Chapter 186: Welcoming the Saint Son!
Inside the Bridal Chamber
Inside the ornately decorated bridal chamber, Dai Yao felt his heart race as he gazed at the figure seated on the bed. For reasons unknown, an instinctive urge to step back swept over him, his brows knitting slightly. He couldn't shake the strange sense of familiarity with the veiled woman before him—yet his subconscious told him to keep his distance.
"Wh-what's wrong?" came her soft voice, her delicate hands clasped tightly. Though her face was hidden beneath the bridal veil, it felt as though she could see his every movement. Sensing his hesitation, she leaned forward, voice trembling, wondering if her past as a bit of a "wild child" had put him off. Her gaze lowered in embarrassment, nervous of what he might say next.
"Nothing at all," Dai Yao replied with a smile, quickly brushing off his concerns. With her gentle words, his worries seemed to fade away, and he let himself be drawn back into the bridal chamber's warm, romantic atmosphere.
The flickering candlelight cast a soft glow around the room, amplifying the intimacy between them. Dai Yao's throat went dry as he sat on a nearby stool, his gaze locked on the woman draped in red. The bride must have sensed his hesitation, and from beneath the veil, he heard her silvery laughter.
"Don't just stand there like a fool—aren't you going to lift my veil?" she teased, her voice laced with mischief.
Her words jolted Dai Yao to action, his heart pounding as he took a step closer to the bed. An inexplicable warmth spread through him, stirring an undeniable affection that shattered all restraint. Though he couldn't explain it, his emotions surged as if released from a cage. His heart filled with an overwhelming tenderness—this woman was his beloved, his lifelong treasure.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he reached up and gently lifted her veil. Beneath it, a face appeared that was as delicate and pure as a lotus—pale, flawless skin, a graceful nose, and lips that were slightly parted, hinting at a sweet smile. Her eyes, bright as stars, held a mixture of joy and adoration, and her rich, coffee-colored hair cascaded over the bed like a silken waterfall.
Dai Yao's breath caught as he took in her familiar features, an incredulous expression breaking through his foggy memory. "Rongrong?" he murmured, shocked.
As he stepped back in surprise, the veil fell back over her face, shrouding her once again. A heavy silence settled in the room. After a moment, Ning Rongrong lifted the veil herself, teary-eyed as she stared at him with a heartbroken look.
"Am I really that repulsive to you?" she asked, her voice trembling with hurt.
Dai Yao's sudden reaction had clearly struck her deeply, and he could see how much his behavior pained her. Ning Rongrong's plea shattered his heart. A pang of guilt and compassion softened his gaze, and the clarity in his eyes clouded over once more with affection.
"I'm so sorry, that was my mistake," he murmured, reaching to gently wipe her tears. Her sorrow mirrored his own, as though her pain were etched into his heart.
With a soft sob, Ning Rongrong buried herself in his embrace, clinging to him tightly as her tears fell. "You scared me so much... I thought you didn't want me anymore."
"How could I ever leave you?" he replied tenderly, stroking her silky hair as he held her close.
After comforting her for a while, they began to share their deepest thoughts. As the red candle burned lower, Dai Yao gazed down at Ning Rongrong, a mischievous glint in his eye. "My dear wife, the night is getting late… perhaps we should…"
A pink blush blossomed on her cheeks as she lightly swatted his chest, her head lowering shyly. "Oh, you! All you ever think about is mischief!"
"And are you willing?" he asked, his voice soft.
After a pause, she whispered, "Yes."
The candlelight dimmed, red garments slipped from their forms, and the night, though fleeting, felt like an eternity of shared warmth and closeness.
Much later, as Dai Yao lay beside her, he leaned close, whispering something in her ear. Ning Rongrong's face froze in astonishment, her eyes snapping open as she stared at him, both embarrassed and flustered.
"You scoundrel! How could you even think of such a thing?" she scolded, giving his chest a light thump.
Dai Yao chuckled. "If you refuse, I'll just keep on teasing you."
Unable to keep from smiling, she bit his shoulder gently, finally conceding with a sigh. "It seems I'm forever bound to you, you rogue."
