...
In the main square, hundreds of people's eyes swept back and forth between Liu Erlong, Xuan Hao, and Yu Luomian, each with a strange thirst for knowledge in their eyes.
The atmosphere was so awkward and strange that even Yu Yuanzhen, the Thunder Douluo who had lived most of his life, felt embarrassed.
This old-fashioned man, whose mind was solely focused on cultivation and family honor, couldn't stand the gossipy atmosphere of everyone watching a melodramatic family drama.
"Hmph! What a messy debt!"
Yu Yuanzhen coldly flicked his sleeve, too lazy to even exchange pleasantries.
Without hesitation, he turned around, his figure transforming into a streak of blue lightning, and fled directly towards the main hall of the peak, leaving only a chilling voice echoing across the plaza:
"Second brother, you've created this mess, you have to deal with it yourself!"
With the sect leader gone, the mess left behind naturally fell entirely on the shoulders of Yu Luomian, his "father-in-law."
Yu Luomian stood there, his face turning a deep purplish-red under the mocking gazes of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Dugu Bo, and he was at a loss as to how to handle this ridiculous "family matter."
Fight? We can't beat that freakish kid.
Scold him? His daughter already hates him to the core and doesn't listen to him at all.
Finally, Yu Luomian could only take a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the frustration and shock in his heart, and squeeze out a smile that was uglier than crying.
He decided to temporarily ignore this strange ethical relationship and fulfill his duties as the second-in-command.
"Cough cough..."
Yu Luomian cleared his throat, cupped his hands towards Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, and said stiffly, "Sect Master Ning, Bone Douluo, and Senior Poison Douluo... since it's a misunderstanding, you have come from afar and are guests of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
If you don't mind, please... come in and have a cup of tea."
As the main group was politely welcomed into the reception hall by Yu Luomian with a dark expression, Liu Erlong, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, grabbed Xuan Hao by the collar and forcibly dragged him into a secluded and deserted private room.
"Bang!"
As soon as the cubicle door closed, Liu Erlong slammed Xuan Hao against the wall, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury as she gritted her teeth and demanded, "You little bastard, what were you yelling about outside? What the hell are you up to?!"
Xuan Hao leaned against the wall, his previously rosy complexion visibly turning pale. He coughed weakly twice and said feebly, "Erlong, could you be a little gentler?
Just now, to forcefully withstand that old bastard Yu Luomian's full-force punch from his Martial Soul True Body, I completely drained all my vital energy.
My bones are so brittle now; it will definitely take me ten days to half a month to recover..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Erlong took a closer look and noticed that Xuan Hao's forehead was indeed covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and his breathing was far less long and steady than before.
Knowing that he had truly exhausted his reserves and was not faking his pitifulness, Liu Erlong's anger immediately subsided by half, and she reluctantly let go of his hand and put him down.
Xuan Hao slid down the wall and sat down on a chair, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"You know what weakness is?
Then what nonsense were you spouting in front of Yu Yuanzhen and hundreds of people?"
Liu Erlong glared at him angrily.
"I'm just trying to save the day," Xuan Hao retorted matter-of-factly.
"In that tense situation just now, Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo were already in a bind.
If I didn't just bring up some outlandish topic to divert everyone's attention, how could these face-saving people gracefully step down?
Or do you really want to watch that old poisoner release the poison mist, causing the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to be wiped out and reduced to bloodshed?"
Liu Erlong was speechless for a moment.
Although she hated Yu Luomian and had no sense of belonging to this family, she obviously couldn't bear to watch thousands of her clansmen be poisoned to death.
"But...but even if you want to save face, you can't joke about my innocence like that!" Liu Erlong stamped her feet anxiously.
"After you shouted like that, now the whole sect, even Ning Fengzhi and the others, believe it!
What am I supposed to do now?!"
"What's so difficult about it?"
Xuan Hao raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a half-smile.
"Is it something shameful to make me your mistress?"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Liu Erlong was exasperated.
She pointed at herself, then at him, and said in a fit of exasperation, "How old am I?
How old are you?!
I'm already in my early forties! I'm old enough to be your mother, and you're talking to me about a little lover?!"
"How can this be called nonsense? It only proves that you, Erlong, are charming and capable!"
Xuan Hao spread his hands.
"Think about it, who am I? In terms of talent, I reached level 70 at fifteen; in terms of strength, I can send an 88th-level Soul Douluo flying with a single punch; in terms of background, I'm on friendly terms with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Poison Douluo.
For a peerless genius like me, who is the most outstanding in the entire continent, to willingly be your little lover, wouldn't that prove that you have the skills and ability to easily manipulate even a monster like me?"
"Stop trying to mislead me with your twisted logic!"
Liu Erlong's temples throbbed with anger at his fallacious reasoning, and she couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to his logic.
"No way, I'm going out right now to explain this to Ning Fengzhi and the others.
At worst, I'll just tell them all the truths you were trying to save face!"
"Don't waste your energy." Xuan Hao shook his head. "You can't explain this at all.
Gossip always gets worse the more you try to explain it.
If you rush out to clarify things now, they'll just think you're trying to cover something up and that we're guilty."
Liu Erlong was even angrier, her chest heaving violently:
"You bastard! You've made such a mess of things, how am I supposed to face the Soul Master world now?!
What will people say behind my back?
An old cow eating young grass?!"
"So what if we ate?
What's the big deal?"
Xuan Hao sighed helplessly.
"This world is full of double standards.
Those old men in their seventies and eighties, relying on their cultivation and power, marry a bunch of teenage girls with their arms around them, and who dares to say anything?
Why should you be pointed at and gossiped about when you find a younger man? Besides..."
Xuan Hao's lips curled into a mischievous smile as he deliberately lowered his voice and teased, "Young men are full of vigor and energy."
"You have the strength?!"
Liu Erlong was so angry at his shameless remarks that she laughed.
She looked Xuan Hao up and down, who was now pale-faced, slumped in his chair, and struggling to breathe, and mocked him mercilessly:
"Look at how weak you are now, drained of all your energy.
You can barely stand, let alone twist your waist.
Where do you get your strength?
Is it just the strength you're bragging about?"
Faced with Liu Erlong's relentless mockery, Xuan Hao not only remained unperturbed, but instead leaned back in his chair with an air of nonchalance, spreading his hands:
"It's okay, I can lie down, you can move yourself."
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