Chapter 64: Changed Fate (Patreon)

Liu Erlong stood there, black leather dress with armor-like accents that hugged every curve. The plunging neckline revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage, drawing the eye to the crimson gemstone resting against her pale skin. Silver trim traced the contours of the garment, highlighting her full bust and rounded hips. Her long, slender legs were sheathed in skin-tight black leather pants, while emerald-studded stilettos accentuated her statuesque grace.

Fiery. Enchanting. Bewitching.

Yet at the same time—regal. Elegant. Untouchable.

Her presence alone commanded every gaze in the room.

Long, lush lashes and willow-thin brows framed eyes that burned with pure, unbridled intensity, while her porcelain skin lent an almost ethereal freshness. Her aura was a paradox—icy yet sacred, distant yet magnetic, as if she existed on a plane far beyond reach.

And then… her lips curved into a warm smile.

A smile brimming with mature allure, the kind no young girl could replicate.

Flender and Ma Hongjun gaped, utterly spellbound.

But that smile? It only appeared the moment Lu Feng turned to face her.

Their eyes met—a fleeting, knowing exchange—before Liu Erlong finally shifted her attention to Flender.

"Oh, spare me the teasing, Old Flender. What's a 'president' worth when I've still got elders, guardians, and the Alliance Leader breathing down my neck? At least you, a dean—get to call your own shots."

The second she spoke, her executive dominance eclipsed everyone present, Flender's casual air, Steward Ao's deferential bow.

Steward Ao (Tier 7) ranked two levels below her in the Merchant Alliance hierarchy. Though both were 79th-level Soul Sages, his martial soul couldn't hold a candle to her Crimson Fire Dragon.

In the original timeline, Liu Erlong would've been 78th-level now. But Lu Feng's influence had shattered her emotional shackles, freeing her from the lies of Yu Xiaogang. Reigniting her ambition, she'd broken through to 79th-level last year.

Flender chuckled dryly. "If you're so jealous, we can always swap positions?"

"Hard pass." Liu Erlong flicked her wrist dismissively. "Besides, that's not my call, our Alliance Leader would have to approve."

Her gaze lingered a beat too long on Lu Feng as she mentioned "Alliance Leader."

Obviously, Lu Feng would never agree. Hell, he wouldn't even trust Flender to manage a branch store. The man's business strategy began and ended with "scam the customer."

Running the Shop and the Academy

When managing his shop, he'd see a new customer eyeing a product and immediately jack up the price, scamming them without a second thought.

Running the academy? If a student failed the qualification, he'd refuse to refund their tuition, ripping them off just the same.

Over time, his reputation turned to garbage. That was one of the reasons Shrek Academy had struggled to recruit students these past two years.

In the original story, he later led his students to the Soul Master Tournament, forcing them to wear cheap, ugly uniforms plastered with ads, all to squeeze out more profit. But his scheme backfired, making him the laughingstock of the entire event and dragging Shrek Academy's name through the mud.

Even if they won, the loss of prestige and dignity ended up costing him far more in the long run. Opportunities for big money slipped through his fingers because of it.

So, it was better to let Flander stick to being a decent teacher.

As for Liu Erlong, she had a real talent for management—decisive, efficient, and sharp. She was practically born to be a CEO.

The fact that she'd built Blue Tyrant Academy from scratch, establishing it in a major city like Heaven Dou, spoke volumes about her skills.

Of course, her rise to power as a regional CEO wasn't just luck. Lu Feng had deliberately nurtured her abilities, but the real driving force was her natural talent and relentless hard work.

"Ahh, I can't argue with you anymore," Flander chuckled with a sigh.

Liu Erlong wasn't in the mood to keep bickering. Without missing a beat, she shifted the topic. "This student of yours is part of the Merchant Alliance. I have some private matters to discuss with him, mind if I borrow him for a bit?"

Her tone was polite, but her actions were anything but. Before anyone could react, she grabbed Lu Feng's arm and pulled him into a side room, slamming the door behind her, pure CEO dominance in action.