Outside the Illusion
Elsewhere, Shi Nian leaned casually against a tree, his seventh soul ring glowing with a deep black light. A twisted smile crept across his face as he observed Dai Yao and Ning Rongrong standing back-to-back, their pupils vacant and unfocused, trapped in his nightmare illusion.
"Beautiful dreams always make me sick," he muttered, relishing the pain his illusions would soon bring them. "Too bad for you, Dai Yao. You're a soul master prodigy, but you messed with the wrong people—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan doesn't forgive easily. Next up? The two of you can tear each other apart!"
Shi Nian's expression twisted into something cruel as his seventh ring flared once again. The pained expressions on the faces of Dai Yao and Ning Rongrong intensified, the torment within their illusions growing more vivid.
"What a shame I'm not yet a Title Douluo," he mused. "If I were, I could see into your souls, watching your misery firsthand. Now that would be perfection."
He looked disdainfully at Ning Rongrong, her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda glowing faintly in her hand. A cruel smirk spread across his face. "Soul master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan? You'll still die by my hand. My Remnant Dream martial soul leaves no trace, and soon, you'll destroy each other without me lifting a finger."
Within the Illusion – Late Night
In the dead of night, Ning Rongrong felt something amiss and blinked her eyes open. She reached out, only to realize Dai Yao was no longer by her side.
"Did he go outside?" she wondered. After a while, she began to worry, feeling anxious as silence filled the room.
"What's taking him so long? Could something have happened?" A rising unease gnawed at her. She slipped on her outer robe and pushed open the door, calling for her maids.
But strangely, none of them answered. The usually bustling compound was eerily quiet, not a single maid or guard in sight. It was as if she were the only one left in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's residence.
This profound isolation sent a chill through her heart. As her soul power gathered, her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda began to spin, casting a faint glow into the darkened surroundings.
In the Courtyard
Ning Rongrong pushed open the courtyard gates, only to be met with a horrific sight: bodies strewn across the ground—disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the guards who had sworn to protect them. Blood stained the earth, with splatters on the walls having turned dark purple as they dried. Each body bore the marks of swords, daggers, and spirit power attacks; it was unmistakable that these people had fallen at the hands of spirit masters.
The metallic tang of blood hung thick in the air.
Frozen in place, Ning Rongrong stared at the faces she had known so well, each one transformed into a lifeless, chilling visage. They were people who had once greeted her warmly, calling her "Miss Rongrong" with affection. Now, they were cold corpses. Her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda slipped from her hand and hit the ground with a soft chime as her overwhelming grief consumed her.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she collapsed to her knees, her voice choked with sorrow, "What happened… What has become of the Clan?!"
No answer came. Gritting her teeth, she steadied herself, determination flickering in her gaze. "No, I must find Father, I must find Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa. I have to find out who did this… and find Dai Yao…"
With a resolute tug on her light-blue skirt, ignoring the blood that smeared onto her, she began searching desperately around the area, hoping to find a survivor. But among the thousands of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan members, not a single soul remained alive.
The acrid smell of blood seemed almost palpable.
The sheer devastation left Ning Rongrong, daughter of the clan master, in a depth of despair she could hardly bear. As she turned over yet another body, her face remained expressionless, but tears continued to fall. Her lips trembled as she encountered this heartbreaking scene over and over in mere minutes.
Her voice, once sweet and gentle, had turned ice-cold, carrying a chilling edge of resolve. "Who did this to you all?!"
Suddenly, flames rose from the clan's central plaza, and the faint sound of shouts and clashing weapons reached her ears. A renewed determination surged within her as she forced her weakened body forward, rushing toward the source of the flames.
At the Central Plaza
"Spirit Hall!"
Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda glowed brilliantly in his palm as he gazed skyward at the four figures barring their escape. Rage smoldered in his eyes as he fought to contain his hatred.
Beside him, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo flanked him protectively, both wounded. Sword Douluo Chenxin's left sleeve hung empty, soaked in blood, evidence of his left arm having been severed. Thanks to Ning Fengzhi's healing support, the bleeding had stopped, but he now gripped his sword with only one hand, his usually calm face betraying none of the turmoil that churned within him.
