Strength Clan Estate, Tiandou City.
"Dad—!" Tyrone burst through the doors, gripping his swollen cheek, tears brimming. He dove for his father's leg, sobbing like a child.
Tylenol blinked at the bruises. "What the hell…? Who hit you like this?"
"Dad, it was Lucien!" Tyrone whimpered, the very name making his heart tremble.
Slap!
Tylenol's palm cracked across his son's head.
"Dad…? Why hit me?!"
"You stupid brat! Of all people you could provoke—you chose that ancestor?!" His father's chest heaved. "Don't you know who he is? Half the continent shrinks at his name!"
Tyrone wilted, confused. But I only said 'no drinking'…
Then came another heavy tread.
The room darkened as the Titan himself, patriarch of the Strength Clan, entered. His muscles bulged, fists already creaking with restrained fury.
"What buffoon dared bully my grandson?" His nostrils flared.
"Grandpa!" Tyrone cried instantly. "It was… Lucien!"
Silence dropped. Even the maids froze.
Titan's eyes narrowed, mustache twitching. Then, slowly, he nodded. "So. My grandson angered that demon. Hnn. Exactly like me in my youth… headstrong to a fault."
Tyrone pouted behind him, wronged. How is being beaten my fault…?
Titan cracked his knuckles, grin splitting. "No matter! My son's too useless. But as your grandfather—Lucien or not—I, Titan, will teach him a lesson! Strength Clan must protect its kin!"
Tylenol's face blanched. "Father, no! If you stir this hornet's nest, do you want us exiled from Tiandou?!"
"A man with no honor isn't worthy of the Strength Clan name!" Titan thundered.
Elsewhere – Tiandou Academy.
News spread quick: Lucien is leaving Tiandou City tomorrow!
Half of the city erupted in relief.
The Huangdou Team? They organized a celebratory banquet that very night. Yu Tianheng cheered louder than anyone, guzzling wine of his own. "He's gone! He's finally gone! We can breathe again!"
Tiandou Night Streets.
Lucien himself was busy draining jars while swaying like a willow in spring.
[Ding! Drunken state reached. Fifth spirit ring age +300 years.]
"Xiao Xuexue's the best," he hiccuped, staggering with a grin. "Hundred jars of good wine she sent me. Ah, life's good…"
The night split with a thundering roar—a dragon's cry. Flames churned, twisting like coiling serpents.
Lucien raised his head, lips quirking. "…Little Pepper, coming for a drink again?"
But Liu Erlong's eyes blazed hotter than her fire.
"You bastard!" Her fist clenched as her spirit rings erupted. "You dare ride your old lady like a mount?! Tonight, I'll peel your skin!"
The Clash.
"First Ability—Tyrannosaurus Possessed!" Dragon scales rippled across her limbs, azure armor covering shoulder, arm, calves, and chest.
"Fifth Ability—Soaring Flames!" A cyclone of dragon fire roared up, bursting toward Lucien like an erupting volcano.
Lucien downed a double swig, flames and Sword Qi igniting anew. "Sword Will! Feng Chen Absolute Slash!"
His body blurred, dissolving into twin arcs of Sword Qi that sliced straight through the fiery storm. Sparks as radiant as fireworks sprayed into the sky.
"Old lady's waiting!" Liu Erlong snarled, dragon-arm swelling with scale and force. "Second Ability—Dragon Arm! Fourth Ability—Bloodthirsty Flames!"
Her punch exploded like thunder, wild flame fangs biting the air.
Lucien's eyes darkened, sword roaring. The phantom of an enormous spectral blade formed behind him.
"Ground Splitter!"
SLASH—!
The phantom cleaved down, tearing the sea of flames into halves. Shockwaves vaporized the grass and charred the trees instantly.
Flames still cracked the pavement—yet between the smoke, one silhouette had closed the distance.
"Little Pepper," Lucien's voice growled against her back, "you lost again."
Chills raced her spine. Her Martial Soul flames were suppressed. The gulf only widened. This power…
Do you call this a Soul King?!
Moments later—
"Lucien, you bastard! Put your old lady down!" Liu Erlong shrieked, thrashing across his shoulder like a sack of rice. "Where are you carrying me?!"
"Home."
"Steady! Don't you dare drop me—!"
He staggered into Shrek's dorm building, still swaying like seaweed.
Then threw her down onto the bed with a whump.
"It's late, Little Pepper. Too far to walk. Sleep here." Lucien yawned, plopping half-on top of her, blade against the wall, arms around his jug.
She froze, the proud Fire Dragon utterly humiliated.
"Sleep… in your bed?! You—bastard!"
But exhaustion and shame blended. When his drunken weight settled over her, she could only grit her teeth, eyes burning.
"I'll kill you, Lucien…" she whispered. "If it's the last thing I do."
He snored back in reply.
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