We traveled through time together, but I'm the only dragon? The others are all beautiful girls?

“Oh—” Akalion let out a long, drawn-out reply, as if merely to fill the sudden silence. His thick dragon tail, covered with hard, dark gray scales, swept from side to side at an extremely fast pace, raising bursts of fine snowflakes that traced chaotic paths in the air.

"Don't you...don't you feel cold? The temperature in this snowfield is no joke." He casually reminded her, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to Ying's clothes, which looked rather thin in the cold wind.

“Even though the seal of the Ruler of Heaven continues like a leech, binding my soul and power like an invisible shackle, in this world far from Teyvat, my power… seems to have still managed to detect a faint flaw. These flaws are slowly emerging from those layers upon layers of almost flawless invisible shackles!” Luminous slowly opened her palm, showing Akalion the faint yet undeniable white light gathered in her hand. Against the backdrop of the gray sky, the light appeared exceptionally warm and holy, like the only campfire in a long, dark night.

"As time goes by, although it will be difficult, I should... I will definitely be able to slowly, bit by bit, wear down in this world until I completely break free from the seal of the guardian of justice!"

As she spoke, she suddenly turned her scrutinizing gaze, which gleamed with a probing light, to Akalion's dragon body, which was noticeably smaller than it had been in the dark space. Her tone was filled with pure curiosity as she asked, "Speaking of which, aren't you... much smaller than you were 'over there'?"

“You’re right. My current form is indeed significantly different from when I was in the Dark Space. This is probably…” Akalion’s deep dragon roar was thoughtful, spreading rapidly across the icy plains like the echo of an ancient bell. He offered his deduction, “It’s because the growth rate of my newly formed body has not yet fully caught up with the ‘aptitude’ that has undergone a rapid transformation due to ‘resonance.’ My form in the Dark Space is probably the true form I took when I reached the limit of my childhood growth.”

He slightly twisted his neck, which was covered with hard scales, and his dark gray dragon eyes swept over the hole behind him, which he had carved out with his sharp teeth, claws and brute force to serve as a temporary nest.

The outline of the cave entrance was not much different from what he had initially seen. The rough rocks, frozen soil, and snow still retained their original form. Time had obviously not left many traces on this silent snowfield. It seemed that he had not been asleep for too long, at most three to five days.

"However, my current physique is already close to being cheated for a young dragon that has only been hatched for a few days."

He now stands about 1.6 meters tall at the shoulder, with a wingspan approaching eight meters when fully extended. His streamlined body, excluding his thick tail, is four meters long, and if the heavy sword-like tail covered in fine scales is included, it reaches a full six meters. This imposing presence surpasses that of most adult wild beasts on land, and even approaches that of some secondary dragons in their youth.

Volume 1 Snowfield Dragon Lord: 7. Heading to the Ruins

"..."

Ying remained silent for a moment, as snowflakes silently fell on her golden hair and smooth shoulders, melting away instantly.

In those clear, amber-gold eyes, a fleeting, indescribable light, a mixture of mockery and deep anticipation, flashed by. That light sent a jolt of... ominous unease through Akalion's skin beneath its hardened scales.

Or more accurately, it was a familiar, decadent, sweet temptation that had recently almost made his soul tremble.

"I think, since that's the case, perhaps... we could 'give it a try' here as well?"

Ying's tone lacked the shyness that a typical young girl should have; instead, it carried a sense of eagerness and composure, as if she were stating a perfectly ordinary fact.

That delicate face even carried a hint of the pure curiosity and inquisitive spirit that belonged to a scholar.

"No! In the dark space, even if I lose control, you won't suffer truly irreparable damage! But this is reality! Even if you possess some power, it's useless against a fatal wound!"

Akalion gazed at Luminous with a sense of helplessness, his enormous dragon head swaying slightly, carrying a mixture of resignation and determination.

Although it is true that "I" am "sick and lustful," a fact that is a shared understanding among "Lan Si" and is deeply ingrained in their souls, it does not mean that "I" would be so irrational as to put each other's lives in certain danger for the sake of that fleeting and illusory bliss!

Akalion thought to himself, "He has no healing abilities whatsoever!"

Even if we take a step back and assume he actually possessed it, this is a perilous, cold, snowy plain fraught with danger at every turn—for his first 'first experience' in the real world, he should at least... at least choose a safer and more secluded place that is more memorable, more ceremonial, and more meaningful!

In this wilderness where unknown dangers may strike at any moment... it doesn't fit 'Lan Si's's XP!

"Why not?"

