The afternoon sunlight bathed the restaurant's metal doorframe in a golden glow. Gu La stood by the polished, reflective surface of the entrance, the hem of his white trench coat swaying gently in the evening breeze.
His slender fingers toyed with an antique silver coin—over twenty thousand years old in this era. The cold metallic gleam danced between his fingers as a faint, amused smile lingered on his lips, exuding an air of detached amusement at the brewing conflict inside.
"Take it outside if you want to fight."
His casual words drifted into the restaurant like a chilling breeze, scattering the savory aroma of seafood.
Tang Wulin paused mid-motion, exhaling slightly in relief.
He had heard that Ye Xinglan was an inner court student of Shrek Academy, and he didn't believe he could defeat her yet. But Gu La? He trusted Gu La's strength completely.
"Gu La, you're here. We were just…"
"I heard everything."
Gu La raised a hand to stop him, hands casually tucked into his pockets. "Being a Shrek student is something to be proud of, but it doesn't give you the right to look down on others. If you want Xie Xie to apologize, shouldn't you also apologize to Tang Wulin first?"
Ye Xinglan's fingers tightened abruptly, her eyes flashing with frosty resolve in the twilight. Beside her, Xu Lizhi tugged nervously at her sleeve, sweat beads forming on his chubby nose as he sensed the immense pressure radiating from Gu La.
Xie Xie leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. Getting on Gu La's bad side? Good luck with that.
"Sister Xinglan, it's not…" Xu Lizhi stammered, his face flushed as he tried to explain, but Ye Xinglan pulled him behind her. The girl shot Gu La a deep, piercing glance before turning sharply, her ponytail slicing through the air in a sharp arc. "I don't think I'm wrong, and he doesn't deserve an apology. Lizhi, let's go."
With that, she prepared to leave with Xu Lizhi. Proud as she was, she wasn't foolish. She knew her limits—confident enough to take on three or four opponents, but not five.
Tang Wulin made no move to stop them. He wasn't one to provoke trouble unnecessarily. Though irritated, he saw no point in prolonging the confrontation. For him, nothing mattered more than filling his stomach.
With a hint of lingering frustration, he said, "Don't let her ruin our mood. The seafood here is pretty good. Let's eat together."
"Sure."
Gu La stepped up to the counter, eyeing the empty buffet area. He slapped his palm on the greasy surface. "Boss, out of stock? Bring me ten pounds of salt-baked lobster."
The middle-aged man behind the counter flinched, his hand gripping the rag tightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Eh… esteemed guest…"
His gaze flickered toward the mountain of discarded shells in the corner. "Today's... supplies were coincidentally eaten up by that young man over there." He pointed a calloused finger at Tang Wulin, who was about to devour the last remnants of food, traces of sauce still visible on his lips.
Of course, the restaurant wouldn't have stocked only a day's worth of ingredients, but Tang Wulin's appetite was monstrous. The owner had no choice but to lie to cut his losses.
Tang Wulin wasn't oblivious to the owner's plight and looked slightly embarrassed.
Ordinary seafood lacked sufficient energy, and after his battle, he had been ravenous. Once he started eating, he lost all sense of restraint.
Gu La raised an eyebrow at Tang Wulin's innocent expression, chuckling softly. He was used to this. When Tang Wulin was short on cash, he'd often visit all-you-can-eat restaurants—but usually ended up blacklisted after one visit. Fortunately, he wasn't always strapped for money.
"Let's change places then."
Gu La suggested, "Tang Wulin must be nearly full. Let's go for barbecue next—I'll treat."
Whether in his past life or this one, Gu La wasn't picky about food. And now that he wasn't lacking funds, he had no intention of depriving himself—or his digestive system.
Though treating Tang Wulin would undoubtedly hurt his wallet.
"Alright."
Tang Wulin never refused a free meal. He felt he could still eat more. "We've got a match this afternoon, so don't be late."
On the streets of Tianhai City in the afternoon, the smoky scent of grilled squid wafted through the air. Tang Wulin, patting his slightly bulging belly, led the group back to Tianhai Stadium.
As they turned past the marble columns of the stadium, Tang Wulin's eyes flickered. He spotted Ye Xinglan and her team. The two groups locked eyes and froze in place.
"You again? Is stalking people really that fun?"
The girl's voice was as sharp as an ice-cold blade. Her five teammates instinctively moved forward to back her up. Xu Lizhi's hand holding a cream bun froze mid-air, powdered sugar cascading onto his shiny leather shoes.
Tang Wulin and his companions were utterly baffled, feeling utterly wronged. Wasn't she being overly confident?
Xie Xie couldn't help but retort angrily, "Who's stalking whom? The competition arena isn't your private property. Are you this narcissistic because you need a soul master to check your brain?"
"Watch your mouth, punk. Keep it clean."
Before Ye Xinglan could respond, the captain of her team spoke up. He was a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul master, the temporary leader of their squad—a four-ringed Soul Elder named Yu Tianliang.
The air crackled with a burnt smell as Yu Tianliang stepped forward, arcs of blue-purple lightning dancing in his hair. This towering Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul master, nearly six feet tall, hadn't even unleashed his martial soul yet. The mere ripple of his soul power scorched the collar of Xie Xie's uniform, sending wisps of smoke curling upward.
He carried the pride inherent to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul lineage—and as a Shrek Academy student, he saw this altercation as an opportunity to win favor for his team.
"Kneel and apologize, or face the consequences."
Yu Tianliang's voice thundered with the resonance of rolling thunder, seemingly enhanced by a specialized soul technique. Xie Xie's knees involuntarily buckled.
Anger flashed across Xie Xie's face. This was outright humiliation. Just as he prepared to release his martial soul—
Tang Wulin stepped forward, golden patterns flickering faintly on his neck. The aura of the Golden Dragon King manifested as an invisible barrier, swallowing the oppressive might of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's electricity entirely.
Yu Tianliang instinctively recoiled. Even Super Douluo Zhuo Shi had been suppressed by such power—what chance did a four-ring Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul master stand?
"You've gone too far," Tang Wulin said calmly. "Even if Xie Xie misspoke, it doesn't justify your humiliation."
Watching the scene unfold, Gu La silently thanked fate that his martial soul wasn't native to Douluo Continent. Otherwise, he'd likely be similarly restrained by the Golden Dragon King's influence.
High above, atop the stadium, Wu Zhangkong's icy-blue robes billowed fiercely in the hundred-meter-high winds.
Shen Yi twirled a silver bell in her hair, smiling. "Big Brother, aren't you worried? That Yu kid covered half the stage with his Thunderstorm Domain during the exhibition match."
"Big Brother, your little protégés are clashing with the junior students. Shouldn't we intervene to prevent injuries? Shall I call them back?"
Wu Zhangkong's gaze flickered as he recalled the intense training sessions with Gu La. The other party's progress defied his understanding of human potential. Calmly, he replied, "No need. They won't come out worse for it."
Shen Yi froze, her gaze fixed intently on Wu Zhangkong. A whirlwind of emotions churned within her, though she voiced none. Disbelievingly, she said, "Impossible. Yu Tianliang is fifteen and already a four-ring Soul Elder. Your students—they're barely twelve!"
Wu Zhangkong shook his head. "Some prodigies can't be judged by conventional standards. Half of them are already qualified to enter the inner court."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)