Chapter 819: Kneel and Call Me Daddy

"Victory will be ours in the next round!" Li Bufan gave Jiang Xiaofan's shoulder a firm pat, his eyes gleaming with quiet confidence.

Mo Wufeng's mocking laughter rang across the arena. "Pathetic! Without Ling Feng, you're nothing but worthless trash! What makes you think you can win now?

Hahaha...

"

The Zhenlong Academy captain swelled with arrogant triumph. Ling Feng might have exposed his hypocrisy before, but what did that matter now?

History belonged to the victors!

By leading his team to victory today, not only would he earn the academy's highest honors, but his future would be paved with golden opportunities. As for Ling Feng and his pathetic teammates? They'd be left choking on his dust!

"Mo Wufeng, don't get ahead of yourself." Gu Tengfeng snorted, putting on a show of righteous fury—though deep down, he was grinning ear to ear.

Their little act just now had been convincing enough. It should've achieved exactly what Ling Feng wanted.

"

Oh?

And what if I do?"

Mo Wufeng let out a loud laugh. "If you guys actually manage to win, I'll kneel right here and call you 'daddy' three times! What do you say? Let's make it interesting! Loser has to kneel in front of everyone and call the other 'daddy'—that is, if Ling Feng doesn't show up!"

Having been utterly humiliated by Ling Feng before, Mo Wufeng was playing it safe this time.

"

Hah!

What are you, ten?" Gu Tengfeng scoffed, flicked his sleeve, and walked away without another word.

"What's wrong? Afraid to lose? Or just too much of a coward?" Mo Wufeng sneered. "Didn't you say you'd win?

Hahaha...

"

"Fine! I'll take your bet!"

Gu Tengfeng's brows knit together like drawn swords as he said coldly, "But I hope certain people don't turn into sore losers when the time comes!"

"

Heh,

as long as you don't back out first!" Mo Wufeng chuckled, then strutted off the stage with his team.

There was still an incense stick's worth of time before the next match, giving both sides a brief chance to rest.

"Damn it! Why isn't Brother Feng back yet? It's already been half an hour!"

Ye Nanfeng and the others paced anxiously. If this dragged on any longer, their defeat would be inevitable.

As for Mu Qianxue, she too was one of the team members who had acquired the Heaven and Earth Treasures alongside Li Bufan. Throughout the match, she had noticed that apart from Jiang Xiaofan, Li Bufan had barely exerted any effort.

It was clear now—this had all been part of a plan devised by Ling Feng and Gu Tengfeng.

Meanwhile, in the spectator stands, the crowd was in an uproar.

Everyone was speculating about Ling Feng's mysterious disappearance. Why would he be absent from the finals? It was completely baffling.

"Could it be..." Wang Yishan's eyelids twitched as he blurted out, "Did the chief run into trouble? An ambush? Seriously injured? Or... or even... dead?"

"You're the one who's dead!"

Qin Wanwan planted her hands on her hips, shooting him a glare, though deep inside, unease twisted in her gut.

"Yeah, stop talking nonsense! Big Brother would never be in trouble!"

Ouyang Jing clenched his fists. But if Ling Feng wasn't in trouble, why would he mysteriously vanish at such a critical moment?

"Grandpa! What's going on?"

Deng Yongshi was equally frantic, tugging at General Deng's sleeve. "No, no, Grandpa, you have to mobilize the imperial capital's guards to search for Ling Feng right now!"

"

Pfft

—"

General Deng nearly spat out blood. "Little Shi, the guards can't just be deployed on a whim."

"I don't care! If we don't find Ling Feng, I'll... I'll...

Ugh,

I don't care anymore!"

Deng Yongshi hammered her fists against General Deng's thigh in frustration. If they lost this match, according to Ling Feng's bet with Yan Jinghong, he would have to forfeit his life!

"

Ah

..." General Deng sighed with a wry smile. "Fine, I'll have the household servants and guards search for him. Will that do?"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Deng Yongshi hurriedly urged General Deng, who could only offer a wry smile, sighing inwardly:

Daughters truly can't be kept at home once they've grown.

...

At the Central Court Sword Team's camp.

Li Yunting let out a soft sigh. "Is the East Court Sword Team really going to lose? Ling Feng, oh Ling Feng, where are you?"

"I've always said that guy was unreliable," Lu Qingshan muttered under his breath.

"No... something's not right. This isn't like Mr. Ling at all," Yue Yunlan murmured, biting her lip in thought.

"Miss, what do you mean?" Qiao Qiao, standing beside her, asked softly.

Both of them knew Ling Feng well. With a demon emperor-level donkey constantly at his side, it was almost impossible for him to run into trouble without a good reason.

Under normal circumstances, he would

never

miss such a crucial match.

"Perhaps... Mr. Ling has already made his move," Yue Yunlan speculated.

"I think so too! That dummy might act clueless sometimes, but he's always up to something." Qiao Qiao giggled.

"You little rascal." Yue Yunlan shot her a glare. "How many times have I told you to be more respectful?"

"Alright, alright~" Qiao Qiao stuck out her tongue playfully. "He doesn't even care if I call him a dummy. But

someone

here—who isn't even married to him yet—is already getting all protective."

"You—!" Yue Yunlan's face turned bright red as she glared at Qiao Qiao. "That's it! I'm ignoring you!"

...

In the central arena, the entire crowd was abuzz with speculation about Ling Feng. Yet, the person at the center of all this—Ling Feng himself—was nowhere to be seen.

Mist veiled the waters, the riverbank stretched endlessly, and pavilions and towers stood in elegant repose.

The evening breeze carried the scent of the river, and lush willows swayed gently along the shore.

At a loft overlooking the southern riverbank, Ling Feng sat leisurely, holding a delicate wine cup in his hand, savoring its taste with quiet refinement.

"Excellent wine."

Ling Feng set down the cup slowly, his gaze shifting to the woman seated across from him. "It's been long enough. Time to fulfill your end of the bargain, Miss Yan."

Indeed, the young woman opposite Ling Feng was none other than the Empress Dowager's grandniece—Yan Shuying.

"What's the rush?" Yan Shuying smiled faintly, though her gaze sharpened when she noticed the girl standing beside Ling Feng. "I specifically asked you to come alone, yet you bring your maid everywhere. Tell me, Mr. Ling, are you afraid I might try to harm you?"

"Whether you mean harm or not is another matter," Ling Feng replied coolly. "But by my estimation, the match should be starting soon. Hand over the handwritten copy of

The Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

, and from then on, we'll have no further quarrels."

"It's still early."

Yan Shuying poured him another cup of wine, giggling. "I may not be a noble heroine, but I, Yan Shuying, always keep my word. I'll let you leave before the match begins. Can't you at least indulge me with a few drinks? Or is Mr. Ling truly so cold-hearted?"

A sly glint flickered in her eyes.

What she didn't realize was that Ling Feng had already seen through her scheme.

To Ling Feng's senses, the match had yet to begin. But in reality, the pavilion had long been enveloped in an enchanted array that distorted time.

Outside, noon had already passed—meaning the finals had begun long ago!

Of course, what she didn't know was that the moment Ling Feng stepped into this pavilion, his Eye of the Emperor had seen through everything.

Yan Shuying believed Ling Feng had fallen into her trap, completely unaware that he was merely playing along with her scheme!