"Vulture Demons... These mid-level demons from the Bottomless Abyss, though not yet ranked among high-level demons, have certainly moved beyond the ranks of mere cannon fodder."

Amidst the howling blizzard, the Red Iron Dragon lowered its eyes to gaze.

His gaze swept over the corpses, stained black by the white snow, being dealt with by his followers. Then he turned his head to look at the abyssal rift on the surface, resembling an unhealable tear.

It had now calmed down.

Elvira, imbued with Divine Energy, mixed her own blood to form arrows, attacking the rift, reducing its slightly expanded size back to its original ten-meter length.

But at this level,

No matter how Elvira attacked, even with her Celestial Horse’s Blood nearly exhausted, the rift remained unmoved like a stubborn affliction.

Essentially, it’s a space passage corroded by Abyssal Energy. The newly expanded parts were freshly eroded by abyssal aura and were not stable, so timely handling could eliminate them. However, the fixed ’space passage’ is very tenacious.

"The demons inside the rift before were all low-level demons."

"Kuase Demons, Primordial Demons, Coward Demons."

"Even the strongest elite among them didn’t exceed level 10."

"Though resolved easily, one can’t find peace of mind."

The Red Iron Dragon pondered, "This attack by the Vulture Demons and the rift’s expansion brought some casualties to the followers’ guards, but it’s essentially certain now what the limit of this abyssal rift is."

From the rift’s reaction when the Vulture Demon group appeared,

One can deduce the scale of demons this rift can accommodate is roughly of this order.

As long as it doesn’t continue to expand and radiate, any stronger demons that appear in the future would likely be of this level.

Having ascertained its limit, its risk level compared to before has dramatically decreased.

"Judging by the scale of this attack, merely having the White Dragon and Elvira stationed here is not safe. If aid is not timely, the rift risks expansion."

"Deploy more followers here to guard."

"White Tiger, Ice Deer, Giant Python... Should we transfer the Wild Monster Lord over?"

Galos noticed that as his followers dealt with the demon corpses, occasionally one or two of them would gradually lose their sanity, suddenly erupting and attacking their comrades, only to be promptly subdued and carried away by the prepared followers.

"The Wild Monster Lord won’t do."

"Their intelligence is already low, and they’re more susceptible to the influence of Abyssal Energy. At that point, they might turn on their own people instead of killing a few demons."

After some thought, Galos decided to bring the Six-armed Snake Woman Sword Saint over here.

Within the current Molten Iron Tribe,

The Six-armed Snake Woman Sword Saint, although obedient and submissive, actually has the highest life level. And with her strong, fierce swordsmanship and her innate racial and professional pairing... her efficiency in destruction and mass killing may only be second to Galos.

"Even one Snake Woman Sword Saint isn’t enough assurance."

"The Gorging Demon Kalu, having undergone bloodline mutation, is hardly affected by abyssal aura. He can indulge in slaughter battles at will, without worrying about hunger since there are demons everywhere to feast on."

Demon flesh is poisonous, something other monster followers cannot consume.

But for Kalu, it doesn’t matter. The Gorging Demon naturally has a furnace-like stomach, and after merging with the Dragon Vein, he can eat demons as snacks. Moreover, demon flesh aids his bloodline growth.

"Send some guards made purely of steel-metal golems, as they naturally resist abyssal erosion."

That’s why they’re said to resist, rather than being completely immune.

Because even metal constructs can be eroded and mutated into demonkind, as frequently happened in the Holden Empire according to the Dragon’s Legacy, leading to the loss of a top-level golem. Afterward, the Holden Empire would, in collaboration with the Dawn Church, engrave holy attribute runes on the advanced golems used to guard super-large abyssal rifts.

Regardless, alchemy golems have a much higher resistance to abyssal erosion compared to living flesh.

After confirming the limit of this micro-abyssal rift, fortifications were made, ensuring that future large-scale demon attacks won’t cause too many casualties.

Demons would only be dissected by the Sword Saint, crushed by golems, or devoured by the Gorging Demon.

In the end, turning into a resource point beneficial to the Molten Iron Tribe, reliably producing abyssal materials.

