A Shock from a Genius

What a miscalculation! What a terrible miscalculation.

Just as Dugu Bo was feeling immensely vexed that his attempt to be clever had backfired and instead brought the two of them together, a new turn of events arose.

Li Chang'an, who had been tightly hugging Dugu Yan, suddenly released her. He then placed both hands on her delicate shoulders, gazed into her emerald-green eyes, and said with heartache, "Yanzi, I'm deeply moved that you're willing to wait for me. But how could I be so selfish as to make you waste your youth? How many fifty years does a person have? If one doesn't become a Titled Douluo, then even a fleeting century is the extent of one's life."

"Chang'an Gege, I don't..." Dugu Yan immediately grew anxious and wanted to say something, but he gently covered her little mouth. Li Chang'an shook his head and said, "Listen to me! Let's set a deadline. If I haven't become a Titled Douluo before you turn thirty, then forget about me and seek out a better man for yourself."

After saying that, he looked toward Dugu Bo, whose expression kept changing, and said, "Senior, what do you think?"

Thirty years old? Becoming a Titled Douluo?

Dugu Bo stared dumbfoundedly at this young man, unsure whether he should call him arrogant or overly confident. He remained silent for a long time.

One had to know that the record for the youngest Titled Douluo in history was Tang Hao, at forty-four years old.

And now, someone was claiming he would break through to Titled Douluo before turning thirty?

Just thinking about it made it obvious that this was utterly impossible, didn't it?

Could it be that this brat wanted to give up his relationship with Yan Yan, so he had casually found an excuse? That way, Yan Yan could eventually move on from the shadow of this relationship with peace of mind?

If that was the case, then this brat at least knew when to advance and when to retreat.

Thinking this, Dugu Bo's gaze toward him softened somewhat.

"I don't agree!"

But Dugu Yan could not accept it. She, too, believed that becoming a Titled Douluo before she turned thirty was merely an excuse he had made up for himself.

In response.

Li Chang'an simply pulled the girl into his arms and lightly kissed her rosy red lips.

Dugu Yan froze instantly.

"Yanzi, believe in me!"

Li Chang'an looked at the now-quiet girl. His dark, profound eyes met her emerald-green ones, as though he wanted to convey his confidence and determination to her.

Staring blankly into her beloved's deep eyes, Dugu Yan's reason told her that becoming a Titled Douluo at thirty was simply impossible. Yet at that moment, she felt an inexplicable sense of confidence. It was as though that kiss had filled her with a power called courage and faith.

In the end, Dugu Yan shyly lowered her head and softly murmured, "Mm." She was as docile as a harmless little lamb.

Of course, that did not mean she believed him.

In reality, although Dugu Yan agreed on the surface, she had already made up her mind that even if Li Chang'an could not become a Titled Douluo before turning thirty, she would continue waiting for him. She would wait until the day he came to marry her.

Naturally, the worldly-wise Dugu Bo could see through his granddaughter's intentions. He immediately felt an immense headache coming on. He was nearly a hundred years old. Although his lifespan had been extended somewhat after breaking through to Titled Douluo, the toxins inherent to his Martial Soul had eroded his body over countless years, leaving him with a far shorter lifespan than ordinary Titled Douluo.

In recent years, he had often felt that his strength was failing him. He had a premonition that his end was near, and that at most he could hold on for another ten or twenty years.

He was not afraid of death, having lived to such an age. But the one thing he could not set his mind at ease over was his only granddaughter. Dugu Bo feared that after his death, without his protection, she would suffer bullying and persecution.

The Soul Master World was not so beautiful, after all.

A Soul Master—especially a female Soul Master with a high-grade Martial Soul—if left without anyone to protect her... having her seized by some powerful figure and made into a concubine to improve his bloodline would already be considered a relatively good ending. The worst outcome was being captured by some sect or family and reduced to a communal breeding tool.

Such cases were far from rare in the Soul Master World. The first to suffer were always those commoner Soul Masters with no backing, yet who happened to be blessed with excellent mutated Martial Souls.

Therefore, for the sake of his precious granddaughter's future, Dugu Bo had long resolved to find her a good husband. Preferably, a peerless genius with immense potential, or an outstanding young man with a powerful background.

Without a doubt, Li Chang'an perfectly fulfilled both conditions. Moreover, judging from his performance just now, his character seemed quite good as well. He was someone worthy of entrusting her to. To be honest, Dugu Bo was extremely satisfied with this brat. He simply had not expected him to have already been chosen as an Imperial Son-in-Law.

This immediately made the matter extremely troublesome.

He now had only two choices.

One was to forcibly separate the two of them and sever this ill-fated bond. But his granddaughter might become despondent from then on, never escape this relationship, and grow old alone.

The other was to follow Li Chang'an's proposal and use Dugu Yan's thirtieth birthday as the deadline, gambling on whether he could break through to Titled Douluo within that time.

But this was clearly impossible. What was more, judging by his granddaughter's behavior, even if this brat failed to become a Titled Douluo by the time he turned thirty, she likely would not give up on this relationship.

Could he really let Yan Yan become a concubine?

Her reputation was secondary. The crucial question was: what if she was bullied in the future?

Dugu Bo's expression became increasingly uncertain.

Seeing Dugu Bo remain silent, Li Chang'an knew that the man simply did not believe he could become a Titled Douluo before Dugu Yan turned thirty.

Actually, that disbelief was perfectly normal. Or rather, if he believed it, then there would be something wrong with his brain.

A Titled Douluo before thirty?

Without outside assistance and relying on normal cultivation alone, even Qian Renxue, the possessor of a God-level Martial Soul with Innate Level Twenty Soul Power, would not dare claim that she could become a Titled Douluo before turning thirty.

One could imagine just how fantastical Li Chang'an's declaration that he would become a Titled Douluo before thirty sounded to others.

"Senior, why don't you test my Bone Age?"

After thinking for a moment, Li Chang'an stepped forward and extended his hand. He decided to give the man a little shock from a "genius"!

Test his Bone Age? What use was there in testing his Bone Age at a time like this?

With a hint of doubt and carelessness, Dugu Bo casually grasped his wrist. Soul Power flowed into him, and information about his bones immediately entered Dugu Bo's mind.

Generally speaking, a person's bones formed distinctive traces as they aged, much like the rings of a tree.

Because of this, no matter how a Soul Master's appearance changed, the age of their bones was like a tree's rings. No matter how tall or large the tree grew, it would not gain extra rings because of that. However many years one had lived was however many years one had lived.

Thus, people in this world often determined a Soul Master's age by testing Bone Age. There could be no mistake.

But after sensing Li Chang'an's Bone Age, Dugu Bo began to doubt the accuracy of this method.