Having subdued the Blood Slaughter Twin Eagles, Li Feng felt thoroughly satisfied. Individually, each of them was only at the Postnatal Seventh Layer, but their combined technique could unleash power comparable to the Ninth Layer. With him added to the mix, they might even hold their own against a First Layer Innate expert for a while.
“You didn’t say anything unnecessary to Song Zhiyuan, did you?” Li Feng asked in a low voice.
“Replying to Master, we never mentioned the underground city to Song Zhiyuan,” Blood Eagle hurriedly answered.
“Good.” Li Feng nodded, pleased. He had suspected as much, but hearing Blood Eagle confirm it was another matter entirely.
When Li Feng had earlier asked the Twin Eagles why they kidnapped Song Zhiyuan, they explained that they had tracked him using the Thousand-Mile Pursuit Technique and discovered he was at the Tianya Pavilion. Since the pavilion was in the centre of Tianhai City, they wanted to avoid drawing official attention, so they devised a plan to lure the snake from its hole. Song Zhiyuan had arrived dressed in fine clothes and exuding an extraordinary air, so they set their sights on him.
Li Feng burst out laughing at that. Song Zhiyuan had truly been caught in the crossfire without doing anything. As the second young master of the Song family, one of China’s eight great clans, when had he ever been kidnapped before?
When Li Feng returned to Huangfeng Forest with the Twin Eagles in tow, Song Zhiyuan stared at them in disbelief. “Feng Shao, they…”
“Song Shao, I’m sorry you had to suffer this time. They were actually after me and mistook you for my closest friend, so they kidnapped you to threaten me. Everything is fine now. I’ve beaten them into submission,” Li Feng explained briefly. He did not breathe a word about the Twin Eagles’ real objective.
“You two, come here and apologise to Song Shao at once,” Li Feng ordered sternly.
“Song Shao, we were in the wrong this time,” the Blood Slaughter Twin Eagles said in unison, stepping forward to bow and apologise to Song Zhiyuan.
“You’ve got some nerve. Song Shao is the second young master of one of China’s eight great clans. You dared to kidnap him? Even if I hadn’t shown up today, the Song family would never have let you off,” Li Feng said gravely.
The Twin Eagles’ faces paled. Although they were under Li Feng’s Divine Control Technique, that did not mean they had lost all independent thought. Hearing his words, shock coursed through them. The second young master of the Song clan was far beyond people like them. A top-tier family like the Songs undoubtedly contained countless Innate experts. Their combined technique might be impressive, but it was nothing against true Innate masters.
When they recalled that they had even intended to kill Song Zhiyuan, they felt they had been suicidally reckless. The moment the Song family sent an Innate expert after them, they would be dead without question.
“Song Shao, how do you wish to punish them?” Li Feng turned and asked.
“I…” Song Zhiyuan hesitated, glancing at Li Feng. When Li Feng had first arrived with the Twin Eagles, Song Zhiyuan thought it might be some kind of test, but now he realised it was all real.
Looking at the Twin Eagles, hatred welled up inside him. He wanted nothing more than to kill them. No one had ever treated him like this in his entire life. Not only had they kidnapped him, they had slapped him and even planned to murder him.
Yet now Li Feng had subjugated them. Whether it was genuine or not, Song Zhiyuan had to consider Li Feng’s reputation. He needed this ally.
“Song Shao, you don’t have to spare them on my account. Deal with them however you like,” Li Feng said, a glint in his eye.
A flash of hatred crossed Song Zhiyuan’s face. He stepped forward and swung his hands.
Smack! Smack!
Two bright red palm prints appeared on the Twin Eagles’ faces.
“This is the price for kidnapping me,” Song Zhiyuan said coldly. “Next time, it will be your lives.”
“Hurry up and thank Song Shao,” Li Feng said, secretly relieved. He did not want to lose Song Zhiyuan as an ally, but if Song Zhiyuan had insisted on pursuing the matter and forced him to choose between him and the Twin Eagles, Li Feng would have chosen the Eagles without hesitation. Allies were important, yet his own strength mattered more, and the Twin Eagles were now part of that strength.
“Thank you, Song Shao,” the Twin Eagles said, equally relieved. If Song Zhiyuan had not been the Song clan’s second young master, being forced to accept punishment because of Li Feng’s orders would have rankled terribly. But since he was from the Song clan, a power they could not afford to offend, it was different.
At this thought, Blood Eagle’s mind turned to Li Feng, his master. Song Zhiyuan was the Song clan’s second young master, yet the look in Song Zhiyuan’s eyes when he spoke to Li Feng held a trace of respect.
A surname of Li… could he be from the Li clan, another of the eight great families?
Blood Eagle’s expression shifted. He had never imagined that tonight’s events would lead them to offend two of the great clans. Fortunately, they had already submitted to Li Feng. Otherwise, even if they had achieved their original goal, they would have faced endless pursuit from both families.