Flander could only laugh awkwardly. He knew Liu Erlong's personality well, once she set her mind on something, there was no stopping her, whether he minded or not.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder: How does a Spirit Elder like Lu Feng not only have connections with someone like Manager Ao but also a close enough relationship with Liu Erlong that they need to talk in private?

He figured it must be because of Lu Feng's God-Level Spirit Awakening, which had likely earned him special attention from the Merchant Alliance's higher-ups.

Behind Closed Doors

Lu Feng could only sigh inwardly.

He had called Liu Erlong here for two reasons: first, to discuss business and personally instruct her on some crucial arrangements, and second, to see if he could finally resolve the lingering emotional scars Yu Xiaogang had left in her heart. After all, Yu Xiaogang would be arriving in Suotuo soon.

But did she really have to be this impatient?

The moment President Liu showed up, barely a few words in, she'd already dragged him into a room.

What are people outside going to think?

Her fiery temper had mellowed over time, but she was still as bold and unrestrained as ever.

Two years had passed since they last met, and the once-pale, weary Liu Erlong now radiated confidence and elegance, every inch the formidable professional. It was enough to make even Lu Feng's heart skip a beat.

The Merchant Alliance's Structure

Lu Feng had trained a large number of non-spirit professionals to handle the Merchant Alliance's tedious, day-to-day operations.

These workers came from the lowest rungs of society, with little demand for high pay, the Alliance was their only shot at wealth and status. Once selected, they worked tirelessly. Manager Wang was a prime example.

But at Liu Erlong's level—a regional President—her role was purely about big-picture decisions. She didn't need to micromanage, which meant more free time, not less.

Now, she could focus on cultivation… or even just wander around, treating it as an inspection.

Back when Lu Feng first met her, she'd been the head of Blue Tyrant Academy, drowning in every tiny detail, handling everything personally.

Burying Herself in Work

She had been using nonstop work to numb herself—all because Yu Xiaogang had left her with emotional scars and pain she couldn't shake. But this coping mechanism came at a cost: it severely stalled her cultivation.

In the original timeline, after Yu Xiaogang weaseled his way back into her life, he only made things worse for her.

Just look at the five-year gap before and after their so-called "promise."

In those five years,

Flander went from Level 78 to 83.

Zhao Wuji jumped from Level 76 to 80.

Yu Xiaogang—who'd been stuck at Level 29—somehow skyrocketed to the 40s, gaining over a dozen levels in half a decade. The biggest improvement of them all.

And Liu Erlong?

She went from Level 78… to 79.

A single level.

She didn't even break through to Title Douluo!

And this was despite her spirit being a mutated Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon—the Crimson Fire Dragon!

A spirit stronger than the original Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon.

The Four-Eyed Owl and Great Strength King Bear couldn't even compare.

Higher-quality spirits should mean faster cultivation.

Yet during those five years, her progress lagged far behind Flander's even Zhao Wuji surpassed her.

And who else could be to blame for this but Yu Xiaogang?

The Hypocrite's "Love"

Yu Xiaogang played the righteous, noble scholar, preaching about his undying love for Liu Erlong.

But in reality?

He wasted her life.

In a world where strength meant everything, power was the ultimate currency.

Not only did Yu Xiaogang steal her youth, he robbed her of her prime cultivation years.

Was that love?

Or was it deliberate? Did he want to keep her from growing too strong, so he wouldn't feel inferior?

The facts don't lie: Yu Xiaogang ruined her.

A Life of Struggle

Liu Erlong's birth father had abandoned her mother, leaving Liu Erlong with nothing but a Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon family crest, proof of her noble bloodline, but no real support.

She had to claw her way up from nothing, surviving as a commoner through sheer grit.

She wandered, suffered, and fought tooth and nail for every scrap of progress she made.

She should've soared to Title Douluo, standing among the world's elite.

Instead, a self-righteous hypocrite dragged her down, leaving her stagnant, just another face in the crowd.

But in this life…

Liu Erlong met Lu Feng.

She joined the Merchant Alliance.

And Lu Feng wasn't about to let history repeat itself.

He'd been working to change her fate for two years already.