Translator: Exodus Tales
Editor: Exodus Tales
Translated by Mianbao
Edited by RED
Luo Xiao frowned, but he wasn’t in a good position to continue talking.
Wutu was a barren, yet chaotic and savage land. Ever City was only a city of the vast Wutu. Luo Xiao had originally thought he would be the first to find the distressed Li Yunzi.
Unexpectedly, someone had gotten to her before him!
Putting aside the fact that Luo Xiao had an extreme desire to claim Valkyrie Li Yunzi for himself, sending her back to the Ancestral Dragon City State’s Li Clan during these times of distress would generate great rewards.
Luo Xiao had just become a dragon tamer, and his gilded fire dragon possessed unlimited potential. Even so, he needed the backings of a strong power to pave a way to the heavens for him. The Li Clan, which he had once served under, was the perfect choice!
Of course, this time he was no longer joining the Ancestral Dragon City State’s Li Clan as a servant, but a true master dragon tamer!
The people from Ever City might not be aware of Li Yunzi’s background, but Luo Xiao was very clear on this!
“The journey is far. Young Miss will have to make do with riding on my gilded fire dragon back to Ancestral Dragon City State. But this fire dragon of mine has a headstrong nature, and doesn’t like others stepping on its back. I’m afraid this kind brother will have to think of a way on his own to return,” Luo Xiao said.
“Zhu Minglang has just enrolled into the dragon tamers academy; his dragonling has yet to take shape, and he can only summon some Spectral Birds to send messages. He’ll need Mister Luo’s protection on his way back,” Li Yunzi explained.
“He ventured out to the wild Wutu before becoming a real dragon tamer? What commendable courage! Since that is so, let’s hurry on our way,” Luo Xiao said, seemingly not wanting to remain here any longer.
—–
Zhu Minglang was someone who knew how to observe others.
Although this fearsome dragon tamer Luo Xiao seemed to be extremely respectful toward the Valkyrie, he was actually afraid of the massive power that was the Ancestral Dragon City State backing her.
However, Ever City of Wutu was simply too far from the Ancestral Dragon City State, and Wutu had never had much civilization to speak of.
It was a barbaric and primitive land. Conflicts and killings were everywhere, and wars between tribes and cities were neverending. Unless there was a sufficiently powerful force that would never fall, it was impossible for there to be real order in these lands.
Remote places were beyond the reach of the emperor. Although the Valkyrie hailed from a large clan from a more glorious city state, she was all alone, even after suffering difficulties, with no one to ask for help from. Even if Luo Xiao did anything out of line here, the large clan behind the Valkyrie would probably not learn about it.
The Valkyrie was still feeling weak, probably the aftereffects of the poison… and well, perhaps Zhu Minglang had a part in what was tormenting her right now.
She hadn’t recovered even ten percent of her abilities from before. The purpose of having Zhu Minglang pretend to be one of her clansmen was to warn the powerful dragon tamer, Luo Xiao, and prevent him from taking advantage of her during difficult times.
When Luo Xiao was looking at the Valkyrie, his flames of desire were truly too obvious. Even though he tried his best to suppress them, one could sense his lust from his expression.
The Valkyrie had already experienced humiliation once. She was very clear anything could happen in times of weakness. She didn’t think Luo Xiao was truly sincere in escorting her.
Before fully recovering her strength, or returning to the Ancestral Dragon City State, no one was to be trusted!
On the other hand, this man who had done something he shouldn’t have, was actually somewhat safer to her…
——
With Luo Xiao in front, they set off towards the rear mountains, which were shining bright red, like a maple forest.
Valkyrie Li Yunzi walked slightly behind him.
After Zhu Minglang understood the Valkyrie’s intentions, that he should pretend to be one of her clansmen, he couldn’t help but sigh and whisper to her softly, “Sorry for the trouble.”
{TLN: The words he used can also be interpreted as ‘It’s been hard on you.’}
Having lost her power and her strength, she, who was once blindingly glorious, was now walking on thin ice.
Li Yunzi’s expression changed slightly after hearing that.
She slowed down by half a pace. When she was walking shoulder to shoulder with Zhu Minglang, she whispered, “Don’t let him see through us. Ever City has already been turned into a sea of flames by him. There are barely any survivors…”
Zhu Minglang was astonished.
-Ruining a city and slaughtering its people!
-Is this Luo Xiao a psychopath? Even if it’s to avenge the Valkyrie, there’s no need to…-
Suddenly, Zhu Minglang realized something, and recalled the unconcealed fascination Luo Xiao had shown towards her.
This psychopath’s target might very well be him! Luo Xiao didn’t know who that rumored little beggar was, and had simply decided to destroy the entire city instead!
Zhu Minglang grew uneasy inside. He looked at the pale-faced Luo Xiao in scarlet-pattern green clothing once more, feeling fear in his heart!
“He was once my father’s servant, and was exiled from the clan due to scaling the court walls and spying on my sword practice. He harbors a grudge in his heart, and now that he has become a master dragon tamer…” Li Yunzi explained.
