The next day at dawn, a ray of light pierced the darkness of the cave entrance, the炽热 brilliance quickly awakening the slumbering rock walls. Seratus awoke amidst the heat, which felt like surging lava, and slowly lifted his heavy eyelids. His draconic eyes, burning like molten gold, gradually focused in the light of the rising sun.

He surveyed his surroundings. Mountains of gold coins shimmered in the cave, each coin like a solidified fragment of a star, silently telling secrets buried by time.

The Dragon Mother, like an ancient rock carving, lay dormant atop this mountain of glittering treasure. Her closed eyes resembled unpolished black ice, radiating an intimidating aura even in sleep, filling the young dragon's heart with awe.

The dazzling wealth and the Matriarch Dragon's solemnity intertwined, creating a breathtaking sense of pressure. The young dragon's heartbeat quickened, his gaze momentarily captured by the silent allure of the gold coins – however, Seratus clearly recognized that these were not things he could touch at this moment!

However, reason, like a chilling spring, abruptly extinguished the greedy flame in his heart—the Dragon Mother's treasure was not something a young dragon could covet.

"I'm not strong enough yet..." the young dragon whispered in his heart, as if to himself, and also as a declaration to the mountains of wealth. Then, he resolutely turned away, no longer lingering. His crimson scales, illuminated by the dawn's light at the cave entrance, were gilded with a sacred glow.

Agnas eagerly approached Catilia, his scarlet dragon eyes flickering with intense desire and restlessness, as if about to burst forth. He lowered his voice, his words hurried and urging: "Catilia, follow Seratus quickly! That mushroom...it's practically made for me! With every breath, I feel like I can draw in its pure life force!"

Catilia lazily opened her crimson dragon eyes, the light swirling within them containing both cunning and caution, like a shrewd merchant weighing the pros and cons. "Hold your horses! If we rush in like hungry wolves now, we'll only startle our prey and achieve nothing. The best time is when it's completely off guard, or when a slight opportunity presents itself. As for now..."

His sister's hesitation made Agnas frown, impatience gathering between his brows. He rebuked her in a low voice: "I think you are as timid as a mouse. You also daren't follow! Either come with me, or I'll explore Seratus's secret alone! Even if I don't share this secret with you, I will definitely investigate!" With that, he turned to leave, intending to sneak in the direction Seratus had gone.

Seeing this, Catilia, though still harboring doubts, gritted her teeth and made up her mind, thinking, "At least if we go together, we can support each other if Seratus attacks." She said silently, "Fine, two dragons are better than one; even if he wants to make a move, he'll have to consider our combined strength!" At the same time, the alluring mushroom and the unknown secrets behind it stirred her heart, a complex mix of nervousness and anticipation swirling within her.

Seratus stepped out of the cave, the suffocating heat washing over him. He abruptly stopped, his head slightly turned, his crimson, slitted eyes scanning the dark cave entrance like blades. The shadows at the entrance remained still, no fiery red scales flickering. Only then did his tense muscles slightly relax, yet a hidden vigilance lingered, like a shadow, as he continued to listen intently, trying to catch any subtle movement, as if there were truly eyes lurking in the darkness.

"Agnas and Catilia didn't rashly follow me today?..." he thought to himself, a hint of relaxation quietly rising in his heart. Then, he resolutely left the lava cave and headed towards the newly cultivated land.

Meanwhile, Agnas and Catilia quietly trailed Seratus. They followed a winding path, the dry leaves underfoot whispering with each step, every movement marked by extreme caution and tension. Agnas urged in a low voice, "Catilia, hurry up! Don't talk, don't let him notice us." Catilia held her breath, carefully following close behind, constantly calculating in her mind: As long as we don't reveal ourselves, we'll eventually get close enough to uncover Seratus's secret.

As he followed the familiar path, Seratus suddenly caught the faint sound of footsteps behind him, the subtle rustling seeming to hint—someone was secretly following. He turned his head, listening intently to the faint noise, and couldn't help but wonder, "After so many years of experience, how could I be easily followed?" He carefully scanned the swaying branches around him, but still didn't see a trace of bright red.

Suddenly, a mischievous and probing thought arose in his heart. Seratus abruptly turned around and shouted loudly, "Agnas, I see you! Stop hiding, your fiery red scales are too conspicuous, or am I seeing things?" Then, he shouted again, "Catilia, stop hiding behind the bushes, show your dazzling scales!"

