Exercise could slow down the accumulation of Fury, which was undoubtedly encouraging news for Garros.
After confirming this point, his thoughts turned to another matter that had been on his mind for a long time.
Regarding the job advancement for the [Wild Path].
Astral Self and Eternal Death were essentially branches of the Martial Path, using pure Dragon Qi as their core energy source.
However, the Wild Dragon was a supernatural path completely different from the Martial Dragon; it did not rely on Dragon Qi, but instead used blazing, boiling [Fury] as its source of power.
Among all Dragonkin groups...
Red Dragons, naturally irritable and short-tempered, were the race with the highest number of individuals walking the Wild Path.
Once one became a Wild Dragon, anger would no longer be just an emotion, but would transform into tangible power; the greater the Fury, the more their combat strength would soar.
But because of this, Wild Dragons were often more prone to falling into uncontrollable rage and mania, becoming volatile and extremely difficult to keep rational, often committing impulsive acts with serious consequences.
The most basic job requirements for a Wild Dragon were not complicated to speak of.
To truly and thoroughly feel and immerse oneself in an instance of absolute, extreme Fury that discarded all rational constraints.
In the past, Garros, who was relatively steady and good at self-restraint, would have found it difficult to proactively reach such a state.
But things were different now. Under the continuous influence of the Frenzied Flame, as long as he was willing, he could trigger the accumulated volcano within his heart at any time, allowing himself to step into that state of complete Fury, thereby meeting the prerequisite for dual-cultivating the Wild Path.
However, problems came along with it.
This was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous matter.
Fury, berserk states, wildness... these states themselves would severely erode rationality. If the terrible influence of the Frenzied Flame's mental chaos were added on top, Garros was very worried that once he used the related skills of the Wild Path, he would completely lose control and turn into a mad monster that only knew destruction.
By then, even if he could adapt, it would take a much longer time, and during the period of losing control, every second would be extremely dangerous.
On the other hand.
While dual-cultivating more supernatural paths could grant him more comprehensive abilities and stronger immediate combat power at the same Rank, studying and improving multiple paths simultaneously would inevitably disperse a large amount of energy and time, leading to a significantly slower increase in the professional Rank of each path.
Whether to dual-cultivate many paths or specialize in one.
This required trade-offs and weighing options. Each had its own pros and cons.
Garros's current Martial Rank had not yet reached a difficult-to-improve Bottleneck, and his potential was still immense.
Taking into account the risk of losing control that the Wild Path might bring, after a period of careful consideration, he had already made a decision in his heart.
"I'll set the Wild Path aside for now. It won't be too late to consider dual-cultivating it once I have completely mastered the Frenzied Flame within my body."
After making this decision, Garros felt his thoughts clear up significantly.
He ended his long-lasting exercise, ordered his subordinates to bring several living creatures for testing, and asked White Dragon Tereshi to cooperate slightly as he began to try the newly mastered Life Drain skill.
The actual test results were basically consistent with the descriptions in the dragon heritage.
This skill could indeed forcibly extract a portion of life essence from the living beings around him to restore his own injuries and vitality.
It was worth noting that this skill did not lock onto a single target but was centered on Garros himself, directly covering a circular area for indiscriminate extraction.
Its area of effect and extraction efficiency would increase synchronously with the rise of his Eternal Death Path professional Rank.
However, when trying to extract Tereshi's vitality, Garros clearly felt a certain amount of resistance.
Powerful creatures naturally possessed resistance to these types of negative effect skills.
But overall, the weaker the target creature was, or if it was in a heavily injured and weakened state, the more significant the Life Drain effect was and the lower the resistance.
"This skill is most effective when surrounded and facing a large number of enemies; it can extract a massive amount of life energy at once, allowing me to sustain myself through combat."
Garros summarized the best application scenarios for this skill in his mind.
Immediately after, he composed himself, sank his consciousness into his body, and lightly tapped those two unique blood-kin connections.
"Are you there?"
"Here!"
