Douluo Dalu: Lucky Star

Inside the pavilion, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries between Han Li and Yu Yuanzhen, the conversation stalled.

It wasn't surprising; anyone would find it hard to keep a conversation going when sitting beside someone who looked like their eyes were about to pop out of their head—especially when they weren't that familiar with one another to begin with.

Yu Yuanzhen glanced at his disappointing son and then at the silent Liu Erlong.

"Erlong, what's going on here?" he asked uncertainly, looking at Han Li, who was leisurely sipping tea nearby.

Instinctively, Yu Yuanzhen suspected something was amiss between the two, given Han Li's reputation in such matters—mostly due to Qian Renxue's previous actions.

"It's about Flender. The Holy Son and I reached an agreement, and he invited me to watch the competition," Liu Erlong replied coldly. She had sought help from her family before, but they had refused to assist her. Seeing their expressions now, she knew exactly what kind of dirty thoughts they were entertaining.

Yu Yuanzhen forced an awkward smile, while Yu Xiaogang spoke up.

"For Flender, you're willing to disregard—"

Disregard your reputation—Yu Xiaogang didn't dare finish the sentence because Han Li had already glanced at him. Han Li was smiling, but it sent a chill down Yu Xiaogang's spine.

"Knowing the two of you is the worst luck I've had in eight lifetimes. No matter what Flender may be, he's still your sworn brother, you useless piece of trash," Liu Erlong said without hesitation, her frustration spilling out.

Han Li and the others remained silent, but Liu Erlong had no scruples about voicing her disdain.

Yu Xiaogang's expression had long irritated her. Earlier, she had been worried about displeasing Han Li, but now she didn't care. Even with Yu Yuanzhen present, it didn't matter. If they had the guts, they could try to take action.

"Alright, Erlong, show some respect to your uncle," Yu Yuanzhen sighed, noticing the expression in Yu Xiaogang's eyes. How could he not know what petty thoughts were running through his son's mind?

"Hmph," Liu Erlong snorted but ultimately held back out of respect for Han Li and the others. However, the anger in her eyes toward Yu Xiaogang reignited. She had initially planned to ignore this scumbag, but now she felt an urge to kill him on the spot.

"Apologies for embarrassing you, Holy Son," Yu Yuanzhen said with a forced smile, glancing at Han Li and the others, who were watching with interest. At this point, he was sure that there was nothing between Liu Erlong and Han Li.

"No need to apologize. It seems we've intruded. See you at the finals," Han Li replied. Sensing that Yu Yuanzhen was subtly indicating it was time to leave, Han Li wasn't too disappointed that the confrontation had ended prematurely. This situation had been unexpected. He had spontaneously decided to bring Liu Erlong along to spite Bibi Dong, and running into Yu Xiaogang had been purely coincidental. When he last checked, Yu Xiaogang had still been at his hotel. This man no longer warranted Han Li's attention.

"See you at the finals," Yu Yuanzhen said, escorting the group out of the door. Almost immediately, he turned back into the pavilion. From inside, the sounds of Yu Xiaogang yelling and objects being smashed could be faintly heard.

Outside, Liu Erlong's face grew even more sullen.

Han Li didn't mind her reaction. Having already disrupted his original schedule, he didn't feel like following his previous plans. Instead, he decided to visit all the major powers one by one, speeding up the process.

Now, only Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Star Luo Imperial Academy, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect remained to be visited.

"Which one should we visit first?"

Han Li asked Zhu Zhuqing, who was standing at his side. He had brought her along with this choice in mind.

"Let's go to Star Luo first," Zhu Zhuqing replied, taking a deep breath. Han Li had already informed her of his intentions in advance.

"Alright, Star Luo it is," Han Li said, leading the group toward Star Luo Imperial Academy.

...

Fifteen minutes later, they emerged from the Star Lou academy, and everyone, including Hu Liena, looked bewildered. Zhu Zhuqing's face was still flushed red.

Her strict sister, Zhu Zhuyun, had been calling her dear sister over and over again, while Dai Weisi stood by, constantly chiming in. In short, the scene had been filled with warmth, almost as if they were back home.

"Those who understand the times are wise," Han Li remarked with a hint of melancholy. They had received the warmest welcome at Star Luo Imperial Academy, with Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun being almost overly enthusiastic.

The empire was one thing, but individuals were another. Han Li had finally experienced the art of political maneuvering.

Naturally, news of their visit couldn't be kept from others. Dai Weisi, in particular, had gone a step further by dismissing everyone, including the imperial officials who had accompanied him.

This crown prince, who had yet to fully secure his position as heir, had lavished praise on Han Li and Zhu Zhuqing. Although he never explicitly stated his support, his intentions were clear between the lines.

Worrying about Spirit Hall and Han Li was something for when Dai Weisi became emperor. For now, he only cared about solidifying his claim to the throne.

Anyway, once we step out of this door, no one will admit to anything. Who knows what their attitude is in private? Didn't you notice that the moment they walked out, they distanced themselves from Han Li, putting on a businesslike demeanor?

