Lu Cai jumped off Zeshia's back and twisted his leg slightly but the silver dragon turned his head and gently propped him up on its neck.
The silver dragon seemed cold and arrogant to others but seeing Lu Cai, he sighed with fondness and tolerance:
"My dear Lu, our long separation has filled our hearts with longing but your people still see it. Please remember to uphold the dignity and honor of your knighthood."
There it was again that familiar whining sound of his own name and the word "farewell" all being audible.
Lu Cai, accustomed to it, casually touched Zeshia's neck to comfort him. This was a gesture he often did in Dragon Nest and Zeshia was familiar and accustomed to it.
But just as he looked up he noticed that the villagers' previously distorted appearances had more or less recovered and they began to stare at him intently.
Lu Cai: "..."
Something was wrong.
Before he could speak, Xiao Yu reacted and rushed over, whimpering. However, due to the dragon's suddenly heavier breathing she dared not approach and could only wail with a mixture of laughter and tears:
"Great! Great! You're not dead!!!"
The situation was somewhat complicated.
Lu Cai calmly looked at Zeshia, noticing that the Western dragon showed no signs of discomfort.
It looked calm, aloof and knowledgeable, as if even if someone built it an ancient Chinese ancestral hall it would step in unwaveringly and enshrine itself.
Lu Cai took a breath and turned to look coldly at Xiao Yu and the crowd behind her: "Has that been enough?"
Everyone was filled with fear and trepidation. The village chief, who had originally been so timid about Lu Cai's sternness that he almost wanted to sacrifice him wept bitterly before him and Zeshiya:
"Dragon King, forgive me."
Lu Cai removed the restrictions and found that they were indeed not charging forward as they had just been. This showed that the image of the Dragon King held a profound place in the villagers' hearts. Even the threat of dark matter controlling their bodies and minds could not easily shake their reverence for him.
He scanned the crowd, even noticing several who were so severely infected that their features had become inhuman. Yet, facing the towering Zeshiya, they still wore expressions of worship.
"It's like Benbo'erba was bowing to the Dragon King!" Lu Cai couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Zeshiya glanced at Lu Cai and gently nudged him with a dragon claw.
Lu Cai paused in his reverie, coughed a few times to clear the water from his throat and said gravely, "Stop worshipping! Arrange a place... a bigger one."
The village chief quickly agreed, turned and called the villagers to hurry. Passing Xiao Yu, he paused slightly, turned and patted the little girl:
"Xiao Yu, since the Dragon King has appeared please help take care of him!"
Just like when he had asked Xiao Yu to look after Lu Cai, there was nothing special about it except that his overzealousness only served to highlight the old man's abnormality.
Lu Cai withdrew his gaze and silently shifted it to Zeshiya.
Zesia's sacred and inviolable posture remained fixed. Xiao Yu cautiously tried to take a step closer but Zeshiya's cold snort scared her off. Helplessly, she rubbed his eyes and looked at Lu Cai with a somewhat relieved look:
"I never thought there really was a Dragon King and that he would be so kind to you."
Lu Cai thought it was a coincidence! I never expected that.
Zeshia realized the human girl was talking to Lu Cai. His eyes shifted slightly glancing at her. Seeing her staring at him he quickly snorted and averted his gaze startling Xiao Yu into stepping back.
Lu Cai was forced to speak: "If you can't imagine it forget it. There's so much going on in the village, more than enough for you to process."
Xiao Yu pursed her lips and remained silent, her expression unusually fragile.
Lu Cai observed Xiao Yu, noting that she looked a little pale after being rescued from the water but had regained some spirit after the shock. She was in far better shape than the villagers who were deeply infected.
If Xiao Yu was ultimately confirmed to be alright, perhaps she could still be saved.
But for now he glanced at Zeshia, unsure why she remained motionless. To be on the safe side he decided to let Xiao Yu leave.
After everyone had left, Lu Cai immediately frowned and began examining Zeshia. As he stroked his scales he whispered, "Why did you suddenly end up in the pool?"
Zeshia's body tensed a bit at the intense touches but Lu Cai was familiar with his movements; he'd occasionally touched himself this way back on Dragon Island finding them quite pleasurable. So, he relaxed slightly.
But the lingering urge to pose still lingered, craving to present Lu Cai his most beautiful self. So, Zeshia gracefully raised his neck, languidly lifted his wings and slowly replied:
"It's a long story. Ever since you told me you were leaving I've been looking forward to this new journey with you. You know, together we'll inevitably face many dangers but I believe we can overcome them."
Lu Cai hopped up and down to examine him, finding no signs of damage or infection but Zeshia continued to chatter.
