“Who’s as shameless as you!” Kan Ling stammered, frantically pulling her clothes on. “She’s my best friend, and I don’t want Xuan Lan to see me here—don’t breathe a word of this, or I’ll make you regret it!” With that, she darted into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
Yang Hao listened to the increasingly furious knocking outside, sighed, and began dressing at his leisure.
When the door finally opened more than ten minutes later, Xuan Lan was already furious enough to spit fire. Yet even in her rage, she hadn’t neglected to present herself like a delicate porcelain doll—flawless makeup, earrings, and necklaces all in place. If she wanted to play the demure lady, she could charm quite a few people.
“Yang Hao!” Xuan Lan kicked the door open ungraciously and launched a flying kick at him, but she barely got her leg up before Yang Hao, appearing like a phantom behind her, grabbed her by the neck and lifted her effortlessly.
“You still want to hit me?” Yang Hao couldn’t help but shake his head. This girl really was a spoiled princess, daring to attack a martial expert at the peak of the Saint Realm.
Though dangling in midair, Xuan Lan continued flailing her limbs, her teeth clenched in fury, as though she could devour Yang Hao whole.
Only after she’d exhausted herself punching thin air did Yang Hao toss the princess onto the sofa and coldly ask, “What do you want so early in the morning?”
“Why did you break off the engagement!” Xuan Lan snapped, though she had long known Yang Hao had no intention of honoring their betrothal. Still, when she heard this morning that he had formally submitted a request to Emperor Yinglie to annul the engagement, she couldn’t help storming over to confront him.
“We both lack any feelings, so why not break it off?” Yang Hao lazily leaned against the bed frame. “You dare break off the engagement first! Don’t you know I’m a princess?!” Xuan Lan resorted to childish tantrum tactics.
“I don’t care that you handed in the request before me,” Yang Hao said with a grin, raising his eyebrows. “Go discuss it with your father. I just want the result!”
Xuan Lan’s expression changed, and she suddenly looked pitifully vulnerable. She walked slowly toward Yang Hao, thrusting her chest forward defiantly and demanded, “What’s wrong with me? Why don’t you want me?”
“Er…” Yang Hao was startled—her chest was now inches from his nose, radiating a pleasant fragrance.
“Am I really not as beautiful as Kan Ling?” Xuan Lan proudly lifted her chin, her royal aura radiating in full force.
“No! Absolutely not!!” Yang Hao shouted with unusual vigor.
At a critical moment like this, he naturally had to give the correct answer. Even if there were a hundred thousand chests in front of him, he wouldn’t forget there was still a beautiful sword saint hiding in the bathroom.
Some say that offending a beautiful sword saint is extremely dangerous and will lead to endless regret.
“You!” Xuan Lan was so furious she nearly lost her mind.
As her chest moved away from Yang Hao’s nose, he finally exhaled in relief and regained his composure. “Listen, weren’t you always saying you didn’t like me? Breaking off the engagement should suit both of us.”
“I like you now!” Xuan Lan stubbornly lunged forward, knocking Yang Hao onto the bed. Regardless of his reaction, she rained kisses all over him until he was gasping for breath.
“Rape!” Yang Hao cried out in agony.
Xuan Lan, somehow finding a surge of strength, clung to Yang Hao like an octopus, wrestling and tearing at the sheets with him. Suddenly, from beneath the rumpled blankets, she discovered something.
It seemed… like a woman’s underwear.
This discovery made Xuan Lan forget about Yang Hao and turn her attention to investigating the garment. She yanked the blanket aside and, before Yang Hao could react, grabbed the undergarment.
The color and brand looked familiar, the scent even more so. But what confirmed everything was the size—Xuan Lan immediately understood. This bed had clearly been shared not only by Yang Hao, but by another woman as well.
Clutching the bra, Xuan Lan stormed to the bathroom door. “Kan Ling, come out here!”
The door opened, and the two women stood face-to-face in awkward confrontation. Although Kan Ling had dressed, she hadn’t put on her bra, her magnificent chest clearly visible.
“Xiao Yao…” Xuan Lan’s eyes reddened. “Xiao Yao, you promised me you wouldn’t be with Yang Hao.”