Seratus's sudden roar, like a volcanic eruption, was deafening, instantly shattering Agnas and Catilia's disguise. The two young dragons froze in place like lizards struck by a rock, the muscles beneath their scales instantly tensing. They exchanged panicked glances, their hearts pounding as if clutched by dragon claws. Catilia squeezed out a whisper, thin as a mosquito's buzz: "We've been exposed...how could he..."

Agnas, flustered, urged in a low voice, "Don't just stand there! Chase after him! Do you want to be completely left behind?!" Fear and unwillingness tangled in the young dragons' hearts. They began to wonder if this was a trap set by Seratus, or simply a more sophisticated hunting technique.

Seeing this, a hint of a smug smile played on Seratus's lips. He muttered to himself, "Since you're hiding so well, I'll just wait and see if you can hide even deeper, or if you're simply too cowardly!" His tone was both provocative and mocking, as if all of this were just a private game between himself. But after shouting loudly, he didn't rush to investigate. Instead, he continued to walk forward, occasionally looking back symbolically.

Each time he looked back, his slightly furrowed brow instantly smoothed out, as if he had anticipated all of this, and the turmoil deep within his heart had already been carefully concealed by him.

Agnas and Catilia hid tightly among the shadows of the trees, their hearts filled with both embarrassment at being discovered and suspicion that Seratus seemed to know everything. Catilia whispered quietly, "I have a feeling something's fishy. Those few times he looked back, it wasn't just to test our courage... was it to wait for us to reveal ourselves first?" She quickly grabbed Agnas, who was about to take a step, fearing he would impulsively expose their tracks. Agnas also whispered in agreement, "Stop talking. Keep up, don't let him realize we're here."

Just then, far ahead, Seratus's dragon head suddenly turned, emitting a series of dragon roars. He said loudly:

"Agnas, how can your scales, like burning flames, be hidden?"

"Catilia, stop hiding! How can your dazzling scales not be discovered in this dense forest?"

This direct and mocking shout instantly made the two young dragons hiding in the shadows nervous. Although they heard it clearly, they were still trembling with fear, not daring to show themselves rashly.

Catilia stared intently at Seratus's almost serious expression, murmuring in a low voice, "I sense something is wrong... His shouting is not just a simple joke, but an attempt to force us out." With that, she decisively pulled back Agnas, who was about to take a step, preventing him from following rashly.

She herself remained motionless, her eyes fixed on Seratus's every move, fearing that even the slightest rustle of wind would completely expose them.

"However, Seratus only symbolically observed for a few minutes, then turned and left without hesitation. His steady steps and calm demeanor seemed to suggest that the previous probing had not shaken his inner resolve."

Agnas and Catilia, remaining in the shadows, watched his receding figure, a wave of confusion and bewilderment washing over them: He said he had seen them, so why didn't he take further action? All sorts of questions popped up in their little heads.

After walking for a few minutes, Seratus looked back again, symbolically saying, "If you dare to come out, I'd be happy to have a good match with you." However, after looking around, he still didn't find any unusual traces. "Could it be that I'm overthinking it?"

Seratus chuckled self-deprecatingly, the subtle tension between his brows easing. He continued to walk towards the newly cultivated field, his steps still firm and leisurely.

In the depths of the dense, green forest, Agnas and Catilia continued to hide, tense and cautious. Although their hearts were filled with fear, they also felt a faint sense of pride: their covert actions demonstrated their prudence and wisdom. Agnas said in a low voice, "See, that guy is definitely hiding something.

As long as we wait for him to let his guard down, we can seize the opportunity and find out what it is." Catilia secretly calculated in her heart: When the time is right, the two of us working together can force him to show his true colors. The enticing aroma of the mushroom from her dream and the unknown secrets behind it tugged at her heart from time to time. As Seratus's determined figure receded further, she and her brother quietly followed, their steps light but full of determination.

The gentle breeze rustled through the forest, and sunlight dappled through the leaves, falling on the two young dragons' scales. The fiery red light was particularly dazzling, yet it also added a bit of a burden to their secrecy. As Agnas and Catilia walked, they silently repeated in their hearts: As long as we don't reveal ourselves, we'll find out where he picks those delicious mushrooms.

The layered shadows of the trees, the rustling of fallen leaves, and Seratus continued to walk along his familiar path, feeling a bit smug, and so he walked confidently.

After walking for more than ten minutes, the rugged path opened up to reveal a wide lake. The water was a clear, light blue. A gentle breeze swept across the surface, creating sparkling ripples that resembled countless tiny sapphires shimmering in the sunlight, serene and dazzling. Standing by the lake, the cool mist rising from the water carried the fresh scent of earth and aquatic plants, relaxing Seratus's tense nerves. A heartfelt sense of comfort washed over him.