He truly enjoyed long, detailed descriptions which frustrated Lu Cai as he didn't understand much.
He sighed and called Zeshia to a halt: "Friend."
Zesia bent his slender neck affectionately, his eyes sparkling as he looked at him: "Partner, a life-and-death companion."
"...Alright, partner." Lu Cai realized that every time he faced Zeshia, while there were no safety issues he overspent more energy than in any previous battle.
He took a breath and attempted communication gestures. "It's dangerous here. Briefly describe it, okay?"
Zesia blinked, understanding Lu Cai's meaning. Though he felt a pity, he could have composed a poem about his pursuit of Lu Cai for a bard to sing. But since his dragon rider had requested it he naturally obliged.
So he explained briefly, explaining to Lu Cai that the pool behind the village could actually connect to the water outside. It was Zeshia who had discovered the complex underground structure while waiting for Lu Cai to get bored.
Lu Cai understood. Considering this was the East Sea Port with its abundant water resources it wasn't surprising.
But Zeshia added that the reason he was bored waiting for Lu Cai was because Lu Cai hadn't kept his appointment.
Lu Cai got to the point: "I went looking for you."
"But we missed each other," Zeshia lamented bitterly.
Lu Cai ignored the dragon's varied expressions and body movements lost in thought.
Zeshia stood up, shook off the water and sat back down beside Lu Cai. He noticed that his dragon rider's hair and body were slightly damp from the dragon's shaking. Embarrassed, he pretended not to notice and quietly moved a few steps to the side.
Lu Cai didn't notice Zeshia's back and forth and simply dismissed the falling water as a sign of unpredictable weather. After a moment's thought he asked Zeshia why he was there today.
Zeshia was still feeling guilty but Lu Cai's question quelled his sleepiness. He lifted his neck and replied righteously:
"It was inevitable! I sense the hero's end and desperately need help!"
Lu Cai understood the meaning of "help" and couldn't help but smile. He glanced at Zeshia with a touch of emotion: "Thank you."
Zesia looked at the water on Lu Cai's head and body, noticing that even the knight's eyelashes were stained with water looking fresh and delicious. Instead of blaming himself, he expressed gratitude. Suddenly, he felt a surge of strength his tail lashing out uncontrollably:
"That's what a comrade should do!"
Lu Cai pursed his lips: "Thank you, comrade."
Zesia lost control and soared three thousand feet sending the already dry leaves in the forest flying wildly!
Lu Cai's smile froze.
He could fast and try not to soil his clothes but it was clear that with Zeshia around, staying clean had suddenly become eight levels more difficult.
I brought it here myself. It saved your life, Lu Cai told himself over and over again.
Then, Lu Cai asked Zeshia a few more questions all about whether there were any other creatures living underground in this area. Zeshia solemnly replied, "No."
If there were none then what exactly was the village's Dragon King?
Before Lu Cai could think clearly and ask the village chief, a few villagers approached cautiously. The moment Zeshia sensed someone he immediately resumed her dignified sitting posture, graceful as a masterful sculpture.
The village chief's fangs had receded somewhat barely resembling a human. He grinned, speaking in a strange, ancient-style grammar:
"The resting place is ready. It's at the east end of the village. Dragon King and Dragon Queen, please follow me."
Lu Cai had originally intended to play along and see what this group was up to but suddenly, upon hearing their address his movements froze.
Zesia had originally considered himself quite clever. He couldn't understand the local human language but his dragon rider did. So, he feigned silence to avoid exposing his lack of knowledge.
But upon noticing something strange in Lu Cai's demeanor and movements, he immediately hunched over and let out a dangerous growl at the village chief and the others!
Ordinary people would be at a disadvantage facing even a slightly larger beast, let alone a dragon. Yet, far from fear these people prostrated themselves on the ground with blazing eyes praising the Dragon King's majesty over and over again.
Zeshia didn't understand what they were saying but worshipping is an act of respect and praise in all cultures so it subsided slightly, turned around and gently nudged Lu Cai:
"Lu, what's wrong with you? What are the Dragon King and Dragon Queen? Are you upset about what you're saying?"
Lu Cai regained his composure and gave the naive silver dragon a cryptic glance. After a moment, he turned his head away silently: "It's nothing."
He didn't intend to explain too much to Zeshia. After all, they didn't speak the same language and describing what had happened here would take almost a whole Chinese class. So he just followed the villagers' instructions and waited for a chance to teach Zeshia Chinese.
The village chief, accompanied by the giant silver dragon, didn't leave the village. But when they reached their destination the usually indifferent Lu Cai was stunned and speechless—
They actually prepared a large ancestral hall for Zeshia!