Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3157: Chapter 3158: Duo Yi

”What is the attitude of the Hundred-Dragon Divine Kingdom towards Baba Ragon now?” Angel asked curiously.

”On the surface, there is no particular attitude, but secretly they are still in contact with Baba Ragon, hoping it will return to the Hundred-Dragon Divine Kingdom.” Luigi paused for a moment, a crooked smile on his lips: ”Though I don’t know what Baba Ragon thinks, for now, it seems there hasn’t been any progress.”

Angel nodded with understanding. This was a typical childhood trauma; healing such scars wasn’t easy.

”Is Baba Ragon avoiding the multi-clan gathering out of fear of meeting guests from the Hundred-Dragon Divine Kingdom?”

Luigi shook his head: ”No, it just purely doesn’t want to go. It’s been working on some secret project and hasn’t left Pipi Castle for over ten years.”

”Secret project?” Angel was curious, what project could a Mirror Dragon be working on?

”I don’t know what the project is; I’ve asked it, but it didn’t say. However, from some details I’ve observed...”

Luigi suddenly stopped halfway, his eyes glowing as he looked toward a golden dome lying on the Immortal Mirror Sea not far away: ”Found it! That’s Pipi Castle!”

Luigi excitedly maneuvered the Mirror Corridor, directly connecting to the golden dome’s interior.

In an instant, they arrived in front of the dome.

However, Luigi did not enter the dome immediately, but rather signaled Angel to remain calm for now.

Though Angel had doubts, he didn’t ask immediately, choosing to stand silently aside and wait.

After about three minutes, a small stout figure emerged from the golden dome, entering the Mirror Corridor where they stood.

This was a green-skinned little dwarf, with a purple cloth cap wrapped around its head, a delicate feather inserted in the middle of the cap. Its attire was also a purple, gold-edged robe, appearing quite affluent.

Though its looks were somewhat too sloppy.

Its eyes were large like cow eyes, occupying almost a third of its face, without a nasal bridge, only two nostrils, a thin mouth showing crooked blue teeth inside. The cloth cap was wrapped tightly, making it unclear if it had hair.

Overall, it resembled a version of a goblin from storybooks with no nose.

So this is... Pirush?

While Angel examined the figure, the dwarf squinted its eyes, looking Angel and Luigi over carefully. After confirming they were not familiar, it arrogantly raised its head: ”You two unwelcome humans who intruded into Pipi Castle, do you know you’ve disturbed your Lord Duo Yi’s Beautiful Dream!”

Baring teeth and stomping feet, along with its arrogant expression and hoarse voice, it looked very punchable.

Although Angel was meeting Pirush for the first time, he now somewhat understood why the major tribes of the Daylight Mirror Domain didn’t like Pirush.

If Pirush’s average behavior was like this... then everyone’s disdain is understandable.

”Who is Lord Duo Yi?” Luigi asked, ”I remember the guard was Little Labi, wasn’t it?”

”Li-Li-Little Labi? How dare you call Labi Lord like that?” The dwarf suddenly retreated a few steps, holding amusingly the corridor’s edge with both hands, scanning Luigi up and down with suspicious eyes.

”Little Labi in your mouth is Lord?” Luigi laughed: ”Seems like you’re doing worse than Little Labi... why don’t you call Little Labi over and I’ll chat with him?”

”Who-Who are you?” The dwarf’s expression hesitated a bit, the other dared to call Lord like this, appearing fearless, making it suspect the visitors might be big figures it couldn’t afford to offend.

”Never mind who I am, go and call Little Labi, or bring out Goo Egg, either is fine. Usually, they both guard the door, I’ll talk to them.”

”Goo Egg Lord?” The dwarf swallowed its saliva, its eyes rolling: ”You actually know their names, do you know who I am?”

Luigi: ”No, who are you?”

The dwarf exhaled a long breath: ”Good you don’t know who I am, goodbye...!”

The dwarf turned around and ran, in a blink nearly rushing into the golden dome.

Seeing this, Luigi understood clearly this Pirush was scared...

Luigi didn’t stop the dwarf, but Angel beside him whispered: ”Isn’t he Duo Yi?”

The running dwarf suddenly halted, turned back to Angel, shouting: ”I am not Lord Duo Yi! I’m not!”

Angel nodded: ”Alright, Duo Yi.”

