A Rumor Starts with a Mouth; Debunking It Takes Fists!

"Shui Bing'er, I never expected you to like this type. Though he is indeed good-looking—far easier on the eyes than a certain someone."

Feng Xiaotian, who had been standing there, immediately bent over and clutched his chest. Those piercing words made him feel as if his heart were bleeding.

Shui Bing'er frowned slightly, her expression turning unpleasant and her voice somewhat cold.

"Huo Wu, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Please watch yourself."

Huo Wu, who already had a fiery temper, immediately threw a fit and glared at Liu Yanyang with disgust.

"Was I wrong? Look at him. Yu Tianxin provoked him just now, yet he didn't react at all. Is he even a man?"

"If he actually had any guts, why didn't he fight Yu Tianxin? I might've respected him a little then. Even his Soul Power Level keeps fluctuating wildly. It's obvious his foundation is unstable."

"In the end, he still needs a woman to defend that laughable pride of his!"

Liu Yanyang laughed in anger. It was the first time anyone had called him a pretty boy or a kept man!

Yu Tianxin really was disgusting. To build momentum for himself, he would stop at nothing.

He could already imagine all sorts of rumors spreading soon—things like "Yu Tianxin Beats Up a Pretty Boy for Love" and "Yu Tianxin Pulverizes a Kept Man"...

Then, seeing Huo Wu still looking at him with contempt, Liu Yanyang released his Spiritual Power and killing intent.

With a thud, Huo Wu fell straight onto the ground. She stared at Liu Yanyang in terror, her voice trembling. "Y-You...!"

Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang, who stood beside her, both watched Liu Yanyang warily.

Feng Xiaotian in particular clearly understood Liu Yanyang's terror through the Gale Twin-headed Husky's danger sense.

Shaking his head, Liu Yanyang patted Shui Bing'er on the shoulder just as she was about to flare up.

Then the two left side by side.

Without wasting breath arguing, Liu Yanyang had always liked a saying from his previous life.

"Don't argue with idiots!"

Not long after, they arrived at an empty pavilion and sat facing each other.

"I apologize to you on Huo Wu's behalf! She spoke harshly to you without understanding what kind of person you are!"

"Her nature isn't bad. She just particularly hates men with weak personalities!"

Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes were full of guilt. In the end, it was because of her that Liu Yanyang had been misunderstood, wasn't it?

Liu Yanyang waved his hand, mischief rising in him again as the corners of his lips curled upward.

"Oh? So you know me very well?"

"Mhm! You're a good person!"

"You repay kindness, you treat your friends well, and you have clear goals that you strive toward!"

Shui Bing'er looked at Liu Yanyang with sincere eyes and spoke in an earnest tone.

"Cough, cough!" Liu Yanyang awkwardly scratched the back of his head and avoided Shui Bing'er's sincere gaze.

After that, the two fell silent.

"Big Sis, Big Sis..."

A crisp, melodious call broke the awkward atmosphere.

A group of lovely young women ran over from the distance. Once they reached the pavilion—

They circled Liu Yanyang, inspecting him with scrutinizing looks.

Liu Yanyang guessed that they were the members of the Skywater Team from the original story. After all, Shui Yue'er was among them.

"Are you that scumbag? That heartless man?"

One girl with short blue hair and a dashing appearance spoke coldly.

"Cough, cough... cough!" Liu Yanyang coughed violently twice. He felt that he should have stayed in bed today. It really wasn't a day to go out.

How long had it been? He had already gained two more nicknames.

"Xue Wu, what nonsense are you talking about?" Shui Bing'er asked, utterly confused.

"What? You dare do it but not admit it?" Xue Wu ignored Shui Bing'er and questioned him harshly. Then, when she noticed Cheng Ying on Liu Yanyang's finger, she suddenly shouted.

"Look! You're even wearing a couple's ring on your hand, and you still won't admit it? You scumbag!"

The several girls beside her nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Four years ago, you gave Big Sis a token of love, then ran off by yourself. You never came back even once!"

"Four years! A whole four years! Do you know how Big Sis got through those four years?"

"Every now and then, she would rub the ring by herself and stare blankly at it. And you still won't admit that you're a heartless man!"

"Exactly! Scumbag! Heartless man!"

The girls were filled with righteous indignation, all of them cracking their knuckles.

Liu Yanyang looked at Shui Bing'er in confusion. Her face was already flushed red, and she had lowered her head.

Could this girl really like me?

Liu Yanyang grumbled inwardly. But even counting everything up, he had only met Shui Bing'er three times. There was no way she could be deeply in love with him!

"Ah! It hurts, it hurts! Sis, stop pulling! It's going to come off!"

Coming back to his senses, Liu Yanyang saw Shui Bing'er tugging Shui Yue'er's ear.

"Who told you to spread such nonsense?"

Liu Yanyang suddenly understood. So it was Shui Yue'er making up stories. When he had given Han Guang to Shui Bing'er, it had never been a token of love. He had merely been repaying her for saving his life.

Then he cleared his throat twice and spoke unhurriedly.

"The rings Shui Bing'er and I are wearing aren't couple's rings!"

Wait, Cheng Ying and Han Guang seemed to have been a pair in the first place.

Liu Yanyang felt a little awkward. He scratched the back of his head, then continued without blushing or missing a beat.

"As for the token of love, that was a Soul Tool. It was useful to Shui Bing'er, and it was also meant to repay her for saving my life."

Xue Wu and the others did not believe him. After all, they had seen Big Sis Shui Bing'er in that absent-minded state many times.

At once, their eyes filled with anger as they prepared to beat Liu Yanyang to death.

"Enough! Stop messing around!" Shui Bing'er shouted, stopping them.

"The exchange match is about to begin. Let's hurry over!"

With that, she headed alone toward the arena, not allowing anyone to see the loneliness on her face.

Xue Wu and the others sighed and followed Shui Bing'er, leaving Liu Yanyang behind alone.

Shaking his head, he leisurely followed behind the group.

Skywater Academy's spirit-fighting arena.

The students from the Five Elemental Academies were all seated according to their respective sections, clearly divided and keeping to themselves.

At the entrance to the venue, Shui Bing'er and the other members of the Skywater Team appeared, immediately drawing the attention of every academy.

After all, Yu Tianxin's bold declaration of love had long become a popular topic of gossip around the academies.

Then they saw Liu Yanyang following behind the Skywater Team.

Everyone's appetite for gossip was completely ignited, and whispers broke out everywhere.

"So this is the pretty boy from the rumors?"

"I heard Senior Shui Bing'er keeps him as a lover outside the academy!"

Several male students from Thunder Academy directly started cursing.

"I have never seen anyone so shameless!"

"He actually dared to come to the exchange match. Let's see how Senior Tianxin deals with him later."

All sorts of insults and contemptuous remarks rose one after another.

Liu Yanyang rested both hands behind his head, yawned, and plopped down right beside Shui Bing'er.

He closed his eyes to rest. These people would not listen to a word he said anyway. Fortunately, he knew a little about using his fists too!