Chapter 77: Her Final Surrender (Patreon)

Liu Erlong sat still, her breath unsteady, heart throbbing against her chest—but not from fear.

She was finally seeing things clearly.

How foolish she'd been. Blinded by love, trapped for years in an illusion—a love story built on lies and self-deception.

Yu Xiaogang.

The name made her mouth taste bitter now.

Looking at him from her current place in life—stronger, wiser, freer—it was laughable how small he seemed.

A coward draped in fake righteousness.

A man who'd never once truly seen her.

Compared to Lu Feng… it wasn't even close. It was the difference between heaven and dirt.

And the more she thought about it, the more it all made sense.

That wedding night.

It had been rushed. Secret.

Only Flender was supposed to witness it. But somehow, at the worst possible moment, her biological father—someone who'd been absent her entire life—showed up out of nowhere, storming in with an entire entourage to stop it.

What a coincidence.

Except… it wasn't.

Her heart clenched, but this time not from pain—from cold realization.

Only three people knew the exact time of the ceremony: herself, Flender… and Yu Xiaogang.

Flender didn't even know she was the illegitimate child of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's second-in-command. So how could her father have known when to show up?

The answer was now blindingly clear.

Yu Xiaogang had told him. Leaked the information on purpose.

He'd engineered it all—a grand show for pity, sympathy, and twisted pride.

He'd played the tragic hero, sacrificing love for family duty. A tale designed to travel fast, to reach the ears of that woman who'd just become Pope.

Hypocrite. Manipulator. Liar.

And she'd fallen for it. Believed every word. Let herself become the supporting character in his self-made tragedy.

All this time… she hadn't been blind.

She had simply been afraid.

Afraid to admit she'd misjudged someone so completely.

Afraid to face the truth: that she had spent more than twenty years chasing a lie.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

No more.

Two years ago, it was Lu Feng who had quietly pulled her out of that sinking pit—without grand speeches, without conditions.

And now… now she could finally face everything.

Her failures. Her pain. Her wasted youth.

And let it go.

Because her story wasn't ending.

It was just beginning.

She had thrived in the Merchant Alliance. She had carved her own place, forged her own identity. And none of it would've happened without him.

Lu Feng.

At thirteen, he'd taken the continent by storm with his words. His novel Battle Through the Heavens had swept across the land like wildfire. People across cities and sects alike had whispered the name "Tentacle Monster."

He gave up the literary world to plunge into business—and built an empire in a few short years. Tens of thousands of soul masters and millions of members followed his banner. Nobles bowed to him. Kings sent envoys.

Then he awakened his soul power.

A divine-level martial soul. A second, secret martial soul.

And in barely two months, he became a Spirit Elder—rank 34, with power that let him defeat those above his level. Even she, standing at the threshold of Spirit Douluo, had to use nearly all her strength to fight him… and still came out exhausted.

He learned killing intent in a day.

What woman could resist a man like that?

Tall, devastatingly handsome, commanding yet warm.

But that wasn't the part that undid her.

What shattered her walls completely—

Was how deeply he loved her.Treated her like something precious. Cherished her not as a weapon, a teacher, or a legacy. But as herself.

The final layer in her chest broke, shattering like fragile glass.

Her soul surrendered to him, wholly and without resistance.

In that moment, she gave herself to Lu Feng—completely.

The love swelling inside her was rich, heady, intoxicating. Like aged wine sliding through her veins, leaving her breathless and warm.

For the first time in her life, Liu Erlong felt blessed.

Loved. Wanted. Whole.

"Ah..."

A soft moan escaped her lips as Lu Feng's hands slid beneath her nightgown, lifting the sheer black lace slowly, revealing her bare skin inch by inch. His fingers caressed her hips, firm and possessive, trailing upward with reverence.

Just as the gown was about to be pulled over her head—

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound jolted them both.

Liu Erlong's eyes widened, heart skipping.

Lu Feng froze, brows twitching. His voice turned dry with frustration. "Of all times…"

They were both too immersed. Too entangled in each other.

They hadn't sensed someone approaching—not even a whisper of soul power. Their entire world had shrunk to just each other, lost in lips and heat and tangled limbs.

The knock came again.

"Lu Feng."

It was a girl's voice. Soft, clear.

