Divine Fire Manor.
Dongfang Huaizhu returned to the main hall alongside Dongfang Qinlan and Xiao Se. The moment they stepped inside, they saw the head of the Dongfang family seated at the head of the chamber—Dongfang Guyue himself.
The three of them bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Father." ×2
"You're back," Dongfang Guyue said calmly.
"Father, this time when we came home, Sister brought a boyfriend with her!" Dongfang Qinlan quickly rushed to Dongfang Guyue's side, hooking her arm through his and lowering her voice conspiratorially.
"Qinlan, you—" Dongfang Huaizhu shot her a sharp look. She hadn't even had time to ease into the topic before Qinlan had exposed everything in one sentence.
"Huaizhu, is that true?" Dongfang Guyue's aged eyes flickered with surprise as curiosity surfaced. He knew his eldest daughter had been gifted and mature since childhood, with standards higher than the sky. If someone had truly won her heart, he must be anything but ordinary.
"…Yes." A faint blush rose on Dongfang Huaizhu's delicate cheeks as she nodded.
"Father, let me tell you, my brother-in-law is incredible!" Dongfang Qinlan declared proudly. "Not only does he possess a flame even stronger than our Pure Yang Flame, he even defeated Huan Du Qingtian!"
She had taken quite a liking to Xiao Se—and after all the small "gifts" she had received along the way, she was more than happy to sing his praises.
"Huan Du Qingtian is no ordinary opponent," Dongfang Guyue murmured, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Now you've truly piqued my interest. I would very much like to see what kind of young talent this is. Have him come in."
"Yes, Father." Dongfang Huaizhu turned toward the entrance and called out softly, "Xiao Se, come in."
As her voice faded, Xiao Se stepped into the hall at an unhurried pace. He first gave Dongfang Huaizhu a faint smile, then cupped his hands respectfully toward Dongfang Guyue.
"This junior, Xiao Se, greets Father-in-law."
Dongfang Guyue's mouth twitched.
The entire hall fell silent.
This young man—who looked far too young, frankly—had moved straight to "Father-in-law" without hesitation. That was… bold.
"Don't rush into calling me Father-in-law just yet," Dongfang Guyue said evenly. "Tell me—where are you from?"
"A wandering cultivator," Xiao Se replied calmly. "I roam the four seas and make my home wherever I travel."
"I hear from Qinlan that you possess a flame stronger than our Pure Yang Flame. May this old man have a look?"
"Of course."
Xiao Se extended his right hand. A pink flame bloomed into existence out of thin air.
In an instant, the temperature of the entire hall surged violently upward.
"What a terrifying flame…" Dongfang Guyue's expression shifted. He summoned his own Pure Yang Flame, and to his astonishment, the sacred flame in his palm seemed to recoil before the pink fire—almost as if it wished to bow in submission.
"Qinlan did not exaggerate."
"You defeated Huan Du Qingtian?"
"By luck," Xiao Se answered modestly.
One question followed another. Dongfang Guyue pressed him on everything he could think of—background, cultivation, intentions.
Xiao Se answered what he could truthfully. What he could not answer… he handled with smooth improvisation.
At last, Dongfang Guyue lifted his teacup and took a measured sip.
"One final question. Answer me honestly, and I will agree to your marriage with Huaizhu."
"Father, what are you saying? Who said I agreed to marry him?" Dongfang Huaizhu protested, though her tone carried more bashful embarrassment than real denial.
"You are my daughter," Dongfang Guyue replied with a knowing look. "You think I can't see through that little heart of yours? Besides, I trust your judgment."
Xiao Se smiled faintly. "Please ask, Father-in-law."
Dongfang Guyue's gaze sharpened.
"How old are you? I want the truth."
Though Xiao Se stood a full meter eighty tall, and absorbing spirit rings and spirit bones had given him a more mature appearance, there was still a faint trace of youth in his brows—something that couldn't quite be concealed.
"This… well…" Xiao Se hesitated.
"Answer him," Dongfang Huaizhu urged, growing anxious. From what she could tell, her father's impression of Xiao Se had been positive so far. This was not the time for things to fall apart.
