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Yu Luomian, the second patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, did not respond to Yu Xiaogang. He merely stared at him in silence.
The once-noisy room fell still in an instant, the atmosphere plunging to absolute zero.
Oscar could even hear Dean Liu's heart pounding violently.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Flender's forehead. He knew they were in serious trouble.
Liu Erlong's panic slowly settled into calm—and then a wave of anger surged from the depths of her heart.
She was calm because her father hadn't sought her out for decades. To her, he was little more than a stranger.
She was angry because just as she was about to be with Xiaogang, this estranged "father" had come to tear their love apart!
"Everyone out. He's my father," Liu Erlong ordered.
At her word, the group quickly filed out past Yu Luomian.
Flender gave Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang an encouraging look before leaving as well, closing the door to leave only the three of them inside.
"Why are you here?" Liu Erlong asked coolly.
Yu Luomian's lips trembled faintly. Only after a long silence did he speak.
"Do you have any idea what the two of you are doing?" Yu Luomian fixed his gaze squarely on Yu Xiaogang.
Locked under that razor-edged stare, Yu Xiaogang felt a terror unlike any other. His second uncle was like a raging dragon on the verge of erupting, ready to devour him whole.
Panic washed over Yu Xiaogang, followed swiftly by shame and guilt.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Clearly, he found the matter between himself and Liu Erlong impossible to confess.
Liu Erlong seized Yu Xiaogang's arm and laughed derisively. "Aren't you just playing dumb? I am going to be with Xiaogang!"
Smack!
Smack!
In a flash, Yu Luomian stood before them. He slapped Liu Erlong across the face, then backhanded Yu Xiaogang with the same motion.
Yu Xiaogang was sent flying, crashing into a nearby wine cabinet.
"Xiaogang!" Liu Erlong cried, rushing to him. She helped him up and cradled him in her arms, ignoring her own swollen cheek and the blood at the corner of her mouth.
Half of Yu Xiaogang's face puffed up like a pig's head.
It wasn't that Yu Luomian had lost control; it was that Yu Xiaogang's conduct had disappointed him too deeply.
The man didn't even have the courage to admit he loved Erlong. If he had dared to acknowledge it, Yu Luomian would have at least respected him as a man. As it stood, in Yu Luomian's eyes, Yu Xiaogang was no man at all—just a coward hiding behind a facade of empty pride.
When he saw the swelling on Liu Erlong's cheek, Yu Luomian's pupils constricted. A pain like never before gripped his heart.
Tears welled in Liu Erlong's eyes. "Father! Xiaogang and I share a true love! It's a spiritual love! As long as we can see each other, we're content!"
"I promise—we will absolutely never cross that line! Father, please, just grant Erlong this one request!"
Looking at his daughter weeping like a pear blossom in the rain, Yu Luomian sighed softly in his heart.
"You two had better remember the promise you're making me today. If you dare cross that line, I don't know what I might do!" Yu Luomian's face twisted with pain.
"I promise! Father, I promise—ours is a spiritual love!" Liu Erlong sobbed, tugging Yu Xiaogang's arm.
Yu Xiaogang mumbled through his swollen face, "I… promise."
"As the second-generation patriarch, I hereby strike Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's genealogy. From this day on, you are no longer members. When I return, I will erase your names from the register."
"Father! Father! Are you abandoning me?!" Liu Erlong broke down completely.
Yu Xiaogang's expression changed drastically. "You can't do this! You have no right!"
He had plagiarized Spirit Hall's theories and nurtured Tang San all to prove to the sect that he was not useless. It wasn't that he hated the sect—on the contrary, he was immensely proud to belong to the continent's foremost beast-spirit sect. Everything he did was for their recognition.
Now, his second uncle was cutting him from the family register. It was tantamount to erasing his very reason for existing—a fate worse than death.
Yu Xiaogang even wanted to say he'd leave Liu Erlong if it meant being restored to the register. But considering the relationship between Liu Erlong and Yu Luomian, he feared that the moment he spoke those words, Yu Luomian would crush him on the spot. So he merely opened his mouth and said nothing.
Yu Luomian glanced at Liu Erlong with aching tenderness, his eyes bloodshot. "Erlong, you will always be my daughter! But I am also the second-generation patriarch. I must answer to the sect, so I have to remove you from the genealogy."
He turned back to Yu Xiaogang. "And if you want to run and tattle to my elder brother, be my guest."
