At the entrance to Arena One, a red-haired boy leaned against a stone pillar.
He wore a white academy uniform. His fringe covered his forehead, and his peach-blossom eyes tilted slightly upward above a high-bridged nose.
At thirteen, he was already 1.85 meters tall, with a straight, sturdy build. He was every bit as handsome as Xu Sanshi.
Watching him, Xue Yuheng couldn't help grumbling to himself.
Douluo Continent really was full of handsome guys.
It made the advantage of his own handsome face seem rather insignificant.
Of course, Douluo Continent was still Douluo Continent, and there were way too many people with a thing for cute boys.
Over the past two months, the love letters from his female upperclassmen could have formed a line stretching from the arena to the cafeteria entrance.
"Xiao Xiao, you're here?"
When Wei Ran saw Xiao Xiao approaching, his eyes lit up. He straightened and went to meet her.
Xue Yuheng's brow twitched.
The next second, Xiao Xiao naturally reached out and took Xue Yuheng by the wrist, leaning close to him. She looked up at Wei Ran with a smile. "Senior Wei Ran, I'm not here to fight you today."
The warmth and softness against him made Xue Yuheng relax at once.
Wei Ran froze for a moment. His gaze fell on their joined wrists, and then he smiled knowingly.
He did have a soft spot for Xiao Xiao, but more than that, he admired her as a worthy opponent.
After all, Xiao Xiao was the only person at Tianzheng Academy who could go toe-to-toe with him while still a Soul Grandmaster.
"Who's this handsome young man?" Wei Ran asked curiously, looking at Xue Yuheng.
He often saw the boy following Xiao Xiao around, but had never had a chance to meet him.
"This is Xue Yuheng, my fiancé," Xiao Xiao introduced him, a hint of pride in her voice. "He's here to challenge you today."
"Your fiancé? Challenging me?"
The smile on Wei Ran's face froze.
He looked Xue Yuheng up and down, his gaze settling on the faintly visible yellow Soul Ring. He could hardly believe it. "You want to challenge me?
"A One-Ring Soul Master?"
He was a Soul Ancestor at Level 43, with an exceptional Soul Ring Configuration of two purple and two black rings. His third and fourth Soul Rings were both Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings!
Among those of the same rank at Tianzheng Academy, no one could beat him.
He could accept Xiao Xiao challenging him. She was a Level 27 Soul Grandmaster, close to becoming a Soul Elder, and her strength was absurd.
But what gave a One-Ring Soul Master like Xue Yuheng the right to challenge him?
"What, are you afraid?" Xue Yuheng asked calmly.
"It's not that I'm afraid. There's just no need."
Wei Ran frowned. "I don't want to bully a child. If I accidentally hurt you, Xiao Xiao will be furious with me."
"We'll find out when we fight." Xue Yuheng said no more and turned to enter the arena.
Wei Ran looked helplessly at Xiao Xiao. She shrugged. "Just fight him. Don't worry, Xiao Xue is really strong."
Since even Xiao Xiao said so, Wei Ran didn't refuse again. He followed them into the arena.
A cold metallic female voice sounded. "Randomly selecting a simulated battlefield... Selection complete.
"Battlefield: Coast of the East Sea!"
As the voice faded, the liquid-metal walls around them slowly shifted.
A deep blue sky appeared above Xue Yuheng, and the ground beneath his feet turned into soft sand. Beyond them stretched the boundless sea. Waves crashed against the reefs with a steady roar.
A salty sea breeze swept over them, carrying a faint chill.
Wei Ran frowned at the sea before him. He wasn't particularly fond of water.
Xue Yuheng, however, seemed thoughtful.
The sea was practically a natural battlefield for someone with Ultimate Ice.
"The match begins!"
As soon as the cold female voice fell, four Soul Rings lit up around Wei Ran.
Purple, purple, black, black—a terrifying Soul Ring Configuration far beyond the standard.
An ancient four-story bronze pagoda appeared above his head. Its body was covered in mottled markings, and it gave off a weighty, timeworn aura.
No one knew that this wasn't the Martial Soul he had awakened by birth.
"First Soul Skill, Zhenyue!"
Wei Ran gave a low shout, and his first purple Soul Ring lit up.
The bronze pagoda instantly grew larger and came crashing down on Xue Yuheng with the force of a mountain.
Xue Yuheng stood where he was without moving.
Only when the bronze pagoda was about to hit his head did the pale yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring around him finally light up.
"Ice Emperor's Bodyguard."
Pale blue ice crystals instantly covered his body, forming armor carved with the patterns of the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.
The bronze pagoda slammed into the ice armor with a deafening crash.
The sandy beach was smashed into a huge crater, sending sand and stones flying.