With the Molten Iron Tribe’s strength, it can be moderately expanded a little. The abyssal materials produced by high-level demons are truly invaluable. However, risk and opportunity coexist, and this aspect requires deliberation and thought; decisions cannot be made lightly.

At least,

There should be more like Elvira, or others capable of restraining abyssal demons.

Only then would Galos consider this point, and he might not even proceed with implementation.

As his thoughts gradually calmed, the Red Iron Dragon looked towards the mixed-blood Centaur, noticing that the energy she released was even more divinely pure.

"Elvira, your life level has increased again."

Galos, without concealing his admiration, said, "Level 13, surpassing a young adult White Dragon."

When he first met Elvira, she was only level 9, and in over a decade, she’d jumped four life levels.

This pace doesn’t seem fast. After all, those truly gifted humans might achieve such leaps within a year.

But don’t forget, she also carries half-elf blood, considered a semi-immortal breed, benefitting from the longevity line but facing the slow growth dilemma.

Elvira’s ability to advance like this shows exceptional talent.

If she avoids untimely death,

Her inherent abilities make it inevitable to surpass the Six-armed Snake Woman Sword Saint in the future.

Galos long ago believed she and Gorging Demon Kalu were the two non-Dragon Race followers with legendary potential, worth nurturing.

"How can I compare with the noble Dragon Race?"

"It’s just that battling demons stimulates my bloodline’s activity; not long ago, I was fortunate to advance a level."

Elvira lowered her head, speaking softly.

Just as demon leaders covet her life and soul, her Celestial Horse’s Blood can grow from opposing demons. Guarding the abyssal rift is a tough task, but her bloodline’s inherent hatred for demons makes her relish in slaying and cleansing them, happy to stay here.

"You need not belittle yourself in my presence."

Galos said, "Perform well to gain the tribe’s attention and regard."

Having said that, he noticed that the White Dragon Trish remained silent, keeping a distance, which puzzled him.

Perhaps wanting to deepen their impression, this White Dragon had previously liked to hover nearby.

Yet today was peculiar; even when he accidentally spoke words that somewhat disparaged the White Dragon, she neither reacted rebelliously nor sharply contradicted him.

Even when Galos’s gaze shifted towards her,

she turned her head away, avoiding direct eye contact with Galos, subtly retreating, wanting to hide within the storm, wordlessly.

"Come here!"

Not until the Red Iron Dragon commanded with an undeniable tone did the White Dragon slowly come before him.

"You seem a bit off."

Galos examined White Dragon Trish, asking, "Did your mind get affected during fighting the demons?"

Here it was, the upper’s insult to the lower.

Even if unconscious, it’s an insult.

White Dragon Trish wished to avoid Galos to keep her ecological niche from falling, from becoming a target of insult. Yet here, just approaching, she was verbally abused.

However, White Dragon’s mindset had changed.

She didn’t bare her fangs hissing, merely shaking off snow from her scales: "I just want to keep my distance, to avoid reducing my ecological niche."

After two seconds of silence and finding no fitting explanation from the legacy, Galos gave a peculiar look, asking, "Trish, what are you talking about?"

White Dragon Trish had no intention of hiding from Galos’s inquiry.

So, after choosing her words carefully, she explained her summarized dynamic ecological niche theory.

After listening, Galos fell silent once more, looking at White Dragon Trish with a changed demeanor, as if seeing her anew.

"The idea that snowy weather boosts a White Dragon’s intelligence appears to be true,"

he thought: "Able to clearly frame such a theory... surely relates to her experiences, though it owes much to talent and understanding. I’ve underestimated Trish, for she’s not just any White Dragon."

White Dragon Trish’s theory, at first glance, seemed like a mental triumph born from receiving insults.

But upon deeper consideration, it held substantial truth.

Especially for the Dragon Race, a long-lived, major endgame life form.

If White Dragon can adjust her mindset per her dynamic ecological niche theory, her chances of enduring the long growth period, and surviving insult and hardship to reach late life would significantly increase.

If her survival endures long enough, the White Dragon wouldn’t be much weaker than other dragons.