Ye Qing looked at Qian Daoliu's expression, which seemed ready to crack, and the blatant fear and hope in his eyes. A troubled look appeared on the boy's little face, too.
He tilted his head and thought it over very seriously. Then, under Qian Daoliu's increasingly despairing gaze, he spoke slowly, with some uncertainty:
"Um... I can't really say..."
"We'll see how things go when the time comes?"
He paused, apparently feeling that answer was too vague, then added, "If it really doesn't work out... well... I guess living off Angel God big sister wouldn't be so bad? Didn't she say she'd dote on me and even feed me?"
After saying that, he seemed to think the plan was quite feasible. He nodded at Qian Daoliu.
Then, without looking at the other man's instantly petrified expression, he turned and strode out of Douluo Hall without a backward glance.
Qian Daoliu: "..."
He stood there, feeling all the blood in his body rush to his head in an instant.
Then, just as quickly, it drained away, leaving him cold and numb.
No, wait...
He really had that idea?
Ye Qing, you've got some nerve even thinking that!!!
Qian Daoliu roared inwardly, his composure completely lost. His old face crumpled like a dried tangerine peel.
He squeezed his eyes shut and took several deep breaths before barely suppressing the urge to throw his head back and howl.
But...
In spite of himself, Angel God's peerlessly beautiful face appeared in his mind again, her countenance blending divinity and allure, along with her pleasant voice, tinged with a lazy, seductive lilt...
Hiss—
Qian Daoliu abruptly shook his head, trying to cast out those blasphemous thoughts, but deep down he had to admit one thing:
Angel God... was indeed the most beautiful, most divine, and most... captivating woman he had seen in his long life. Without exception.
No wonder... even a little child like that had... ahem, had been bewitched...
This was...
Actually...
Not entirely without reason?
Qian Daoliu covered his face in anguish.
Meanwhile, in the Divine Realm, at the Angel God Temple.
Angel God's figure had just taken shape on the Holy Light Throne.
She hadn't even had time to settle comfortably into her seat and savor the fun of teasing that little tyke when—
A thunderous roar and banging on the door suddenly sounded outside the temple, throwing the holy clouds of light around it into disarray.
"Angel! You old hag! Get your ass out here!!!"
It was Sea God Poseidon. His rough, irritable voice carried clearly through the temple's heavy doors.
"You shameless bastard! You actually dared to secretly trick my successor into switching sides! Have you no dignity as a god?! If you've got the guts, open the door! Come out and fight me one-on-one!!"
Angel God furrowed her exquisite brows, a flicker of impatience crossing her face.
But then, as if she had thought of something, that impatience quickly gave way to a mixture of amusement, haughtiness, and the smug delight of someone who'd caught another person red-handed.
She gave a soft snort. Not only was she not angry, but the corners of her mouth curled into a meaningful smile.
Then she rose gracefully, holy light flowing around her as she walked lightly toward the temple doors.
With a casual wave of her jade-white hand, the heavy, solemn doors, carved with countless angelic runes, silently swung inward.
Outside, Poseidon had his sleeves rolled up, the phantom of the Sea God Trident roaring behind him. He looked ready to throw down.
When he saw that Angel God had not only come out, but bore no trace of anger or guilt at having been caught plotting, and instead wore a brilliant, radiant smile that made him deeply uneasy, his whole body stiffened. His heart gave a thump.
That smile...
Something was wrong!
Very wrong!
With that old woman's temper, after he'd cursed her to her face like this, she should have glared coldly and fired back, or just attacked him!
What was with that smile, like a blooming flower?
Could it be...
That kid...
Had really been turned?!
Alarm bells rang in Poseidon's mind, and an ominous foreboding rose within him.
No way, right?
He'd finally found such an extraordinary talent, and the position of God King was almost within reach.
If that old woman snatched the boy away halfway through, wouldn't Poseidon become the biggest joke, the biggest clown, in the Divine Realm?
Just as Poseidon wavered, his imposing presence faltering, Angel God spoke.
She folded her arms in leisure, lifted her chin slightly, and looked at Poseidon. Her tone was light, almost disdainful. "Sea God, if you've got nothing to do, there are so many layers of clouds in the Divine Realm. Why not find a building to jump off—oh, wait, find a high cloud platform and jump from there?"
She sighed faintly, as if she were quite helpless. "You come to my temple every day and make a racket, disturbing my peace. What's that supposed to be?"
Then she paused and gave Poseidon a once-over, her disdain nearly spilling out of her eyes.
She continued in a tone of sudden realization, edged with a hint of "don't get your hopes up." "Oh~~ I get it. Could it be that you're trying to get my attention this way?"
Angel God gave him a look that said she'd seen through him all along, then waved her slender, jade-white hand.
"Give it up, Poseidon. I'm telling you, there is absolutely no chance between us! Get that idea out of your head!"
Poseidon: "..."
He stood there dazed for a full three seconds before his brain finished processing what Angel God had said.
Then—
"What the hell!!!"
An even more furious, incredulous roar burst from the Sea God's mouth.
He was so angry his hair nearly stood on end, and the phantom of his trident trembled wildly.
"Trying to get your attention? Angel, do you have no shame? Take a good look at yourself! You think I'd be interested in you?"
Poseidon was so furious he lost all sense of restraint. He pointed at Angel God's nose and swore at her. "I'm telling you, Angel! You're a toad lusting after a swan—keep dreaming! Even if every woman in the Divine Realm died, no, even if every woman in the whole world died, I still wouldn't be interested in you! No, there isn't a single male creature who could ever be interested in an old hag like you!!!"
Faced with Poseidon's vicious insults, enough to make any woman furious, Angel God not only stayed calm, but her smile grew even brighter.
She raised an eyebrow and waited until Poseidon had finished cursing before speaking slowly, her voice full of smug sweetness. "Is that so? Then I'm afraid... I have to disappoint you."
She deliberately drew out her words, enunciating each one clearly:
"Just now, that child Ye Qing told me himself..."
She paused, watching Poseidon tense up in an instant and hold his breath. Then she spoke each word, clear and emphatic:
"When he becomes a god, he's coming to the Divine Realm—to, mar,ry, me~"
"Oh, honestly, I told him I'd think about it, but that child is so stubborn~"
She sighed theatrically, though her eyes were fixed on Poseidon, full of mischief and triumph.
"Unlike certain people, tsk, tsk, tsk... all you can do is rage helplessly and stamp your feet, cursing up a storm~"
BOOM!!!
The instant Angel God's words fell, Poseidon was struck as if by five thunderbolts!
His tall frame lurched.
The anger, mockery, and agitation on his face—all his expressions—froze in an instant, shattered, and then vanished into a blank stare.
Beneath that blankness, shock and despair surged up, impossible to believe.
His mouth hung open, but no sound came out.
Only his sea-blue eyes remained, staring fixedly at Angel God, who smiled radiantly, as though she had just won the greatest victory of her life.
Deep in his pupils, his world was crumbling.
Ye Qing...
Was going to marry...
Angel...
God...
Those words were like the most vicious curse, echoing wildly through his mind, exploding again and again!