Chapter 37

The atmosphere in the spacious living room was suffocatingly delicate.

Every gaze was fixed upon that petite figure.

Nanali felt as though she were suffocating.

Cold sweat beaded frantically on her forehead, and her legs trembled uncontrollably.

It's over, it's over, it's over!

I've been exposed!

That detestable guy completely exposed me!

That angel is watching me like a tiger stalking its prey, and that Limit Douluo could crush me at any moment—am I really going to meet my end here?!

Her inner thoughts were screaming, her brain racing at an unprecedented speed.

Threaten them? What a joke; she was nothing but a fish on a chopping block right now.

Beg for mercy? It might work, but it would be too humiliating—she was, after all, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult!

Run? With two people outside who could kill her in a second, there was no way in hell she could escape.

Just as things reached this critical juncture—

She took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.

Then, the panic, fear, and despair on her face receded like a receding tide.

In their place came a long-lost pride and flamboyance, one befitting a "Four Heavenly King of the Holy Spirit Cult."

Even if I lose the battle, I won't lose my composure!

Even in this desperate situation, she was still the Dark Bell! A figure who struck fear into the hearts of countless soul masters!

"I admit it—"

She jerked her head up, hands on her hips, chin held high, trying her best to look condescending and disdainful of all living things:

"Standing before you is none other than one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult, the terror of the continent, the one who strikes fear into all, the embodiment of both beauty and wisdom—the great Lady Nanali herself!"

Her tone and posture suggested she was the one in control of the situation.

The room went silent for a second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

You've got some nerve...

Luo Yang's mouth twitched slightly.

Has she been scared out of her mind? Yuanen Yehui's eyes widened.

Ye Guyi remained expressionless, but a subtle hint of... disdain flashed through her clear eyes.

Leng Yaozhu also remained expressionless, even raising an eyebrow slightly, as if to say, "That's it?"

Nanali maintained her hands-on-hips, head-tilted pose, her heart hammering like a drum, threatening to burst through her chest.

She didn't know if this "breaking the pot" performance would bluff them, but at the very least.

At the very least, she couldn't lose her aura! This was her final shred of dignity!

However.

Leng Yaozhu's gaze was like that of a cat watching a mouse bristle its fur—completely calm, perhaps even slightly amused.

Luo Yang spoke up with a smile, a smile that, in Nanali's eyes, was more terrifying than a demon's:

"Since Lady Nanali has such backbone, I can't be too polite. Aunt Leng, what do you think about locking her in a pitch-black basement? It would be best to get a bunch of little bugs to crawl all over her body every day..."

In an instant, Nanali's face turned white at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"...And every few days, let Sister Guyi 'visit' her, using her holy light to 'de-bug' and 'purify' her. Sister Guyi, you'd be happy to do such a 'good deed,' right?"

Ye Guyi cooperated by taking a small step forward, a faint flash of golden light shimmering around her.

Nanali's face turned deathly pale, and her lips began to quiver.

The image played out uncontrollably in her mind.

A pitch-black basement, countless wriggling bugs crawling all over her, and that angel girl's cold gaze as she slowly approached with a sword of light...

Waaaah—!!!

She couldn't hold it together anymore. Her hands-on-hips posture collapsed instantly, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed like a real six-year-old, losing all semblance of dignity.

"Waaaaah—you guy is truly evil to the core!!!"

"Not pretending anymore? Weren't you quite majestic just a moment ago?" Luo Yang raised an eyebrow.

"It's not like I wanted to hurt you!"

Nanali accused him while wiping away her tears.

"It was that idiot, Qiangu Zhangting! He was the one who approached me, offering three hundred soul beasts for me to kill you! I—I was just doing a job for money! I have no grudge against you! I didn't even know who you were!"

She sobbed uncontrollably, her accusations filled with such genuine emotion that she seemed the true victim:

"It's all Qiangu Zhangting's fault! It's all him! If you want to settle scores, go find him! Don't look at me! I'm still just a child! I'm only... well, I'm still young!"

Luo Yang: "..."

Yuanen Yehui silently looked away, unable to bear watching the scene.

Ye Guyi quietly took back that small step, leaning against the window once more.

