Yu Tianheng's Challenge

Besides points and honor, Tang San had also made a fortune from Soul Fighting.

For every match, Tang San bet on himself to win.

At first, Tang San's odds were high because no one believed a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master could win. But after Tang San won more than ten matches in a row, the odds dropped very low.

Even so, over two months, Tang San had accumulated two million Gold Soul Coins in winnings from his bets.

Two million Gold Soul Coins.

It was an enormous sum.

Even for a Soul Master, it was considerable wealth. It could be used to buy cultivation resources, Soul Tools, medicinal herbs, and more.

With those two million Gold Soul Coins, Tang San felt much more secure.

Money gave a man courage. There wasn't a shred of doubt about that.

As word of his thirty consecutive wins spread, the name "Cyberpunk" became known in every household in Heaven Dou City.

In the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns, people everywhere were talking about the mysterious Blue Silver Grass Soul Master.

Heaven Dou City's major powers also began paying attention to this "Cyberpunk."

At every Soul Fighting match, a few unusual faces appeared in the stands. Some were spies from major clans, some were disciples of sects, and there were even secret agents of the imperial family.

To the northeast of Heaven Dou City, some twenty li outside its walls, stood an academy built against a mountain.

Mountains and a lake embraced the academy on either side, and both the mountains and the waters belonged to it. Mist rose from the lake and blended with the clouds and fog among the mountains, shrouding the entire academy in a dreamlike, illusory fairyland. The academy's cultivation environment was uniquely blessed, and its teaching staff was unmatched throughout Heaven Dou.

This was the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the Soul Master Academy directly under the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family.

At that moment, Yu Tianheng was sparring with several classmates on one of the academy's training grounds.

Yu Tianheng was fourteen years old, tall and handsome, with blue hair that gleamed in the sunlight. His Martial Soul was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, hailed as the number one Beast Martial Soul under heaven, and its attack power was exceptionally formidable. Although his Soul Power was only at rank twenty-eight, his combat strength was already among the best of his peers.

With a Thunder Dragon Claw, Yu Tianheng blasted his opponent away, then lowered his hands and stood still, though there was little joy on his face.

Yu Tianheng's gaze fell on a figure at the edge of the training ground.

She was a girl of about thirteen or fourteen, with short, deep-purple hair that gave her a heroic air, delicate features, fair skin, and a tall figure. She wore a fitted purple outfit that outlined her shapely figure just right. Her emerald-green eyes added a touch of bewitching strangeness.

The girl leaned against the railing, watching the sparring on the training ground with utter boredom, a faint trace of impatience at the corner of her mouth.

She was Dugu Yan, granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. She could be called the campus belle of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and she was also the person Yu Tianheng had been pursuing.

Yu Tianheng took a deep breath and walked over to Dugu Yan.

"Yanzi, today's training is over. Can I treat you to a meal?" Yu Tianheng's voice held a note of caution.

Dugu Yan didn't even look at Yu Tianheng. "Not interested," she said indifferently.

"Then... what about tomorrow?"

"Not interested either."

The smile on Yu Tianheng's face stiffened a little, but he didn't give up. Yu Tianheng had been pursuing Dugu Yan for more than half a year and had been rejected countless times. He was used to it by now.

"Then what do you want to do? I'll come with you."

Dugu Yan finally turned her head, a flicker of irritation passing through her purple eyes.

"Yu Tianheng, can't you stop pestering me? How many times have I told you? I don't have feelings for you."

Yu Tianheng's expression changed, but when he remembered that getting close to Dugu Yan was a task assigned by his clan, with the aim of winning over the Titled Douluo Dugu Bo, a smile quickly returned to his face. "Feelings can grow over time..."

"Aren't you tired of this?" Dugu Yan cut Yu Tianheng off, her impatience plain in her voice.

Dugu Yan turned around, preparing to leave.

After taking a few steps, Dugu Yan suddenly remembered something and stopped.

