Chapter 23: A Pat on the Dragon's Rump

Hill heard Luo Xiu whistle at her again, his words as unbridled as ever. The icy expression on her face finally shattered, and for the first time, she showed raw, unadulterated fury. Gritting her teeth, she spat out:

"Indeed, those who lack manners themselves only associate with others who are equally ill-bred!"

"That was a compliment to your beauty, Miss Hill. After all, it is my first time seeing an elf." Luo Xiu smiled faintly. "You know, seeing an elf in human society is a rare occurrence, let alone an elf serving as a mere attendant. It is practically unheard of."

As the words left his lips, it wasn't just Hill who was stunned—even Tasanya, standing in front of Luo Xiu, was shocked. What on earth was this guy doing?! Didn't he know that elves were the race that valued their pride above all else? Elves had always considered themselves superior to other races; the idea of serving a human was an absolute taboo for Hill.

She turned her head to look at him as if he were a lunatic, unable to fathom his intentions. Luo Xiu simply smiled at her and whispered, "You will protect me, won't you?"

Tasanya’s expression shifted violently. Behind her, the sound of an arrow piercing the air rang out. She spun around just in time to see a green arrow wreathed in dark flames hurtling toward them, aimed straight at Luo Xiu’s forehead. As the projectile drew near, a dragon’s roar erupted from Tasanya, and she threw a punch, unleashing a blow imbued with destructive power.

*Boom!*

The fist collided with the arrow, and smoke filled the air. When the dust settled, Hill, who had completely lost her composure, looked as though she had been possessed. She glared at Tasanya. "Tasanya, I suggest you stop protecting him."

Tasanya paused for a moment, then looked up and sneered, "And who the hell do you think you are?"

"Then you can all die!" Hill shrieked, her cold demeanor completely gone. Arrows materialized in her hands, and she began firing them toward Luo Xiu with frantic speed. Luo Xiu simply stood his ground, smiling, his right hand buried deep in his pocket, clutching the Thorn Guardian.

Tasanya saw that Luo Xiu had no intention of moving. Gritting her teeth, she unleashed a powerful aura, the sound of a dragon’s roar echoing across the entire town of Wheel Town. Her body seemed to be covered in a layer of crimson flame as she lunged toward the arrows flying through the air.

Punch after punch! She intercepted every single arrow with precision, turning them into dissipating starlight. But Hill showed no sign of stopping; she worked the bowstring like a madwoman, her speed steadily increasing.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!*

Looking at the rain of arrows, Tasanya felt her scalp tingle and roared at Hill, "Are you insane?!"

But Hill was beyond hearing; she kept pulling the string. Left with no choice, Tasanya gnashed her teeth and continued her defense. She shifted constantly, blocking the barrage of arrows as if she were a one-woman barrier.

*Boom, boom, boom!*

The arrows slammed into her defensive perimeter, exploding on impact. But this couldn't last. She could feel her stamina plummeting, compounded by the injuries she hadn't yet recovered from since last night. Gradually, her speed began to falter. She couldn't intercept every arrow, and some she was forced to take with her own body.

*Slash! Slash!*

Bloodstains from the grazing arrows began to multiply on her skin. Blood dripped down. She felt incredibly stifled and furious; if not for the need to protect Luo Xiu, she would have charged straight through the rain of arrows to engage Hill in close combat. Once she got close, she would make this foolish, pointy-eared creature pay. But by staying on the defensive, she had become a sitting duck.

She turned to look at the motionless Luo Xiu, her rage boiling over. "Are you going to run or what?!"

"Why would I run?" Luo Xiu replied with a smile.

Tasanya fell silent. She knew she had asked a stupid question; it was clear that Luo Xiu was doing this specifically to spite her.

"What exactly do you want?" Having been grazed on the shoulder by another arrow, Tasanya finally admitted defeat. Her voice softened with forced submissiveness. "Hill has completely lost her mind. If you don't leave, we’ll both end up dead here. That’s surely not what you want."

"I certainly have no intention of dying with you," Luo Xiu said with a smile. "In fact, I’m just waiting for someone. As soon as she arrives, I’ll leave immediately."

Waiting for someone?

Tasanya remembered the half-beast girl the man had been dragging around last time. A surge of fury rushed to her head. Her life—the life of a dragon-blooded descendant—was being held in the hands of a half-beast?! A profound sense of humiliation washed over her. For a moment, she considered throwing caution to the wind and taking Luo Xiu down with her. But when her gaze fell on his right hand, still clutched firmly in his pocket, the thought vanished. It wasn't that she feared him revealing the Thorn Guardian, but she wasn't sure if, in her current state, she could kill him while weathering the rain of arrows.

In the end, she could only channel her frustration and rage into her movements, roaring as she sped up her efforts to deflect the arrows.

About a minute later, with Tasanya covered in wounds and her skin stained red with blood, Luo Xiu spotted a small, hooded figure creeping toward them from a distance, looking on with concern.

Luo Xiu smiled. The timing was perfect; if Leila hadn't shown up, he would have had to leave anyway—he couldn't actually die alongside this dragon-girl. He gestured for the small figure to stay hidden, then looked at Tasanya with a smile. "You’re in luck. The person I’m waiting for is here."

"Then get the hell out of here!" Tasanya’s frustration had reached its peak. Ever since she met this man, not a single second had gone her way. Since birth, she had always been the one to decide the fates of others. This feeling of being manipulated, especially by someone she had viewed as a weakling she could crush like a chick just yesterday, was driving her mad. She couldn't accept the disparity!

"Tasanya, I look forward to our next meeting." Luo Xiu stepped closer, as if to whisper a secret. He smiled and murmured, "Today was just the appetizer. Next time we meet, I’ll beat you until you’re on the ground calling me daddy."

Before Tasanya could erupt, she felt her backside get a sharp, firm slap, followed by a hard squeeze. Her brain seemed to short-circuit, her expression blank.

"Nice feel. Even better than Lina’s." Luo Xiu chuckled, then turned and sprinted toward where Leila was waiting.

Long after Luo Xiu had gone, Tasanya remained in a daze, her hands still subconsciously moving to deflect arrows. High above in the sky, a scruffy parrot that had been circling the whole time squawked loudly:

"Touch it and you gotta buy it! Touch it and you gotta buy it! Touch it... and you gotta buy it!"