Chapter 76

Di'er - original term Tir

Ti'er's gaze stopped on the human 'youth' and did not move; she furrowed her brows, and magical spirit light flickered in her pupils.

In the next moment, the light representing the other's supreme natural-element affinity and spiritual power shone into Ti'er's eyes.

Moreover, Ti'er saw through the other's spell disguise. Her golden pupils suddenly turned dim and profound, and under the dark pupil light, the spell disguise on the human 'youth' was directly dispelled.

Sixth Rank - sixth rank

Seventh Rank - seventh rank

Revealed in Lai Ang and Ti'er's sight was actually a wood elf maiden!

Even though Lai Ang had long seen through the other's disguise, he couldn't help but feel a bit surprised at this moment.

Through his keen sense of smell, Lai Ang had guessed the other might be a woman, but only thought she was a human woman; he never expected her to be a wood elf maiden.

The wood elf maiden whose disguise had been exposed turned a little pale, clenched her lower lip, and stared fixedly at the blood-winged demon and black dragon before her.

Wood elf royal family - wood elf royal family

Wood elf clan - wood elf clan

"Now this prince has made a killing—a wood elf slave maiden can easily fetch several thousand to tens of thousands of gold coins."

Envious voices kept coming from around, and faintly there were some malicious glances probing.

Wood elf Xiao family - wood elf Xiao family

Ti'er also knew that her unconscious exposure of the wood elf's disguise would probably bring some trouble to Lai Ang.

Wood elf princess? wood elf princess

Lizardman - lizardman

On a dirt road several li outside Jade City, the black dragon, blood-winged demon, wood elf, and two alchemical iron cages holding humans appeared in the teleportation light.

"Prince Lai Ang, you might be overly cautious," Ti'er said, glancing at the wood elf slave.

"I'm not an adult black dragon; being extra careful is never too much," Lai Ang said, shaking his head.

Anna·Sitasiya·Waludini·Xiao - Anastasia·Waludini·Xiao

Lai Ang lowered his head, his big head drawing near the Wood Elf maiden, and they locked eyes.

In those beautiful emerald pupils, leaf veins faintly appeared.

"She has the bloodline of the Wood Elf royal family, and it's very pure." Lai Ang's face darkened.

Although its face made it hard to discern any change in expression.

Hearing Lai Ang's words, Til could not stay seated either; she reached out, pinched the Wood Elf maiden's chin, forcibly turned her face toward her, and finally saw the secret in her pupils.

The leaf veins faintly visible in those pupils are the outward manifestation of the Wood Elf royal bloodline.

This also explains why her affinity for natural elements can reach the superior level.

The Wood Elf race inherently possesses extraordinary natural-element affinity, and those Wood Elves with royal blood flowing in their veins have an affinity that will not fall below the upper rank.

"Well, it seems I've indeed caused some trouble for Your Highness." Til, seeing the change in the Wood Elf maiden's pupils, also felt a bit of a headache.

Although at that time it wasn't certain that monsters would discover the Wood Elf maiden's royal bloodline, the incident of a young black dragon accidentally obtaining a Wood Elf maiden slave will surely spread and be publicized.

This naturally includes the segment where the Wood Elf maiden disguises herself as a human.

Once this news reaches her parents and relatives, it will naturally be a major headache for Lai Ang.

It is merely a fourth-rank small dragon, unable to hold onto this hot potato.

"What is your name?"

By this point, Lai Ang still intends to first learn the other's identity before making a better decision.

"." The Wood Elf maiden remained silent, lowering her eyelids.

Feigning muteness.

"Get her information out of her."

In response, Lai Ang merely left Til with that sentence, then walked over to lie under a nearby tree, watching the two people's every move.

Lai Ang saw Til take out a bottle of magic potion from her dimensional space and pour it into the Wood Elf maiden who had been subjected to an immobilization spell.

"I ask, you answer."

"What is your name?" Til asked.

"Anastasia Valentino Theo."

The Wood Elf maiden finally spoke, uttering a long string of names.

