Chapter 84: Watching the Battle with Excitement

“Come here, let me take a good look at you. It was my fault for not being able to protect you...” The innkeeper, White Lotus, gazed at Li Changluo with eyes full of affection and opened her arms toward him.

Damn, this beating today was worth it after all... Who on earth is this little chick, to be treated so well? Though his heart was impatient, Li Changluo kept a blank, wooden expression. Step by step, he moved to stand in front of White Lotus.

He spread his arms, ready to embrace this charming beauty.

Smack!

A hard slap landed across Li Changluo’s face.

He was stunned by the blow.

“It’s really not a dream. Little Chick, you’ve really come back. I’m sorry—did it hurt when I hit you?” White Lotus gently stroked his reddened cheek, her eyes still brimming with tenderness.

Her cool fingertips traced his face, sending an almost unbearable tickle through his heart.

But...

Damn it, if you want to know whether you’re dreaming, can’t you just pinch yourself?

Can’t you?

“It doesn’t hurt, how could it hurt? I’m only borrowing this little monster’s body to return...” For the sake of the act, Li Changluo forced himself to endure the burning pain in his cheek and still spoke with an emotionless face.

Smack!

Another slap, just as solid, landed on his other cheek.

“Truly it doesn’t hurt? Could it be I’m dreaming?” White Lotus looked at him again with concern, her face full of hope, waiting for his answer.

Seeing Li Changluo standing there, blank and silent,

White Lotus covered her face with her sleeve and started to sob, “It’s true, we just missed you too much...”

Utterly bewildered by the two slaps, Li Changluo was at a loss for words.

Stuck in a dilemma—should he say it hurt or not?

Honestly...

So exhausting, being possessed is so tiring.

It’s easier just to feign unconsciousness...

Li Changluo couldn’t help glancing at Blackwa, who was lying comfortably on the ground.

Then—

He let his body slump, preparing to put on a dazzling performance of fainting...

Yet just as he was working up to produce a mouthful of convincing white foam, a pair of hands caught him steadily.

“Did someone hit you?”

A familiar voice sounded by his ear, and suddenly Li Changluo felt revived, full of energy. He nodded to the person holding him, eyes full of grievance, and then burrowed into their embrace.

So aggrieved...

He wanted to act spoiled...

He wanted to snuggle...

But before he could realize any of these wishes, he was unceremoniously shoved aside, tumbling to the ground beside Blackwa...

Taking the chance, he stretched out his legs and pretended to faint as well.

The one who pushed him away, naturally, was the strong-armed girl, Qing. This girl with no filter or guile only ever showed any cleverness when someone tried to take advantage of her. After flinging Li Changluo away, she widened her pale eyes and glared fiercely at the pitiful White Lotus.

“No one is allowed to hit him but me.”

Ever since Fatty Wang died, Li Changluo had become her only attachment in this world. She was actually quite fragile inside, afraid, unable to remember anything from before. Now, the only thing that made her feel connected to the world was Li Changluo.

Rather than say she cared about him, it would be more accurate to say he was her only lifeline.

Qing clenched her fists, let out a low cry, and a stream of white vapors erupted around her. She transformed, revealing her true form—a creature half-human, half-serpent.

She twisted her serpentine body, lunging at White Lotus.

Pretending to be unconscious, Li Changluo hadn’t expected this simple-minded girl to take him so seriously, instantly going all out at the mere mention of him being hit.

That much rage?

White Lotus, seeing Qing in her monster form, screamed in fear and covered her face.

Since last time in the ancient tomb, Qing had learned to control this power well. She stretched out a hand wreathed in white mist, reaching straight for White Lotus.

The latter, already covering her face, was so frightened she collapsed to the floor, unable to move.

Peeking through half-closed eyes, Li Changluo watched the scene carefully. Was this really the innkeeper of the Monster Tavern? Was this really the strange monster that the excrement monster uncle spoke of? One who surpassed even the greater demon clans of this world?

She didn’t seem like it at all...

Should I...

Should I just get up and subdue the innkeeper?

Take over the tavern myself?

Then...

Fire that ungrateful wretch Ming Shan?

With that thought, Li Changluo propped himself up, ready to rise...

But...

Best to wait and see how things play out for now...

Once Qing has control of the situation, then I'll make my move.

Effortlessly capturing the weakling innkeeper...

Become famous in one battle...

Pleased with the idea, Li Changluo flopped back down to the ground.

He couldn’t help but admire his own cleverness...

Am I perhaps too smart? If this keeps up...

Will I conquer this world with my intellect alone?

Heh heh heh...

But just as he was watching the fight through slitted eyes, Miss Ming Shan intervened. With a wave of her hands, the hall suddenly filled with countless jasmine petals...

Ming Shan controlled the petals with both hands, sending them swirling around Qing, forming a wall of flowers before White Lotus in the blink of an eye.

Qing struck the jasmine wall with her palm, petals flying everywhere, opening a gap straight through.

Behind the wall, White Lotus was pale with fright, not daring to move a muscle.

Delighted by the sight, Li Changluo knew his chance to show off had finally arrived. He leapt up from the floor, ready to swoop in and reap the spoils.

To steal Qing’s victory...

And capture the innkeeper.

Yet just as he stood, he saw Qing tangled up in a mass of jasmine petals, unable to move.

Li Changluo quietly lay back down and resumed playing dead...

But Qing wasn’t so easily subdued. She struggled free of the petals binding her, and with a forceful strike, aimed her palm at White Lotus.

White Lotus couldn’t dodge in time and hurriedly raised her hands to block.

With a muffled thud, White Lotus was sent flying by Qing’s blow...

Delighted again, Li Changluo rose to join the fray...

But perhaps Qing had overexerted herself; she’d used too much demonic energy, and the white mist around her began to dissipate as she reverted to human form.

The situation looked grim...

Li Changluo’s heart sank, and he dropped back down to the floor.

Blackwa, who was playing dead beside him, was utterly baffled by Li Changluo’s repeated getting up and lying down.

So excited just to watch two girls fight?

Could it be...

This is how people in this country spectate properly?

Doing this up-and-down motion while watching a fight...

Enhances the spectator experience?

How embarrassing...

But I want to try it...

So Blackwa imitated Li Changluo, preparing to get up and join in...

But just as he was about to rise, someone stepped on his backside.

A shadow landed square on Blackwa's rear, slipped as if on a watermelon rind, and tumbled headlong toward White Lotus.

Crash!