37: tease

Being held in high regard by everyone as a savior, Lin Luo could only smile bitterly in his heart—he believed that what he lacked most was that sense of responsibility; otherwise, he wouldn't have resolutely left Kyoto in the first place.

He knew better than anyone that such a heavy responsibility shouldn't be tied to a single person. Rather than expecting a lone hero to turn the tide, it was better to rely on the country behind him that could bring long-term peace and stability. If the Dragon Country had relied solely on individual heroism for thousands of years, how could there be today's national peace and public security?

Therefore, when Ubuyashiki Kagaya placed those expectations on him, Lin Luo felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. He had to escape from this awkward situation as soon as possible—fortunately, his words had indeed plunged everyone into deep thought. This wasn't exactly a deception, as the current situation was indeed too grim to allow for any wishful thinking.

Since the demons integrated into the modern world, the expansion rate of this species has far exceeded expectations. From Team Leader Zhong Tao of the Special Affairs Management Department, Lin Luo had already learned of the urgent situation: demon attacks were becoming increasingly frequent, and the rapid response forces had already dealt with several violent incidents. Every demon that required local troops to intervene had strength that already exceeded the scope of what the Demon Slayer Corps could handle independently.

In this time of crisis, it would be the height of folly to still cling to sectarian bias and refuse to grant true power to those fighting to the death on the front lines.

Lin Luo strolled out of the meeting courtyard, leaving the remaining discussions to the Ubuyashiki Master and the various Hashira. The newly transplanted wisteria flowers in the courtyard were in full bloom, their light purple petals rustling and falling with the wind, inadvertently decorating his shoulders.

Lin Luo strolled out of the meeting courtyard, leaving the remaining discussions to the Ubuyashiki Master and the various Hashira. The newly transplanted wisteria flowers in the courtyard were in full bloom, their light purple petals rustling and falling with the wind, inadvertently decorating his shoulders.

While he was lost in thought, a nimble figure suddenly appeared before him. Taking him by surprise, Shinobu leaped up lightly and patted his shoulder, her eyes curving into mischievous crescents:

"So it turns out you're not just that kind of overly serious person—you're actually quite impressive! Even Mr. Shinazugawa was bluffed by you."

Lin Luo withdrew his gaze from the wisteria flowers. His originally serious expression finally dropped its cold facade since only an acquaintance was present. He sighed as if relieved of a heavy burden: "Your Master thinks too highly of me, actually expecting me to be some kind of savior."

Shinobu furrowed her delicate brows slightly, but her words carried a hint of banter: "But didn't you still push the burden onto others? You really have no sense of responsibility."

"I call this having self-awareness," Lin Luo casually plucked a fallen petal from her hair and gave it a gentle blow, "to avoid leading you all into a ditch." He shrugged, "There's no future in following me; I still want to live a few more years. The injuries from that fight with the Upper Rank haven't fully healed yet."

"When all is said and done, you're just afraid of dying." Shinobu stuck out the tip of her tongue, a mischievous light flickering in her eyes.

"You're a cute girl, so why do you talk in such an unlikable way?" Lin Luo glanced at her helplessly, then straightened his back with righteous indignation, "Who isn't afraid of death? Trading injuries with those suicidal monsters, my whole body still hurts right now."

Shinobu hummed softly, a playful curve appearing at the corner of her lips: "Anyway, my sister is not only cute but also knows how to please you, so that should be enough, right?"

"No, no, no," Lin Luo couldn't help but smile when she mentioned Kanae, his fingertips swaying gently, "Miss Kanae is gentle, dignified, and very talented. The word 'cute' is too shallow and doesn't match her temperament; that's usually used to describe children."

"My sister is indeed a very talented woman." Hearing Lin Luo's praise for her sister, a smile couldn't help but appear in Shinobu's eyes, "She's not only proficient in the Koto but also excels at flower arrangement and has quite a bit of research into the Tea Ceremony..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly realized something, and her face instantly darkened: "Wait—you just said 'cute is for describing children'... so in your eyes, I'm still a child?"

Lin Luo blinked innocently, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, neither admitting nor denying it.

"You're the one who's an unlikable guy!" Shinobu huffed and slapped Lin Luo.

"Ouch, that hurts—" Lin Luo immediately clutched his stomach and cried out exaggeratedly, his voice loud enough to attract the attention of others in the distance.

Shinobu looked at her palm in shock; she clearly hadn't used much force. In the moment she was stunned, Lin Luo had already half-squatted down, looking up pitifully and saying: "I've been seriously injured by you, and my heart is broken... I have to go back to nurse my injuries first. Remember to say goodbye to the Master and your sister for me."

Seeing his pretentious act, Shinobu's brow twitched slightly. Without a word, she grabbed him and pulled him up, tightly gripping his arm.

"What are you doing? I want to go home!" Lin Luo tried to break free.

Shinobu hummed softly: "My sister and I are the ones in charge of the Butterfly Mansion." Seeing Lin Luo's confused expression, she explained, "You probably don't know about the Butterfly Mansion, do you? In modern terms, it's a hospital or clinic. Many dying members have been treated and saved at our Butterfly Mansion."

She smiled slightly, but the strength in her hand didn't diminish at all: "It just so happens that I'm quite proficient in pharmacology. I'll give you a 'good look-over' right now."

Inside the Butterfly Mansion, the fragrance of medicinal herbs flowed quietly in the air. In this courtyard that should have been peaceful, the sound of a man's suppressed gasps for breath came from time to time.

"Hey, hey, I was really just joking! Do you really think I don't understand medicine? These silver needles are all being stuck into Pain Acupoints; they're not useful at all for moving Qi or blood!"