"I…" Yu Xiaogang faltered. If his father learned of his entanglement with Erlong, he would be crippled without hesitation.
His father tolerated no imperfections. When the scandal first broke out, it was only because Second Uncle Yu Luomian pleaded for Erlong's sake that he was allowed to flee to Nuoding Academy. If his father discovered he had rekindled things with Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang couldn't imagine what ruthless act of "familial justice" he might carry out.
"Yu Xiaogang, remember this," Yu Luomian warned. "Whatever disputes exist between Shrek Academy and Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I forbid you from having any contact with Yu Tianheng or Yu Tianxin."
"What's that supposed to mean? I can't even speak to my own nephews?" Yu Xiaogang snarled.
"You think I didn't hear the 'advice' you gave Tianxin? If not for Ye Lan's mercy, Tianxin would have died on that stage—do you understand?!" Yu Luomian roared, seizing Yu Xiaogang by the collar.
"'The Scholar' Ye Lan's theories aren't something your half-baked drivel can compare to. With your limited vision, you can't even recognize how terrifying Tianheng has become under Ye Lan's tutelage! The sect has already passed a resolution: we will cultivate friendly relations with 'The Scholar' Ye Lan. For the next few hundred years, the Douluo Continent will revolve around Ye Lan—just as it once did around Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu."
"My theories are not 'half-baked drivel'! So what if there's a Ye Lan?! My disciple will prove to the world that my theory is number one on the continent!" Yu Xiaogang retorted in a fury.
"For Erlong's sake, I won't argue. But mark my words: stay away from Tianheng. If he falls out with Ye Lan because of you, I will not forgive you," Yu Luomian said coldly.
Yu Xiaogang's face tightened.
Ye Lan, Ye Lan, Ye Lan!
It was always Ye Lan!
The title of "the continent's number-one theoretician" had been ripped from him and handed to Ye Lan!
These days, Yu Xiaogang didn't even dare walk the streets alone; he couldn't bear the whispers behind his back. Even at Blue Tyrant Academy, the taunts never ceased.
"Isn't this the Grand Fraud, Yu Xiaogang?"
"Grand what? 'The Scholar' either overturned his theories or simply surpassed them."
"Right? Look at him—nearly sixty and still just a Spirit Grandmaster!"
"What good are his theories besides misleading students? 'Number-one theoretical master on the continent'? Please!"
"Hmph, more like a marketing master."
"I hear his spirit can only fart. Packaging trash like that into a 'theory master'… now that's a marketing genius."
While Yu Xiaogang drowned in memories of ridicule, Yu Luomian flung his sleeves and departed.
Seeing her father leave, Liu Erlong finally breathed a sigh of relief. From now on, she could be with Yu Xiaogang openly, free from her father's opposition.
The price was that they could never cross that red line.
At that thought, Liu Erlong sighed inwardly.
"YE LAN!!!" Yu Xiaogang screamed, his heart surging with rage.
Startled, Liu Erlong quickly hugged him tighter in comfort, murmuring, "Xiaogang, let's not compare ourselves to others. In my heart, your theories are perfect."
Heaven Dou City Great Spirit Arena · Emperor Fight Team Lounge
After reviewing the day's match with Qin Ming, Ye Lan dismissed the team.
"Ye Lan, what's for dinner? Are you cooking?" Xiaoxue asked expectantly.
"I could. What does everyone want?" Ye Lan replied after a moment.
"Roast chicken! Roast chicken!" Dugu Yan cheered.
"I can make roast chicken too! Ye Lan, let me do it!" Ning Rongrong declared with absolute confidence.
Dugu Yan's face fell. "Rongrong, I'll let you call me a 'bad woman' today, but you are not allowed in the kitchen!"
Pfft!
Everyone burst into laughter.
Just then, Ye Lan stepped out of the lounge. The temperature instantly dropped several degrees. He looked toward the source of the chill.
A girl with ice-blue hair leaned against a marble wall, pale fingers anxiously folding and unfolding an envelope.
Sensing his presence, the blue-haired girl turned and met Ye Lan's golden eyes. A faint blush immediately colored her snow-white cheeks.
Ye Lan froze for a heartbeat before a sharp pain shot to his brain from the soft flesh at his waist.
He discreetly flicked Xiaoxue's hand away. By then, the blue-haired girl had recovered from her daze. "Ye-Shen, could you sign this?" she asked nervously.
"Sure. Right here?" Ye Lan took the envelope and signed his name.
