...
Given the presence of Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader of the three upper sects, and Gu Rong, a titled Douluo, with the Crown Prince Xue Qinghe personally mediating, Liu Erlong could only suppress her anger no matter how much she was burning inside.
With a dark expression, she didn't even bother to straighten her disheveled red outfit.
She simply snorted coldly, turned around, and gestured for the group of people to enter the academy.
"Yu Tianheng, take the main force back to the academy.
Remember what I just said, everyone will have extra training today.
Anyone who dares to slack off will have their bones loosened by me personally tomorrow."
Xuan Hao turned around and gave instructions to Yu Tianheng.
"I understand..." Yu Tianheng sighed helplessly, resignedly leading the mighty group of five hundred people away.
As for Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, Xuan Hao left them behind.
Ye Lingling is the same age as Xuan Hao, but she has a rather aloof personality.
Of course, since meeting Xuan Hao, she can no longer be aloof even if she wants to.
I'm forced to socialize every day.
Especially now that Dugu Yan has reached level 30 or above, she will be in charge of the Tian Dou level, while Ye Lingling will be in charge of the Tian Wei level.
...
Blue Tyrant Academy, waiting room.
After everyone took their seats, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Liu Erlong sat in the main seat, his face gloomy, clutching the teacup tightly in his hand, as if the cup were Xuan Hao's head.
"Alright, let's skip the formalities."
Xuan Hao didn't drink any tea; he simply stood up and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe.
"Sect Leader Ning, Bone Douluo, Your Highness, please rest here for a while.
Dean Liu and I have some private matters to discuss."
As he spoke, he looked at Liu Erlong, his chin slightly raised:
"Dean Liu, would you lead the way? Let's find a quiet place?"
A flash of anger crossed Liu Erlong's eyes, but after glancing at Gu Rong, who was leisurely sipping his tea beside him, he held back.
"Come with me."
She coldly uttered a sentence, then got up and walked towards the side hall.
Xuan Hao handed Na'er over to Dugu Yan, then put his hands in his pockets and leisurely followed.
"Bang!"
As soon as the two entered the side hall, the door was slammed shut.
Before Xuan Hao could even speak...
"call--"
A fragrant breeze wafted over, followed by a sudden tightening of the collar.
Liu Erlong's hands, though injured, were still strong.
She grabbed Xuan Hao by the collar, lifted him up, and slammed him against the wall!
"explain!!"
Liu Erlong's face, though the swelling had subsided, still bore some bruises.
She approached Xuan Hao, her eyes bloodshot, and she growled through gritted teeth:
"What exactly did you do to me?!"
"Why am I..."
She paused here, a hint of shame, indignation, and panic flashing in her eyes.
That dream was so real, so real, that it captivated her, making her willing to let down her guard even in the midst of battle.
But that's fake!
It was that little rascal who did it!
Suspended in mid-air, Xuan Hao remained completely calm.
He even glanced down at Liu Erlong's chest, which was heaving violently with anger, and clicked his tongue.
"Dean Liu, isn't it inappropriate for you to be so enthusiastic when a man and a woman are alone in a room together?"
"Stop arguing with me!!"
Liu Erlong roared, "Believe me or not, I'll crush you right now?!"
"Crush me to death?"
Xuan Hao raised an eyebrow:
"Liu Erlong, I advise you to understand the current situation."
"I have someone else outside."
"If you don't put me down, at least speak to me politely..."
Xuanhao leaned close to her ear and whispered with a chuckle:
"Believe it or not, two Title Douluos will rush in the next second, pin you to the ground, and let me beat your ass to a pulp?"
"you--!!"
Liu Erlong's pupils contracted.
Two Title Douluo?
She subconsciously thought of Gu Rong outside.
This kid had a close relationship with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and he had indeed made quite a stir in Tiandou City recently.
Even she, who rarely left her house, had heard a lot about it.
Moreover... this kid's strength itself is quite strange.
"snort!"
Liu Erlong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the killing intent in his heart, and loosened his grip, throwing Xuan Hao to the ground.
"Can you tell me now?"
She pulled up a chair and sat down, her eyes still fierce.
Xuan Hao straightened his collar, not angry at all.
He walked to another chair, sat down, crossed his legs, and said calmly:
"Actually, it's not complicated at all."
"What ambushed you just now was one of my soul bone skills."
"Soul Bone Skill?" Liu Erlong frowned.
"That's right," Xuan Hao said.
"This is a mental attack skill. Its judgment mechanism is very domineering.