"How are you related to the current head of the Theo family?" Til, upon hearing her surname, felt a stir and pressed further.

"I am his third daughter." Anastasia replied.

Her eyes showed some panic, but her mouth could not help speaking the truth.

"Even so, she is still a princess." On the other side, under the tree, Lai Ang, upon hearing this conversation, searched the dragon clan's inheritance for information about the Wood Elf Theo family.

The dragon clan's inheritance information states that the Wood Elf kingdom was founded by the union of nine royal tribes, the Theo family being one of them.

Thus, the daughters of the nine royal tribe chiefs hold a status in the Wood Elf kingdom equivalent to that of elf princesses, beyond precious.

How could a Wood Elf princess of such noble status end up here? Actually captured by a lizardman.

Logically, even having a seventh-rank elf expert as a personal guard would not be excessive; how could she be captured by a fifth- or sixth-rank lizardman?

Til also voiced this doubt.

"How were you captured here? Where are your Wood Elf protectors?" Anastasia, hearing this question, showed regret in her eyes, and her mouth involuntarily replied, "I sneaked out from home; my sister Erika, who was supposed to protect me, I sent her away, then I used a teleport scroll, but unexpectedly near the teleport point there was a roaring bear; I couldn't match it, suffered heavy injuries while fleeing, I encountered a human adventurer party, then I used a disguise necklace to pose as a human youth. After not following the human adventuring group far, I encountered that lizardman leading a horde of monster warriors attacking the adventuring party; the adventuring party lost many people, and the lizardman's monsters were also slain by us many, many."

When Lai Ang and Til finished hearing Anastasia's account, only a few words surfaced in their minds:

An unlucky yet naive fool.

However, speaking of it, Anastasia's strength is not weak; her pure battle qi likely reaches the fifth rank.

Given the Wood Elf's innate talent in the forest, if she weren't seriously injured, even if that lizardman were sixth rank, it would be hard to detain her.

After that, Tir asked Anastasia a few more detailed questions.

Translation: "Then, Tir asked Anastasia a few more detailed questions."

Check names: Tir -> Tir (provided? Not in glossary but we need to output in glossary later). Anastasia -> Anastasia (likely). We'll keep as Anastasia.

For example, what ways does the other party's family have to find her?

Translation: "For example, what ways do her family members have to find her?"

"So, there's no direct way to find you?"

Translation: "So, there's no direct way to find you?"

"Yes." The wood elf princess replied in a hoarse voice.

"Yes." The wood elf princess replied with a hoarse voice.

Better: ""Yes." The wood elf princess replied hoarsely."

After saying this involuntarily, her eyes were filled with despair.

After saying this involuntarily, her eyes filled with despair.

If she had known, she would have listened to her father and not been curious about the outside world, let alone sneak out alone—'Your Highness, what do you think?'

If she had known, she would have listened to her father and not been curious about the outside world, let alone sneak out alone—'Your Highness, what do you think?'

But we need to keep the quote as is. Let's produce: "If she had known, she would have listened to her father and not been curious about the outside world, let alone sneak out alone—'Your Highness, what do you think?'"

Tir raised his head, asking the black dragon lying under a nearby tree for its opinion, letting it make a decision.

Translation: "Tir raised her head and asked the black dragon lying under a nearby tree for its opinion, letting it make the decision."

"Take her with us." A gleam flashed in Lai Ang's dragon eyes.

"Take her with us." A gleam flashed in Lai Ang's dragon eyes.

Since this wood elf princess has no hidden tricks, we naturally can't let go.

Translation: "Since this wood elf princess has no hidden tricks, we naturally cannot let her go."

As a member of the wood elf royal family, she naturally possesses the talent for deep communication with nature.

Translation: "As a member of the wood elf royal family, she is naturally gifted with deep communication with nature."

Used well, this talent is not just a super radar, but also a humanoid treasure‑finding machine.

Translation: "Used well, this talent is not just a super radar, but a humanoid treasure-hunting machine."

A great helper for getting rich!

