Douluo Continent: Becoming a disciple of Jing Liu, illuminating all the gods

Chapter 76,

Beibei laughed, "Junior brother, didn't you realize? He's beating around the bush; he's not planning to tell you!"

Xu Sanshi said earnestly, "I'm doing this for your own good. Cai Tou has become a tight-lipped person. If you knew what the event was about, you'd probably be just like him. After all, you're both still innocent young men!"

"What does this have to do with being innocent?" Huo Yuhao suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Beibei, standing to the side, said seriously, "No discrimination against innocent young men, including me."

"Ahem! Actually, I am... at least in spirit." Xu Sanshi immediately defended himself.

Beibei said disdainfully, "Forget it, otherwise why would Nannan be so resistant to you? You have the nerve to laugh at others. I'd like to see how you get through this tomorrow."

Xu Sanshi was so shocked by his words that his face fell, and he looked depressed.

Huo Yuhao ultimately decided to be the good guy and quickly said, "Second Senior Brother, didn't you want to tell a story? Go ahead."

Xu Sanshi has no other redeeming qualities but his thick skin; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to keep getting thwarted by Jiang Nannan. Hearing Huo Yuhao's question, he immediately perked up again.

"That's a joke..."

"Shut up." Bei Bei suddenly interrupted Xu Sanshi. "We'll be having dinner soon, so don't tell those disgusting jokes of yours, lest they ruin everyone's appetite. Let me tell you, I'm the host tomorrow. If you offend me, even if you get past Nan Nan, I'll still ruin your plans."

"Uh... Beibei, do you have any humanity?!"

"Of course, you have to be humane with people, but it's hard to say with those crawling on the ground," Beibei said leisurely.

"Who are you calling crawling on the ground?" Xu Sanshi roared in anger.

Beibei said, "Of course I was talking about that turtle, not you. Some people pick up gold soul coins, but I didn't expect there would be people picking up insults."

"I'll fight you to the death!" Xu Sanshi charged straight at Bei Bei.

Beibei, however, remained unconcerned and muttered to herself, "Sea God's Fate at Sea God Lake, I think some people are really asking for trouble."

"I..." Xu Sanshi stopped in his tracks, looking dejected. "Fine, I'm magnanimous, I won't hold it against you. But seriously, Beibei, you absolutely have to help me tomorrow! If it doesn't work this time, I'll lose all confidence."

Beibei rolled her eyes and said, "With your thick skin, you wouldn't have confidence? I don't know who told me yesterday that you wouldn't give up until you got what you wanted. But I'm really curious, what exactly did you do to Nannan back then? You've been really good to her these past two years, so why can't she accept you? I asked her privately, but she wouldn't say anything."

Xu Sanshi said seriously, "Then I absolutely cannot say anything, otherwise there really won't be any chance at all."

Watching the two brothers bicker, Huo Yuhao's smile grew even wider. It felt so good to be home! His senior brother and third senior brother were still the same. But…

Suddenly realizing something, Huo Yuhao interjected, "Senior Brother, what did you mean by 'Sea God's Fate at Sea God Lake'?"

Beibei chuckled and said, "It's for tomorrow's event. Junior brother, you'd better do your best."

Huo Yuhao grimaced and said, "Senior Brother, you still haven't told me what this event is about. How am I supposed to do my best?"

Xu Sanshi chimed in, "Two words suffice to describe it—blind date!"

"A blind date?" Huo Yuhao's eyes widened immediately. "What kind of blind date?"

Xu Sanshi said, "You don't understand this? For you, it's about finding girls! Get it now?"

"This..." Huo Yuhao was immediately embarrassed. "Why would the academy hold such a matchmaking event? And in our inner courtyard no less."

Beibei smiled and said, "This is a traditional activity of our academy. The purpose is actually only one thing: to keep the benefits within the family. As you know, our inner court students are the true elite of the academy. And the number of students permanently residing in the inner court rarely exceeds one hundred; it's usually around fifty or sixty. Furthermore, our inner court also shoulders the task of the supervisory team. Everyone is diligently cultivating. Therefore, apart from being somewhat familiar with each other, we almost have no opportunity for long-term interaction with the outside world. And since there are no age restrictions for inner court students, the academy has noticed that many inner court disciples are already quite old, yet they still don't have suitable partners."