”I said I’m not Lord Duo Yi, this Lord is not Duo Yi!”

Angel remained silent, Luigi casually responded: ”So your name is Duo Yi, I got it. Later I’ll chat with Little Labi about you.”

Upon hearing this, Duo Yi turned and ran to Luigi, kneeling on both feet, eyes filled with tears, bowing vehemently to Luigi: ”Please, don’t, don’t, Lord...”

This dramatic scene made Angel wonder if he had come to the wrong set.

He was supposed to come to Pipi Castle, not the Extinguished Torch Academy, right?

Arrogant a moment ago, and now kneeling with tears, what kind of scene is this?

Angel could guess Duo Yi’s thoughts; probably realizing it had offended someone it shouldn’t... but without any evidence, only Luigi calling for Little Labi makes it afraid, is there really no problem with that?

”Weren’t we the unwelcome humans? When did we become Lords instead?” Luigi raised an eyebrow and looked around.

Duo Yi: ”Duo Yi is wrong, Duo Yi deserves punishment.”

”What punishment? And what about the physical punishment?” Luigi continued asking.

Duo Yi: ”Just punish me by kneeling, I have already kneeled! As for physical punishment, I’ll hit my own face!”

While speaking, Duo Yi applied a series of slaps on its own face.

The invisible effect can be said to be maxed out, but Angel saw clearly that Duo Yi’s hand touched the face, yet his face turned faster, seeming like slapping—but actually didn’t exert strength, purely making it look shocking and was performed vigorously.

For this, Angel again felt speechless.

This guy isn’t here to be funny, right? How about recommending you to the Extinguished Torch Academy for further study?

”Alright, alright.” Luigi waved to stop.

Duo Yi stopped without hesitation, his face showing no trace of redness.

Luigi rubbed his slightly swollen temple; though it was not his first time encountering Pirush, Pirush’s thick face skin and shameless boldness refresh his limits every time.

”I’m too lazy to say anything to you. Just get Xiao Labi or Gudan out here and register us. I’ve got business with Baba Ragon in the city.”

Upon hearing Baba Ragon’s name, a mixture of relief and unease filled Duo Yi’s eyes.

Anyone who could talk to Baba Ragon was certainly no weakling. After all, Baba Ragon was a genuine member of the Mirror Dragon Clan.

Luckily, he quickly realized that the visitor was someone important. Otherwise, if he had offended them, he might not be alive now...

Alongside feeling relieved, Duo Yi felt somewhat proud, and mused about his sharp eye: As expected of me, Lord Duo Yi, with a keen eye.

Duo Yi’s changing expressions seemed puzzling to Luigi, but to Angel, they were simply frustrating and speechless.

Angel had Hyper Perception, allowing him to be very sensitive when judging emotions. Duo Yi’s emotions were laid bare before Angel, simple emotions pairing with simple eyes—what’s on his mind was almost like a textbook spread out in front of him.

Because he understood Duo Yi’s inner thoughts, Angel felt speechless.

Are all members of the Pi Luoxiu Clan like this?

After feeling proud, Duo Yi spoke in a flattering tone, ”Great, great, great lord, it’s not that I don’t want to call Lord Labi and Lord Gudan...”

Luigi, hearing the string of ’greats,’ only felt his head buzzing and quickly interrupted, ”Stop that, leave out all unnecessary suffix titles, don’t worry, I won’t tell Xiao Labi and Gudan about it.”

Upon hearing this, Duo Yi immediately changed his attitude from respectful to compliant, saying, ”I understand, great lord. It’s like this: Xiao Labi and Xiao Gudan are currently not at Pipi Castle. These two little guys went to Crystal City. You should know, great lord, that today there’s a gathering at Crystal City, organized by the great Pi Luoxiu Clan, so the majority of the Pi Luoxius have already gone to Crystal City. Here, only poor, helpless, new guard Duo Yi is left to watch over things.”

Luigi: ”...” You switched gears a bit fast, didn’t you? One second it’s great lord, the next you’re referring to your superiors as little brats.

Angel: ”...” The pity act won’t work.

Luigi coughed lightly, ”So you’re saying, aside from you, there’s no one else here now?”

Duo Yi nodded, ”That’s right.”

Luigi sighed, ”Alright, it’ll be you then. Register us... Don’t worry, I’ve been here many times; I know your rules. You can first contact Baba Ragon and tell him someone named Luigi is here to see him. I suppose I don’t need to say more?”