Anyone whose mental strength is lower than mine will be trapped in a deep illusion once they get close to this move, and they will be unable to break free for a short period of time."
"Bullshit!" Liu Erlong slammed her hand on the table.
"You're only level 40!
How could your mental strength possibly be higher than mine?!"
"I am the Soul Emperor!"
"Is it so hard to admit that someone is better than you?" Xuan Hao shrugged.
That's just how reality is.
With Arou's sacrifice and the tempering effect of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, his current mental strength is no less than that of an ordinary Soul Emperor, and may even be stronger.
"Of course, this is just a hard requirement."
Xuan Hao paused.
"The more crucial reason lies with... Dean Liu yourself."
"Me?" Liu Erlong was taken aback.
"That's right," Xuan Hao said.
"Your mental defenses are too weak."
"You have a volatile temper, are easily angered, and your emotions are extremely unstable.
Such people are inherently full of flaws on a mental level."
"and..."
"You have obsessions and inner demons in your heart."
"That illusion evokes what you crave most and can't let go of deep in your heart."
"So when you see that person, your subconscious mind is unwilling to wake up and even actively gives up the resistance."
"If it were a mentally strong Soul Emperor who had no fatal emotional weakness, he would have been able to wake up by taking just one punch from me."
"And you..."
Xuan Hao shrugged and laughed mockingly:
"You didn't want to wake up, so who's to blame?"
"you..."
Liu Erlong's face turned deathly pale instantly.
She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found herself speechless.
Because Xuanhao was right.
In that dream, she saw Yu Xiaogang. At that moment, she truly...didn't want to wake up.
"Alright, stop looking like you've lost your parents."
Seeing Liu Erlong looking dejected as she was about to pack her things, Xuan Hao rolled his eyes speechlessly, sat back down in his chair, and crossed his legs.
"I don't want your lousy academy."
"What?"
Liu Erlong froze as she packed her things, then turned around abruptly, staring at Xuan Hao in astonishment.
"You...you don't want it?"
"nonsense."
Xuan Hao shrugged and pointed with a look of disdain to the vast campus outside the window:
"I came here to settle scores and vent my anger for my underlings.
You were the one who insisted on making that bet, and you were the one who insisted on using the academy as a bargaining chip."
"Don't you even use your brain?
What use would I have for this land?"
"Are we going to sell this land for money?"
"But someone has to be willing to buy it!"
"Although this Blue Tyrant Academy is yours, who would dare to touch this land, or even the resources behind it, without the approval of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
"To put it bluntly, this is a hot potato.
Even the royal family, in order not to fall out with the three major sects, would probably find all sorts of excuses to refuse and dare not take it on."
"What can I do with it besides causing myself trouble?
Wait for that old guy Yu Luomian to come and have tea with me?
I'm too lazy to bother with it."
"you..."
Liu Erlong was speechless after being rebuked. Although he was very unhappy, he had to admit that the kid had a point.
"So what exactly do you want?"
Liu Erlong frowned and said, "Don't tell me you went to all that trouble to bring people here to cause trouble, only to end up with nothing, just to...befriend me?"
"Bingo! You got it right!"
Xuan Hao snapped his fingers, revealing that standard, genuinely "sincere" smile that made you want to punch him:
"Just like what Sect Leader Ning said earlier, it's true that you don't become friends without fighting."
"We've become friends after some in-depth discussions.
Since we're friends, I certainly can't do something as unethical as taking over someone else's business."
Hearing this, Liu Erlong felt inexplicably relieved, and her gaze towards Xuan Hao softened slightly.
This kid, although he's a bit sharp-tongued and ruthless, seems to be... quite principled?
However, before she could even catch her breath, Xuan Hao's next words almost gave her a heart attack.
"Of course, friends are friends, but accounts still need to be settled."
Xuan Hao changed the subject:
"After all, we had a bet beforehand, and I even got into a fight and put in some effort.
To protect your pride, Dean Liu, and to prevent you from feeling that I'm looking down on you..."
"How about we compromise?"
Xuan Hao extended one palm, fingers spread:
"Starting today, every student at Blue Tyrant Academy shall pay me a protection fee of fifty gold soul coins per month."
"Whether you're a previous student or a new student, everyone who studies here has to pay.
That's my only request, is it too much to ask?"
"puff--!!"
Liu Erlong spat out the mouthful of tea he had just taken to calm his nerves.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Xuan Hao in disbelief, her voice instantly rising eight octaves:
"How many?!"
"Fifty gold soul coins?! For one person?! For a month?!"
"Do you think this is a gold mine?! You're robbing me!!"
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