Translation: "A great helper for getting rich!"

"But also be careful—if a high‑rank mage who has learned seventh‑circle divination uses an item retaining her aura for divination, they can still roughly determine her position." Lai Ang said slowly.

Translation: "'But also be careful—if a high-ranking mage who has learned the seventh-circle divination uses an item retaining her aura for divination, they can still roughly determine her location.' Lai Ang said slowly."

However, this seventh‑circle divination spell is something most casters lack the aptitude to learn.

Translation: "However, this seventh-circle divination spell, ordinary mages generally lack the aptitude to learn it."

Matters involving fate and prophecy are usually hard to learn.

Translation: "Things involving fate and prophecy are usually hard to learn."

"If that's the case, Your Highness, you don't need to worry too much." Tir gave a light laugh, and under Lai Ang's gaze she extended her hand into an extradimensional space and produced another potion.

Translation: "'If that's the case, Your Highness, you don't need to worry too much.' Tir chuckled, and under Lai Ang's gaze, she plunged her hand into an extradimensional space and produced another bottle of potion."

The black potion sparkles with specks of light, beautiful as a nebula, intoxicating to behold.

Translation: "The black potion sparkled with tiny stars, as beautiful as a nebula, intoxicating to behold."

"This is a sixth‑circle potion I made, called 'Dark Secret.' Its effect is to conceal most of one's aura and information; taking it once lasts three years."

Translation: "'This is a sixth-tier potion I made, named 'Veiled Darkness.' Its effect is to conceal most of one's aura, information, etc.; taking it once lasts three years.'"

"Even divination will be obscured by the misinformation, leading to false guidance or none at all."

Translation: "'Even divination will be obscured by false information, leading to wrong guidance—or none at all.'"

When speaking of the potion, Tir's face showed strong confidence.

Translation: "When speaking of the potion, Tir's face showed strong confidence."

"Looks like I didn't choose the wrong person. Honestly, I originally wanted to find that goblin scholar as a retainer, since I'm quite interested in its alchemical machinery." Lai Ang said, a satisfied smile appearing in its dragon eyes.

"Looks like I didn't choose the wrong person. Honestly, I originally wanted to find that goblin scholar as a retainer, since I'm quite interested in its alchemical machinery." Lai Ang said, a satisfied smile appearing in its dragon eyes.

"." Tir's mouth twitched—this wasn't good for her.

There is a stray period inside quotes? The Chinese: 「. 」 Probably just a quote with a period. We'll translate: "'.' Tir's mouth twitched—this wasn't good for her."

Better: "'.' Tir's mouth twitched; this was no good for her."

Whether becoming a retainer servant or becoming the retainer of a young black dragon, the feedback from the draconic retainer contract does little to help her strength.

Translation: "Becoming a retainer or whatever, or becoming a retainer of a young black dragon, the feedback from the draconic retainer contract does little to help her strength."

If this weren't the order of Chieftain Capella, but instead a demand from other powerful beings in the Emerald Dream, she would certainly not have agreed so readily.

If this weren't the order of Chieftain Capella, but instead a demand from other powerful beings in the Emerald Dream, she would certainly not have agreed so readily.

Lai Ang looked at the blood‑wing demon girl whose expression was a bit constipated, and also smiled inwardly.

Lai Ang looking at the constipated-looking blood-wing demon girl. Translation: "Lai Ang looked at the blood-wing demon girl with a slightly constipated expression and also smiled inwardly."

One reason it chose her as a retainer is also because it values her connection to the Green Leaf Association's chairman and the Emerald Tower's master, Lady Capella—being of the same kin? This also counts as forging ties with the Blood‑wing Demon clan, or clinging to a powerful thigh.

One reason it chose her as a retainer is also because it values her connection to the Green Leaf Association's chairman and the Emerald Tower's master, Lady Capella—being of the same kin? This also counts as forging ties with the Blood‑wing Demon clan, or clinging to a powerful thigh.

In the Emerald Dream, the Blood‑wing Demon clan's overall strength even exceeds that of the other four great dragon clans aside from the Green Dragon clan.

