Lin Xiu: You Think You Can Bully My Ano Just Because He Has No Demon Empress to Protect Him?

Qiangu Dongfeng had never imagined a day could be this hellish. Trembling, he replied, "Dad, I wasn't cursing you. Do you believe me?"

Hearing his son's words, Qiangu Dieting chuckled. "Of course I believe you. It's just that someone's performance a moment ago made me think you weren't my son at all!"

He had never dreamed his second son would end up on his knees begging for mercy. It was a result he hadn't anticipated in the slightest. It seemed he'd spoiled the boy too much. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he slapped Qiangu Dongfeng across the face again.

Smack!

Qiangu Dongfeng's cheeks swelled up like a pig's head, but he didn't dare say a word.

Just then, Lin Xiu entered with a staff member. He saw Qiangu Dongfeng getting slapped by his own father and nearly lost it. But when he saw Ano kneeling there, gasping for breath, and the cracks in the floor, his expression darkened at once.

He hurried over, completely ignoring Old Leng's scrutinizing gaze. Crouching down, he asked with concern, "What happened?"

At his words, Lin Nuo used their telepathic connection to briefly tell Lin Xiu what had just happened.

After hearing it all, Lin Xiu stood up and fixed his gaze on Old Leng, who was scrutinizing him. "Quite the impressive display, senior. My younger brother saved your daughter, and this is how you treat him?"

Faced with the boy's accusation, Old Leng couldn't believe he was so bold. "Kid, do you know what you're saying?"

"I only know that some senior can do nothing but repay kindness with ingratitude." Lin Xiu met Old Leng's eyes without fear, like a young calf that didn't know to fear the tiger.

Lin Nuo hadn't expected Lin Xiu to step forward and demand justice for him. He immediately stood up too and put a hand on Lin Xiu's shoulder, ready to back him up.

Qiangu Dieting stopped reprimanding his son and watched with interest as Lin Xiu—who had beaten his son to the ground and was now standing up for his younger brother against Old Leng—confronted him. He had to admit, the two brothers had guts.

Old Leng was about to release his pressure and teach the reckless junior a lesson. But the moment he raised his hand, a fierce killing intent swept over him. A piercing gaze locked onto him, accompanied by pressure even more powerful than his own, a Limit Douluo's.

In the Far North, where the cold bit to the bone, the Demon Empress lounged in the main hall of the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters, her chin resting lazily on one hand. Her eyes were shut, and faint Haze swirled around her. Her presence was as still as primordial ice.

The instant Old Leng raised his hand, her brows twitched almost imperceptibly, as if she'd sensed something. Her closed eyes slowly opened.

In the next instant, overwhelming pressure burst from her and swept through the entire Holy Spirit Cult headquarters. Even the Ten Thousand Year Ice Field outside the hall trembled, its frozen surface splitting into fine cracks.

There was not a hint of warmth in her deep eyes, only icy anger. She could clearly sense that someone dared to touch the person she protected. Even the slightest malice was unforgivable.

Though it was only a gaze reaching across a thousand miles, and pressure that made no sound or show, Old Leng felt his Soul Power collapse in an instant. The pressure he'd gathered vanished without a trace, like dust swept away by a gale.

He jerked his right hand back. His body leaned away despite himself, and he stared at the two youngsters before him in disbelief, his eyes full of shock and wariness.

Most of all, his heart clenched as he looked at Lin Xiu, standing nearby and meeting his gaze with an unfazed expression. Behind this seemingly ordinary junior stood a top expert of terrifying power!

Lin Xiu dared to challenge Old Leng because he really did have a Demon Empress protecting him. That was why he could do it!

"I was in the wrong just now." Old Leng finally gave in and apologized to Lin Nuo. "Lin Jiahao, I was wrong in what I did earlier."

Lin Nuo merely nodded and gave a quiet "Mm." Whether he had forgiven him was something only he knew.

Lin Xiu, standing nearby, wasn't as easygoing as Lin Nuo. He smiled pleasantly. "Senior, I'll remember this grudge."

Lin Nuo was Lin Xiu's bottom line. Whoever touched him would get cut down by his sickle. If Lin Xiu couldn't kill them now, he'd remember the grudge for later.

Forgive and forget? Sorry. If someone wronged him, he'd get even. If he couldn't do it now, he'd remember it for later.

Old Leng's mouth twitched at Lin Xiu's words. Good grief. His younger brother had accepted the apology, but he still wanted to hold a grudge?

What was this? His younger brother didn't hold grudges, so his older brother did it for him?

Faced with such an insult, Old Leng considered it, then suppressed his displeasure. Though he'd never encountered that gaze before, it undoubtedly belonged to some hidden expert—someone he couldn't afford to provoke. And he felt that gaze's owner was even stronger than Qiangu Dieting.

He couldn't help looking toward Qiangu Dieting.

Qiangu Dieting noticed Leng Yaozhu's gaze and realized something must have happened just now. He let go of Qiangu Dongfeng, preparing to send him away.

Leng Yaozhu called out to him directly. "Qiangu Dongfeng, wait right there."

Qiangu Dongfeng stopped at once. "Yaozhu, did you come because you were worried about me?"

Hearing his words made Leng Yaozhu feel sick. She rushed over and slapped him.

Smack!

Leng Yaozhu had suddenly slapped Qiangu Dongfeng, but instead of getting angry, he even said, "Yaozhu, the fact that you're willing to hit me means you're not angry anymore?"

Leng Yaozhu: "???"

The tense atmosphere had been just about to erupt, but Qiangu Dongfeng's words made it turn bizarre.

Lin Xiu and Lin Nuo couldn't help exchanging a glance. "No wonder he's such a simp. This kind of creature really is the weirdest thing in the world."

Qiangu Dieting, who had been ready to let Qiangu Dongfeng off the hook, couldn't take it anymore. He rushed over and slapped him. "Get back there! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

Qiangu Dongfeng flew away like a Soul Cannon shell, sent sailing by Qiangu Dieting's slap.

Seeing this, Old Leng glanced at his two daughters again and suddenly felt that this wasn't so bad. At least it meant there was less to get angry about.

"Whew..." Qiangu Dieting let out a breath and steadied himself. He couldn't believe his second son was so bizarre. Once he'd calmed down, he stepped in front of Lin Nuo and Lin Xiu. "Lin Xiu, Lin Jiahao, would you two be interested in joining the Spirit Pagoda?"

Leng Yulai, standing nearby, looked at Lin Jiahao expectantly, hoping he would join the Spirit Pagoda.

Hearing his old pal Qiangu's offer, Old Leng chimed in too. "With talents like yours, you wouldn't be short on resources."

Lin Xiu replied without hesitation, "Who wants your lousy resources?"

The resources the Demon Empress gave him were more than enough to cultivate to Titled Douluo.

Old Leng: "..."

He realized now that Lin Xiu really did hold a grudge.

Qiangu Dieting could clearly tell Lin Xiu was deeply hostile toward Old Leng. And seeing how indifferent Lin Jiahao was, he understood there was probably no way to recruit the two of them.

They weren't Shrek Academy; they had no intention of forcing anyone to join. On top of that, Old Leng's strange behavior earlier made it clear there was more to this than met the eye.

In the end, he smiled. "Everyone has their own aspirations. If you don't want to join, then so be it." With that, he led Old Leng away.