Chapter 3 Golden Tree

Noah, who swallowed over a hundred pearls in one gulp, half-closed his eyes under the warm sunlight and began to doze off again, feeling drowsy. Being in the hatchling stage, he was naturally at a phase where a dragon's body rapidly grows and develops, during which the dragon species' spirit is often extremely lazy. However, once Noah completely fell asleep, his consciousness was no longer drowsy; but only his consciousness was awake, while his body had entered a state of deep sleep to digest the magic power contained within the pearls. In the boundless darkness, with no end in sight, Noah Helios La Monton wandered within it, neither anxious nor fearful, instead feeling a kind of serene tranquility. This wasn't his first encounter with the boundless void darkness. Since he was born as a dragon, breaking out of his eggshell, as long as he entered deep sleep, there was a chance he'd arrive here. Noah could determine that this was not a dream, for no dream could be this real. He could feel the slight coolness on his scales. There was no direction here, no concept of up or down, allowing him to roam freely in any direction without restraint. However, Noah's current direction was very determined. It was a point of starlight flickering in the darkness. Because of his persistence every time he dreamt and fell into the void, that starlight was gradually enlarging in his vision. This time, he was closer, close enough to see what this cluster of starlight was. It was a magnificent and brilliant nebula, within which countless rays of light flickered and countless streams of luminescence glided like dragon snakes. It was an overwhelming scene, indescribable in words. Upon seeing it, Noah's heart was filled with a longing and hope. His subconscious urged him to enter the nebula, for it contained the thing connected to his flesh, soul, and spirit—the very reason he descended into the void darkness each time he slept. Boom— Even the concept of time faded in this void darkness. Noah couldn't say how long it took; it only felt exceptionally lengthy to him. So long that he even reached the nebula, and at that instant, the view of darkness was completely replaced by infinite starlight and flowing radiance. Noah didn't stop to admire the shining stars and streams, as his gaze was firmly attracted to something, unable to shift even slightly. It was a small tree rooted in the nebula, with roots deeply embedded in the core, like golden rivers extending into the depths of the nebula, vast and complex, magnificent and expansive. The trunk was upright and majestic, seemingly cast from the purest gold, radiating a resplendent and sacred warm glow. The branches stretched out in an orderly manner, with each branch bearing an immense vitality. Each leaf appeared to be carved from brilliant gemstones, emitting dazzling light. These rays were colorful like rainbows, shifting from golden to silver and then to radiant violet, endlessly transforming. Fine specks of light drifted from the gemstone-like carved leaves, with each strand resembling countless tiny stars woven together. These lights spun and intertwined slowly in the air, forming rings of light, illuminating the entire nebula as if in a dream. "What is this?" Overlooking the complex and brilliant root system, Noah stared at the Golden Tree, which seemed almost the same size as his own body, with an indescribable shock and astonishment in his eyes. Yet, once the most overwhelming emotions passed, Noah felt slightly incredulous, for he sensed a bloodline connection with the Golden Tree before him, a fusion of souls. His gaze gave the illusion of examining himself, though perhaps it wasn't an illusion. "What purpose do you serve for me?" Once many emotions faded, Noah, ever the pragmatist, couldn't help but question in his heart. Although this Golden Tree was indeed magnificently mysterious—even a Golden Dragon would be amazed—there was no way to bring it into his reality, leaving him to appreciate it alone. But no matter how beautiful something is, one would eventually tire of seeing it, and he only wanted to know if the Golden Tree possessed some extraordinary power that could make his long life as a dragon smoother and easier. Accompanying Noah's confusion, a golden tree root resembling a stream suddenly rippled. When he cast his gaze upon it, the ripples revealed a scene that slightly surprised him. It was a young knight riding on horseback, leading others in an assault, while those they hunted and slaughtered were a group of green-skinned creatures wielding sticks and bones, only able to flee in disarray. These hideous, hunched, and small humanoid monsters were the Goblins, ubiquitous low-level monsters with a strong reproductive ability, making them impossible to exterminate completely. And the Knight Commander leading the charge was someone Noah was exceedingly familiar with, none other than Tidel, who had just delivered pearls to him. A youth burdened with heavy responsibilities before even coming of age, now displaying another side Noah had never seen before: cold-blooded, ruthless, and resolute. As humanoid monsters, Goblins possessed a certain intelligence. Under the unstoppable massacre, they would wail in fear and even kneel to beg for mercy. Yet regardless of their pitiful cries or gestures, the young knight showed no mercy, his lance precisely piercing through the monsters' vital points, sparing not even the younglings. Tidel was leading a group of patrol knights in exterminating a Goblin Tribe, a massacre from top to bottom, sparing none. The blood of the Goblins, spilled under the lances and swords, seemed to pour into the golden stream that displayed all this to Noah. Streaks of blood flowed through the roots, converging to the canopy, and in Noah's astonished gaze, forming a blood-colored bud. "What is this?" Struck by the unfolding scene, Noah couldn't help but ponder the connections among these changes, "Does this slaughter have anything to do with me?" The patrol knights sent by the Augustus family usually focused on expelling monsters, following fixed patrol routes. Noah could easily surmise that if it weren't for his casual remark teasing Tidel before he planned to leave, the young knight might not have bothered to chase the Goblins even if he encountered them on the way back to the city. But after that reminder, realizing the significant threat posed by these low-level monsters, Tidel, upon encountering Goblins again, didn't hesitate to wield his lance and engage in a massacre. This slaughter was inextricably linked to him.