With that thought, Dongfang Aoshi surged forward again, his face contorted as if struck by a sudden realization, driving into Gu Yingxi with such force that she broke out in a cold sweat, her lips parting as she tilted her head and passed out.

A sound seemed to carry from the distant air above, but the current ravishing scene was too consuming to pay heed to it; several men in black suits stared, their faces flushed with excitement, watching the secret passage between Dongfang Aoshi and Gu Yingxi, their eyes bloodshot.

Her fragile body seemed incapable of accommodating Dongfang Aoshi; blood was already seeping out from where they were joined. Dongfang Aoshi indeed lived up to his reputation as one of the heroine's destined partners; having just vented on the previous woman, here he was again so quickly, not caring if his shen was severely depleted.

Muttering an oath, Ning Yunhuan turned her head away, but the sound from the sky caught her attention, making her heart skip a beat as her hands clenched tight.

“Those two women are my gift to you!” Dongfang Aoshi, lost in his release upon Gu Yingxi, gasped out the words, his voice trembling with pleasure, yet not forgetting his loyal subordinates.

Ning Yunhuan's face was too soiled, and Li Panpan was similar, but they were women nonetheless. The black-suited men responded with delight, and soon one hurried inside to fetch water to clean Ning Yunhuan and the other's faces. Just then, the sound from above grew closer, and in the blink of an eye, the chopping noise of helicopter rotors was thundering nearby.

Everyone’s expression brightened, but Ning Yunhuan’s eyes lit up. She glanced at the bucket of excrement Dongfang Aoshi had earlier knocked over, suppressed a wave of nausea, sprinted over, heaved it up, and flung the contents directly onto Dongfang Aoshi, who was still powerfully mounted on the near-lifeless Gu Yingxi!

Dongfang Aoshi had often forced other women to consume such filth, but this was his first time being the recipient. Seeing Ning Yunhuan’s action, his face changed drastically: “Bitch, you… Ugh, spit!” He tried to dodge, but the female body beneath him, so tightly constricting during their coupling, now held him fast in its sudden tension. He couldn't break free, and the excrement struck him squarely, streaming down his head and face to drench Gu Yingxi as well!

“Waa…” Now Gu Yingxi truly vomited. The pain in her lower body felt as if she were nailed to the chair, while the stench above made her gag. But the moment her body shifted, a tearing pain erupted where they were connected.

“I’m here!” Ning Yunhuan shouted, guessing the people overhead couldn't hear. Without a second thought, she grabbed the glass of white liquor Dongfang Aoshi had brought out, poured it over the pair, pulled out the lighter she'd scavenged from the men she’d strangled, and hurled it at them!

With a 'whoosh,' the white liquor met the methane gas from the filth, amplified by the fact that the silk Dongfang Aoshi wore ignited instantly, and the scene erupted into a ferocious blaze.

No hero could endure such torture! Flames quickly caught on Dongfang Aoshi’s head, his beautiful long hair burning with a foul odor. Now, he too could only scream and curse. The men inside, hearing the commotion, rushed out to douse the fire.

Such a commotion in the garden naturally drew the helicopter hovering above to descend slowly. When it reached about seven or eight meters, the hatch opened, and a figure leaped out first, followed by several others. The leading figure dropped into a half-kneel, pausing on the ground for barely two seconds before striding through the flowerbeds. Upon clearly assessing the situation, he narrowed his eyes, slowing his steps.

Dongfang Aoshi cursed twice, tidied his hair, and his expression turned sinister, his gaze fixed on Ning Yunhuan carrying undisguised killing intent.

Gritting his teeth against the pain below, he violently withdrew from Gu Yingxi. Both were likely injured severely now. Gu Yingxi woke up from the pain, her tear-filled eyes locking onto the tall figure approaching, a look of dazed obsession on her face.

Dongfang Aoshi grinned wickedly and shook his body, watching the warm liquid mixed with blood flow from Gu Yingxi’s lower body, the mess between her legs filling him with triumph. “Lan Jiu, you certainly know how to pick women. This one tastes quite good, but since I’ve touched her, if you mind, I’ll just compensate you with a new woman? Guaranteed virgin stock!”

