Four Marriage ContractsHanhai City, Qinglian Sect.
Inside the spacious hall, Dai Yao sat at the head of the table, with Dugu Yan, Ning Rongrong, and Dugu Bo on his left, and Ning Fengzhi and the two Title Douluos on his right. The remaining elders of the Qinglian Sect were seated on either side. Niu Ben, Bai Chenxiang, and many other young disciples stood behind their seats.
Looking at the assembled experts of the Azure Lotus Sect, Dai Yao felt a surge of confidence. He had no ambition to conquer the world; he only wanted to protect those he cared about in this chaotic world. The Azure Lotus Sect had clearly already possessed considerable strength.
After glancing at the faces of the elders, Dai Yao slowly said:
"Many thanks to all the elders for developing the sect during my absence. You have all made great contributions, and I would like to raise a toast to you all."
Niu Gao, Yang Wudi, Bai He, and the others repeatedly said there was no need. Niu Gao raised his cup and smiled, saying:
"Sect Master, the people you should really thank are the Acting Sect Master and Miss Rongrong. During your absence, it was the two of them who supported the development of the sect. We old folks have all seen how hard they have worked for the sect."
Upon hearing the words "Miss Rongrong," Ning Fengzhi frowned slightly.
These words sound rather unfamiliar. Although Ning Rongrong has joined the Azure Lotus Sect, she always feels out of place in the sect because of her relationship with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Moreover, Ning Rongrong's status in the Azure Lotus Sect is quite awkward.
Dugu Yan has the backing of Dugu Bo and Bilin's lineage, and many elders also have their own direct descendants. But what about Ning Rongrong? She was once the young sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, yet she alone controls the most important financial power of the Green Lotus School. Although Ning Rongrong doesn't say anything, Ning Fengzhi can feel the strange looks she receives when she works.
"It's time to get to the bottom of Rongrong's identity..."
Ning Fengzhi thought to himself.
Dai Yao looked at Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong. When the two women met Dai Yao's gaze, they simply smiled.
Dai Yao felt deeply indebted. He had indeed given the two women precious treasures, and they had benefited from them, but the feelings they had invested were far more valuable than these so-called treasures.
He gently raised his wine glass, and Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong also raised their glasses. Without saying anything, they exchanged a glance and smiled as they drank the fine wine in their glasses.
After downing the wine, Dugu Yan was fine, her expression unchanged. Since consuming the Azure Lotus, her martial spirit had undergone a qualitative leap, and her physical attributes had also changed dramatically. Although she didn't drink often, with her powerful physique, a cup of wine was nothing to her.
Ning Rongrong, however, was different; she started coughing immediately after drinking the wine.
"Rongrong, don't drink anymore."
Upon seeing this, Dai Yao quickly stopped him.
Ning Rongrong gazed deeply at Dai Yao, her eyes filled with affection. What was she doing all this for? Wasn't it all for Dai Yao?
"Dai Yao, I can drink..."
Ning Rongrong gently pursed her lips, a faint blush rising on her pretty face, making her breathtakingly beautiful. Hearing Dai Yao's concern, she lowered her head slightly and murmured softly.
Seeing Ning Rongrong's devoted devotion, many young disciples of the Qinglian Sect felt their hearts breaking. Their goddess was so infatuated with a man; the bitterness in their hearts was indescribable.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged a glance and both sighed slightly.
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Ning Rongrong, then at Dai Yao, and after drawing everyone's attention by leaning on his jade cane, he smiled and said:
"Dai Yao, all these years have passed. I can say I've watched you grow up. I never imagined that in the blink of an eye, you would have built such a large sect. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and your Azure Lotus Sect have stood together in mutual support. Rongrong has followed you without any official title, devoting her efforts to your Azure Lotus Sect. Shouldn't you give her a proper status?"
These words shocked everyone present.
Niu Gao, Yang Wudi, Bai He and many other elders stared blankly at Ning Fengzhi, then looked at Ning Rongrong, whose face was turning red rapidly. Their blank expressions slowly turned into relief.
Although they had long suspected it, the most likely reason why the young sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had abandoned his prestigious status and condescended to come to the uncertain Green Lotus School was Dai Yao. They weren't blind; how could they not see the deep affection in Ning Rongrong's eyes when she looked at Dai Yao?
But actually hearing Ning Fengzhi's words was still incredibly shocking.
