204: Chapter 204 The Golden Gate Symbolizing the [Future]: The Forest Without Light and the Red-Haired Sword God's Attack

Half a year's time, compared to the long lives of the Ancestral Dragons, was less than half a breath.

In order to heal the massive, bone-deep wound on the Ancestral Black Dragon's abdomen and to escape the pursuit of human Dragon Slayers, the two dragons—black and white—traveled through many places before finally deciding to establish a temporary lair deep within the world's largest forest, the [Forest of No Light].

The [Forest of No Light] was named by the Human Kingdom because thick clouds blanketed the sky year-round, completely blocking out the sun's light.

In ancient times, this place was known as the [Forest of Dark Elves], as it was the birthplace of the Dark Elf race. Unlike the Six Ancestral Dragons born from the six major elements, when the seventh element—the wood element—was born, it only produced a single seed. As this seed grew in the center of the [Forest of Dark Elves] over tens of thousands of years, the sapling of the [Tree of Darkness] finally broke through the soil. After another ten thousand years, due to the majestic wood element energy naturally emitted by the Tree of Darkness, the surrounding trees reached heights of three hundred meters. Once the Tree of Darkness grew to a height of one hundred meters, it stopped growing and began to gather wood element energy from across the world, nurturing life within its heartwood. With a crisp cry, the first Dark Elf was born, and subsequently, the Tree of Darkness would nurture a new Dark Elf every century.

However, as the Dark Elf race suffered betrayal and slaughter at the hands of humans, the original [Forest of Dark Elves] became known as the [Forest of No Light] to humans. Coincidentally, the location of the black and white dragons' temporary lair happened to be exactly where the Tree of Darkness once grew. Perhaps, this was what one might call [Fate].

The dense foliage of the towering ancient trees intertwined like airtight giant domes. The year-round lingering fog made this forest the best migration destination for Demonic Beasts escaping human slaughter. Here, one could see the Light-Feathered Parrots, known as [Exquisite Rare Beasts], which nobles of the Human Kingdom would not hesitate to spend ten thousand gold pieces at auction houses to obtain. One could also see the Gem Butterflies, known as [Living Elemental Crystals], which human alchemists had declared extinct. There were even several Sub-dragons that had survived the Doomsday Volcano catastrophe, having been slaughtered by humans nearly to the point of extinction.

For half a year, the Ancestral White Dragon exhausted her mental energy almost every day to communicate with light element energy, day after day nourishing the Ancestral Black Dragon's body with [Holy Light Healing]. That massive wound, slashed open by the Red-haired Sword God using [Wind-Rending Slash], was constantly tearing at the flesh and internal organs due to the high concentration of wind element energy attached to the dragon slaying sword forged from the Azure Dragon's spine. After establishing the temporary lair, the Ancestral White Dragon spent the first two days releasing dispelling-type Dragon Magic with all her might, finally succeeding in dispersing the violent wind element energy coiled around the Ancestral Black Dragon's wound. After another six months of healing-type Dragon Magic, the originally mangled and hideous wound finally scabbed over and healed, forming a deep brown scar across the abdomen.

Despite this, because of the terrifying corrosive ability of the man-made Demonic Beast—the Gluttonous Slime—the Ancestral Black Dragon's vitality remained in a state of deficit, and his body was still extremely weak.

Every day, the Ancestral Black Dragon absorbed the free-floating dark element energy in the air to nurture his body, but the gains were minimal. Whenever he saw the massive scar on his abdomen, his damaged dragon wings, and his lusterless grey dragon scales, the Ancestral Black Dragon felt fear because of human greed and wisdom.

Indeed, as the famously "stubborn brute" among the Six Ancestral Dragons, the Ancestral Black Dragon—who used to rely on his powerful physical defense to adventure everywhere—was truly afraid after learning of the Ancestral Azure Dragon's death, witnessing the Ancestral Red Dragon's fall, and personally experiencing his own brush with extinction. Whenever the Ancestral White Dragon left the temporary lair, the Ancestral Black Dragon's body would uncontrollably tremble and spasm. Scenes from the Doomsday Volcano—the Red-haired Sword God's slashes and the Gluttonous Slime's corrosive slime—constantly flashed before his eyes.

