"No way," Chu Feng refused immediately.
"Haha, I'm just joking. A real man having three wives and four concubines is perfectly normal — just let my daughter be the main one," Zhao Laoba said.
"That doesn't work either," Chu Feng shook his head repeatedly.
But Zhao Laoba's smile didn't fade one bit. "Come on, just get to know each other first. My daughter might not even like you."
"..." Chu Feng was speechless.
"Of course, you might not like her either." Zhao Laoba laughed heartily. "Anyway, more friends means more paths in life."
"Really, my daughter — she's truly beautiful."
As he spoke, Zhao Laoba set down the roasted chicken, wiped the grease on his pants, and then reached into his Universe Bag to pull out a scroll.
The scroll unfurled, and a stunning woman's image came into view.
He really wasn't exaggerating.
The woman in the painting wore simple, plain clothing, yet she was still an absolute head-turner.
That was entirely thanks to her exquisite features and graceful figure.
This daughter of Zhao Laoba must have taken after her mother, since she hadn't inherited any of his rough, hulking features. She was a genuine beauty who would meet anyone's standards.
And she was an ice-cold beauty at that.
Her frigid, unapproachable demeanor — the kind that kept people at arm's length — only served to pique one's interest even more.
But there was one thing she shared with Zhao Laoba: between her brows, there was an unmistakable heroic bearing.
"We can get to know each other, but strictly as friends — not a blind date," Chu Feng said.
"Sure, sure, sure." Zhao Laoba nodded with a grin.
"Senior, are you skilled in the art of barriers?" Chu Feng asked.
"Of course."
Zhao Laoba's face lit up with pride as he released his barrier power.
That barrier power made Chu Feng's eyes widen.
Not only was Zhao Laoba a True God-level powerhouse, but his barrier art had actually reached the First Grade True Dragon level.
"So senior is a man of all talents," Chu Feng sighed in admiration. In truth, he had asked because he sensed that Zhao Laoba wasn't a bad person — quite sincere, actually.
But even as a True Dragon Spirit World Master, Zhao Laoba might not be able to decipher the method of escape hidden within that towering mountain peak.
So Chu Feng had intended to tell him the method.
But not now — he had to wait until the teleportation array for his own departure was fully set up. After all, you never know what's going on inside someone's mind. If he told Zhao Laoba now and Zhao Laoba went and told that old man, the old man might drop his act entirely.
"Young friend Chu Feng, did you notice anything?"
Just then, the old man's voice rang out. He had walked over, and although his complexion was still grim and his injuries weren't healed, at least he could move freely now.
"I figured it out. The lake is the only exit."
"We're trapped here," Chu Feng said.
"And you, Old Eight?" The old man looked at Zhao Laoba.
"The same as young friend Chu Feng. But I feel like there's a second layer to this — I just haven't been able to see it yet," Zhao Laoba replied.
"No matter. Leave it to this old man."
The old man turned his gaze toward the towering mountain peak.
But after observing for a while, he said, "No need to keep looking. That lake is indeed the only exit."
"Still, that might not be accurate. We should keep observing."
With that, the old man led Chu Feng and Zhao Laoba into the air, beginning to survey the spatial world around them.
But Chu Feng detected that this was deliberate.
The old man was intentionally trying to prevent him and Zhao Laoba from continuing their observation — afraid that they might uncover the second layer and discover the method to leave this place.
By now, Chu Feng had already finished setting up the array for departure. He could leave at will with a mere thought.
So he secretly transmitted his voice to Zhao Laoba: "Senior, let me tell you something — but don't make a sound."
"I don't think this Senior Song is a good person. Think back to the fresh blood he just used to merge with those puppet figures — it was very likely refined from living people."
"And I noticed the way he looks at us. There's something off about it. He's definitely up to no good."
"Young friend Chu Feng, so you noticed it too. Actually, I noticed as well."
"But we're no match for him. What do we do? We're like lambs walking into a tiger's den right now!" Zhao Laoba said with worry.
Hearing him say that, Chu Feng felt even more at ease.
"Don't panic, Senior. I've already figured out the method of escape from that towering mountain peak."
"I'll tell you the array — set it up within your body. Once it's ready, we'll expose his true face together."
Chu Feng then transmitted the array to Zhao Laoba through secret voice transmission.
"Young friend Chu Feng, your reputation is truly well-deserved. Something that even I, a bona fide True Dragon Spirit World Master, couldn't see through — and you figured it out."
"Wonderful! Now we can shake off this old devil."
Zhao Laoba was overjoyed. Drawing upon the discernment of a True Dragon Spirit World Master, he judged that the array Chu Feng had given him was viable.