Chapter 8

One by one, desolate and sorrowful scenes unfolded before Yalin's eyes: collapsed rooms, damaged statues, walls scarred by sword marks, and scattered remains... All these silently told the story of the brutal and intense battles during the Dragon War.

Yalin and his companions had already entered the depths of the passage, a place where sunlight could not reach. Yalin and the White Dragon Guard, Klaffrig, both possessed night vision, but the goblins and Major Alex did not. Reluctantly, Yalin used a small light spell to illuminate the area. When they reached the entrance of the Grand Library, a terrifying sight made them stop in their tracks. The walls around them were covered with terrifyingly large claw marks, and beneath these marks, the Grand Library lay in ruins, with a frost-covered dragon skeleton lying quietly under the collapsed, ornate entrance. Even the steel jade, harder than steel, had been deeply gouged, indicating the terrifying strength of the dragon that left these marks!

The alchemist Major Alex, known as 'Strong Arm,' was deeply shaken by this scene. In the world of steel alchemy, where state alchemists were known as monsters and used as living weapons, he felt his own insignificance in the face of true power.

Yalin walked over and examined the dragon skeleton. Around the dragon's remains were scattered many human skeletons, seemingly clad in armor. It seemed that the enemy had paid a heavy price to kill this dragon. Yalin gently touched the dragon bone, and a flood of memories instantly surged into his mind...

"Sir?" Major Alex, standing behind Yalin, watched him for a while without any response and asked nervously, fearing something might be wrong.

Whether or not he heard Alex's words, Yalin came to his senses and said, "Don't worry about me... It seems the memories of this dragon's life have flooded into my mind."

"Memories of its life..."

Yalin, stroking the dragon's skull, marveled, "Even after ten thousand years, you remain so loyal to the White Dragon King, Yalin?"

This giant dragon skeleton had been a loyal warrior to the White Dragon King. Even when the war's outcome had already determined the White Dragon Clan's defeat, the dragon warriors fought until the very end. This dragon died at the entrance of the Grand Library, facing the combined forces of elves and humans and three other dragons. After death, its soul slowly dissipated over the long years, but its fanatical loyalty to the White Dragon King remained, attached to the skeleton. Today, Yalin had awakened these memories.

After Yalin recounted the history of the dragon skeleton, the military man and passionate Major Alex saluted the dragon skeleton with a serious expression.

"Klaffrig! Take the hero of the White Dragon Clan to the resting place."

After giving the order, Yalin froze the entire dragon skeleton in a large block of ice. Klaffrig, the White Dragon Guard, transformed into a dragon and grabbed the ice block, flying away through the passage.

The resting place of the White Dragons was the final resting place for all White Dragons at the end of their lives. It was located deep within a hidden cliff in the Yanode Mountains, considered the most sacred place by the White Dragons! Respecting the fallen was an unwritten rule among all dragon clans. Even after the Dragon War, other dragon clans, having defeated the White Dragon King's army, did not desecrate this place. Therefore, today, some mages collecting dragon bones for powerful magical materials is the most detested act by dragons!

"I would like to remind you, my lord, that dragon bones are very precious materials, especially those of true dragons compared to other impure sub-species..."

Before Nemo could finish, Yalin interrupted, "I know! Dragon bones are the best materials for forging weapons, dragon scales are the best for defense, and dragon blood is the best for enhancing strength. This cliché is in every novel and RPG game."

"Yes, my lord! This dragon bone can be converted into a large amount of material energy, which will be very helpful for future territory construction."

"I know! I am very clear, Nemo..."

"But why don't you use it, my lord?"

"My current body is named Yalin, the former White Dragon King!" Yalin sighed with a serious expression. "As one who has inherited the memories and knowledge of the White Dragon King, I cannot desecrate the remains of such a loyal warrior. Even if I were not the White Dragon King, I would still respect such a hero. Greed and lack of honor and respect are only found in third-rate穿越novels. I will never do such a thing; it goes against my principles."

Nemo understood his master's decision and did not continue to persuade him. Yalin tapped Major Alex, who was still amazed by Klaffrig's transformation into a white dragon. The two, along with some goblins, entered the Grand Library. As they stepped in, a cold draft hit them. Yalin looked up and saw a large hole in the dome of the library, through which snow and wind continuously poured in.

