Chapter 64 73.74. Questioning Love Iron Triangle
Huo Yuhao used divine power in his palm to drag three treasures forward.
Using his divine power he pulled the Golden Dragon Fruit before the three beasts: "This Golden Dragon Fruit can trigger a sharp mutation in dragon-type martial souls. It is the opportunity I have prepared for Yu Xiaogang."
Then the Golden Dragon Fruit retreated, and the Cockscomb Phoenix Aster was pushed in front of the three beasts: "This is prepared for Liu Erlong. If she can ingest this celestial item, it will raise the fire attribute of her Fire Dragon martial soul to Ultimate Fire. Her future prospects will be limitless."
Finally the Fire Elemental Essence Crystal was placed before the three beasts: "This is the opportunity prepared for Freland. It can fuse with his martial soul, transform his soul bloodline, and grant his martial soul the attribute of fire."
Lastly Huo Yuhao asked, "How about the wedding gifts I gave them? Sincere enough, right?"
"Enough is enough, but… are you really giving them?" Xiao Bai murmured softly.
"Of course." Huo Yuhao smiled, then shifted tone: "However, to obtain my opportunity, their love must be genuine. Only those who pass the trial may receive the treasures I bestow."
At the word "trial," the three beasts' faces showed meaningful expressions.
"Whoever of you goes down to the mortal realm and arranges this trial for me." Huo Yuhao said.
Tianmeng said, "Brother Hao, leave it to me. This must be handled by me."
The Evil Emperor said, "Tianmeng, step aside. Watch my name — I am the most suited to carry out this task."
Xiao Bai stretched out a hand: "Um, I think I could try too."
The three beasts argued and couldn't agree; in the end the Evil Emperor was chosen to descend and execute the mission.
Huo Yuhao tossed the three treasures to the Evil Emperor and told him the details of the trial.
"Ke ke ke!" the Evil Emperor chuckled. "Master, this matter is on me. I guarantee to handle it perfectly."
Saying that, the Evil Emperor went down to the mortal realm through a dimensional channel.
Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong prepared to hold their wedding, and the news immediately reached Yu Luomian.
It turned out Yu Luomian had once had a fleeting relationship with Liu Erlong's mother, and Liu Erlong was born from that liaison.
At first Yu Luomian paid little attention to this mother and daughter, only seeing Liu Erlong's value when her martial soul awakened.
But six years of neglect left Liu Erlong deeply resentful of this father, as her surname betrays.
Helplessly, Yu Luomian could only try to mend the relationship by making amends.
He provided soul-hunts for Liu Erlong, helped with her life difficulties, and was behind the scenes in the later establishment of Blue Tyrant Academy.
Although Liu Erlong ultimately refused to change her surname back to Yu, she generally acknowledged him as her father.
What truly made their conflict deep was Yu Xiaogang!
Yu Luomian had been watching Liu Erlong's growth. When Liu Erlong met Freland, he didn't intervene because the two of them seemed to have a martial soul fusion technique.
When Liu Erlong and Freland were together they hadn't used the fusion technique; as their relationship deepened, Yu Luomian still didn't stop it because Freland's talent made him a worthy son-in-law candidate. A lowborn genius with the posture of a Douluo could be useful to recruit; properly managed, if Liu Erlong reverted to the Yu surname she could bring an outsider Douluo strength to their clan.
Later, when Liu Erlong and Freland met Yu Xiaogang, Yu Luomian knew of it but did not appear, because their martial soul fusion seemed to require three people.
Yu Xiaogang that worthless fellow only served that purpose.
As for whether Yu Xiaogang would use the fusion technique to seduce his daughter, Yu Luomian believed not. In his view, women admire the strong — among the Golden Iron Triangle there was another man, Freland, who had the bearing of a Douluo. He was the proper match for Liu Erlong.
My daughter would never be so foolish as to pass over the excellent Freland and pick that lifelong Level 29, soul skill farting waste.
After they went to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul rings, Erlong became a Soul King. When they returned Freland confessed to her, Liu Erlong refused, then stuck to Yu Xiaogang herself. That worthless Yu Xiaogang didn't even know how to refuse and decided to hold their wedding on the fifteenth of this month.
