[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-559":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Ember Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1162759,1504,"Chapter 559: Radiant Glory","ember-dragon-chapter-559",559,"\u003Cp>>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 559: Radiant Glory\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long, resonant dragon’s roar echoed across a hundred miles. The immense draconic pressure descended slowly, weighing down on the shoulders of the crowd, sparking a spontaneous reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ssshh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of air rupturing was followed by a howling gale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forty-meter-long Red Dragon beat his wings, stirring a scorching hurricane. Flames sparked as he soared atop the Isthalia Grand Altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunlight bathed his crimson scales, cloaking him in a faint, divine glow, like a god descending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His broad wings blotted out the sun, casting massive shadows over thousands of imperial citizens below. Those beneath the shadow felt not fear, but excitement and pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Ember Empire, being under the wings of the Red Dragon symbolized glory and fortune—not death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such an honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty... he’s right above me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of thousands of eyes were fixed on that magnificent, imposing dragon body with awe and reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the shadowed crowd was a hooded half-elf disguised as a merchant—the double agent Richard, spy for both the Empire and the Harpists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, he stared blankly at the dragon in the sky, expression complex, as if he’d lost his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After years undercover in the Empire, the phrase had become his reflexive mantra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years ago, at that coronation which shook the continent, Richard had realized one thing—the Red Dragon, the Ember Emperor, was beyond mortal defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew he’d never defeat this \"enemy\" in his lifetime, much less take revenge. His only wish now was to rescue Abil and live a quiet life with her in the south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just now, Richard witnessed something that crushed his last hope—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the altar stood a familiar figure: tall, green-eyed, pointed-eared—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was her. Abil. The elven ranger from Therenia. The one he’d dreamed of countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now she stood atop the Isthalia Grand Altar, looking up fanatically at the Red Dragon, awaiting the Emperor’s blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richard dared not show his despair too plainly. He forced a smile—any slip might get him labeled a spy and sold for gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Empire, this had even become a profession. Spies were affectionately called \"Fifty Golds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No... this can’t be...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richard turned pale. His trembling voice was drowned in the crowd’s cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live Emperor Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live the Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the Great Red Dragon!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the roaring crowd, Richard felt only silence. That distant figure blurred, and a buzzing filled his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the elf on the altar cheering too, her face flushed, eyes fervent, indistinguishable from the citizens around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the half-dragon herald, Abil was a \"reformed example,\" the first elf to join the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d been brainwashed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richard recalled a quote he’d seen in the Empire Daily:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The blessed shall have their soul sanctified, remaining loyal to the Empire for eternity, ever following the great Ember Emperor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, Abil... you can’t become his vassal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richard murmured, stretching out a hand as if to reach her, but she only gazed skyward in devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew—if he disrupted the ceremony, he’d be imprisoned, and Abil would suffer too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he stood idle, she’d become the Emperor’s soul-slave, lost forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Abil... don’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A suffocating sense of helplessness overwhelmed him, like an invisible hand choking his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, he’d been spirited, contracting with a wild fairy, believing himself a hero who’d save the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he knew—he was just a mortal with no power over fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the behemoth Ember Empire, before a godlike Emperor, he was but dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising his head to the sky, eyes filled with despair, he stared at the dragon’s massive wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in this sacred moment, with everyone admiring their Emperor, no one noticed Richard’s anguish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceremony continued. The Emperor remained suspended above, like the sun, unmoved by mortal will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Dragon roared again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the roar shook heaven and earth, echoing across all of Anzeta, making all beings tremble and gaze toward Isthalia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassius spread his nearly sixty-meter wingspan. Flames burst from their edges, billowing outwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky seemed torn apart by the blazing wings spanning thousands of meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Swoosh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He beat his wings slowly. Firelight poured across Isthalia, filling the air with searing heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassius summoned the full power of his bloodline. His burning heart pounded, ancestral dragonblood surged, and sulfurous smoke erupted from his vents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light gathered through his body, focusing at his chest, condensing into the Dragon Crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the Red Dragon hung in the sky, casting radiant brilliance, eclipsing the sun, like a second sun itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd squinted under the blinding glow, yet continued to pray with utmost piety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Praise the Ember Emperor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty is the Empire’s eternal sun!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Cassius’s voice thundered across the world, echoing like a storm over the vast wastelands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As the Ember Emperor, I hereby declare—those who oppose the Empire, I shall grant them annihilation!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Swoosh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he finished, a deafening blast rang out. Meteor-like flames descended into the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several panicked \"people\" were hit. Their flesh ignited, revealing demon forms, which burned to ashes amid their screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames incinerated only hidden demons, sparing everyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There were demons among us!