Chapter 9 Illusory River
After a few more minutes, Brian looked at the diamond-shaped transparent ice crystal at his claw tips with satisfaction.
He glanced outside the Nest and then quickly ran to the Nest's depths, carefully using two Dragon Claws to pick up the Magic Crystal, holding his breath to avoid disturbing the other Gemstones.
If the pile of treasures was disturbed, the White Dragon Mother would meticulously inspect it immediately.
Brian gently placed his self-made Replica ice crystal back in place while taking the Magic Crystal with delicate care.
"Great. I finally succeeded!" Brian held the beautiful, crystalline Magic Crystal, sniffing it lightly.
The Magic Crystal had no scent.
Tilting his head back, he opened his mouth and released his Dragon Claws, letting the Magic Crystal fall into his seemingly bottomless mouth.
Brian swallowed hard, and his previously empty stomach felt a sense of fullness.
Simultaneously, a wave of coldness quickly spread from his stomach, flowing like a stream throughout his body. Wherever the stream passed, there was a slight tingling sensation as if countless small hands and mouths were gently massaging him.
White Dragons loved the cold, making it a very comfortable feeling for Brian.
It was akin to ending a tiring day on a sunny summer afternoon with a special full-body massage from a gentle, soft girl, followed by a sip of icy carbonated drink.
It was a thoroughly unforgettable pleasure.
Brian's eyes narrowed slightly, and he couldn't help but let out a contented dragon roar.
Brain said, "I must quickly digest and absorb this magic."
Dragon scales had strong anti-magic properties, especially against magic of their own attribute. Adult dragons could be immune to most magic which was a nightmare for many Mages.
As long as Brian kept his mouth shut, even the White Dragon Mother would have difficulty detecting the ice attribute magic flowing within him.
However, Brian didn't want to appear too unusual.
His size and unique appearance were already conspicuous enough. Acting strangely by constantly breathing through his nose would likely arouse the White Dragon Mother's suspicion.
Brian wouldn't underestimate a nearly adult White Dragon Mother, so he quickly ran to the edge of the Nest where the Cold Wind howled. He lay quietly on the ground, fully absorbing the magic from the Magic Crystal while keeping an eye out for the White Dragon Mother's return.
As the crystal dissolved in his furnace-like dragon stomach, waves of cold magic spread through him, making Brian let out a comfortable dragon roar.
This Magic Crystal wasn't high-grade; it was placed at the edge of the White Dragon Mother's collection. Still, it was a supreme treasure for a Newborn Dragon.
After a while, Brian saw a faint white figure flying through the snowstorm toward the Nest entrance on the cliff, becoming increasingly visible.
It was the White Dragon Mother.
Brian felt a jolt of anxiety while seeing the White Dragon Mother returning.
Although he believed the anti-magic dragon scales would prevent the White Dragon Mother from detecting the magic within him, he still felt uneasy and wanted to perfect his crime.
Immediately, Brian concentrated on rapidly digesting the Magic Crystal, causing waves of magic to surge through him, which made him feel both numb and slightly exhausted.
As the White Dragon Mother drew closer, Brian still had about a quarter of the crystal left to digest, and she would arrive in less than thirty seconds at her speed.
Brian panicked.
He shouted, "Faster, faster, faster!"
The White Dragon Mother's figure became clearer, and Brian could see her cold, pale yellow eyes even through the snowstorm.
In an instant, the ring of fine black scales around his neck flashed with a deep glow.
In his vision, the world of ice and snow seemed to pause as if time had stopped. Brian could clearly see the suspended snowflakes, the swirling cold wind, and the frozen White Dragon Mother.
"What is happening?"
Brian looked up in a daze.
