Lin Qingmo leaned against the vermilion pillar in the corridor, casually spinning a lustrous white jade pendant between his fingers.
Every word and movent in the area was completely within his perception.
Tang San, who had been confidently talking with Ning Fengzhi monts ago and boasting about the miraculous power of his hidden weapons, now stood frozen in place.
His gaze was nailed on Xiao Wu, a few steps away, his mind in utter chaos.
No matter what, he could not believe that those icy, piercing words had co from Xiao Wu's mouth.
The girl he had always sworn to protect with everything he had was now looking at him with eyes colder than frost.
"Xiao Wu, I…"
Tang San's tongue seed tied in knots as countless explanations wildly spun through his mind.
He wanted to explain that he was not the person she thought he was.
He wanted to tell Xiao Wu that everything he had done was always for her protection.
He wanted to tell Xiao Wu that she had always co first in everything he did.
But when the words reached his lips, not a single one could co out.
The disgust in Xiao Wu's eyes was like a bucket of icy water, freezing every explanation in his throat and making them seem pale and laughable.
Beside her, Zhu Zhuqing crossed her arms, her cold gaze landing on Tang San without the slightest concealnt of contempt.
Zhu Zhuqing spoke coldly.
"Tang San, back at Shrek, you constantly targeted Ah Qing."
"You and your teacher are both narrow-minded, unable to tolerate anyone stronger than yourselves."
"Exactly! You're just that petty!"
Ning Rongrong skipped directly to Xiao Wu's side and made a huge face at Tang San, her expression filled with undisguised disdain.
"Why don't you take a look at yourself first?"
"If I were you, I'd be too embarrassed to even appear in front of Xiao Wu. Right, Ah Qing?"
She turned to look at Lin Qingmo.
Lin Qingmo said nothing, only curling his lips into a faint smile.
The situation in the hall was already obvious at a glance.
Everyone present stood on his side.
Not a single person spoke up for Tang San. There was not even a single conciliatory look directed at him.
"I…"
Tang San's face first flushed bright red, as though he had been slapped in public dozens of tis.
Then it turned deathly pale.
Finally, a layer of iron-green spread across his face, even his jawline tightening rigidly.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably, even the fingertips hanging by his side shaking slightly.
Standing there, he looked like a puppet whose soul had been ripped away, his body swaying as though it might collapse at any mont.
The last shred of dignity he possessed had been completely torn apart under everyone's gaze.
He was nothing more than a ridiculous clown performing a humiliating joke in front of everyone.
A long while passed before Tang San barely managed to recover a trace of sanity from that overwhelming collapse and humiliation.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong imdiately turned and threw herself beside Ning Fengzhi.
Both her hands tightly grabbed Ning Fengzhi's sleeve as she shook it, chin raised proudly, speaking word by word.
"Dad, you absolutely cannot cooperate with him!"
"This person is rotten to the core! He bullied Xiao Wu and targeted Ah Qing. I hate him!"
Ning Fengzhi lowered his eyes toward his precious daughter, imasurable doting spreading through his gaze.
He reached out and smoothed the hair by her temples, which had puffed up in anger.
Then his gaze swept toward the calmly standing Lin Qingmo not far away.
After turning the matter over once in his mind, the answer beca crystal clear.
On one side was a boy called Tang San.
His origins were unknown, and he dared not even reveal his real na.
Using a fake identity to discuss cooperation with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Even if his hidden weapons were ingenious—
His temperant was cold, and his character inferior.
Most importantly, his precious daughter was displeased with him.
How much value could such a person truly have?
On the other side was Lin Qingmo.
Young, yet already possessing very high soul power.
Even Sword Douluo Chen Xin had clicked his tongue in amazent after examining him.
And with him not even twelve years old yet, he was unquestionably a genius among geniuses.
Moreover, he was Rongrong's close friend, and their relationship was far closer than Tang San's.
Not to ntion that his precious daughter had already made her stance clear. She openly disliked Tang San.
Which side he should choose was already obvious. There was no need for further hesitation.
"Alright, Daddy will listen to you."
Ning Fengzhi smiled as he rubbed Ning Rongrong's head and gently pulled her to his side protectively.
Then he turned toward Tang San, his smile fading.
His tone was calm but left no room for negotiation whatsoever.
"My apologies, little friend Tang San. You approached my sect for trade under a false na, which already proves you lacked even the slightest sincerity toward this cooperation."
"Furthermore, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has no wish to cooperate with soone of poor character."
"Let this cooperation end here."
A light sentence completely denied every possibility of cooperation.
Tang San's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
Humiliation, fury, and unwillingness surged into his head all at once.
He wanted to lash out, to question them, to roar angrily at Ning Fengzhi.
He wanted to ask by what right a single sentence could erase all his efforts.
But the last remnants of his rationality barely restrained him.
He clenched his teeth tightly, forcibly swallowing every emotion back down.
No one understood better than him that he currently could not afford to provoke the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Just Sword Douluo Chen Xin, standing beside Ning Fengzhi, did not even need to make a move. rely relying on his aura alone would be enough to crush the current him with ease.
He had neither the qualifications nor the capital to lose control here.
His gums hurt from how hard he was biting down. The thick taste of blood spread through his mouth, also helping clear the rage clouding his mind.
The indifferent Ning Fengzhi, the spirited Ning Rongrong, the cold-faced and contemptuous Zhu Zhuqing, the amused-looking Lin Qingmo, and the icy-faced Xiao Wu…
Tang San deeply engraved all their expressions into his heart.
Finally, he squeezed several words out from between his teeth.
"Fine… let this be farewell!"
After speaking, he turned and left, his steps so hurried that he practically fled in panic.
His back looked utterly miserable as he quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
No one saw the monstrous resentnt surging within his eyes at the mont he turned around.
'Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Lin Qingmo, today's humiliation will be rembered by , Tang San.'
'All of you already have a path to death!'
'One day, I will repay this a hundredfold!'
...
The atmosphere in the corridor gradually eased.
Ning Fengzhi turned around, his gaze landing on Lin Qingmo as curiosity surfaced in his tone.
"Little friend Lin, it seems you and this Tang San have quite a deep grudge."
"There are indeed so grievances."
Lin Qingmo smiled casually, brushing the matter off with a few words.
His fingers lightly rubbed the edge of the jade pendant, an almost imperceptible odd expression flashing through his eyes.
Having read the original work, he understood Ning Fengzhi's thoughts all too clearly.
This Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect valued above all the so-called "unity of the Upper Three Sects against Spirit Hall."
In order to win over the long-hidden Clear Sky Sect—
He had even been willing to pour the resources of the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into paving the way for Tang San.
Treating Tang San as the future core of the alliance among the Upper Three Sects, and as the key figure in opposing Spirit Hall.
But today—
This calculating and farsighted Sect Master, completely unaware that Tang San was Tang Hao's only son, had personally and thoroughly offended the very future ally he would most wish to recruit, right in front of everyone.
Lin Qingmo could practically picture with perfect accuracy the expression Ning Fengzhi would wear when he eventually learned Tang San's true identity.
He would probably feel worse than if he had forcibly swallowed an entire fly alive.
Lin Qingmo raised his eyes toward the end of the corridor, the direction Tang San had disappeared in.
A playful smile slowly curled onto his lips.
End of Chapter
[35 advanced chapters available on Patreon—next arc already unlocked (search: Taichu372).]
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