"Here!"
In the mental network unique to Ignas blood-kin, Garros spoke directly to Red Dragon Samantha: "Samantha, I need you to custom-make a special set of armor for me."
Having her alchemy abilities recognized and commissioned by Garros made Samantha appear very happy.
"No problem! Leave it to me!"
"What aspect do you want the armor to focus on? Is it to maximize defensive capabilities, or to focus on enhancing strength, speed, or other attributes?"
She paused, and considering Garros's size, added: "Given your ridiculously massive and sturdy size, forging a full set of armor will definitely consume a large amount of rare Materials and involve complex processes. But then again, the tribe's current territory is vast and resources are abundant, so these aren't problems."
Garros conveyed his requirement: "No, what I need isn't enhancement."
"On the contrary, I need a set of armor that can suppress, bind, and restrain my own power."
This was completely opposite to the usual logic of giant dragons seeking power amplification, causing Samantha to be slightly stunned upon hearing it.
But she quickly realized the deep meaning and purpose behind Garros's move and said in realization, "I can try, but the Legacy lacks knowledge in this area. I estimate it will take a long time of trial and error; it's unlikely to be completed in the short term."
Garros expressed his understanding.
"It's fine, I can wait. There's no rush; just work at your own pace."
Meanwhile, Iron Dragon Sorog said: "Samantha, the leyline pool recently produced several rare Soul Iron Stones. Can you use these Soul Iron Stones as Materials to forge a helmet for me that can amplify the effects of mental Spells?"
A hint of playfulness immediately entered Samantha's thoughts as she said, "Sure, but you have to ask me nicely."
She wanted to see this always serious and cold Iron Dragon blood-kin bow his head to her.
Iron Dragon Sorog responded without a ripple of emotion: "I see. I request you, I request you from the bottom of my heart, to forge this helmet for me."
It was clean and direct, without any hesitation.
This reaction was not at all the embarrassment Samantha had expected, giving her the feeling of punching a bale of cotton.
She gave a somewhat bored snort and said reluctantly, "Fine, since you requested so sincerely, have your subordinates send the Soul Iron Stones over to me."
At this time, Garros remembered the exploration regarding the Legendary item.
He asked: "By the way, how is the exploration progress of Marnes Dungeon? Have any definitive clues been found regarding that Legendary item?"
Hearing his question, Iron Dragon Sorog's side fell into a brief silence.
He didn't answer immediately but first asked cautiously: "Garros, to what extent is the Frenzied Flame in your body affecting you now? Is it still as strong as it was before you went into your slumber?"
Garros sensed his own state and responded: "After the slumber and adaptation, I can already control it better. Although the influence remains, it has lessened significantly compared to the beginning."
Iron Dragon Sorog carefully felt Garros's mental state.
After pondering for a moment, he said: "During your slumber, the exploration team did indeed find clues to the Legendary item, and it was almost within reach, but..."
He weighed his words and told Garros everything that had happened in the depths of Marnes Dungeon exactly as it was.
The Red-Iron Dragon listened in silence, never interrupting from beginning to end.
However, as Solrog's narrative progressed, the Fury value within his body, which had just been suppressed, began to soar uncontrollably. Ferocious bloodshot streaks climbed back into his eyes at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The Messenger of Good Fortune... after she took the valhalla, she could have left silently and directly, and the Molten Iron Tribe might never even have known who took the item.
But she didn't.
She had deliberately stayed behind to show herself, expressing her seemingly sincere apologies to the Molten Iron Tribe and emphasizing that she had already given so-called compensation.
Perhaps, in her own eyes, this was a way of showing a friendly and kind gesture?
No!
In Garros's eyes, he only saw an ugly face.
Seizing the fruits of others' labor, achieved after they spent vast amounts of time and energy to explore, while putting on an air of "I am doing this for your own good, you should understand me," making the victims empathize with her plight, offering hypocritical apologies, and bestowing some insignificant compensation.
This is naked hypocrisy and condescending arrogance.
