The School Team

Those students' faces quickly swelled and reddened.

They could feel Long Chen controlling their actions, but they couldn't stop themselves from moving.

Only then did they realize that the Soul Master before them, barely in his teens, was no ordinary opponent. He was not someone they could provoke at will.

More and more students entered the classroom.

Long Chen brushed the strings one last time. The Dark Night Demonic Lute Martial Soul quietly withdrew, and the Nine-Tailed Fox's phantom faded away.

The classroom's tense atmosphere instantly gave way to an eerie silence.

Just then, Dugu Yan entered the classroom alongside a slender boy with short black hair.

Dugu Yan's gaze immediately settled on Long Chen. When she noticed his Tiandou Rank Student School Uniform, her eyebrows lifted slightly, and surprise flashed in her eyes.

"Long Chen, what are you doing here?"

There was a hint of confusion in Dugu Yan's voice.

She had seen Long Chen just last night and knew he was a new student, but she hadn't expected him to show up directly in a Tiandou Rank class.

The students around them began whispering among themselves.

One of them said to Dugu Yan,

"Sister Yan, haven't you heard? He's already a three-ring Battle Soul Elder!"

At this, the students who hadn't known Long Chen's strength stared at him in astonishment.

The boy beside Dugu Yan looked surprised, too. He studied Long Chen carefully, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

Dugu Yan's pupils contracted slightly. She exchanged a glance with the boy, and they understood each other without a word.

She glanced at the students still clutching their faces, looking utterly miserable, and immediately understood what had happened. A knowing smile curled her lips.

"You lot had it coming. Looks like you finally picked a fight with someone tough."

"Sorry, Sister Yan. We didn't know you knew him."

"What good is apologizing to me? He's the one you picked on, not me."

Everyone at Heaven Dou Royal Academy knew that Dugu Yan's grandfather was Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, who possessed the Green Lined Serpent Martial Soul and could unleash Severe Poison.

As a result, no one at the academy dared to provoke her.

Even students older than her had to address her respectfully as Sister.

Those students naturally wouldn't dare to antagonize her, either.

Seeing Dugu Yan's attitude, they hurried to apologize to Long Chen.

"We're sorry. We were wrong to underestimate you, and we shouldn't have provoked you. Please forgive us."

"It's fine now," Long Chen said calmly, not taking the minor incident to heart.

The students soon dispersed.

Dugu Yan looked at Long Chen with a smile.

"I knew you were strong, but I didn't expect you to be a Battle Soul Elder already. What Martial Soul do you have? What Soul Skills? What's your Soul Power Level? You made those guys' faces swell up so easily."

"My Martial Soul is the Dark Night Demonic Lute. I'm in the Control System, and I've just reached the Thirty-second Rank."

"The Dark Night Demonic Lute? Thirty-second Rank? You're one rank higher than me!"

Dugu Yan was astonished once again.

Although she didn't know much about the Dark Night Demonic Lute Martial Soul, she could imagine it had formidable control abilities.

After all, the students who had just been beaten were all Battle Soul Elders above the thirtieth rank.

Dugu Yan was a few years older than Long Chen, yet her Soul Power was one rank lower.

For someone as proud as her, that was a little discouraging.

"Long Chen, you're really impressive."

Long Chen smiled, then looked at the boy beside Dugu Yan and immediately changed the subject.

"If I'm not mistaken, this must be Yu Tianheng, a Direct Disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

The boy stepped forward and introduced himself.

"That's right. I'm Yu Tianheng. Long Chen, your strength has caught my interest. I hope we'll get the chance to spar sometime."

"Sure. We'll get the chance."

Long Chen knew Yu Tianheng was the eldest grandson of Yu Yuanzhen, Patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and one of the most outstanding young Direct Disciples.

He was exceptionally talented and was considered a strong candidate to become the clan's future Patriarch.

He was also the only Direct Disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan who hadn't been trained within the clan, but had instead joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Dugu Yan was about to say something when her eyes suddenly lit up.

She had noticed the Herb Atlas in Long Chen's hand.

"What? Are you interested in studying medicinal herbs, too?"

"Yes. I've been studying medicine since I was six. It's been five years now."

Dugu Yan smiled.

"You really are a strange one. You're a Soul Master with such great talent. Why study medicine?"

"Nothing in particular. It's just a personal hobby."

"All right, let's talk later. The teacher will be here soon. Find a seat."

Dugu Yan found a spot, and she sat down with Yu Tianheng and Long Chen.

Before long, the teacher entered the classroom.

It was a theory lesson, dull and tedious.

After class, Long Chen left the classroom with Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng.

He could tell they were close, and seemed to have already started dating.

He was about to leave and find Ye Lingling when Dugu Yan suddenly said,

"Long Chen, have you heard that our academy is putting together a new School Team?"

"I've heard. What about it?"

"So far, only two places on the new School Team have been confirmed: Tianheng's and mine."

At the mention of it, Dugu Yan looked rather smug, while Yu Tianheng remained impassive.

Dugu Yan continued,

"Long Chen, with your strength and potential, you're sure to make the School Team. We'll be fighting side by side before long. And Lingling's Group Healing Ability is something any team needs. She's still a Tianhui Rank student, but she has plenty of potential, so she should make the School Team, too."

Yu Tianheng nodded.

"No need to wonder about it. A Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master is irreplaceable. One spot on the School Team is practically already hers."

"Once the School Team is formed, we won't have to take classes with everyone else. We'll get specialized training."

Dugu Yan seemed eager to join the School Team and train with her teammates.

"I hope things work out the way you two expect. I have something to do, so I'm going to find Lingling. See you later."

"Mm, go ahead."

After Long Chen left, Yu Tianheng said to Dugu Yan,

"Long Chen really is extraordinary. At such a young age, he's already reached the same Soul Power Level as me. Good thing he came to our Royal Academy. He'll be our teammate, not our opponent."

"Yeah. When I first met him five years ago, I could tell there was something special about him. I didn't expect him to be this impressive."

"Why didn't he come to our academy sooner?"

Dugu Yan shook her head.

"I don't know, either. Maybe something happened."

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Mimicry Environment and teaching facilities really were first-rate.

Long Chen quickly adapted to his surroundings and to studying and living at the academy.

With Long Chen by her side, Ye Lingling's mood improved considerably, and she trained even harder.

That day, the academy announced the names of the seven core members of the new School Team.