Chapter 286: We're the Ones Pursuing Him
Inside the library, many scholars were seated in a spacious area, taking their lunch. Dai Yao was casually reading a book in one hand while eating the meal Feng Wutong had carefully prepared. Every so often, he would pause at an interesting passage, immersed in thought.
Whenever he did, Feng Wutong, with gentle attention, would place his favorite foods into his bowl. And if Dai Yao became too absorbed to eat, she would even feed him directly, her gentle demeanor as demure as that of a devoted attendant.
Watching from a distance, Li Gongzi and his group were utterly dumbfounded.
"Li Gongzi, should we still proceed?" asked a wiry young man tentatively.
It was obvious that Feng Wutong's heart was entirely bound to Dai Yao, and nothing they did could change that.
Li Gongzi watched Feng Wutong's every movement, his jaw clenching with rage as he ground out, "Proceed. Now!"
He strode forward, a pack of four or five companions trailing after him with determined expressions. But before they could get close, Feng Wutong intercepted them, her phoenix-like eyes exuding an untouchable dignity as she swept her gaze over them. The fire in their stance fizzled out instantly.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded coldly.
Feng Wutong recognized Li Gongzi; ever since she had joined Spirit Hall, he had lingered around her, his intentions clear. She had rejected him outright long ago, with an attitude as cold as ice, hoping to make him give up. Yet he continued to cling to hope, undeterred. Now, seeing that he was prepared to disturb her young master, her tolerance had run out.
"I… I…" Li Gongzi stammered under her steely gaze, the words sticking in his throat. Seeing Feng Wutong so indifferent toward him yet so caring toward the golden-haired man beside her, a bitter jealousy swelled in his chest. Why should he, of noble blood, be treated coldly, while this stranger basked in her affection? As the grandson of a Spirit Hall elder soon to become a Titled Douluo, only he was worthy of Feng Wutong's attention!
Breaking free from her intense gaze, he turned his fury to Dai Yao. "Hiding behind a woman? Do you even call yourself a man? Stand up and face me if you dare; I want a fair fight for her!"
Li Gongzi's loud challenge echoed throughout the hall, drawing the attention of nearby scholars. Recognizing him, many murmured in surprise.
"Isn't that Li Gongzi? What's he doing here?"
"If I had to guess, it's likely because of Feng Wutong. Too bad for him, though. That woman's status is far beyond Li Gongzi's reach," one scoffed.
A man beside him quickly cautioned, "Careful what you say! Li Gongzi's grandfather is an eighty-ninth-level Spirit Douluo. We'd be wise not to get involved."
The whisperer immediately fell silent, reminded of Spirit Hall's hierarchy, where strength reigned supreme. In this world, even Spirit Hall scholars wielded little respect; only power mattered. Dai Yao's evident lack of renown was yet another reason Li Gongzi and his friends presumed him to be a mere nobody.
"For better or worse, it seems the poor guy's about to be put in his place. No one crosses Li Gongzi," some spectators muttered, their eyes glinting with the envy of Dai Yao's proximity to Feng Wutong.
Before Dai Yao could respond, Feng Wutong's eyes narrowed, her gaze sharpening to a deadly edge as she turned toward Li Gongzi. The temperature around her seemed to plummet, her voice frigid as ice.
"Do you have a death wish?" she asked.
White-hot flames rose behind her as her Vermilion Bird spirit flared to life. Her scarlet hair was soon engulfed in incandescent fire, the sheer force of her aura bringing beads of sweat to Li Gongzi's forehead. His heart hammered in his chest.
Before Feng Wutong could strike, Dai Yao's calm voice sounded from behind her.
"Wutong, if he's here to challenge me, there's no need for you to intervene."
Dai Yao closed his book, his tone soft yet resolute.
Ever since leaving the Slaughter City, he'd struggled to suppress his internal bloodlust. Though he had subdued much of it through study, his inherent pride remained. His relatively unknown status in Spirit Hall had also been chafing at him. This incident provided the perfect opportunity to establish his position and deter those casting greedy eyes upon Feng Wutong and Zhu Zhuqing.
At his words, Feng Wutong hesitated but then immediately withdrew her spirit power and stepped back, her obedient manner casting her in the light of a servant rather than a lover. A strange contrast, given her strength and status, left many questioning their perceptions of the situation.