Leng Yaozhu's brows furrowed slightly, though a strange glint flashed in the depths of her eyes.

Qiangu Zhangting.

The mere mention of this name caused the temperature in the room to plummet.

Luo Yang chuckled, though there was no warmth in his eyes.

It was him, as expected.

Ever since the day he snatched the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff, he knew that petty man wouldn't let it go. He just hadn't expected Qiangu Zhangting to collude with the Holy Spirit Cult and hire assassins.

With such a narrow mind and limited vision, the Qiangu Family truly had no worthy successors.

A bone-chilling coldness swept through Leng Yaozhu's eyes.

If not for Ye Guyi as a trump card today, and if Luo Yang were merely an ordinary talented youth, he would have had no chance of survival against Nanali, regardless of his potential.

She dared not think further.

"Qiangu Zhangting..." she repeated the name softly, her tone terrifyingly calm, like the stillness before a storm.

Luo Yang pulled back his thoughts, his gaze returning to the still-sobbing Nanali.

"Alright, stop crying. Your makeup is going to run."

Nanali raised her teary eyes, looking at him pitifully with droplets still clinging to her lashes; she did indeed look quite pitiable.

"I'll ask you," Luo Yang began, "do you want to die, or do you want to live?"

"I want to live!"

Nanali answered without hesitation, her voice ringing out clearly.

"Very well. I'll give you a chance: from this day forward, sever ties with the Holy Spirit Cult, pledge your loyalty to the Spirit Pagoda, and serve me. How about it?"

Nanali blinked, seemingly digesting the meaning of his words as a complex expression flickered across her face.

Then—

"I'm willing!"

She knelt down almost instantly, raising her hands above her head in a standard gesture of surrender.

"I am willing to pledge my loyalty to the Spirit Pagoda! I am willing to serve you! If you tell me to go east, I will never go west; if you tell me to catch a dog, I will never chase a chicken!"

She grew more enthusiastic as she spoke, her expression so sincere she almost believed it herself:

"As for the Holy Spirit Cult, I'm really not close with that organization! Really! They snatched me when I was little and forced me to do bad things; I'm a victim too!"

"Every day, I prayed for someone to save me from that sea of misery! Now that you are here to lead me toward the light, it's truly wonderful! Wonderful! Thank you for giving me this chance! I will definitely turn over a new leaf and become a better person!"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened again, presenting a touching image of someone finally reborn. Her acting skills were so superb they deserved an Oscar.

"I still prefer that rebellious, hands-on-hips look you had earlier. Why don't you go back to that?" Luo Yang said.

Nanali's sobbing paused, and she glared at him resentfully.

If it weren't for the two Limit Douluo eyeing her like tigers and that angel ready to purify me at any moment, I would definitely stomp on your face!

I'd make you taste whether this lady's feet are smelly or not! I'd let you know the consequences of offending the Dark Bell!

But while she thought this, she said with a grievance-filled tone:

"Wasn't that... wasn't that just to save my life? When one is under the eaves, one has no choice but to bow one's head..."

Luo Yang looked at her face, which was written with both "desire to survive" and "I'm a coward but I'm cursing you in my heart," and suddenly felt like laughing.

The Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult?

They were just four clowns.

However, on second thought, keeping her might prove useful.

After all, she knew the inner workings of the Holy Spirit Cult like the back of her hand, including their strongholds, personnel, and plans.

In the future, the Holy Spirit Cult would be an unavoidable obstacle. Rather than killing her, it was better to keep her for his own use; she might come in handy one day.

"Fine."

Luo Yang waved his hand. "Since you are so sincere, I will reluctantly take you in. But let me say this first—if I catch you pulling any tricks..."

Before he could finish, Ye Guyi took another small step forward at the perfect moment.

A flash of golden holy light flickered, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise by several degrees.

Nanali shook her head frantically, her head bobbing like a rattle-drum: "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare! I swear! I swear on my martial soul! From now on, I will be absolutely loyal and have no ulterior motives! I'll bite whoever you tell me to bite!"

Luo Yang nodded in satisfaction.

Leng Yaozhu watched this scene, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes. This kid certainly had a way of winning people over.