Yet, his trembling right hand revealed the depth of his anger.
Bone Douluo, standing tall, had borne the brunt of many attacks to shield Ning Fengzhi, his spirit force now visibly drained.
In the air above, four figures floated, each encircled by nine spirit rings.
These four were all formidable Title Douluos—Serpent Spear, Thorn Porcupine, Spirit Crane, and Demon Bear.
Under normal circumstances, Sword and Bone Douluo, augmented by Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, could have held an advantage over these four foes, if not outright crushed them. But within this nightmare illusion, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's two Title Douluos were being overwhelmed. As in the original account, Chenxin had lost his left arm.
Spirit Crane Douluo, mounted on her avian spirit beast, gazed down with a cruel smile at the injured Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. With a smirk, she traced her red lips with her finger and laughed softly, "Clan Master Ning, as the saying goes, the wise submit to fate. Your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is in ruins. You have now witnessed Spirit Hall's true strength—why not surrender and join us?"
The other three Title Douluos wore expressions of arrogance, as if their mere word held the power to determine the life or death of everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Ning Fengzhi exchanged a look with Chenxin and Gu Rong. Though his voice retained a hint of cultured grace, it was underscored with unyielding conviction as he replied, "Better to die with honor than live in shame. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will never align with Spirit Hall!"
Spirit Crane Douluo's face twisted in a sneer. "If you refuse a toast, then drink the forfeit. Very well—let the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan vanish from the face of the continent!"
The four Title Douluos released their spirit power, the intense force shattering buildings and leveling the courtyard. Towers crumbled, and the earth fractured beneath the pressure.
Chenxin steadied himself, sword at the ready, his gaze frosty and piercing. Bone Douluo's body bristled with bones, his spiked armor stretching out from the ground, adding layers of defense. Meanwhile, Ning Fengzhi's light surrounded them, amplifying the two pillars of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan with a multi-colored glow, elevating their aura even further.
Then, unexpectedly, two more beams of light joined those on the two Title Douluos. Surprised, Ning Fengzhi whirled around, only to find himself staring in shock, his voice cracking with urgency.
"Rongrong! Get out of here, run!"
Ning Rongrong ignored his command and quickly moved to stand by his side, her gaze fixed warily on the four Title Douluos hovering above them. As her eyes swept over the battered forms of Sword and Bone Douluo, she murmured, "Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa… I'm sorry I'm late."
Chenxin's usually impassive face softened with fondness and pity as he looked at her. He attempted to reach out and pat her head, but with only one hand left, he could only watch her sadly.
"Rongrong, why didn't you listen? If you'd left earlier, you might have survived this."
Rongrong met his gaze steadily. "I'm also a part of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. How can I leave when the clan is in peril?"
Her words stunned Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo into silence before they burst out laughing, pride evident in their eyes.
"Well spoken! Truly my daughter!" Ning Fengzhi said, his voice thick with pride.
As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan members found solace in their unity, Spirit Crane Douluo scoffed, "How touching. At least you won't be lonely on the road to the afterlife. But before you die, I have a surprise for you. You'll get to meet the one who made your clan's destruction possible!"
Bone Douluo's voice thundered with rage. "Who is it?!"
The person Spirit Crane Douluo mentioned was the one responsible for their massacre, fueling Bone Douluo's hatred.
Sword Douluo's grip tightened around his weapon, and Ning Fengzhi's normally gentle expression hardened with icy fury.
"Whoever you are, show yourself!" Ning Fengzhi called, his voice resounding in the silence.
The four Spirit Hall Title Douluos parted, their expressions shifting to deference. Meanwhile, Spirit Hall's lower-ranked spirit masters in black robes parted to form a path, their faces reverent. In unison, they cried out loudly:
"Welcome, Holy Son!"
The atmosphere fell into a deadly hush. Footsteps echoed as a figure approached down the path created by the spirit masters.
Ning Rongrong, who had been bracing herself to stand alongside Sword and Bone Douluo in a final stand, froze as the figure's steps grew closer. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief as recognition dawned on her face.
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