With Feng Wutong's spirit power fading, the suffocating pressure lifted. Li Gongzi gasped for air, wiping the sweat from his brow. Steeling himself, he fixed his gaze on Dai Yao. He couldn't allow himself to appear weak in front of Feng Wutong. He had to prove that he was the one who deserved her favor, not this stranger.
But as his eyes met Dai Yao's, he froze. A wave of pure, unfiltered killing intent washed over him, piercing his soul like a thousand blades. His vision swam with images of countless corpses lying at Dai Yao's feet, forming a throne of bones upon which the golden-haired man sat. The sheer, unholy majesty of a god of death.
Panicked, he stumbled backward, tripping over an uneven stone and landing hard on the ground. Scrambling backward, he was oblivious to the incredulous stares of those around him.
"Did he just… fall back? He's the grandson of a Spirit Douluo, yet he's… afraid?"
Murmurs spread through the crowd, the whispers growing louder.
Seeing Li Gongzi in such a state, a wiry man beside him shouted in a strained voice, "What did you do? Think you can harm Li Gongzi and get away with it?"
But as Dai Yao's cold eyes shifted to him, his words died in his throat, replaced by the same terror that had overtaken Li Gongzi. Like his companion, he scrambled back in fear.
Dai Yao's cold gaze swept over the group before he addressed Li Gongzi, his voice as icy as a winter wind.
"Bother Wutong again, and the consequences will be… severe."
Li Gongzi gulped, nodding fervently, eager to avoid further provocation. Hastily gathering his group, he fled the library without looking back.
As they moved further away, the wiry young man grumbled, "Li Gongzi, he was too arrogant. We can't let this slide! If you just ask your grandfather, he can—"
He was cut short by a slap to the back of the head. Li Gongzi glared at him, eyes blazing. "Be silent! You want to get us all killed?"
In that single gaze from Dai Yao, he had sensed an overwhelming bloodlust, the kind he'd only ever felt from Holy Maiden Hu Liena herself.
The blond man's talent rivaled that of the current Holy Maiden!
And where did Hu Liena's killing intent come from? The few fragmented details he overheard from her grandfather alone had left him trembling with fear. Someone who had emerged alive from that kind of place would not be a merciful or softhearted individual.
If he dared to offend again, that blond man would surely carry out his promise.
"From now on, we must never provoke Feng Wutong again. Today's events must not be revealed to anyone. Do you all understand?"
Young Master Li swept his gaze across the group and barked his orders.
The others exchanged glances before nodding in unison. "Understood."
Young Master Li took a few deep breaths, the lingering fear evident in his expression. Thinking about how Feng Wutong had someone like that man by her side, he sighed heavily, realizing he had no chance of winning her favor anymore.
After some thought, he explained, "Do you all know why I forbid you from speaking of this incident?"
"Why?"
The others were puzzled.
"That man possesses a talent as terrifying as that of the current Holy Maiden. Yet not a single word about him has surfaced within Spirit Hall. You should understand the implications of such a situation."
The group's pupils constricted in shock, and they immediately grasped the significance of his words. If the blond man's talent was truly as extraordinary as Young Master Li claimed, he would not be an unknown figure. The complete absence of any mention of him within Spirit Hall meant something far more sinister.
It was as if a great hand had wiped all traces of the man's past from existence.
Only someone within Spirit Hall's highest echelons—whether the Platinum Bishops, the six Title Douluo elders, or perhaps even the Pope herself—could achieve such a feat.
Recalling Feng Wutong's deferential attitude toward the man, they began to see him as someone far more enigmatic and unfathomable.
"Young Master Li, rest assured, we won't breathe a word of this," the group unanimously pledged.
The man's lack of fame was clearly deliberate. If their carelessness brought unwanted attention to him, forcing him to reveal his identity, they would undoubtedly incur the wrath of whoever was protecting him.
Even Young Master Li, the grandson of a Soul Douluo, would not escape unscathed.
After the farce ended, Dai Yao and Feng Wutong returned to their table. The surrounding diners now looked at Dai Yao with a newfound gravity.
A man who didn't even need to use a soul skill to scare Young Master Li away was no ordinary person.