Wei Ran was a little surprised.
Even a Soul Elder wouldn't dare take his first Soul Skill head-on. Yet Xue Yuheng's ice armor had blocked it?
Hadn't the kid just said he was a One-Ring support-type Soul Master?
Had he heard wrong?
Before he could react, Xue Yuheng had already counterattacked.
Domain of Eternal Freeze.
A ring of pale blue ice mist spread out from Xue Yuheng.
The freezing cold poured into the sea. The surrounding water froze at a visible rate, soon forming a vast sheet of ice.
The sea breeze turned bitter, and even the moisture in the air became tiny grains of ice.
Wei Ran felt his movements grow sluggish, and his Soul Power was hindered as well.
"What powerful ice!"
Wei Ran's expression turned serious. He didn't dare let his guard down any further.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Devouring Immortal Pagoda!"
He poured all his Soul Power into the bronze pagoda, and his fourth black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring lit up.
The bronze pagoda swelled once more. Its markings became crystal clear, and its mouth opened into a huge black vortex, generating a terrifying suction force.
The surrounding seawater and sand, even the light itself, were sucked inside.
Just then, a strange ripple passed through Xue Yuheng's Spirit Sea.
The Wordless Heavenly Book that had been floating quietly there suddenly began flipping through its pages all by itself!
Xue Yuheng froze.
Ever since he'd awakened it, the Wordless Heavenly Book had only recorded the status panels of women. It had never reacted to a man before.
A pale golden screen appeared in his mind.
Name: Wei Ran
Talent: Useless
Bone Age: 13
Level: 41
Cultivation: 4 Rings
Immortal Artifact: Ancient Immortal Pagoda (Deduction available)
Immortal artifact?
Xue Yuheng was shaken to the core.
The Devouring Immortal Pagoda had reached the top of Xue Yuheng's head, its immense suction nearly tearing his body apart.
"Wrath of the Ice Emperor!"
Xue Yuheng gave a low shout, unleashing the full force of his First Soul Ring's origin power.
Countless thick ice spikes erupted from the frozen sea, forming a forest of ice as they surged toward the Devouring Immortal Pagoda.
At the same time, the tattoo of the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion on his right wrist lit up.
A long, ice-blue sword appeared in his hand, its blade flowing with an aura of extreme cold.
"Self-Created Soul Skill, Sword of Wind!"
Xue Yuheng leaped into the air. The ice sword in his hand carried the might to destroy the heavens and earth as he brought it down hard on the Devouring Immortal Pagoda.
Boom!
The ice spikes collided with the Devouring Immortal Pagoda, setting off an earth-shaking explosion.
A terrifying shock wave spread outward. Countless cracks split the frozen sea, and seawater rushed through them.
Wei Ran grunted and was flung backward, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The bronze pagoda had also dimmed and shrunk, returning to his hand.
Xue Yuheng landed on the ice, breathing slightly hard.
He had used nearly all his strength in that strike.
"I lost."
Wei Ran wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Xue Yuheng, his expression complicated.
There was disappointment and unwillingness in his eyes, but above all, respect.
He accepted his defeat completely.
"You're strong." Xue Yuheng stepped forward and held out his hand. "Your pagoda is pretty special, too."
Wei Ran paused, then clasped his hand and grinned. "You're the real freak.
"A seven-year-old One-Ring Soul Master beating a Soul Ancestor like me? No one would believe it."
Watching his frank smile, Xue Yuheng couldn't help grumbling to himself.
This was the first time he'd wanted to get along with a guy.
After all, this was the Ancient Immortal Pagoda.
The Martial Soul field had actually identified it as an immortal artifact. Could this pagoda not be Wei Ran's natural Martial Soul?
There were plenty of mysteries for Xue Yuheng to uncover.
After the match ended, Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao didn't leave.
They immediately challenged the top six on the Heaven Ranking's individual list.
The Heaven Ranking had a rule against challenging anyone whose Soul Power Level was more than three levels higher, but Xiao Xiao, with her many victories, and Xue Yuheng, who had made a sensational debut, weren't ordinary Soul Grandmasters or Soul Masters.
The news that they were challenging Soul Kings spread through the entire senior division in an instant.
Everyone rushed over to watch.
It was too entertaining to miss.
Over the next three days, the two seven-year-old children turned Tianzheng Academy upside down.
In the end, Xiao Xiao took fifth place on the Heaven Ranking's individual list with an undefeated record. Xue Yuheng followed close behind in sixth.
As for the top four, they happened to be away on academy missions and weren't at the academy for the time being.
Saturday morning.
Sunlight slipped through a gap in the curtains and fell into the girls' dormitory.
