"Sorry to trouble you, Madam Ye." Ning Fengzhi cupped his hands, his manner elegant.
"Sect Master Ning, Elder Jian, Elder Gu, Dean Flender, Grandmaster, your honored presence brings light to my humble home."
Ye Wanqing rose, a polite smile instantly appearing on her face. Her gaze swept over Ning Rongrong's reddened eyes, and she understood.
"May I ask what brings you all here today?" She took a light sip of tea, her tone composed.
Ning Fengzhi returned her smile. "Please forgive us, Madam Ye. My daughter is headstrong. When she heard a friend of hers had been wronged here, she insisted on getting an explanation. I couldn't talk her out of it, so I came along."
Flender immediately stepped forward, his gaze sharp as an eagle's behind his gold-rimmed glasses. "Madam Ye! Your young master forcibly abducted my Shrek Academy student Xiao Wu yesterday and detained her all night! If word gets out, what will become of Shrek's reputation?! I ask you to see that justice is done!"
His voice rose sharply, his anger clearly meant to stir things up. He glanced at Chen Xin and Gu Rong from the corner of his eye, brimming with confidence.
Tang San stood in the shadows among the crowd, head lowered, a cold glint in his eyes. Su Ling... He detained and humiliated Xiao Wu... He has chosen the Path to Death! When the time is right, I'll kill him with my own hands!
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others wore undisguised looks of contempt.
Ma Hongjun leaned close and muttered to Oscar, "Hey, do you think Xiao Wu got... last night?"
"Aunt Ye!" Hearing Ma Hongjun's filthy remark, Ning Rongrong's eyes reddened even more.
She darted to the front, her slender finger nearly poking Ye Wanqing in the nose. "Where's that bastard Su Ling? Tell him to get out here!"
"What right did he have to keep Xiao Wu there? Did he do something shameful to her?!"
The atmosphere in the hall abruptly turned oppressive.
With two Titled Douluo backing them, the people from Shrek Academy had already started acting and speaking as if the Su Family were beneath them.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin tapped his sword hilt three times with a fingertip, casting a glance toward Old Mo in the shadows. The threat was unmistakable.
Bone Douluo Gu Rong surveyed the room with an amused smile, releasing his Soul Power in faint pulses. The temperature in the hall plunged.
Ye Wanqing's smile remained perfectly polite, but the warmth in her eyes steadily faded.
Having a junior point at her and insult her own son would have enraged even the most even-tempered person. Ye Wanqing was no exception.
And the tacit approval and pressure from the Sword and Bone Douluos and Ning Fengzhi were clearly encouragement!
The hall fell utterly silent.
Ye Wanqing said nothing. She simply stared coldly at Ning Rongrong. The invisible pressure made Ning Rongrong uneasy, and she instinctively drew her hand back.
"Is this the way they teach manners in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Yesterday, I thought you were a sensible girl. It seems I was mistaken." Ye Wanqing spoke unhurriedly, but Ning Fengzhi's brow furrowed.
"Old Mo." Ye Wanqing brushed a hand over her sleeve, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Go fetch the young master and Miss Xiao Wu. The Su Family was in the wrong first, so we'll give them the explanation they deserve."
Old Mo bowed and withdrew.
Before long, Xiao Wu came in, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning.
She wore Su Ling's silk robe loosely over her body, its sash untied, revealing a small stretch of her delicate collarbone.
The girl's languid, just-awakened allure brought the entire hall to a standstill.
"Rongrong? Dean? Grandmaster? Why are you all here?"
Xiao Wu was clearly taken aback by the crowd filling the hall. Her gaze landed on Ning Rongrong.
"Xiao Wu!" Ning Rongrong immediately rushed over and grabbed her shoulders, looking her up and down. Her voice shook with anger and tears. "Did he do anything to you? Did that bastard bully you?"
Tang San's heart clenched. His gaze swept over every inch of Xiao Wu like a searchlight, looking for signs of humiliation. His murderous intent toward Su Ling had already reached its peak.
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others held their breath.
Feeling everyone's scorching gazes, Xiao Wu blushed and tugged self-consciously at her collar. She shook her head. "No. Don't overthink it, Rongrong."
"Really? He didn't?!" Ning Rongrong raised her voice, unconvinced.
"Really!" Xiao Wu grew flustered, raising her voice too. "Last night... he just brought me to his room and asked me a few things... about you... what you like... what kind of people you dislike..."
She paused, then quickly added, as if defending him, "Actually... he isn't as bad as you think..."
Her voice trailed off. Remembering Su Ling's teasing remark at the end—"I could eat you too"—made her blush even more.
"What?!" Ning Rongrong shrieked, her voice cracking. Her face flushed scarlet, and she stamped her foot in embarrassment.
