Luo Xiao frowned, but at this moment he was not in a position to say anything more.
Wutu was a barren yet chaotic land of savagery, and Eternal City was just one of its cities. Luo Xiao initially thought he was the first to find the beleaguered Li Yunzi.
However, it turned out that someone had already beaten him to it.
Putting aside Luo Xiao's strong possessive desire for the Valkyrie Li Yunzi, even if he took her back to the Li Family in Ancestral Dragon City during these difficult times, he would receive a great reward.
Having just become a Dragon Shepherd, his Gold-plated Fire Dragon held boundless potential, but likewise, he needed a truly powerful force to pave a path for him to ascend to heaven, and the once-loyal Li Family was the perfect choice!
Of course, this time he would not return to the Li Family of Ancestral Dragon City as a servant, but as a real Dragon Shepherd.
The people of Eternal City may not know the background of Li Yunzi, but Luo Xiao was very clear about it.
"The journey is long, miss. You'll have to bear with riding my Gold-plated Fire Dragon back to Ancestral Dragon City. However, my Fire Dragon is born stubborn and does not like others on its back, so this gentleman will have to find his own way," said Luo Xiao.
"Zhu Minglang has just joined the Dragon Taming Academy. His Young Dragons are not yet fully formed, so he can only summon some Spirit Birds to send messages for now. We will still need Mr. Luo's escort and vigilance on the road," said Li Yunzi.
"To set foot in this savage Wutu without having become a true Dragon Shepherd requires commendable courage. With that said, let's get on the road as soon as possible," Luo Xiao seemed not to want to linger there either.
...
Zhu Minglang was someone adept at reading the room.
This frightening Dragon Shepherd, Luo Xiao, although extremely respectful towards the Valkyrie, was obviously wary of the immense force behind Ancestral Dragon City-State she represented.
But this Wutu Eternal City was far too distant from Ancestral Dragon City-State, and Wutu had always been devoid of much civilisation.
Savage, primal, strife and slaughter were everywhere, and the conflict between tribes and cities was incessant. Without a sufficiently powerful force standing unchallenged, true order was simply impossible.
With the mountains high and the emperor far away, although the Valkyrie came from a more glorious city-state clan, in this place where she found herself in trouble, she was like crying to heaven without response and asking the earth with no one to hear. At this moment, even if Luo Xiao did something outrageous, it was likely that the Valkyrie's city-state clan behind her would not come to know of it.
The Valkyrie was still weak, likely due to poison... well, perhaps there was also a reason of her own making.
She hadn't recovered even a tenth of her previous abilities and had herself pretend to be someone from her clan to warn the formidable Dragon Shepherd Luo Xiao to prevent him from taking advantage of her vulnerability.
When Luo Xiao looked at the Valkyrie, the burning desire in his eyes was far too apparent, and even with great effort to restrain it, one could sense the longing in his expression.
The Valkyrie had already endured humiliation once. She was well aware of what could happen when she was at a disadvantage, and she did not believe that Luo Xiao had sincerely come to escort her.
Without having fully recovered her strength, without having returned to Ancestral Dragon City, no one was to be trusted.
On the contrary, this man who had done what should and should not be done already was relatively safer for her.
Luo Xiao led the way, heading towards the hillside forest that was ablaze with maple colors.
The Valkyrie Li Yunzi lagged slightly behind.
After grasping the intent behind the Valkyrie's request for him to impersonate someone from her clan, Zhu Minglang sighed softly and said to her in a low voice, "You've had it tough."
Without power, without martial strength, the once radiant and brilliant Valkyrie now walked on thin ice.
Upon hearing this, Li Yunzi's expression changed slightly.
She deliberately slowed her pace further, matching Zhu Minglang, and said quietly, "Don't let him see through us. Eternal City has been turned into a sea of flames by him, with very few survivors..."
Zhu Minglang was shocked.
Razing cities, slaughtering the populace!
Was this Luo Xiao a psychopath? Even if it was to offer zealous devotion for the Valkyrie's revenge, it was unnecessary…
Suddenly, Zhu Minglang realized something and recalled the barely concealed infatuation Luo Xiao had shown towards Li Yunzi.
This crazed maniac could potentially be out to kill him. Not knowing who the little beggar mentioned by others was, he might as well have simply obliterated this entire city!
Zhu Minglang's heart pounded as he looked at this Luo Xiao dressed in a cyan robe with red patterns and a pale face, now with a sense of dread!
"He was once a servant to my father, cast out of the family for secretly climbing over the courtyard wall and spying on my sword practice. He harbors grudges, and now he has become a Dragon Shepherd..." Li Yunzi continued.
Li Yunzi was very clear about her current situation; she had to rely on Zhu Minglang playing the role of someone from her clan to deter Luo Xiao; otherwise, she would still be at the mercy of others.