Lan Lingyan led the way, striding forward. He showed no anger at Dongfang Aoshi's words. When Ning Yunhuan saw him, a subtle relief washed over her. Then, seeing the nearly naked Li Panpan on the ground, she quickly took off her jacket, wrapped it around her, and stood up, half-supporting her.

“Are you alright?” Lan Lingyan’s gaze was sharp. He first scanned his wife up and down, sighing in relief when he saw she wasn't foolish and had covered her face with something. He didn't spare a glance for the utterly wretched Gu Yingxi, who was struggling to rise from the chair, her legs shaking violently and refusing to close.

To have this unbearable scene witnessed by her beloved, Gu Yingxi’s face was deathly pale, devoid of color. She tried desperately to pull her shredded clothes over her body, but her hands trembled too much. Lan Lingyan's deliberate disregard made it impossible for her to even pretend he had come to rescue her.

“Lan Jiu, did you hear me?” Dongfang Aoshi, in his current pathetic state, was consumed by resentment. Seeing Lan Lingyan stop before the woman who had just caused him such humiliation, he spoke without hesitation: “Forget it, I’m sick of this woman anyway. I’ll give her back to you, and I’ll give you ten more women if you just leave the woman in front of you!”

Only then did Lan Lingyan turn his head, his eyes calm. If it weren't for Ning Yunhuan being unharmed, he might have gone into a frenzy right then. However, daring to stir the hornet's nest, he rolled up his sleeves.

Dongfang Aoshi laughed when he saw this, taking a couple of steps back: “You need to see who has the superior numbers here. I’m showing you face and offering an exchange out of respect for my father. If you don’t know how to accept grace, do you think I won’t cripple you!”

Saying this, Dongfang Aoshi waved his hand, and several men behind Lan Lingyan quickly moved to shield him. Indeed, the garden side was short on manpower. Although they were armed, Lan Lingyan made Dongfang Aoshi deeply uneasy. He had heard Lan Lingyan’s name since childhood, always regarding how formidable he was, which had cast a significant shadow over Dongfang Aoshi. Thus, he dared not strike rashly now.

“I’ll give you a chance; just stand still!” Dongfang Aoshi yelled. But Lan Jiu didn't move an inch; he simply snapped his fingers. The Longmeng men were armed with guns; they hadn't come empty-handed. Not only that, but they were already wearing bulletproof vests. The men Lan Lingyan brought were the elite bodyguards hidden near Father Lan. In no time, several Longmeng men were beaten to the ground, groaning.

The situation unfolded too suddenly. By the time Dongfang Aoshi regained his senses, he was pinned to the ground.

As the saying goes, when the son messes up, the father arrives. Half an hour later, the Longmeng personnel, having received the news, arrived fully armed. The man leading them, his long black hair slicked back with pomade, wearing a white silk Tang suit, held a pipe in his mouth, surrounded by a throng of people.

He didn't look at the Dongfang Aoshi pinned to the floor as he approached; instead, he walked toward Lan Lingyan with a smile. When the men beside him tried to stop him, he waved them off, walking a few steps before halting about four or five meters from Lan Lingyan, his face alight with benevolent warmth:

“Little Jiu, it’s been two years. Your father told me you not only married a wife but perhaps even have a son now? Your utterly useless younger brother can’t compare to you in that regard.”

The middle-aged man’s voice was booming, his gaze exceptionally gentle. Ning Yunhuan looked up and caught his eye. Though the look was placid, it seemed to pierce directly into the depths of one's heart. Ning Yunhuan’s gaze flickered, and she unconsciously offered a slight smile.

Her face was still smeared with dirt, and the smile revealed a row of pearly white teeth, making her look comically out of place against the grime. The middle-aged man did not smile, however, merely frowning as he glanced at Gu Yingxi, slumped on the chair and struggling to rise. He sighed:

“This must be your wife, then? My son not only lags behind you in methods but even in judgment.” The middle-aged man pointed at Ning Yunhuan before his gaze finally settled on his son, who looked quite disheveled: “You’ve amounted to something.”

“Father, where am I inferior to him? No matter how good he is, he isn't your son. Why is it that after everything I’ve done, your eyes only see how much better he is than me?” Upon hearing this condemnation from the middle-aged man, Dongfang Aoshi immediately exploded. He had lived under the shadow of Lan Lingyan, the perfect child, since childhood.