"I don't know when it started, but the academy has this Sea God's Fate event. It's held every year. Normally, it's held before the new batch of inner academy disciples participate in the assessment. The original inner academy students participate in this matchmaking event on Sea God Lake. At the Sea God's Fate event, everyone can fully demonstrate their abilities and boldly pursue the person they like. As long as the other person agrees, they can try dating. Everyone is an inner academy student, with similar experiences and similar strengths, so there are naturally many compatible couples. Speaking of which, our Sea God's Fate event has indeed brought together quite a few academy couples."

Huo Yuhao never expected that the interaction Bei Bei mentioned would actually be a blind date, and his heart began to race involuntarily. Could Wang Qiu'er also be involved in this blind date?

He was experienced in combat, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was a complete novice. Just as Xu Sanshi had predicted, his face flushed slightly in silence.

Xu Sanshi sidled up to Huo Yuhao, put his arm around his shoulder, and said, "Yuhao, don't worry. Picking up girls is easy. I'll teach you three tricks—be bold, be meticulous, and be shameless. We're all adults, and this is allowed by the academy. So, when you see someone you like, just go for it. Are we, your fellow disciples, any less capable than anyone else? Good luck!"

"Hmm." Huo Yuhao nodded, but the image of the Goddess of Light kept replaying in his mind. When he thought of women, the first person he thought of was his dream girl. Of course, there was also the occasional stunning glimpse of Wang Qiu'er.

"Senior Brother, when is Wang Dong coming back?" Huo Yuhao asked Bei Bei. If only Wang Dong were here, Wang Qiu'er would be his twin sister, and he could give him some advice!

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi exchanged a glance. Bei Bei said, "He should be back for the event tomorrow. It's tomorrow night. I'll explain the rules to you during the day. My senior sister and I are the hosts for this year's Sea God's Fate event. This event is for all of us inner court students, and it's a great opportunity for everyone to connect. The teachers will only be guests watching from the sidelines and won't interfere. Don't worry, junior brother, we've already prepared for your shyness and Cai Tou's. We'll make sure you get into the atmosphere. Also, remember, being with someone you like isn't easy. There are far fewer female students than male students in the inner court—more wolves than sheep! There will also be a strength competition, so be prepared."

Is this blind date going to involve a fight? Huo Yuhao and He Caitou exchanged a glance, their feelings a mix of nervousness and anticipation, but also a bit awkward and embarrassed.

"Senior Brother, is it okay if I don't participate?" Huo Yuhao asked timidly.

Beibei said, "Of course not. As a member of the Sea God Pavilion and one of the Shrek Seven Devils, if you don't participate, wouldn't that diminish our reputation? Besides, this kind of great opportunity doesn't come around every year. Although the event is held every year, if you don't win over the girl you like this year, she might become someone else's. Don't miss this chance!"

Seeing Bei Bei's earnest expression, Huo Yuhao felt incredibly anxious. He silently called upon Wang Dong again. In this matter, Wang Dong had far more experience than him!

After leaving Shrek City, the four brothers returned to Shrek Academy in no time.

Poseidon Island hadn't changed much from before, but before landing on the island, Huo Yuhao vaguely saw that there seemed to be quite a few people busy in boats on the lake.

Beibei told him that it was preparation for tomorrow's Sea God's Fate event.

"Let's go eat first, I'm starving." Xu Sanshi patted his stomach and strode straight to the Sea God Pavilion canteen as soon as he arrived on the island.

When the four of them arrived at the cafeteria, Huo Yuhao was greatly surprised.

The dining hall at Poseidon Pavilion was bustling with activity today. Looking around, he saw nearly thirty students eating, and the food was far more plentiful than before. Even more surprising, there were two large barrels of wine laid out for the students to help themselves.

"Senior Brother, what's going on? The academy allows drinking now?" Huo Yuhao asked in surprise.

Beibei said, "Tomorrow is the Sea God's Fate event. Tonight is called Singles' Night. Didn't you notice that all the students eating are male? There isn't a single woman. Everyone's daily cultivation is very intense and boring. Most of the inner court students are adults, so having a little drink is nothing. This is a special permission from the academy to help everyone relax. It's not allowed normally. Come on, let's have a drink."

