"Ahem." Su Wen closed his eyes to compose himself.
An unrivaled beauty sat on his lap, but Su Wen kept his composure—because, truth be told, he'd already been "drained" before this.
Now, he was truly dried out.
"Xiaoxue, don't joke…" Su Wen tried to be serious.
"Mhm." Qian Renxue, realizing her error, blushed, then casually stood and stretched. Her white dress hugged her slender waist and curvaceous figure, dazzling and radiant.
"Well, since Uncle Su's alright, I'll head out."
"..."
She giggled and left, but then spun back.
Her golden eyes locked on Su Wen, silently.
Su Wen: ???
Qian Renxue licked her lips, hands pressing the armrests, leaning closer.
Smooch—
Su Wen felt a cool wetness on his face—then opened his stunned eyes to see the girl vanishing into the distance.
"Huh… That's… odd," Su Wen muttered.
"What is she thinking? Why does she get bolder every time we meet? She's not even pretending this time."
"She just kissed me?!"
"Hmph."
A faint snort sounded beside him.
A mature figure, wearing white, peach-smooth skin glowing, took a seat nearby—Snow Empress, her languid eyes glancing at Su Wen. She spoke:
"If Silver Dragon King and the others find out you're getting around a thousand years in the past… Hmph…"
"I'm almost spent, so I'm just hiding here." Su Wen laughed ingratiatingly.
"Oh? Just hiding?" Snow Empress clearly didn't buy it.
"Really, I returned a millennium ago and am still worn out. I'm very Zen now…" Su Wen nodded earnestly.
"..."
Snow Empress eyed him, fingers moving as if considering something.
"Really?" she pressed, seeming skeptical.
"Truly!" Su Wen vowed.
"Hmm..." Slowly, Snow Empress straightened, leaning in toward Su Wen. Her lively eyes narrowed in delight as Su Wen's gaze wavered.
"I don't believe it!" Snow Empress smiled.
"What'll convince you?" Su Wen surrendered.
"Let's fight then!"
Su Wen: ???
Before he could react, Snow Empress's hand slid downwards—cool, gentle.
"Hiss…" Su Wen's pupils contracted.
This seemed a dead end.
Snow Empress merciless!
But there was no backing out; all he could do was fight! His breath quickened; a fiery passion kindled by Snow Empress's hand swelled inside.
"Do you really want to try?" Su Wen struggled to hold back, asking one last time.
"Less talking!" Snow Empress pressed close.
Soft breath at his ear…
"Hah!" Su Wen exploded, raising a hand.
The entire courtyard was sealed.
Fervent passion spread within.
…
Inside a carriage heading for the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Qian Renxue sat elegantly in her seat, reluctant to revert to her Xue Qinghe disguise. She sipped tea—Su Wen's tea from earlier.
She picked up a mirror, gazing at her peerless beauty, eyes a bit lost.
Her father Qian Xunji and Su Lin were once sworn brothers.
But she…
This strange feeling made her heart race.
"Uncle Su…"
"Your Highness, we're almost at the palace," the coachman called.
"Alright, I understand," Qian Renxue exhaled a long breath, red lips parting.
As her voice faded, she resumed her Xue Qinghe disguise.
But she looked at her reflection with growing displeasure.
She no longer wanted to play the so-called Crown Prince, nor gain her mother's approval. She just wanted…to be her true self before Uncle Su.
"The real… Qian Renxue!"
Her eyes shone with dazzling light.
…
"Sigh, Rongrong, what's up with you and Uncle Ning?" Ma Hongjun whispered, curious.
"Missy's probably just throwing a fit." Dai Mubai yawned, eyeing Zhu Zhuqing's cold, distant figure—still not forgiving him?
It was just a "strategic withdrawal," drinking himself silly somewhere, and maybe hooking up with twin sisters…right?
Still not forgiven?
Women, huh!
"Boss Dai, why are you stirring up trouble?" Oscar interrupted as he saw Ning Rongrong's darkening mood.
"Tsk." Dai Mubai sneered.
Simp!
Although their relationship had improved a lot, it wasn't smooth sailing.
Dai Mubai would never forget that Ning Rongrong hired Tang San to try to kill him.
But after witnessing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two Titled Douluo, he kept a much lower profile.
"Mind your own business!"
Sure enough, Ning Rongrong glared at Dai Mubai.
"Boss, stop it…" Tang San interjected to mediate.
Dai Mubai shrugged.
"Your hidden weapons haven't sold?"
Tang San: "..."
I hadn't realized your mouth was so sharp!
"No worries, even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect won't buy, there are other buyers. I have faith in the Godly Zhuge Crossbow; with my whole set of hidden weapons, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and other sects will want them. No reason to refuse." Tang San replied flatly.
He regretted things, but what could he do?
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the best customer. The Zhuge Crossbow was of little use to most top sects, but the unique makeup of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile required such a thing.
They were truly in a class of their own.
Ning Fengzhi's sincerity was real, but Tang San wanted more, which made him lose the best option.
He tried to make a splash at the auctions, but only landed a few petty orders—not even a tenth of before.