On this morning, the Ancestral White Dragon left the temporary lair as usual, flapping her massive white wings and flying slowly above the Forest of No Light. She continuously chanted short Dragon Language incantations, and spheres of pure light element energy overflowing from her mouth flew like fireflies to various parts of the forest—these were the nodes of the [Holy Light Guardian Barrier] she had set up. To ensure the barrier's survival, these nodes needed regular energy replenishment. Although the Ancestral White Dragon restricted her Dragon Might to ten meters outside the barrier, Demonic Beasts would still crash into the barrier for various reasons from time to time, thereby accelerating the consumption of the barrier's energy.

But just as she finished replenishing the energy of the last node, a searing crimson Sword Qi suddenly shot out from the dense forest. Carrying violent fire elements with heat that could incinerate everything, it pierced through layers of ancient tree foliage as easily as a hot knife through butter, slashing straight toward the barrier. "Screeech—" The massive barrier composed of a vast amount of light elements shattered instantly like fragile glass, turning into light spots that drifted across the sky and slowly dissipated in the air. The violent energy fluctuations shook the surrounding leaves, causing them to rustle and fall. The fire element energy that dissipated along with the crimson Sword Qi felt, to the White Dragon's perception, as if the deceased Ancestral Red Dragon was controlling it.

“Reinhardt Style Divine Sword Technique—[Explosive Flame Slash]!” A cold voice came from the direction of the severed and ignited ancient trees. The Ancestral White Dragon's white lizard-like vertical pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints, and the snow-white dragon scales all over her body flared up uncontrollably. She looked down and saw a familiar red-haired figure standing on a massive ancient tree branch not far away, wearing ornate silver light armor and holding a longsword coiled with surging fire elements. The red crystal at the hilt emitted a piercing red light in the dim forest—it was none other than the Red-haired Sword God, Brad Reinhardt!

In an instant, the tragedy of the Doomsday Volcano from half a year ago flooded her mind like a tide: the disbelief of the Ancestral Red Dragon being decapitated with a single sword strike, the Ancestral Black Dragon's painful roars as he was disemboweled, and the rain of dragon blood that fell across the sky after the Ancestral Red Dragon exploded... Fear and anger coiled tightly like thorns, stinging her heart and making it almost impossible to breathe.

“It's you!” The Ancestral White Dragon's voice trembled with extreme rage. As the one most skilled in magic among the Six Ancestral Dragons, she could clearly feel the familiar aura contained within the dragon slaying sword in Brad's hand—it was the aura of the Ancestral Red Dragon. Whether it was the crimson dragon crystal fragment at the hilt or the patterns traced by the Ancestral Red Dragon's blood on the blade, everything was provoking the Ancestral White Dragon's sanity.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Ancestral White Dragon snapped her mouth open, and a [Light Dragon Breath] containing dense light elements surged forth, like a pillar of pure white light, heading straight for the Red-haired Sword God.

Brad merely smiled contemptuously. With a slight turn of his wrist, the longsword coiled with fire elements blocked lightly, splitting the surging Light Dragon Breath in two. The split dragon breath impacted the ancient trees on both sides, instantly leaving two massive gouges.

“After half a year, you're still so 'weak,' you foolish lizard.” The Ancestral White Dragon knew well that her combat strength was by no means a match for the Red-haired Sword God, Brad, not to mention that the Ancestral Black Dragon was still lying weak in the lair.

The Ancestral White Dragon had no intention of lingering in the fight. While opening her mouth to spit [Light Dragon Breath] at the Red-haired Sword God again, she flapped her wings and turned to fly toward the temporary lair. Her massive white dragon wings were enveloped in a layer of buff-type light element Dragon Magic that enhanced speed, creating strong air currents as she flew at high speed toward the temporary lair.