Kan Ling remained silent, her head bowed, but her expression was resolute. This woman never made decisions lightly, but once she did, she rarely changed her mind.
“How could you do this to me? You’re my best friend! Why steal my fiancé?” Xuan Lan stamped her foot and shouted.
Yang Hao couldn’t stand it any longer. He stepped forward, pulled Xuan Lan away, and stood protectively in front of Kan Ling. “Who said I was your fiancé? That was just the emperor’s foolish idea. In this day and age, arranged marriages are outdated. I already told Emperor Yinglie that I’d break off the engagement once the siege of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion was resolved.”
Xuan Lan took a step back, tears streaming down her face. She glared at the two of them with hatred, especially at Kan Ling, who kept her head lowered. Her fury reached its peak: “You two are great. Just great!”
“We truly love each other, and we’re already together,” Yang Hao said, taking Kan Ling’s hand to warm it. “Xuan Lan, if you really consider Kan Ling your best friend, you should wish her happiness.”
“Best friend?” Xuan Lan wept bitterly. “Do I even have a best friend?”
“Xuan Lan…” Kan Ling finally looked up, gazing at her with sympathy.
But the princess had already stopped listening. She tossed the bra back at Kan Ling and glared coldly at Yang Hao. “Remember this—you won’t find it so easy to break off a royal engagement. The eyes of the entire universe will be watching you, and the whole world will pressure you.”
“Is that so?” Yang Hao shook his head. “It makes no difference to me.”
“Offending me is the biggest mistake of your life.” With those parting words, Xuan Lan turned and left without looking back.
Watching her resolute figure disappear, Yang Hao felt a chill of concern for Kan Ling. After all, this woman had always valued her friendships the most.
Unexpectedly, Kan Ling merely pouted and said, “I’m hungry!”
Yang Hao felt a cold sweat break out on his back. Indeed, a woman’s heart was as inscrutable as the ocean’s depths!
The following days were practically a blissful paradise for Yang Hao. He spent every moment with Kan Ling, who had moved into the Dan Ding Sect and refused to go home. The Lan family had sent several groups to fetch their daughter, but none succeeded in bringing her back.
It should be noted that Yang Hao’s engagement to the princess still officially existed.
Almost everyone in the imperial capital knew about Kan Ling and Yang Hao, but Kan Ling was clearly the kind of woman who, once she made a decision, didn’t care what others thought.
So when Yang Hao suggested going to Starlight City for a stroll, she agreed without hesitation.
Dressed in casual clothes, Kan Ling exuded even more youthful charm, her face glowing with radiant energy. Along the way, many nobles gazed at Yang Hao with envy.
And indeed, Yang Hao was worthy of such envy. Among the three most beautiful women in the capital, Ling Ziyun was pregnant with his child, Kan Ling was constantly by his side, and the princess was in an uproar over the annulment of their engagement. A man could hardly ask for more than this.
Starlight City truly lived up to its reputation. Ever since the arrival of the Starlight Circus, it had become the most bustling place on Earth. Of course, it wasn’t just because of the exotic goods for sale, but more importantly because the merchants in Starlight City could fulfill tasks that others considered impossible.
Smuggling, for example, or trafficking in forbidden items. Normally, the Ten Sword Sect controlled most of the empire’s power, so no one dared to inspect the merchants who had returned with the Starlight Circus. Thus, the merchants in Starlight City often brought back contraband, such as military-grade items or protected rare beasts.
Yang Hao took Kan Ling to a shop called Xiang Chan Rare Treasures, famous for acquiring items that others found impossible to obtain.
“What kind of store is this?” Kan Ling stood beneath the green archway, somewhat puzzled. Yang Hao had promised her a surprise but refused to reveal what it was.
“You’ll like it, I guarantee!” Yang Hao grinned.
“Hmph!” Kan Ling playfully tilted her head. “It won’t be easy to impress me.”
That was indeed true. Given Kan Ling’s status, she had always gotten whatever she wanted. Once, a nobleman had gifted her an entire planet made almost entirely of diamonds, but she hadn’t even spared a glance at the star map.
“This item will be something you’ll love. Even if I didn’t give it to you, you’d still want it desperately,” Yang Hao said mysteriously.
