FE—Chapter 115: Miss Meng, Arrest Her
Wang Dong felt inexplicably happy. She clearly remembered that Huo Yuhao, in the snack street, was thin and weak, with a delicate appearance. However, after ten months of not seeing him, he had undergone a complete transformation.
She blinked her pink-blue eyes and found her gaze drawn to Huo Yuhao countless times. His skin had become whiter and more tender, and his figure was noticeably stronger. He had changed from delicate to handsome.
'More importantly, how could I, Wang Dong, not be considered a rich young lady?'
This Miss Meng from the Illustrious Virtue Hall could support Huo Yuhao, but what she could offer him was just a drop in the bucket compared to what Wang Dong could provide.
Bringing the handsome little Yuhao back to the Clear Sky Sect, where they could play joyfully together on weekdays and enjoy some skewers when they were tired—Wang Dong dared not imagine how wonderful such a life would be.
"Wang Dong'er, where do you want to take Yuhao?"
Just as Wang Dong was lost in her daydream, Di Rachel's slightly cold voice startled her.
"Clear Sky Sect. What do you think, Huo Yuhao? Please consider it. I assure you, what Miss Meng has to offer cannot compare to what I can give."
Wang Dong directly ignored Di Rachel, who wore an unfriendly expression, choosing instead to focus on Huo Yuhao with an eager, happy smile.
"That, Wang Dong..." Xiao Xiao tugged at Wang Dong's sleeve, concern evident in her tone.
"What's wrong, Xiao Xiao?"
"I heard that the Clear Sky Sect has been in seclusion for many years. To be honest, my family is quite suitable for opening a barbecue restaurant."
Xiao Xiao sneaked a glance at Huo Yuhao's handsome face, which rivaled even Wang Dong's. Her gaze shifted to Wang Dong, and a blush crept upon her cheeks.
That was it. Her admiration for Wang Dong seemed to diminish a bit.
Since seeing Huo Yuhao, she found herself less enamored with Wang Dong than before. She had always wanted to invite Wang Dong to her home, but now that idea had shifted slightly.
Meanwhile, Tai Tan, observing from a distance, frowned at this unexpected scene. Dong'er had come to the Sun Moon Empire just to track down this boy? Along the way, he had also noticed Xiao Xiao's good impression of Wang Dong, but he refrained from commenting.
From what the adult had said, Tai Tan could guess that Dong'er, having donned men's clothing, might disappoint many girls—particularly given her background as a princess from the God Realm.
He wasn't too surprised by Xiao Xiao's feelings for Dong'er, but the fact that Dong'er was seeking out Huo Yuhao left him puzzled. Despite his misgivings, the boy's appearance wasn't that bad.
It seemed implausible that Dong'er had harbored feelings for this boy for a long time.
As he pondered this, Tai Tan's expression grew serious. The adult had explicitly instructed him not to interfere with Dong'er's feelings; however, he felt compelled to keep an eye on her intentions.
At the door of the barbecue restaurant, facing Wang Dong's eager question, Huo Yuhao hesitated, ready to refuse her offer.
Di Rachel, however, held his wrist and whispered, "Yuhao, no need to say anything unnecessary to her; let me handle this."
She was urging Huo Yuhao to remain silent; it was wise to be cautious.
With the golden dragon spear in hand, its blade shimmering with sharp golden light, Di Rachel's demeanor became unfriendly as she addressed Wang Dong. "Wang Dong'er, do you intend to take Yuhao back to the Clear Sky Sect? That's out of the question. You should abandon this idea!"
Wang Dong, arms crossed and her pretty face slightly raised, pouted defiantly. "Who are you to Huo Yuhao? You're overly confident. I said I could offer him more than Miss Meng."
"This Miss Meng from Illustrious Virtue Hall hasn't spoken yet—why are you in such a hurry?"
Di Rachel sneered, "Yuhao's relationship with me isn't something you can meddle in... eh?"
She was about to challenge Wang Dong's boldness when she suddenly sensed something was off. Why wasn't Meng Hongchen reacting vehemently at all?
When Di Rachel and Meng Hongchen had first met, they had been at each other's throats, vying for dominance, even disagreeing over the name of their store.
Yet now, with Wang Dong declaring she could offer more than Meng Hongchen and wanting to take Yuhao to the Clear Sky Sect, Meng Hongchen should have been furious and ready to confront Wang Dong.
Why was Meng Hongchen seemingly calm instead of angry?
Could it be that Meng Hongchen had lost interest in Yuhao? That would be good. As long as Wang Dong could be controlled, Yuhao and Di Rachel would be the perfect couple.
"Meng Hongchen, Wang Dong'er intends to offer more than you and take Yuhao away from Illustrious Virtue Hall to return to the Clear Sky Sect. Aren't you going to say anything?"