This was Huo Yuhao's first time drinking alcohol. As he savored the delicacies prepared by Shrek Academy's top chefs, drank the deep red wine that resembled roses, and gazed at the night view of Seagod Lake in the distance, he suddenly felt a sense of unreality.

The wine was slightly sour and astringent on the palate, with a strong aroma of smoky plum; the first sip wasn't very pleasant. But soon, a sweet aftertaste, carrying the subtle fragrance of oak barrels and grapes, emerged. Huo Yuhao suddenly felt his face flush. That slightly tipsy feeling was something he had never experienced before. He felt completely immersed in the fragrance of grapes.

"Huo Yuhao?" A somewhat deep voice sounded from behind, sounding a little unfamiliar.

Huo Yuhao turned around and saw the person who called him. His eyes, which had been somewhat confused due to relaxation, suddenly sharpened.

He was a tall young man, slightly taller than Huo Yuhao, with broad shoulders and a neat head of short blond hair. However, his expression was somewhat gloomy, and his gaze towards Huo Yuhao was cold. He also held a glass of wine in his hand, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light.

"Dai Huabin," Huo Yuhao calmly called out the other person's name.

It had been over two years since they parted ways. Huo Yuhao's hatred had never vanished, but he had learned to bury it deep within his heart. At least now was not the time for revenge.

Dai Huabin walked to Huo Yuhao's side, his gaze also fixed on the vast and misty Sea God Lake. He took a sip of wine, his eyes slightly narrowed, and said calmly, "When did you get back?"

Huo Yuhao also took a sip of wine: "I just got back a few days ago."

Dai Huabin asked, "Will you participate in the Sea God's Fate event tomorrow?"

"Mm," Huo Yuhao replied.

Dai Huabin said, "Originally, I wasn't planning to participate, as Zhu Lu hasn't been admitted to the Inner Academy yet. But since you're participating, I'll participate too. How about we make a bet?"

"No gambling," Huo Yuhao answered decisively.

"Are you scared?" Dai Huabin raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming even brighter.

Huo Yuhao turned to look at him, his gaze still clear: "No."

"Then why don't you dare to gamble?" Dai Huabin pressed aggressively.

Huo Yuhao smiled slightly: "Because you're not qualified enough." Although he was smiling, the sharpness in his eyes was full of provocation.

Dai Huabin fell silent instantly, the muscles in his cheeks tensing up, but the wine in his hand remained remarkably steady.

Just as Huo Yuhao thought he was about to make a move, Dai Huabin regained his composure and coldly said, "Whether you're qualified or not, we'll see at the Sea God's Fate event tomorrow." After saying this, he turned and strode away.

Watching his departing figure, a hint of surprise flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes. He had said those things just now to provoke Dai Huabin. The hatred between the two was irreconcilable, but this was Shrek Academy, and even if Huo Yuhao had the ability, he couldn't kill Dai Huabin here. Therefore, he had to provoke Dai Huabin into making a mistake; once he acted rashly and went too far, the outcome would be unpredictable.

But Dai Huabin showed a calm side, seemingly no longer as impulsive as before. He actually restrained himself under Huo Yuhao's provocation and turned away. This was completely unimaginable before.

He's grown up too! Huo Yuhao thought to himself. Seeing Dai Huabin reminded him of Dai Yueheng, with whom he had once fought side by side. Dai Yueheng had already left the academy and was probably fighting on the battlefield with Duke Baihu now. By blood, they were both his older brothers.

"Brother, what an unfamiliar title." Huo Yuhao chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"What did Dai Huabin want to talk to you about?" Xu Sanshi came to Huo Yuhao's side, gulped down the wine in his hand, and asked Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao said, "He said he wants to see you at the Sea God's Fate event."

Xu Sanshi said, "It seems this kid is going to cause you trouble! Yuhao, we can't be careless. Dai Huabin has risen very quickly in the past two years."

"Hmm?" Huo Yuhao looked at Xu Sanshi with some surprise. He knew very well that his third senior brother had always been very self-important, but he did not expect him to have such a high opinion of Dai Huabin.

(End of this chapter)