Kan Ling playfully glared at him. Yang Hao was wonderful in many ways, but sometimes he was too arrogant. Such an attitude would eventually get him into trouble in the empire.
So Kan Ling decided that no matter what she saw next, she would first feign indifference, forcing Yang Hao to flatter her a bit before finally accepting the gift with a smile. Otherwise, this man’s arrogance would never be corrected.
With this plan in mind, Kan Ling calmly faced the shop door as Yang Hao, his face brimming with mystery, carefully opened the green double doors.
“Ahhhh!!!” Kan Ling screamed the moment she saw what was inside and rushed into the shop.
Yang Hao stood proudly at the entrance, watching Kan Ling’s astonished expression as she knelt before the creature, her hands trembling with emotion as she gently reached out to touch the small creature on the floor.
It was white, only as tall as a human’s calf, but already bore the unmistakable features of a lion. Yet unlike ordinary lions, this one had a pair of small wings on its back, and its eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.
It was a young Snow Night Star Lion, one of the most legendary beasts in the universe.
Kan Ling felt as though she had found her destined companion. She hugged the little Snow Night Star Lion tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her previous mount, Lan Gang’s snow-white steed Xue’er, had perished defending the Dan Ding Sect. Since then, Kan Ling had had no mount. As the leader of the Snow Night Star Lion Corps, she had felt incomplete without one.
The little Star Lion showed no fear of Kan Ling. It licked away her tears and affectionately nuzzled her chin.
Kan Ling laughed through her tears. “It’s wonderful! So wonderful! Yang Hao, Xue’er can come back to me.”
Yang Hao smiled happily. In truth, he had been trying to find another Snow Night Star Lion for Kan Ling for a long time, but these creatures were nearly extinct in the universe. Even when one was found, it was usually tightly controlled by military forces or sword sects, making it nearly impossible to obtain.
So Yang Hao had turned to the black market. Recently frequenting Starlight City had finally paid off when he discovered this rare treasures shop. Though the shopkeeper was a despicable, greedy man, he had indeed managed to bring back a newborn Snow Night Star Lion cub from distant regions. Star Lions typically reached adult size in about three years and lived extremely long lives. In just a few years, Kan Ling would once again have a Snow Night Star Lion mount.
Seeing Kan Ling’s ecstatic expression, Yang Hao naturally felt immensely proud. He walked to the counter and said to the shopkeeper, whose eyes darted suspiciously, “I reserved this a few days ago. Here’s the two hundred million imperial credits.” He handed over a diamond card.
Previously, when he bought a wind chime, the shopkeeper, knowing Yang Hao was a council member of the Merchant Guild, had been too afraid to collect payment in person. Hede and the others had mocked Yang Hao for using his position to impress women without spending his own money. So this time, Yang Hao had decided not to use his status but simply to make a reservation in advance.
But to his surprise, the shopkeeper didn’t take the diamond card. Instead, he pulled out another card. “Sir, this is the one million imperial credits you paid when you reserved it. Please take it back.”
“What do you mean?” Yang Hao began to frown.
The shopkeeper pushed both cards toward Yang Hao, his expression turning cold. “Nothing personal. This Snow Night Star Lion has been claimed by someone else.”
“What?” Both Yang Hao and Lan Ling exclaimed in unison.
The shopkeeper shrugged indifferently. “Sorry, but the buyer is a powerful and influential noble who offered a much higher price. We’re just merchants—we can’t afford to offend them.”
“Oh?” Yang Hao narrowed his eyes at the mention of “powerful noble.” “But wasn’t I the one who reserved it first?”
“You reserved it first, but the person I can’t afford to offend is someone even you wouldn’t dare to cross. So I’m afraid you’ll have to let it go,” the shopkeeper said with a defiant smirk.
“The Merchant Guild has rules—reserved items cannot be resold within the agreed period. Don’t you even respect the Merchant Guild’s regulations?” Yang Hao’s voice grew colder.
“This is Starlight City, not under the Merchant Guild’s jurisdiction. Our only rule here is the Starlight Circus. Even the Merchant Guild’s enforcers wouldn’t dare offend the Starlight Circus.”