Di Rachel's gaze turned to Meng Hongchen, filled with anticipation.
However, Meng Hongchen was observed looking at Wang Dong with a puzzled expression. While she conceded that Wang Dong was indeed handsome, even more beautiful than Xiao, could a boy genuinely want to take Yuhao home? Was Wang Dong out of her mind?
Meng Hongchen contemplated Di Rachel's words for a moment, casting an even stranger look at Wang Dong, wondering if he had some unusual habits.
"Wang Dong, Yuhao and I are a couple, and I am his girlfriend... Just as a girlfriend, you cannot give that to a boy."
She regarded Wang Dong with a mixture of pity and confusion; a handsome boy—how was it possible for him to have a lapse in judgment?
It was implausible, so Meng Hongchen dismissed any worries.
"Oh, so Miss Meng thinks that way."
Di Rachel nodded slowly, catching on immediately. She understood that while Wang Dong'er was a girl, she was currently dressed as a boy, which heightened her vigilance.
However, from Meng Hongchen's perspective, Wang Dong still appeared as a boy, which significantly reduced her hostility.
That wouldn't do; Meng Hongchen needed to take this seriously. This was a very serious matter.
With that thought in mind, Di Rachel couldn't help but smile subtly.
She leaned closer to Meng Hongchen and transmitted her soul power, whispering, "Hehe, Miss Meng, let me share a secret with you."
"What secret?"
Meng Hongchen felt a hint of unease at the tone of this golden-haired girl, sensing something sinister lurking beneath it.
Di Rachel smiled brightly; her golden hair and red eyes were striking, and her features were captivating. She continued to transmit her soul power: "The Wang Dong in front of you is a girl... currently wearing men's clothing—a woman dressed as a man."
"What?!" Meng Hongchen was caught off guard, her mind racing as she struggled to grasp this revelation.
Wang Dong resembled a boy with soft features, and the girl with light green hair beside him seemed to have a close connection to him. It was clear that she had a good impression of Wang Dong.
Xiao Xiao perceived Wang Dong as a boy; why did Di Rachel insist she was a girl?
Di Rachel noticed the skepticism on Meng Hongchen's face and smiled confidently, affirming her claim.
Wang Dong was indeed a girl—all along, a girl disguised as a boy.
As Meng Hongchen processed the two keywords, her expression turned icy as she focused her gaze on Wang Dong, her demeanor shifting to a more serious weight.
"Miss Meng," Wang Dong asked, noticing the intensity of Meng Hongchen's gaze, "is something on my face?"
Meng Hongchen narrowed her eyes slightly, the glare transforming into a formidable expression. A sense of murderous intent began to rise within her.
Di Rachel caught the change in Meng Hongchen's demeanor and chuckled softly. Yes, it was right that the situation was escalating.
Feeling the icy aura from Meng Hongchen, Wang Dong's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Miss Meng, what do you mean? You seemed unfazed just now?"
Meng Hongchen held ice-blue swords in both hands; her eyes were intensely unfriendly, her voice dripping with coldness. "Wang Dong, do you intend to leave peacefully, or do you want me to throw you out of Mingdu?"
As she spoke, she unleashed the power of her martial soul, the Vermilion Clear Ice Toad. Her once blue eyes transformed into an intense red, shimmering like garnets filled with blood.
At that moment, Di Rachel nodded in agreement. "This should have happened much sooner," she remarked, satisfied with Meng Hongchen's assertiveness. The golden dragon spear she wielded hummed with power, and she unleashed a sliver of her golden dragon's energy to add to the intimidation of Wang Dong.
Wang Dong confronted the aggressive pair—one with silver hair and red eyes, the other with golden hair and red eyes—struggling not to lose her composure.
She muttered irritably, "Why are you red-eyed people so arrogant? You refuse to hear reason! Are you seriously preparing to use weapons after merely exchanging a few words?"
Wang Dong considered summoning the Clear Sky Hammer to confront both, but weighing the differences in their cultivation levels, she decided against it—fearful that her actions would embarrass her instead of intimidating them.
The ice-blue long swords in Meng Hongchen's grasp flickered with a misty chill, a clear indication of their lethality.
With a frigid expression, she advanced toward Wang Dong, her murderous aura palpable.
"And speaking of reason?" Meng Hongchen sneered. "This is Mingdu, and you dare to poach in front of me? Hmph..."
Her swords gleamed coldly, ready to impart a lesson to Wang Dong.
Di Rachel waved her golden dragon spear, laughing. "Wang Dong'er, you'd best head back quickly; this isn't the right place for you."
