But that was none of his business. He had little to do with them anyway, as long as they did not come looking for trouble with him.
Yu Tianlong could not care less about all those tangled loves and grudges.
As for his attitude toward Liu Erlong, that would depend on what she thought!
Besides, Yu Tianlong had always drawn a clear line between his parents' relationships and his own.
After experiencing betrayal once, truth be told, Yu Tianlong held a trace of wariness toward everyone.
That included Qian Renxue by his side...
Although he had benefited, he had not forgotten how Qian Renxue had used her status and strength to force him to make a choice.
But now was not the time to discuss that.
"Who's singing? Why does it sound so... sorrowful?"
Qian Renxue looked at Yin Shu and asked.
Yin Shu's face was filled with embarrassment. He had not expected their dean to start singing at this very moment.
In the past, she had simply acted as though she had not heard it.
Now...
Alas.
After sighing inwardly, Yin Shu began to explain:
"That's our dean singing, though I don't know what's wrong with her either..."
Qian Renxue looked thoughtful, then seemed to think of something and gave Yu Tianlong an extremely peculiar look.
It was as though she were saying, Your clan really is a mess!
Yu Tianlong naturally noticed Qian Renxue's look and instantly understood what she meant.
He simply did not particularly feel like speaking.
What the hell did the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's affairs have to do with him?
As far back as two years ago, after Yu Yuanzhen had said those words, he had already severed all ties with that filthy clan!
They continued several hundred meters ahead, and the woods gradually thinned. A sign hung from an exceptionally thick tree, with a line of words carved into it.
"Restricted academy grounds. No entry without an invitation."
Once they passed that large tree, the scenery before them abruptly changed.
There was a small lake, only fifty meters across. A stream roughly three meters wide quietly fed water into it from the other side of the woods before flowing back out.
It kept the water in what should really have been called a pool constantly flowing.
Beside the pool stood a simple thatched cottage, built from wooden planks and thatch, blending completely into its surroundings.
A fence encircled the cottage. Within it grew all sorts of flowers, vying to bloom, their dazzling colors a beautiful sight.
Among those flowers stood a beautiful woman who looked to be in her thirties. Her simple blue-green cloth dress did nothing to conceal her grace.
Beneath the cloth dress, her overlapping peaks and surging waves were impossible to hide. Her mature, voluptuous allure was something no ordinary young girl could match.
The woman stood there with a watering can in hand, watering the flowers.
Perhaps because she heard footsteps, her gaze unconsciously turned toward the direction from which Yu Tianlong's group was approaching.
Her brows furrowed slightly, seemingly because the tranquility here had been disturbed.
But when her gaze passed Yin Shu, who was leading the way, and landed on Yu Tianlong behind him-
She instantly became incomparably excited, dropped the watering can, and ran straight over!
"Xiaolong, is that you?"
In the blink of an eye, the beautiful woman was already in front of Yu Tianlong and swept him into her arms.
Seeing his aunt, who had changed little from his memories, and the excitement on her face as she ran over, Yu Tianlong felt a trace of warmth in his heart.
A faint smile even appeared on his face.
But that smile did not last long before disappearing completely!
"Xiaolong, where have you been these past two years?"
"Do you know how worried I've been?"
"Hurry back with me and apologize to your granduncle. He only said those things for the sake of the clan's reputation. How could you talk back to him?"
"Don't you know how much painstaking effort your granduncle has devoted to the clan?"
"You have to consider the bigger picture!"
"Even if you really were angry, you should have spoken to your granduncle in private. Didn't doing that leave him with no way to back down gracefully?"
"Your Soul Power is low, and your Martial Soul Mutation failed. Your granduncle asked you to leave the clan for your own good. Didn't you see how many scornful looks your uncle Yu Xiaogang suffered in the clan back then?"
"Xiaolong, listen to your aunt's advice. The clan will always be your shelter from the storm. Stop throwing a tantrum. If need be, I'll go back with you and apologize!"
As Liu Erlong spoke, she held Yu Tianlong even tighter.
Meanwhile, the slight smile that had originally lingered at the corners of Yu Tianlong's mouth gave way to complete indifference.
He could not understand how Liu Erlong could say such cold words.
He was being unreasonable?
He had to consider the bigger picture?
He was throwing a tantrum?
At that thought, Yu Tianlong suddenly laughed!
He laughed with a great sense of release.
Just what had he been hoping for?
What could he still hope for?
Yu Tianlong was lost, but at the same time, his final shackles fell away.
"Xiaolong, are you even listening to me seriously? What are you still laughing about?"
Yu Tianlong ignored Liu Erlong and pushed himself out of her embrace.
"Dean Erlong, I think you've misunderstood something. Coming to see you this time wasn't my intention. His Highness the Crown Prince kept urging me, and that's the only reason I came to see you!"
"I'm very grateful for everything you did for me before. If you want us to resume a normal relationship as relatives, I welcome that!"
"But if you're saying these things on behalf of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, please don't blame your nephew for being cold. I think our relationship can end right here!"
By now, Liu Erlong was completely stunned. She stared blankly at the incomparably solemn, serious nephew before her, her eyes full of unfamiliarity!
She could not understand. She was doing this for her nephew's sake!
Why had things turned out like this?
"Xiaolong, why are you..."
Looking at Liu Erlong, who seemed on the verge of tears, Yu Tianlong did not waver in the slightest!
He had said it before coming here.
His attitude would depend entirely on what Liu Erlong thought!
And now that he knew what Liu Erlong thought, Yu Tianlong naturally kept her at a respectful distance!
After the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had treated him like that, was he supposed to go back wagging his tail and apologize?
Sorry, but he, Yu Tianlong, was a tough bone to crack. As long as something did not cross his bottom line, he did not mind laughing and joking with others.
But this matter had already crossed his bottom line!
He could not let down his dead parents and grandfather!
They had given so much to the clan, yet in the end, he, their sole remaining bloodline, had suffered such unfair treatment!
He had even been humiliated in front of the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
His heart had long since died!
"Dean Erlong, I'll tell you why!"
"My parents crossed distant oceans for Yu Xiaogang, venturing out to sea to find a solution to a failed Martial Soul Mutation, their fate unknown. Who was that for?"
"My grandfather died fighting in the Star Dou Great Forest. Who was that for?"
"For the clan's reputation, I, a six-year-old child, was dumped in a shop outside Sunset Forest. Who was that for?"
"We both suffered failed mutations upon awakening, so why could Yu Yuanzhen's son, Yu Xiaogang, enjoy so many of the clan's resources, forcibly piling up his innate Soul Power of 0.5? Who was that for?"
"And what did I get?"
"After my mutation failed upon awakening, all I got was a shop, and now you have the nerve to say it was for my own good?"
"Dean Erlong, it's not that I'm rejecting your kindness. Think carefully. When my grandfather was alive, didn't he always help you and your mother? Didn't he work to ease the relationship between you and your father?"
"When my parents were alive, didn't they always resolve the clan's troubles?"
"Now their sole remaining bloodline has suffered such unfair treatment, yet you say this is for my sake?"
"You tell me! Just whose fucking sake is this for?!!!!"
"It's for the sake of that useless uncle of mine, Yu Xiaogang, isn't it?!!!!!!"
Yu Tianlong practically roared that final sentence!