"Alright, next up…" Yan Shaozhe said.
"Reverse selection for boys!"
"And you can only pick one!"
"Begin!"
Still Su Wen went first.
Yan Shaozhe smiled, "Of the nine girls by your side, pick one—the one you like most, the one you're willing to spend your life with."
"Heh." Su Wen grinned wide.
"Only children pick. I want them all!!!"
"The rules don't allow that…" Yan Shaozhe raised an eyebrow.
"Who made the rules?" Su Wen replied calmly.
"The rules are…" Yan Shaozhe froze.
"Rules are made by people. I can choose to follow—or not. Because you haven't the power to make me." Su Wen smiled faintly.
"Dean Yan, if this was the Yin Yang Love Querying Valley and the gods enforced the rules, I'd have no power but to comply."
"But this isn't there."
"And I'm not answering a multiple-choice question."
"I'm having it all."
Su Wen replied with a calm voice.
"Because I have the power to break the rules. All my hard work to cultivate was for resisting the 'fate' imposed by gods. And now—I have the right to break the rules, and create rules of my own."
"Of course, if you still have questions, Dean Yan, we can settle it in the Battle Arena. If you can stand up within half a year, I lose…"
If his speech was calm at first, the latter half was purely a threat.
Yan Shaozhe twitched.
How had it turned into a threat now?
But seeing Su Wen's stubborn look, he realized things weren't going well for him. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to loosen up.
"Then… fine."
"I have a question!"
Just as everyone thought Su Wen was about to enjoy a king's privilege, Gu Yuena calmly interrupted.
Her purple eyes looked at Zhang Lexuan.
"You picked the Yearning Heartbroken Red for Su Wen. That proves the purity of your love, and Su Wen likes you—I understand. But I don't agree!"
Her narrow eyes glinted coldly.
An aura surged around her.
She recalled her conversation with the beast kings days ago, within the Star Dou Forest.
…
Scarlet King: "Why are you troubled, my lord?"
Gu Yuena: "The Seagod's Fate event is soon. In the end, it's just a bunch of human women fighting me for Su Wen…"
Scarlet King: "In our soul beast world, if we fancy someone, we just take them. The strongest gets mating rights—ow! Why hit me? It's just true!"
…
"In the soul beast world, the strong make the rules. Males and females alike." Gu Yuena's eyes flashed.
"I can't chase all of you away from Su Wen. But, at least, let's settle who gets what."
"Who eats meat, who gnaws bone."
"Su Wen's body, time, and attention are limited. How much you get depends on how strong you are!"
Su Wen: "…"
"I'm not a Tang Monk's flesh, you know."
"Shut up!" ×3
All three girls yelled in chorus.
If you could still feign ignorance before, now Gu Yuena had ripped aside the veil. The question of "eating meat or soup" was ultimately about benefits.
There was no more room for acting dumb now.
"I withdraw. Soup's fine for me." Jiang Nannan said softly.
Compared with this bunch of monsters, her own talent was too ordinary. If it really came to a fight, she'd probably be the first kicked out. As long as she got a sip of soup, that was already pretty good.
"I'll withdraw too. I'm just a support, not much use..." Ning Tian added.
Then Ju Zi, Meng Hongchen, Ling Luochen, and Mu Qiu'er all withdrew one after another.
Soup was fine. According to Su Wen's past habits, it'd be a miracle if he could spend even one day a month with them. If they could get even some extra time with him, they'd call it good fortune.
"Want to test yourself too?" Gu Yuena asked Wang Dong'er with a cool gaze.
"Even if your father's... don't expect any favors."
"I-I'll withdraw too." Wang Dong'er awkwardly cleared her throat. She wanted to compete, but… with what? Her strength was lower than a Soul Emperor's—she was just the last to retreat.
"Very well." Gu Yuena nodded in satisfaction.
She turned to the remaining two women.
Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao.
"I'll suppress my power to Rank 91 Titled Douluo—you two come at me together. If you can win, I'll admit defeat, and you'll have Su Wen to yourselves. If not… I'll have him all to myself!"
Gu Yuena was brimming with arrogance.
"Of course, since Su Wen likes you two, I can leave part of the prize to you."
"Getting ahead of yourself, aren't you?" Ma Xiaotao cracked her knuckles, her red eyes locking on Gu Yuena.
She was no longer the Evil Fire Phoenix.
Now, her pure Fire Phoenix Martial Soul had evolved into the Blazing Fire Phoenix.
All the evil fire that once stymied her was gone, replaced by an even more powerful phoenix flame.
Her strength had soared by geometric leaps.
She was only Rank 85, but capable of one-shotting ordinary Titled Douluo—and with her dragon core, could match even the likes of Rank 93–94. She was less than a step away from Super Douluo.
And there was Senior Sister Lexuan...
With the Yearning Heartbroken Red, her cultivation had soared. Even Dean Yan could barely fight her to a draw.
If Gu Yuena fought at full power, they'd surely lose.
But with her power capped at regular Titled Douluo...
They had a real fighting chance.
"I have no problem with that." Zhang Lexuan replied calmly.
She still had confidence in herself.
Besides, even if she lost—there'd still be a fallback.
"Can I say something?" Su Wen's eyelid twitched as he tried to step forward carefully.
"You can't!" ×3
The three women shouted in unison.
Su Wen: "…"
So he was just a puppet now?
They've divided him up as they pleased.
"Hehehe..." Yan Shaozhe snickered off to the side.
Su Wen gritted his teeth.
"Dean Yan."
He called out suddenly.
"Hm?" Yan Shaozhe was surprised.
But he sensed Su Wen was up to no good, and his pupils shrank as he tried to stop him, but it was no use.
"I saw someone you know from the old days at the Holy Spirit Church last time." Su Wen grinned.
"She spoke highly of you. But it's a shame—her Martial Soul mutated, and after joining the Holy Spirit Church, she never saw you again. Her love in those naive years has turned bittersweet, but unforgettable."
"Who?" Yan Shaozhe was stunned.
"Feng Ling, I think her name was…"
"So it's her…" The name whisked Yan Shaozhe back to the happy days of his youth touring the continent.
"She did turn to evil soul masters, but I never imagined she'd end up in the Holy Spirit Church." Sadness flickered in Yan Shaozhe's eyes.
But seeing Su Wen's sly smile, and the murderous intent behind him, he realized trouble was coming.
He turned. Cai Meier was glaring at him.
"When did this happen? Why didn't you ever mention it?"
"Cough, cough... Well, um..." Yan Shaozhe sweat buckets.