Niu Tiedan stood quietly on the storm-swept mountain peak, surrounded by a desolate landscape as if forgotten by the world. The howling gale lashed his face like millions of sharp blades, and his waterfall-like long hair whipped wildly in the wind, resembling black flames. Yet none of this could shake his piercing gaze, a gaze that seemed capable of piercing through time and space. Atop the peak, faint remnants of ancient dragon breath lingered like mysterious threads, bearing the traces of a giant dragon that had once stayed here, seemingly whispering tales as ancient, brilliant, and mysterious as the stars. His eyes were deep and sharp, as if able to see through all the illusions of the world, and they fell directly upon his son. He reached out a broad, calloused palm—callouses that were the marks left by time and hardship—and gently rested it upon his son's shoulder. The rough touch carried the warmth of accumulated years, transmitting a silent strength.
"My child, look at this dragon breath. Though it has faded, a giant dragon must have once dwelled here, majestic and imposing. How immensely powerful it must have been! When that giant dragon spread its wings, it could surely blot out the sun and sky, and its dragon might could make mountains and rivers tremble," Niu Tiedan remarked with deep emotion, his voice tinged with awe for the mysterious power of the past.
Nearby, a few withered wild grasses trembled in the fierce wind, their fragile bodies seeming as though they…
Chapter 40