More than half a month had passed since the Tiandou Cup finals, but the image of Shui Bing'er still lingered in Lucien's hazy mind.
So when Meng Shenji announced the Exchange Program… Lucien rarely showed initiative.
"I'm going to Tianshui Academy!"
Meng Shenji nearly choked on his tea.
"Impossible! Tianshui accepts only female students. You? A drunken brat in the girls' dorm? Absolutely not!"
"They're all girls—that's why I should be there to protect them," Lucien said earnestly, jug swinging.
"…Protect them?" Meng Shenji's jaw twitched. "What you mean is drink their wine and make them scream the Academy apart! No! You're going to the Elephant Armored Academy!"
"The elephants? Boring! Full of stinky men!" Lucien hiccupped and spun for the door. "Not going!"
"Wait, wait—!" The old Chief grabbed his sleeve, nearly collapsing. "Fine! But only if Tianshui agrees to accept you… and one more condition." His teeth ground together with helpless fury.
"What?"
"You are not to display your true strength there. No showing off. Drink their wine if you must, but no battles."
Lucien laughed, raising his jug. "Perfect! Only drink wine, don't fight!"
Meng Shenji buried his face in both hands.
This boy… is going to dismantle the heavens.
Night – Streets of Tiandou City.
The sky glittered, curfew bells long rung. A slender figure in a pink dress half-walked, half-dragged Lucien's staggering figure.
"Little beauty," Lucien chuckled, tipping his jug with red cheeks. "Won't you be scolded, staying out so late?"
Xue Ke blushed furiously but didn't let go. "It's fine. Tonight… I can stay at Yuexuan if needed."
Lucien grinned wider. "Bah—Yuexuan too boring. My bed's got more space."
"Ah—!" Xue Ke nearly tripped, face aflame. She, princess of the Tiandou Empire… spending the night with him? If the court found out, even she couldn't dodge punishment.
Before she could even sputter a refusal, Lucien's hand clamped gently on her neck. Her body went slack, falling into his arms.
His drunken smile vanished. Sword already out, his black eyes narrowing. "Come out."
A low chuckle echoed.
"Well, well. Even dead-drunk you noticed me? No wonder they call you Douluo Continent's strongest genius."
Ten meters away, an old figure shimmered into being. Shi Nian, the Nightmare Soul Sage.
Lucien's gaze sharpened cold. "Old man… you looking for death?"
Shi Nian's smile curled sinister. "Yes. I heard of you through Ye Zhiqiu… and of the soul bone you carry. Such treasures are wasted on a mere boy."
His aura flared, Spirit Rings igniting. "You can't resist my Nightmare. Even Title Douluo tremble once they fall into my dream."
Golden darkness wrapped Lucien's field of vision. The world warped—sky gone, replaced by a colossal furnace blazing with hellfire. Undead surged from every corner, clawing, screaming. And upon the furnace—
A sword. Being forged.
A sword identical to the black blade on Lucien's back.
Shi Nian's laughter echoed. "Welcome to my nightmare! No one escapes without despair—"
Lucien's voice cut him off, low and furious:
"Shut your dog mouth."
The black mist around Lucien erupted, flames licking higher with every breath, each ghost piercing his body feeding only his rage.
Shi Nian blinked. What?! Why doesn't he writhe in torment? Why is his face not twisted by agony—but pure ANGER?!
Lucien's flames soared, black torrent blazing three meters high, his eyes dark voids, like the Devil himself climbing out from the abyss.
BOOM—!
The nightmare shattered.
Shi Nian staggered back, horrified. "I-It broke?! Impossible—"
Lucien raised his blade, golden runes on the hilt flickering awake.
A blast of black-and-gold Sword Qi cleaved forward.
The last thing Shi Nian saw was that abyssal glare—
Then his body crumbled into a shriveled husk, collapsing to dust.
When the nightmare dissolved, Xue Ke shuddered awake, her lashes damp with fear. "Lucien! Are you… are you alright?"
But the sight froze her.
Black flames still rolled off his body, scorching the cobblestone black, spiderweb cracks breaking outward, the air itself trembling.
He stood like a demon king risen from hell, jug dangling in one hand, blade dripping nightmare fire from the other.
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