Ah! A piercing scream filled with pain echoed from the high platform, causing all the dragons who witnessed the scene to tremble in fear. They could see four young dragons, each trapped within a magical array. Chains extended from the arrays, firmly binding them, rendering their struggles futile.
The young golden dragon, deemed the ringleader and the one who instigated the escape from lessons, was enduring the sharp wind blades formed by the condensation of wind elements. These small wind blades slashed at his scales, shattering his once-glorious armor, exposing the crimson flesh beneath. Bright red dragon blood dripped from his wounds, staining the array beneath him. Despite his horrific injuries, the array showed no sign of relenting in its torment.
When the wind blades finally dissipated, bolts of lightning emerged from the array, striking his already bloodied body, turning his flesh into charred remains, extinguishing his vitality and leaving him in an even more pitiful state.
This young golden dragon, as the primary culprit, suffered such brutal punishment, and the other three dragons—the silver dragon, the bronze dragon, and the copper dragon—were subjected to the same penalties. Their scales had long been stripped away by the elemental attacks unleashed by the arrays, leaving barely recognizable dragon shapes. Their screams and howls grew weaker, as if they were on the verge of death.
"Your Highness, this punishment could truly be considered torture for metallic dragons," remarked Fiona, the ancient green dragon, standing behind Muria at the edge of a floating island overlooking the dragon clan's punishment grounds.
"Indeed, I'm not surprised that the metallic dragons were the first to break my rules. What surprised me was that these ancient dragons could be so ruthless," Muria replied, calmly observing the scene below with a serene expression.
The punishment arrays were of his own design, crafted to inflict excruciating pain and leave a lasting impression. The intent was to make these dragons remember this pain and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
"You anticipated that it would be the metallic dragons who would break the rules?" Fiona asked, somewhat surprised.
"Of course. I also considered the possibility of the chromatic dragons, but they were far less likely to break the rules compared to the metallic dragons," Muria said with a slight smile, explaining his reasoning. Most of the young chromatic dragons had already been taught by their elders to understand the consequences of breaking rules. They knew what would happen if they did, so they were particularly well-behaved after enrolling.
Even the hatchlings, those just born, had already attended their first lesson in life and understood obedience, albeit needing frequent reinforcement. But once they enrolled, they could manage to attend classes diligently for three consecutive days.
As for the gem dragons, they were relatively few in number and had no support, so they could behave themselves and attend classes without causing trouble.
However, the metallic dragons were different. As long-lived beings, they tended to have a relaxed attitude toward learning. Although they started learning early, their approach was often inconsistent, with periods of intense study followed by long stretches of inactivity. Despite this, by the time they reached adulthood, their achievements were on par with human geniuses, thanks to their natural talents and long lifespans.
Such a lax attitude made it difficult for them to adhere to Muria's schedule of seven classes a day, so it was normal for them to want to skip classes.
In the academy, out of the twelve ancient dragon professors, eleven were from the metallic dragon clan. This distribution led some metallic dragons with connections to believe that even if they skipped classes, nothing serious would happen. After all, these professors were their elders, and at most, they might just scold them a little.
And indeed, if this academy had been established solely for the metallic dragons, the ancient dragons might have simply scolded them. But this was a true dragon academy, meticulously designed by Muria to be as inclusive as possible, bringing together dragons from various clans worldwide.
In this context, the metallic dragons being the first to skip classes became an intolerable stain on the ancient dragons' reputation. Did this imply that the renowned metallic dragons, known for their diligence and wisdom, were not truly interested in learning? Were their previous reputations merely self-aggrandizement? What a humiliation!
Especially in contrast to the other dragon clans, this behavior of the metallic dragons was even more disgraceful. Not a single one of the thousand-plus chromatic dragons had skipped a class, and even the newly hatched dragons were attending classes diligently. Yet, here was a young golden dragon, fully aware of right and wrong, leading his roommates in skipping classes. The behavior was appalling, and its impact was enormous.
"What will you do if an ancient dragon pleads with you on their behalf?" Fiona inquired.
"I'll refuse without hesitation," Muria answered. "Perhaps a few hundred years from now, if a student skips a class and an ancient dragon pleads for leniency, I might consider it. But since this is the first offense, I cannot be lenient. Otherwise, the academy's authority will be undermined. Over time, no dragon will obey the rules, and this academy will inevitably collapse."
"What if an ancient dragon insists on protecting their descendant?" Fiona posed another scenario.
"Then they can leave as well," Muria sneered. "If a dragon violates the rules and refuses to be punished, they'll be expelled, never to be reinstated. If that ancient dragon objects, they can resign too! The rules must be upheld, especially now."
"Even ancient dragons can be sacrificed?" Fiona asked, slightly taken aback by Muria's words.
"Things are different now. I've demonstrated to the dragons the superiority of my educational methods, which can fully unlock their potential. I no longer need to worry about student enrollment," Muria said with a cold smile. "Now, it's no longer about me seeking dragons to enroll; it's about others begging me to let their descendants study here."
Muria's cold smile signaled a shift in power. With the success of his academy, he no longer had to worry about recruitment. Ancient dragons would naturally come to him, seeking to become professors in an academy that hosted over two thousand dragons. Such a position was immensely valuable, and no dragon would willingly give it up.
Under the strict punishment of the metallic ancient dragons, the subsequent educational activities proceeded smoothly. All the dragons obediently followed the curriculum, with no one daring to test the six-element punishment after witnessing the fate of the four dragons who had yet to recover.
Muria's tightly packed schedule, influenced by human educational methods, sparked intense resentment among the dragons. Though they did not dare to voice it, their grievances continued to build.
With four classes in the morning, three in the afternoon, one meditation class in the evening before bed, and another meditation class before sunrise, the dragons only had six hours of sleep and less than two hours of free time each day. Their entire day was meticulously scheduled, leaving no room for freedom.
Such an arrangement might seem reasonable to human students, but for dragons, who were born powerful and accustomed to a life of freedom, it was akin to another form of punishment. For many metallic dragon students who had already formed their own views on life and were used to a leisurely lifestyle, this rigorous schedule felt like torture. Yet, they had to endure it, as they could not rebel against the ancient dragons.
In fact, the ancient dragons themselves had approached Muria, hoping he would adjust the curriculum to better suit the dragons' nature. However, Muria had refused.
"I'd rather see these dragons shed tears now than blood in the future," Muria had said, justifying his rejection. "Every bit of effort they put in now will serve as the foundation for their future success. The harder they work now, the less danger they'll face when they venture into the world. When danger comes, they'll have more power to protect themselves."
"But could you not make the schedule a bit more lenient, Your Highness? For the young dragons, attending classes feels like imprisonment," one ancient dragon had pleaded.
"They are meant to feel imprisoned. Did they think coming here to study was a luxury?" Muria had retorted. "Don't talk to me about freedom. Only the strong are truly free. The freedom of the weak is nothing but a joke."
With Muria standing firm, the ancient dragons had no choice but to comply. The academy's faculty was not limited to the twelve ancient dragons; it included other soul-level dragons, humans, and giants. These were the main body of teachers in the dragon academy.
The ancient dragons could reduce the course load for their own descendants, but doing so would tarnish the reputation of the metallic dragon clan. After all, the other dragon clans continued attending classes as usual. If they could keep up, why should the metallic dragons receive special treatment?
In the end, the proposal to reduce the curriculum was dropped, and all dragons continued to follow Muria's schedule. Under these circumstances, the resentment of the young dragons, especially the metallic dragons, continued to grow.
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