She was very clear about her current situation. She needed to rely on Zhu Minglang to pretend to be her clansman as a deterrent to Luo Xiao. Otherwise, she’d be like a fish on a chopping block.
“He didn’t abduct you directly because he wants to use this opportunity to return to your clan?” Zhu Minglang asked.
“Hmm,” Li Yunzi confirmed.
“He’s escorting you by force. It’s hard to say whether he will act up halfway through the journey…” Zhu Minglang noted.
Li Yunzi didn’t say any more.
Despite the unusual calm she was showing, Zhu Minglang could see her vigilance in her eyes. She was like an injured deer continuously thinking of a way to free itself, trying to find a sense of security.
-Ai, she’s someone who spent a night with me in the dungeon, after all. I have to do something for her.
-Not right! I was supposed to spend the rest of my life in Mulberry Town!
-With this, won’t I have to journey to a prosperous huge city state and allow my own ordinariness to be buried in a larger world?
-Didn’t I not need to take any responsibility?-
——–
The trip through the skies was a long one. The gilded fire dragon was indeed a rarely seen and powerful dragon. Flames would ripple from the scales all over its huge body, dying the skies it flew through red, giving off extraordinary grandeur!
It wasn’t like Zhu Minglang had never flown on a dragon before, but he didn’t have a windbreaker, and had no choice but to allow the strong wind to course across his face, not to mention they were in a cold autumn right now…
Flying on a dragon, even though it was always on it’s back, the Valkyrie and Zhu Minglang were considered to be under the mercy of another’s dragon.
Luo Xiao was clearly a living human, but for some reason he gave off a feeling, like a wild beast that ate humans.
Zhu Minglang firmly believed that if a third wheel like him wasn’t present, the weak Valkyrie would have been eaten alive by Luo Xiao long ago. On the occasions when they stopped to rest, Zhu Minglang could feel his life being threatened by the man!
—–
A few large rocks, and a lit bonfire. The three sat around the fire, with Zhu Minglang skillfully roasting a large mackerel. Soon, a fine aroma spread out.
It was divided into three portions, held in lotus leaves. Zhu Minglang handed one to Li Yunzi first. Their fingers came into contact by accident; hers felt as cold as usual.
“Mister Luo Xiao, this portion is yours,” Zhu Minglang said.
“Thank you.” Luo Xiao didn’t show any overbearing behavior toward fellow clansmen.
After taking a bite of the fish, Luo Xiao suddenly looked up at Zhu Minglang and asked, “Since Brother Zhu is enrolling into the Dragon Tamers Academy, do you know how many ranks dragons are divided into? And what is your spiritling? Can you summon it and show me?”
Zhu Minglang looked up.
-Is something wrong with your brain? Your daddy here roasted such fragrant fish for you, but not only are you not enjoying the delicacy, you’re even testing me!
-You’re really a psychopath!-
After cursing him in his heart, Zhu Minglang maintained a faint smile like before and answered, “Why is Mister Luo cracking such a joke with me? I’m not a real dragon tamer yet, and my Spirit Domain has yet to form; I’m unable to keep any Spiritlings into my spirit domain. Although my spiritling is a storage dragon, it’s not convenient to bring around. It’s currently in its nest back at the clan, preparing to go into hibernation.”
Spiritlings were young creatures with the potential to Dragonize.
Dragon tamers were unable to call upon spiritlings as they wished. As such, taking care of one was also a very troublesome matter. Almost no one would bring one with no ability to protect itself on a long journey, not to mention spiritlings weren’t guaranteed to dragonize.
Spiritlings that couldn’t dragonize were not worth a cent!
Many people had spent their whole lives, their entire fortunes, and they still might not even necessarily pick out a spiritling that would dragonize in the end.
The dragon gate was high up in the clouds to too many people, out of their reach. They didn’t even have the qualifications to look up to it!
“I’ve only become a master dragon tamer recently, and might get some common knowledge wrong, hehe. As for how many rank dragons were divided into, I feel like my Chilian is much stronger than other dragons after dragonizing!” Luo Xiao laughed hypocritically.
“Dragons are divided into Dragon Child, Dragon General, Dragon Lord, Dragon Monarch, Dragon King… Perhaps Mister Luo’s dragon has a noble bloodline, with the potential of a Dragon Lord,” Zhu Minglang laughed as well, but he had studied Luo Xiao’s background long ago.
-We’re arriving at Ancestral Dragon City State very soon, but this Luo Xiao still hasn’t given up yet.
-Obsession is truly a frightening thing!
-Speaking of which… Luo Xiao was beaten up and exiled from the clan because he spied on the Valkyrie’s sword practice.
-He had only spied on her sword practice. It wasn’t like she didn’t have any clothes on.
-What about me, someone who had done everything with the Valkyrie? Won’t I be thrown into a pot of boiling oil by the Li Clan, then fed to a dragon wrapped in a huge leaf to get rid of the oiliness?-