Chapter 150: Long Hun Nao Lin's Dragon Body and Arrival

Rod wasn't in a hurry to head back to the town.

He came to the Sand Willow District, beside the small cutting maze.

He told Nao Lin about the matter, and warned her to be on guard against what that group of Naga might do to the sand tornado of the Dark Vortex Rift Barrier.

Though rationally, he didn't think this group would risk doing anything to the sand tornado.

But from his conversation with Pete, he knew this was a race whose brains were a bit off.

Being a little cautious couldn't hurt.

"Mas—Master."

Nao Lin called out to Rod, who was about to leave.

"What is it?"

"Can you stay and chat with Nao Lin a little longer?"

"Later, I still have things to do in town."

"Wuu wuu wuu."

Rod sighed.

His heart softened after all.

He hopped into the Sea of the Dead and patted the little head of the dragon-soul girl.

He rubbed her dragon horns.

"Master… You don't like Nao Lin anymore?"

"No way, I like Nao Lin loads."

"More than the succubus young lady and the elf young lady?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Rod caught sight of the witch Dimia behind them turning away, deliberately not listening to their conversation.

So he said, "Out of everyone, I like you the most."

Mm.

As long as it was a space for just the two of them, any woman who asked that question would get the same answer from Rod.

"Hehe."

Nao Lin giggled foolishly, then said, "No good, you can't like Nao Lin too much, what if the other little sisters get jealous?"

"I won't like you for long anyway, I haven't even done any training with you."

"Eh? How can you be like that!"

Nao Lin, unconvinced, temporarily solidified her body.

She took Rod's hand and pressed it against her small chest, her shy blushing cute little face full of smugness.

"H-how about that! It's a perk for Mas—Master!"

"…Remember this, Nao Lin: I, your master, like girls with big chests, slim waists, and long legs. Keep that in mind when you condense your dragon body."

"Ehh—"

The dragon-soul girl's face immediately fell.

As if remembering something, she said again, "Master, speaking of condensing a dragon body, Nao Lin is short on several important materials. Could you please help?"

"Of course, what materials?"

"Not materials from reality, but things unique to some other-dimensional spaces."

Other-dimensional spaces, huh.

Last time in the Dread Grounds, he provoked a bone dragon, which meant he now had to pay tribute every week.

But then again.

Nao Lin's title of Ten-Thousand-Year Curse Wraith Dragon was simply too renowned. Helping her condense a dragon body would, as her master, definitely be a huge boost to his combat power.

In a way, it was a good thing.

Besides, with his mental resistance, as long as he kept steady, roaming through dimensions wasn't a problem.

Rod agreed.

"Yay! Once Nao Lin is ready, I'll let Master know!"

He bade farewell to the dragon-soul Nao Lin.

On the way back with the witch Dimia.

"Mr. Rod… You're quite the philanthropist of love, aren't you."

"How does it compare to the carnivorous hero Ophiel?"

Rod teased.

Dimia immediately faltered, stammering and unable to get a single word out.

"I read the latest chapter last night. At the end, during the coronation ceremony where the imperial prince became king, Ophiel cast a spell and turned him into a female cat-person… You sure know how to play. What will you do next?"

The witch gave a light snort and shot back:

"Ophiel will disguise herself as the new king. In the council of ministers, the king-turned-female-cat-person will, under the table, give it to Ophiel."

"…"

Rod naturally understood the retort and teasing in her tone.

It was clearly aimed at the matter of Tally eating breakfast under his table today.

"You saw that?"

"…Later, Young Lady Tally probably let her shadow spell slip, and I sensed the fluctuation of magical power because of it."

Rod gave two light coughs.

He immediately changed the subject.

When asked why Stormwind City dared to trade with the land naga, these half-human, half-snake creatures were simply born to go back on their word.

"Then of course it's pay first, goods later, plus collateral."

Dimia had wanted to skip this topic.

"Most naga worship an ancestor called 'Lamiae.' Note, this is not a fabricated deity, but a real, ancient naga. In modern times, the various naga have each obtained a portion of Lamiae's body — these are the objects they call 'Holy Relics.' This group of naga has indeed pledged the Holy Relics as collateral."

So that's how it is.

No wonder they dared to trade even knowing the naga's reputation stinks to high heaven.

Afterwards, the two of them returned to the town.

It wasn't until around seven or eight in the evening that the retreating group from Coral Bay arrived in a hurry.

Compared to the bustle when the land naga arrived, this time was rather quiet.

A line of five or six carriages, along with a battered, low-spirited, and travel-weary contingent of soldiers.

Scattered along both sides of the street, few residents paid any attention.

But then again, that made sense.

For the residents of Shi Ying Town.

Half-human, half-snake naga were far more of an attraction than human nobles.

Perhaps this was exactly what they had in mind.

Defeat, dishevelment.

Such words never look good on anyone.

So they chose to enter the town at night, which was at least some consideration for the nobles' face.

Rod still chose to stand aside and observe.

On one hand, he was wary of sudden incidents; on the other, he simply didn't trust outsiders much.

The situation outside Shi Ying Town was too complicated — there was no telling whether someone might try to sneak in.

Unlike that group of naga.

They had gone straight back to the Death Desert to settle down, with no way to come into contact with what was happening in the town.

This group, however, would actually be living right in the town.

"I should have brought Miss Xiao Ke along."

The half-deer Miss Xiao Ke's 【Echo of Time】 could trace remnants of the past — even if someone harbored ill intentions, it could be detected.

Just as he was thinking this.

The five members of the committee welcoming the carriages into the inn let out cries of surprise.

"Lord Fried!?"

This was a refined middle-aged man with a head of golden hair, dressed in splendid brocade and rich attire.

Dimia frowned slightly and explained from the side:

"Fried Argyle, the administrator of Coral Bay. We guessed he would head straight for Stormwind City — we didn't expect him to come here first."

"Is there a problem?"

"Hard to say. After all, Shi Ying Town is quite a bit closer than Stormwind City. He might have wanted to be under the protection of the Guardian Formation as soon as possible."

If Stormwind City was a first-tier region.

Then Coral Bay, Shi Ying Town, and other surrounding mid-to-small gathering places all belonged to Stormwind City's secondary regions.

And because Shi Ying Town sat on the edge of the Death Desert, it was the only secondary region that possessed a Guardian Formation.

Before the crowd had even come back to their senses.

They heard old gentleman Humbert let out another cry of surprise.

This old man was usually very steady — he had never made such a loss-of-composure sound before.

Rod followed the sound with his eyes.

He saw a young woman step down from Lord Fried Argyle's carriage.

She was an ordinary-looking farm woman with rough skin, wearing no makeup, her hair still somewhat messy even after being tidied.

The splendid formal gown on her body didn't suit her at all — it even had a somewhat comical air.

Rod could see old gentleman Humbert's hands trembling slightly as he faced her.

"Steady on, Humbert — I should be calling you Father."

The woman said.

Upon hearing this, old gentleman Humbert immediately burst into tears.

(End of this chapter)