Hearing the conversation between them, Paul had to use every ounce of his willpower to stop himself from losing control.
He didn't allow anyone to disrespect him, much less his women.
Yet here he was standing guard and trembling from rage he could barely control, hearing as his lover was insulted by her own family.
-Matriarch, call off the hunter. I am no slave, and even when I became one for a short while, I had my reasons for it.
Fei Fei said, hoping to resolve this matter peacefully.
Not that she could do anything with her pitiful cultivation level against a hunter specializing in capturing runaway dragons, and at the highest stage of cultivation this realm allowed.
-I don't suppose you will tell me these reasons, will you?
The matriarch sneered again, with pure disdain.
-I had to gain someone's trust and didn't have much time to do so; that's why I became a slave for a while.
Fei Fei answered honestly, but she was certain her mother would not accept that as a valid reason.
-This has to be some kind of joke.
If a human is not capable of trusting a dragon on their word, then there is no reason at all to even gain their trust.
What's more, such a human is simply looking down on our race.
The sheer idea that you had to do it is disgusting to say the least.
What's more, you even got yourself branded like cattle, just to gain someone's trust.
I have no words to describe how humiliating it is to even hear about it.
-I was never branded; he does not use branding to form a contract.
I was marked by magic, and the moment the contract got canceled, the mark disappeared.
Fei Fei tried to explain.
-Like I'd believe that.
Since ancient times, the only way to form a slavery contract was through branding.
-Fei Fei, end this.
Suddenly, Paul's deadly calm voice interrupted the conversation.
-I'd had about enough of hearing this old hag, finding holes in your words.
It's clear as day that she has no intention of believing you or calling off the hunter.
This was her first time hearing Paul's voice become so eerily calm, yet at the same time cold and full of fury like a blizzard in the dragon mountains.
-Besides, we already gave them the information, and what they do with it is their problem, not ours.
The Emerald Dragon matriarch was speechless at the tone she heard from a man she could not see.
It was the first time anyone dared to speak to her like that, and he even dared to call her an old hag.
-Who are you?
How dare you insult me and meddle in our affairs?
She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Never in her entire long life was she so disrespected and humiliated.
-I'm Fei Fei's man, and her future husband.
Paul answered seriously, shocking both dragons, as this was the first time he openly revealed his intention to marry Fei Fei.
-Even if you want to marry her, there is no way for you to do it without my approval, and as her mother, I will never approve.
The matriarch shouted in anger.
-Funny, a moment ago you declared that she's not your daughter.
Since that's the case, she doesn't need your approval at all and can do what she wants.
Additionally, you banished her, not caring if she survived or not.
Some mother you are.
Paul said, with a sneer.
The matriarch was once again speechless when her own words were used against her.
What's worse, she could not refute his words, which infuriated her even more.
-How dare you insult the matriarch?
A deep and angry voice resounded behind the human.
Paul turned around only to see a fist flying straight at his face, right before he got his and flung through the air, hitting a tree.
-For the crime of offending the Dragon clans, you will pay with your life.
The hunter roared, and before Paul could even get up, he was kicked, and he not only felt but also heard a few of his ribs breaking from the force of the hit, before he flew through the air again, hitting another tree and falling to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Seeing this, Fei Fei dropped the crystal and rushed at the hunter, gathering all her power for the attack, despite knowing that it was futile.
The Hunters of the dragon clans were immune to all dragon attacks, but at the moment, all she was thinking about was saving Paul, even if the price for that was her own life.
Seeing this, the hunter avoided her attack and struck her down, aiming at the base of her skull, which was a weak spot.
One hit was all it took for Fei Fei to lose consciousness.
The assailant grabbed her by her armor and lifted her like a bag, before he started to walk away, only to be stopped by an animalistic roar and a surge of energy he never expected to see from a heavily wounded human.
When Paul saw Fei Fei fall, he lost all reason and all the brakes holding his rage, disappeared.
All the Qi and mana in the area started gathering in his body, making his cultivation skyrocket all the way to the peak of the bone refining stage.
He charged at the hunter, like a madman, gathering all his power into one hand, mixing mana and Qi to form an energy ball the size of a basketball around his fist.
The hunter, for the first time since the fight began, felt threatened.
He had never seen this kind of attack, and even if he was immune to dragon attacks, he was not immune to human attacks.
Deciding not to risk tanking the attack, he avoided it with ease thanks to his superior speed before connecting his fist with the human's head once again, sending him flying into the river, where the unconscious human was taken by the current.
-Matriarch, it is done, the exile is in my hands, and the human is dead.
The hunter reported picking up the crystal.
-Are you certain that he is dead?
-Yes, matriarch, I didn't hold back with the last hit, and even if he somehow survived it, there is no way for him to survive the river; there are many water beasts downstream, and he is unconscious at the very least, so he will either drown or be eaten, most likely both.
Good, bring the disgrace back, for her punishment.
-As you command.
What about the draconian temple that they told the young lady about?
The hunter asked.
-It will be taken care of by someone else.
By the way, did you manage to get the items we wanted?
-Yes, I did.
The hunter wanted to show them to the matriarch, only to discover that his pendant was missing.
-The human had to tear off my spatial device with his last attack.
The hunter said with anger.
- I'll go find him immediately.
-Don't bother, by now the current had swept him far away, or he might have already been eaten by some water creature.
We can manage without these items; just make sure you bring her back alive, she has a lot to answer for.
The matriarch said, and the crystal became transparent once again.
Without wasting any more time, the hunter took out a crystal emanating golden light from his second spatial device he carried with him just in case he lost the primary one.
Grabbed still unconscious Fei Fei, before breaking the crystal and disappearing in a pillar of golden light.