Chapter 651: The Stupid Gu Tiannan

Time passed by moment by moment. On Arena No. 1, although slowly, the number of fighters kept decreasing. However, the onlookers were no longer focusing on the matches between other people; instead, they were paying attention to the battle between Ye Feng and Qiu Duanhun. To outsiders, their fight seemed extremely exciting, but those with keen eyes could tell that Ye Feng had never taken the initiative to attack. All of his attacks were merely defenses against Qiu Duanhun’s assaults.

Qiu Duanhun was aware of this as well. No matter how much pressure he exerted on Ye Feng—by increasing the intensity, frequency, or trajectory of his attacks—Ye Feng effortlessly deflected them. Though his attacks grew more fierce, he hadn’t even managed to touch a single thread of Ye Feng’s clothing from start to finish. Although he hadn’t used his ultimate move either, he had no intention of doing so, as this was only a preliminary round. His desire to kill Ye Feng grew steadily. He knew clearly that if he couldn’t defeat Ye Feng, his path in the art of killing with a sword would likely stall. Yet he also understood that now wasn’t the time to kill Ye Feng. He knew he would definitely face Ye Feng again in future matches.

The guests in the spectator seats also grew bored. What started as excitement had now turned into a fight that, though exciting, offered little in the way of highlights.

“That little guy named Ye Feng seems to have no fighting spirit at all. He hasn’t attacked once from beginning to end!” Fire True Man complained.

“His strength is clearly higher than Qiu Duanhun’s. The reason he doesn’t attack first is probably because he doesn’t want to eliminate the opponent so early,” Gu Tiannan said, showing great admiration for Ye Feng. His actions earned Ye Feng a silent evaluation of “kind-hearted” in his mind. Unbeknownst to him, Ye Feng’s desire to keep Qiu Duanhun alive had its own ulterior motives. Still, both Ye Feng and Qiu Duanhun’s names were remembered by the eight guests present.

“I recall that reason this little guy named Ye Feng got involved with Qiu Duanhun was because of some beautiful woman,” the chubby man said, showing remarkable skill at shifting the topic. He immediately turned the conversation to women. As he spoke, he glanced at Gu Tiannan and Ji Xiaoru, muttering, “What a perfect match—talent and beauty…”

Ji Xiaoru turned her head away, her face slightly red, while Gu Tianan carefully looked at Ye Feng and Zhenzhu before shaking his head. “This girl is indeed pretty, but her outfit isn’t very appropriate. Ye Feng surely deserves a better girl…”
At these words, the fat man felt uneasy. As expected, Ji Xiaoru, who had previously seemed shy, turned pale instantly upon hearing them and bit her lip tightly.
He really wanted to slap Gu Tianan a few times. As an observer, he knew they both had feelings for each other—one was too proud to express them, while the other was awkward as a log in such matters. As their friend, he had always tried to set them up, only to find their relationship worsening. He knew Gu Tianan’s words meant nothing more than a simple assessment of Ye Feng and that girl. But Ji Xiaoru clearly didn’t see it that way; she thought Gu Tianan was implying she wasn’t good enough for him, and her heart instantly filled with coldness.
“Old Gu, you shouldn’t have picked up on that remark just now,” Even Yun Zhonglong couldn’t stand it any longer and sent a message to Gu Tianan.
“Why?” Gu Tianan replied with a message, turning his head curiously toward Yun Zhonglong.
“Do you like Ji Xiaoru?” Yun Zhonglong didn’t answer his question but asked instead.
Hearing this, Gu Tianan’s face turned red instantly. “Uh… this…”
“We’ve known each other for over 30 billion years—what’s there not to say?” Yun Zhonglong pressed him.
Gu Tianan finally nodded reluctantly. “Don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Don’t worry. If you can’t trust others, can you not trust me? If I weren’t discreet, how could I be the spokesperson for the Virtual Realm?” Yun Zhonglong said with a laugh, patting his chest. But then his expression darkened. “You don’t know that Ji Xiaoru is interested in you too, do you?”
“Ah…” Gu Tianan was stunned again. “Don’t fool me. Don’t joke about such things.”
“Do you think I’m joking?” Yun Zhonglong said helplessly. “You’re too slow to pick up on things. Haven’t you seen Fat Jin trying to set you two up all along?”
“The fat man is just messing around,” Gu Tianan shook his head. “He knows I won’t get angry, so he just acts silly.”

“Hey, bro, Jin Pangzi is your sworn brother through life and death. Don’t you know who he is?” Yun Zhonglong shook his head. “Although he likes to joke around, when has he ever made an inappropriate joke? If either you or Ji Xiaoru doesn’t want to hear such teasing, he would never bring it up to embarrass you. Let me tell you this—Yun Zhonglong here has twelve wives, so I know women much better than you do. I can guarantee 100% that Ji Xiaoru has a place in her heart for you. As long as you take the initiative to pursue her, the two of you will definitely get together.”

“But…” Gu Tianan was still hesitant.

“Hey, why are you so cautious? Let me give you a tip: after today’s semifinals, we’ll all have a dinner party. After that, ask her out alone, find a quiet place where no one else can see us. Once there, you can watch the stars or the moon together. If you want, just tell her you like her. If you’re too shy to speak up, go out with her a few more times. Once you’re ready, then tell her you like her.” With that, Yun Zhonglong left Gu Tianan in confusion.

Gu Tianan was stunned for a while before turning to look at Jin Pangzi, only to see him roll his eyes at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Bro, I really want to slap you!” Jin Pangzi cursed through telepathy without any hesitation.

“What did I do to upset you?” Gu Tianan asked, speechless.

“Why are you so slow to understand? How many times do I have to tell you that Ji Xiaoru likes you?” Jin Pangzi was almost frustrated. “Tell me, under what circumstances would a woman stay by a man’s side for billions of years? You’re not her father or her son—can’t you figure it out? I’ve racked my brains over your relationship these years. From now on, whatever you do, I’m not getting involved!”

“Pangzi, if I propose to her tonight, will she say yes?” Gu Tianan’s sudden question left Jin Pangzi stunned.

“What did you say?” Jin Pangzi asked, barely believing it.

“I said I want to propose. Will she say yes?” Gu Tianan repeated.

“Hasn’t she been waiting for this day for billions of years?” Jin Pangzi snapped, then added, “I know you two are shy. I’ll disappear tonight—go wherever you want. And let me know if it works out.”

“Well, thanks, fat guy!” Gu Tiannan finally understood completely.