In the Emerald Dream, the Blood-wing Demon clan's overall strength even exceeds that of the other four great dragon clans aside from the Green Dragon clan.

Red dragons, blue dragons, black dragons, white dragons—the four great dragon clans, when considering only mid‑level strength, any clan is not inferior to the Blood‑wing Demon clan; but among top‑tier experts, they are considerably lacking.

Red dragons, blue dragons, black dragons, white dragons—the four great dragon clans, when considering only mid-level strength, any clan is not inferior to the Blood-wing Demon clan; but among top-tier experts, they are considerably lacking.

But this world is one where the strong reign supreme; the intimidation of a top‑expert far outweighs that of many ordinary strong ones.

Translation: "But this world is one where the strong reign supreme; the deterrence of a single top expert far surpasses that of many ordinary strong ones."

After deciding to bring the elf princess Anastasia, Lai Ang no longer hesitated.

After deciding to bring the elf princess Anastasia, Lai Ang no longer hesitated.

They embarked on the road back to Fish Spirit Marsh.

They embarked on the road back to Fish Spirit Marsh.

During that time, they didn't encounter any mishaps.

Translation: "During the journey, they encountered no mishaps."

A sixth‑circle peak mage (Tir), plus a fourth‑circle mage (Lai Ang), and a wood elf princess with a talent for communing with nature—even dangers tens or hundreds of li away could be foreseen in advance.

A sixth-circle peak mage (Tir), plus a fourth-circle mage (Lai Ang), and a wood elf princess with a talent for communing with nature—even dangers tens or hundreds of li away could be foreseen in advance.

At times, Tir would also use a short‑range teleportation spell, able to transport everyone tens or hundreds of li away in one go.

At times, Tir would also use a short-range teleportation spell, able to transport everyone tens or hundreds of li away in one go.

In just three days, they returned to the Dark Scale Tribe.

In just three days, they returned to the Dark Scale Tribe.

"Tir, I entrust Anastasia's instruction to you."

"Tir, I entrust Anastasia's instruction to you."

Inside the Grey Stone Dragon Fort, Lai Ang instructed Tir.

Inside the Grey Stone Dragon Fort, Lai Ang instructed Tir.

Anastasia is Anastasia, that wood elf princess.

Translation: "Anastasia is Anastasia, that wood elf princess."

On the way back, Lai Ang had already performed the retainer ritual on her, taking her as his fifth retainer.

Translation: "On the way back, Lai Ang had already performed the retainer ritual on her, taking her as his fifth retainer."

However, the retainer contract only controls one's life, not consciousness, so to better use her talent, Lai Ang needs a teacher to instruct her.

Translation: "However, the retainer contract can only control one's life, not consciousness; therefore, to better utilize her talent, Lai Ang needs a 'teacher' to instruct her."

And Tir, who has lived over a hundred years, is obviously the most suitable instructor.

Translation: "Tir, who has lived over a hundred years, is obviously the most suitable instructor."

"I'll teach her well—just her talent alone makes me eager." Tir said softly.

Translation: "'I will teach her well—aside from anything else, just Anastasia's talent makes me itch.' Tir said softly."

Her mage talent is so strong, yet she didn't study the mage profession but instead pursued the battle‑qi profession.

Translation: "Such strong mage talent, yet she didn't study the mage profession but instead pursued the qi warrior path."

This truly leaves her bewildered.

Translation: "This truly leaves her bewildered."

Lai Ang also strongly agrees on this point.

Translation: "Lai Ang also strongly agrees on this point."

This is a terrible waste of talent.

Translation: "This is a terrible waste of talent."

With dual super‑grade talent, pursuing the mage path, as long as one doesn't go astray, advancing to the seventh circle and becoming a high‑ranking mage is basically without difficulty.

With dual super-grade talent, pursuing the mage path, as long as one doesn't go astray, advancing to the seventh circle and becoming a high-ranking mage is basically without difficulty.

(End of chapter)