Ying tilted her head slightly, her long golden sideburns swaying gently with the movement, like lilies of the valley swaying in the wind. Her bright and intelligent eyes seemed to be able to see into Akalion's mind and look directly into the true thoughts deep in his soul that he had never spoken aloud.

"With the sky as our canopy and the earth as our shelter, the vast and boundless snowfield bears witness to us, and the eternal starry sky serves as our medium—is such a magnificent and primitive landscape not romantic enough, not stylish enough?"

That's true, but right now it's snowing heavily!

Ying watched Akalion waver with a knowing smile, unconcerned—even though their personalities would subtly change due to the different worlds and times they had experienced.

Ultimately, we are all 'Lan Si', so how could we not understand the desires and quirks that are deeply rooted in the soul of 'Lan Si'?

"Could it be... that after leaving that void and dark space, which was isolated from all laws and allowed one to act recklessly, and coming to this real material world, you... can't handle it?"

She slightly raised her chin, her tone full of undisguised provocation, like a little devil who needed a lot of discipline.

"Ah!"

A low, ambiguous laugh escaped Akalion's throat, as if his dignity had been offended.

His massive dragon body, covered in dark gray scales, slightly adjusted its posture, its muscles bulging beneath the scales, accumulating primal and wild power.

Then, with a hint of childish stubbornness born of provocation, he silently yet deliberately adjusted the angle of his proud 'House of Representatives', causing scales to pop out, making its outline even more prominent against the backdrop of ice and snow.

Although its size is indeed significantly reduced compared to its size in the dark space, its imposing presence and undeniable grandeur remain undiminished.

Perhaps, telling Ying frankly that he couldn't would have been a wiser choice, avoiding this completely unnecessary trouble. But even setting aside the pride of a true dragon flowing in his blood, how could a man simply say he couldn't do it?

“This size…isn’t it…just right?!” Ying’s gaze lingered boldly and directly on that magnificent thing for a moment, as if she were assessing a rare treasure.

Then, as if she had thought of something, she glared at Akalion angrily, puffing out her fair cheeks in dissatisfaction. Her adorable appearance was just like that of a kitten whose beloved toy had been taken away by its owner for no reason.

"I was clearly prepared for a decisive battle..."

She lowered her head, her voice barely audible, carrying a hint of shyness and anticipation, as she murmured softly, her tone tinged with a touch of resentment, like that of a wronged woman.

“I’m very bothered by this! Ying! The reason you were able to come to my world is probably related to that earlier trembling. You don’t want to return to that cold, lifeless cage of the Rulers of Heaven because of a momentary impulse, do you?”

Seeing that Ying's amber eyes still shone with a light that refused to give up easily—that's right, now that she's out, if she really gets sent back, then she can just come back again and have more fun, that's probably what she's thinking.

Akalion's mind raced, and he quickly tried to steer the conversation back onto the path he desired, using an even more assertive tone:

“Even if you can muster a sliver of strength now, enough to withstand some of the extreme cold of this snowfield, the threats lurking in this land are far more complex than just the low temperatures! We must, and at least must, find a safe haven that can guarantee our absolute safety.” He deliberately emphasized the words “absolute safety,” “I can sense several hostile, high-energy creatures posing a threat to me!”

This was indeed true. He still sensed the threat that prevented him from flying too high at the beginning, but now, because he had grown a bit, he dared to fly high.

But those threats are still threats—until he was completely unprepared, careless, and caught off guard.

"Ideally... it should also feel a bit like 'home,' right?"

Ying seemed to realize that Akalion wasn't simply making excuses, and her voice suddenly softened as she added a sentence following his words.

A barely perceptible yet incredibly sincere expectation flickered in those bright eyes, like a faint candle flame flickering in the cold night, yearning for a home.

"......right."

Akalion's massive dragon head, covered in hard scales, lowered heavily and decisively, signifying his deepest agreement. In his deep gray dragon eyes, Ying's small figure was reflected; that single word, 'home,' touched the softest corner of his soul.

“Get on.” He turned to the side, his broad back like a solid platform. “We’ll set off immediately to explore this icy wasteland. To be honest, this land gives me a strange, indescribable feeling.”

"The place where I hatched was unusually not frozen over; instead, it was filled with a mud-like substance with an unusually high nutritional content. Before I was forced to swallow the permafrost to temporarily burrow underground to fill my stomach, I vaguely glimpsed a city ruin that seemed to exist on the distant northwest horizon... a relatively well-preserved ruin."

"Oh right, 'I'..."

