"In the first round, there was only one reason you were able to defeat Xiao Ba: Gu Yue."
"Her control over the elements even exceeded my expectations. She certainly lives up to being an Elemental Master, and she's truly impressive..."
Lu Li looked toward the girl and nodded in satisfaction. Hearing this, Gu Yue herself beamed with a lovely smile. That's right, just keep praising her.
"Gu Yue."
"How many more times can you use that Soul Skill from earlier?"
Noticing the mysterious smile on her face, Lu Li paused in surprise, then felt a pang of helplessness.
She was smiling?
The dignified Silver Dragon King had broken Xiao Ba's thousand-year-grade shield with a fusion of three elements, and she could still be this happy?
Come on, Gu Yue.
"Teacher Lu Li, I can still use it five times. However, each time will take a little longer to cast."
"If I fuse two elements, I can use it a dozen or so times, but the fusion will last much less time. Of course, the energy it releases will also be weaker than with three elements."
Gu Yue smiled politely.
"Five times with three elements, and a dozen or so with two."
"Not bad. With enough time and the right teammates, you could break Xiao Ba's shield more than five times. You can stop there."
Lu Li nodded slightly. It seemed that for Gu Yue, who was only a Soul Grandmaster, fusing elements took a considerable toll.
But the payoff was tremendous.
It was no exaggeration to say that her three-element fusion already rivaled a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor's full-force attack—in other words, a burst of power equivalent to a ten-thousand-year Soul Skill.
Gu Yue's strength...
She seemed to belong in a completely different story from everyone else.
At least against Xiao Ba, a ten-thousand-year Soul Spirit, the others clearly got no training out of it with her around.
"Five times..."
The others fell silent, their eyes wide with shock. They were utterly floored.
You mean that domineering tornado of yours could be used five more times before you ran out of Soul Power? Are you even human?
But didn't that also mean...
With her around, they didn't need to work hard at all?
"Gu Yue can sit out the rest of the fights. Her strength won't help train you. Everyone else, keep going."
"This time, I hope you can hold out longer."
Lu Li looked toward Tang Wulin and the others. Apparently sensing what they were thinking, he smiled as he spoke.
Trying to slack off...
That was absolutely not happening.
"Ah..."
The others' hopes were dashed the moment they heard Gu Yue wouldn't be joining them. But before long, they quickly pulled themselves together again.
Lu Li's pep talk hadn't been for nothing. Wei Xiaofeng in particular gathered everyone with great conviction.
"Wulin, Yangzi will control the field in a moment. At the start, come with me to keep Ba Wang occupied. We'll draw its fire directly."
"Xie Xie, watch for a chance to sneak attack. I believe you'll make a fine underhanded schemer. Jin Xi will handle the front. If things really don't work out, you can use that move..."
Wei Xiaofeng looked like he had everything under control, his face full of anticipation. He seemed just like the team's tactical mastermind, his eyes burning with excitement.
Would they win?
They definitely would!
"Don't worry."
"We can definitely do this."
Tang Wulin gave him a confident look.
"Idiot."
Beside them, Xie Xie looked at Wei Xiaofeng in exasperation. Some people really did think they were the team leader.
"Will we win?"
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi looked at each other and asked quietly.
"Will we win?"
Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Wei Xiaofeng looked at one another, then smiled.
"Guaranteed..."
"..."
"Looks like you gave it your all."
In the blink of an eye, it was noon. Lu Li looked toward the battle platform. Tang Wulin and the others were all sitting on the ground, their faces full of disappointment.
As for the Tyrant Dragon, Xiao Ba, it quietly hopped off the platform and happily returned to Lu Li's side.
It was clear that talk was cheap.
Tang Wulin and the others had imagined things going perfectly, but reality had been harsh. Xiao Ba was a clever, intelligent ten-thousand-year Soul Spirit with far more combat experience than they had. And...
Perhaps their beginner's luck had run out. They could barely even get close to it. They had spent the whole morning trying, but by the time their Soul Power ran dry, they still hadn't managed to break its shield.
"So we really can't be like Gu Yue."
Looking at Gu Yue, who was quietly cultivating on the field, Tang Wulin sighed. Unfortunately, her strength...
They couldn't even begin to experience it.
"Alas, we'll just have to do better next time."
Wei Xiaofeng looked utterly devastated. His plan had been perfect—so why couldn't they win?
"For your first day, you did your best. Keep working hard in the days ahead."
"That's enough training for today. Class dismissed."
Lu Li smiled and patted Xiao Ba on the leg. After returning it to his body, he turned to the others.
These little ones still needed plenty of practice.
But it wasn't a big deal. After all, their first opponent had been a Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit, and fighting one took a lot of skill. Apart from someone like Gu Yue, a monster in terms of raw stats, it was hard for anyone to get the better of it.
Later, in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, they would rarely encounter thousand-year Soul Beasts unless something unusual happened.
"Yes, Teacher Lu Li!"