Lu Feng recognized it instantly.

Ning Rongrong.

Suppressing the annoyance rising in his throat, he responded, "Rongrong? What is it?"

"I just wanted to ask something." Her voice held a hint of suspicion. "You sound… weird. Are you panting? Can I come in?"

Liu Erlong's eyes snapped to his. She leaned close, whispering urgently by his ear. "I'm a teacher here. The honorary dean. She can't see me like this. Alone. In your room."

Her eyes darted quickly, calculating.

Then without another word, she slipped away, her long legs moving in a blur.

The nightgown fluttered as she sprinted toward the bathroom in silence, her grace effortless even in haste. Her bare feet made no sound on the floor.

Lu Feng had a private room as a teaching assistant, complete with a small bath. The setup was modest—just wooden partitions—but better than the shared quarters most others had.

Still… it was cramped. Barely any privacy.

He watched her vanish into the thin-walled bathing area.

The bathroom again… he thought wryly.

This is exactly how things started with Zhu Zhuyun.

He cleared his throat, stepping toward the door.

"Come in," he said. "I was just… doing some stamina training."

Of all the people who could've interrupted, he was relieved it was Ning Rongrong. Refined, proper, trained in etiquette. If it had been Xiao Wu, she would've kicked the door down and started asking questions before he could hide a thing.

Creak—

The door opened.

Ning Rongrong stepped inside, moonlight draping across her figure like a silver shawl. Her cheeks were rosy from the night air. The soft light made her skin glow with a porcelain sheen, and those bright sapphire eyes looked up at him curiously.

She was delicate, doll-like. Almost too perfect.

Hands behind her back, she glanced around his room.

"I'm jealous," she said softly. "You even have your own bath."

She took a step toward it.

Lu Feng instinctively moved in front of her, blocking her path with a casual grin.

"It's nothing impressive. Compared to your family's resources, this is a shack."

Ning Rongrong pouted. "Their money isn't mine. And I don't even care about it. They always think I need to be looked after… but I want to stand on my own now."

Lu Feng nodded, approving. "That's the right attitude."

"But why were you hiding in here doing… stamina training?" She tilted her head, curious.

He laughed lightly. "It's a private method. Not really something you show in public."

"A secret technique?" Her eyes lit up with excitement. "So this is how you've been training your endurance? I heard even Teacher Liu got exhausted when she was training you!"

Lu Feng coughed. "It's… helped my stamina, yeah."

Inside the bathroom, Liu Erlong nearly choked trying to stay quiet.

Helpful? she thought, rolling her eyes. That's putting it mildly.

She crossed her arms over her chest, smirking to herself.If kissing and fondling counts as training, then yes—very helpful.

"I want to learn!" Ning Rongrong suddenly said, bouncing slightly on her toes. "My stamina is the worst! I'm always the last to finish drills. Please teach me!"

Lu Feng glanced toward the bathroom. Help.

He couldn't exactly say the technique involved deep kisses and body contact. Even if she drank his blood, like Liu Erlong had, it wouldn't work. Her martial soul had no dragon lineage—it would do nothing.

When he hesitated, Ning Rongrong stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his. She pouted, swaying.

"Come on… Please? I'll even trade you something!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Anything you want," she said cheerfully. "As long as I can get it or have it, it's yours!"

Lu Feng scratched the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly. "I can't think of anything right now."

"Then I'll owe you!" she offered brightly. "A favor. You can cash it in whenever."

She was clearly trying to trick him into giving her something without offering much in return. Still, he couldn't help but smile. She was persistent.

Lu Feng leaned forward a little. "I heard your flexibility's… not great either."

Ning Rongrong slumped. "Ugh, don't remind me. Even that fatty Ma Hongjun bends better than I do. It's humiliating!"

She looked up, eyes burning with determination. "That's why I need this so badly! I have to improve!"

Lu Feng's lips curved. "Alright, I'll teach you. But you'll have to follow my instructions exactly."

"YES!" she cheered, fists raised. "Thank you!"

In the bathroom, Liu Erlong's expression twitched.

He's bluffing again. That little fox is working him over hard. But what's he going to teach her exactly? Kissing positions?

Her eyes narrowed.

Or… is he really going to kiss her?