Lü Chunyang gave Bu Wuchen a long, searching look, then raised his thumb somewhat reluctantly and praised him. "This kid really does live up to being a student of Blood Dragon City Academy. He's got backbone!"
Although Lü Chunyang was in a towering rage;
he also knew that both he and Lin Senyu before him had, in a sense, indeed offended Blood Dragon City Academy.
Had only the referee instructors been present, Lü Chunyang could still have attributed their loss of composure to Lin Zhuxian's death;
but before this deeply intimidating "demoness," Lü Chunyang no longer dared act recklessly.
Thus, he tossed out a few mild words, first to find a barely passable excuse for his actions;
and second, his remarks could also be considered a bit of gilding for Blood Dragon City Academy's reputation.
Since no serious harm had been done, the academy could hardly keep pursuing the matter.
Just then, Bu Wuchen snorted coldly, each word steeped in ice. "You old bastard, it's only courteous to return a favor!"
"This time, you got to test my courage..."
"Next time, it'll be my turn to test how tough your neck is!"
As his words fell, the woman in green silk gave Bu Wuchen a faint glance.
Although her expression betrayed neither pleasure nor anger;
a trace of appreciation could be seen in those bright eyes, beautiful enough to turn all living beings upside down.
Lü Chunyang froze at his words.
He clearly hadn't expected a sickly cat at the mere Savage Martial Realm to dare spout such outrageous words before a mighty lion like himself!
"Insolent brat!!"
Just as murderous intent surged within Lü Chunyang, the green-silk woman's icy voice doused him back to his senses. "What? Want to attack again?"
"Hmph!"
Lü Chunyang snorted coldly, but ultimately dared not act out.
The green-silk woman gave a slight shrug of her delicate shoulders. "If you're not going to attack, then you'll accept your loss and honor the wager?"
"Elder Lü, this..."
Beside him, Lin Senyu looked at Elder Lü with an expression full of resentment.
Not only had his son just died, but now he had to pay out the wager too?
Lin Senyu ground his teeth in hatred!
Unfortunately, both sides had signed a life-and-death duel contract in full view of everyone.
Even if the Lin Lineage's patriarch came in person, however displeased he felt, he would never wish to make an enemy of a colossal power like Blood Dragon City Academy.
Moreover, a wagering contract bearing bloody handprints was recognized and protected by imperial law...
Precisely because of this, all Lin Senyu's urgent gaze earned him in the end was a cold rebuke from Lü Chunyang. "You're good for nothing but ruining things!"
By this point, he also understood that there was no hope of reclaiming the two sole copies of the cultivation method and profound skill that had gone into Bu Wuchen's pocket, at least for now.
Furious beyond measure, he swept his sleeve and left.
As for the agreed-upon stakes...
That was merely a wager between Lin Senyu, the patriarch of a collateral branch of the Lin Lineage, and Bu Wuchen.
Whether it was ultimately honored would only implicate that collateral branch, not the Lin Lineage's main branch.
Still, it would affect the main lineage's reputation to some degree.
Thus, before leaving, Lü Chunyang did not forget to curse darkly, "You made this mess yourselves, so wipe your own asses clean!"
"Otherwise, stop disgracing yourselves while hogging the position of 'collateral branch patriarch'!"
Lin Senyu's heart immediately tightened.
He understood that if he failed to pay the agreed-upon stakes and thereby tarnished the main Lin Lineage's reputation...
his time as collateral branch patriarch would come to an end.
Thus, he could only swallow his seething anger and resentment, his hands trembling as he took two banknotes worth ten thousand gold each from his sleeve pouch.
Through gritted teeth, he said, "Boy, have you ever heard the saying, 'You may have the money, but not the life to spend it'?"
The corners of Bu Wuchen's lips rose slightly. He snatched the banknotes and openly tucked them into the pocket inside his robe.
Then he replied offhandedly, "You old bastard, have you ever heard this saying?"
"'Zhuxian's brilliant scheme secured the Lin estate-only to lose his life and pay gold into the bargain'!"
Zhuxian?
Wasn't that his precious son, Lin Zhuxian?
Then he thought of the rest of those words...
"Pwaah!"
The pain of losing his son, coupled with the shame and hatred of having his enemy right before his eyes yet being unable to take revenge;
in a fit of rage that assailed his heart, Lin Zhuxian was angered into coughing up blood!
His eyes bloodshot, he said, "You little bastard, you... good, very good!"
"Just you wait!"
Bu Wuchen ignored him outright.
His attention was now entirely on the woman in green silk.
Earlier, when he had only seen her profile, she had merely seemed somewhat familiar.
Only after hearing how Lü Chunyang addressed her did realization suddenly strike him. Oh, so it's her.
Speaking of which, while attending Blood Dragon City Academy's advanced class, the original owner of Bu Wuchen's body had once harbored special feelings for this outrageously beautiful "honorary vice dean"!
However, the Bu Wuchen of that time had just been framed by Prince Nanling's daughter, a kingdom-toppling beauty whom he had long adored.
This had turned Bu Wuchen from a "tiger cub of a military house" with a bright future into a "rat crossing the street," hounded by everyone!
He had even been banished from the imperial capital, never to return unless summoned by imperial decree or selected by Heaven!
In doing so, Bu Wuchen had brought infamy upon himself and shamed his lineage;
moreover, he had allowed a supreme treasure, passed down through the Bu Lineage and unknown to outsiders, to fall into that princess's hands...
His towering hatred for Prince Nanling's daughter had made the Bu Wuchen of that time "hate the house and even the crow upon it," filling him with an inexplicable hostility toward the girl in green silk as well.
Heh, no wonder I felt something inexplicable when I first saw this girl in green silk.
It seems the memory imprints of the person whose body my soul transmigrated into still affect me somewhat.
Just then, the woman in green silk grabbed Bu Wuchen's arm. "Come somewhere with me. I have something to ask you."
The warm, silky touch against his wrist sent a flutter through Bu Wuchen's heart.
No way, no way!
Could this calamity-level fairy beauty have a thing for me?
This sudden "romantic fortune" somehow felt a little strange.
Besides, he was still concerned about Wan Xiaoyao and A Chun.
Thus, he hurriedly suppressed the alluring ripples in his heart and said, "Wait, I..."
"You don't need to say anything. I understand."
The green-silk woman cut in. "Don't worry. Your people won't lose a single hair!"
As she spoke, she even looked back with a smile and winked playfully at Bu Wuchen.
Holy freaking wow, she's simply too gorgeous!
Bu Wuchen felt a little dizzy.
W-w-was this the legendary "dizzy feeling of happiness"?
But not long ago, Bu Wuchen's predecessor had been schemed against nearly to death by someone just as breathtakingly beautiful.
Thus, appreciation was one thing, and a racing heart another;
but he kept the string of vigilance taut all along.
Soon, Bu Wuchen discovered that the girl pulling her along at a sprint was not only bubbling over with beauty, but also possessed an absurdly high cultivation!
With her gripping his wrist, Bu Wuchen's feet were off the ground almost the entire way, while the surrounding scenery flashed backward in a blur, like flowers viewed from a galloping horse-"whoosh, whoosh, whoosh"...