Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

As the song drew closer, Bai Yu and Cheng Yu in his slime form finally recognized the singer.

He was a bard dressed in magnificent clothes. He sat on a rock in the valley, holding an exquisite harp in his arms. His slender fingers gently plucked the strings, and a melodious tune flowed out like a clear spring.

His singing is full of stories, as if taking people into an ancient and mysterious world.

"This...is he really a bard?" Bai Yu said in surprise. "To actually encounter a bard in a place like this?"

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that either,” Cheng Yu said in his slime form. “However, this might be a good opportunity for us to ask him about the situation here.”

Because Cheng Yu's slime form was too peculiar in appearance, Bai Yu decided to go up and ask him himself in order to avoid scaring him.

He straightened his clothes, walked slowly to the bard, bowed politely, and said, "Respected bard, hello! I am Bai Yu, and my companion Cheng Yu and I were passing by when we were captivated by your singing. May I trouble you for a moment to ask you some questions?"

The bard stopped playing, raised his head, and smiled at Bai Yu. His eyes shone with wisdom, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.

“Of course, distinguished guests from afar,” said the bard, his voice as melodious as his music. “What are your questions?”

"Excuse me, where is this place?" Bai Yu asked. "We came out of a secret room and have no idea about our surroundings."

"This is Black Dragon Valley," the bard replied, "a place full of legends."

"Black Dragon Valley?" Bai Yu and Cheng Yu in his slime form exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. They had never heard of this name before.

"Could you please tell me the story of Black Dragon Valley in detail?" Bai Yu asked.

“Of course,” said the bard. “That’s exactly what I love to do.”

He placed the harp on his lap and gently plucked the strings. The melodious tune rose again, drawing people into an ancient and mysterious story.

“Long, long ago, Black Dragon Valley was not like this.” The bard began slowly, his voice blending perfectly with the music, captivating all who heard it. “Back then, Black Dragon Valley was filled with the smell of sulfur, and it was full of bare rocks, devoid of any sign of life.”

"Then why did it turn out like this?" Bai Yu couldn't help but ask.

"Because of the arrival of a great and righteous black dragon," the bard said. "He defeated the two tyrannical dragons that had ruled this place and turned their corpses into nourishment, which he scattered throughout the valley."

"A black dragon?" Bai Yu was even more surprised. "I've never heard of a black dragon with a heart of justice."

“The world is vast and full of wonders,” the bard said with a smile. “This black dragon is a truly unique being. He not only possesses immense power, but also a kind heart.”

"And then what?" Cheng Yu, in his slime form, couldn't help but ask, "What happened to that black dragon afterward?"

"He completed his mission and left to continue his journey," the bard said. "And Black Dragon Valley, nourished by the nutrients he left behind, has evolved over countless years into the paradise it is today."

The bard's tale deeply captivated Bai Yu and Cheng Yu in his slime form. They felt as if they had witnessed firsthand the earth-shattering dragon battle and the long journey of Black Dragon Valley from desolation to prosperity.

"It's truly a touching story," Bai Yu remarked. "Thank you for sharing it with us."

“You’re welcome,” the bard said. “It is my honor to tell this story to more people.”

When the song ended, the bard rose and prepared to leave.

"What are your plans next?" the bard asked.

“We…we don’t know either,” Bai Yu said. “We just want to find the Northern Wolf Tribe as soon as possible.”

"The Northern Wolf Tribe?" The bard thought for a moment. "I seem to have heard of that name before, but that must have been a long time ago. The North is no longer the domain of the wolves."

"Then... what's the situation in the north now?" Cheng Yu asked in his slime form.

"The north is currently a chaotic place," the bard said. "Various races are constantly at war over territory. If you are going to the north, you must be very careful."

"Thank you for reminding us," Bai Yu said. "We will be careful."

“Well then, I wish you good luck,” said the bard. “I hope you find your destination soon.”

After saying this, he picked up his harp, turned and left, walking further and further away until he disappeared into the depths of the valley.

"What did he say to you?" Cheng Yu, in his slime form, emerged from the shadows and asked Bai Ning, "I think I just heard him mention a black dragon?"

“...Uh, he said this place is called Black Dragon Valley, and then the two black dragons here were killed by a more powerful and righteous black dragon. Then the two black dragons were used as nourishment by the righteous black dragon, and then this valley became like this. Hmm, that should be the story, right?” Bai Yu said. “Then, he seemed to mean that this place is not in the north, and the history of the northern wolf clan is a long time ago.”

