NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76: Chapter 76
Chapter 76: A Big Trouble
Over the next three days, Bibi Dong and Zhao Ling grew increasingly disappointed that Yu Xiaogang had not reappeared.
During this time, Bibi Dong successfully earned the Golden Soul Badge at the Great Fighting Soul Arena, completing the mission assigned to her by Qian Xunji. With her goal accomplished, preparations to return to Spirit City began.
After consulting with Ju Douluo, Bibi Dong decided they would depart in three days. She eagerly extended another invitation to Zhao Ling, hoping he would join them.
Zhao Ling readily agreed, planning to bring Ah Yin along. With the *Soul Sealing Seal* masking her identity as a soul beast, even Qian Daoliu or Golden Crocodile Douluo wouldn't be able to detect her true nature.
His plan was simple: tour Spirit City with Ah Yin, leave without incident, and perhaps ruffle some feathers in the Spirit Hall along the way. The thought of Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji stewing in frustration brought a smile to his face.
Bibi Dong was delighted. Zhao Ling's presence gave her a sense of security, especially with her concerns about Qian Xunji possibly locking her away as described in the diary.
While Zhao Ling prepared to leave Soto City, the brothers Yu Xiaolong and Yu Xiaogang were finally escorted back to the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family by their collateral disciples.
The journey had been arduous. During this time, Yu Xiaogang regained consciousness, his injuries relatively minor. Zhao Ling had been somewhat merciful, ensuring the second brother remained alive, if only as a source of amusement.
Yu Xiaolong, however, had fared far worse. His head injuries were severe, and he remained unconscious throughout the journey. The collateral staff had been forced to feed him rice porridge and meat soup to keep him alive.
As the carriage approached the gates of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family, the collateral disciples heaved a collective sigh of relief. Their return had been fraught with tension and fear of further reprisals from Zhao Ling.
Yu Xiaogang, on the other hand, was a swirling mess of emotions.
On one hand, his heart broke at the thought of Bibi Dong falling into Zhao Ling's arms. He feared that by the time he saw her again, her innocence would have been taken by that beast.
On the other hand, he was consumed with regret. His elder brother had come to Soto City to help him, only to suffer grave injuries at Zhao Ling's hands. Worse still, he might face permanent consequences.
As the carriage rolled to a stop at the family gates, Yu Xiaogang's legs felt weak. His elder brother lay unconscious inside the carriage, and he couldn't muster the courage to face their father or the elders.
The collateral disciples carefully carried Yu Xiaolong through the gates. Four guards standing watch were visibly shocked.
"Isn't that the young master?" one of them whispered. "How did he end up like this? He's a Soul Emperor, for heaven's sake!"
Their voices were low, but the weight of their disbelief was palpable.
Inside the grand courtyard of the family estate, word quickly spread. Servants rushed to inform Yu Yuanzhen, the clan head, and the elders of the brothers' return.
In a matter of minutes, the courtyard filled with people. Yu Xiaolong's newlywed wife was among them, her anguished cries cutting through the tense atmosphere as she knelt beside her husband's unconscious form.
"How could this happen? My husband… My husband!" she wailed, clutching his hand as tears streamed down her face.
Her heartbreaking cries only fueled the anger simmering among the gathered elders.
Yu Xiaogang knelt nearby, his head bowed low. The sight of his sister-in-law's grief weighed heavily on him, filling him with shame and regret. 'This is all my fault,' he thought. 'If only I had listened to my brother and returned to the family instead of dragging him into this mess…'
Yu Luomian, the family's second-in-command and Yu Xiaogang's uncle, stormed into the courtyard with the elders in tow. The sight of his nephew lying motionless on the ground ignited his fury.
Rushing to Yu Xiaolong's side, Yu Luomian checked his breathing. Though faint, it was there. He stood and rounded on Yu Xiaogang with a face like thunder.
"You useless wretch!" Yu Luomian bellowed, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "What did you do? How could you let this happen to your elder brother? He has so much promise, and now look at him!"
He raised his hand and slapped Yu Xiaogang across the face, the sound sharp and resounding. Before anyone could intervene, Yu Luomian slapped him again, then again, until his nephew's cheeks were red and swollen.
"Why is it not you lying there? Why does an evil creature like you keep bringing disaster to this family?" Yu Luomian's voice cracked with emotion, but he held back enough strength to avoid doing serious harm.
Yu Yuanzhen, the clan head, stood nearby, his expression grim. Despite his usual stern demeanor, the sight of his eldest son in such a state clearly shook him.
Kneeling beside Yu Xiaolong, he checked for signs of life. Finding a weak pulse, he finally allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
Turning to the collateral disciples, Yu Yuanzhen's voice boomed with authority.
"What happened? Who did this to my son? Speak!"
The collateral disciples hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. Their fear was evident—they had no wish to implicate themselves further.
One of them finally stepped forward, his voice trembling. "Clan Head, it was a man named Zhao Ling… He… He overpowered the young master…"
Before he could finish, Yu Yuanzhen's expression darkened further. "Zhao Ling? Who is this Zhao Ling? How could he possibly defeat a Soul Emperor?"
The elder who had spoken could only shake his head. "I don't know, Clan Head. But his strength was overwhelming. Even the young master had no chance against him."
As the courtyard descended into uneasy silence, the elders began murmuring among themselves. The name Zhao Ling was new to them, but his actions could not be ignored.
Yu Yuanzhen's gaze turned cold, his fists clenching at his sides. "Zhao Ling… You dare harm my son? No matter who you are, you will pay for this."
For now, his priority was ensuring Yu Xiaolong received the treatment he needed. But in his heart, he vowed to deal with this "Zhao Ling" personally.
(End of Chapter)