“Good. Very good.” Yang Hao’s smile turned deadly. “It seems the Merchant Guild really can’t control its members anymore.”
As he was speaking, the heavy door creaked open again, and three noblemen entered. Leading them was Zhou Yao, a slick, oily young man whose presence was instantly irritating.
“Boss…” Zhou Yao’s eyes fell on Kan Ling the moment he walked in, and when he saw the Snow Night Star Lion in her arms, his face lit up with delight, completely oblivious to how many people were already in the shop. “Xiao Yao, it’s you! Perfect! This Snow Night Star Lion is the gift I bought for you.”
“You bought it for me?” Kan Ling was stunned.
Yang Hao was practically seeing red. This was the item he had reserved, and now his rival was trying to steal it to give to his own woman. If Yang Hao could swallow this insult, he might as well be a spineless coward.
But Yang Hao was no coward. He grabbed the shopkeeper by the collar and growled, “You clearly reserved it for me first—why did you sell it to him?”
“He… he is a youth of the Starry Sky, and besides, he has a lot more money,” the shop owner realized only now that Yang Hao was not someone easy to bully. But his realization had come far too late—far too late indeed.
Yang Hao’s face darkened as he slowly turned around, his expression almost sinister.
“Does the Starry Sky Circus have so much money?” he asked coldly.
Zhou Yao shivered involuntarily. As he looked up at Yang Hao’s face—like a grim reaper—he trembled all over, his legs weakened, nearly collapsing onto the ground.
“He… he’s the boy from Starry Sky, and what’s more, he even has extra money.” Only now did the boss realize that Yang Hao was not someone easy to bully, but his realization had come far too late—far, far too late.
Yang Hao’s face darkened as he slowly turned around, his expression even bordering on ferocious:
“Does Starry Sky Circus have that much money?”
Zhou Yao shuddered, and then he saw Yang Hao’s face, which looked like that of the Grim Reaper. His entire body trembled, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
In this world, the last person Zhou Yao ever wanted to see was undoubtedly Yang Hao, because the lessons and beatings Yang Hao had given him were simply too brutal. Back on the performance stage of Starry Sky Circus, Zhou Yao had believed his Radiant Star Sword was invincible, yet in front of Yang Hao, it had been utterly crushed. Even when his uncle, a peak-level Saint Realm expert, stood in the way, Yang Hao had mercilessly taught Zhou Yao a lesson with a devastating Flame Burst.
At that time, Zhou Yao had been hanging by a thread, nearly dead. Fortunately, Zhou Chuanqian had rushed him to the Yan family—a clan known for their near-immortality and some healing abilities—which managed to save Zhou Yao’s life.
But even so, Zhou Yao was left with an unsightly, sun-like scar on his chest, and his strength had plummeted, almost impossible to recover to its former level.
With such a painful lesson, how could Zhou Yao dare provoke Yang Hao again?
But clearly, he had—not just provoked him, but thoroughly enraged him.
“It’s you… it’s you…” Zhou Yao trembled uncontrollably, his face twisted in despair as he begged, “I don’t want it anymore, I don’t! I never meant to compete with you, I swear I don’t want it!”
Zhou Yao’s reaction left the two noble youths who had entered with him utterly baffled. These two playboys had recently arrived from another planet and had paid no attention to the legend of the Undying War God, Yang Hao. Unrecognizing, they boldly drew their swords, twirling them with arrogance as they sneered, “Who the hell are you?
Dare to snatch things from us?”
“Me, snatch?” Yang Hao’s sword aura surged forth. Ever since inheriting the essence of swordsmanship from Situ Hai, he hadn’t had a chance to test it out.
“You didn’t snatch, you didn’t! It was my fault!” Zhou Yao was on the verge of tears. He hastily leaned over to his two foolish companions and whispered a few urgent words.
Their faces instantly paled, their swords clattering to the ground, too terrified to pick them up. Zhou Yao had merely uttered a name, but the name “Yang Hao” struck them like a death knell.
A saying circulated in the imperial capital: Those who become Yang Hao’s enemies are already dead—and if not dead, they’re not far from it.
Who would dare provoke such a harbinger of doom?