Meng Hongchen's eyes burned with intensity. Initially believing Wang Dong to be a boy, she hadn't expected to discover that he was, in fact, a girl. Wang Dong's audacious claim to provide more for Yuhao than her had entirely shifted the nature of the confrontation.
Such boldness was a blatant provocation, undermining her as Yuhao's legitimate girlfriend.
Even Di Rachel, their first meeting notwithstanding, hadn't been so brash as to challenge Meng Hongchen's status outright. Perhaps Di Rachel had not seen her as the top contender, hence her restraint toward Meng Hongchen.
But Wang Dong, with the audacity to whisk Yuhao away to the Clear Sky Sect without a care, was crossing a line.
"Wang Dong, why don't you just leave?"
Meng Hongchen's expression darkened as she struggled to contain her anger. "I offered you a chance, but you failed to appreciate it. Next time I might not be so forgiving."
Wang Dong lifted her chin defiantly, without fear, knowing that her second uncle watched over her from the shadows.
At that moment, Tai Tan sensed both a sudden intensity and the path forward. He remained ready to intervene, confident that while Meng Hongchen's threat was real, it could be mitigated, and she would likely not deliver a lethal blow.
As Meng Hongchen prepared her weapons, it seemed that she was genuinely about to strike Wang Dong.
Di Rachel, exuding confidence, added softly, "Miss Meng if you decide to deal a few blows to Wang Dong'er, I'm afraid you'll provoke her uncle."
"Though her uncle may not rival my family, he's still quite formidable."
From her conversations with Red King and insights gleaned, she understood that the major figures within the Clear Sky Sect included Tai Tan, the Giant Ape, and Niu Tan, the Azure Bull Python—legendary soul beasts sacrificed a thousand years ago in the Star Dou Great Forest by Tang San.
These beasts, resurrected after Tang San ascended to godhood, had seen their powers amplified by a hint of divine influence.
Since that time, they had remained on the mortal plane, largely disconnected from the affairs of the Star Dou Great Forest. Their choice of sacrifice had implications; the beasts had grown accustomed to their roles with mankind, an adaptation that felt almost counter to their primal origins.
Meanwhile, Tai Tan was taken aback by Di Rachel's assertion.
In his perspective, few on the Douluo Continent could hope to contend against him, his elder brother Niu Tian being the only exception.
This little girl dared to suggest he was inferior to her family—how bold!
As Meng Hongchen intimidated Wang Dong for a moment, the ice-blue swords in her grip hesitated just slightly. She was well aware of the Clear Sky Sect's history, a sect with ancient roots and a legacy spanning ten millennia.
The moment prompted Wang Dong, sensing the pause in Meng Hongchen's aggression, to assert herself. "You know you're intimidated—so now I will take Huo Yuhao away."
Di Rachel, upon hearing this, fixed an intense glare on Wang Dong. She could not tolerate such arrogance at this moment.
Wang Dong dared to act with such bravado? No, she needed to be restrained!
Raising her golden dragon spear, she aimed the sharp tip at Wang Dong'er, speaking determinedly to Meng Hongchen, her voice steady and serious.
"Miss Meng, apprehend her!"
Meng Hongchen had already entertained this notion. A soul guidance screen appeared before her, revealing the registration information gathered upon entering the city. Then, she retrieved a button-shaped soul guidance device and pressed it.
"Wang Dong, I observed the information you provided upon entry. You registered as the owner of a blacksmith shop in Mingdu City."
"However, upon verification, your reported information is incorrect."
Meng Hongchen retracted the ice-blue swords, crossing her arms as she coolly asserted, "Will you leave willingly, or would you prefer I arrest you for 'misusing someone else's identity'?"
Immediately, a short and stout figure emerged, flanked by a group of eighth-level soul engineers, all armed with eighth-level soul cannons.
Meng Hongchen nodded authoritatively, and suddenly, the barrels of the soul cannons locked onto Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao. A dangerous aura enveloped them, raising the tension in the air.
Xiao Xiao gripped Wang Dong's sleeves tightly, her face paling as dread set in.
At that crucial moment, Tai Tan appeared. As the warm brown-yellow light enveloped both Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, their apprehensive expressions faded into relief.
"Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, are you okay?"
"It's okay," Wang Dong reassured, refusing to show fear before Meng Hongchen; she waved her hand, feigning relaxation.
Xiao Xiao, however, remained uneasy as she said, "Uncle, Wang Dong, why don't we just leave? We can return when the barbecue restaurant opens next time."
Tai Tan snorted, casting a disdainful gaze around. "Hmph. With these soul engineers, they're merely a pack of weaklings, hardly fit to challenge me."
Di Rachel stepped forward and approached the short figure, revealing a deep black dragon scale. With a playful smile, she teased, "Uncle, do you recognize this?"
(End of this chapter)