The girl stared excitedly at the autograph. "Ye-Shen, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Shui Bing'er, captain of Tianshui Academy. Tomorrow is our match against Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Will you be playing?" she asked, her eyes full of hope.
She knew Huo Wu had already met her idol. If Ye Lan didn't play tomorrow, it might become her life's greatest regret.
"You can just call me Ye Lan." He was about to answer when a warm, soft body wrapped around him from behind.
Xiaoxue looped her arms around Ye Lan's waist and stared defiantly at Shui Bing'er. "Even if Ye Lan doesn't play tomorrow, I can still defeat you!" she declared.
Only now did Shui Bing'er get a good look at Xiaoxue. She was a perfect little angel. Only a girl like this is worthy of Ye-Shen, she thought.
She didn't know Xiaoxue's background, as Xiaoxue had never fought publicly in the qualifiers. Though she felt no malice, a fan's courage surged within her. "I want to fight Ye Lan," she said bravely. "Not you."
"I'll be on the field tomorrow," Ye Lan said, ruffling Xiaoxue's hair.
Feeling his touch, Xiaoxue relaxed her grip.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow!" Satisfied, Shui Bing'er waved goodbye and left, her steps filled with joy.
"Teacher, me too!"
"And me, Rongrong!"
Ye Lengleng and Dugu Yan said nothing, but their eyes told Ye Lan this was important.
Ye Lan patted each of the four heads in turn, showing no favoritism.
"Ye Lan, I'm playing tomorrow! And you are not allowed to make a move!" Xiaoxue announced imperiously.
"Teacher, I want to play too!" Zhu Zhuqing added.
"If Zhuqing's playing, then you can't leave me out," Ning Rongrong chimed in.
Dugu Yan declared, "Then all six of us will fight tomorrow! We'll call it the 'Battle to Protect Ye Lan'!"
Ye Lengleng smiled faintly, clearly in agreement.
"The 'Battle to Protect Ye Lan'? Do I need protecting?" Ye Lan sighed.
He was immediately swarmed by Ning Rongrong and Xiaoxue.
"And who was just making eyes at a fan? Speak! Who's prettier, me or Shui Bing'er?!" Xiaoxue demanded, hands on her hips.
"You, you, you!"
"Idol! You wouldn't dump your number-one fan for Shui Bing'er, would you?" Dugu Yan cooed.
"Of course not! You're the president of the Ye Lan Fan Club!"
"Teacher, is Shui Bing'er very pretty?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Not as pretty as Zhuqing!"
"Ye Lan! You have to make me ten skewers of candied hawthorn, or I won't forgive you!" Ning Rongrong huffed.
"I'll make them tonight!"
"I'll help with dinner, or you'll never finish," Ye Lengleng offered with a smile.
Warmth spread through Ye Lan. Lengleng truly was the most thoughtful.
"Hooray! I finally get to eat Big Sister Lengleng's cooking!" Ning Rongrong cheered.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy vs. Tianshui Academy
"The much-anticipated showdown is about to begin! On one side, the endlessly versatile Heaven Dou Royal Academy! On the other, the academy renowned as home to the empire's greatest beauties! What sparks will fly when they collide?!"
"Let us welcome the continent's number-one theoretician—'The Scholar'!"
"The Great Spirit Arena's miracle—'Azure Emperor'!"
"The Master Tactician!"
"Captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
"YE—LAN!"
The torrent of titles ignited the crowd's passion, and cheers surged like waves.
"Next up, the vice-captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy! Xiaoxue, with her spirit, Angel Holy Sword! Level 54—an assault-type Spirit King!"
"Zhu Zhuqing, spirit: Shadow Holy Cat, Level 40—an agility-type Spirit Elder!"
"Did I hear that right?! She's level fifty-four?! She looks even younger than the Azure Emperor!"
"So the true hidden boss of Heaven Dou Royal Academy is the vice-captain?!"
"She's so beautiful! No wonder she captured our idol… sob…" a cute girl wailed in the stands.
"I'm so jealous of the captain!" Oslo lamented from the team box. "When will girls ever fight over me like that?"
Yu Feng nodded frantically. "If girls fought for me like that, I'd never let go, even in death!"
Tianshui Academy Lounge
"Big Sis, is that the blonde girl you mentioned? She's gorgeous!" Xue Wu's eyes sparkled.