It's important to know that Dai Yao has more than just one or two confidantes. Leaving aside Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong, who are still in the Spirit Hall, even Dugu Yan, who is by Ning Rongrong's side, is in love with Dai Yao. As the young sect master of the prestigious Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the men in the world who want to marry her would probably line up from Heaven Dou City to Star Luo City. Why would she choose to become Dai Yao's concubine?
As soon as Ning Fengzhi finished speaking, Ning Rongrong felt her face flush. She glanced shyly at Dai Yao, then stole a look at Dugu Yan, who was standing there dumbfounded, and felt a pang of guilt for stealing her best friend's candy.
It should be noted that Dugu Yan and Dai Yao have not yet formally established a marriage contract! As a newcomer, it is rather unethical of her to preemptively establish a marriage contract.
Saying these things in public made Ning Rongrong feel both shy and guilty, her heart a jumble of emotions. She looked at Ning Fengzhi and quickly said:
"Dad, please don't say these things..."
Although Ning Rongrong spoke urgently, her tone was always gentle and soft.
However, Ning Fengzhi did not listen to Ning Rongrong's words. He stared intently at Dai Yao, waiting for Dai Yao's reply.
The alliance between the two sects ultimately stemmed from a combination of interests. However, Ning Fengzhi was not merely a sect leader; he was also a father. He had his own selfish motives and couldn't allow his daughter to suffer injustice; she needed a legitimate status!
Dai Yao gazed deeply at Ning Fengzhi, then at Ning Rongrong, before turning his gaze to Dugu Yan. Just as Dai Yao was about to speak, a sigh escaped his lips under everyone's watchful eyes.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, wanting to know who had interrupted Dai Yao.
Dugu Bo sighed helplessly, secretly glancing at Dugu Yan beside him who was constantly giving him hints, and sighed inwardly:
"Girls really are a case of 'once they grow up, they're gone!'"
Then, he slowly opened his mouth, his hoarse voice echoing in the hall:
"Dai Yao, don't forget that Yan Yan also needs a formal title. If Rong Rong sets a formal title for you, it will solve Yan Yan's problem at the same time."
Everyone was thunderstruck.
At the same time, he became engaged to two women...
If it were ordinary nobles, it wouldn't matter how many women they were betrothed to, since those women were merely dependent on the noble men. But these two before them were both renowned figures on the continent: one a blood relative of the Poison Douluo, and the other the young sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
It should be noted that Dai Yao was engaged to a woman named Zhu Zhuqing when he was very young. Any woman who came after him could only be a concubine.
Would Poison Douluo and Sect Master Ning rather give their precious daughter to Dai Yao as a concubine?
Dai Yao met Dugu Bo's gray eyes. Since the poison in Dugu Bo's body was relieved, the emerald green in his pupils had disappeared and been replaced by gray.
He saw Dugu Bo's scrutinizing gaze. Indeed, both Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan had followed him for far too long, sacrificing so much for him. Back then, because of his wandering life, he couldn't give them an explanation, but now, he had established a sect and gained a foothold on the continent.
Even if he leaves the Spirit Hall, he will still have a place to go.
It's time for him to give the two women an explanation.
He took a deep breath, gently closed his eyes, gathered his thoughts, then opened them again. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, and with Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong looking on expectantly, he slowly began to speak:
"I have been a wanderer since childhood. First I left the Star Luo Empire, then the Heaven Dou Empire, and now I have joined the Spirit Hall. I often lament that although I am exceptionally talented, I have never had a place to call home. Therefore, I dare not make promises lightly."
"Now, I have a place I can return to no matter where I go."
"Therefore, I am qualified to make this promise; however, what I am about to say may be somewhat shameless..."
Dai Yao took a deep breath and said:
"Yanyan, Rongrong, will you marry me?"
Everyone was shocked. Proposing to two people at the same time? Was that even possible? However, everyone's attention was still focused on Dai Yao's proposed partners, Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan exchanged a brief glance. Ning Rongrong nodded shyly, while Dugu Yan sighed softly and nodded in agreement.
In Dugu Yan's heart, she gave herself to Dai Yao so easily, and although she did not regret it, every woman hopes for a romantic proposal, rather than having to accept Dai Yao's request in this situation.
This was certainly the situation she wanted, but there was always a sense of regret in her heart.
Ning Fengzhi breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Ning Rongrong nod in agreement. With that, Ning Rongrong's status was settled. She was no longer nameless and without standing in the Qinglian Sect.
