Xiaosang Town
The cold wind was desolate, and the frosty autumn mulberry leaves had fallen all over the yard after a night's rain. A large portion lay on the roof like ripples of leafy tiles, adding a damp charm to this simple little house.
With the fallen mulberry leaves, the silkworm farmers were entering a premature winter, a time when Zhu Minglang usually started his days as an idle wanderer.
Wearing a conical hat and clad in a straw raincoat, Zhu Minglang was sweeping up the rain-damaged leaves in the courtyard when he suddenly saw a pair of straight, slender jade feet approaching leisurely.
Zhu Minglang raised his head to look at her.
She was as cold as frost, keeping people at a thousand miles distance, with a hint of murderous intent in her amber-like eyes.
Today, she was not her usual fragile self, nor was she as placid as always. She exuded a presence, one that existed only in someone who had truly experienced the baptism of war!
It seemed she had regained some of her strength, which of course, when compared to her original self, was still far from enough. Zhu Minglang had heard many rumors about her formidable power.
"Are you seeking revenge?" Zhu Minglang asked.
With his words, countless silver threads flew out from the Valkyrie's sleeves. They were extremely hard and swiftly converged into a Silver Thread Sword, hanging at Zhu Minglang's throat.
"Am I the first?" Zhu Minglang asked with a wry smile.
The sword glided past, and the Valkyrie, as light as a swallow, flew over, leaving a trace of blood on Zhu Minglang's neck.
Zhu Minglang didn't move, waiting for his head to roll onto the ground.
But it was merely a shallow mark, one that had merely broken some skin.
She didn't kill him?
Zhu Minglang touched his neck and turned to look at the majestic figure of the Valkyrie retreating from him.
He didn't thank the Valkyrie for sparing his life. After all, if she were truly heartless, she wouldn't have extended her hand to pull him up in the dungeon.
"Will I really be branded in your heart, becoming your lifelong shame?" Zhu Minglang asked.
In recent days, one could always hear stories about the Valkyrie and the vagabond. One from the palace in the sky, the other from the murky drains below. The vast disparity in status yet entwined, what a sensational topic it was, and surely in no time, people beyond Eternal City would know this news.
The Valkyrie didn't respond, continuing to walk out. This time, unlike before, she revealed her true appearance — simple, haggard, yet still transcendentally beautiful.
"Actually..." Zhu Minglang watched as she slowly vanished, and the words at the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.
Zhu Minglang understood.
It wasn't he who was the Valkyrie's shame but her current lowly status.
…
She had left, and Zhu Minglang felt a complex mix of emotions. Subconsciously, he picked a plump mulberry leaf, placing it in the palm of his hand, and the little Ice Bug immediately leaped joyfully from his shoulder onto the leaf.
"Will we ever return to those days when we were renowned and influential?" Zhu Minglang asked nonchalantly, holding the little Ice Bug.
After so many years, Zhu Minglang still didn't understand why a fine White Dragon would be covered with silk overnight, and just as quickly, its enormous body shrank within the cocoon, finally reducing to this little creature that only knew how to nibble on mulberry leaves.
The little Ice Bug, oblivious, lifted the mulberry leaf with its nearly invisible front claws as if a child were holding a bowl several times his size and started to munch on it with "shasha" sounds.
It wiggled its plump body, emitting joyful chewing noises, and after finishing, its big eyes blissfully fluttered with satisfaction.
Seeing the little creature's delicate and foolish appearance, Zhu Minglang couldn't help but laugh and poke at its plump belly with his other hand.
The little creature had no sense of shame at all, immediately flipping over to present its belly for Zhu Minglang to massage while emitting sounds of contentment, "Mmm, ji ji."
"Ordinary life is quite nice, too, no pressure, no worries, and no one else's burdens to bear..."
Shaking his head, Zhu Minglang continued to clean his small courtyard, planning to plant more mulberry trees in the hills next year. The little creature's appetite was growing, and he had to work harder, or else he wouldn't even be able to support his Ice Bug companion.
"Speaking of which, it's not even noon yet, so why does it feel hot?" Zhu Minglang hadn't been cleaning for long when he gradually felt the cold air being pushed away.
Patches of red light broke through the dense fog, inexplicably tinting the small Sang Town. Even the nearby woods took on the brilliant red hues of a maple forest.
Zhu Minglang lifted his head toward the sky.
The morning had passed already, hadn't it? So why was there such an exaggerated morning glow?
The fiery clouds hung low like real flames, rapidly turning the vast blue sky incredibly splendid!
"Ga ji~~~"
Before Zhu Minglang could figure out the source of this strange phenomenon in the sky, the wooden door was suddenly pushed open, and the Valkyrie stepped inside in a hurry.
Zhu Minglang's eyes brightened...
She had returned.
In fact, he could also grow wintersweet. This winter, Zhu Minglang could work even harder. As long as she was willing to share a simple meal with him, and wouldn't disdain the small house smelling of silkworm droppings, well, I could support you.
"Would it be okay to stop seeking revenge?" Zhu Minglang beamed, already knowing he wanted to say this.
But before he could speak, the Valkyrie quickly said with a serious look, "Pretend to be a member of my tribe."
Zhu Minglang was still puzzled by her words when the courtyard door was pushed open violently once more, and a stately man dressed in blue with red patterns approached.
While his clothes and appearance suggested a certain extraordinary quality, what caught the attention most was his exceedingly pale countenance, as if afflicted with some stubborn illness, utterly lacking the usual flush of a healthy person's skin.
Yet, his demeanor didn't convey the fragility of someone ill; on the contrary, he emanated a cold and lonely aura that was downright daunting.
Zhu Minglang glanced at the endless fiery clouds in the sky, then at the occasional flash of crimson in the man's eyes, and quickly grasped something.
Dragon Shepherd.
And a strong one at that!!
"The person you spoke of joining us on our journey, is it him?" Luo Xiao spoke up, his gaze piercing as he scrutinized Zhu Minglang.
The Valkyrie replied, "He arrived here before me and has already reported my current situation to the tribe. I had him clean up the traces of my stay here, and we will return to the Ancestral Dragon City-State tomorrow."
Luo Xiao stepped forward, examining Zhu Minglang with a serious and somewhat skeptical expression, clearly not completely believing the Valkyrie's words.
"Female Monarch," Zhu Minglang gave the Valkyrie a fist-and-palm salute, and said without changing his expression, "The tribe has ordered me to take you back, but they didn't agree to bring strangers. Given your noble status and dignified beauty, I would advise you not to trust those of unknown origin."
"What do you mean, 'unknown origin'? I am a member of the tribe... the tribe..." Luo Xiao began, but seemed at a loss for words.
"Luo Xiao was once an Attendant in my father's Palace, and he is now a Dragon Trainer, not the person of unknown origin you speak of," the Valkyrie stated.
"Oh, then he is also a part of our kin. In that case, let's journey together; we can look out for each other," Zhu Minglang finally agreed, making it seem like a reluctant decision.
Doubt those who doubt you first, his cunning strategy tinged with a touch of mischief!
Zhu Minglang couldn't help but praise himself, his acting hadn't declined over the years at all!