Chapter 43: Bantanda Searches for Someone

Hearing Luo Xiu’s voice deepen, Tasanya trembled and nearly fell to her knees. She hurriedly spoke, “Master, Tasanya was wrong. I will definitely complete the mission.”

Luo Xiu’s smile returned as he patted Tasanya’s shoulder. “Very good. I believe you can do it. Don’t worry too much—I will give you some help.”

After speaking, Luo Xiu seemed to remember something and quietly said to Leila, “Leila, transform and show us.”

“Okay.” Leila obediently nodded.

In an instant, a massive silver-white bear appeared before Luo Xiu and Tasanya.

Luo Xiu activated his appraisal.

[Emotional State: Happy! Every second with Master is joyful!!]

[Mental State: La la la! Happy!]

These two statuses of his Leila were quite different from those he had seen in others before.

Luo Xiu couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, but that wasn’t his main focus.

He looked at the glow surrounding Leila.

The crimson light had almost entirely turned into orange.

Before the last goblin settlement, Leila had already faintly shown a glow of orange.

After pouring dozens of points in one go, she was now just one step away from reaching the second tier.

Luo Xiu glanced at his 31 available points and, on a whim, added one point to her constitution.

The crimson glow on Leila’s body dimmed slightly.

He continued adding points to constitution one by one.

After the battle with Tasanya, he gained a new understanding of how to allocate points.

When facing slimes, constitution might be a better choice than strength.

When he added the third point—

“Roar!!!”

A deafening roar echoed through the air, and Leila’s body visibly changed.

Her size had grown by a full tier, standing an estimated four to five meters tall, like a small mountain towering in the night.

Her claws had become noticeably larger, their sharp edges gleaming with a faint, chilling light, seemingly capable of tearing targets apart with ease.

Her once silver fur sparkled brilliantly under the moonlight, with a layer of silvery-white light flowing slowly across its surface, like countless tiny streams winding over her body, giving her a mysterious and powerful aura.

“Master! I’ve advanced to the second tier!” Leila shouted joyfully.

Her body swayed happily, causing the ground beneath her to tremble slightly.

Luo Xiu smiled and nodded. “Leila is amazing.”

He stepped forward and embraced Leila, running his hands through her silver-white fur.

The sensation was exquisite! Perhaps because Leila had deliberately restrained herself, her fur was incredibly soft and warm.

Luo Xiu closed his eyes in contentment.

It was well known that he had always favored the larger ones.

Beside him, Tasanya’s expression was one of utter shock, even showing signs of breaking down.

At this moment, her heart was like a storm of thunder and lightning, rumbling endlessly and echoing long after.

She could feel it—just moments ago, the dragon blood flowing within her had strengthened!

How could this be possible?

Her bloodline had regressed to a primal state!

For every descendant of dragon blood, this was a dream too wild to imagine—yet it truly happened to her.

It was because of her Master. It had to be because of her Master!

She fervently looked at Luo Xiu, who was enthusiastically petting Leila.

Master was truly a god, the source of everything!

If she could continue to stay by Master’s side and receive his blessings, perhaps one day she could truly become… a dragon!

Her fear, fanaticism, reverence, and devotion mingled into a complex emotion, causing her to tremble as she prostrated herself once again at Luo Xiu’s feet.

“Thank you for your blessing, Master.”

Luo Xiu, immersed in the joy of stroking Leila, saw this scene and knew that his carrot-and-stick strategy had worked.

He smiled and said, “Tasanya, get up. I have only one requirement: complete the tasks I’ve entrusted to you.”

“Even if it costs my life.”

“Yes, Tasanya understands.”

Tasanya answered timidly and slowly stood up.

Luo Xiu had Leila revert to her normal form, and the three of them set off toward Wheel Town.

The night was deep, with a full moon hanging high.

Along the way, Luo Xiu asked Leila about the changes after advancing to the second tier.

Besides the increases in size, strength, and speed, Leila had gained two innate monster skills.

One was a passive skill called “Beneath the Full Moon.”

Under moonlight, Leila’s combat power would rise dramatically; all attributes would increase comprehensively, and she would receive the moonlight’s protection.

That was the silvery-white light layer flowing across her fur, which helped reduce magical damage she received.

The second was an active skill called “Inspiring Roar.”

This skill allowed Leila to intimidate enemies mentally through her roar while boosting her own strength and diminishing her perception of pain.

Luo Xiu was deeply impressed.

No wonder she was a high-tier monster.

She was in a completely different league from goblins or slimes.

He had encountered second-tier goblins and slimes before, but none came close to this level of power.

Besides discussing Leila’s advancement, Luo Xiu also outlined many rules to Tasanya, including the boundaries he would accept.

Tasanya trembled as she answered each in turn.

When they reached the northern gate of the town, Dave and the others were not on guard.

It seemed they had withdrawn and not yet returned.

As they entered the northern gate—

“From now on, you’ll start learning to cook with Leila. Since she just said she wants to do it herself, you can assist her—fanning the fire or something.”

Luo Xiu instructed.

“Yes, Tasanya understands.”

Tasanya replied.

Luo Xiu nodded, about to explain the seventy-fourth rule when a plump figure emerged from behind the door of an abandoned tavern.

“Luo Xiu, are you alright?” Dave wiped sweat from his forehead as he approached.

“Dave?” Luo Xiu was momentarily stunned. “I thought you had gone home.”

“I couldn’t rest easy. I stayed here to see if you were dead or alive. If you were dead, I’d help bring your corpse back.”

Dave’s gaze shifted to the towering Tasanya beside Luo Xiu, eyes filled with both caution and fear.

Luo Xiu chuckled, understanding his friend’s way of speaking and the heavy pressure he was under while waiting for him.

“Thanks, Dave. I’m fine. I told you, Tasanya and I are friends.”

“Right, Tasanya?”

Tasanya’s massive form trembled sharply as she lowered her head and spoke, “Y-yes.”

Dave fell silent.

He clearly remembered the last scene he saw before leaving: Luo Xiu wielding a sword wider than his head, striking at the female dragon.

Could this be part of being friends?

But since Luo Xiu said so, Dave naturally did not question further.

“You should head back quickly. Tonight won’t be peaceful.”

“Not peaceful?”

Only then did Luo Xiu notice the faint glow of fire in the town’s distance—the guards were carrying lanterns.

“What’s going on, Dave? Isn’t the battle tomorrow?”

“Yes, the battle is tomorrow,” Dave sighed.

“But something strange has happened. Bantanda sent news saying the lord of Bantanda is looking for someone who disappeared in Wheel Town.”

As Dave finished speaking, Luo Xiu and Tasanya’s eyes both narrowed sharply.

A person came to mind—a person already dead.

Had they been exposed?

But Luo Xiu immediately dismissed the thought.

If the lord of Bantanda was searching for his youngest son, Dave would surely know that Tasanya was the attendant of Viscount Larry’s youngest son.

He wouldn’t have failed to ask.

Luo Xiu took a deep breath, steadying his mind, then smiled and asked, “Dave, may I ask who Viscount Larry is looking for? Maybe I’ve met them before.”

“It’s Viscount Larry’s own younger brother, Viscount Rad.”

Dave wiped the sweat from his neck.

A cool breeze seemed to blow through Luo Xiu’s clothes, bringing a shiver.

Luo Xiu paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Sorry, Dave, could you say that again? I didn’t catch it the first time.”

“Rad, Viscount Rad.”