Those cheapskates even bargained a set down to four thousand gold soul coins each…
Damn Su Lin, damn Ning Fengzhi—those shortsighted fools! And Chen Xin, too, daring to humiliate me!
Once I find my father… hmph.
For now, he could only hope Ning Fengzhi would come back to apologize to Ning Rongrong—he'd "forgive" and sell the set for six thousand coins, earning his first fortune.
"What's the commotion outside?" Xiao Wu toyed with her hair, pink gaze looking out.
"I'll go see." Ma Hongjun slipped outside. When he returned, his face was unusual.
He looked at Ning Rongrong, hesitant.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect…announced a new heir. Not Rongrong, it's…it's Ning Yuan. And they erased Rongrong from the family records, saying in the future—" Ma Hongjun's voice shook.
"What?!!"
Everyone jumped.
Were their talents strong?
Within their generation, absolute monsters who could maybe rank top three in the tournament.
But were they strong enough to make it alone, on brute force, to greatness?
Hardly.
So, for Ning Rongrong, the clan's protection was her shield.
After her fun, she'd take over the sect as Ning Fengzhi's heiress, and they'd all benefit—after all, her sect was filthy rich.
That was why everyone flattered her (before the post-Seagod arc, the Seven Devils friendship hadn't matured; otherwise, they would split up after graduation).
But now…
The sky had fallen.
Her martial spirit, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, capped her at level seventy-nine. Early or late, her innate advantage would fade into nothing.
Unless she broke the spirit limit—a fantasy.
Instantly, their gazes at Ning Rongrong turned to pity and confusion.
No one expected the ever-doting Ning Fengzhi to cut her off so decisively.
"No…no way…" Ning Rongrong's voice trembled, eyes reddening, breaking down. "Father couldn't possibly—!"
"I must go to him! Ask him myself!"
She shoved through and bolted out.
"Sigh…" Oscar followed, worried.
Tang San was left stunned.
No way?!!
Who'll buy my hidden weapons now?
Did they really negotiate a deal for soul tools instead?!
Crap!
Tang San was furious.
…
"Miss Ning, please leave…"
At the base of towering walls, the main gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, guards eyed the angry, proud Ning Rongrong with increasing hostility. "Sect Master's orders: you're not the young miss anymore, and you aren't part of the Ning family. You can go wherever you like…"
"How dare you, a mere guard, treat me this way!" Ning Rongrong snapped, teary-eyed but still acting the spoiled young miss. "Drag my father out here! Grandpa Bone or Grandpa Sword, either! I have Ning blood! My father's only angry now, but when he calms, I'll return and kill both of you first!"
The two guards exchanged a glance, hesitating—
But moments later:
"Leave."
Ning Fengzhi's figure appeared atop the wall, gaze cold as he looked down on his own daughter. Before, he might have left her some face, but ever since guessing Su Wen's true identity, those feelings had been severed.
Looking back,
Who started this feud?
It was Su Wen. He resented Tang San, disapproved of Ning Rongrong, disliked Shrek as a whole—and rightly so.
Tang San took advantage, and Rongrong, for him, let her sect be exploited, and somehow she was supposed to be "grateful" to her third brother.
All this made him vaguely sense the truth.
If Mr. Su came from the future…
Then he must know about events in the original timeline.
Maybe Rongrong did something disgraceful.
The more he thought, the more alarmed he became.
"Father!" Ning Rongrong cried in disbelief. "Who are you? You're not my father!"
"Where's Grandpa Bone? Grandpa Sword!"
"They…"
"They don't wish to see you." Ning Fengzhi replied flatly.
Bone Douluo was still bedridden, how could he appear? Sword Douluo didn't want to, either, for good reason.
"You're lying!!!" Ning Rongrong screeched.
"Rongrong, please don't—" A handsome young man beside Ning Fengzhi looked conflicted.
"Shut up! You fraud!" Ning Rongrong snarled at him.
"This is your fault, isn't it? Ning Yuan, you're a waste—how could you take everything from me? I won't accept it!"
Ning Rongrong broke down.
She had real talent, and with her Pagoda, she could one day reach level seventy-nine and be welcome most places, but that was nothing compared to leading the most powerful sect.
Ning Yuan sighed inside:
Because you're trouble, sister. You had such a good hand of cards and played them so badly…
He'd never hoped to win while his father and the two Titled Douluo protected her, and kept low.
But who would have thought…
His foolish sister would, for her own sake, defy the sect and offend Mr. Su.
"Drive her out!"
Ning Fengzhi ordered.
"If she comes within a hundred meters again, it'll be your responsibility…"
"Yes!"
Both guards broke out in cold sweat, nodding promptly.
One guard even unfurled wings and slashed to block Ning Rongrong's path.
Boom, boom, boom!!!
Dust rose.
Frightened, Ning Rongrong finally fled, sobbing.
Like a stray dog.
"Remember—treat Mr. Su with absolute respect, always." Ning Fengzhi watched her fade away, eyes cold but thoughtful.
"I'll remember, Father!" Ning Yuan replied earnestly.