His father, Dongfang Long, was the second-generation leader of the Longmeng. Exceptionally gifted from a young age, his background meant he knew Father Lan long ago. Though they weren't officially sworn brothers, they shared a bond stronger than kinship. When Dongfang Aoshi and Lan Lingyan were not yet born, Father Lan had jokingly suggested an arranged marriage between the two families.

Who knew that Lin Min would bear a son? Dongfang Long had expected a daughter, but instead, it was another boy. The alliance was impossible. Dongfang Long, outstanding in every way since youth, was now the true power in Longmeng, not Dongfang Aoshi.

Precisely because he had such an exemplary father and a supposed 'cousin' who constantly overshadowed him, Dongfang Long always compared him to Lan Lingyan, looking at him as if he were trash. Dongfang Long, brilliant himself, mistakenly assumed everyone else could match his caliber. Discovering his son was useless compared to Lan Lingyan, he looked down on him, always feeling Dongfang Aoshi would have been better off as a daughter, who at least could have married Lan Lingyan for political gain!

He had been raised as a girl by Dongfang Long until the age of ten, when Lan Lingyan arrived on the island with Father Lin to visit Dongfang Long. Upon learning he was a boy, Lan Lingyan had looked at him with disgust and snapped, “Sissy, get lost!”

What

Lan Lingyan didn't even turn his head, his gaze locked entirely on Dongfang Long. Gu Yingxi’s tears flowed endlessly; her frame was slender, her long hair whipped by the wind. Now, her eyes were swollen and red, her body covered in whip marks, and blood stained her face, making her appear pitiful indeed.

“Xiao Jiu, this young lady is clearly begging you to save her.” Dongfang Long laughed when he saw the scene, shrugging. “Youth is indeed wonderful.”

“Uncle is joking. I don’t know her,” Lan Lingyan’s cold statement stunned Gu Yingxi into silence. She seemed incapable of believing it, murmuring to herself, “You don’t know me? How can you not know me?” Her expression first showed deep hurt, then turned manic: “How could you say you don’t know me? I love you! Don’t you know that?”

“I have suffered so much for you…” She even admitted that she was Lan Lingyan’s woman and had been brutally violated by this demonic man; how could he still claim not to know her? If it weren't for her affection for him, why would she endure all this? All of this suffering was supposed to fall upon Ning Yunhuan!

“So what?” For the first time in his life, Lan Lingyan turned his head to look at Gu Yingxi. She felt as though her own wretched image was reflected in his ice-cold, indifferent eyes. At first, she grew animated, but as she took in his words, her heart plummeted straight down, as if falling into endless, desolate snow and ice.

His gaze was detached, holding neither disgust nor hatred—as placid as stagnant water. She couldn't stir even a ripple of emotion in his eyes. It was this very indifference that cut the deepest. He didn't dislike her, nor did he have any opinion of her; to him, she was utterly insignificant. He likely didn’t even know who she was!

If he had no impression of her, where could any affection stem from?

The moment this thought struck Gu Yingxi, overwhelming sorrow made her unable to stand. She stumbled back several steps with staggered shuffles before collapsing onto the ground, utterly lost. All the aches and pains throughout her body seemed secondary to the gaping hole in her heart. Her passionate confession had become empty air; all the suffering she endured for him was reduced to a cruel joke. Tears streamed down Gu Yingxi’s face—she simply couldn’t accept it!

Ning Yunhuan and Li Panpan had already boarded the aircraft. The other burly men quickly scrambled up the rope ladder. From above, a thin, steel cable, about the thickness of a thumb and tipped with two grappling hooks, was lowered. Lan Lingyan caught it one-handed and hooked it onto his harness.

He had prepared beneath his coat, wearing full gear. Once the hooks secured, several men armed with guns stood at the cabin door, aiming squarely at Dongfang Long’s position.

Dongfang Long knew then that he wouldn't be able to keep Lan Lingyan here, and he let out a couple of bitter laughs.

“Your preparation is truly thorough. Brother Lan, having such a son is a blessing of destiny!”