Immediately, he looked at Dai Yao, his gaze filled with complexity. It wasn't just because Dai Yao was now his son-in-law and was still having affairs, but also because he only now understood what Dai Yao truly wanted and why Dai Yao had refused to join him no matter how he tried to recruit him.
What Dai Yao needed was someone to lend him a hand during his youthful struggles in the Star Luo Empire. And the one who extended a helping hand to Dai Yao back then was the Spirit Hall.
"We were too late. If it had been our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School that rescued Dai Yao back then, none of this would have happened..."
Ning Fengzhi thought with deep regret.
Hearing that Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong had both agreed, Dai Yao couldn't help but smile. He felt a pang of guilt for winning the hearts of these girls, a result of a series of coincidences, because he couldn't give each girl complete love.
In the Spirit Hall, two girls were still devotedly keeping him company. He couldn't forget them just because they weren't there. He then said in a deep voice:
"Uncle Ning, Senior Dugu, Yanyan, Rongrong, I have something else to say here."
Everyone looked at Dai Yao, and Ning Fengzhi smiled and said:
"you say."
Dai Yao rubbed his fingers, his eyes heavy, and slowly said:
"Yanyan, Rongrong, I cannot let you down, but I also cannot let Zhuqing and Wutong down. I have not only made an engagement with you, but also with Zhuqing and Wutong. Of course, in my heart, you are all my wives, without any distinction of status."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath. He had orchestrated the marriage between Ning Rongrong and Dai Yao, which in effect meant he had already agreed to Dai Yao being with the other three women.
Ning Fengzhi had assumed that Dai Yao, because of the powerful forces behind Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong, wouldn't mention the other two women who had no power to rely on. In Ning Fengzhi's mind, the elders of the Spirit Hall had only recently taken Feng Wutong and Zhu Zhuqing in as their relatives; they couldn't possibly have developed any deep feelings for them.
Unexpectedly, Dai Yao still mentioned Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong.
This made him feel both relieved and somewhat distressed.
The comforting thing is that Dai Yao was still able to speak up for the other two girls in front of Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan's elders, which is enough to prove that if Ning Rongrong were the one who had no one to rely on, Dai Yao would give Ning Rongrong a status just like he gave Feng Wutong a wife status.
The unpleasant part is that this means Dai Yao will have four wives on the surface, which will inevitably lead to more competition and grievances for Ning Rongrong.
However, seeing Ning Rongrong's blissful expression, he wished he could have Sword Douluo beat up Dai Yao, that blond-haired guy!
Dai Yao's will-o'-the-wisp sputtered, and Ning Rongrong, carrying the clan's wealth, followed without a word. Now, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Dai Yao held none of the admiration one might show for a junior; instead, it was filled with resentment towards the will-o'-the-wisp youth!
Even someone as composed as him could hardly bear it. He closed his eyes, no longer looking at Dai Yao, and slowly said:
"This is Rongrong's business; as long as she's happy, that's fine."
Ning Rongrong was still basking in the shyness of her engagement to Dai Yao, her hair practically steaming. If it weren't for the formal occasion, she would have run away long ago.
Dugu Yan glanced at the disappointing Ning Rongrong. Dai Yao only needed to say one sentence to completely fool this silly girl.
This silly girl is so easily satisfied.
Feng Wutong and Zhu Zhuqing had already been with Dai Yao, and they were prepared to live with them, after all, they were the ones who came later. They also understood why Dai Yao brought up Wutong and Zhu Qing here—he wanted to give them a proper status as well.
However, their elders were all there, so they couldn't reveal the truth, because it would make their elders lose face.
He said softly:
"Dai Yao, we understand what you mean, and we have been prepared for this for a long time."
The elders exchanged glances, admiring Dai Yao's methods. Not only did he manage to make so many beautiful women vie to be his wife, but they also seemed to be getting along quite well.
The young disciples of the Azure Lotus Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were quite envious of Dai Yao. Some women, on the other hand, felt quite resentful towards Dai Yao. Both Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong were their perfect idols, and it was truly a pity that they would so self-degradingly share a husband with him.
Meanwhile, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Poison Douluo exchanged a knowing glance, already preparing to teach Dai Yao a lesson during this time.
Of course, it was euphemistically called "training" for Dai Yao.
...(End of this chapter)