Noticing Feng Wutong's slightly odd expression, Dai Yao raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Master, I could have handled him myself. Why did you step in?"
Dai Yao chuckled. "This wasn't a mere provocation. This was a matter between men. He coveted my woman. How could I stand idly by? I had to deal with him personally to erase any lingering thoughts he might have had."
At the words my woman, a blush crept across Feng Wutong's face, and she shyly murmured, "Mm."
At that moment, a fiery figure suddenly sat down beside Dai Yao. His attire, adorned with glowing magma-like patterns, radiated a wave of heat that quickly spread throughout the room.
The surrounding onlookers couldn't help but regard him with respect. This was none other than Yan, one of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.
"Dai Yao, you've got some skills. After all these years, you've managed to scare off that Li brat just like that. Tell me, what trick did you use?" Yan asked, his gaze flickering with curiosity as he scrutinized Dai Yao.
Unlike Tang San, who often let his killing intent spill over, Dai Yao had spent a month refining his control. Now, his killing intent was condensed into an invisible thread that only those who had experienced it firsthand could detect.
Without looking up, Dai Yao replied nonchalantly, "What brings you here? Did the Death Canyon trials go to your head, and now you're looking for revenge?"
Yan quickly waved his hands in denial, chuckling as he glanced at Feng Wutong.
"Revenge? No way. Back when you were just a Soul Ancestor, I wasn't your match. Now that you're a Soul King, I'd have to be crazy to challenge you. Actually, I came to ask you for advice."
"Oh? What advice?" Dai Yao asked, finally looking up.
After a moment of hesitation, Yan asked earnestly, "I need your help on how to pursue a girl."
"Trying to woo Hu Liena?" Dai Yao cut straight to the point.
Yan smiled wryly. "Was it that obvious?"
Feng Wutong giggled behind her hand. "Yan, everyone knows about your feelings for Sister Na. You're the only one still in the dark."
Yan froze, his expression falling. He turned back to Dai Yao, pleading, "She must know how I feel by now, but she keeps her distance from me. I don't know what to do anymore.
"Ever since she came back from the Slaughter City, she's been even colder to me, as if she has someone else in her heart. You've got so many girls around you—surely you know how to win a woman's favor. If I don't do something soon, I'm afraid I'll lose her forever!"
Looking at Yan's desperate expression, Dai Yao sighed and patted his shoulder.
"Yan, just give up. Hu Liena will never fall for you."
"Why not?" Yan asked, unwilling to let go.
"You're not handsome enough. Hu Liena likes good-looking men. You're decent, but you don't meet her standards." Dai Yao delivered the harsh truth.
"That's impossible! Na isn't that shallow!" Yan exclaimed in disbelief.
Dai Yao shook his head. Though Hu Liena did appreciate good looks, what truly mattered to her was strength. Without the power to conquer her, winning her heart was impossible.
And Yan, unfortunately, lacked both the looks and the strength to meet her expectations.
"Nothing can be done. Even if you ask me, I can't give you the answer you want," Dai Yao said matter-of-factly.
"Why not?"
"Because I've never pursued a girl before," Dai Yao replied with a shrug.
"What?! How can that be?" Yan was dumbfounded.
He had assumed Dai Yao's ability to attract outstanding women like Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong was due to some unparalleled charm or skill in romance. Yet, according to Dai Yao, he had never actively pursued anyone.
"Then why do you have so many girls around you?" Yan pressed.
Before Dai Yao could answer, a cool, melodic voice interjected, "Because we're the ones pursuing him."
Turning toward the voice, they saw a breathtakingly beautiful figure take a seat beside Dai Yao. The serene smile on Zhu Zhuqing's face stunned everyone present.
Yan's thoughts ground to a halt. He turned to Feng Wutong, seeking confirmation.
"Is that true?"
Feng Wutong nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, we're the ones chasing after him."
In that moment, Yan's world turned gray.
How was it fair that Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong—women as stunning as, if not more so than, Hu Liena—were throwing themselves at Dai Yao, while he couldn't even get Hu Liena to look his way?
For the first time, Yan truly felt the absurdity of life.
(Chapter End)
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 30th, get 30% off your subscription and the purchase of the novel.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10