Yu Tianyan was preparing to visit the Xingluo Empire's Po Yi Clan to gather information when Liu Erlong reached level 89. However, he hadn't anticipated being threatened by Dugu Bo beforehand.
Xiaoyan, it's not that I can't handle Dugu Bo," Liu Erlong said coldly. "Give me a burst of fire, and I'll show you his corpse."She was worried that Yu Tianyan's secret might be exposed.
Her current strength wasn't enough to protect him, and if his secret came to light, he'd become a target for every major faction.Yu Tianyan looked up, meeting Liu Erlong's gaze with a serious expression.
"Dugu Yan is here. Why kill him? There's no need. I'll accept his threat."Liu Erlong frowned, puzzled. "He dared send Dugu Yan to Lanba Academy? Isn't that handing us his weakness?"It wasn't surprising that Liu Erlong couldn't follow Yu Tianyan's reasoning.
If the Horn of Slaughter was skilled at scheming, something strange was afoot.Yu Tianyan sighed helplessly. "Sister, that's exactly what makes the old man so clever. He's likely been investigating us for a while. Just as we couldn't identify him at first, he couldn't be sure if we'd recognize him.
Sending Dugu Yan here, under a different name, piqued her interest without revealing his hand."He paused, then smiled faintly. "Good morning, everyone."Liu Erlong's frown deepened, her tone laced with displeasure. "This is a trunk soul bone, Xiaoyan. Why give it to her so easily? If you need a soul bone, separate a strand of fire, and I'll hunt a ten-thousand-year soul beast for you.
That night, after hearing the news, Liu Erlong was so furious she nearly set the house ablaze again. If Yu Tianyan hadn't restrained her, she would've thrown Dugu Yan out of Lanba Academy.Jiangzhu waved excitedly at Yu Tianyan. "Brother Tianyan!"As for Dugu Bo's precious granddaughter and the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family member he'd mentioned, he'd met them.
They were talented, but compared to Yu Tianyan, the gap was clear. More importantly, Dugu Bo saw an opportunity to secure a soul bone.
As a Titled Douluo, he believed he had the status to demand at least a ten-thousand-year soul bone from the dean and Yu Tianyan.
With a ten-thousand-year soul bone, his granddaughter's physique could be strengthened, delaying the poison's effects for years. If Dugu Yan built a good relationship with them, he might even acquire more soul bones to further enhance her constitution.
His mood was buoyant. After years of torment from his own poison, he'd stumbled upon their secret by chance—a strange hissing sound had revealed it. Truly, the heavens were on his side.…Huang Yuan stepped forward quickly.
"Captain, what are your orders?"Yinshu, aware of their schedules, had come to report after dinner. Dugu Yan's arrival had spread among the students. When Ask woke up, his first instinct was to challenge her to a rematch after their previous encounter.
Captain!" the team called in unison.Yu Tianyan shook his head, holding up a soul bone. "This is a forty-thousand-year Demon Soul Poison Anaconda trunk bone."An old man in a plain gray robe,
his face alight with anticipation, had been investigating Lanba Academy for over a month. Dean Liu Erlong was nominally a level 70 Battle Soul Saint, but her actual soul power reached level 88.
He'd seen three soul bones and suspected there were more."His threat is meant to provoke me," Yu Tianyan said, "but I can use him.
Heart fire," Liu Erlong muttered, "if I don't shut up, you'll stir up the heart fire…"She fell silent, processing his words.To maintain morale, Yinshu had gone to great lengths. When he heard Dugu Yan had challenged Yu Tianyan but was injured by Jing Ling, he couldn't help laughing in front of Liu Erlong and Yu Tianyan.
In his mind, he gave Jing Ling ten thousand likes.Yu Tianyan had recruited a talented student and kept it under wraps, even forming a tacit agreement with a Titled Douluo.
Though the academy's overall environment was modest, a new teaching area had been built. Yinshu believed Dugu Yan's talent would secure her a spot in the new school district.In every Soul Master Competition, standout talents emerged, and this year, he'd identified three exceptional young soul masters.
The one with extraordinary abilities was Liu Erlong's younger brother. According to an old student, the boy's martial spirit was lightning, leading Dugu Bo to suspect he possessed twin martial spirits—though he hadn't fully disclosed this to his granddaughter.He'd carefully considered letting Dugu Yan join Lanba Academy.
While Tiandou Royal Academy was prestigious, most students were spoiled nobles, with less than twenty percent dedicated to training.
This civilian academy, however, fostered a diligent atmosphere, with hardworking students and devoted teachers."You should discipline her," Liu Erlong said regretfully. "I want to teach her a lesson myself."Soul bones were rare, and high-quality ones even rarer. She feared Yu Tianyan's stock would run dry if this continued.
Yu Tianyan had accepted his fate. A threat was a threat, but he couldn't afford to act recklessly and lose everything.Liu Erlong, still confused, couldn't understand why Yu Tianyan seemed suddenly somber.Outside Lanba Academy, in a quiet courtyard, stood a tall, thin old man, sharp as a javelin, with dark green hair and a beard. His emerald eyes gleamed."So what if I'm Dugu Bo?" Liu Erlong scoffed.
"Am I afraid of him?"Hearing this, Jing Ling and Huang Yuan paused their sparring.After sending a letter, Liu Erlong roared at Yu Tianyan, "What the hell? Mocking my academy?"Fearing she'd lash out, Yu Tianyan went alone to the new campus, carrying the soul bone.In a pavilion, Dugu Yan sat, propping her cheeks, watching Jing Ling and Huang Yuan spar with keen interest.
These soul bones were hard-won, obtained through blood and fire. Liu Erlong couldn't bear to part with them.Yu Tianyan's mouth twitched, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Think of it as me being kind-hearted.""Fine, but which soul bone are you giving Dugu Yan? You're not giving her all of them, are you?" Liu Erlong asked.
Instead of waiting for us to uncover his identity, he sent his granddaughter here directly," Yu Tianyan explained.
He's been to the new campus and was likely impressed by Yinshu's teaching area. By sending Dugu Yan, he's showing goodwill. As long as we provide the soul bone, Dugu Bo will pretend he saw nothing. He avoids offending a super soul douluo while securing a soul bone for his granddaughter. It's a win-win.
Dugu Bo must have assumed soul bones were plentiful for them, treating them like common goods. He'd given them a multiple-choice question with the answer already decided.Under the threat of Yu Tianyan's inner fire, Liu Erlong finally calmed down.
As he'd said, they couldn't act against Dugu Bo now, and his move was a gesture of goodwill.
It was just a soul bone. They didn't need it, but it still stung.The next morning, an old man gazed silently toward Lanba Academy.Dugu Yan blinked, as if struck by an unsettling thought."Follow me," Yu Tianyan said, heading straight to the dormitory.
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