"Gu Yue? You're talking about Gu Yue?" The Demon Emperor stared blankly at Lan Fozi, momentarily unable to process what she had just said. But after a brief moment of realization, she found it quite reasonable that Lan Fozi would fall for Gu Yue, given her preferences.
"That's right, I like Gu Yue." Lan Fozi nodded firmly and declared with absolute conviction, "The moment I saw Gu Yue yesterday, I fell for that unique aura she carries. In this lifetime, I will marry no one but her."
Since arriving in Star Luo City, Gu Yue had been in seclusion, only emerging yesterday to forge the Earth Cauldron together with Xia Yi.
That was when Lan Fozi first laid eyes on Gu Yue.
From that moment on, she realized she had fallen for Gu Yue.
"Are you serious?" The Demon Emperor looked at her daughter with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
"Dead serious." Lan Fozi nodded vigorously.
"Do you even realize that you're both girls?" the Demon Emperor asked.
"So what? Does love have to be reduced to some sordid affair of the flesh?" Lan Fozi retorted righteously.
As a hundred-thousand-year-old transformed soul beast, she understood all too well how things worked.
"If you put it that way, then yes. Otherwise, how would one reproduce and continue their species?" The Demon Emperor shook her head and continued, "Fine, I won't argue with you about this. I just have one question—Gu Yue is already Xia Yi's girlfriend. Of all people, why must you like her?"
"Xia Yi already has a wife, yet didn't you still send your own daughter to be his concubine?" Lan Fozi countered.
She was seriously beginning to doubt whether she was even her mother's biological child. Her own mother was against her stealing another's lover, yet was perfectly fine with sending her off to be someone's concubine?
"I'm doing this for your own good," the Demon Emperor said softly, glancing at Lan Fozi. "Back in the Holy Spirit Cult, you met Dark Phoenix Douluo. You should have some understanding of what kind of woman she is, right? And her elder sister, Sky Phoenix Douluo—both of them are as proud as mountains and as fierce as fire. Yet now, these very women are content to be little wives at Xia Yi's side. And your so-called love-at-first-sight Gu Yue—why do you think she's so devoted to Xia Yi? If you truly followed Xia Yi, I would also be at peace to pursue what I want to do."
"Dark Phoenix Douluo… wasn't she someone you arranged?" Lan Fozi asked curiously.
"She followed Xia Yi of her own volition." The Demon Emperor shook her head, then looked out the window and said softly, "Xia Yi carries infinite possibilities. If I were Dark Phoenix Douluo, I too would have left the Holy Spirit Cult to follow him."
"You're saying Dark Phoenix Douluo betrayed the Holy Spirit Cult? And yet you still helped cover for her?" Lan Fozi looked at the Demon Emperor in surprise. Since when had her mother become so soft-hearted?
"Xia Yi is not our enemy." The Demon Emperor smiled at Lan Fozi and said, "On the contrary, he will be our greatest ally."
"Him? That shameless scoundrel? What else does he know besides trickery and his slightly above-average forging talent?" Lan Fozi scoffed in disdain.
"That is merely a façade." The Demon Emperor sighed and looked at Lan Fozi helplessly. "In any case, forget about Gu Yue. Gender aside, even if you were a man, I still wouldn't let you fight Xia Yi for her. You simply stand no chance."
"Like hell I don't! I love Gu Yue! So what if Xia Yi is in the way? That shameless rogue—I refuse to believe I can't steal Gu Yue away from him!" Lan Fozi snorted, her beautiful eyes brimming with confidence.
She refused to believe she couldn't win against Xia Yi.
"Sigh… fine. If you insist on hitting a brick wall, I won't stop you." Though the Demon Emperor disagreed with Lan Fozi's pursuit of Gu Yue, she made no move to intervene.
This was a good opportunity for Lan Fozi to get closer to Xia Yi.
With her presence as a safeguard, Xia Yi wouldn't harm Lan Fozi.