Duo Yi quickly nodded, although he still didn’t know who Luigi was, speaking with such certainty must mean he’s quite the remarkable person.

However, Duo Yi turned to look at Angel, ”What about this great lord?”

Angel didn’t speak, Luigi answered for him, ”Same here, we’re both here to see Baba Ragon.”

Duo Yi said no more but respectfully bowed his head, ”Please wait half a minute, I will contact Baba Ragon right away.”

Duo Yi turned and left.

Luigi gave Angel some information, ”Entering Pipi Castle requires registration for an entry permit. But there are differences in registration. If you’re a tourist, you need to spend at least three hundred crystalline at Pipi Castle. If you don’t meet the spending limit, you can’t leave. For someone like me who is here to meet someone or has other reasons to enter Pipi Castle, there’s no spending limit.”

Hearing this explanation, Angel could only think: The Pi Luoxiu Clan’s socioeconomic ideas are quite advanced... Just a bit too advanced.

Angel: ”Are all members of the Pi Luoxiu Clan like Duo Yi?”

Luigi: ”You mean the personality? Or... the thick skin?”

Angel: ”...Both.”

Luigi chuckled, ”Speaking of personality, they’re generally sycophantic but cowardly. Of course, there are exceptions, though rare. But they do have strengths: they’re very astute, as you’ve just seen.”

Angel: ”Quick to change direction...” So quick that Angel hadn’t even reacted before they started groveling.

Luigi nodded, ”As for the thick skin, well, their personality explains it. Their skin is similar—thick and shameless, you could say it’s their trait. In my opinion, it has its pros and cons.”

”The Pi Luoxiu Clan has quite weak power themselves, so if they want to carve out a path among the Mirror Domain’s various clans, they have to be unconventional.”

”Or maybe this is just the Pi Luoxiu’s way of survival.”

Luigi, saying this, looked at Angel, ”Just like earlier, he was cursing humans as despicable, and the next moment he knelt down, crying and begging for mercy. Weren’t you baffled then? Initially, you wanted to kill him, but suddenly you lost interest, right?”

Angel: ”... Baffled indeed, but I wasn’t set on killing him.”

”You’re different.” Luigi spread his hands and shrugged, ”Anyway, my point is, perhaps they’re unaware, but indeed they’re surviving through rather unique means.”

Angel: ”Actually, if they weren’t so foul-mouthed, maybe they wouldn’t have to grovel for mercy?”

By going from effect to cause, they’re putting the cart before the horse, aren’t they?

Luigi: ”You’re spot on, but unfortunately it’s hard to address. Because that’s the Pi Luoxiu’s temperament, that’s why all the other clans dislike them.”

Luigi was talking about personality, but he actually meant group traits.

Not every personality is the same, but group traits have similarities. It’s difficult to change this from the bottom up.

”When I first came to Pipi Castle, I met Xiao Labi, who was just like Duo Yi today. Unfortunately, Xiao Labi isn’t here.” Luigi paused, ”But that’s actually good. If Xiao Labi were here, you’d probably have a different first impression of the Pi Luoxiu. Seeing Duo Yi showcases the true spirit of the Pi Luoxiu.”

Angel: ”...”

They hadn’t chatted for long before Duo Yi came bounding back. The feather on his hat swayed, looking like a wagging tail, with Duo Yi’s ingratiating face unmistakably showing friendliness.

”Honorable, great, great, great lord...”

”Shut up, speak normally.”

”I mean, two great lords, Lord Baba Ragon already knows of your arrival and is warmly waiting at home.”

Luigi rolled his eyes, ”Do you think I’d believe that? Don’t exaggerate. I know him better than you. He’s probably grumbling about me interrupting his research, certainly not saying anything like warm welcome... Oh, and the permits?”

With polite awkwardness, Duo Yi chuckled, taking out two cards from his pocket, ”Two great lords, these are your entry permits. I hope you have an enjoyable experience at Pipi Castle.”

Luigi took the permits, handing one to Angel.

The permit was a golden card with a simple Pi Luoxiu drawing printed on it. The drawing showed a Pi Luoxiu with a big smile, seemingly welcoming the guests.

”Let’s go, or we’ll be late.” Luigi beckoned Angel as they exited the Mirror Corridor.

Soon, their figures vanished under the golden dome.