Battle with Tang San, a Smile

"What's wrong?" he asked, feigning confusion.

Seeing Lu Mingchuan like this only made Tang San even angrier. After pulling the banana peel off his head, he casually tossed it behind him. No longer caring whether anyone might notice, he raised his hand and aimed directly at Lu Mingchuan.

Lu Mingchuan narrowed his eyes. With a clenched hand, a bow and arrow appeared in his palm—the Steel Wheel Bow. He drew the bow and fired an arrow toward Tang San.

After practicing Sky Control's archery techniques, his archery skill had broken through to Grandmaster Lv. 3. Even a casually fired arrow was not something Tang San's tiny Sleeve Arrow could withstand.

Sure enough, Lu Mingchuan's arrow shattered Tang San's Sleeve Arrow midair and continued flying toward him without losing momentum. Tang San hurriedly used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dodge. Watching Tang San's footwork, Lu Mingchuan's eyes flashed with disdain.

At that moment, he had ten thousand ways to turn Tang San into a porcupine. After all, it was merely some unknown low-tier movement technique from the mundane world; it could only throw its weight around on Douluo Continent.

Against Lu Mingchuan, who possessed Sky Control's archery skills tempered through countless years, it was simply not enough.

Just after Tang San dodged that arrow, he saw Lu Mingchuan raise his hand and fire another. Tang San only wanted to curse. He knew his own strength well; he had no ordinary means of blocking this arrow, so he intended to evade it with his movement technique.

But just as he tried to move, he discovered that Lu Mingchuan's arrow seemed to have locked onto him. No matter which way he dodged, he felt that he would be hit.

Looking at the incoming arrow, Tang San gritted his teeth. He truly did not want to reveal his miserable white ten-year Soul Ring in front of so many people, but he had no other choice now.

He extended his hand and summoned his Martial Soul, encircled by a ten-year Soul Ring. When Xiao Chenyu's group saw Tang San's frail Blue Silver Grass, they all laughed disdainfully.

Tang San swept his gaze around, then ignored them. Lu Mingchuan's arrow was already right before him, and the Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up.

At the side, Xiao Wu sensed the aura of her own kin from the Soul Ring and stared wide-eyed at Tang San. Then her favorable impression of him began plummeting.

On the field, Lu Mingchuan heard the system's incessant notifications in his mind, like a money tree that had hit the jackpot, and could not help letting out a soft laugh. Secretly, he sighed that Xiao Wu truly was a qualified little leek.

Then Tang San used his first soul skill—Blue Silver Entanglement (Mom Entanglement)—to erect a shield in front of himself. The arrow was successfully blocked, deeply embedding itself within it.

Seeing the arrow's power, Tang San felt a lingering fear. Then an even greater fury surged into his head. His figure flashed as he rushed out from behind the Mom Shield, stepping on Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track as he charged toward Lu Mingchuan.

You're only an archer. Once I get close to you, let's see how you struggle, Tang San thought to himself.

Watching Tang San rush toward him, Lu Mingchuan's lips curled into a smile as he directly put away the Steel Wheel Bow in his hand.

Tang San was overjoyed at the sight. In his view, an archer laying down his weapon was nothing less than giving up resistance.

As for his Martial Soul, he had not released it even now, so it certainly had no Soul Ring attached. If he brought it out, it would be inferior even to an ordinary bow and arrow. With that thought in mind, Tang San sped up once more.

Looking at Lu Mingchuan, who was now within arm's reach, even Tang San could not help feeling excited. Could the goal he had pursued all this time finally be achieved here?

Lost in his fantasy, Tang San failed to notice the smile at Lu Mingchuan's lips. Then he felt the fist he had thrown being caught by a hand.

Before he could react, an irresistible force came from his arm. As the world spun around him, Tang San felt himself fly into the air, while sharp pain exploded from his left kidney.

He had only just managed to open his eyes, which pain had forced shut, when he saw Lu Mingchuan's bright smile in front of him. But in the next instant, the blue sky filled his vision.

Then he heard a voice beside his ear saying, "Acting tough? I'll send you flying." After that, Tang San's consciousness sank into darkness.

In the field, everyone around looked at Tang San sprawled on the ground, the several teeth beside him, and then at Lu Mingchuan slowly withdrawing his elbow. They could not help shuddering.

Then Lu Mingchuan smiled at them. "That's enough for today. What do you think?"

Having Tang San's example before them, everyone nodded in agreement without objection. Lu Mingchuan then directed several Work-Study Students to carry Tang San away.

Xiao Wu also left with the Work-Study Students. Seeing that both of his little leeks had departed, Lu Mingchuan did not linger either and left while holding Huang Quan's hand.

Only Xiao Chenyu's group remained where they were. In truth, if Xiao Wu had not provoked this matter today, this year's Work-Study Students would not have had much conflict with Xiao Chenyu.

After all, in this strength-oriented world, once Xiao Chenyu learned that Xiao Wu and Tang San were geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power, even if their initial conflict made it awkward for him to curry favor with them, he certainly would not have continued escalating the feud.

Yet Xiao Wu had happened to drag Xiao Chenyu into a duel. As Nuoding Academy's leader for so long, and as a young man, he understood the reasoning, but he still had to save face in front of his underlings.

So he could only accept it. Looking at it from beginning to end, everything had been caused by Xiao Wu, that hundred-thousand-year brain-eating rabbit.

Lu Mingchuan had no comment on that. After all, he had gained quite a few Points this time—five thousand in total. Added to his previous Points, he now had 24,600, nearly enough for a hundred draws.

He did not intend to use them for draws. His level had not improved for a long time, so he planned to spend 2,000 Points on an Exclusive Spirit Ring to make a breakthrough.

After returning to the dormitory, Lu Mingchuan explained his plan to Huang Quan. He then opened the shop and found the Exclusive Spirit Ring. What followed was the familiar process, except this time, the Soul Ring's rich purple had turned into a profound black.

But Huang Quan's attention was not on that. She stared unblinkingly at Lu Mingchuan, who sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

The moment Lu Mingchuan opened his eyes, he found Huang Quan still staring at him. Even after spending so much time together, he still blushed a little.

He casually took out two packs of Qiqiao Snack from the System Space. After handing one to Huang Quan, he tore open the other.

"Try this snack. Tell me how it tastes."

Huang Quan shook her head and calmly explained, "Ever since I embarked on this path, I have been unable to taste anything."

At those words, Lu Mingchuan's little hand trembled slightly. He tossed the snack back into the System Space, then pulled Huang Quan into an embrace.

Huang Quan hesitantly placed her hands on Lu Mingchuan's back, then rested her head on his youthful shoulder.

This seems... rather nice.

Thinking so, Huang Quan slowly closed her eyes. Then Lu Mingchuan's voice reached her ears.

"No matter who we face on the road ahead, I will stand by your side. We'll face it together."

His voice was different from usual—firm and resonant, as though declaring the unwavering conviction in his heart.

Hearing him use the words she had once said to comfort him to comfort her instead, Huang Quan's lips slowly curved into a radiant smile.