"He was asking about me?! He kept you there all night just for that?!"
"Su Ling! You pervert! You lunatic! You nutcase! Get out here!"
She was so embarrassed she could barely speak, especially in front of her father and the two grandfathers. She wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and crawl into it.
Everyone from Shrek Academy stood frozen.
Dai Mubai's mouth twitched, while Oscar and Ma Hongjun stared at each other, wide-eyed.
Flender and Yu Xiaogang's faces turned red with embarrassment. They had brought Titled Douluos along to demand "justice."
But the young master only wanted to get a girl's attention by going through her friend? Their faces had been thoroughly slapped!
Tang San's tense body relaxed slightly, but the malice in his eyes deepened. He was asking about Rongrong? Just as I thought—he has ulterior motives! This man... has chosen the Path to Death!
Ye Wanqing pressed a hand to her forehead, at a loss for words.
What on earth was her foolish son up to?
She'd already thought of a name for her grandchild, but he'd been alone in a room with a young woman just to ask about Ning Rongrong's likes and dislikes.
His ridiculous stunt had left even his own mother completely baffled.
"Ahem... Please forgive the spectacle. I spoiled the boy, and he's always been careless in how he does things."
Ye Wanqing coughed softly. Her smile returned, though a trace of helplessness flashed in her eyes.
"Young people fall in love; it's understandable. We were the ones who overreacted and disturbed your household."
Seeing that Xiao Wu was unharmed, Ning Fengzhi felt a great weight lift from his heart. He softened his posture and tried to smooth things over.
But he was now even more wary of Su Ling.
This is bad! He's after my daughter!
Rongrong is so innocent and kind. I can't let that boy trick her.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin snorted and withdrew his pressure. Bone Douluo Gu Rong also reined in his Soul Power.
The two exchanged glances, both looking a little awkward.
The atmosphere eased considerably.
Ning Fengzhi patted his daughter's shoulder. "Rongrong, we misunderstood. Apologize to Aunt Ye."
Ning Rongrong bit her lip. Though reluctant, she saw the stern look in her father's eyes and lowered her head. "Aunt Ye, I'm sorry. I was too impulsive..."
Ye Wanqing smiled faintly and was just about to raise a hand to wave it off—
"Madam!!!" A terrified howl suddenly shattered the fragile calm!
A guard came tumbling into the hall, his face drained of color and his voice trembling uncontrollably. "Something's wrong! The young master! He... he's lying in West Street Alley... covered in blood... He... he's barely alive!!!"
Silence!
Absolute silence swallowed the entire hall!
The smile froze on Ye Wanqing's face. All color drained from her cheeks, and she staggered as if struck by a heavy blow!
"Ning! Feng! Zhi!"
The three words were forced through her teeth like venom-coated ice, radiating bone-deep cold.
"So this is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! So this is Shrek Academy!"
"Taking advantage of my family's strongest fighters being away, bullying a helpless widow and her child! And now you dare lay such a vicious hand on my son—!!!"
Her ever-smiling eyes now blazed with terrifying fury, like those of a wounded lioness!
Her gaze cut like the sharpest blade, sweeping over Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo, then Flender and Yu Xiaogang, before finally pinning Ning Rongrong and Tang San in place!
Boom! An astonishing surge of Soul Power erupted!
Seven Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, and black—rose from beneath her feet!
The pressure of a top-tier healing Soul Saint could not shake a Titled Douluo.
But the frenzied killing intent, as if she were ready to die alongside her enemies, made everyone's soul tremble!
"Madam Ye! We had absolutely nothing to do with this!"
Ning Fengzhi panicked too. He hurried a step forward to shield his daughter. "We've been at our lodgings since last night. There's no way we could have attacked your son!"
Sword Douluo Chen Xin said gravely, "Madam Ye, calm down! If we had really wanted to act, would we have needed such a convoluted scheme?"
"Old Mo—!" Ye Wanqing would hear none of their explanations. She let out a piercing roar. "Gather every Soul Master in the household at once and seal off the entire city!"
"Send word to King Zhenyuan's Mansion! Tell the old man his grandson was assassinated in Heaven Dou City and is on the brink of death! Ask the old bastard whether he intends to do anything about it or not!"
"Send word to the Heavenly Blaze Army Camp! Tell Su Zhantian to get his ass back here! I don't care what war he's fighting! His son is being beaten to death right now—!!!"
She whipped around, her bloodshot gaze fixed on Ning Fengzhi's ashen face. Each word fell like a curse from the depths of the underworld.
"Today! If anything happens to my son!"
"I'll leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with not a single soul left alive!!"
"I'll make your daughter... join my son in the grave!"
Before you continue