When Yu Luomian received the news he exploded with anger!
He violently threw his teacup to the ground and shouted, "Yu Xiaogang, you omen of bad luck, you bring misfortune wherever you go. You milked the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect dry, now you're milkin' my daughter. Do you really not know Liu Erlong is my daughter, or are you pretending not to know? My daughter — Yu Xiaogang, how dare you!"
Yu Luomian drew a deep breath and asked, "Have you investigated clearly? What exactly is their three-person martial soul fusion technique?"
A Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus spy reported, "We investigated: it's a host-type martial soul fusion. When the three perform their fusion, they summon a golden giant dragon. Two Soul Kings and one Great Soul Master performing it produces a power capable of matching a mighty Soul Saint."
"A golden giant dragon!" Yu Luomian suddenly understood. "So that's why — this trash can seduce my daughter. Their three-person fusion technique actually uses this trash as the lead?"
"Master, this is a three-person fusion. What shall we do next?" the spy asked.
Yu Luomian glanced sideways at the spy: "So what if it's a three-person fusion? I know Yu Xiaogang will never break Level 29. This trash will never be worthy of my daughter. Besides, he's my nephew — if he truly became involved with Liu Erlong, he'd become my son-in-law. What a joke."
"I must stop him. I won't let this wedding go through." Yu Luomian said coldly.
He personally stood and went to prevent this absurd event.
On the other side, Freland, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang set the wedding location at the church in Zunhun Village.
Freland busied himself with the groom-and-bride duties, inviting guests, buying decorations, and so forth.
He paid for the entire wedding out of his own pocket, while Yu Xiaogang enjoyed the whole process and watched Freland bustle about.
Days passed, and finally on the eve of their wedding:
Freland tossed and turned in bed, thinking of the woman he loved becoming his brother's wife. His heart ached, but love is to complete the beloved's wishes. Since Liu Erlong did not love him, and loved Xiaogang, he would bless them. As long as Liu Erlong could be happy, that was enough. Thinking this, Freland wiped away a tear of the devoted.
Liu Erlong lay in bed sleepless, too excited. Tomorrow she would marry her dearest Xiaogang; she could not wait a moment.
Yu Xiaogang too tossed and turned. His plan was finally beginning.
After all, he didn't know Liu Erlong's true identity — he was being deceived into marriage. When her identity was exposed later, he could claim he was tricked; through the fusion technique he would make Liu Erlong fall deeply in love with him. Then, when her identity was exposed by her uncle Yu Luomian, he could use that as a reason to divorce her. She'd hate her uncle, not him, and father and daughter would fall out. Hahahaha—
Yu Luomian, are you ready to face my revenge for the humiliation you brought me? In the dark night resentment glinted in Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
Finally, late at night, the three fell asleep.
The Evil Emperor appeared above the three's small house. He looked down at the sleeping trio and let out a strange chuckle: "Bearing the Master's decree, I have come to deliver your wedding gifts."
Then he unleashed strong mental power, dragging the souls of Yu Xiaogang, Freland, and Liu Erlong into a phantom space he had fabricated with divine power.
Yu Xiaogang's eyelids twitched, then he opened his eyes.
He looked around and found the surroundings wrapped in a white mist so thick he could not see ahead.
"Where is this? Wasn't I sleeping?" a chill passed through Yu Xiaogang's heart.
He stood up and carefully walked, exploring his surroundings with cautious steps. He parted the mist with his hands and moved forward.
Finally the mist dispersed. In the center of this space he saw a huge platform, and above the platform an invisible force held a golden fruit floating in midair.
He looked closely. The golden fruit bore the shadow of a dragon in its center.
Yu Xiaogang immediately recognized the fruit's name: the Golden Dragon Fruit.
