Dragon Might and Snake Venom

"If the captain of the Heaven Dou Team doesn't even have the courage to accept a challenge from a seven-year-old child..."

Shen Tianchen slowly raised his head. His movements seemed somewhat sluggish, as though his body had suddenly become extraordinarily heavy.

When his gaze met Yu Tianheng's, Yu Tianheng's heart tightened involuntarily. He saw a pair of eyes as black as ink.

Those eyes were deep and dark, like bottomless black holes that made it impossible to glimpse the mysteries within. They did not ripple in the slightest, like a stagnant pool so still it inspired fear.

Yu Tianheng stared into those eyes, only to find that his own reflection could not appear within them at all. Those eyes were like a mirror, reflecting everything back and leaving behind only coldness and detachment.

"Then I don't need those qualifications."

"Boom!"

A violent surge of Soul Power exploded outward from Yu Tianheng!

Blue lightning writhed madly around his body like agile little snakes.

The arcs intertwined and coiled around one another, forming a blue net that wrapped tightly around him.

At the same time, his shadow stretched grotesquely across the wall, as though he had transformed into a demon god from hell! The shadow twisted and warped, giving off a terrifying aura that made hearts tremble.

Amid this strange scene, he roared, "You're courting death!" His voice exploded through the air like thunder, making everyone's eardrums ache.

"Tian Heng, why get worked up over a little brat?"

A languid yet seductive voice came from nearby.

Dugu Yan's emerald-green pupils resembled two fine pieces of jade. She studied Shen Tianchen with interest and teased Yu Tianheng, "What, is this the new mascot of our team? He is rather cute."

When Meng Shenji and the other two education committee members saw this, their expressions immediately turned grave. They exchanged glances, then hurried forward with wry smiles, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

One of the committee members spoke up. "Tian Heng, don't be impulsive. Let's talk this out. Little Friend Shen was personally recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince. His talent is not something ordinary people can compare to!"

Another quickly echoed, "That's right, Tian Heng. Don't underestimate Little Friend Shen. His strength is absolutely beyond your imagination!"

The third committee member nodded repeatedly at the side, showing his agreement with the other two.

Those words were like a drop of boiling oil splashed into blazing flames.

The fighting spirit in Yu Tianheng's eyes completely boiled over.

"Beyond imagination?" Yu Tianheng repeated in disbelief, as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world.

His voice was filled with fury and indignation. His eyes locked tightly onto Shen Tianchen, as though he wanted to see straight through him.

"So in your eyes, I, Yu Tianheng, and our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are inferior to some little brat of unknown origin?" His voice grew louder and louder until it became a roar that echoed throughout the entire room.

He growled and stepped forward. The stone slabs beneath his feet cracked in response.

"I don't care who recommended him!" His voice was deafening, as though the entire room were trembling faintly.

"In my team, only respect won through true strength, through one's fists, is real respect!" His gaze burned like a torch as he stared at the person before him, sending chills down everyone's spine.

"I, Yu Tianheng, hereby issue you a formal challenge!"

"If you win, I'll acknowledge that you're qualified to guide us! But if I win, you'll obediently be an ordinary student and follow my orders!"

Shen Tianchen's reply was just one word.

"Fine."

He did not spare even the slightest glance for the furious Yu Tianheng beside him—the clenched fists, bulging veins, and eyes that nearly spat fire, as though he would tear everything before him apart the next second.

He merely turned around slowly, his back straight, his gaze calm as water as it settled steadily on the three committee members.

The aftershocks of Yu Tianheng's roar still lingered in the air, and everyone around them unconsciously held their breath. Yet Shen Tianchen's voice was utterly steady, without the slightest ripple, like a deep pool without a single wave. "Teachers."

He dipped his head slightly. There was not the slightest provocation in his tone, only a near-certain calmness. "I think this is the most efficient way to resolve the problem, isn't it?"

His gaze was clear and resolute, as though he had already weighed every advantage and disadvantage. Now, he merely waited calmly for an answer, utterly ignoring the fury behind him that was on the verge of igniting.

That casual rhetorical question instantly cut off every possibility of persuasion from the committee members.

"Interesting."

Dugu Yan licked her red lips, and a playful, sly glint flashed through her emerald eyes.

"Since we're gambling, why not add a little stake?"

She bent down and leaned close to Shen Tianchen, her breath fragrant as an orchid.

"Little brother, if you lose, you'll be my personal attendant from now on. Whatever I say, you'll have to listen."

This time, Shen Tianchen finally turned his gaze fully toward her.

Within those profound eyes seemed to lie an eternal starry sky. There was none of a child's innocence in them, only the indifference of one looking down upon all living things.

The corner of his lips lifted slightly into an almost imperceptible curve.

But his words made Dugu Yan feel as if she had fallen into an ice pit.

"Sure."

"But what if I win?"

Suddenly, Shen Tianchen leaned close to Dugu Yan's ear and softly said, "Perhaps Sister Yanzi should spend more time thinking about how to deal with the Snake Venom that has already begun corroding your internal organs."

Time froze at that moment.

The seductive smile Dugu Yan had so carefully maintained seemed to freeze abruptly under invisible ice. First, the curve of her lips stiffened slightly. Then that alluring softness cracked apart inch by inch like a spiderweb.

The charm that had just danced at the corners of her eyes and brows seemed to have been stripped of all life. She became stiff, like an exquisite puppet that had lost its soul, every line of her face revealing shock she could not conceal.

Then, the color in her face seemed to be instantly drained away by an invisible hand. From her cheeks to the tips of her ears, it faded at a visible speed into a ghastly, deathly white.

It was not ordinary paleness, but a rigid grayish pallor, like fine rice paper splashed with ink and forcibly wiped clean, leaving only an empty, heart-stirring whiteness.

Even her lips lost their usual rosy color. They pressed into a bloodless line and trembled slightly, betraying the turbulent waves raging in her heart.

The playfulness and flirtation vanished without a trace from those beautiful emerald eyes, replaced by endless horror and disbelief as though she had seen a ghost.

She instinctively took half a step back, her body trembling uncontrollably.

This secret...

This family affliction that even her grandfather, a Titled Douluo, could do nothing about and could only suppress with medicine...

This child...

How could he know?!

Meng Shenji looked at the tense atmosphere, which was on the verge of spiraling out of control, and let out a heavy sigh before making the final decision.

"Then we'll go to the academy's main Spirit Dueling Arena."

"Stop at the right point!"

The news swept through Heaven Dou Royal Academy like a storm.

Countless students and teachers who learned of it rushed toward the Spirit Dueling Arena, all wanting to witness this unprecedented duel—a seven-year-old child challenging the captain of the Heaven Dou Team!