There was a young man dressed in black.
Tang Yu lounged in a wide wooden chair, holding a delicate teacup in one hand as he took a small sip of hot tea.
Sunlight spilled through the pavilion's sweeping eaves, illuminating the sharply defined profile of his face.
The young man was exceptionally handsome, with an uncommon air of vigor between his brows.
At the sight of this scene, Liu Erlong froze in place.
This was completely different from the image she had imagined.
Before this, she had believed Yu Xiaogang's words and assumed that the man who had forcibly taken Zhu Zhuqing must be a coarse, brutish villain, covered in muscle and utterly uncouth.
But the young man before her carried an effortless air of noble composure in every gesture.
He hardly looked like a lecher.
Liu Erlong put aside her distracting thoughts and walked toward the pavilion, her manner somewhat stiff.
"I'm Liu Erlong, principal of Blue Tyrant Academy. Greetings, Prince Wuyang."
Tang Yu set down his teacup and gave her a calm glance, his tone utterly indifferent.
"Sit."
Liu Erlong did as he said and took the stone stool across from him.
She wore her trademark tight black leather outfit today. As she sat, the fabric stretched taut against her body.
The tempting fullness at her neckline seemed ready to spill out, while her slender waist looked as though it could be grasped in one hand. She displayed the intoxicating charm of a mature woman to the fullest.
Especially beneath her leather miniskirt, her long, straight legs crossed over each other.
Her snow-white skin, set against the black, radiated a powerful allure.
Even the breathtaking scenery in Wuyang Mansion paled by comparison with her fiery allure.
She truly was a stunning woman.
Once seated, Liu Erlong looked at the young man opposite her and politely opened the conversation.
"I've long heard of Prince Wuyang's reputation."
"Now that I've met you, Your Highness, you truly are as distinguished as the rumors say."
Hearing this empty pleasantry, Tang Yu simply raised a hand and waved it aside, interrupting her.
"Spare me the empty flattery."
"I don't like beating around the bush. Get to the point. What did you go to all this trouble to come here for?"
Liu Erlong's expression stiffened at his blunt treatment.
She had always been hot-tempered. Who at the academy dared speak to her like this?
A nameless flame sprang up in her heart.
If she weren't in Wuyang Mansion, and if she didn't know the man before her was unfathomably powerful, she would have simply taken Zhu Zhuqing back by force, just as she would have in the past. She wouldn't be sitting here swallowing her anger.
Liu Erlong clenched her teeth and forced down her irritation before laying everything out plainly.
"Since Your Highness is a straightforward man, I'll be direct too."
"Zhu Zhuqing is a student I just accepted. She's still young and inexperienced."
"If Your Highness has taken a fancy to another girl, given your status, you could have as many as you wanted. Could you make an exception and let her go with me?"
Tang Yu leaned back in his chair, looking at the woman as she struggled to suppress her anger. His manner was utterly cold.
"Let her go?"
"I'm afraid that won't do."
"She's my woman now. She eats my food, lives under my roof, and will stay here to serve me. What kind of man sends his own woman away?"
His words struck Liu Erlong like a bolt from the blue.
Her eyes flew wide, her face filled with shock, and her voice rose several pitches.
"You mean..."
"You two already..."
Tang Yu didn't care about her reaction at all. He calmly lifted his teacup and took another sip.
His casual demeanor clearly confirmed it.
Seeing how unconcerned he was, Liu Erlong felt her stomach churn.
A surge of intense revulsion welled up inside her.
When she had first entered the courtyard and seen his handsome appearance, she had even felt some goodwill toward him.
She had thought the rumors might be wrong, and that the young man might not be as vile as people said.
But now, it seemed Xiaogang had been right all along.
Tang Yu was a thoroughgoing bastard, a beast who cared only about indulging his own desires.
Liu Erlong took a deep breath and gripped the hem of her clothes, desperately controlling her emotions as they threatened to erupt.
"Even if things have already gone this far..."
"I still hope to take her back to the academy."
"Your Highness, if you're willing to let her go, I can offer you something in exchange. I promise you won't lose out."
At the word "exchange," Tang Yu finally showed a hint of interest.
He regarded her with amusement.
"Oh?"
"What can you offer in exchange for my woman?"
Seeing him soften, Liu Erlong immediately felt a glimmer of hope and hurriedly brought out the bargaining chip she had prepared.
"I can offer you a person in exchange."
"His name is Yu Xiaogang. He's a teacher at Blue Tyrant Academy, and a theoretical grandmaster known throughout the land!"
At the mention of Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong's eyes immediately revealed undisguised admiration and affection.
"Xiaogang's Spirit Core Theory is enough to completely overturn the conventional wisdom of the entire Soul Master World."
"Your Highness may be powerful, but if Xiaogang could guide you in your cultivation, those perfect theories would help you reach even greater heights."
"In exchange for one woman, you'd get guidance in priceless theories. It's a deal you can't lose."
Tang Yu quietly listened to her finish.
Looking at Liu Erlong, lost in blind adoration, he burst out laughing.
"Yu Xiaogang?"
"That Grandmaster who goes around swindling people? I know him, and I know those so-called theories he came up with."
Liu Erlong was taken aback. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.
"You know Xiaogang?"
Tang Yu toyed with his teacup, his tone steeped in disdain.
"Not only do I know him."
"I also know that everything he wrote is worthless trash."
"Those so-called Ten Core Competitivenesses are nothing but nonsense. The whole thing is a load of crap, utterly incoherent."
At those words, Liu Erlong's expression darkened.
To her, Yu Xiaogang was a sacred, untouchable presence in her heart.
Even if the whole world looked down on him, she would never allow anyone to insult the man she loved to his face like this.
Liu Erlong shot to her feet, her chest heaving as she slammed both hands onto the stone table.
"You've gone too far!"
"You don't have to let her go, but you can't look down on Xiaogang like this!"
"You have no idea how great his wisdom is. You're just jealous of his talent!"
She stared at Tang Yu, fire blazing in her eyes.
"If he stood before you in person and showed you the rigor of his theories, you'd be so ashamed you'd have nowhere to hide. You'd change your mind about his knowledge!"
Tang Yu didn't move an inch in his chair.
Faced with the female dragon's furious roar, he only found it ridiculous.
"Don't talk to me about theories. I don't have time for that."