Chapter 784: 538, Lin Xi Returns, the Path of the Hero

“Dark Shadow, can you give me an autograph?”

On the dragon’s head, Lia gathered her courage, holding a notebook with both hands.

“Well, can you?”

After waiting a while with no response, Lia cautiously tilted her head up, sneaking a glance at the other party.

Dark Shadow rested his chin in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

“Oh, an autograph? Nope, not signing.”

Lin Da decisively rejected Lia.

“Huh?” Lia was dumbfounded.

Ignoring Lia’s crestfallen face, Lin Da turned his attention to the dragon beneath him.

Better try Witch Purification before the Experience Card time runs out.

Even if Lin Xi couldn’t revert to human form, recovering her consciousness would be something.

Lin Xi, the double agent who defected to the Demons, must have critical insider information.

The purpose behind coming to Dragon’s Rest Tomb, the truth about Evelyn’s betrayal…

If he pried open Lin Xi’s secrets, he might obtain his answers.

Lin Da half-squatted on the ground, placing both hands on the dragon’s head.

He silently whispered, “Purify!”

A burst of emerald light erupted violently; the dragon writhed in agony, as though being cooked in a boiling vat of oil.

The massive creature trembled midair, letting out a pained howl.

“What’s happening?”

Lia and Anna screamed and almost fell off, clutching the dragon’s scales as their skirts fluttered in the wind.

Lin Da’s situation was considerably better, his feet firmly anchored to the dragon with magic power, steady like bedrock.

The purification force ramped up, causing white steam to rise from the dragon’s body. The stench was nasty–something like rotting fish and shrimp.

Corruption, truly vile stuff.

Simultaneously, the resistance in the dragon’s eyes diminished. Its flight steadied, seemingly recognizing that the emerald energy was aiding it.

[System Notice: You have perceived the Witch (Abnormal State) Lin Xi. Would you like to bind?]

Here we go!

Lin Da’s eyes lit up.

No need to think about it–it’s a must!

[System Notice: Binding successful. Witch Lin Xi (Abnormal State) Trust Level: 99. Trust rewards cannot be unlocked.]

Abnormal state?

Looks like she has to return to human form to claim the reward.

Lin Da mused quietly. A Trust Level of 99 was the highest he had ever seen among the girls he’d encountered so far.

This filled him with a sense of gratification. Blood ties run deep–even in Another World, where familial bonds ceased to exist–their connection was something ordinary people could never achieve.

Too bad Lia is not a witch; he couldn’t see her trust level. He wondered if it could surpass Lin Xi’s.

Failing to access Lin Xi’s Trust Level reward was bad news. The good news, however, was that once the system bound her, the purification intensity multiplied dozens of times!

Sizzle sizzle!

Lin Da seemed to be wielding an enormous emerald brush, poking and scrubbing randomly inside the dragon’s body. Wherever there was corruption, he swept it clean.

Three minutes later.

Sweating bullets, Lin Da collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted.

It was more tiring than fighting a battle.

The surface-layer corruption in the dragon’s body was mostly cleaned up, but deeper internal corruption couldn’t be resolved in such a short time.

Wendy’s condition was far better than Lin Xi’s–it had already taken a month. For Lin Xi, the timeline would likely double.

Gasping for breath as he sat on the ground, Lin Da knocked against the dragon’s massive head with frustration and said helplessly, “Just wait till you transform back–I’ll teach you a lesson then.”

Lin Xi’s original intention wasn’t wrong; she wanted to rely on herself to resolve the Witch’s Corruption. But the ultimate outcome caused the team severe harm. During the first half year of Lin Xi’s absence, Snow Goose was despondent, nearly to the point of disbanding, Lia grew much quieter and withdrawn.

Today, to rescue her, the three had risked their lives to come. Without the Experience Card, Lin Xi would’ve roasted them alive.

“What am I supposed to say to you?” Lin Da shook his head.

At that moment, the dragon raised its claw and reached out to the air, scratching at nothing.