“If one isn’t well-prepared at Uncle’s territory, how could I dare come?” Seeing Lan Lingyan’s composure, Dongfang Long’s last vestige of doubt vanished. He abandoned any thought of detaining him. Since he couldn't be kept, it was better to play along and grant him passage, lest he lose everything attempting a risky move and face awkwardness with Father Lan later.

He sighed inwardly again, signaling his men to retreat. To have the Long Alliance’s stronghold infiltrated and breached by a junior without a scratch—if this news got out, the Long Alliance would lose face profoundly!

But having made his decision, Dongfang Long was not one to hesitate. He held back any further schemes. His surrounding men remained vigilant, prepared for Lan Lingyan to suddenly attack. As the steel cable began to retract, Lan Lingyan’s body ascended until he was suspended in mid-air, nearly inside the aircraft door, when Dongfang Long noticed him prepare to release his grip.

After the henchmen pulled him inside, he boarded the plane. The heavily armed men quickly shielded him. Dongfang Long watched as he accepted a change of clothes offered by an attendant while keeping one hand on the harness. Admiring the young man’s graceful demeanor, he secretly praised Father Lan’s son for possessing both exceptional looks and skill, yet he remained curious:

“Why didn't you kill me? With such a perfect opportunity, don't tell me it was out of respect for the old family connection.”

“Certainly not,” Lan Lingyan smiled.

Dongfang Long grew more inquisitive. “Then is it because you feared you couldn’t leave this island if you killed me?”

“Nor that either.” Lan Lingyan spread his exposed hand. Seeing Dongfang Long’s expression deepen in curiosity, he laughed, pulling his hand out of his pocket and waving it at Dongfang Long: “Actually, I don’t have a gun at all. Thank you for your hospitality, Uncle, and for entertaining my wife. This nephew will now take his leave, eagerly awaiting our next meeting. Goodbye!” With that, Lan Lingyan smiled, brought his index and middle fingers together, mimicking Father Lan’s gesture, and bowed slightly before turning back into the cabin.

Pfft! Dongfang Long nearly spat a mouthful of blood, his face fluctuating between pale and green. At this moment, his thoughts mirrored those of his son, Dongfang Aoshi—an overwhelming urge to curse someone out loud.

Damn that Lan Xiu, that old fox! Being so cunning himself was one thing, but to rear such a monstrous son who could utterly bamboozle an old hand like himself! And the crucial point was that under such pressure, he could still play games with him without batting an eye!

What a terrifying prodigy this was. Dongfang Long felt sick with suppressed rage. He had waited years for Father Lan to make even the slightest mistake, and he had nearly captured Lan Lingyan, only to let him slip through his grasp. What made it worse was that he could have held him, yet deliberately chose not to!

To use the Empty Fort Strategy against him—bold! Yet, this almost heaven-defying feat, he had actually succeeded! Having rarely suffered setbacks in his life, he never expected to be bested by a junior. Dongfang Long’s deep-seated pride suffered its first real blow. It was truly mortifying, like an eighty-year-old mother forcing a baby to walk—a massive disgrace!

However, beneath the humiliation, Dongfang Long felt a subtle stir of admiration. For Lan Lingyan to deceive even him at such a young age was extraordinary. Such a young man was destined for boundless achievements. It was a pity that this young man wasn't his son, nor could he be made to serve him. The Lan family, which should no longer exist, now possessed an heir no less capable than Father Lan. This confirmed that the Lan Clan’s glory was destined to continue!

Dongfang Long sighed again. Behind him, the disheveled Dongfang Aoshi finally snapped out of his daze. He angrily shoved Gu Yingxi, making her stumble, before rushing forward indignantly:

“Father, how dare Lan Jiu play such a trick on you? Why didn’t we just shoot down his plane!”

“Waste!” Dongfang Long had already accepted Lan Lingyan’s departure, and his wounded pride made him irritable. Seeing his son intrude so ignorantly, the comparison made Dongfang Aoshi seem even more incompetent. A hint of annoyance flickered in Dongfang Long’s eyes. Without thinking, he slapped his son across the face: “Get back there! Being naturally dull is one thing, but you must compensate with hard work! Look at the mess you’ve made—you pick a woman and still have no taste! You truly let a pearl go to pick up trash! Just looking at women, Lan Xiu’s son is a thousand times more capable than you!”