If she had relied on her own Legendary might to directly declare her intent to plunder, upholding the principle of the law of the jungle, and snatched it away openly, that would have been easier to accept than this face of hers.
Garros took a breath extremely slowly, forcibly suppressing the raging fire surging in his chest.
But this Fury did not vanish; it was merely accumulated in the deepest part of his heart, like a dormant volcano, waiting for the moment of eruption.
"Good fortune... Hmph, to effortlessly snatch a Legendary wonder from us, her luck is indeed very good."
"But she perhaps does not realize that all gifts of fate have already been marked with a price in the dark; temporary good fortune by no means signifies a lifetime of good fortune."
"Just let her be smug for a while."
The Red-Iron Dragon's voice was cold and sharp as he said in a deep voice: "After I step into the Legendary Domain, I will personally visit the sanctuary of the Goddess of Luck in the south. By then, I will make her deeply understand what true misfortune is!"
Subsequently, Garros communicated with Solrog about the overall development of the tribe in the northwest region of the wilderness, the progress of resource collection, and the movements of surrounding forces.
After confirming that everything was generally stable, he took the initiative to end this communication with his kin.
The Red-Iron Dragon opened his eyes again, the bloodshot veins in them nearly doubling compared to before. The entire Dragon's mood had become exceptionally irritable due to the matter of the Messenger of Good Fortune.
Merely learning of this matter caused his accumulated Fury value to surge significantly. An urge for destruction roared in the depths of his heart; he wished he could spread his wings and fly south right now to smash the sanctuary of the Goddess of Luck into pieces, to vent the hatred in his heart.
Fortunately, his reason firmly restrained this dangerous thought.
"Compared to true Legendary powerhouses, my current strength is still far from enough."
"I must more efficiently consume all resources in the northwest region and perform higher-intensity, more extreme training... I need to step into the Legendary Domain as soon as possible."
The appearance and actions of this Legendary powerhouse, while making Garros feel angry, also made him recognize his own situation more clearly.
Below the Legendary level, he might be able to dominate a region and be honored as a King.
But as long as he has not become Legendary, all of this is like a castle built on quicksand; it appears glorious, but in reality, the Foundation is unstable and could collapse at any moment due to a single thought from a true powerhouse.
The true chess players and decision-makers of this world are all existences standing above the Legendary level.
It can be said that only by becoming Legendary can one truly obtain the qualifications to sit at the table.
Before that, it is all just child's play.
In the eyes of true Legendary beings, the conflicts between the Kings of the wilderness regions are likely akin to chickens pecking at each other, not worth mentioning.
"With my current strength, if I encounter those newly advanced Legendary beings who have just stepped into Rank 21, the most Elementary ones, I wonder if I would have the power to fight them?"
Garros pondered silently, evaluating the gap between himself and the Legendary level.
He had already experienced the power and difficulty of a Domain from the Lich before.
That was only a dead Legendary being, a weakened version of a Domain, and it still required him to activate the Crimson Lotus State to forcibly break through, and it was not easy.
After his battle with the Mad King, he has improved.
But if facing a true Legendary being in perfect condition, wanting to break their complete Domain would likely still be exceptionally difficult, with slim chances of victory.
However, relying on his monstrously strong physique and vitality.
As long as he does not stubbornly fight to the death, it would by no means be an easy task for an ordinary Elementary Legendary being to kill him.
And once he himself reaches the Peak of Rank 20, the situation might be very different.
In the records of dragon heritage, examples of gifted and profound Dragons defying the odds to kill newly advanced Legendary beings of other races, while not many, are not extremely rare either.
Racial differences, individual differences. These can all smooth out some of the chasm between mortal things and Legendary beings.
Garros felt that since other Dragons could do it, there was no reason he couldn't in the future.
Of course, unless necessary, he would not rashly attempt it; essentially, he prefers fighting opponents below his level rather than taking risks to challenge those above.
At this moment, although the Fury accumulated in his body was significant, it had not yet reached the safe release threshold set by Garros.