And he certainly wouldn't lower himself to competing with a girl over romance.
"In that case, just wait and see—I'll be bringing home a daughter-in-law soon!" Seeing that the Demon Emperor wasn't stopping her, Lan Fozi beamed with excitement.
The Demon Emperor merely smiled and said nothing.
The next day, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament's two-on-two battles resumed.
The first match: Shrek Academy's Wu Jin and Wu Siduo vs. Monster Academy's Long Yue and Dai Yun'er.
Since Wu Jin and Wu Siduo were still recovering from poisoning, Ya Li directly announced Shrek Academy's forfeiture.
Monster Academy's Long Yue and Dai Yun'er advanced without a fight.
The second match: Spirit Pagoda's Xia Yi and Gu Yue vs. Heavenly Saint Academy's Lan Fozi and Bai Yu.
In the waiting area, Lan Fozi clenched her fists excitedly and turned to Bai Yu. "Stay out of this fight. I'm going in alone. I'm going to personally defeat Xia Yi and show Gu Yue that a scheming scoundrel like him is not worthy of her trust!"
Lan Fozi had already made up her mind—after defeating Xia Yi, she would publicly confess to Gu Yue in front of everyone.
What she didn't know was that, at that very moment, Gu Yue—standing beside Xia Yi—was also itching to fight.
Yesterday, because of Tang Sect's Third and Fourth Elders, she had given up her chance to prove herself. Today, Lan Fozi and Bai Yu were perfect opponents.
Not only could she prove herself, but she could also deflate the Demon Emperor's arrogance.
Two birds with one stone.
As soon as the match began, Gu Yue leaped onto the stage eagerly.
Meanwhile, Xia Yi reclined lazily on a sofa in the waiting area, cracking sunflower seeds, showing no intention of getting involved.
"What the hell?" Lan Fozi froze, shooting an irritated glance at the leisurely Xia Yi. The more she looked at him, the angrier she became.
"Let's see if you can stay this carefree once I steal Gu Yue from you!" Lan Fozi snorted and flew onto the stage as well.
She had clearly dressed up for the occasion. She wore a pristine white men's casual suit, which, coupled with her long blue hair, gave her a strikingly harmonious look.
Her natural beauty, combined with her masculine attire, made her resemble an elegant nobleman.
"Where's your teammate?" Seeing that Lan Fozi had come up alone, Gu Yue was displeased. Xia Yi had fought two opponents—how could she settle for just one? Wouldn't that give Xia Yi more reason to tease her later?
"Gu… Gu Yue… we forfeit." Lan Fozi looked up at Gu Yue, her face turning red as she stammered, "Gu… Gu Yue, the moment I saw you two days ago, I was struck by your beauty. I truly like you—you're so stunning, and I can sense the purity in your soul, untainted by the world. I don't know why, but from that moment on, I felt an innate desire to be close to you. So, Gu Yue, would you leave Xia Yi and be with me? I will cherish you forever. This is my token of sincerity."
As she spoke, she flipped her wrist, revealing a small box in her palm. Carefully, she opened it, revealing its contents.
Inside lay a pearl, shimmering with an extraordinary glow, displaying eight distinct colors—blue, red, green, yellow, cyan, black, purple, gold, and white.
The pearl itself was transparent, with the eight hues swirling in a mesmerizing display of brilliance.
This…
Even Gu Yue was momentarily taken aback.
In the VIP seating area, several figures slowly rose to their feet.
Among them, the one with the most intense gaze was none other than Hanhai Douluo Chen Xinjie.
"I…" In the audience, the Demon Emperor stammered, unable to find her words. She knew exactly what Lan Fozi had just presented.
A trace of sorrow flickered in Lan Fozi's eyes. "This was left to me by my father. My mother told me that I could only give it to someone I truly love. It is my most precious possession, and I genuinely love you. If you leave Xia Yi and be with me, it will be yours. But please, keep it safe. And don't worry—I won't hold it against you that you've been with Xia Yi before."