In other words, any of these academies could easily beat him up, let alone the dozen or so people now...
"Um, isn't it just waiting on the other side of the road? I'll go right now."
He said with some difficulty.
"Hmph, what took you so long?"
"It's too late."
"Brothers, let's do it!"
Upon saying this, they all charged at him in unison.
"Ahhh..."
"You guys, stop hitting me."
Soon, Yu Xiaogang's wails filled the scene.
Right after, Yu Xiaogang felt he couldn't take it anymore, he wanted to put up a fight!
"You're forcing my hand, 'Farting like thunder, earth-shattering Luo Sanpao!'"
As his voice fell, Luo Sanpao appeared and let out a fart!
"yue..."
"This old man is disgusting..."
"Why do I feel like this is such an eyesore?"
"Damn it, we'll let you fart, guys put some muscle into it!"
Without a doubt, Yu Xiaogang's resistance was a failure.
And the result of his failure was an even more savage beating.
Thump.
After a while, Yu Xiaogang, with a swollen nose and a bruised face, was discarded across the street like trash.
"How can you treat me like this..."
Yu Xiaogang felt like crying... no, he was already crying.
He had lived for decades and had never been humiliated like this before.
And in front of so many people, no less.
"How can I show my face to Er Long and Flander after this..."
Yu Xiaogang's heart was nearly shattered.
After struggling for a few moments, he finally managed to stagger to his feet.
He decided it was best to leave this place for now.
Or perhaps find a place to stay and then send a message to Flander and the others to come find him.
In any case, he didn't want to stay here a moment longer.
The gatekeeper in the distance laughed unabashedly, like an invisible slap continuously striking his face.
"What goes around comes around, don't bully the poor in their old age!"
After turning around, he thought bitterly.
However.
Just then, a voice rang out behind Yu Xiaogang.
"Xiaogang, is that you?"
It was a deep and mellow voice that made Yu Xiaogang shudder.
Flander!
Yu Xiaogang immediately recognized the voice.
But why did he have to run into him at a time like this?
This was just too unlucky.
"Yu Xiaogang, I'm calling you, didn't you hear me?"
Flander called out again.
At this moment, he frowned.
Something was not right.
I couldn't have mistaken him, could I?
"Sorry, you've got the wrong person."
Yu Xiaogang said in a strained voice, then hurriedly bowed his head and walked briskly forward.
"Impossible, you are Yu Xiaogang, even if you turn to ashes, I'd recognize you."
Flander was absolutely certain he wasn't mistaken.
The next moment, he quickly walked toward Yu Xiaogang.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang also realized he was being followed and hastened his pace.
But could he really outrun Flander?
He only saw a blur before Flander's familiar face appeared in front of him.
"Flander..."
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth in shock, then didn't know what else to say.
"Xiaogang, you, how did you end up looking so pitiful?"
"Did you run into robbers on the way here?"
Flander finally realized why Yu Xiaogang didn't want to see him and pretended not to know him.
After all, Yu Xiaogang, although not very strong, certainly cared about his face.
With such a disheveled appearance, of course, he wouldn't want anyone to see him.
"Sigh!"
Yu Xiaogang sighed, "You're wrong, Flander. I wasn't attacked by robbers. The people who hurt me were students from Blue Tyrant Academy."
Right then, he told Flander all about what had happened.
"What, such a thing happened?"
"I'll have them apologize to you right away!"
Flander was stunned by what had happened to Yu Xiaogang.
He instinctively looked towards the academy's main entrance.
But he found that the gatehouse was gone.
Clearly, the gatekeeper had foreseen trouble and fled early.
Flander turned to Yu Xiaogang and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Xiaogang, what do you think?"
"Let's just forget about it."
Yu Xiaogang's face went through a series of changes as he murmured.
"Alright, let's go into the academy then. Later, I'll have Er Long find out who attacked you and make them apologize to you."
After saying this, Flander pulled Yu Xiaogang into the academy.
...
"Er Long, guess who's here?"
In the academy, in front of the secluded wooden cottage tending her flowers and plants, Liu Erlong's delicate body suddenly trembled.
She recognized Flander's voice.
The person Flander mentioned, without thinking twice, could only be Yu Xiaogang!
She quickly stood up, and sure enough, she saw Flander standing together with a man.
That was indeed the man she longed for... wait, something wasn't right!
"Xiaogang..."
"You, what happened to you?"
Liu Er Long's expression changed from elated to astonished, and then somewhat angered, "Who did this to you, Xiaogang?"
"Er Long..."
Yu Xiaogang also called out, but when he opened his mouth, no words came out.
He still couldn't bring himself to admit that he had been brutally beaten by students of Blue Tyrant Academy.
After all.
If he were to tell Liu Erlong about it, wouldn't that essentially be like a child who lost a fight and ran home to tell his parents?
That would be too damn embarrassing.
If Liu Erlong were to actually call those students to apologize to him, he would feel even more humiliated.
The next moment, Yu Xiaogang managed to squeeze out a forced smile on his face.
"It's nothing. I just took a fall on my way here, it will be fine in a couple of days."
Flander's eyes flickered and he deeply looked at Yu Xiaogang, but still, he didn't expose him.
"Ah, so that's what happened..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Erlong breathed a sigh of relief, "I was worried that someone had bullied you."
"No, nobody did." Yu Xiaogang forced a smile, and then eagerly asked, "Er Long, Flander, I heard that you found a way to help me break through my Cultivation Level limit, is that true?"
In contrast, Flander and Liu Erlong's expressions became complex upon hearing Yu Xiaogang's words.
"That matter, you should ask Er Long about it, I don't know much."
Flander said.
Thinking about it, Flander recalled some of the things he had witnessed. In his view, Liu Erlong had sacrificed too much for Yu Xiaogang.
Even if it meant giving up herself.
And Liu Erlong's expression became even more complicated.
She had fantasized countless times about what it would be like when they met again.
Crying tears of joy, asking about each other's well-being, reminiscing about the past, and various other scenes, she didn't think any of that was too much to expect.
But...
Yu Xiaogang's first words were about Qin Xiao, which she had not anticipated at all.
"Does this mean I really mean that little to him in his heart?"
"Compared to me, I feel like he loves himself more!"
A feeling of sadness welled up in Liu Erlong's heart for no reason.
There was also a sense of bleakness.
Ah...
She took a deep breath to calm herself before saying, "Xiaogang, please wait on this matter. First off, Qin Xiao is not here, and secondly, I still need to communicate with Qin Xiao anew, asking him to lend a hand to help you."
"But the price..."
"I'm willing to pay any price!" Yu Xiaogang interrupted Liu Erlong before she could finish.
"Any price?" Liu Erlong's eyes flickered, and she asked again, "What if I told you I also have to pay a hefty price?"
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang hardly hesitated; he looked deeply at Liu Erlong and said solemnly, "Er Long, I trust that you would do everything you can to help me, right?"
"Breaking through my current Cultivation Level is the dream of my life."
Liu Erlong fell silent.
After a moment, she nodded, "Okay, I will help you."
Finally, a sincere smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.
...
Dusk fell.
Within the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, lights shone brightly.
Inside the great hall, a long table was already set with various fine dishes and delicacies.
Xue Qinghe sat on the main seat, his eyes showing a trace of absent-mindedness, as if lost in thought.
Suddenly.
A sharp whistling sound pierced the silence of the great hall.
Porcupine Douluo knelt on one knee in front of Xue Qinghe, "Young Master!"
Xue Qinghe straightened up and said in a deep voice, "Porcupine Elder, what has Qin Xiao done this time? Out with it!"