The others nodded in agreement and headed toward the dormitory building with their arms around each other, leaving Gu Yue sitting on the field.
Lu Li was about to go over and wake the girl meditating beside him, but she seemed to anticipate him and rose first, giving him a gentle smile.
"Goodbye, Teacher Lu Li."
"I'm heading off too."
After saying this, she didn't linger. Her figure soon disappeared.
"Mm..."
Lu Li didn't pay much attention to Gu Yue. The reason was simple: Lingling's voice had already sounded in his mind.
"Master, I want to go out and play next time too!"
"That silly Xiao Ba has been out having fun for ages. What about me? What about me?"
"Have you forgotten about Lingling...?"
Her light, lilting voice was full of grievance as she chattered on.
Lingling was truly furious now.
Even that foolish little Tyrant Dragon, Xiao Ba, could go out. Why couldn't she?
She wouldn't kill the children with a single swipe of her claw. At most, she'd leave them bedridden for a hundred days...
"The reason is simple."
"Lingling, there are some things you just can't do."
"You're a Soul Spirit who's lived for over a hundred thousand years. Even if you used only the energy of a hundred-year Soul Spirit, the children still couldn't stand against you."
Lu Li smiled and shook his head, telling her honestly.
There was no way he could have a Soul Spirit with ten-thousand-year-level power fight the children.
Unlike Xiao Ba, who was built for both offense and defense and made a good sparring partner, Lingling was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit with the true combat power of a Titled Douluo.
"Master, is being strong a bad thing?"
Lingling was at a loss for words. In the end, she seemed to give up and pouted. It really was a bit much to make a top Soul Spirit with true dragon bloodline fight the children.
Even if she held back and limited herself to a hundred-year level...
She'd probably still cripple the children.
"Your strength isn't a bad thing at all. If you were weak, you wouldn't be my Soul Spirit."
Lu Li smiled and shook his head. The only drawback was that she couldn't fight the children one-on-one.
"Hehehe, of course!"
"I'm a top Soul Spirit who makes Master completely satisfied—Light! Spirit! Dragon!"
Lingling giggled with satisfaction, sounding thrilled.
"..."
Hearing the little one cheer so excitedly, Lu Li couldn't help laughing helplessly. Not that he wanted to say anything, but...
Was that really how you used the phrase "completely satisfied"?
"But Master, that little girl called Gu Yue..."
"She seems to care about you a lot."
Lingling suddenly thought of something. She blinked, speaking as if pondering it.
"Hmm?"
"What makes you say that?"
Lu Li asked, puzzled.
"I don't know why, but there's something about the look in her eyes..."
"Like she's looking at prey?"
"..."
Lu Li's face filled with helplessness. How could Gu Yue possibly see him as prey? Lingling must have been mistaken.
After all, humans and dragons were different species. He wasn't some Son of Destiny, so Gu Yue wouldn't be interested in him.
Right...
Probably?
"..."
Meanwhile, after returning to her dormitory, Gu Yue's expression immediately turned cold.
"Di Tian, Tang Wulin still hasn't shown any signs of awakening the power of the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, but it probably won't be long."
"You said last time that he went to an auction. I think he was using rare treasures to gradually unlock the Golden Dragon King Bloodline under Tang San's guidance..."
Gu Yue's face was cold as she spoke to him telepathically. Although she didn't know how Tang San had managed to take the Golden Dragon King Bloodline and seal it inside his son, her general theory was surely right.
She was seventy percent certain of her judgment.
"Before then, you'd better find out whether Tang San has a real trump card to protect him. If he does, we'll make a new plan. If not..."
"The power of the Golden Dragon King Bloodline cannot be allowed to taint someone so impure. Do you understand?"
Gu Yue's expression turned icy as she spoke.
"Yes, my Lord!"
"..."
After making these arrangements, Gu Yue sat alone on the sofa. For some reason, she thought of the dream she'd had earlier—
The previous night, she'd dreamed that Big Brother Lu Li had become the possessor of the Golden Dragon King's Martial Soul...
That was right—how absurd. It was utterly ridiculous!
As the saying went, humans and dragons were different species. How could he possibly possess the Golden Dragon King Bloodline? Could the Golden Holy Dragon King evolve, or could Lu Li somehow gain its recognition?
Impossible.
"But then again."
"If Big Brother Lu Li had the Golden Dragon King Bloodline..."
"How should I deal with him?"
A spark of excitement lit Gu Yue's lovely face. She pondered for a moment, then smiled.
It was a confident smile.
If Big Brother Lu Li really did have the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, then he would never escape her clutches in this lifetime. After all, the two Dragon Kings were never meant to be enemies...
But at the same time, they were meant to be one.
And if they really did fight, she wouldn't show mercy, Big Brother Lu Li.
"..."
Lu Li: You mean you want to become one with me?
Gu Yue: That's right.
Lu Li: Are you sure you mean become one, and not—
Gu Yue: What's wrong with becoming one with the Dao? What? What? What?! (Face red with anger + saying it three times for emphasis)
Before you continue