On the clearing at the edge of the forest, the atmosphere was slightly tense.
Malygos's body tensed, his dragon eyes narrowed, locking onto the dark figure slowly emerging from the shadows.
Arcane energy began to gather in his claws, ready to attack at any moment.
The appearance of the Black Dragon stimulated his already unstable mind.
Especially those dark scales, red vertical pupils, and that characteristic arrogant demeanor, all reminded him of the most painful memories deep in his soul—the destructive golden light of the Dragon Soul, the mournful wails of countless kin instantly turning to ash, Neltharion's twisted, cackling dragon face!
"Black Dragon—!" A roar filled with pain and hatred erupted from deep within Malygos's throat, making the branches and leaves of the surrounding trees tremble.
His dragon claws rose, the gathered arcane energy about to transform into a destructive beam, aimed directly at Nefarian's dragon head!
The Weaver's majesty and madness were fully displayed at this moment!
Sindragosa's dragon claw swiftly pressed down on Malygos's raised front claw, and a powerful yet peaceful arcane field instantly spread, forcibly suppressing the spell about to be unleashed.
Her voice followed immediately, "Malygos! Calm down! Look at your surroundings!"
Senergos also immediately stepped forward, staring sharply at Nefarian, and said in a deep voice, "Stop! Black Dragon, you have come to the wrong place.
This is the domain of the Dragon of Radiance!"
Facing Malygos's killing intent and the pressure from the other two Blue Dragons, Nefarian's reaction was surprisingly calm.
He didn't even assume any defensive posture, just stood there steadily, his crimson vertical pupils calmly meeting Malygos's eyes, which burned with hatred.
There was no provocation, no fear, only a kind of almost indifferent composure.
"Weaver Malygos," Nefarian's voice was low and restrained, clearly audible to all the Dragons present.
"Greetings. I have heard of your deeds from there." He pointed to himself and continued, "Nefarian."
He nodded slightly, his posture showing respect for a powerful being, but absolutely no subservience.
"Nefarian?!" Senergos's dragon eyes suddenly narrowed. "Deathwing's eldest son?!"
This name caused Malygos's suppressed anger to surge violently again, and he let out a threatening growl from his throat.
"Of course, this is a birth I cannot deny." Nefarian's voice remained steady, only a complex glint flashed in his eyes, immediately replaced by determination, "But now, I am the loyal apprentice of the Dragon of Radiance, Obsidian."
"Following his path, I have abandoned the curse originating from my father's bloodline and returned to the righteous path."
"At this moment, I am here to await you all, as per his instructions, and to guide you to your destination."
"Apprentice? Righteous path?" Malygos's voice became hoarse with anger and distrust, and the muscles in his forearm, suppressed by Sindragosa, bulged.
"How can we be sure this isn't another lie? Just like your father's past actions?"
The deeper Malygos's trust in Neltharion had been before, the stronger his hatred for him was now, and this hatred even extended to his bloodline.
Nefarian looked directly at Malygos, without the slightest evasion: "I cannot choose my bloodline, Weaver, but I can choose my path."
"Moreover, at this moment, it is not I whom you need to trust, but my mentor."
His tone was calm, yet it exuded a firm confidence.
He did not try to explain the past, but merely stated the current situation objectively.
Sindragosa's gaze lingered on Nefarian for a moment, realizing that a familiar power flowed within this Black Dragon—a power very similar to the one that had appeared on her own body after her resurrection.
This should be the power imprint of that "Dragon of Radiance," Obsidian.
At the same time, she continued to soothe the agitated Malygos.
Senergos also stared intently at Nefarian.
Experience made him keenly aware that the aura of this Black Dragon was entirely different from the madness and chaos exuded by Deathwing; instead, it contained a restrained sense of order and discipline.
"Lead the way, Nefarian." Sindragosa finally spoke, her voice clear and cold, "We have come as agreed."
Nefarian nodded slightly again, saying no more.
He turned, and his dark dragon claw swiped through the air towards the center of the forest clearing.
Buzz—!
Space rippled like water.
An oval-shaped portal, its edges flowing with pure golden light and its interior a blur of shifting scenes, slowly unfolded.
A warm and orderly energy aura emanated from within the portal.
"Please." Nefarian stepped aside, gesturing for the Blue Dragons to go first.
Malygos remained highly vigilant.
However, under the protection of Sindragosa and Senergos, one on each side, he finally managed to suppress the anger and doubt in his heart.
Carefully guarding the container holding the dragon eggs, he was the first to step into the golden portal.
Sindragosa, Senergos, and several guardian Blue Dragons followed closely behind.
Stepping through the portal felt like instantly entering a brand new world.
The scene before them was still a forest, yet it was completely different from any forest on Azeroth.
Towering ancient trees were still robust and upright, but their branches displayed a nearly perfect growth posture.
The leaves were no longer emerald green, but flowed with a faint golden luster.
The ground was also covered with golden moss and low-lying plants.
The air was filled with the breath of life, but this was not the wild, untamed, primordial feeling of the Emerald Dream, where all things competed for growth.
Instead, it was a feeling of meticulous order and harmony—the light here presented a strange texture, warm but not dazzling, rendering the entire space into a golden realm combining tranquility and solemnity.
The Blue Dragons were stunned by the magnificent sight before them; even Malygos's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.
Beneath their feet was a path paved with small pebbles, extending deep into the forest.
Nefarian was the last to step through, and the portal closed silently behind him.
He did not linger, and began to lead the way along the path.
After passing through a woodland with golden streams, the area ahead suddenly opened up.
In the center of a huge circular clearing, the sight made all the Blue Dragons hold their breath.
Nearly a hundred Black Dragon eggs, each as large as a millstone, were neatly arranged in a huge circle.
The surface of each dragon egg was entwined with shadowy aura, a mix of decay and whispers—that was the mark of corruption by the Old Gods, N'Zoth!
A colossal Black Dragon hovered above the circle of dragon eggs; it was Obsidian's "light" incarnation.
At this moment, he was fully concentrated on the purification ritual before him.
He did not use complex incantations or methods; he simply extended one dragon claw calmly, palm facing down, aiming at the area below.
Golden-red divine light poured from his palm, precisely enveloping each dragon egg.
Screech—!
A violent reaction immediately occurred!
The corrupting black mist entwined on the surface of the eggshells shrieked and twisted in the divine light like living creatures!
They tried to burrow deeper into the eggshells to hide, but they were precisely locked onto by Obsidian's divine power, and then stripped away little by little.
Even while purifying nearly a hundred dragon eggs simultaneously, Obsidian showed no sign of error, as multitasking was an inherent ability of a god.
The divine light was like a carving knife, and also like a torrent.
It did not destroy violently, but with a powerful stance, it precisely grasped the essence of every trace of corrupting energy, forcibly tearing it out from the dragon eggs' life source!
The stripped-away corrupting substances, the moment they left the dragon eggs, were completely annihilated by the outer golden-red divine light, turning into wisps of foul-smelling black smoke that rose into the air.
The entire process was both efficient and ruthless, with a peculiar aesthetic of order.
The corrupting marks on the surface of the Black Dragon eggs, enveloped by divine light, gradually vanished in the baptism of golden light, revealing the healthy glow of the dark red base beneath, and the faint life pulsations within the eggshells also became clear and strong.
At the edge of the purification site, three Dragons stood silently: one Black and two Blue.
These were the other three Dragons who had returned from the Forbidden Isolated Island.
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