Huo Yuhao of the Dai family?!
The fourth young master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion?
Dai Lingfeng's twin brother?
The palace guards froze on the spot, unsure what to do.
This seemed to be a family matter.
"Stand down!"
"I'm Dai Lingfeng's brother, Dai Hao's son, Huo Yuhao of the Dai family!"
"Who dares touch me!"
Huo Yuhao was a fox borrowing the tiger's might.
Although he had decided to change his surname to Huo after his mother died, extraordinary times called for a little flexibility.
Dai Hao and Dai Lingfeng refused to acknowledge him,
so he would make sure they didn't get their way!
"Uh..."
The guests' attitudes grew subtle.
It seemed there was a good show in store.
Xu Jiawei in particular was already looking on with a scrutinizing gaze.
The guards noticed his expression and didn't dare act rashly either.
"His twin brother?"
"Way to go!"
"Go on, Huo Yuhao of the Dai family! I want to see Dai Lingfeng's true face too."
"Dai Lingfeng, don't go acting like guilty thieves. If you've got the guts, face him!"
Wang Dong, eager to watch the commotion grow, cheered openly and backed Huo Yuhao.
"Absurd!"
Tang Hao's face darkened.
If Da Ming and Er Ming hadn't covered Wang Dong's mouth in time, he would definitely have slapped her.
As the young master of the Clear Sky Sect, taking the side of some brat who had appeared out of nowhere so casually was utterly foolish!
He also seemed to remember the brat.
Back at the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, he had been drunk when Huo Yuhao clung to his leg, weeping and wailing, and he had sent him flying with a kick.
Perhaps he really was Dai Lingfeng's brother.
This was a family matter for the White Tiger Lineage. It was better for them to stay out of it.
"You bastard! So it's you, you wretched beast!"
By now, Dai Hao was beside himself with rage.
He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to come out and ruin things for them at a moment like this.
And he had warned Huo Yuhao not to call himself Dai Lingfeng's brother!
Yet Huo Yuhao still dared to march under Dai Lingfeng's banner?
He was defying the heavens!
If not for the occasion, Dai Hao might have executed the unfilial son on the spot!
"Father, I'll take this wretched beast down!"
"White Tiger Possession!"
Dai Huabin immediately volunteered. His White Tiger Martial Soul possessed him, and he was about to charge forward and seize Huo Yuhao.
It wasn't convenient for Dai Hao to act,
so he would do it!
As long as he killed that good-for-nothing Huo Yuhao and shut him up, this farce would be over.
Whoosh!
But a fiery red figure was faster.
"Don't be so hasty."
"Let's hear what grievances this child has and let everyone judge who's in the right."
Ma Xiaotao stepped in front of Huo Yuhao, grabbed Dai Huabin, and tossed him back with a light laugh.
Although Ma Xiaotao was surprised that a child she had casually brought along was actually Dai Lingfeng's brother,
one look at Huo Yuhao told her he had suffered for years.
There had to be some injustice behind it,
and since she had come across it, she was determined to see it through.
"Xiaotao?!"
Mu En and the others felt a headache coming on. How had Ma Xiaotao gotten involved too?
"Xiaotao?"
Dai Yueheng caught Dai Huabin as he was thrown back. His eyes widened; he had never imagined he had been played.
The child Ma Xiaotao had brought in earlier
was his younger brother, whom he had never met!
And he was causing trouble at an engagement banquet of vital importance to their White Tiger Lineage.
Damn it!
That damned madwoman Ma Xiaotao!
"Dai Lingfeng, do you dare answer me?!"
"Do you dare let me speak?!"
With Ma Xiaotao backing him, Huo Yuhao was emboldened and shouted at Dai Lingfeng.
Until Dai Lingfeng declared his position,
Dai Hao, Xu Jiawei, Tang Hao, and the others refrained from acting rashly, quietly awaiting his decision.
An eerie silence fell over the gathering.
Under everyone's gaze, Dai Lingfeng slowly closed his eyes.
