"Why are you crying? I didn't even hit you," Chu Feng asked.
"I'm crying because I'm useless, I'm crying because I'm useless — damn it, why am I so useless?"
"I actually... just handed Xiaoxiao over to you like that."
The more Qin Hang thought about it, the more furious he became. He then drew the long spear into his hand, but after turning it around, he pointed the tip at himself.
"If I can't be with Xiaoxiao, what meaning does my life have?" These words had barely left his mouth before Qin Hang drove the spear toward his own Dantian.
*Snap—* But at that critical moment, the long spear was frozen in place.
It was Chu Feng's hand that had caught it.
"Whether you like Xiaoxiao or not is something only your heart can decide. A wager can't stop you."
"But I advise you — don't make bets like this with anyone in the future."
"Xiaoxiao shouldn't be treated as a stake," Chu Feng said.
"So... you... you..."
"Chu Feng, could it be that you—?"
Qin Hang stared at Chu Feng in disbelief. He hadn't expected that there was still room for negotiation.
"Whether you like Xiaoxiao is your business. I won't stop you."
"But whether Xiaoxiao likes you — that's her business."
"I don't mind if you have feelings for Xiaoxiao, but I hope you won't do anything that puts her in a difficult position, and I especially hope you won't do anything to hurt her."
"If you dare hurt her, I will absolutely not let you off," Chu Feng said.
Hearing Chu Feng's words, Qin Hang's lips trembled even more violently. He then grabbed both of Chu Feng's hands.
"Chu Feng, you really are a great person."
"It was I, Qin Hang, who was in the wrong before. From now on, you are my sworn brother. If anyone dares touch you, I, Qin Hang, will wipe out their entire clan!"
Qin Hang said these words through tears, crying even harder now — but his face was full of emotion.
Chu Feng shook off Qin Hang's hands: "I need to keep moving. Do you want to come along?"
"Really? You'd let me?"
"After the way I treated you just now, you're still willing to travel with me?"
"Chu Feng, how can you be this good?"
"How lucky am I, Qin Hang, to become your friend?"
Qin Hang gazed at Chu Feng with tears brimming in his eyes, so moved that his look even carried a hint of affection.
"Enough nonsense. If you want to come along, then come."
"And another thing — don't look at me like that, because I have zero interest in men."
With that, Chu Feng shattered Qin Hang's barrier and strode forward.
"Don't worry, I'm completely normal — I like women, not men."
"But honestly speaking, I, Qin Hang, have decided you're my brother." Qin Hang wiped his tears and then caught up to Chu Feng.
"Chu Feng, this guy is your potential rival in love. It's one thing not to kill him, but why be so lenient with him?" the Queen asked, puzzled, along the way.
"Whether he likes Xiaoxiao or not won't change because of some wager."
"The reason I didn't hold it against him is that I realized this guy, despite putting on the airs and arrogance of a young master from a great clan, is actually quite simple at heart."
"He's not a bad person, and his feelings for Xiaoxiao are genuine."
"Just now, when he realized he couldn't beat me, he was truly prepared to cripple his own cultivation."
"That wasn't an act."
"That tells me he took this wager very seriously. For Xiaoxiao, having someone like that who genuinely cares for her isn't a bad thing," Chu Feng said.
"But the more sincere his feelings are for Xiaoxiao, the bigger the threat he poses to you, doesn't it?" the Queen said.
"How could he possibly threaten me? I don't even like Xiaoxiao — she and I are just friends. I only want her to live well," Chu Feng said.
"I think Long Xiaoxiao is quite something. Don't let good resources go to waste — why let such a fine catch be claimed by someone else when you could keep her for yourself?"
"If you'd listen to my advice, you'd keep her," the Queen said.
"If I liked Xiaoxiao, I naturally wouldn't let her go. But if I don't love her and force her to stay by my side, that would be incredibly unfair to her," Chu Feng said.
"Fine, I can't win this argument." The Queen pouted, then added: "But I still hope that girls like Long Xiaoxiao, Xian Miaomiao, and Little Fishy — you keep them to yourself and don't let anyone else have them."
The Queen thought only of Chu Feng. She wanted everything good to belong to him — women included.
But Chu Feng didn't think that way. He genuinely wished for his friends to find true happiness.
And while Chu Feng and the Queen were discussing the matter, another barrier gate materialized ahead.
Chu Feng and Qin Hang walked side by side straight through it.
After passing through, Chu Feng had left the corridor and entered a vast, sprawling jungle.
Looking back, the barrier gate that had brought him here had already vanished.
And Qin Hang, who had been right beside Chu Feng just moments ago, was nowhere to be seen.
"Another formation that teleports people randomly," Chu Feng murmured with a sigh. He knew that Qin Hang must have been sent somewhere else entirely.
*Boom—* Just then, monstrous ripples surged in the distance — half-god level experts were clashing in battle.