Many people on the deck couldn't understand why Yunyan Fairy had refused Young Master Mo, who bore the Immortal Dao's decree, yet accepted the invitation of a man who bore the Human Path's decree. Moreover, whether this fellow was even a Great Dao Worthy was completely unknown.
However.
Shangguan Dong, who had always viewed the beings of the Human Path as ants, found this even more incomprehensible.
Beyond his confusion, his heart was filled with even more rage and jealousy.
After all, he had extended invitations several times, only to be not just refused by Yunyan Fairy, but utterly ignored each time. When Young Master Mo, who also bore the Immortal Dao's decree, was similarly refused, Shangguan Dong had felt somewhat mollified. But now, witnessing with his own eyes Yunyan Fairy sitting beside a mere mortal, Shangguan Dong felt his face and dignity had suffered a tremendous insult.
"Heh heh!"
Collecting his emotions, Shangguan Dong walked over with a faint smile and said, "My mood is quite good today, so I came to the deck for a stroll. I never imagined Yunyan Fairy would also be here. What a coincidence."
During his previous attempts to invite her, Yunyan Fairy had paid him no mind. This time was no exception.
As Shangguan Dong approached, Yunyan Fairy still did not acknowledge him, not even deigning to glance his way. This made the already displeased Shangguan Dong feel even more sour inside. Even the hand he kept behind his back clenched tightly into a fist. Despite this, a faint smile remained plastered on his face.
"I wonder if I have somehow offended the Fairy previously? Why does the Fairy repeatedly ignore me?"
Shangguan Dong tried his best to appear cultured and refined, like a modest gentleman, and said, "If I have offended the Fairy in any way before, I hope the Fairy will speak plainly. I will certainly apologize and make amends."
This time, Yunyan Fairy finally spoke.
However, she still did not look at him, merely responding in a light, indifferent tone, "You have not offended me."
"Since I have not offended the Fairy, why does the Fairy ignore me?"
"Why should I acknowledge you?"
Yunyan Fairy's words could not have been clearer. They boiled down to just five words: she did not want to acknowledge him.
This made Shangguan Dong feel utterly humiliated. The expression on his originally handsome face shifted repeatedly, alternating between dark and stormy. Everyone could see that Yunyan Fairy's words had truly angered Shangguan Dong.
"Fairy Yunyan, those words...
Aren't they too disrespectful to my face, Shangguan Dong?"
"Why should I give you face?"
Shangguan Dong was furious and humiliated. Rage burned within him, becoming unbearable. If it were anyone else who dared make him lose face and be unable to step down in front of so many people today, given his temper, he would have long since taught them a lesson. However, facing the unfathomable Yunyan Fairy, Shangguan Dong thought it over and ultimately still did not make a move.
He considered simply leaving, but Yunyan Fairy had made him unable to step down in front of so many people. If he left just like that, Shangguan Dong truly could not accept it. Not only would he lose face, but he also couldn't swallow this anger.
"I say, Shangguan Dong, that's enough. Don't just stand there. Go do whatever you were going to do."
At this moment, Lei Lie spoke up.
"Lei Lie, this Immortal doesn't recall speaking to you, does he?"
"You weren't speaking to me. You were speaking to Fairy Yunyan, and she doesn't want to acknowledge you either."
Looking at Shangguan Dong, whose face was now ashen, unsure whether to leave or stay, Lei Lie seemed rather gleeful.
Indeed.
He was gleeful, and inwardly he was already overjoyed. Especially after hearing those two light, dismissive sentences Yunyan Fairy had just spoken, Lei Lie almost wanted to clap and cheer.
Because ever since the day he boarded the ship, he had disliked Shangguan Dong. Previously, when he had tried to flirt with Yunyan Fairy at the Spring Full Pavilion in the shipyard, he had ended up inexplicably scared and collapsing to the floor. At that time, Shangguan Dong had mocked him relentlessly.
And Lei Lie had always wanted to find an opportunity to teach this fellow a lesson. However, because many elders of the Shangguan Family were also on this great ship, he couldn't very well teach Shangguan Dong a lesson in front of those elders.
It wasn't that he feared the Shangguan Family.
To be honest.
Although Lei Lie was also from the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, and the Shangguan Family was a famously prominent Immortal family in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, Lei Lie was not afraid of the Shangguan Family.
At best, the Shangguan Family was just an Immortal family with some influence within the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. Outside of Lingluo, the so-called Shangguan Family was nothing.
However, the Haolei Clan that Lei Lie belonged to was different.
The Haolei Clan was a renowned and prestigious family with ancient lineage, one that had been passed down since the Remote Ancient Era. Its collateral branches were spread across almost every Heavenly Domain, its influence was immense. Not only within the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, but even in the Great Desolation, it was a very prestigious ancient family.
It was precisely for this reason that he did not fear the Shangguan Family and didn't place someone like Shangguan Dong, a mere Lo Supreme Immortal, in his eyes at all.
The reason he couldn't easily teach Shangguan Dong a lesson in front of the Shangguan Family elders was also because his own family had some business dealings with the Shangguan Family. Moreover, he himself was acquainted with Shangguan Dong's father. Hence, he couldn't easily teach Shangguan Dong a lesson.
"If Yunyan Fairy does not wish to acknowledge me, this Immortal has nothing to say. However, Yunyan Fairy may not necessarily acknowledge you either."
Shangguan Dong stared at the gleeful Lei Lie and said, "As far as I know, Yunyan Fairy did not sit down because of your invitation, did she?"
"That's right. Yunyan Fairy certainly wasn't invited by me. She was invited by Ancient Great Master. The Great Master is my benefactor, Lei Lie. That I can sit here is because the Great Master thinks highly of me. What of it?"
"You're quite good at borrowing authority from the mighty."
Shangguan Dong sneered, "I wonder who it was that tried to flirt with Yunyan Fairy and ended up scared and collapsing to the floor."
"You little bastard, you just won't let it go, will you!"
That incident where he had tried to flirt with Yunyan Fairy and ended up collapsing to the floor had been a huge loss of face for the already prideful Lei Lie. Now that Shangguan Dong brought it up again, Lei Lie's fiery temper instantly flared up. He roared angrily, "You little bastard, I've put up with you for a long time! Come on!
Come with me outside! Let's have a little practice session!"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
Lei Lie disliked him, and Shangguan Dong similarly disliked Lei Lie.
Lei Lie did not fear the Shangguan Family, and Shangguan Dong similarly did not fear the Haolei Clan.
Although he clearly understood that the Shangguan Family could not be compared to the ancient, lineage-holding Haolei Clan, the Haolei Clan had countless collateral branches. Lei Lie's family was merely one of the Haolei Clan's many collateral families. Therefore, Shangguan Dong didn't place him in his eyes either.
Moreover, having been repeatedly ignored by Yunyan Fairy, Shangguan Dong had a bellyful of pent-up anger. He was just looking for someone to vent on, and this was the perfect opportunity to unleash the fury in his heart.
At that moment.
A voice came.
"Dong'er, do not be presumptuous."
Everyone followed the sound and saw a group of over ten people arriving on the deck. They were all elders of the Shangguan Family. The man at their head was none other than Shangguan Dong's father, Shangguan Feixing.