[While Yu Xiaotian was still puzzled.]
[A deliberately provocative voice suddenly came from the back of the welcoming party.]
["The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Young Master looks like nothing more than some soft-skinned rich boy!"]
[The entire place instantly fell silent.]
[The smile on Headmaster Lei Tian's face had not yet fully faded when his expression froze!]
[Cold sweat streamed down from his temples!]
[It's over!]
[That was the first thought that flashed through Lei Tian's mind.]
[All his efforts, all the groundwork he had laid for advancement...]
[Were ruined at this moment by that one ignorant remark!]
[Yu Xiaotian, who had been bored out of his mind...]
[His eyes suddenly lit up the instant he heard those words!]
[Like a wolf that had starved for three days suddenly catching the scent of meat!]
[He looked toward the voice.]
[There stood a burly, defiant-looking youth in Thunder Academy's uniform, his arms folded as he stared arrogantly at him.]
[It was Lei Bufan.]
[The corners of Yu Xiaotian's lips lifted slightly, revealing an innocent smile.]
["Finally, someone who can make things interesting!"]
[An angry roar erupted from Headmaster Lei Tian.]
["You bastard, shut up!"]
[This level eighty-two Soul Douluo was utterly panicked, and he almost instinctively mobilized all his Soul Power!]
[Boom!]
[A mountain-heavy pressure of Soul Power surged toward Lei Bufan!]
["Urgh!"]
[Though Lei Bufan was extraordinarily talented, he was still only a Soul Elder in his thirties!]
[His knees buckled, and he nearly fell to his knees!]
[Yet he gritted his teeth and held on, his face turning the color of liver!]
[Still, he stubbornly raised his head and stared fixedly in Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Xiaotian's direction!]
[Just as Lei Tian was about to apologize, a broad hand rose and casually waved.]
["Enough, Lei Tian!"]
[Yu Yuanzhen's voice was calm, betraying neither anger nor pleasure, yet it carried an unquestionable authority!]
["Quite interesting. It has been many years since I saw such a spirited youngster!"]
[Yu Yuanzhen cast a glance over.]
["Release the pressure. Let him come out and speak!"]
["It's good for young people to have some fire in them. If they suppress it too much, they won't amount to anything!"]
[Lei Tian trembled all over at those words and hurriedly withdrew his Soul Power!]
[At the same time, he shot Lei Bufan a fierce glare!]
[The warning in his eyes was unmistakable!]
[If you want to die, don't drag the academy down with you!]
[With the pressure greatly reduced, Lei Bufan panted heavily.]
[But he did not back down as everyone expected.]
[On the contrary, the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter!]
[He strode out of the group and stopped five meters in front of Yu Xiaotian!]
["I am Lei Bufan, Captain of Thunder Academy's team, a level thirty-five assault-type Battle Soul Elder!"]
[Lei Bufan's voice was loud and clear!]
[He looked straight into Yu Xiaotian's eyes without the slightest fear, filled only with a desire to fight.]
["Today, I only want to verify one thing!"]
["Whether this so-called Young Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is the real deal!"]
["Yu Xiaotian, I challenge you!"]
[As soon as he said this, the surrounding teachers gasped, every one of them turning pale!]
[Headmaster Lei Tian closed his eyes in despair.]
[Yu Xiaotian was not angry. Instead, he studied Lei Bufan up and down with great interest.]
[He did not rush to agree. Instead, he raised one finger and gently waved it.]
["Big brother, how old are you this year? You look about fifteen or sixteen!"]
[Yu Xiaotian blinked his big eyes and spoke with an innocent expression.]
["I'm only eight this year!"]
["You're nearly twice my age, and your Soul Power looks like it's nearly twice mine too!"]
["Level thirty-five, challenging a child who awakened his martial soul less than two years ago!"]
[Yu Xiaotian tilted his head. His voice was crisp, but every word struck at the heart.]
["With such a challenge across ranks, would you really feel proud if you won?"]
["If word gets out that Thunder Academy's Captain bullied a child, that won't sound very good for your reputation!"]
White World.
Seeing Yu Xiaotian still pretending to be young and innocent!
