Being hugged so abruptly and almost roughly by her father, Tian’er was startled momentarily. Next, the tears fell from her eyes, her arms encircling her father’s waist in a return hug. In that moment, she felt as if that father who loved her most had finally returned.
“Please don’t leave daddy, never ever… do you hear me?” Xue AoTian said tyrannically, but his voice was clearly trembling.
Tian’er bit her lower lip before she finally said softly: “I’m sorry… Father, but if you do not wish to bet on that thirty percent chance of the Resurrection Skill working on me, then… then… please do not let me marry Big Bro Gu. I… I cannot let down Little Fatty.”
Xue AoTian let go of his daughter. “You have really set your resolve?”
Tian’er smiled faintly and said: “Father, I just thought it through and finally came to a decision. Even if you really want to kill Little Fatty because of this, I will no longer change my mind. I am not even willing to go through that marriage with Big Bro Gu anymore. If you both kill Little Fatty, then I will just have to reunite with him down below.” Her tone was soft, mild, but the resolution in them was clear.
Looking once more at his daughter, Xue AoTian’s eyes held a complicated look. After a short moment, he finally gave a sigh. “A grown girl cannot be kept at home indeed! You have really made this decision?”
Tian’er did not hesitate to nod her head.
“Very well, come with me then. However, you have to listen to everything that I say, and do as I instruct. Otherwise, I might change my mind again.” As he said that, Xue AoTian pulled his daughter’s hand, pulling her outside.
…
Back within the Heavenly Snow Castle Grand Hall.
The Master Disciple pair of Long Shiya and the Father Son pair of the Lion King might be at loggerheads, with the smell of gunpowder strong within, but both sides at least controlled themselves. The reason the Lion King controlled himself was naturally because of the gap between himself and the Six Ultimate Heavenly Emperor, while Long Shiya’s control was naturally due to their goal in coming here, and he did not want to risk that just to satisfy himself momentarily.
At last, in a flash of bright light, Xue AoTian reappeared in the Grand Hall. However, when the members within the hall saw his face, they were secretly surprised.
Xue AoTian’s face could truly be described with the expression ‘the turbulent wind precedes the coming torrential storms’, dark and clouded as if he was about to explode at any moment. Furthermore, his gaze was glaring right at Zhou Weiqing; that ferocious glare causing even Long Shiya to be surprised and nervous.
Xue AoTian swept his gaze between Zhou Weiqing, Gu Yingbing, then to Long Shiya and Gu Site.
“Bro Long, you have brought your disciple all the way up here to my Heavenly Snow Mountain, but don’t think that I cannot see your true reasons with my own eyes. Still, it is true that Yingbing was the one who harmed your disciple first, so you have reason on your side. Fine, I will give you that reckoning you requested… a chance…”
“Regarding this Zhou Weiqing and my Tian’er, I have already learned about what happened between them. However, as Bro Long you should know, our WanShou Empire has always believed in ‘Might is Right’. Today, I will give your disciple a chance. With myself as the examiner, he will have to contest against Yingbing in a test. If he can defeat Yingbing, I will annul the betrothal between Yingbing and Tian’er. On the other hand, if he fails, I ask that Bro Long do not continue causing trouble, and leave my Heavenly Snow Mountain along with your disciple. Of course, I have already given you face in this matter, and if Bro Long still wants to continue causing trouble to my WanShou Empire after that, don’t think I will be afraid. I will not hesitate to leave the Heavenly Snow Mountain to hunt you down, no matter what it takes.”
The Heavenly Snow Mountain Lord’s overbearing presence was indeed terrifying, his eyes flashing with thick killing intent. On the surface, he seemed to be totally against Long Shiya and Zhou Weiqing, this master disciple pair who had come to cause them trouble.
The Tiger King Xue Aoying’s eyes flashed with respect, but also a slight disappointment.
