Brilliant soul tool spotlights flickered wildly on the bar's ceiling.
In the midst of the bar's dazzling lights and flowing wine, Flender sat alone at a table, chugging bottle after bottle of alcohol. His shoehorn-shaped face was flushed red from drunkenness, and his blurred vision seemed to conjure illusions.
A graceful figure appeared before him, smiling sweetly.
"Boss Flender!"
"Er Long…"
Flender murmured in a daze, reaching out to touch her.
But the "Liu Erlong" before him, though seemingly within reach, remained untouchable no matter what he did!
In the end, the illusion faded, leaving only a heart full of pain and sorrow.
"More wine! Bring me another crate of wine!"
Flender slammed his head on the table and shouted in anguish.
Soon, another crate of wine was delivered.
Flender picked up bottle after bottle, chugging without pause.
But no matter how much he drank, the drunkenness couldn't ease the pain and sadness in his heart.
Only bitter wine entering his throat could bring pain to his soul!
The more he drank, the more heartbroken he became.
"Why, why did it turn out like this?"
"Am I, Flender, doomed to never have love?"
He had thought that after the departure of his second brother, Yu Xiaogang, he might finally have a chance with Third Sister Liu Erlong.
Later, when the Pope of Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji, exposed Yu Xiaogang's true nature, he even felt secretly pleased.
But to his surprise, after arriving at Spirit City…
Though Third Sister had forgotten Yu Xiaogang, she had fallen for that same Pope, Qian Xunji.
He could see it!
He could clearly see it!
Whenever Third Sister mentioned Qian Xunji now, the expression on her face was exactly the same as when she used to talk about Yu Xiaogang!
But with Yu Xiaogang, he had still felt confident that he could compete.
Against Qian Xunji, though?
How could he ever win?!
Wuwuwu~
(┭┮﹏┭┮)
"Boss Flender!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from within the bar.
It was Liu Erlong.
"Boss Flender, what's wrong with you?"
"These past few days, you've been coming here every day to drink."
"Drinking too much isn't good for you!"
Smelling the strong alcohol on Flender, Liu Erlong's beautifully heroic face scrunched in concern as she frowned and tried to reason with him.
"Third Sister…"
Seeing it was Liu Erlong, Flender gripped the bottle tighter, his heart sinking further in sorrow.
But he couldn't tell her the true reason he was drowning himself in drink.
He was afraid she would feel guilty or sad for him.
How could he bear to see her hurting?
"I know, Third Sister."
"But I just couldn't believe what kind of person Second Brother turned out to be… I really couldn't take it."
Flender could only use the excuse of being heartbroken over Yu Xiaogang's betrayal.
But even as he spoke of Yu Xiaogang, his mind was on Liu Erlong—the one he could no longer reach.
Tears welled up in his reddened eyes and silently streamed down his face.
"Boss Flender, don't waste your tears on someone like that."
"That hypocritical, shameless, heartless man isn't worthy of being our sworn brother!"
Liu Erlong tried to comfort him while expressing her indignation.
…
Meanwhile, outside the bar—
A tall and upright man dressed in luxurious black robes arrived. His short black hair, streaked with gray, was neatly combed. Though already in his thirties or forties, his somewhat handsome face held a lazy, carefree air, framed by a faint beard.
His name was Yu Luomian, the Vice Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
With Qian Xunji and Ah Yin's wedding drawing near, all major factions on the continent had sent representatives to Spirit City—including Yu Luomian and Yu Yuanzhen.
Yu Luomian's personality was quite similar to Dai Mubai's—flirtatious and free-spirited.
Liu Erlong's mother had been a courtesan he met in a red-light district.
But to be noticed by Yu Luomian and bear his child, Liu Erlong's mother was not just any street girl. She had been a high-class courtesan.
Arriving in Spirit City a little early, Yu Luomian had decided to take a walk and see what the bars were like.
Maybe, just maybe, he could have a romantic encounter here.
As he stepped into the bar, he heard Liu Erlong's emotional words and was instantly drawn to her.
The moment he saw her, Yu Luomian froze.
She looked… so much like her!
To him, Liu Erlong's appearance was nearly 80% identical to that woman he once liked so deeply.
The remaining 20% lay in her brows and expression.
But strangely, that very difference in her features matched his own.
A resonance stirred from deep in his bloodline.
Yu Luomian instantly realized: this woman might very well be the daughter he had with that courtesan back then.
He never imagined she had grown this much!
"Young lady, is your mother's name Liu Wanying?"
He walked over and asked, his hands behind his back, eyes filled with complex emotions.
"How do you know that?!"
Liu Erlong was stunned as she looked at the man in front of her.
…
Elsewhere, in the Clear Sky Sect.
Inside a pitch-black secret room—
When Tang Hao woke up from unconsciousness and found his limbs bound tightly by four black iron chains, locked down to a stone bed with no room to move, he flew into a rage and began struggling madly.
"Let me out! Let me out!!"
Recalling how he had passed out after eating the food Tang Xiao brought him, he immediately understood.
His father and big brother didn't want him to attend that damned Pope Qian Xunji's wedding.
They didn't want him to rescue Third Sister Ah Yin!
So they drugged him and locked him up in this secret chamber.
But he refused to accept this!
He couldn't accept it!
The woman he loved was being taken by another man.
As a man, how could he just watch his beloved fall into someone else's arms?
His father and brother were worried he'd implicate the family and sect?
Fine! He'd leave the family and sect!
But as the next generation's Clear Sky Douluo, chosen by his grandfather, how could he endure the humiliation of losing the woman he loved?
He firmly believed that Ah Yin was being forced to marry that damned Pope Qian Xunji!
As long as he exposed the truth before all the continent's major factions—
Once they knew Ah Yin was being coerced, how could Qian Xunji still have the nerve to force her into marriage?
'Why?! Why won't any of you believe me?!'
Tang Hao roared at the ceiling in anguish, summoning the Clear Sky Hammer and unleashing soul skills in a desperate attempt to break the chains.
But the four chains had been precisely measured to keep him pinned.
His legs and waist couldn't exert force at all.
He couldn't even sit up. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand was useless!
After an entire day of venting in pain and fury—
At night, Third Sister Tang Yuehua arrived with food.
"Third Sister, quickly unlock these chains, let me out!"
Seeing Tang Yuehua was like seeing a glimmer of hope. Tang Hao struggled with all his might, bloodshot eyes filled with pleading.
But following Tang Zhen's orders, Tang Yuehua could only steel her heart and shake her head.
"Sorry, Second Brother."
"Father said… you can't be let out."