Xiao Xiao rolled over in bed and sleepily opened her eyes.
She wore pink cartoon bear pajamas, with a pair of bear ears drooping on her head. She looked soft and adorable.
"Qingwu... yawn." Xiao Xiao yawned and rubbed her eyes before sitting up. "When did you get back last night? I waited up so late for you. I wanted to open the door for you."
Xue Qingwu was brushing her teeth at the washstand, bubbles gurgling in her mouth. She replied indistinctly, "Didn't I tell you not to wait for me? Just go to sleep. It's not like I won't have anywhere to sleep."
What she'd really wanted to say was, did she think a door lock could stop her?
Well, Snow Empress's social skills had improved.
"Xiao Xue's taking me into town today to go shopping with Senior Yu and buy some new clothes. Do you want to come?"
Xiao Xiao jumped out of bed and ran over to Xue Qingwu. She hugged her from behind and secretly gave her a squeeze.
She looked down at her own chest, then sneaked a glance at Xue Qingwu's, comparing them in secret.
She lost. She lost across the board.
Xue Qingwu rinsed her mouth, wiped it, then turned around and patted Xiao Xiao's hair. "I'll pass. I still have something to take care of."
"What have you been busy with lately? You're so mysterious." Xiao Xiao frowned and asked curiously. "You're out early and back late every day. I barely see you."
Xue Qingwu smiled mysteriously and nudged her from behind. "Hurry up and meet Xiao Xue. Look at the time. Senior Yu will be waiting if you're any later.
"I'll tell you both when I'm done."
Seeing that she wouldn't tell her, Xiao Xiao stopped asking and bounced off to get changed.
At nine that morning, Xue Yuheng left the academy with Xiao Xiao and Yu Mengdi.
The three of them spent the whole day wandering around Tianxing City.
They went shopping, bought clothes, ate snacks, watched a movie, and had a wonderful time.
Yu Mengdi was usually so serious and earnest, but today she let herself unwind completely, wearing a bright smile the whole time.
At dusk, the three of them returned to the academy with their arms full of shopping bags.
Like a boyfriend, Xue Yuheng walked Xiao Xiao and Yu Mengdi all the way to the girls' dormitory.
"Head inside and get some rest," Xue Yuheng said softly, handing them their bags.
"Okay, we're going in." Xiao Xiao waved and led Yu Mengdi into the dormitory.
The dorm supervisor sat at the table by the entrance. Watching the three of them, she couldn't help smiling and shaking her head.
She wore a tight floral qipao that showed off her curvy figure. A palm fan swayed in her hand, and her eyes were full of envy.
"Kids these days, they sure know how to have fun."
He was so considerate at such a young age. What would he be like when he grew up?"
Night deepened.
At some point, the moon was swallowed by dark clouds.
The entire academy had fallen asleep. Only a few scattered streetlights still glowed dimly.
On the rooftop of the boys' dormitory, Xue Yuheng sat alone at the edge.
A faint golden light swirled around him as he used the Power of Creation to perform a Deduction on Wei Ran's Ancient Immortal Pagoda.
Several days had passed, and he had poured over a thousand points of the Power of Creation into it, yet the Deduction had made little progress.
This was Xue Yuheng's first time performing a Deduction on an "immortal artifact." Was it really that costly?
At this rate, he'd use up all the gains he'd squeezed out of Xiao Xiao's tribulation.
Would he have to cultivate with Xiao Xiao day and night again, returning to those miserable days when he recovered one point of the Power of Creation per hour?
Suddenly,
Everything in Xue Yuheng's view vanished. It was as if the entire world had been drained of all color, leaving only endless black and white.
The rooftop beneath his feet was a lifeless white, while the buildings in the distance were a somber black. Not a trace of any other color remained between heaven and earth.
The eerie silence and suffocating pressure left Xue Yuheng's mind reeling.
Space crumpled like thin paper, and a gray shadow tore its way out of the void.
There were no footsteps, no fluctuations in Soul Power, not even the slightest ripple in space.
A young man in a gray-patterned formal suit appeared out of thin air.
He was slender, seemingly only fifteen or sixteen years old. His handsome features were almost as pale as porcelain, and a faint melancholy touched his brows. He looked just like the frail young scholar from some miscellaneous tale.
Though he had been on the horizon thousands of meters away, in the blink of an eye he stood just three paces in front of Xue Yuheng.
He was close enough for Xue Yuheng to clearly see the flecks of gray light caught in his eyelashes.
The moment he met Xue Yuheng's gaze, an ethereal voice spoke directly into Xue Yuheng's soul.
"Douluo Continent‖Peerless Tang Sect... Why did a book come to mind when you saw me?"
"What is that?"
Before you continue