Facing this tranquil and beautiful body of water, Seratus slowly walked to the lake's edge, lowered his massive body, and dipped his head into the clear water. He opened his mouth and greedily slurped the sweet lake water, his throat making "gurgling" sounds that were particularly clear in the quiet morning.

The cool water slid down his parched throat, nourishing his tired body. Each large gulp seemed to inject new vitality, making him feel refreshed from the inside out, his scales seemingly glowing with renewed luster.

After drinking his fill, Seratus slowly stretched his young, not-yet-fully-fledged wings, deciding in his heart: Today, I don't need to rush back to the cultivated land. Instead, I'll take advantage of this refreshing time to patrol the surrounding environment. Although he had been cultivating the land for a long time and his skills had become increasingly proficient, there were still many unknowns about the overall situation of this vast world—only by familiarizing himself with the surrounding terrain could he lay a solid foundation for future cultivation planning.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket," Seratus slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping over the distant, rolling mountains, then lowering to look at the fertile land beneath his feet, a plan already forming in his mind.

Without a map, he had to rely on his amazing memory, engraving every mountain and river, every plant and tree in his mind. Seratus did not head directly to his familiar farmland. Instead, he turned to the nearby secluded areas, carefully searching for undeveloped terrain and trying to mark in his mind places suitable for future cultivation.

Along the way, he allowed the fresh, natural air to permeate his heart. The warm sunlight shone on his shimmering scales, making them gleam like stars twinkling in the night sky.

As he strolled through the forest, memories of reading Dragon's Legacy in the cave the previous day surfaced. The ancient words engraved on the inheritance, the ancient and powerful draconic magic, seemed to whisper in his mind, not only giving him a deeper understanding of the ancient legends and wisdom of the dragon race, but also planting a desire for knowledge about the laws of the world.

However, immersed in tranquility, Seratus did not completely relax his vigilance. A faint sense of unease, like a gentle breeze blowing through the forest, quietly swept through his heart.

He understood that this seemingly peaceful environment was not entirely safe. In the distance, the outlines of human cities were faintly visible, and according to ancient books read in the cave, those cities belonged to a human kingdom called the "Red Maple Empire."

In his mind, the system of the Red Maple Empire slowly unfolded: the solemn and majestic central imperial capital, surrounded by cities established by nobles, seemingly orderly, yet like the rise and fall of countless dynasties in Blue Star's history, beneath the prosperous surface, undercurrents surged, and the shadows of internal strife and overthrow might already be lurking beneath this prosperous facade.

Seratus thought to himself, This seemingly stable system actually has the seeds of internal strife and destruction buried within it, just as Blue Star's thousands of years of feudal history ultimately could not escape the fate of foreign invasion or internal conflict.

After clearing his mind of distracting thoughts, "Looking around, the surrounding terrain was open and varied. In the distance was a vast plain, shimmering golden in the dawn's light, like a huge canvas spread out, waiting for the brush of the cultivator; nearby were rolling hills, sleeping like giant beasts, and between the hills were natural depressions of varying depths."

The dense and primitive forest still appeared somewhat chaotic, with sunlight unable to penetrate fully, casting dappled shadows. Those low-lying areas were shrouded in a lingering chill, and the air carried the faint, unsettling roars of wild beasts.

Seratus instinctively slowed his pace, cautiously avoiding those depressed areas. In his young body flowed the blood of a dragon, and he had an extraordinary, instinctive sense of danger.

He knew that these dark corners, though not immediately threatening, presented unnecessary risks to him. He understood it's best for him to stay unnoticed. After all, although dragons were born kings, in their youth, they had to be discreet and patient. Only after reaching full maturity could they truly soar through the blue sky.

During his exploration along the way, he also discovered two new water sources: one was a surging river, the water rushing rapidly, with fish darting through it; but due to the strong current, it was not suitable for planting aquatic crops; the other was another lake, its water quality very similar to the light blue lake he had just visited, equally sweet and refreshing.

At the same time, Seratus also gained a preliminary understanding of the distribution of magical beasts around him: most of the small magical beasts had auras similar to his, seemingly posing no great threat, but there were five with stronger auras in the distance, which, although far away, constituted a considerable threat; and the presence of several medium and large magical beasts made him even more cautious in his movements, to avoid confronting these behemoths head-on, as the risk was extremely high."