"Huh? What does this mean? It means the Northern Wolf Clan is gone. Damn it, we've come to another timeline. Why are we jumping around like this? We still need to find Bowen. What are we going to do now?" Cheng Yu, in his slime form, said in a state of near collapse. He was utterly fed up with these time jumps.

"..." Bai Yu said, "What else can we do? This time, we'll just find Bowen and fight him directly, right? Damn it, if we continue like this, we'll be trapped here forever sooner or later."

“Alright, I’ll do as you say,” Cheng Yu said in his slime form. “Anyway, with you here, I’m not afraid.”

The two continued on their way, heading north along a path through the valley.

After walking for about half an hour, they suddenly heard a strange sound.

"What...what is that sound?" Bai Yu asked, puzzled.

"It sounds like... someone is talking?" Cheng Yu said in his slime form.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of wariness in each other's eyes.

They moved quietly, following the direction from which the sound came, and approached stealthily.

Soon, they saw the owner of the voice.

That was... a slime?

There stood a giant slime covered in tentacles, talking to a bard lying on the ground.

"You...you stay away!" the bard on the ground cried out in terror. "What...what kind of monster are you?"

"I'm not a monster!" the slime said. "I'm Cheng Yu. I just want to ask you, where is this place..."

"Cheng Yu?" Bai Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized, "Isn't that your slime body?"

“Yeah…” Cheng Yu in his slime form was also a little embarrassed. “I don’t know what happened either. Anyway, all you need to know is this. As long as everything is alright, I can explain it if necessary.”

Just now, Cheng Yu, in his slime form, suddenly felt something stirring inside his body.

Before he could react, the slime body that he had separated from itself suddenly came out on its own and transformed into a huge monster covered in tentacles.

What embarrassed him even more was that this slime body had actually scared the bard he had encountered earlier into fainting.

"You...you...you..." Bai Yu pointed at the giant slime, then at the bard lying on the ground, unsure of what to say.

"I...I really didn't mean to..." Cheng Yu said in his slime form, "I didn't know it would turn out like this..."

"Never mind..." Bai Yu sighed helplessly, "Now is not the time to talk about this. Let's see how this bard is doing first."

The two approached the bard and found that he had simply fainted and was not injured.

"It's alright, he just fainted," Bai Yu said. "Let's carry him to that tree over there and let him rest for a bit."

“Okay.” Cheng Yu, in his slime form, nodded.

So the two of them worked together to lift the bard to the tree and let him sit against the trunk.

"What do we do next?" Cheng Yu, in his slime form, asked. "Should we wake him up?"

"Let's wait a bit," Bai Yu said. "He was quite frightened just now, let him rest a little longer."

“Hmm.” Cheng Yu, in his slime form, nodded.

The two sat down under the tree and waited quietly for the bard to wake up.

"Seriously, can't you just let this extra clone of yours go back? It's really awkward to watch..."

"Uh, I'll give it a try. Who knows why he suddenly split off a part of me?"

After a brief attempt, he successfully retrieved the other clone.

After about ten minutes, the bard finally slowly opened his eyes.

The bard slowly awoke, his eyelids fluttering slightly like butterfly wings. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a patchwork of shadows cast by trees. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, dancing on his face like playful little sprites.

He blinked, trying to clear his head. Then, his gaze fell on the tall, imposing tiger-beastman beside him. That familiar face instantly brought back memories of what had happened before.

"A monster...a monster! There's a monster!" The bard sat up abruptly, grabbing Bai Yu's arm so hard his nails almost dug into his flesh, his voice trembling like a candle flame flickering in the wind, "We...we have to run!"

His body trembled violently with fear, his eyes filled with terror and unease, like a frightened fawn staring intently at his surroundings, afraid that a terrifying monster might suddenly emerge from some corner.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, there are no monsters, there are no monsters." Bai Yu quickly patted the bard's back gently with his other hand, trying to soothe his agitated emotions. His voice was deep and gentle, like a warm spring breeze, comforting the bard's frightened heart. "Look, it's safe here. There are no monsters like you mentioned."

Standing to the side, Cheng Yu watched this dramatic scene unfold and awkwardly scratched his head. He felt completely ignored, but he didn't know how to start a conversation. After all, it was his other form that had just frightened the poor bard into fainting; what if he opened his mouth again and frightened him into fainting again?

“But…but I clearly saw it just now…” The bard was still shaken, clutching Bai Yu’s arm tightly as if it were his only lifeline. “A…a huge, tentacled…slime…”

“That’s not a monster,” Bai Yu explained patiently. “That’s…that’s my friend, Cheng Yu. He…he has some special abilities. He can…he can transform into different forms.”