The girl's soft voice sounded apologetically, yet her expressionless face showed not a hint of sincerity: "Oh my, did I use them in the wrong place? Then I'll re-apply the needles for you right away."

"Hey!"

"Oops, I found the wrong acupoint again."

"You're definitely doing this on purpose!"

"How could that be?" The silver needle in Shinobu's hand flashed with a cold light under the sunlight, "You're our great hero, the key figure in turning the tide of a thousand-year war. It's just that my medical skills are lacking. For someone as impressive as you, please be more patient with a lowly girl like me."

"Patient my as—" Lin Luo's voice gradually faded because Kochou Kanae had appeared at the door at some point, leaning against the doorframe and looking in gently:

"Shinobu, what are you doing?"

Lin Luo coughed lightly, instantly reining in his exaggerated expression from before and returning to his usual gentle and refined manner. He secretly calmed his disturbed state of mind, composedly draped his clothes back on, and sat upright on the diagnostic couch.

"Miss Kanae," he said in a gentle and appropriate tone, "your younger sister is currently treating my internal injuries. Using silver needles to clear the Qi and blood is quite helpful for the recovery of the injuries."

Shinobu watched from the side, dumbfounded, suppressing the urge to gag. This guy was acting so convincingly in front of her sister—just a moment ago he was acting like a rascal and crying out in pain, and in the blink of an eye, he had become so refined and elegant.

The setting sun passed through the doorway, casting warm spots of light on the tatami mats. Flocks of birds returning to the forest flew over the eaves, leaving a few cries in the twilight. After Lin Luo bid his farewell and left, the atmosphere inside the Butterfly Mansion immediately relaxed, and the two sisters sat facing each other.

Kanae looked at her sister with a gentle gaze and shook her head slightly: "Shinobu, you mustn't play pranks on Mr. Lin Luo like that."

"I didn't do anything..." Shinobu muttered softly, turning her face away.

Kanae didn't speak, just quietly gazed at her with a faint smile at the corners of her lips. Until the girl couldn't stand the gentle gaze and finally surrendered: "Fine, fine, I know I was wrong..." But she then couldn't help but defend herself, "But you can't entirely blame me! Who told him to keep calling me a child..."

"Shinobu is indeed still a child," Kanae chuckled, covering her mouth, "aren't you just at the age for middle school right now?"

"Even sister says so!" Shinobu stomped her feet huffily, "I'm going to get angry!"

The two sisters laughed and chased each other through the Butterfly Mansion, their crisp laughter echoing in the deepening twilight of the courtyard. Unfortunately, Lin Luo, who was already on his way back, was destined not to see this heartwarming scene.

Twilight descended, and the distant mountains held the last trace of the setting sun, stretching his shadow long on the straight street. He was thinking about his next arrangements when a piercing flash of light suddenly streaked across the sky—

The light was exceptionally dazzling, as if tearing through the darkening night sky, carrying a powerful energy fluctuation as it rapidly fell towards his direction.

He hurriedly expanded his Spiritual Perception to investigate, but unfortunately, the light was too fast, and he couldn't see its full appearance. He only felt a powerful aura pressing against his chest, making it feel tight. That was a natural pressure brought by a different level of life; in a fleeting glimpse, he only perceived a soul-stirring shade of emerald green.

The light shone brilliantly, streaking over his head and falling towards the distant deep mountains. Vaguely, he seemed to hear a mournful cry. After a slight hesitation, his figure turned into an afterimage, racing towards the direction where the emerald green had disappeared.

When Lin Luo quietly landed on a horizontal branch of an ancient tree and parted the leaves to look down, he was stunned.

A dragon from Western fantasy legends?

It was a giant dragon entirely covered in emerald green scales, its appearance no different from a traditional fire dragon. Although its size was massive, it wasn't exaggerated. But the most shocking thing was—a giant sword was deeply embedded in its back, and terrifying energy was constantly leaking from the wound, with a thick scent of blood permeating the entire mountain forest.

The dragon suddenly opened its eyes, its golden vertical pupils instantly locking onto Lin Luo on the tree.

"Human, get lost!" Its voice was heavy but couldn't hide its weakness, with an undisguised disgust in its tone. Its mouth opened slightly, and a flame was gathering within.

Lin Luo immediately jumped down from the branch and raised his hands to show he meant no harm: "Please wait..."

Fortunately, the dragon was indeed weak to the extreme. The giant sword piercing through its back was constantly grinding away its majestic vitality. If it wasn't removed in time, only death awaited it.

The originally gathered flame, due to lack of strength, eventually only turned into a few wisps of blue smoke, slowly dissipating in the air.

Seeing this, Lin Luo leaped onto the dragon's back. The dragon barely lifted its eyelids, feeling this human approaching that fatal wound on its spine.

"Hey! You, what are you doing, you insolent human?!" The dragon was both shocked and angry, but its weak body left it without even the strength to swing its tail, and it could only protest verbally, "Get off! Don't even think about touching that sword! That's not something you fragile humans can touch... Argh!"

Before it could finish speaking, it felt its back lighten. That "fragile" human in its words had already pulled out the giant sword that had tortured it for so long and emitted an ominous aura, with a "pop" sound, as if pulling out a toy sword stuck in a sofa crack.

The expected scene of the human being turned into charcoal by the backlash of Divine Power didn't happen. Not only was the guy fine, but he also weighed the sword in his hand a couple of times, as if disliking the sword's design for not being beautiful enough.

"Wait... you're fine?" The dragon's vertical pupils widened, looking at this unharmed human in disbelief. What surprised it even more was that the person casually flicked away the blood on the sword, and the entire sword vanished into thin air.

"Eh? Where's the sword?"

The giant dragon's face was filled with question marks. The fatal crisis that had troubled it for so long was just casually resolved like that?

This human... just what is his background, hey?!