No Chance Left

On a mountain peak outside Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After a night of battle, the mountain peak had been reduced to flat ground.

Sword Douluo leaned on his sword, panting heavily.

"You brat, you said your Soul Power was nearly exhausted in the middle of the night, but now it's already dawn and you can still use soul skills. Who taught you that?"

Mu Yuan smiled and said,

"I wasn't lying to you. The Soul Power in my body has indeed been exhausted. I'm forcibly squeezing out Soul Power to keep fighting."

Sword Douluo smiled helplessly.

"Forcibly squeezing out Soul Power for over four hours, huh? Sigh, it seems I truly am old. I couldn't even take you down."

Mu Yuan shook his head and said,

"You broke through my soul skills several times during the fight. You only stopped attacking because you were testing the limits of my strength. If you had gone all out, I definitely wouldn't have been your match."

Sword Douluo pointed at Mu Yuan, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

"You brat, you really want to defeat me? I'm a Level 96 Titled Douluo. If you want to defeat me, wait a few more years! Alright, now that I've seen your strength, I have nothing to worry about. I'm leaving."

Seeing this, Mu Yuan quickly called out to stop Sword Douluo.

"Wait, please stay. Give this to Teacher."

Mu Yuan took out the box containing the Aromatic Silk Beauty and handed it to Sword Douluo.

He told Sword Douluo how to consume the Immortal Herb, but did not mention that it could cause Martial Soul Evolution.

He was afraid he would not be able to explain it clearly, so he merely said it was a precious medicinal treasure obtained from Dugu Bo, one that would greatly benefit Support Soul Masters after being consumed.

Sword Douluo accepted it and then left.

Mu Yuan also returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After fighting all night, he had not gotten any actual business done.

When he returned to the dormitory, Xiao Wu was surprisingly still awake, having waited for him to return.

"You were gone for so long. I was worried about you!"

Xiao Wu burrowed into Mu Yuan's arms and acted coquettishly.

Mu Yuan affectionately rubbed Xiao Wu's hair and said, "Alright, get some rest."

Xiao Wu still clung to Mu Yuan and refused to let go.

"No, I want you to hold me while I sleep!"

Mu Yuan could only agree, holding the soft, fragrant Xiao Wu as he drifted off to sleep.

Elsewhere, Ning Rongrong, her eyes red from crying, walked alone through the academy streets. Seeing couples passing by in twos and threes on the early morning streets, tears once again welled up uncontrollably in her eyes.

Only then did she finally admit that she seemed to like Mu Yuan a little.

Last night, while she had been holding the scarf she had woven herself in the dormitory and hesitating over whether to give it to Mu Yuan, Mu Yuan's voice had come from Xiao Wu's room next door.

At that moment, her whole body had tensed up, and an inexplicable pain had filled her heart.

And the instant she heard the sound of fabric tearing, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally shattered.

She could no longer suppress the regret in her heart, and tears poured from her eyes.

It was her. She had not known how to cherish him, and had personally thrown away Brother Mu Yuan, who had once had eyes only for her.

From now on, no one would protect her at every moment. Brother Mu Yuan had someone new to protect.

Nor would anyone always have her favorite food prepared. She had personally pushed that person toward another girl.

When she wanted to win him back, she discovered it was already too late.

She and Brother Mu Yuan had grown up together since childhood, yet Xiao Wu had completely taken her place in only a few months.

No, it could not be called stealing it away.

She had cast Brother Mu Yuan aside like worn-out shoes and personally handed him over to Xiao Wu.

Only at this moment did she understand her father's good intentions in arranging her engagement to Mu Yuan early on, but it was too late.

The more Ning Rongrong thought about it, the harder it became to stop her tears.

Crystal tears fell in string after string.

Sword Douluo, who had been hidden in the shadows, sighed and stepped forward.

"Rongrong."

Ning Rongrong raised her head. The moment she saw Sword Douluo, she could no longer hold back her tears and burst into loud sobs.

"Grandpa Sword, Rongrong lost Brother Mu Yuan."

Sword Douluo wiped the tears from Ning Rongrong's eyes and said,

"Stop crying, Rongrong. You still have a chance. Since you like him, why not express it boldly? You grew up together, after all."

Ning Rongrong silently shook her head.

"It's useless. It's useless, it's already too late..."

Sword Douluo said, "No, it isn't too late. Yesterday, Xiao Yuan and I sparred for the entire night. Rongrong, do you understand? You still have a chance. Don't hesitate. Be bolder."

As he said this, Sword Douluo could not help but silently apologize to Mu Yuan.

Ning Rongrong was, after all, the granddaughter he cherished most. He still could not completely harden his heart.

Hearing this, hope rekindled in Ning Rongrong's eyes.

"Grandpa Sword, do I really still have a chance?"

Sword Douluo nodded. "Of course."

Heaven Dou Royal Academy was exceptionally peaceful in the early morning.

The students went about their respective duties. Some attended class, while others trained.

That was until a staff member guarding the mountain gate hurried over.

"S-Someone is attacking!"

At the foot of the mountain, Grandmaster, Flender, and Liu Erlong stood before the gates with Tang San and the others, along with more than thirty teachers. All of them had summoned their Martial Souls. Even the lowest-ranked teacher among them was a Level 50 Soul King, and the numerous soul rings emanated an intimidating presence.

"What are you people doing?"

A teacher from Heaven Dou Royal Academy asked.

Tang San angrily said, "Hand over Xiao Wu!"

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy teacher asked in confusion, "Who is Xiao Wu?"

Flender raised his hand and sent out a wind blade. It landed in front of the teacher, carving a deep mark into the steps beneath his feet.

"Stop talking nonsense. Get someone who can make decisions over here!"

With the Golden Iron Triangle reunited, Flender's tone had become much more forceful.

The teacher looked at the deep mark left at his feet, his expression turning somewhat flustered.

Fortunately, the three Council Members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy soon arrived.

"Headmaster Flender, what is the meaning of this?"

Meng Shenji looked at the scene before him and asked with an ugly expression.

Flender was still fairly respectful toward Meng Shenji. When Prince Xue Xing had made things difficult for them before, it had been Meng Shenji who spoke up for them, allowing him, Grandmaster, and the others to leave Heaven Dou Royal Academy safely.

Flender therefore reined in some of his aggressive aura and said,

"Hand over Xiao Wu, and we'll leave!"

Meng Shenji naturally refused.

"Xiao Wu chose to remain at Heaven Dou Royal Academy of her own free will. No one has the right to take her away!"

Tang San retorted emotionally,

"Impossible! How could Xiao Wu choose to stay here? You must have detained her. Release Xiao Wu at once!"

Meng Shenji shook his head.

"I advise you not to continue making unreasonable trouble. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is not to be trifled with."

Grandmaster said, "We will not stop until we see our student."

Meng Shenji's expression darkened.

"It seems I've been too accommodating, giving you the illusion that you can make demands whenever you please."

Meng Shenji's Black Demon Martial Soul appeared, and eight soul rings in the optimal configuration rose around him.

Behind Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin also summoned their respective Martial Souls.

Flender's expression changed as he hurriedly said, "This is bad, he's about to attack. Xiao Gang, Erlong, quickly use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"

As his words fell, the three instantly formed a formation. Golden light blazed brilliantly, pouring entirely into Lu San Pao at the center of the triangle.

A Dragon's Roar that echoed through the skies rang out, and pressure comparable to that of a Titled Douluo shook the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Mu Yuan, who had only recently fallen asleep while holding Xiao Wu, opened his eyes. "What was that?"