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank goodness His Majesty saw through them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Praise His Majesty! Praise the Ember Emperor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t know the truth: Cassius had allowed those demons into the city to stage this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the crowd, Richard wiped cold sweat. He feared the Emperor had sensed his rebellious thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no, he was just overly nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being like that wouldn’t care about a tiny ranger like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thunderous voice continued. The air quivered. The slain demons were but a footnote.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And those loyal to the Empire—I shall grant them supreme glory, eternal power!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beams of light shot from the sky like bridges connecting heaven and earth, enveloping those on Isthalia’s altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Abil...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her figure blur, Richard collapsed into despair. His outstretched hand dropped, eyes dimming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassius clenched his claw. Ancestral dragonblood power surged explosively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had refined much of this blood. This blessing would bring power unmatched—enough to make some vassals true dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Bloodline Blessing]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, through the beams of light, Cassius linked body, mind, and soul with his vassals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All on the altar dropped to their knees, curling into themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson scales surfaced beneath their skin. Sulfurous smoke erupted from mouths and noses. Horns sprouted from foreheads. Those with rich bloodlines changed dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Dolo knelt, sweating as white steam rose. His back bulged like a volcano, ready to burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting his fangs, smoke hissed between teeth as his transformation wracked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Riiip—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skin tore. The hobgoblin arched his back, arms spread wide, roaring in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>New dragon wings burst from his back, soaked in blood, scattering droplets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panting heavily, the now nearly four-meter Dragonblood Hobgoblin rose, stirring scorching wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dragon-like howl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragonblood Ogre atop the altar also let out a deep growl, still half-kneeling, over three meters tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Langpu’s body swelled with every breath, scales thickening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bulges formed on his back. Something stirred within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, flesh tore. Two meaty wings sprouted, flapping with buzzing sound—but didn’t lift him off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now nearly ten meters tall, Langpu resembled a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his wings were barely a meter long—more decorative than functional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling his dragon power surge, the ogre opened his fanged maw and roared in joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he noticed his stubby wings and the airborne hobgoblin’s ecstatic smile—and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uhh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Tiefling Medrolash also half-knelt, groaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having missed a prior blessing, his dragonization lagged behind Dolo and Langpu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the light, smoke poured off him. His red skin bulged with scales as infernal blood clashed with ancestral dragonblood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ram-like devil horns bent backward, morphing into swept-back red dragon horns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His devil tail thickened, grew scales and ridges, transforming into a dragon tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White Dragon Tinia howled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She squirmed shamelessly on the ground, wings flailing wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried the blessing would clash with her white dragon blood, Cassius had removed some of the fire traits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the sudden influx of power made her scream in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her massive body ballooned, bulking up toward the form of a Red Dragon rather than a slender white one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her wing membranes turned bluish, like burning metal, wider and longer, connecting far down her legs and tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the Ember Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid fire-lit brilliance, the dragonblood nobles roared, growing scales and horns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their forms drew ever closer to the supreme symbol of the Empire—the Ember Dragon, Cassius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great Red Dragon...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such noble appearance! These dragonblood nobles grow ever stronger!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even the lowest barons live over two centuries!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes! This is His Majesty’s blessing. I hope one day I stand atop that altar too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people looked on in awe and longing at the transforming dragonblood nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For to become one meant lifelong wealth and privilege in the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But among the crowd, one hooded man was in despair, voice hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, no...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abil... you shouldn’t become this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richard stared at the figure within the light beam, watching her transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horns, scales, claws sprouted from the once-proud elf. The new dragonblood elf cried out to the Red Dragon, a stranger to Richard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knew he couldn’t stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this blessing, he could never return south with Abil to a quiet life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, he had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could do was continue as a double agent for the Ember Empire, secretly guarding her while seeking a way to break the \"curse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Abil... I will save you from this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Richard pulled down his hood. His clenched fists had turned white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such ancestral dragonblood... those two Dukes’ blood pressure nearly rivals a true dragon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High above, at the heart of the flame-spanning wings, Cassius narrowed his eyes. A glint of anticipation sparkled in his golden pupils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lowering his head, he looked at the invisible authority in his claw and murmured, \"Time to test... this new power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crash.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his claw, and from the invisible authority burst torrents of law-force, scattering countless crystalline shards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[God-Granted Authority]\u003C\u002Fp>",1686,"2026-06-03T12:47:18.890Z","2026-06-03T12:47:22.748Z",1,"novelbin.me","52f4ef5ca75af7841f00b212213c419862c5274c9402240158395e546eb7c677","ember-dragon-chapter-560","ember-dragon-chapter-558",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]