“By the way, Song Shao, what brought you here tonight?” Li Feng suddenly recalled what Zhong Shuhui had mentioned earlier.
“Feng Shao, did Zhu Yuanyang send you an invitation?” Song Zhiyuan asked seriously.
Li Feng nodded. Zhong Shuhui had told him about it before he went to the underground city.
“Feng Shao, is there really nothing between you and this Zhu Yuanyang?” Song Zhiyuan gave the sort of smile only men understand.
“What could there possibly be between us?” Li Feng shook his head. The last time, at the Fengyuan Group press conference, Zhu Yuanyang had given him a box of Durex as a gift. He had thought she genuinely wanted something to happen, but later realised it was nothing of the sort.
“Feng Shao, I’m not so sure about that. Men love beauty, women love handsome men. You are dashing, charming, talented, and extraordinary. Zhu Yuanyang may be called the second Empress Wu Zetian, but she is still a woman, and women sometimes fall for men. Even Empress Wu had men she liked. It isn’t impossible that Zhu Yuanyang fancies you,” Song Zhiyuan said with a laugh.
“Song Shao, why don’t you give it a try? Maybe Zhu Yuanyang likes your type,” Li Feng replied, a sharp glint in his eye. Song Zhiyuan kept pushing him towards Zhu Yuanyang. Li Feng would never believe there was no ulterior motive. Yet, given the relationship between the Song and Zhu clans, Song Zhiyuan ought to be warning him to stay away, not encouraging him.
“Me?” Song Zhiyuan shook his head. “Feng Shao, that’s impossible for me. Anything between Zhu Yuanyang and me is utterly forbidden by our families.”
“Forbidden? Then just make Zhu Yuanyang your secret lover. If she were only a mistress, your family wouldn’t interfere, would they?” Li Feng said with a smile.
Song Zhiyuan’s heart stirred at the idea. If Zhu Yuanyang really agreed to be his hidden lover, perhaps they could actually be together. Families never concerned themselves with mistresses.
But after a moment’s thought, he shook his head again. “Impossible. With Zhu Yuanyang’s status, there’s no way she would ever agree.”
Zhu Yuanyang was no ordinary woman. She was the direct descendant of one of the eight great clans and known as the second Empress Wu. Asking her to become someone’s secret lover was about as likely as pies falling from the sky.
Song Zhiyuan glanced up at Li Feng and continued, “It’s impossible for me and Zhu Yuanyang, but you’re different, Feng Shao. You actually stand a chance of winning her. She’s so noble, her figure is so stunning… doesn’t the thought excite you? You can’t tell me you feel nothing for her. I wouldn’t believe it.”
“You say it’s impossible for you, but possible for me? I’m a married man,” Li Feng said, shaking his head.
“Married… you mean Hu Yuanyuan?” Song Zhiyuan’s eyes flickered.
“Yes. She is my wife. I’m not the kind of man who abandons his wife and child for another woman,” Li Feng said, the words sounding somewhat hollow even to himself.
“Tsk, Feng Shao, do you expect me to believe that? These days, who doesn’t keep the red flag flying at home while letting the coloured flags flutter outside?” Song Zhiyuan shot him a scornful look. At the Fengyuan Group press conference, Li Feng had openly admitted Xu Qing was his type. Now he was pretending to be virtuous?
Li Feng gave an awkward laugh, then turned to Song Zhiyuan. “Song Shao, you’ve repeatedly tried to push me towards Zhu Yuanyang. Are you sure you don’t have some hidden purpose?”
“Feng Shao, you wound me. What purpose could I possibly have? I’m simply trying to deliver a great beauty into your arms. A woman like Zhu Yuanyang… doesn’t conquering her feel especially satisfying? Besides, it’s only a matter of time anyway,” Song Zhiyuan said with a smile.
Li Feng had to admit that Song Zhiyuan had a point. Conquering a woman like Zhu Yuanyang would indeed bring an immense sense of achievement. She was nothing like Xu Qing or the others. Her pride was on an entirely different level.
Still, Li Feng knew full well how difficult it would be to conquer her. Zhu Yuanyang was wholly focused on becoming the Zhu clan’s heir. Someone like that would never lower herself to playing the role of a meek little woman.
Seeing the look on Li Feng’s face, Song Zhiyuan knew he was tempted. A smile flashed across his eyes. “Feng Shao, her invitation this time is a golden opportunity. Do you know the real reason Zhu Yuanyang invited you?”
“You know?” Li Feng’s gaze fixed on Song Zhiyuan. He had assumed her invitation to dinner was personal, that she wanted to discuss something with him alone. But now it seemed that was not the case. After all, Zhu Yuanyang would hardly announce to the world whom she had invited to dinner.
“Of course.”
Song Zhiyuan smiled smugly. “Feng Shao, this invitation is your chance to win Zhu Yuanyang, but at the same time, it brings enormous trouble. In fact, it could even cost you your life.”
