"This is your trial. Only by undergoing such tests can you attain true enlightenment."
"Dai Lingfeng, your ancestor is doing this for your own good."
Tang San earnestly tried to persuade him.
He had a clear role in mind for Dai Lingfeng: he was Huo Yuhao's whetstone.
But this whetstone was outstanding too,
so he wanted them both.
As for how to treat them,
the child of destiny needed to be tempered, and Dai Lingfeng had already worked hard enough serving as his whetstone, so he could be given preferential treatment.
A little favoritism
could drive a wedge between the two brothers and bring them both under his control. Why not?
"Lord Sea God."
"That was my mother, my own flesh-and-blood mother! Are you asking me to bear the name of a mother-killer?"
"Besides, I didn't do it."
Dai Lingfeng spoke with aggrieved indignation.
He hadn't done it, and that was that. He wouldn't admit to something he hadn't done!
He wasn't the one who did it!
"Hmm... then how do you want to handle it?"
Tang San fell silent.
He thought he had already offered enough.
Ten levels of God-Given Soul Power,
and a God-Given Soul Ring.
All told, that would immediately make Dai Lingfeng a level 26 Soul Grandmaster!
Wasn't even that enough to sway Dai Lingfeng?
What a pity.
If Dai Lingfeng refused to admit it no matter what, he would forcibly possess Dai Lingfeng and make him confess,
but that would completely alienate Dai Lingfeng from him and hurt Dai Mubai's feelings.
So unless he had no other choice, Tang San wouldn't resort to force.
He would control the two servants he and Dai Mubai had possessed and have them point the finger at Dai Lingfeng,
leaving Dai Lingfeng unable to clear his name even with a hundred mouths.
Such was the wisdom of Great God King Tang!
"That was my own mother!"
"Yuhao is my own flesh-and-blood brother!"
"If I admit it, my reputation will stink to high heaven."
"You have to pay more!"
Dai Lingfeng understood his own predicament too.
Buddha Tang was only willing to compensate him out of consideration for Dai Mubai.
But fortune favored the bold, while the timid starved.
How would he know he couldn't get more without trying?
Since there was no other way,
he had to get more benefits to make the loss less painful.
"???"
Tang San froze.
Well, well.
He had thought Dai Lingfeng was dead set against taking the blame, but it turned out he wanted more!
How greedy...
He wasn't satisfied with ten levels of God-Given Soul Power and a God-Given Soul Ring.
"Fine."
"Your ancestor promised you a hundred-thousand-year skull bone before."
"Then, on top of the ten levels of God-Given Soul Power and a God-Given Soul Ring, I'll add a hundred-thousand-year leg bone!"
"As long as you admit it, I'll pay you everything!"
"Also,"
"I'll let you see your mother afterward."
Without hesitation, Tang San added a hundred-thousand-year leg Soul Bone to the offer and even made a special exception to let Dai Lingfeng see Huo Yun'er.
To him,
a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone was nothing.
As long as Dai Lingfeng cooperated, everything could be discussed.
Huo Yun'er was in his hands too, so he wasn't afraid the brothers would disobey.
"Thank you, Lord Sea God!"
Dai Lingfeng smiled like a tiger in smiling skin.
His greed had paid off this time.
One demand for more money,
and he had gained a hundred-thousand-year leg bone.
The little bastard was also using Huo Yun'er as bait, but he wasn't Huo Yuhao, to be held in Tang San's grip through Huo Yun'er. Tang San was filling up his rage meter.
Just you wait, you little bastard. You'd better hope I don't find an opportunity.
However Zhou Weiqing screwed Destruction over,
I'll screw you over the same way!
"I did it."
Under Tang San's money-fueled offensive, Dai Lingfeng admitted it outright.
At that moment,
the sky fell on the White Tiger Lineage.
"Why? Why did he admit it?"
Everything went black before Dai Hao's eyes.
It was over.
Everything was over.
The vitally important engagement banquet the White Tiger Lineage had meticulously prepared had become a farce!
Dai Lingfeng had been branded a mother-killer in public,
and their White Tiger Lineage had lost all face!
"Damn it!"