The Thinker's Library

Type: Building

Level: LV19

Durability: 23400/64000

Books Stored: 71882/200000

Abilities: Can conduct magic research (up to level 19 magic, increasing with level), learning speed acceleration (25%)

The summoning system interface suddenly popped up this window, and Yalin was surprised by the attributes! He had truly found a treasure, a level 19 library. Buildings do not need to gain experience like characters; they can be upgraded with materials and energy. However, the higher the level, the more material energy is required. With the material energy he currently possessed, he could only upgrade to a level 11 library at most. A level 19 library was something he had never even dared to dream of.

To conduct magic research, he only needed to dispatch summoned creatures with the ability to do so. However, Yalin was disappointed that, apart from the four dragons, he had no other creatures capable of magic research. Frost goblins and mountain giants lacked the intelligence for such tasks.

He would have to wait until he unlocked new races in the future. Yalin thought helplessly.

After expanding and splitting the magic light ball into dozens, Yalin sent them flying high, illuminating the dark library like daylight. The massive library had many levels of rooms, with countless bookshelves standing upright. Collapsed and scattered books almost covered the entire floor. The library, which should have been filled with the atmosphere of knowledge and respect, was incongruously filled with countless frozen remains. The hundreds of broken and collapsed bookshelves standing there resembled tombstones for the dead, making the place as silent and cold as a graveyard. The cold wind and snow added to the desolate atmosphere.

Yalin and Major Alex walked cautiously into the library, silent and careful. Even though the library was empty except for the remains of the fallen, they were afraid that their footsteps might disturb the wandering spirits.

Although Yalin did not feel the cold, he subconsciously tightened his cloak at the sight of the desolate scene. Suddenly, he noticed that Major Alex was still wearing the military uniform he had when he was summoned to this world. Yalin asked, "Major Alex, are you feeling cold?"

"Don't worry, sir!" Major Alex once again displayed his astonishing speed in undressing, flexing his muscles and excitedly saying, "This well-trained body is not afraid of a little cold!"

Yalin, speechless, used material energy to exchange for a warm coat and woolen hat, tossing them to Alex and gesturing for him to put them on.

"Thank you, sir."

All the frost goblin workers were ordered to clear useful materials and organize the remains. However, Yalin did not allow them to touch the scattered books. The goblins' limited intelligence would only make the books more disorganized. Yalin defined useful materials as the armor and weapons worn by the remains. He was grateful to the White Dragon warriors who had used large-scale ice spells, as many of the dead had died under the ice, leaving their weapons and armor undamaged. Although they had been corroded over the long years, many weapons and defenses made of rare materials had survived.

It seems I need more manpower. Looking at the vast library, Yalin thought sincerely. He had only brought 30 goblins, and they were already busy clearing the remains. Major Alex's alchemy helped, but it was like a drop in the bucket. The territory of the White Dragon King was vast, and it had taken them a long time just to clear the library on this mountain. It was unclear how long it would take to clear the other areas.

After summoning 50 more frost goblins, Yalin walked around and discovered a large script room at the back of the library. It was also in disarray due to the intense battle. With his night vision, Yalin suddenly noticed a figure standing at the back of the room.

Impossible! Yalin had maintained a mental detection of the area, and even a small insect could not escape his notice, let alone a person. Nemo's communication sounded again, "Master, there is something that can unlock a new race option ahead."

This instantly lifted Yalin's spirits, which had been a bit tense. He took a few steps forward, and the figure revealed its full form. It was a skeleton, still standing where it had died. Yalin crossed the collapsed bookshelves and approached for a closer look. The skeleton, now reduced to bones, still wore an elegant mage's robe, and its hands still gripped a badly damaged staff, covered in slashes, indicating that it had been used in close combat in the final moments.

A casual touch caused the skeleton, which had stood for countless years, to collapse in front of Yalin. The hollow, silent room echoed with the sound of the staff hitting the ground.

<Great White Dragon King, my soul is forever loyal to you... forever...>

A faint, ethereal female voice seemed to echo from the unknown distance... In front of Yalin, a blurry shadow slowly appeared on the collapsed remains. The shadow raised its head, looked at Yalin, and then knelt before him in reverence. The pale, beautiful face, the snow-white, delicate hair, and the distinctive long ears all revealed the identity of the girl!

