Yu Longyue nodded and followed Qiangu Zhangting into the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda.
Upon arriving at the conference room, Qiangu Dongfeng and Leng Yaozhu were already seated inside.
Qiangu Zhangting followed Yu Longyang out quite consciously.
" Yu Longyue, you've arrived." Qiangu Dongfeng said with a smile when he saw Yu Longyue.
Yu Longyue bowed respectfully. "Your Excellencies, I am late. It has been a long time since we last met. I find that you have both grown more and more handsome, younger and younger, and more and more beautiful."
"You don't need to be so sweet-talking," Leng Yaozhu rolled her eyes, but was still satisfied.
Qiangu Dongfeng laughed heartily, and the atmosphere seemed quite harmonious. "Hahaha, I wish my Zhangting was like you. He's so big, and all he knows is cultivation. He still has a lot to learn from you. Come, come, sit down."
Yu Longyue sat down, a polite smile plastered on her face.
" Yu Longyue, a year ago you reached a cooperation agreement with our Spirit Pagoda, and the technical personnel provided by your company have also made great progress. Some project theoretical prototypes have been developed, and the technology for Artificial Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit has become more stable. This is all thanks to the technical personnel you provided. He is simply a genius. All the previous problems were easily solved by his theories."
Qiangu Dongfeng spoke slowly, then looked at Huo Yuhao.
"Moreover, Huo Haodong is exceptionally talented in the field of Soul Spirit, and his Martial Soul and Soul Skill are perfectly suited to be a technical expert."
"While you have excellent judgment in discovering such a gem, your company isn't actually a good fit for his future development. So, I'm just offering a suggestion: how about... having him come and develop his career here at our Spirit Pagoda?"
"Actually, our company isn't opposed to this." Surprisingly, Yu Longyue readily agreed. "However... our company pays close attention to the feelings and thoughts of its employees, so the company can't make the decision; it depends on what the employee thinks."
" Haodong, I actually advised you before that although the company can temporarily solve your financial problems, the talent you've shown is actually more suited to developing within the Spirit Pagoda."
Huo Yuhao's face was filled with fear. He hurriedly looked at Yu Longyue and said urgently:
"Boss, are you really going to sell me out like this? But without your help, how could I Huo Haodong, have achieved what I have today?"
"Well... there's no need to rush." Qiangu Dongfeng was also surprised that Yu Longyue agreed so readily. "Anyway, Huo Haodong is representing your company in our Spirit Pagoda cooperation, so there's no need to rush."
Yu Longyue nodded. "You're right, but I'll handle Huo Haodong's mindset gradually, so as not to cause you any trouble."
"Haha, no rush, no rush, take your time. But what really surprises me is that you'd so easily hand over such an important technical talent to us?" Qiangu Dongfeng scrutinized Yu Longyue. "I'm sure you've seen it too. Huo Haodong's value is immeasurable, and his future achievements in this area are even brighter. You'd really just let him go like that?"
"The Tower Master doesn't quite understand me. Our company is more business-oriented, and we're not good at research. Besides, Huo Haodong is more skilled in researching Soul Spirit, and our company can't provide him with that kind of research. Therefore, sending him to the Spirit Pagoda is the best choice."
Yu Longyue smiled slightly.
"In this way, Huo Haodong will have a promising future and won't waste his life with me. I can also do a favor for the Spirit Pagoda and deepen our cooperation. It's a win-win situation, so why should I make things difficult for one of my employees?"
"That's so enlightened! I never expected you to do business so openly. I like your personality even more now." Qiangu Dongfeng chuckled. "Then, let's continue discussing the next phase."
Qiangu Zhangting looked at Yu Longyang, who was standing guard at the entrance, back straight like a bodyguard, and his expression was also one of surprise.
"I didn't expect you to be so willing to become Yu Longyue's lackey. This is quite different from what I thought, Yu Longyang."
"Family matters are none of your business, as an outsider," Yu Longyang said coldly.
"Actually, you're not happy about it either, are you? I can tell. After all, it's not easy to give in to a younger brother who's so much younger than you." Qiangu Zhangting couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"You don't understand what it's like to have a younger brother who's far superior to you in every way. Shut your mouth." Yu Longyang glanced at him through his sunglasses. "I personally have no resentment towards the family's arrangements and am keenly aware that my younger brother, Yu Longyue, is more suitable for this position than I am. Save it; with your utterly idiotic attempts to sow discord, you can't sway my principles."
Qiangu Zhangting's expression stiffened for a moment. "Coward, no wonder you couldn't even beat your brother in a fight and immediately gave in. Do you even deserve to be called a true dragon?"
"That's hilarious. Some things are obvious at a glance, why bother doing anything?" Yu Longyang scoffed. "You're as useless as your broken stick, you're missing a screw in your head. Anyone with eyes can see the difference between me and my brother, why would we need to fight? Are you out of your mind or just lacking in intelligence?"
"What did you say? Your pathetic chicken feet?! Whether you're a real dragon or Earth Dragon, you'll all have to coil up on this stick!"
"I'm talking about that broken stick of yours, less than a centimeter long, as short and weak as your third leg."