Ying leaped with the agility of a forest sprite, landing lightly on Akalion's broad back. She stretched out her slender fingers and carefully grasped the gnarled horn near the base of his neck, which grew upwards like the branches of an ancient tree. Feeling the comfortable warmth it shared with his scales, she tilted her head curiously and leaned forward to ask:

What does soil taste like to a true dragon?

"I've only ever eaten the frozen soil and rocks of this snowfield, so all I can tell you is that eating them is like eating a piece of..." Having only been a dragon for a few days, he didn't care much about the dignity of a true dragon. So what if he was eating soil? After carefully savoring the taste, he said seriously, "It's a moldy bread that's been sitting for a very long time. Its hardness has increased by at least two or three times. However, the closer you get to the depths underground, the less moldy it smells."

"The diet of a true dragon is very extensive, enough to cover everything in the universe, from the solid frozen ground beneath its feet to the churning lava at the earth's core, from fresh, pulsating flesh and blood to withered, silent wood and stone—a true dragon can digest them all. However, if I had a choice, I would still prefer to eat things that humans can eat."

Akalion's tone carried a clear hint of regret and a slight aversion to his previous experience of being forced to consume the frozen ground. He said in a deep voice, "However, looking around this boundless wasteland relentlessly covered by eternal frost and snow, besides the monotonous and despairing endless white snow as far as the eye can see, there is nothing else to choose from, except for the cold and hard frozen ground underfoot, the jagged and protruding rocks, and the strangely shaped dead trees."

"Forehead?"

Ying, somewhat embarrassed, gently stroked Akalion's cold, hard horns with her fingertips. She then realized that her question had reminded the newly hatched 'me' of an unpleasant experience.

"Then...then once I've completely broken free from Teyvat, from that damned sealed cage of the Ruler of Heaven, I'll definitely bring you lots and lots of delicious food!" she promised firmly, with a hint of compensation in her voice.

Akalion blurted out almost instinctively, without even thinking, "I want to eat Fairy Jumps Over the Wall!"

This top-tier Liyue dish, a culinary masterpiece combining delicacies from land and sea, was enough to make his parched taste buds salivate just by reciting its name.

Volume 1 Snowfield Dragon Lord: 8. Flying Over the Black Mountains

"can!"

Ying agreed without hesitation, her tone brimming with confidence. She firmly believed that as a 'Descendant' who had traveled to many worlds, she could absolutely replicate this top-tier dish, rated five stars in the game, perfectly!

“Even… even Fontaine’s ‘Golden Hall’, it’s no problem!” she added, a hint of pride in her voice.

'Golden Palace' is a unique dish created by the famous chef Aikofi of the former Grand Hotel de Bois in Fontainebleau. Its cooking techniques are so complex and the ingredients are so carefully selected that there is no fixed recipe to learn in the game. However, Ying firmly believes that this is not an insurmountable obstacle.

Reality isn't a game set by data; she doesn't believe that a dignified 'Descendant' wouldn't be able to learn a mere dish! Once she escapes the sealed cage of the Ruler of Heaven, her first stop should probably be Fontainebleau to visit the legendary Chef Aikofi.

By the way——

"Gululu——"

A clear, slightly embarrassing rumbling sound came from Akalion's abdomen, shattering the atmosphere filled with wonderful food fantasies.

"...Right! I remember, before I was sealed by the Ruler of Heaven, there seemed to be something in my personal space—" Ying's words instantly made the starving Akalion's eyes light up.

However, she paused halfway through her sentence, frowning and deep in thought, as if trying to recall something.

As she paused, the light of hope in Akalion's eyes quickly dimmed.

"...And one more thing...ta-da—extra spicy fried rice with lots of diced ham and bright green leafy vegetables! This is for pranking Kong, I hope Long didn't eat it—"

Before Ying could finish speaking, a white porcelain bowl filled with golden rice and exuding an enticing aroma appeared out of thin air in her hand. Almost simultaneously, Akalion's massive dragon head, covered in dark gray scales, suddenly lowered, and with lightning speed, devoured the entire bowl of flavorful fried rice, along with the porcelain bowl, into its stomach.

"You can't eat this!"

Her words had barely left her mouth.

"Gudong!"

A clear swallowing sound rang out, and Ying knew it was too late, but the dragon should be fine since it had eaten the white porcelain bowl.

Akalion ate so quickly that he didn't even have time to fully savor the complex flavors of the fried rice, but the warmth and satisfaction of real food instantly filled his entire being. It was truly... truly delicious! More delicious than any meal he could remember!

Even without the smell of eggshells, mud, soil, and rocks, it's the same as having a pearl before you.