Yu Xiaogang was the first to lose it. Pointing at the Sky Screen, he burst out laughing.
"Big brother, so you had this side to you too!"
"If old man hadn't stopped me back then, I definitely would have wanted to see you show off your might too!"
Yu Xiaotian went numb.
So what if he acted young when he was eight?
It was a tactic! A tactic, get it?!
But the Sky Screen had actually broadcast it!
It was so embarrassing his toes were curling!
Bibi Dong covered her mouth as well, her eyes curving with amusement.
It was her first time seeing Yu Xiaotian act so sarcastically, and she found it truly adorable!
The contrast was a little too great.
After all, in the previous scenes, Yu Xiaotian had not feared the Pope in Spirit Hall at all!
Black World.
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Seeing this scene, Yu Xiaogang seemed to have grasped a lifeline.
He looked again at Liu Erlong, who stood blankly to the side.
As if urgently seeking her agreement, he said,
"See, Er Long! Yu Xiaotian is clearly afraid, acting like this, reasoning with him and bringing up their ages!"
"He doesn't dare accept the challenge, so he's using morality to pressure the other side!"
Liu Erlong felt that Yu Xiaogang had completely lost his judgment.
She shook her head, a trace of pain flashing through her eyes.
As though she had made some decision.
Slap!
She swung her hand.
Her palm struck Yu Xiaogang hard across the face.
Yu Xiaogang was stunned. Covering his burning cheek, he stared in disbelief at the woman who loved him most.
"Er Long, what are you doing?"
Tears filled Liu Erlong's eyes, but she shouted in a firm, disappointed voice,
"Yu Xiaotian is obviously teasing the other side. Can't you see that?"
"The Sky Screen has muddled your mind!"
"Wake up, Xiaogang!"
"The old you would calmly analyze things even when faced with difficulties!"
"Instead of being like you are now, cursing others to fail like some bitter woman!"
"I heard about what happened to you recently in the clan."
"There's something wrong with how you're cultivating your Three-Eyed Demon. That's not terrifying."
"But there must be a solution. You absolutely cannot give up on yourself!"
Yu Xiaogang was stunned.
The pain on his face was nowhere near the shock in his heart.
He had not expected Liu Erlong to bring up these matters.
He had not expected Liu Erlong, who had always admired and loved him, to say such things.
He fell silent for a long time.
He thought over everything that had happened recently.
Looking back over this period.
He truly had lost control of his emotions every time he encountered the Sky Screen, acting like a clown.
Because that detestable Sky Screen always poked at his most sensitive nerves.
But what could he do?
He gave a bitter smile.
"Then you think Yu Xiaotian can win?"
Liu Erlong wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said softly,
"Yu Xiaotian definitely has a trump card!"
"He has a chance of winning!"
Yu Xiaogang fell silent.
He looked toward the Sky Screen.
[Yu Xiaotian's sarcastic words stabbed straight into Lei Bufan's pride.]
[The surrounding students also began whispering among themselves.]
[Indeed, the gap was far too great!]
[Other people challenged upward across ranks!]
[Lei Bufan was challenging downward across ranks, which really did not sound very good!]
[Hearing the barbs in Yu Xiaotian's words, Lei Bufan could not help but frown.]
[Especially the words "across ranks"!]
[Though he was arrogant, he was not stupid. He knew Yu Xiaotian was speaking the truth.]
[But the pride in his heart would not allow him to back down!]
["Hmph, enough nonsense!"]
[Lei Bufan retorted loudly.]
["How could there be absolute fairness in this world!"]
["I may be older than you, but you're the Young Master of one of the Upper Three Sects! What have you eaten and used since childhood?"]
["The resources you use are probably several times, even dozens of times greater than mine!"]
["While I was struggling through the mud, you were soaking in medicinal baths!"]
[The more Lei Bufan spoke, the more agitated he became!]
["You've used resources to make up for time!"]
["By that logic, we're even!"]
["Enough talk. Set the terms! Do you dare accept the challenge or not?"]
["Or is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Young Master only capable of hiding behind others and flapping his gums!"]
Before you continue