Seven days later, Dai Mubai finally woke up. Bewilderment covered his face as he looked at Ma Hongjun and Oscar, who had him sandwiched between them.
"Boss, you're finally awake," Ma Hongjun whispered.
"Bai Ye said you tried to rape Zhu Zhuqing, so he knocked you unconscious..." Oscar explained the situation directly to the thoroughly confused Dai Mubai.
After all, Dai Mubai's memories were still frozen on the sight of Zhu Zhuqing's clothes slipping from her delicate shoulders, revealing a broad expanse of snowy skin.
At the thought, humiliation filled him. He felt like a useless husband.
Oscar's words went in one ear and out the other. He did not absorb a single sentence; his mind was filled with that scene.
Dai Mubai's expression shifted repeatedly. He knew he had been in the wrong and should not have planned to rape Zhu Zhuqing. But she was his fiancée, after all. Even if they were not formally married yet, she still should not have slept with Bai Ye first.
Yes, in his eyes, Zhu Zhuqing had already slept with Bai Ye, something no fiancé could endure.
As a fallen prince, Dai Mubai found it even harder to endure than anyone else. The problem was that finding it unbearable did not mean he could refuse to bear it.
Faced with the Holy Son of Spirit Hall, he could only endure.
"Boss, that's what happened. Is what he said true?" Oscar asked after finishing his explanation.
Dai Mubai did not react at all. Helplessly, Ma Hongjun said, "Looks like he didn't hear a single word."
Then Ma Hongjun and Oscar worked together to drag Dai Mubai's thoughts back to reality and told him what had happened during that time.
They started with Dai Mubai's attempted rape of Zhu Zhuqing, then Bai Ye stepping in to save her, and finally Bai Ye taking them to the Star Luo Empire to dissolve the engagement.
Of course, all of this was what Bai Ye and Zhu Zhuqing had told them, and neither of them was very willing to believe it.
After all, although Dai Mubai slept around, surely he would not go so far as to rape Zhu Zhuqing.
"Boss, I know you're not that kind of person," Ma Hongjun said.
"That's right, Boss. Even if Bai Ye is Spirit Hall's Holy Son, he can't throw his weight around and bully people like this," Oscar added.
Yet Dai Mubai's silence was deafening. Their expressions changed instantly. After exchanging a glance, they looked at him and asked in disbelief.
"Boss, could this really be..."
Their voices trailed off there.
Dai Mubai gave them a bitter, heart-piercing smile.
Clearly, he had admitted it.
He had considered denying it, but denial would do him no good. It would only invite even more disgust from Bai Ye and Zhu Zhuqing.
He had begun to understand Bai Ye's intentions. Taking him back to the Star Luo Empire to dissolve his engagement with Zhu Zhuqing was only one part of it. The other was to punish him there.
After all, he did not believe that Zhu Zhuqing, having suffered such a wrong, would refrain from asking Bai Ye to punish him.
Of course, he did not think the punishment would be too severe. However far he had fallen, however inferior he was to his elder brother, he was still a prince. For the sake of its reputation, the Star Luo Empire would not punish him too harshly.
But his thinking was far too simple.
"Boss, you really let pig fat clog your heart. If we'd known, neither of us would have left," Ma Hongjun sighed. He had never imagined Dai Mubai would actually do such a thing, and he also blamed himself deeply.
If he and Oscar had not left back then, how could Dai Mubai have had the chance to rape Zhu Zhuqing?
"Yeah," Oscar said. At the same time, he was relieved that the rape had not succeeded. Otherwise, given Bai Ye's temper, not even Dai Mubai's bones would have remained.
At that thought, Oscar could not help looking at Dai Mubai with worry written all over his face.
Ma Hongjun looked over as well. They both understood that punishment had not been waived; its time simply had not come.
This was merely the calm before the storm.
But Dai Mubai thought nothing of it.
"It had nothing to do with you. This was my own fault. No matter what happens, you'll always be my brothers."