The duchess gritted her teeth, equally unable to understand why Dai Lingfeng had admitted it.
Even if he had done such a thing, he should never have admitted it.
"If I'd known, I'd have killed that little bastard!"
Dai Huabin's face contorted as he growled under his breath.
The way things were developing seemed to have slipped beyond their control.
The entire venue erupted in commotion.
Thoughts raced through Emperor Xu Jiawei's mind.
Dai Hao kept insisting that Dai Lingfeng was the duchess's legitimate son. I never expected him to be a concubine's son who even killed his own mother for the sake of his status.
He truly is a despicable man who will stop at nothing to climb higher, but his talent is indeed terrifying.
Xu Jiawei's thoughts didn't waver in the slightest.
Huo Yuhao really hadn't disappointed him!
Dai Lingfeng's birth mother was, after all, only a maid. She was dead, and that was that.
A man with a stain on his record was easier to control. The marriage alliance wouldn't change because of the charge of matricide.
In fact,
he would stand firmly at Dai Lingfeng's side at this very moment.
Adding flowers to embroidery was no match for delivering charcoal in the snow!
So when Xu Jiujiu's gaze showed signs of shrinking back, Xu Jiawei glared at her until she stopped.
"He admitted it!"
"You admitted it!"
Huo Yuhao trembled all over, his face flushed, as though he had won some great victory.
Mother!
Dai Lingfeng's evil deeds have been exposed to the world. Your spirit in heaven can finally rest a little easier.
"Hmph. I thought he was some unparalleled genius, but it turns out he's a petty villain."
Ma Xiaotao, who was closest to Huo Yuhao, snorted, her face full of disdain.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Wang Dong broke free of Er Ming's hand, which had lost control in his shock, and clicked her tongue as she kicked Dai Lingfeng while he was down.
Tang Hao also felt dizzy and lightheaded.
What was going on?
Was he still drunk?
"His aptitude is peerless, but his nature is vicious. Even if this boy is raised up, he'll only become a scourge upon the Douluo Continent."
Mu En shook his head in disappointment.
How cruel was heaven?
It had brought such a genius into the world, only for him to be an evil man.
"But the one called Huo Yuhao, though his talent is meager, doesn't fear those in power and is decisive and quick-witted. Perhaps he can be made into something."
Mu En became interested in Huo Yuhao.
"Hmph. With a crooked heart, he's destined not to get far, no matter how good his talent is."
"He's no match for me."
Long Aotian's bearing remained proud, but the look he gave Dai Lingfeng had turned disdainful.
A person with a crooked heart could never hope to glimpse the Great Dao.
He wouldn't consider a petty villain his rival!
"What a waste of all that talent."
Du Busi sighed too.
Those who had come eager to see Dai Lingfeng in action left disappointed.
"Huabin, quick!"
"It's time for you to give your all for the family!"
The duchess came to her senses and urgently reminded him, trying to salvage the situation.
"All right!"
Dai Huabin gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
"I did it!"
"Huo Yuhao, I sent people to beat your mother to death and then framed Dai Lingfeng for it!"
"It had nothing to do with Dai Lingfeng!"
Dai Huabin roared through gritted teeth.
At this point,
for the sake of the White Tiger Lineage's reputation, he had no choice but to step forward and take the blame!
Considering every factor-age, status and motive-having Dai Huabin take the blame was the best choice.
Dai Huabin's declaration
made everyone waver.
Huo Yuhao included.
After all, killing one's mother was so heinous that it would make sense if someone had framed Dai Lingfeng.
Had Dai Lingfeng really been falsely accused?
Huo Yuhao couldn't believe Dai Lingfeng had done it either, and his eyes filled with confusion.
It really wasn't my big brother?
Did I misunderstand him?
Maybe big brother has some difficulty he can't speak of?
"Damn that Dai Huabin. What a loyal dog!"
"Lingfeng, I'll add another hundred-thousand-year leg Soul Bone, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor right leg Soul Bone!"
Tang San was utterly speechless.
A ranking of god-tier last-minute rescues: number one, Dai Huabin.
He's really fucking getting in my way!