Naturally, the respect was due to the fact that it was without question that this was the best method of dealing with this entire matter; both sides given sufficient face and with a proper method of resolution. Furthermore, no matter how one examined this resolution, it was of utmost benefit to Gu Yingbing, who was almost about to reach the nine-Jeweled cultivation level! Zhou Weiqing’s cultivation level was undoubtedly far from Gu Yingbing, and from the Tiger King’s perspective, no matter what, Gu Yingbing was at a vast advantage. As for the disappointment, it because he had never wanted the Lion Tribe to gain from this and had hoped Long Shiya’s current presence would be the chance to turn things around.
If even the Tiger King thought this way, naturally the Lion King also thought the same way. Naturally, Gu Yingbing breathed a subtle sigh of relief. He had fought against Zhou Weiqing just a few months ago, crushing him then, and he was absolutely confident in defeating him again. Furthermore, Gu Yingbing knew his Master’s character very well; once Xue AoTian had spoken out a promise, he would never change it.
Long Shiya’s brow furrowed tightly, and he said solemnly: “Old Monster Xue, please pay attention to one detail – your disciple is already over thirty years old, and my disciple is not even twenty years old yet. Fighting each other, can that even be fair? Might is right, that is a principle I adhere to as well, and indeed only one with outstanding talent and power can have the right to be the son in law of an old monster like you. However, such a competition still needs to be fair.”
Xue AoTian said coldly: “Bro Long, hold your horses. Since I have already brought up such a competition or examination method, I will naturally be fair. This fight between Yingbing and your disciple, I plan to have it be a total of three different stages.”
A thought struck Long Shiya, and in that moment, he suddenly realised that when Xue AoTian was looking at him, he seemed to be giving a strange meaningful look to him. Although it was very subtle, with the change almost imperceptible, but in terms of everyone in the grand hall, only his own and Xue AoTian’s spiritual power was the greatest. This Old Monster Xue… was he signalling something to him?
Just like how Xue AoTian respected Long Shiya, in truth Long Shiya was also extremely respectful of Xue AoTian. At their level, Xue AoTian did not need to pretend or act in front of him, and in that glance, Long Shiya seemed to understand something.
In a deep, solemn voice, Xue AoTian continued: “Although I am giving him the chance, Yingbing was after all originally going to be my son in law already. As such, I will be upfront about this – for the three competitions, my rules will naturally be favouring Yingbing slightly. If Zhou Weiqing wants to be my son in law, it will not be an easy task… he will have to prove himself.”
By directly speaking out that the rules would be favouring Gu Yingbing before the competitions even started, Xue AoTian was already being completely open and aboveboard. Although Long Shiya furrowed his brow at that, he did not retort. After all, he was the one who brought Zhou Weiqing up here to cause trouble. Just in terms of Tian’er’s marriage, they did not actually have a very high moral ground in a traditional way.
Xue AoTian said: “The first examination – comparing the power and influence of their auras.”
“Aura?” Long Shiya looked at Xue AoTian with surprise.
Xue AoTian nodded his head and said: “In our WanShou Empire, we rule over thousands and millions of Heavenly Beasts. In front of Heavenly Beasts, bloodline and aura is the most important. In the world today, in front of myself, no Heavenly Beast below the Heavenly God Tier would even be able to come up with the notion of fighting of resisting against me. That is the power of aura. I will personally choose ten Heavenly Beasts and seal them. After which, both Yingbing and Zhou Weiqing will use their own aura against these beasts. If the Heavenly Beast in question falls to their feet, it is considered a success. Whichever of the two succeeds the most will be considered the victor of this round.
At this point, Xue AoTian paused and looked to Long Shiya before saying: “Bro Long, let me say this outright first. Though the rules favour Yingbing, but during the actual competition, I will definitely be fair and just. However, as I mentioned, since Yingbing is the original betrothed of Tian’er, for your disciple to make me annul this marriage, he must defeat Yingbing in ALL three tasks, to prove that he is far superior to Yingbing… only then will he be considered the overall victor. If he loses any one of the competitions, then Yingbing will be the victor.”