He took a deep breath again, trying his best to calm his agitated emotions and struggling to adapt to the influence of the Frenzied Flame. At the same time, he prepared to start a new round of higher-intensity training, determined to step into the Legendary Domain, which symbolizes a qualitative change in life, at the fastest speed through his own sweat, talent, and the resources continuously provided by the tribe.
Woo—!
Outside Dragon Valley, the strong wind emitted a shrill howl, and the already gloomy sky was gradually shrouded by the night, becoming completely pitch black.
Garros's new round of training had only just begun, yet his movements suddenly paused, and he keenly raised his head, looking toward the sky outside.
At the same time.
He saw two Dragon shadows tearing through the thick curtain of wind and snow, approaching the direction of Dragon Valley with a clear and unmistakable trajectory. Their speed was not slow; they were not ordinary Young Adult Dragons or Adult Dragons.
Their figures became increasingly clear in the wind and snow, and finally, the revealed scale colors exposed their identities.
It was none other than the Silver Dragon Adrie and the Copper Dragon Serena couple, who had been mentioned by Deborah not long ago.
Meanwhile, after the Silver Dragon Adrie flew over Dragon Valley, he habitually circled in the sky, his majestic gaze dropping to scan the scene of the valley below.
When that Red-Iron Dragon figure—with a massive, imposing build, muscles bulging like granite, and exuding a terrifying sense of power—entered his view.
The Silver Dragon, who had always been known for his elegance and cold detachment, instantly could not hold back the expression on his face.
He involuntarily widened his dragon eyes, his mouth slightly agape, presenting a state of astonishment bordering on dumbfoundedness.
"This... this is really a Young Adult Dragon?!"
"What a joke!"
"Some ordinary Red Dragons who have just reached the Mature Adult Dragon stage might not even possess such an exaggerated, such a sturdy and huge build!"
Compared to the Red-Iron Dragon at this moment, the Mature Adult Silver Dragon already appeared slender and weak.
The last time he came to Dragon Valley to visit Deborah, she had not explained Garros's recent situation in detail to the Silver Dragon.
The Silver Dragon had not expected at all that in just a few decades, this Red-Iron Dragon had grown to such an unbelievable extent.
He had already overestimated the Red-Iron Dragon's talent, but he had not expected that he had still underestimated it in the end.
"How about... the idea of sparring that I had before, let's just forget it? Fighting for a moment of victory or defeat really has no meaning. As an elder, I should appear more open-minded; being petty is not good."
In the heart of the Silver Dragon Adrie, he involuntarily began to have thoughts of backing out.
"My dear, look at Garros; he seems to have grown so much more since we last saw him."
The Copper Dragon Serena's whispering voice, filled with a smile, rang out.
She paused and continued: "You aren't planning to back out because of this, are you? Of course, if you change your mind now, as your understanding partner, I will definitely be very, very understanding of you."
Upon hearing this, the Silver Dragon Adrie acted as if his tail had been stepped on, immediately emitting an unhappy cold snort.
He suppressed the shock in his heart, restored that arrogant and indifferent expression, and said: "Back out because of the strength of a Young Adult Dragon? That will not happen."
"I will use facts to prove that there exists a huge gap between a Young Adult Dragon and an experienced Mature Adult Dragon."
In his view, the Young Adult Red-Iron Dragon was perhaps just naturally gifted, and his body was developing particularly fast.
However, body size is never the only key to determining the strength of a Dragon.
His age, the long years he has accumulated, his rich combat experience, and the three occupational paths he has concurrently cultivated, all of which have reached considerable levels... these are the sources of his confidence.
As for the failure of the first spar, that was because he was careless.
He had no reason to show weakness in front of his partner.
What follows is nothing more than needing to be a bit more serious in the spar and holding back less. Furthermore, Garros might not necessarily agree to his request for a spar; last time, he had to beat around the bush just to get the Red-Iron Dragon to nod in agreement.