"Let's go, keep moving."

Han Li didn't bother thinking about it and headed toward where the personnel of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were gathered.

By the time they arrived, the people on the other side were already waiting. Unlike the Star Luo Empire, almost all of the important figures were present here.

Xue Qinghe, the accompanying officials of Heaven Dou Empire, and all the members of both Team One and Team Two were present.

Everyone knew each other well, so they greeted briefly. Han Li then walked side by side with Xue Qinghe, casually chatting as if nothing had changed since before.

Behind him, a few women stepped out of the group and found Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong, whispering something to them.

Liu Erlong, feeling utterly bored, sat alone, radiating an oppressive aura that kept others from disturbing her. Meanwhile, Hu Liena kept glancing toward Team Two.

Han Li chose a seat and sat down with Xue Qinghe, without asking for a servant to stay.

"Is everything prepared? Also, when will you go see grand uncle?"

Han Li used his spiritual power to block out the surrounding noise and looked at Qian Renxue.

"Don't worry, everything's fine. Let's wait until the competition starts. Right now, I can't leave."

Qian Renxue answered, her gaze falling on the two people Han Li was spending extra time with this time.

"What's their deal?" she asked, looking at Han Li with some confusion. She could guess about Hu Liena, but the appearance of Liu Erlong left her puzzled.

"You'll know once you meet grand uncle," Han Li said, shaking his head as if the whole situation was too complicated to explain clearly.

"Is she sent by that woman? Why is she observing?"

Qian Renxue asked, paying special attention to Hu Liena. There was an almost imperceptible trace of envy and jealousy in her eyes.

"Yeah, she was added last minute. Even I'm curious what she's up to."

Although Han Li said this, from the moment they entered, his spiritual power had already covered the entire area. He knew exactly what Hu Liena was observing. A rather absurd idea occurred to him, though he wasn't sure if it was accurate.

If it was true, it would be explosive. Han Li glanced at Qian Renxue with some pity—this situation would hit her hardest.

"What's with that look in your eyes?"

Qian Renxue asked, displeased. This guy was always cryptic, only saying half of what he meant. She swore that once her strength surpassed his, she'd give him a beating.

"Don't sweat the small stuff. If I'm not mistaken, she seems to be secretly observing Heaven Dou Team Two. Play along with me and let her observe all she wants."

Han Li gave her a look, not caring whether she fully understood or not.

"Fine."

Although Qian Renxue didn't entirely grasp what he was up to, she was curious about Hu Liena's actions, so she agreed.

"Alright then, let's go."

A warm smile once again appeared on Han Li's face. Qian Renxue rolled her eyes at him but stood up, putting on a similar smile.

Zhu Zhuqing's appearance once again made Tang San and Dai Mubai's expressions turn sour. If the circumstances allowed it, they might have walked away.

Then, they saw Han Li and Xue Qinghe, along with a seductive-looking woman from Spirit Hall they didn't recognize, walking toward them.

Hu Liena followed closely behind. The moment she noticed Han Li's actions, she immediately followed, though this wasn't the first time, so no suspicion was raised.

As expected, after a glance at her, Han Li ignored her, while Xue Qinghe gave her a slight nod.

In just a few steps, the three of them arrived in front of the Heaven Dou Team members.

Since they had already greeted each other before, there was no need for formalities. Still, Tang San and Dai Mubai felt uncomfortable, as if they were already at a disadvantage in terms of presence.

"You must be Tang San and Xiao Wu? Let's get acquainted. I believe you're not unfamiliar with me. I'm Han Li, and this is our first meeting," Han Li greeted them with a flawless smile, completely ignoring Dai Mubai, who was glaring at him with reddened eyes.

"I only recently found out that the three of us are all from Nuoding City. Who would've thought we'd meet here?"

"If I had known sooner, I would've invited both of you to join Spirit Hall. It wouldn't have been impossible for you to receive a noble title."

Han Li sighed with regret, as if entirely unaware of Tang San's affiliation with the Clear Sky Sect.

On the side, Xiao Wu instinctively took two steps back. She knew Han Li was joking, but she still felt frightened. A noble title? She might not even know how she died.

Tang San didn't understand why Xiao Wu reacted that way, but he still held her hand to calm her down and looked at Han Li with a calm yet firm expression.

"Thank you for the offer, Your Holiness. I also only recently learned that you're from Nuoding City. However, Xiao Wu and I don't like being restrained, and I'm afraid we'd disappoint you."

"No matter. You two are now students of the crown prince, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't take you from him."

Han Li smiled and gestured to Xue Qinghe beside him.

"Still, coming from the same place is fate. How about we become friends? I love making friends."

Han Li extended his hand toward Tang San with a sincere expression.

Tang San was startled. His background wasn't exactly a secret, so what was this Spirit Hall Holy Son up to?

But with everyone watching, he couldn't refuse. He extended his hand as well, forcing a slight smile.

"Of course, no problem."