Zhou Yao knew all too well what Yang Hao’s taboos were. Not even daring to glance at Lan Ling again, he scrambled out of the shop with his two unfortunate friends in tow, fleeing so fast that Yang Hao didn’t even have time to unleash his fury and finish the kid off.
Once again, the shop fell into silence.
“Uh… well…” The shopkeeper licked his dry lips. Though the scene had shaken him—after all, even Zhou Yao, whom he had regarded as a protector, had been scared off by Yang Hao—the saying “men die for wealth, birds perish for food” held true. A Snowy Night Star Lion was worth billions, and having lost one customer, he couldn’t afford to lose another. “Sir, since Young Master Zhou Yao has declined, congratulations—this Snowy Night Star Lion is yours once more.”
Yang Hao remained icy. He glanced back at Lan Ling.
Lan Ling had already set the Snowy Night Star Lion down, shaking her head at Yang Hao.
“I don’t want it.” No matter how precious the item, after Zhou Yao’s meddling, someone as proud and aloof as Lan Ling would never accept it.
The shopkeeper, blinded by greed and still unafraid, pressed the store’s alarm with one hand and grabbed Yang Hao’s sleeve with the other as he turned to leave. “No! You can’t just walk away from a reserved item. If you don’t buy it, you’re not leaving!”
Yang Hao stopped. Not only did he stop—even if someone tried to drive him out now, he wouldn’t budge.
At that time, Zhou Yao’s life had hung by a thread—he had nearly died. Fortunately, Zhou Chuan Qian had quickly sent him into the Yan family, a clan known for being impossible to kill. They had some skill in saving lives, and thus managed to pull Zhou Yao back from the brink.
Even so, a hideous, sun-like scar remained on Zhou Yao’s chest, and his strength had plummeted, almost beyond recovery.
With such a painful lesson, how could Zhou Yao dare provoke Yang Hao again?
But clearly, he had done it now—worse than provoking, he had truly enraged him.
“It’s you… it’s you…” Zhou Yao stuttered, trembling violently, his face pale with terror as he begged, “I don’t want it anymore! I don’t want it! I never meant to compete with you—I absolutely won’t anymore!”
Zhou Yao’s reaction left the two noble youths who had entered with him puzzled. These two playboys had recently arrived from other planets and had no idea about the legend of the Undying War God, Yang Hao. Unaware of his identity, they actually dared to swiftly draw their swords, flashing a few sword techniques arrogantly as they sneered, “Who are you? Dare you compete with us for this?”
“He… he’s the boy from Starry Sky, and what’s more, he even has extra money.” Only now did the boss realize that Yang Hao was not someone easily bullied, but his realization had come far too late—far, far too late.
Yang Hao’s face darkened as he slowly turned around, his expression even taking on a somewhat ferocious edge:
“Is the Starry Sky Circus that rich?”
Zhou Yao shuddered, and then he saw Yang Hao’s deathly visage. His entire body trembled, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
In this world, the last person Zhou Yao ever wanted to see was undoubtedly Yang Hao, because the lessons and beatings Yang Hao had given him were simply too brutal. Back on the performance stage of the Starry Sky Circus, Zhou Yao had believed his Radiant Star Sword was invincible—yet in front of Yang Hao, it had been shattered with laughable ease. Even when his uncle, a peak-level Saint Realm expert, had stood in the way, Yang Hao had mercilessly taught Zhou Yao a lesson with a devastating Flame Burst.
At that time, Zhou Yao had been hanging by a thread, nearly dead. Fortunately, Zhou Chuanqian had rushed him to the Yan Family, a clan known for their near-immortality and some skill in healing, which had barely managed to save Zhou Yao’s life.
But even so, Zhou Yao’s chest had been left with an unsightly, sun-like scar, and his strength had plummeted, almost impossible to restore to its former glory.
With such a painful lesson burned into his memory, how could Zhou Yao dare provoke Yang Hao again?
Yet clearly, he had—not just provoked him, but thoroughly enraged him.
“It’s you… it’s you…” Zhou Yao shuddered uncontrollably, his face twisted in despair as he begged, “I don’t want it anymore, I don’t! I never meant to compete with you, I swear I don’t want it!”