"Her strength is even scarier! She looks younger than Little Sis, but she's already a level fifty-four Spirit King!" Shui Yue'er exclaimed.
Yu Hairou teased, "Looks like your idol-chasing is doomed to fail, Big Sis."
Shui Bing'er pinched Yu Hairou's cheeks. "As long as Ye-Shen plays, I'm satisfied! Xue Wu, you must coordinate with me perfectly so we can show our full strength! No regrets!"
"Yes, Big Sis!" Xue Wu replied, thrilled.
"Entering next is Tianshui Academy's captain: Shui Bing'er, spirit: Ice Phoenix, Level 43, control-type Spirit Ancestor!"
"Xue Wu, spirit: Slender Dance of Snow, Level 42, support-type Spirit Ancestor!"
"Yu Hairou, spirit: Coral Barracuda, Level 42, assault-type Spirit Ancestor!"
"Shui Yue'er, spirit: Lustrous Jade Dolphin, Level 36, agility-type Spirit Elder!"
"Shen Liuyu, spirit: Enamel Crocodile, Level 37, assault-type Spirit Elder!"
"Gu Qingbo, spirit: Azure Marlin, Level 38, agility-type Spirit Elder!"
"Qiu Ruoshui, spirit: Cobalt Perch, Level 37, assault-type Spirit Elder!"
Upon taking the stage, Tianshui adopted a 3-3-1 formation. The three assault types stood in front, with the two agility types and Shui Bing'er behind them. The support, Xue Wu, stood at the very back. The five front fighters formed a protective shell around Shui Bing'er, underscoring her role as the team's core.
Across from them, Heaven Dou's formation was simple. Xiaoxue, Dugu Yan, and Zhu Zhuqing formed the front line. The three "supports"—Ye Lan, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lengleng—took the rear.
"Qualifiers, Round Nine, First Zone, First Ring—Heaven Dou Royal Academy vs. Tianshui Academy—begin!" the referee roared.
At his word, spirit light flared on both sides.
"Angel Holy Sword!" Xiaoxue commanded. A golden sword appeared in her palm, the air warping around the white flames sheathing its blade.
"Holy Cat—Possession! Speed Form!" Zhu Zhuqing transformed into an adorable cat-girl. Though she lacked a fourth spirit ring, her power couldn't be judged by ring count. She had fully mastered the first stage of the Spirit Possession Adaptation Method, granting her a permanent one-hundred-percent boost to speed.
Dugu Yan activated her Dragon Emperor possession and immediately used her fourth spirit skill, Poison Dragon Battle Armor, doubling her defense and strength.
This was the Battle to Protect Ye Lan. He would not attack, only using Life Link to protect the supports. The fighting was up to the trio: Xiaoxue, Zhuqing, and Yanyan.
Across the stage, the Tianshui team completed their possessions. Instantly, Shui Bing'er's first two spirit rings lit up.
"Ice Seal!"
"Ice-Ring Armor!"
All six members of Heaven Dou were frozen solid. Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, about to charge, were stopped in their tracks, encased in clear ice. As they froze, five more icy rings shot from Shui Bing'er, enveloping her five teammates in gleaming, azure armor.
"Proceed with the plan! Xue Wu, prepare!"
Xue Wu's first three spirit rings shone at once.
"Black Clouds! Downpour! Snow and Ice!"
The clear sky darkened as storm clouds billowed over the arena. Giant raindrops began to fall, freezing into a sheet of ice the moment they touched the stage.
Protected by their Ice-Ring Armor, the Tianshui fighters were unaffected. Ice skates formed under their feet, and they shot across the frozen field toward the trapped trio, their speed massively boosted.
Less than a second after being frozen, the platinum flames on Xiaoxue's sword roared to life. The temperature spiked, and the ice trapping her instantly vaporized. The ground beneath her was baked dry, but everywhere else, Xue Wu's blizzard raged on, thickening the ice and dropping the temperature. Spectators shivered, while those who had seen Tianshui fight before pulled out pre-prepared coats.
Crack!
Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan shattered their icy prisons. Zhu Zhuqing frowned. She finally understood why Teacher said agility types weren't invincible. A control spirit like the Ice Phoenix was a hard counter—its first skill was a guaranteed area-of-effect stun.
Behind them, golden light erupted from Ye Lan as he broke his ice, then freed Ye Lengleng and Ning Rongrong.
"Don't worry about us," he called out. "I'll protect Lengleng and Rongrong!"
(End of Chapter)