in the hall continued to rise, within just a few breaths, reaching nearly forty degrees Celsius—a temperature that Anzeta’s natural environment could not achieve.

Ramp’s eyebrows furrowed, his expression grave as he said:

“It’s the master. He has entered his slumber.”

“Previously, he had been suppressing the overwhelming energy within him, but now he can’t control it and must release it.”

Thinking of this, Ramp told the spellcasters:

“Everyone, leave now. This place is no longer suitable for you to stay in.”

With a wave of his magic wand, a spatial rift leading to the Mage Tower appeared before them.

The spellcasters, as if granted amnesty, rushed into the portal, fleeing this place that had turned into a purgatory.

Among them, a grey-robed man let out a long sigh of relief, sneaking along—he was the mage who had cut corners, secretly rejoicing in his near escape.

But the mage did not realize that his simple sigh was caught by Ramp’s keen perception. A sinister grin appeared on the ogre’s face, resolving to settle scores with him properly—but now was not the time.

Once all the mages had left, Ramp flew out of the palace alone, the red dragon bloodline within him allowing him to remain here.

He gazed at the sealed cave entrance, feeling the increasingly hot air on his skin. He seemed to imagine the spectacular scene inside the slumbering red dragon’s cave, the immense and powerful might.

“May you grow stronger.”

“Until… you surpass the gods.”

The ogre muttered to himself, his ugly face filled with the fervor of a believer and an indescribable sincerity.