Elsewhere, Bai Ye, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Dugu Yan shared a large carriage. Ning Rongrong held the lowest status and was still dressed as a maid, serving Bai Ye and the others.
After what had happened that day, Zhu Zhuqing had become extremely compliant with Bai Ye. She hugged his right arm and leaned against him.
Although Dugu Yan's looks did not match Zhu Zhuqing's, her figure could be said to crush hers in a complete victory. Unwilling to be outdone, she also hugged Bai Ye's left arm and leaned against him.
Bai Ye enjoyed the two women's jealous rivalry, while also observing Ning Rongrong with his spiritual power.
Although Ning Rongrong knelt on the floor in her maid outfit, her expression was laid bare before Bai Ye. When Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan competed for his affection, he clearly caught a trace of envy in Ning Rongrong's eyes.
Ning Rongrong concealed it very well, but she could not hide it from Bai Ye's spiritual power.
"Come here. I want some grapes." The corners of Bai Ye's mouth lifted slightly as he addressed Ning Rongrong in a tone that was almost a command.
Ning Rongrong moved quickly. She immediately stood, picked up a bunch of grapes from the table, then came over and crouched in front of Bai Ye.
After Bai Ye's training over this period, she had already become a very capable maid.
Dugu Yan was used to this, but a flicker of pity crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes-only a flicker.
It was not as though she did not know Ning Rongrong. She also knew what had happened to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and could only say they had deserved it. As Ning Fengzhi's daughter, the fact that Bai Ye had spared her life was reason enough for her to be profoundly grateful.
"Master," Ning Rongrong said softly, plucking a grape, peeling it, and bringing it to Bai Ye's lips.
"Not bad. Very sweet." Bai Ye ate it in one bite and offered his appraisal. Feeling the moisture on her fingers, Ning Rongrong's expression shifted slightly, and she continued feeding him.
The journey to the Star Luo Empire was boring, but with three women for company, it ceased to be so.
Moreover, Bai Ye had not forgotten to cultivate. His goal was to return to the Star Dou Forest after subduing the remaining three clans, hunt down the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python, and break through to the Soul Sage realm in one fell swoop.
Meanwhile, in Spirit City's Worship Hall.
Qian Daoliu had received all the information concerning Bai Ye, including information about his support abilities.
When he learned that Bai Ye's first Soul Skill could boost all attributes by over two hundred percent, even he, a servant of a god who had weathered great winds and waves, wore an expression of utter shock.
The second and third Soul Skills likewise left Qian Daoliu utterly astonished.
The fourth Soul Skill, which provided group healing, defied the heavens even more.
"Are support soul masters all this heaven-defying now?" Qian Daoliu seriously doubted the intelligence's authenticity, yet he knew in his heart that it was true. After all, no one would deceive him about something like this, much less dare to do so.
Logically, with Bai Ye as the Spirit Hall Holy Son, someone like him, wholly devoted to Qian Renxue and Spirit Hall, should have been happy. Yet now he felt somewhat worried.
Bai Ye's prestige within Spirit Hall had risen considerably, and he feared Qian Renxue would not be able to command everyone's allegiance when the time came.
With such support available, the Second Worship and the others might side with Bai Ye after Qian Daoliu died.
But that thought merely flashed through Qian Daoliu's mind before he relaxed again.
After all, with his help, Qian Renxue would surely become a god, and a god could reshape the entire Douluo Continent. No matter how heaven-defying Bai Ye was, as long as he did not become a god, Qian Renxue would still have the final say over all of Spirit Hall.
Still, a trace of unease lingered deep in Qian Daoliu's heart. With Bai Ye around, the two great empires were nothing to fear. He considered whether to bring Qian Renxue over and arrange an engagement between her and Bai Ye. That way, he would not have to worry about what happened after his death.
He immediately summoned the Second Worship and the others to discuss it, and in the end, they reached a consensus.
With a god and such support, their Spirit Hall would have no trouble ruling the entire continent.
"Good. Then it's settled." Qian Daoliu smiled and immediately left the Worship Hall for the Heaven Dou Empire to explain the situation to Qian Renxue in person.
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