The hottest topic in Heaven Dou City lately was that kid called "Cyberpunk." Eleven years old, a rank twenty-five Soul Grandmaster, with Blue Silver Grass as his Martial Soul and thirty consecutive wins.

Although Dugu Yan didn't pay much attention to such matters, she couldn't escape the people around her talking about him every day.

An idea suddenly occurred to her.

Dugu Yan turned to look at Yu Tianheng, the corners of her mouth curving up in a sly smile.

"Yu Tianheng, haven't you always wanted me to accept you?"

Yu Tianheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded. "Of course!"

"All right, then." Dugu Yan gestured toward the edge of the training ground, her tone airy. "I heard there's a very capable fellow at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena lately, called Cyberpunk or something. If you can beat him, I'll accept your courtship."

"If you lose, please don't bother me again."

Yu Tianheng froze for a moment.

Cyberpunk?

Yu Tianheng had of course heard the name. The Great Soul Arena's rising star had caused such a stir in Heaven Dou City's circles that it was hard not to know about him.

But no matter how capable he was, he was only a rank twenty-five Soul Grandmaster.

Yu Tianheng himself was a rank twenty-eight Soul Grandmaster, and his Martial Soul was the number one Beast Martial Soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Its attack power was practically unmatched among those of the same rank.

How could a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master possibly be his match?

"That's all?" Yu Tianheng smiled, a trace of contempt in his grin. "All right, I agree. Tomorrow I'll go to the Great Soul Arena and defeat him in front of everyone."

Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Yu Tianheng watched Dugu Yan's retreating figure disappear beyond the training ground, a gleam of determination to win flashing in his eyes.

He turned and walked toward the lounge, immediately instructing his attendant, "Contact the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena for me. I want to sign up to challenge Cyberpunk. As soon as possible, preferably tomorrow."

The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, the manager's office.

Tang San sat on the sofa, a cup of hot tea on the coffee table before him, its fragrance curling through the air.

Sitting across from him was the Great Soul Arena's manager, a man in his forties whose surname was Li. Everyone called him Manager Li.

Manager Li was slightly plump and always wore a kindly smile, but anyone who could reach his position was certainly not as simple as he appeared.

"Young friend Cyberpunk, I invited you here today because there's something I'd like to discuss with you." Manager Li got straight to the point.

"Please, go ahead." Tang San picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"You've heard of Yu Tianheng from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I presume?"

Tang San thought for a moment, then nodded.

As a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianheng was indeed quite well known among the younger generation in Heaven Dou City.

"He wants to challenge you," Manager Li said. "And he hopes this challenge will be your thirty-first Soul Fighting match, the decisive battle in your bid for a Gold Soul Fighting Badge."

Tang San's heart stirred at the words. It had come—the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally come.

But Tang San kept his expression unchanged. He set down his teacup and looked calmly at Manager Li.

"Why should I agree?"

Manager Li smiled, took a sheet of paper from a drawer, and pushed it in front of Tang San.

"These are Yu Tianheng's terms. If you're willing to fight, he'll personally pay you two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins as your fee. In addition, the Great Soul Arena will provide you with extra publicity and financial support."

Tang San glanced at the paper but didn't reach for it.

Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins was no small sum. An unexpected windfall, truly an unexpected windfall.

He had originally only wanted to use this opportunity to attract Dugu Yan's attention. He hadn't expected to make a profit as well. Though he had yet to meet Yu Tianheng, that easy mark, Tang San was already starting to like him.

Tang San didn't hesitate for long.

"I accept."

A smile appeared on Manager Li's face.

"Good! Then I'll make the arrangements. We'll promote tomorrow's Soul Fighting match with everything we have. It will be your grandest battle at the Great Soul Arena, and the most closely watched Soul Fighting match Heaven Dou City has seen in recent years."

Tang San stood up, nodded to Manager Li, and turned to walk out of the office. The moment the door closed behind him, the corners of Tang San's mouth curved up ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly.