"What skills?"
"Heh heh, once Zhou Hong experiences it, he'll know. I guarantee he won't be able to leave me," Dugu Dongyao said with a confident smile. Having dated hundreds of boys, she had already developed a theory that could fill a book.
"Oh, oh."
"Then I'll go in and ask him now," Dugu Dongyao said, rushing into the main hall impatiently.
Zhou Hong was drinking tea and didn't notice Dugu Dongyao entering. He thought it was a servant until Dugu Dongyao walked up to him and called his name. Only then did Zhou Hong notice her.
"Zhou Hong!"
"Is there something you need?" Zhou Hong looked up at Dugu Dongyao.
"Do… do you think I'm beautiful?" Dugu Dongyao asked confidently.
Everyone else in the main hall looked confused.
"Why the sudden question?"
"Just tell me directly, am I pretty or not? I'm not worse than Shuang'er, am I?"
"Heh heh," Zhou Hong didn't say anything, wondering what Dugu Dongyao was up to.
"Zhou Hong, Shuang'er and I are cousins. Actually, the moment I saw you, I quite liked you. Do you want me to be your girlfriend too?"
Zhou Hong frowned slightly. He had long noticed that although Dugu Dongyao was not bad-looking, she lacked any hint of purity.
"Sorry, I'm not interested in you," Zhou Hong refused without hesitation.
"Don't reject me so quickly, give me a chance. I'll make you linger," Dugu Dongyao said with a flirtatious glance. Zhou Hong immediately understood her meaning.
"Get lost!" Zhou Hong roared angrily.
"Zhou Hong…!"
"Get lost!" Before she could finish, Zhou Hong slammed the table, enraged.
An elder from the Dugu family hurried forward and escorted Dugu Dongyao out.
"Zhou Hong, don't be angry."
"It's not worth it," Zhou Hong snorted indignantly.
Afterward, Zhou Hong stayed at the Dugu family's residence under their hospitality.
Time flew by, and the next day arrived.
On the morning of the second day, the emperor of the Glass Empire was holding a royal assembly in the imperial palace.
This royal assembly was exclusive to members of the royal family, and outsiders had no idea they were convening a secret meeting.
"My royal brothers and sisters, you have all heard, haven't you? Dugu Shuang from the Dugu family has brought a boyfriend, none other than the renowned Zhou Hong." The emperor, an elder in imperial robes, surveyed the crowd. He had reached the early stage of Body Integration, but he wasn't the strongest. Their royal family also had a Grand Emperor who had reached the middle stage of Body Integration.
"Of course, we've heard. That Zhou Hong is known throughout the Tianyang Continent as a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius. We never expected him to become Dugu Shuang's boyfriend. And the Dugu family is the foremost great family under our Glass Empire's royal family. I see this as a strong alliance aimed at replacing our royal family." one of the imperial uncles said.
"I think that's very possible. They were already the first great family in the Glass Empire, and now with Zhou Hong allied with them, it's a huge risk."
"Therefore, my royal brothers and sisters, I have gathered you here today to discuss this matter. It will be too late to deal with it when it becomes uncontrollable," the emperor of the Glass Empire stated.
"Your Majesty, what is your suggestion?" Su Dan Novel Network
"Let's make plans early. Now that Zhou Hong is still at the Dugu family, why don't we… go all the way and eliminate him? Otherwise, it will truly make our royal family restless."
"But?" the royal family members exchanged glances, as this was no minor matter.
"This Zhou Hong's background is no longer a secret. He has no powerful backing, just a cultivator from a remote continent."
"Your Majesty, perhaps we should try to win him over first? After all, such an extraordinary genius is probably not so easy to kill. The reason he's famous across the continent is that he killed two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators."
"Hmph, it's said he used some methods to kill those two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. While that is his skill, if he cannot use such methods on others, it's not true skill. As for winning him over, it's probably difficult. What if we fail and alert him, thereby planting a time bomb for our Glass royal family?"
The people in the hall began to murmur, unable to decide.
After much deliberation, the royal family of the Glass Empire finally made their final decision.
"Everyone, I hereby announce that the final decision is to eliminate Zhou Hong. Moreover, afterward, we will find ways to weaken the Dugu family's influence."
"We will obey Your Majesty's command," everyone nodded.
"Now, immediately send someone to invite Zhou Hong to the imperial palace hall as a guest, and then prepare thoroughly. We absolutely cannot let him escape. Once we act, he must be killed. We cannot afford to gamble."
"Yes."
At this moment, Zhou Hong was at the Dugu family, playing a two-player game with Dugu Shuang, completely unaware of the impending danger. The reason for his assassination was that the royal family was already wary of the Dugu family's growing power, and with Zhou Hong becoming Dugu Shuang's boyfriend, he might even replace them.
However, if the royal family was determined to kill Zhou Hong, he was indeed in danger. After all, besides the emperor who was in the early stage of Body Integration, several imperial uncles were also in the early stage of Body Integration, and in secret, there was the Grand Emperor in the middle stage of Body Integration. Furthermore, there were many more cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage.
Since they had decided to act, everyone would surely unite and make sure to destroy Zhou Hong in one fell swoop, leaving him no chance to breathe.
On the pavilion of the Dugu family, Zhou Hong, unaware of the approaching danger, asked Dugu Shuang with a chuckle, "How was it?"
Dugu Shuang's face turned red. She couldn't help but glare at Zhou Hong. She wanted to poke his forehead but didn't even have the strength to lift her hand.
"Hahaha," Zhou Hong laughed heartily.
At this moment, not far from this pavilion, behind a rockery, a woman was hiding. This woman was none other than Dugu Dongyao.
"He actually… really did it!" Dugu Dongyao had been hiding behind the rocks for a long time, murmuring to herself. It was unclear what she meant by "really."
In fact, Zhou Hong had long noticed Dugu Dongyao hiding behind the rocks in the distance, peeking. That's why Zhou Hong directly opened the window, letting her see more clearly. As expected, Dugu Dongyao, witnessing Zhou Hong's prowess, seemed incredulous.
Dugu Shuang, however, had no idea, or she would have been utterly ashamed.
"Miss Shuang'er, quickly ask Senior Zhou Hong to come to the main hall. His Majesty has sent someone to invite Senior Zhou Hong." Just then, the voice of the Dugu family's butler could be heard from below the pavilion.
Hearing the butler's voice, Zhou Hong felt a sense of confusion. The emperor had sent someone to invite him? He wondered what for.