Frost Elves... The sealed memories of the White Dragon King provided the answer. Before the Dragon War, elves attracted by the White Dragon King's power and knowledge came to the Yanode Mountains. They built magic towers and libraries, immersing themselves in the study of magic and the pursuit of knowledge. The once desolate snowfields gradually became lively, and the White Dragon King, who had lived in solitude in the Yanode Mountains, gradually accepted these newcomers, sharing his knowledge with them and listening to their stories of the world.

Over time, the elves living under the protection of the White Dragon King gradually changed due to the power of frost. Their eyes gradually turned a deep blue, symbolizing the cold, and their hair and skin became as white as snow. Eventually, the power of frost completely permeated their bodies, making them immune to the cold and giving them superior control over frost, far surpassing their fellow elves. Some elves criticized these frost-altered elves as misguided, while others saw it as a gift from the White Dragon King. For the elves who had grown accustomed to the power of frost, it was simply what they desired.

During the tense period before the Dragon War, the elves living in the Yanode Mountains refused requests for support from their fellow elves. The White Dragon King shared his knowledge and his vision of the world's future, which the elves generally agreed with. The outbreak of the Dragon War further solidified their reluctance to fight for others. When the Elven Kingdom declared the elves in the Yanode Mountains as outcasts, they proudly re-established themselves as a new, independent existence—Frost Elves!

In the end, when the Dragon War escalated, the Frost Elves stood by the White Dragon King, fighting until the very end, even as the entire White Dragon Clan was drawn into the war that affected half the world...

"In the end, you fought with the White Dragon Clan until the very end, didn't you?" Yalin murmured. The soul of the Frost Elf gradually faded, like a star shining for the last time before disappearing into the sky.

<System Notification: Elf Race Option Branch Unlocked!>

Yalin ignored the system notification, walked out of the script room, and summoned another White Dragon outside to supervise the work. He ordered the dragon to lead some goblins to categorize and organize the remains of the fallen. All the remains and belongings of the Frost Elves were placed in ice coffins cast by magic, temporarily stored in the wide corridor outside the library. Once more manpower was available, the ice coffins would be buried in the resting place of the White Dragons.

After handling these matters, Yalin eagerly opened the summoning system. As expected, the system showed: Elf: [Summonable]. Entering the elf summoning interface, Yalin was disappointed to find that there were several sub-branches:

Dark Elves: [Locked]

High Elves: [Locked]

Frost Elves: [Summonable]

Forest Elves: [Locked]

After carefully examining the attributes of each sub-race, Yalin selected two Frost Elf sub-races as the main force for repairing the library and conducting magic research.

Frost Prayress: Summoning Cost: 345 Soul Energy

Strength: 48, Agility: 63, Spirit: 532, Intelligence: 378, Constitution: 86

Elemental Creature Summoning: 0/100

Specialties: Magic Research [5 Excellent], Rune Research [3 Proficient]

Abilities: Elemental Mastery, Frost Resistance, Elemental Creature Summoning, Frost Domain

Description: High-ranking Frost Elves loyal to the White Dragon King Yalin. They mainly manage the main hall of the White Dragon King. In battle, the Frost Prayress, thoroughly permeated by frost power, can instantly cast powerful frost spells to bury their enemies.

Frost Elf High Mage: Summoning Cost: 280 Soul Energy

Strength: 38, Agility: 54, Spirit: 368, Intelligence: 244, Constitution: 62

Elemental Creature Summoning: 0/45

Specialties: Magic Research [4 Skilled], Rune Research [1 Novice]

Abilities: Elemental Mastery, Frost Resistance, Elemental Creature Summoning

Description: Stronger mages among the Frost Elves. Many magic research projects are conducted by these mages. If a mage reaches a certain level or shows outstanding performance, the White Dragon King will grant them greater power and assign them to his main hall for research as a reward.

It must be said that the Frost Prayress, requiring 345 soul energy, had a higher spirit than the alchemist Major Alex, and in intelligence, they were even higher than a young White Dragon, which required 38,000 soul energy. Their magic research was at an excellent level 5! The 345 soul energy was indeed worth it!

The Frost Elf High Mage was also powerful, slightly inferior to the Frost Prayress but with such high intelligence, these elves could easily replace the White Dragon in supervising the goblins' work, allowing the powerful White Dragon to focus on more meaningful tasks.

Decided, I will summon them immediately!