"Really, just say it!" Dongfang Qinlan chimed in impatiently. "You're making us all nervous!"
Xiao Se drew in a deep breath and spoke solemnly.
"Fifteen."
Fifteen?
Dongfang Guyue. Dongfang Huaizhu. Dongfang Qinlan.
The three nearly spat blood.
So this "young man who looked like a pretty-faced playboy" wasn't just youthful-looking.
He was actually that young.
—
Night fell.
The moon hung like a silver disc in the sky, stars scattered across the heavens.
Within a secluded bamboo grove somewhere in Divine Fire Manor, a shadowed conversation unfolded.
"Senior Brother… that's what happened."
Dongfang Huaizhu's attendant, Xiao Lu, knelt before a man clad in a red cloak. The man's eyes were clouded—sightless.
"So you're saying that Dongfang Huaizhu, that wretched woman, has fallen for some pretty boy—and even brought him back to Divine Fire Manor?" the blind man asked coldly.
"Yes, Senior Brother," Xiao Lu replied, nodding nervously.
"And what did that old man Dongfang Guyue say?" The man's expression grew darker with every word.
"The… the Family Head seems very satisfied with Xiao Se. He has already agreed to his marriage with the Eldest Miss."
Xiao Lu's voice trembled.
"Useless trash."
The blind man kicked him violently, sending him flying.
"Get out. Get out of my sight!"
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
As if granted a pardon from death itself, Xiao Lu scrambled up and limped out of the bamboo grove as quickly as he could. No one noticed that the moment he stepped beyond the grove, three blood-red tomoe briefly flashed in his right eye before vanishing.
After Xiao Lu left, the blind man threw his head back and roared at the sky.
"Damn it! Damn that old bastard! I begged him countless times to marry Dongfang Huaizhu to me, and he refused every time!"
"Damn it all! Damn the heavens! Why did my eyes suddenly turn into these useless rotten eggs? If not for that, I would have already gone to the leech demon village and obtained the blood-exchange demon art!"
He clenched his fists, face twisted in fury.
"No. I can't delay any longer. Before Dongfang Huaizhu marries that pretty boy, I must obtain the blood-exchange secret art. Then I'll take the divine blood from Dongfang Guyue himself."
"By then… Dongfang Huaizhu, you will be mine."
Unbeknownst to him, several figures stood only a short distance away, concealed within a protective barrier of ocean-blue light—the Vast Sea Barrier.
Xiao Se.
Dongfang Huaizhu.
Dongfang Guyue.
Dongfang Qinlan.
Every word had been heard clearly.
All of their expressions darkened.
"That damned Jin Renfeng!" Dongfang Qinlan bit her lower lip, trembling with anger. "We treated him so well! Not only does he lust after Sister, he actually wants to harm Father too!"
If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she would never have believed that the Senior Brother she once respected could be such a heartless beast.
"Qinlan, be quiet. Let Father decide," Dongfang Huaizhu said softly, though the jade hand hidden within her sleeve was clenched tightly. Her body trembled—not only from anger, but from relief.
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness Xiao Se had noticed something strange about Xiao Lu. Thank goodness he had brought them here under the pretense of demonstrating a fire-control technique—only to accidentally uncover Jin Renfeng's plot.
Otherwise…
The consequences would have been unimaginable.
"Father-in-law," Xiao Se said evenly, his gaze resting on Dongfang Guyue. "How do you intend to deal with this traitor who betrays his master and dishonors his lineage?"
Jin Renfeng's exposure tonight had not happened by coincidence. Xiao Se knew the man's nature well. Blind or not, Jin Renfeng would never abandon his schemes. In fact, many tragedies in the fox demon world had stemmed from him.
Such a person could not be allowed to live.
Dongfang Guyue's expression hardened.
"A disciple who betrays his master and seeks to destroy his own sect…" His voice turned cold as iron. "What use is there in keeping him alive?"
The gentle tolerance he normally showed his disciples vanished completely.
For a man who repaid kindness with treachery…
Who plotted to seize his daughter…
Who intended to murder his own master…
There was no room for mercy.
(End of Chapter)
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