Zhou Yao’s reaction left the two noble youths who had entered with him utterly bewildered. These two playboys had recently arrived from other planets and had paid no attention to the legend of the Undying War God, Yang Hao. Unaware of who they were dealing with, they boldly drew their swords, twirling them with an air of arrogance as they sneered, “Who the hell are you?
Daring to snatch things from us?”
“*I* snatched?” Yang Hao’s sword aura began to emanate—ever since inheriting the essence of swordsmanship from Situ Hai, he hadn’t yet had the chance to test it out.
“You didn’t! You didn’t! It was my fault!” Zhou Yao was on the verge of tears. He quickly leaned in and whispered urgently into his two foolish companions’ ears.
Their faces instantly paled, their swords clattering to the ground, left where they fell. Zhou Yao had only uttered a single name, but the mere mention of Yang Hao was enough to make them feel as though they’d heard the toll of a funeral bell.
A saying circulated in the imperial capital: *Those who become Yang Hao’s enemies are already dead—and if not dead, then not far from it.*
Who would dare provoke such a harbinger of doom?
Zhou Yao knew all too well what Yang Hao’s taboos were. Not even daring to glance at Ling again, he and his two unfortunate companions scrambled out of the shop in a panic. They fled so fast that even if Yang Hao had wanted to seize the moment to unleash his fury and finish Zhou Yao off, he wouldn’t have had the time.
With that, the shop fell into silence once more.
“Um… well…” The shopkeeper licked his dry lips. Though the scene had shaken him—after all, even Zhou Yao, whom the boss had considered a guardian figure, had been scared off by Yang Hao—the saying *men die for wealth, birds perish for food* held true. A Snow Night Star Lion was worth billions. Having lost one customer, he couldn’t afford to lose another. “Sir, since Young Master Zhou Yao has forfeited, congratulations—this Snow Night Star Lion is yours once more.”
Yang Hao remained ice-cold. He glanced back at Lan Ling.
Ling had already set the Snow Night Star Lion down, shaking her head at Yang Hao.
“I don’t want it.” No matter how precious the item, after Zhou Yao’s meddling, someone as proud and aloof as Lan Ling would never accept it.
The shopkeeper, however, seemed possessed by greed, still unafraid. Seeing Yang Hao about to leave, he actually pressed the shop’s alarm with one hand while grabbing Yang Hao’s sleeve with the other. “No! You can’t just walk away from a reservation! If you don’t buy it, you’re not leaving!”
Yang Hao stopped. Not only did he stop—even if someone tried to drive him away now, he wouldn’t budge.
“He… he’s the boy from Starry Sky, and, and he even has a lot more money.” Only now did the boss realize that Yang Hao was not someone easy to bully, but his realization had come far too late—far, far too late.
Yang Hao’s face darkened as he slowly turned around, his expression even taking on a somewhat ferocious edge:
“Is the Starry Sky Circus that rich?”
Zhou Yao shuddered, and then he saw Yang Hao’s deathly visage. His entire body trembled, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
In this world, the last person Zhou Yao ever wanted to see was undoubtedly Yang Hao, because the lessons and beatings he had received from him were far too brutal. Back on the performance stage of the Starry Sky Circus, Zhou Yao had believed his Radiant Starblade was invincible—yet before Yang Hao, it had been utterly shattered. Even when his uncle, a peak Saint Realm expert, had stood in the way, Yang Hao had mercilessly taught Zhou Yao a lesson with a devastating flame explosion.
At that time, Zhou Yao had been hanging by a thread, nearly dead. Fortunately, Zhou Chuanqian had rushed him to the Yan Clan, a family known for their unkillable resilience and some healing abilities, which had managed to save Zhou Yao’s life.
But even so, Zhou Yao’s chest had been left with an unsightly, sun-like scar, and his strength had plummeted, never to fully recover.
With such a painful lesson, how could Zhou Yao dare provoke Yang Hao again?
Yet clearly, he had—not just provoked him, but thoroughly enraged him.
“It’s you… it’s you…” Zhou Yao trembled uncontrollably, his face twisted in despair as he begged, “I don’t want it anymore, I don’t! I never meant to compete with you, I swear I don’t want it!”