"Lingfeng."
"This is a good chance to help your brother."
"Take this opportunity to let him leave the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. He has his own path."
"If you let him go today, he'll be free."
Dai Mubai's voice immediately rang out, soothing Dai Lingfeng.
In fact,
this was Tang San's arrangement. Tang San wanted Huo Yuhao to have a chance to speak.
"One Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."
"Otherwise, I'll have someone throw Yuhao out right now."
Of course Dai Lingfeng wouldn't do anything to Huo Yuhao.
First, Huo Yuhao was his own brother, his flesh and blood!
Second, Tang San was going after Huo Yuhao, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had no choice but to leave Huo Yuhao unaided. If he helped him, Tang San would discipline them both, and he wanted no part of that.
Finally, since there was nothing he could do, he might as well bargain for more benefits. He couldn't let his and his brother's suffering be for nothing.
"Agree to it."
Tang San immediately sent a voice transmission to Dai Mubai.
He couldn't intervene too much.
If one Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone could create an opportunity for Huo Yuhao, it was well worth it.
"Fine, I agree. One Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!"
"A Hundred Thousand Year Skull!"
Dai Mubai also took the opportunity to bargain for a Head Soul Bone, the most precious kind of Soul Bone, for Dai Lingfeng.
That counted as helping as much as he could.
"All right."
Dai Lingfeng opened his eyes and looked at Huo Yuhao. For some reason, when Huo Yuhao met his brother's gaze, he felt a wrenching pain in his heart.
"Go ahead."
Dai Lingfeng waved the guards away and spoke in a low voice.
"Ah!"
Dai Hao sighed heavily.
Lingfeng, you're being a fool!
How can you give Huo Yuhao a chance to speak?
There are so many important people here. Once Huo Yuhao opens his mouth, our reputations will be ruined!
"You're letting me speak?"
Now it was Huo Yuhao's turn to be surprised.
Not only had Dai Lingfeng made no attempt to stop him, he had even given him a chance to speak of his own accord?
Wasn't Dai Lingfeng afraid?
Wasn't he afraid of losing his reputation and standing?
"Fine. You said it yourself, brother, so I won't hold back."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and looked around, his young but stubborn gaze sweeping across the faces of the important figures present.
Finally, he pointed at Dai Lingfeng
and uttered words that shocked everyone:
"He, Dai Lingfeng, heir to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, is a vile wretch who murdered his own mother!"
The words sent a shock through the entire gathering.
Even Xu Jiujiu, standing beside Dai Lingfeng, sucked in a cold breath, her scalp tingling.
Murdered his mother?
Crack!!!
Dai Hao crushed the armrest of his chair, veins bulging on his forehead in fury.
The duchess and Dai Yueheng looked terrified.
The White Tiger clan leader's face turned deathly pale.
It's over!
It's all over!
Seeing the reactions of the White Tiger Clan, everyone had formed a judgment. What Huo Yuhao said was most likely true.
Yet,
unlike the panicked members of the White Tiger Lineage, Dai Lingfeng's expression remained unchanged, and he was utterly unmoved.
It was as if the shocking words from Huo Yuhao's mouth were nothing more than a trivial matter to him.
"Dai Lingfeng!"
"Don't act like this is none of your business!"
"I'm asking you: after you awakened your Martial Soul, didn't you fancy your talent unmatched, look down on Mother and me, and sever ties with us?!"
Seeing how little Dai Lingfeng seemed to care, Huo Yuhao grew even angrier and demanded an answer.
"Yes."
Dai Lingfeng admitted it openly.
"Then let me ask you again: didn't you think Mother and I were a burden to your standing and send servants to beat us, causing our mother to die because her injuries couldn't be treated?"
Huo Yuhao pressed him again.
Dai Lingfeng hesitated.
He hadn't done it. Tang San had.
But just then, Tang San's voice rang out directly in his mind.
"Admit it."
"I'll give you ten levels of God-Given Soul Power and a God-Given Soul Ring!"