Lin Da found this baffling. “What are you up to? There aren’t any mosquitoes up there.”

He squinted, noticing black magic power emanating from the dragon’s claws, forming crooked letters:

“(#^.^#) Then I won’t transform back–being a dragon is pretty awesome.”

On the dragon’s back, wind roared past as white clouds resembled silky sheets, streaking by swiftly.

Lin Da’s black hair fluttered wildly.

His eyes grew wider and wider in disbelief.

Lia and Anna were also frozen in shock.

This cheeky tone–it really seemed familiar!

Lin Da was visibly unsettled. “Am I seeing this right?”

Lia beamed with excitement. “Lin Xi! Lin Xi is back!”

Hearing her proclamation snapped Lin Da out of his daze. Reality rushed back to him, grounding his feet again as he emerged from his stupor.

He touched the corner of his eye–it was moist.

“Damn you, Lin Xi. Do you know how worried we were about you?” Lin Da slapped the dragon’s head with a firm thud.

The dragon whimpered in a pitiful voice, “I was wrong, please forgive me.”

“Acting cute won’t work. Apologize properly!”

“Exactly! You made me so mad!”

Lia placed her hands on her hips, her demeanor aggressive.

The dragon lowered its head slightly and used its claw to write three large magic characters: “I’m sorry.”

Its enormous head drooped, displaying an appropriately guilty expression.

Softened by the display, Lia responded, “But we’re friends, after all. We wouldn’t ever truly stay mad at you. Aiko and Klrona miss you deeply too.”

Lin Da wasn’t so easily convinced, still suspecting that the dragon wasn’t fully sincere. Lin Xi’s cleverness often meant she might actually be silently laughing inside about how easily they forgave her.

“Roar roar, thank you, Lia! Lia is my favorite!”

The black text materialized once again. This time it left Lia blushing as she awkwardly scratched her head, slightly huffing in self-consciousness.

Clearly, she had been sweet-talked into submission.

Lin Da wasn’t letting it slide. “First, transform back! You’re way too conspicuous as a giant dragon.”

“Uh, well…”

“What?”

The dragon whimpered softly. “I want to transform, but… I can’t.”

“What?!”

Lin Da’s brow furrowed tightly.

Books did mention that once a witch turned into a Catastrophe Beast, there was no hope of reverting.

Lin Xi being able to reclaim her consciousness was already a stroke of luck amidst catastrophe.

The mood in the air grew heavy.

Lia offered comfort, saying, “It’s okay! Even if you’re stuck as a dragon, you’re still my friend. From now on, I’ll ride you instead!”

There’s a profession called Dragon Knight–man and dragon united, their battle strength multiplied.

The somber atmosphere was dispelled instantly as Lin Da chuckled wryly. If true riding were to happen, there was no way Lia would get the honors. Besides, how could he let his sister remain in dragon form forever? Being human came with countless joys that dragonhood couldn’t compare to.

It looked like gradual purification and observation of effects were the only options.

Nonetheless, there had to be a way to revert her.

Lin Da’s eyes flashed coldly as he realized that witches signed contracts with the Demon King to become like this.

If he could slay the contract’s wielder, the contract’s power would naturally dissipate.

Reflecting on his six-year journey in Another World, Lin Da couldn’t help but sense the faint traces of “destiny.”

From the moment he became a Hero, regardless of his personal wishes, his experiences ultimately steered him toward defeating the Demon King.

The Mystic Continent’s millennia of history recorded dozens of Heroes. Lin Da had studied their chronicles–all of them shared an unyielding hatred for the Demon King.

Each Hero successfully sealed the Demon King, leaving behind an era-defining legend.

Lin Da clenched his fist, silently vowing that he would succeed too.

Not only did he possess the powerful skill [Blessing of the World Tree Goddess], he also had a golden-haired Deity by his side.

His trump cards far exceeded those of prior Heroes.

Previous Heroes had sealed the Demon King.

This time, Lin Da intended to eliminate all threats.

To kill the Demon King… once and for all!