The Grand Elder kept nodding, his cloudy eyes filled with fury.
"Good, your Great Dou Soul Arena is really something. Just to curry favor with the Spirit Hall and to protect that Zhao fellow, you dare say dogs and people of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are not allowed in."
"Fine, we'll leave immediately. From now on, if any member of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan ever sets foot in this arena again, it would be a slap to this old man's face. Hmph!!!"
With that, the Grand Elder swung his sleeve and ordered the crowd, "Let's go."
Before leaving, the three elders cast vicious glances over the entire arena crowd, then turned and left without hesitation.
Indeed, if the three elders and their clan members had decided to cause a scene at the Great Dou Soul Arena, there wouldn't have been much trouble stopping them.
However, the elders were also mindful of the clan's reputation. After all, the arena had repeatedly sent people to heal Yu Xiaogang and Yu Xiaolong, something many spectators had seen with their own eyes.
As for the Grand Elder's claim that the arena was cozying up to the Spirit Hall and shielding Zhao Ling—well, that was more about seizing the moral high ground.
Once the three elders and their kin left the arena, their faces were dark, and they clenched their teeth in anger.
The Second Elder, fists clenched and eyes reddened with rage, stared at the main gate of the arena and growled:
"The Great Dou Soul Arena has gone too far. They knew full well how much we suffered at the hands of the Spirit Hall and that Zhao bastard, yet they shamelessly lied right to our faces.
The Spirit Hall and Zhao's people were clearly here yesterday but supposedly left today? What a coincidence! It's obvious they predicted our arrival and hid him on purpose."
The Third Elder nodded, fully agreeing with the Second Elder's assessment.
"I think the same. What kind of ridiculous coincidence is that? Zhao and the Spirit Hall people just happened to return to Spirit City this morning? Only a fool would believe that."
The Grand Elder's expression was grim, his voice dripping with venom:
"Those idiots in the arena's upper management really think our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are fools, that they can get away with such blatant lies."
"Fine. Since the arena has the guts to openly collude with Spirit Hall and protect that Zhao fellow, then they can't blame us for retaliating. I want to see how long their leadership can hold out!"
"Right... that settles it." The Second Elder nodded, then asked the side-branch members:
"How many of you have been to Soto City before with the young master and have seen Zhao Ling in person?"
Three among the group stepped forward: "Second Elder, the three of us went with the young master last time and saw that Zhao dog with our own eyes."
The Second Elder nodded: "Good. Each of you take two people and stake out the busier streets of Soto City. If you spot Zhao Ling or anyone from the Spirit Hall, follow them discreetly and report back to us.
Hmph, if that Zhao guy is still in the city, he's bound to come out for shopping or food eventually. I refuse to believe he can hide forever like a turtle in its shell."
The three who had seen Zhao Ling nodded resolutely, each grabbing two companions and heading to busy streets to lie in wait.
As for the three elders, they glanced at each other, then cast one last venomous glare at the arena gate before leading the rest of the clan members to find a comfortable hotel.
Night would fall in about two hours, and they needed a proper place to rest.
Inside the arena, the head of the Great Dou Soul Arena summoned the upper management for an emergency meeting, face dark as ink.
They had thought that by repeatedly sending people to heal the second and first young masters of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, they would gain favor and benefit greatly.
As the saying goes, "The world bustles for profit; it hurries and scurries for gain."
The arena had spared no cost in treating Yu Xiaogang, partly to prevent him from dying on their premises and straining relations with the clan, and partly because the clan had a titled Douluo among its ranks—they hoped to build rapport.
Not that they expected him to save them from ruin someday, but even a few kind words might be helpful.
But now, they realized that aside from the money Yu Xiaolong brought, they had gained nothing from their efforts. They were deeply disappointed.
Sure, the sum wasn't small, but the arena wasn't exactly short on cash. Ticket sales and betting profits flowed daily. That money was just a token.
Had they known they'd go through all that trouble and get nothing in return, they would've let the two brothers die instead.
Now that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan insisted the arena had sided with Spirit Hall and Zhao, well, they might as well let them think so.
Regret was thick in the air. The arena executives were kicking themselves—what a waste of goodwill.
The three elders and their subordinates waited in Soto City for three days straight. The three who had seen Zhao Ling barely got nine hours of rest total over those three days.
Exhausted to the point of collapse, they could only start to believe that Zhao Ling and the Spirit Hall members had truly returned to Spirit City.
It infuriated the elders—they never expected such a cruel coincidence: Zhao Ling and the Spirit Hall had departed on the same morning they arrived.
It was even possible that their carriages had passed each other on the road without either side realizing it.
Three days had passed, and by now Zhao Ling and his companions were likely halfway back to Spirit City. It was maddening.
At the same time, Liu Erlong's carriage pulled up in front of her house. After paying the fare, she happily stepped into her courtyard.
But as she opened the gate, she saw her father watering his flowers. The moment he saw her, his face turned stern.
"You brat, you still remember to come home? Off playing God-knows-where for so long without telling your father anything—wait, that outfit, I've never seen you wear it before. When did you buy it?"
At that moment, Liu Erlong was wearing a blue and white gauze dress, paired with black stockings and white heels. She looked stunning—Zhao Ling had bought it for her during a shopping trip.
To win over Liu Erlong, Zhao Ling hadn't been stingy at all. He knew when to spend, and with nearly 300,000 gold soul coins, he was happy to splurge.