"Want to fight?"
Yu Longyang crossed his arms, standing as steady as Mount Tai: "Only children are eager to fight to prove how powerful they are in the eyes of adults. Are you a child? Oh, I forgot you're a twenty-something-year-old giant baby. Hello, do you need your father to admit that you're great? If not, I can even give you a round of applause."
"How can you have such a vicious tongue!"
And not far from where they were arguing.
Na'er was sitting on the sofa, looking at Gu Yue with envy, and reluctantly took out a bag.
"Give."
"What's this?" Gu Yue glanced at it but didn't reach out to take it.
Na'er explained, "My brother was worried you hadn't eaten lunch, so he specially cooked for you himself."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yue immediately took the lunchbox, placed it on the table, and slowly opened it, revealing several lunchboxes in front of her.
Three dishes and a soup, a bowl of rice—small and delicate portions, perfectly suited to Gu Yue's small appetite.
And they are all flavors that Gu Yue likes to eat.
"I'm so jealous! You should be secretly happy. You're the fourth woman to get to taste the food my brother cooks himself." Na'er said sullenly, crossing her arms and turning her head away with a huff.
Gu Yue's previously cheerful expression froze. "I'm the fourth? Who were the first three?"
"Of course it's my mom, grandma, and me, your little sister! What are you thinking?" Na'er pouted. "My brother is very filial and respectful to our elders. He's not the kind of person who puts love first, you know?"
Gu Yue remained silent for a moment, then quietly began to eat with her chopsticks.
She is the Silver Dragon King, without father or mother. She was born when the Dragon God split in two, so it is difficult for her to understand the moral concepts of filial piety among humans.
In their world, the strong prey on the weak, and power is the only truth.
"He has so much to do. I heard that after your brother turns eighteen, he won't be able to find time to relax anymore; he'll have to join the army." Na'er said with a headache. "This time, he didn't even have time to bring you food; he was busy in meetings and had to ask me to bring it to him."
Gu Yue took a few bites, then her eyes lit up; she was surprised to find that the cooking was actually quite good.
After eating a few more bites, he seemed to remember something and also took out a bag from his spatial storage and handed it to Na'er.
"What a coincidence! Could you please deliver the food I made to him? I was worried he didn't eat lunch today..."
Na'er: "..."
"Can't you just go deliver it yourself? You two are going to both places, are you kidding me?"
"I'd like to, but you saw how busy he is, and I don't want to distract him. Let him focus on his work; it's more appropriate for you to go. After all, he's the one taking you out to have fun," Gu Yue said calmly. "Besides, I have things to do at the Spirit Pagoda, and I'll be leaving soon."
"You two are really something, both busy with your careers, and then casually finding time to date, right? Okay, okay..." Na'er rolled her eyes, puffing out her cheeks, "Damn it, if only my brother weren't from a wealthy family."
"Dating? Is that what you think?"
Gu Yue paused for a moment, then shook her head.
I don't think he likes me.
Na'er's lips twitched.
How come her true form is a straight woman?
Do you really think he'll like me?
"Isn't that normal?" Gu Yue asked calmly. "I'm average-looking, you're very beautiful, and he dotes on you."
"But he only sees me as a little sister, he doesn't have any other feelings for me." Na'er was speechless. "Never mind, after we turn eighteen, when I return to your body, you'll understand everything."
"You've given up?"
"I've never won, okay?" Na'er rubbed her eyes. "Do you know how brutal the training my brother went through was? It made him seem like he basically never interacted with other women after that, sigh."
What kind of training?
"I heard from Uncle Song that the training involves... making beautiful women of all types actively gravitate towards the brother, and as soon as his body reacts, he's thrown out and given a beating... plus all sorts of torture. Just hearing about it makes me feel uncomfortable and heartbroken."
"?"
Gu Yue was shocked.
"Wouldn't this just lead to him being completely uninterested in women and developing Longyang tendencies?"
"I've heard that the family has a secret training method that prevents one from developing Longyang tendencies and also helps one control their inner desires. So, pretty women are useless to you, but someone like you is just right."
"Keep it up!"
Gu Yue: "..."
"Then, it's a pleasure to cooperate with you." Qiangu Dongfeng and Yu Longyue shook hands with smiles.
"It's a pleasure doing business with you."
Yu Longyue breathed a sigh of relief.
An agreement has finally been reached.
"To show our sincerity, our Spirit Pagoda has prepared a special stage for your spirit ascension. I wonder if you'd be interested?"
The Qiangu Dongfeng gazes at the Yu Longyue, its face filled with satisfaction.
"A chance to elevate your Soul Spirit to the level of 100,000 years."
Yu Longyue raised an eyebrow, not immediately agreeing.
What's going on?
Could this be a trap set by the Qiangu Dongfeng" for itself?
Qiangu Dongfeng quickly replied, "Don't worry, it's absolutely safe. There are absolute security measures in place. It will only benefit you and cause you no harm. Consider it a small gift to you."
Yu Longyue's expression seemed to become quite interesting.
What's going on...? Why isn't Qiangu Dongfeng a villain like in the original story? Instead, he's being so kind to me?