"Is...is there anything else?" Akalion's voice was filled with obvious longing and trembling, and his dragon eyes, which were shining with expectation, were turning back to look at Ying.

"Watch where you're going! I'll look again!"

Ying ruthlessly wiped her slender hand, which was covered in Akalion's saliva, cleaned it off on Akalion's broad back. After searching through her personal space for a long time, she finally informed Akalion of the despairing news with a regretful and apologetic expression.

"Sorry... that's all."

It was clear that Akalion was flapping its huge, fleshy wings much slower than before, as if some of its strength for flying had been drained away.

.....

..........

...............

What is it like to ride a dragon?

If Ying were to describe it in the simplest terms, it would be—a wonder beyond imagination.

Akalion seemed to be surrounded by a natural, invisible barrier, similar to Superman's bio-force field. Although not as powerful, even high in the sky, where the biting wind was cut by his wings like billions of roaring, invisible blades, sweeping wildly through every inch of space they passed through, it could not shake this thin yet indestructible protection.

He remained incredibly stable within a three-meter radius of the air currents, as if he weren't soaring at breakneck speed high in the sky, but rather leisurely lying on a gently sloping grassy hillside bathed in the afternoon sun of early spring. Ying could even sing at the top of her lungs without worrying about any cold air rushing into her throat and stinging her lungs.

Even without deliberately grasping any support, she could sit steadily on the dragon's broad back.

Of course, this sense of security also harbors a deadly danger—if she were to unfortunately slip and fall, the outcome would likely be far more tragic than the end of any nightmare, as she is currently unable to deploy her wings and regain her ability to fly.

However, Ying believed that even if she fell, Akalion would be able to rescue her safely.

He flew at an incredible speed, his enormous dragon wings, covered in dark gray scales, flapping with a rhythmic and powerful beat.

Each surge generates a massive amount of tiny, shimmering ice crystals from the air at the edge of the wing membrane.

These ice crystals left a hazy, ethereal trail behind them, like the tail of stardust, only to be scattered by the gale the moment they formed, vanishing in an instant, as if they had come specifically to add a touch of dreamlike poetry to this lonely journey.

If it weren't for the strange 'force field' protecting Akalion, Ying wouldn't be sure if she could have survived the extremely cold high-altitude storm with the meager power she had left under the seal of the Heavenly Ruler.

The outfit she was wearing, with large areas of her shoulders exposed, was designed with mobility and aesthetics in mind, and its function in protecting against the cold was almost negligible.

Ying could clearly see the landscape beneath her, covered in eternal ice and snow, rushing past at an astonishing speed.

Although the view still consists of a monotonous and vast expanse of pure white snowfield, the outlines of the towering black mountains in the distance, which resemble silent giants reaching into the clouds, are becoming increasingly clear.

Amidst the rolling mountains, a narrow, straight rift valley, so straight it's chilling, suddenly appears like a grotesque scar on the earth. This is by no means a natural creation; the cliffs on both sides of the rift valley have gaps as clean as if they were neatly severed by a giant blade. And in the deepest part of that secluded canyon, there seems to be a faint, yet stubbornly pulsating, light source, appearing and disappearing.

The moment that eerie light entered her pupils, Ying suddenly understood what Akalion had mentioned earlier about the strange feeling this land gave him—especially since there was no snow at all.

This gave Ying a deeper, more primal feeling—as if it were the lament of countless beings on the eve of their demise, sealed here by time, now faintly echoing across the boundless snowfield on the cold wind.

At the same time, Ying felt a chill run down her spine, and a sense of desolation and despair penetrated to her very bones.

However, Akalion's reaction was surprisingly calm, maintaining his current flight speed. His reaction made Luminous realize that the ancient lament might only pose a threat to him, rather than a certain death.

Ying knew that neither of them, being 'Blue Heirs', were the kind of people who liked to show off their strength for no reason before they experienced too many things that caused them to change.

This means that Akalion, the dragon that has only hatched a few days ago and is still in its infancy, is probably several times, even dozens of times, more powerful than her now. However, compared to before she was sealed by the Keeper of Heavenly Principles, she would definitely be killed by him if she is careless.

The true dragon's talent is truly enviable, bordering on jealousy. Even in that dark space, the "resonance" brought about by the existence of all "me" is essentially only an enhancement and improvement of the "aptitude" level. It does not allow an existence to gain power beyond its own accumulation out of thin air, much less allow anyone to ascend to the heavens in an instant.

However, speaking of which... what kind of dragon is Akalion?

In her memory, there didn't seem to be a completely consistent record in the official D&D setting book, The Book of Dragons.