Zhou Yao’s behavior left the two noble youths who had entered with him utterly bewildered. These two playboys had recently arrived from another planet and had paid no attention to the legend of the Undying War God Yang Hao. Unrecognizing, they boldly drew their swords, twirling them with arrogance as they sneered, “Who the hell are you?
Daring to snatch things from us?”
“Me, snatch?” Yang Hao’s sword aura began to emanate. Ever since inheriting the essence of swordsmanship from Situ Hai, he hadn’t yet had the chance to test it.
“You didn’t snatch, you didn’t! It was my fault!” Zhou Yao was on the verge of tears. He quickly leaned in and whispered urgently into his two companions’ ears.
Their faces instantly paled, their swords clattering to the ground, too terrified to pick them up. Zhou Yao had only uttered a single name—but the name “Yang Hao” struck them like a death knell.
A saying circulated in the imperial capital: Those who become Yang Hao’s enemies are already dead; if not dead, they are not far from it.
Who would dare provoke this harbinger of doom?
Zhou Yao knew all too well what Yang Hao’s taboos were. He didn’t even dare glance at Lan Ling again before scrambling out of the shop with his two unfortunate friends in tow. They fled so fast that Yang Hao didn’t even have time to unleash his fury and finish Zhou Yao off for good.
With that, the shop fell into silence once more.
“Uh… well…” The shopkeeper licked his dry lips. Though the scene had shaken him—after all, even Zhou Yao, whom the boss had considered a guardian figure, had been scared off by Yang Hao—greed still clouded his judgment. A Snow Night Star Lion was worth billions, and having lost one customer, he couldn’t afford to lose another. “Sir, since Young Master Zhou Yao has declined, congratulations—this Snow Night Star Lion is yours again.”
Yang Hao remained icy. He glanced back at Lan Ling.
Lan Ling had already set the Snow Night Star Lion down, shaking her head at Yang Hao.
“No.” No matter how precious the item, after Zhou Yao’s interference, someone as proud and aloof as Lan Ling would never accept it.
The shopkeeper, blinded by greed and still unafraid, pressed the shop’s alarm with one hand and grabbed Yang Hao’s sleeve with the other. “No! You can’t just walk away from a reserved item. If you don’t buy it, you’re not leaving!”
Yang Hao stopped. Not only did he stop—even if someone tried to drive him out now, he wouldn’t budge.
Their faces changed drastically. They dropped their swords and didn’t dare to pick them up again. Zhou Yao had only mentioned one name, but the name Yang Hao alone had struck them like a death knell.
There was a saying in the imperial capital: those who became Yang Hao’s enemies were already dead—or at least, very close to death.
Who would dare provoke such a bringer of doom?
Zhou Yao knew Yang Hao’s taboos well. Without daring to even glance at Ling again, he scrambled out with his two companions, fleeing so fast that even Yang Hao, wanting to vent his anger and finish the boy off completely, couldn’t catch up in time.
The entire shop fell silent again.
“Er… this…” the shop owner licked his dry lips. The scene just now had terrified him—after all, someone he had considered a guardian deity, Zhou Yao, had been scared off by Yang Hao. But as they say, men die for wealth, birds die for food. A Snow Night Star Lion was worth billions. Having lost one customer, he certainly didn’t want to lose another. “Sir, now that Young Master Zhou has given up, congratulations! This Snow Night Star Lion once again belongs to you.”
Yang Hao remained icy cold. He turned to look at Lan Ling.
Lan Ling had already put down the Snow Night Star Lion and shook her head at Yang Hao, saying:
“I don’t want it anymore.” No matter how precious an item was, after Zhou Yao had caused such a scene, someone as proud and aloof as Lan Ling would never accept it.
The shop owner must have been possessed by a demon and still hadn’t learned fear. Seeing Yang Hao about to leave, he actually pressed the shop’s alarm button with one hand and grabbed Yang Hao’s robe with the other: “No! You can’t back out of your purchase—you’re not allowed to leave unless you buy it!”
Yang Hao stopped. Not only did he stop—he wouldn’t leave even if they tried to chase him away now.
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