Ever since the Golden Dragon Fruit taken from Qian Xunji's hand was seized by Yu Luomian and he witnessed Yu Luomian's martial soul transform into a Golden Saint Dragon, Yu Xiaogang had dreamed of this celestial item many nights. Even now he still regretted and questioned his past self — why had he laughed and drawn Yu Luomian's attention, why hadn't he swallowed the Golden Dragon Fruit the moment it appeared, why—
Now the Golden Dragon Fruit reappeared before Yu Xiaogang. The chance to regain it made him disregard any surrounding danger. He sped forward as if two steps weren't enough for him, racing toward the platform. Upon reaching the platform's base he didn't hesitate to climb the steps and dash toward the top.
Closer, closer.
The Golden Dragon Fruit floated ever nearer, and Yu Xiaogang felt a longing rising from the depths of his martial soul.
He decided that this time the first step after obtaining the treasure would be to swallow it immediately, no more chance for variables.
At last Yu Xiaogang reached the fruit and reached out to grasp it. Just as his hand was about to touch it, the Golden Dragon Fruit leapt into the air and flew into the white mist before the platform.
Yu Xiaogang chased the Golden Dragon Fruit like Kua Fu chasing the sun, until unfamiliar divine power bound him in the center of the platform.
"No, don't leave me, Golden Dragon Fruit." Yu Xiaogang pounded his fists violently against the invisible barrier binding him, begging the Golden Dragon Fruit.
The white mist before the platform cleared, and in front of him two other huge platforms stood. They opposed the platform beneath Yu Xiaogang, forming an equilateral triangular arrangement.
The Golden Dragon Fruit floated in the center of the triangle, accompanied by a red crystal and a fiery red, unnamed flower.
Yu Xiaogang stared unblinkingly at the three floating treasures; he paid no attention to the fact that two blurred figures were standing on the other platforms.
They were Freland and Liu Erlong. In this space they had likewise been drawn to their respective platforms and were bound there.
Regarding Liu Erlong: she had been attracted by the Cockscomb Phoenix Aster and walked onto her platform. When the mist cleared she did not possess the same obsessive fixation as Yu Xiaogang; her eyes were only on the Golden Dragon Fruit. Soon she began to notice the environment around her. She saw the other two people confined on their platforms.
Their faces were blurred and their voices muffled, but from their shapes and clothing she recognized them: one was Freland, the other Yu Xiaogang.
Upon recognizing Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong immediately called to him, but her voice could not attract his attention.
She saw Yu Xiaogang raise his head and repeatedly reach for the golden fruit drifting above, sometimes leaping in a ridiculous manner. Though she could not see his face clearly, she knew he likely didn't notice her at all.
Freland on the other platform made gestures toward her and Yu Xiaogang to convey information.
Liu Erlong stamped her foot, then looked down and saw that the place she stood bore a stark black-and-white Yin-Yang fish pattern.
Where was this? Liu Erlong asked inwardly.
"Welcome to the Eternal Inquisition Abyss." A supreme, ethereal voice sounded in the three's ears. Freland stopped gesturing, and Yu Xiaogang ceased his clumsy movements.
"Who are you, and why have you brought us here?" Liu Erlong shouted into the air; her voice was heard by Freland and Yu Xiaogang.
"This is the God's Secret Realm, used to test true feelings. Those chosen and brought here may obtain the trial's rewards if they pass the tests and trials," the ethereal voice said.
Freland pushed his glasses up and said, "So if we complete the trials here we'll receive corresponding rewards, right?"
The ethereal voice said, "Trialist Yu Xiaogang, upon completion will receive the Golden Dragon Fruit celestial item; his martial soul will molt into a Golden Saint Dragon. Trialist Liu Erlong, upon completion will receive the Cockscomb Phoenix Aster celestial item; her martial soul will gain the attribute of Ultimate Fire. Trialist Freland, upon completion will receive the Fire Elemental Essence Crystal; his martial soul will evolve into a Flame Owl!"
Learning that he could obtain the Golden Dragon Fruit, Yu Xiaogang immediately became impatient.
He asked eagerly, "So what are the trial's contents? When do we begin?!" He couldn't wait to complete the trial and get the Golden Dragon Fruit, transform his martial soul into a Golden Saint Dragon, and shake off the label of useless.
(END CHAPTER)
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