Dai Huabin was a Soul Slave. If he knelt and kowtowed, he would be disgracing his master, and this had not even been his master's idea.
In Dai Yueheng's eyes, "Li Lezi" was merely his younger brother's study companion. All credit belonged to Dai Huabin, while Li Lezi alone bore the blame for any mistakes.
To be fair, as a lackey, Xiao Zi had behaved no differently from a traitor. On the Douluo Continent, a world where strength reigned supreme and the weak were meat for the strong, a more ruthless master would already have crippled him-or simply killed him.
It was only because Li Lezi had offered Dai Huabin guidance that Dai Yueheng came in person to hear his explanation.
After all, the stakes had now risen to a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone and an enormous sum of money, not even counting the soul bone already handed over. Once word spread, the White Tiger Duke's Mansion became a laughingstock. Even people back in the Star Luo Empire knew about it.
In the war against the Sun Moon Empire several thousand years ago, the White Tiger Dai Family had suffered devastating losses and been forced to yield the throne to the Star Crown Xu Family. In recent years, the Xu Family's numbers had dwindled, while the Dai Family flourished. This was precisely when they needed to pull together. Dai Yueheng cared about the bigger picture. He did not want his younger brother to become a parasite; he wanted him to help the family in the future.
If Dai Huabin truly lost the wager, losing face would be the least of their worries. He feared his younger brother's Dao Heart would shatter, driving him to do something uncontrollable.
Dai Yueheng really was something of a prophet. In the original story, after losing the wager, Dai Huabin had indeed gone off the deep end and sent people from the Duke's Mansion to assassinate Huo Yuhao. Without the protagonist's plot armor and Shrek Academy's concern for him, the assassination would actually have succeeded.
As his master, Xiao Zi certainly would not let his servant do anything so foolish. Success would bring him no benefit, while failure would leave him covered in filth. It was a lose-lose situation.
He would not reveal his true purpose. After thinking carefully, he offered up the soul bone Dai Huabin had lost with both hands. "Actually, my intentions were the same as yours, Young Master. I never expected things to turn out this way. It was all my fault. Whether you beat me or punish me, I won't utter a word of complaint!"
Whatever the circumstances, he was the one who had proposed wagering soul bones, and many people had witnessed it. There was no arguing that point; he could only admit it.
His sincere attitude softened Dai Yueheng's expression somewhat. "I know Huabin's temperament better than anyone. He won't turn back until he hits the wall, and once he decides on something, even nine oxen couldn't drag him away. This isn't your fault. Consider the soul bone your reward, and keep trying to guide him!"
Everyone knew that no study companion had ever lasted a full month at Dai Huabin's side. Now that one had finally appeared, they could hardly let him get away!
Dai Yueheng had initially distrusted Li Lezi's identity, but under a two-pronged assault from his mother and younger brother, he had been forced to agree. Even now, the boy remained shrouded in mystery. The home address he had provided-the place where Qian Renxue had sacrificed herself-was nothing more than a cave.
Unable to find any other evidence, Dai Yueheng could only grudgingly trust this "caveman." As long as he had not come to wreak havoc on the Duke's Mansion, that would do.
After making a show of declining, Xiao Zi tucked the soul bone away again and put on an expression of tearful gratitude. "Thank you for your trust, Young Master. For the Second Young Master and the Duke's Mansion, I'll brave boiling water and raging fire, and face ten thousand deaths without hesitation!"
That was what he said, but he did not care one bit about the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and would never truly give his life for it. If Huo Yuhao was not trained into an obedient dog and came attacking someday, he would either be the first to flee or surrender and guide the enemy in.
Having "won him over," Dai Yueheng was about to leave when Xiao Zi stopped him. "We can give up the other things, but we absolutely cannot let the Second Young Master kneel. Otherwise, the Duke's Mansion will suffer a terrible loss of face. I wanted to settle this peacefully, but the Second Young Master wouldn't allow it. You're the only one who can help now!"
That was true. With Dai Huabin and Huo Yuhao's feud having reached this point, anyone who intervened would get splattered with the stink of it. Xiao Zi was confident he could persuade both sides, but doing so would earn Huo Yuhao's resentment. Wouldn't all the goodwill he had built up go to waste?
After considering it from every angle, Dai Yueheng's arrival could not have been better timed. His standing was high enough, and his words carried enough weight. He was just the person to share the fire coming from Huo Yuhao's side.
With the conversation at this point, Xiao Zi could count it as a success. He was no longer a temporary worker who might not survive until tomorrow, but a highly sought-after permanent employee. In the future, the chances of Dai Huabin's unquestioning obedience to him arousing suspicion would be greatly reduced.
They chatted a little longer before a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Thinking Dai Huabin had returned, Xiao Zi went to open it, only to find a lovely face that was both unfamiliar and familiar...
Her exquisite, jade-like skin caught his eye first, like flawless jade blanketed in ice and snow, cold without looking sickly. Her distinctive, icy beauty set her apart. A high, straight nose and pale pink lips contrasted sharply with her frosty coloring. She was cool and reserved.
She was the Inner Court disciple he had met once before, the senior who had taken him to the Academic Affairs Office: Ling Luochеn.
At the sight of her, both people in the dorm room froze. Dai Yueheng hurried over, his manner instantly becoming much warmer.
The Soul Master Tournament was about to begin. As fellow Inner Court students and members of the current Shrek Seven Devils, Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn often trained and sparred together, making them closer than ordinary classmates.
After looking them over, Ling Luochеn asked with a trace of puzzlement, "Have you finished talking?"
Xiao Zi nodded. "Yes. Did you need something, Senior?"
Uncharacteristically, Ling Luochеn let out a sigh of relief. "Yueheng, he's only just arrived. I was worried you might be bullying him!"
Dai Yueheng did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had thought she had come to see him about something. Turns out I'm the clown!
"You two talk. I'll be off." With his business settled, he tactfully left them some space.
Xiao Zi was much warmer toward a beauty. He eagerly invited her to sit down, then seated himself on the other side.
Ling Luochеn had intended to decline, but after hearing that this was Xiao Zi's bed, she sat down as though drawn by some inexplicable impulse. It almost seemed she could smell the faint scent of grass and trees that belonged to the boy.
"Lezi, Dai Yueheng looked a little angry when I saw him leave the Inner Court. He didn't actually give you a hard time, did he?"
Remembering their brief encounter, and seeing that Dai Yueheng seemed to be in a bad mood, the kindhearted Ling Luochеn had decided to check on Xiao Zi after learning the whole story. She hoped nothing had happened to him.
Xiao Zi's eyes lit up, and his smile gained a measure of genuine warmth. "I never imagined you were not only beautiful, Senior, but kindhearted too. I simply have to repay you!"
Before Ling Luochеn could refuse, he took out an ice-type soul bone-the very one Dai Huabin had wagered. Since Dai Yueheng had just declined to take it back, he could borrow someone else's flowers to make his own offering.
Ling Luochеn instinctively declined. "A twenty-thousand-year soul bone? This is far too valuable. I can't accept it!"
"Senior, the Soul Master Tournament is almost here. Don't you want to bring glory to the academy and improve our chances of winning? With this soul bone, you'll have a better chance of taking the championship!"
Xiao Zi had come prepared. Armed with this lofty-sounding justification, he pressed the soul bone into her hands.
It was not that he lusted after the beauty's body; he was guarding against the Death Messenger, the strongest Soul King in history. With Xuan Zi, the Holy Spirit Cult's supreme elder, being so unreliable, this soul bone was crucial.
After all... he did not want his beautiful, kindhearted senior to get hurt.