"He did not take you by force because he seeks to use this opportunity to return to your great clan?" Zhu Minglang said.
"Yes," Li Yunzi replied.
"This is a forceful escort; who knows if he might go berserk halfway!" Zhu Minglang said.
Li Yunzhi remained silent.
Despite her apparent calmness, Zhu Minglang could sense the wariness flickering in her eyes, like a wounded deer constantly searching for a sense of safety in the gaps of the forest.
Sigh, she was after all a woman with whom he had shared pleasant dungeon times; he should do something for her.
Wait a minute!
He was planning to retire in Sang Town.
If that were the case, wouldn't he have to move to a bustling, powerful, enormous city-state, allowing his utter ordinariness to be buried in an even more majestic world??
What happened to not being responsible??
...
...
The path to heaven was long and the Gold-plated Fire Dragon was truly a rare and powerful giant dragon. Its scales always emitted flame-like ripples, casting a red glow across the sky as its shape passed through, an extraordinary display of power!
Zhu Minglang had ridden flying dragons before, but without a windbreaker, he could only let the biting wind slap wildly against his cheeks, especially since it was now the cold autumn.
Riding a dragon, although both were on its back, the Valkyrie and Zhu Minglang were still at the dragon's mercy.
Luo Xiao was indeed a living person, yet for some reason, he always gave off the impression that he might turn into a man-eating beast at any moment.
Zhu Minglang was convinced that without his superflous presence, the frail Valkyrie would have long been devoured by Luo Xiao.
Several times when they stopped to rest, Zhu Minglang could feel his life being threatened by this man!
...
Around a campfire, with a few large stones, the three sat in front of the flames. Zhu Minglang skillfully roasted a large green fish, and it wasn't long before the alluring aroma wafted through the air.
He divided it into three portions, put each on a lotus leaf, and handed one to Li Yunzhi first. His fingers inadvertently touched hers, still ice-cold.
"Mr. Luo Xiao, this portion is for you," said Zhu Minglang to Luo Xiao.
"Thank you for the trouble." Luo Xiao wasn't overly arrogant when dealing with his own clan members.
After biting into a piece of fish, Luo Xiao suddenly raised his gaze, staring at Zhu Minglang, and asked, "Now that young brother Zhu is about to enter the Dragon Taming Academy, do you know the different classes of dragons? What about your Juvenile Spirit? Can it be summoned for me to take a look?"
Zhu Minglang looked up at him.
Are you out of your mind? I've cooked such a delicious fish, and instead of enjoying it, you're probing me!
Definitely a psychological case.
After mentally cursing a few times, Zhu Minglang kept the same smile on his face and replied, "Why would Mr. Luo make such jokes with me? I'm not a true Dragon Shepherd yet, and I haven't formed a Spirit Realm, so I can't contain my Juvenile Spirit within it. My family's Juvenile Spirit is indeed a Reserve Dragon, but it's inconvenient to carry around. It's currently in the clan's warm nest, getting ready to hibernate."
Juvenile Spirits are young creatures with the potential to transform into dragons.
Dragon Shepherds can't freely call upon Juvenile Spirits, so taking care of them is also a rather tedious task. Almost no one would take such vulnerable creatures on long journeys, especially since not all Juvenile Spirits are guaranteed to transform into dragons.
A Juvenile Spirit that fails to transform into a dragon is worth nothing.
There are many people who spend their entire lives' effort and all their wealth without being able to choose a Juvenile Spirit that will eventually transform into a dragon.
Dragon Gate, for too many people, is like a pinnacle set upon the clouds, one they can't even qualify to look up to.
"I'm also new to being a Dragon Shepherd, and there are some minor details I might get wrong, hehe. But as for dragons, how are they classified? I always feel that after my Firewhip transforms into a dragon, it will be much stronger than the others." Luo Xiao laughed insincerely.
"Dragons are classified as Dragon Son Level, Dragon General Level, Dragon Lord Level, Dragon Monarch Level, Dragon King Level... It must be that Mr. Luo's dragon bloodline is noble, with the potential of a Dragon Lord," Zhu Minglang laughed along with him, though in his mind he had already gone through Luo Xiao's family tree once over.
We'll soon arrive at Ancestral Dragon City, and this Luo Xiao still isn't giving up.
Obsession is a frightful thing!
Speaking of which...
Luo Xiao was previously beaten and expelled from the family for peeping at the Valkyrie practicing her swordsmanship.
It was just peeping at sword practice, and it's not like she wasn't wearing clothes.
Then what about me, who has done everything with the Valkyrie, am I not to be thrown by the Li Family into boiling oil to be fried, then wrapped in a large lettuce leaf to be fed to an evil dragon to reduce the greasiness???