To Li Wei's surprise, upon hearing that she might finally be able to use the Rod of Order to resolve the hidden danger of the corrosion affecting her true body, Xia Lan Veloss did not show much excitement. Instead, she looked at him with a touch of pity and said softly:
"You've had a hard journey, Tibilus."
Li Wei had originally prepared a whole basketful of things to say, yet upon hearing those comforting words, he still felt that all his years of "hard struggle" had been worth it.
"Ah, actually, it was nothing."
The next moment, the "Miss Fishman" standing on his shoulder went splat against his cheek, and her murmur reached his ear:
"I heard all about it from Bestna. Going to Shendilavri was reckless enough, but you actually dared to provoke the Dark Prince too?"
Li Wei had just wanted to explain.
"Thank you.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me."
Well then.
Li Wei spread his hands inwardly. Sure enough, even a mother dragon could not escape a woman's habit of moving herself to tears.
It was not as though Xia Lan Veloss did not know the purpose of his journey, but her feminine sensibility made her "believe" that Li Wei had done all this more to resolve the "curse" afflicting her.
Li Wei could practically imagine the version playing out in Xia Lan Veloss's mind:
The bankrupt steel dragon heiress was afflicted by a void curse for the sake of her beloved, while the domineering silver dragon lord ventured deep into the abyss to remove her curse, sparing no effort as he fought the Abyss's three great powers to the death.
After sixty years of trials, guided by love at last, he crossed the shackles of time and space and returned to the sleeping