“Old Monster Xue, that is just far too unfair.” Long Shiya immediately said, much discontent apparent in his voice.
As for the Lion King Gu Site and Lion Prince Gu Yingbing, both couldn’t help but grin in glee. They had no reason at all to be opposed to Xue AoTian being the judge of this huge competitive ‘bet’. From all appearances, Xue AoTian was leaning heavily to their side, and this so-called bet was just to prevent Long Shiya from having any excuse.
Just from the first test alone, Gu Yingbing felt that he could never lose. No matter any Heavenly Jewel Master, their aura was extremely dependent on their own power and cultivation level. More importantly, against Heavenly Beasts, not only was aura important, bloodline was as well, and it was without a doubt that Gu Yingbing held the purest of the Heavenly Divine Earth Spirit Lion bloodline, one of the strongest bloodlines in the entire Mainland. In his mind, with his own higher cultivation level and the addition of his own bloodline, these two advantages would add up to give him an absolute advantage, and he could not imagine how he could possibly lose to Zhou Weiqing. He was confident that their competition would not even reach the other two.
Xue AoTian looked at Long Shiya coldly and said: “Bro Long, you brought your disciple up here to break up my daughter’s marriage, is that fair to my Heavenly Snow Mountain? If you are not happy with the bet I have proposed, you can choose not to accept it and leave now. I, Xue AoTian might respect you, but I am not afraid of you. If you want to push me, this old man can spend the rest of my life following you around forever, until one of us dies.”
Long Shiya’s expression changed several times in succession, his eyes filled with rage, so much so that it was if fire was spitting out of them. Still, he seemed to be silenced by Xue AoTian’s words, not able to retort at all.
In that moment, his breathing grew ragged.
At the side, the Tiger King had been watching on, and he gave a silent sigh inside. From the current scenario, it looked like there would be no chance to give the Lion Tribe a sneaky side blow. What a shame…
As for the Lion King Gu Site, he was naturally elated and proud, his chest puffed up airily.
Alas, both of them did not know that the current Long Shiya was howling with laughter inside, happy as could be. Heh heh, who said that Little Fatty and mine’s acting is top notch, in terms of acting skills, this Old Monster Xue is actually far beyond the two of us!
Earlier, when Xue AoTian had said all that, he had once again given Long Shiya an eye signal. This time, Long Shiya was truly confident that Xue AoTian had something else up his sleeve. In fact, he guessed that this sudden change in Xue AoTian was probably due to what Little Fatty had told him… and his own verification with his daughter.
In truth, in coming up the Heavenly Snow Mountain today, Long Shiya did not hold any confidence at all. After all, he was all alone in bringing Zhou Weiqing here, and he did not have any other backup at all. Long Shiya was also afraid that Xue AoTian might throw caution to the wind and just go crazy. If that truly happened, Long Shiya knew that while he was still confident in escaping with his life, he would not be able to do so with Zhou Weiqing. That would mean his precious disciple would forever remain in the Heavenly Snow Mountain… his life lost for nothing.
With regards to Zhou Weiqing, Long Shiya could now be said to look to him as one of the most important, if not the most, person in his life. In Long Shiya’s entire life, he had spent all of it immersed in cultivation and training. Now that he was already more than a hundred years old, he no longer had any kin or relations alive. Ever since he had accepted Zhou Weiqing as his disciple, he had grown to like this precious disciple more and more, to the point he considered him kin; not just because he also had six Elemental Jewels like himself, but more because of his character.
In this matter, if it were up to Long Shiya’s own thinking, he would not have brought Zhou Weiqing up to the Heavenly Snow Mountain, as the odds were not favourable enough. Putting Zhou Weiqing’s current power level aside, it was impossible for any two people to go up against the Heavenly Snow Mountain by themselves. Even for Long Shiya, it was impossible to have any confidence in their endeavour. After all, who could truly grasp the mind and thoughts of the man in front of them… the top powerhouse in the world today, Xue AoTian?!