Three days after the Imperial Fighting Team's selection trials.
Although he had become an official member of the Imperial Fighting Team's first squad, Yu Tianyu didn't rush to report for duty. The previous night, a carrier pigeon bearing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's distinctive seal had landed silently on his windowsill.
The letter's contents were simple: just one line, written in wild, cursive strokes that radiated unquestionable authority:
"Forbidden grounds in the back mountains, Thunderfall Valley. Go meet your second teacher. —Father."
"What's the old man being so mysterious about?"
Yu Tianyu watched the letter burn to ashes in his palm and raised an eyebrow.
Over the past four years, aside from the routine monthly reports he sent by letter, his bargain-bin father, Yu Yuanzhen, had left him to fend for himself. Though he was supposedly an "Abandoned Disciple," Yu Tianyu knew the old man had been keeping an eye on him from the shadows.
"Second teacher?"
Yu Tianyu rubbed his chin. His first "teacher" was Dugu Bo, more or less—though they'd mostly been using each other. So who would this second one be...?
"If the old man arranged it, it must be for that thing."
Yu Tianyu glanced unconsciously at his left hand. His Second Martial Soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, lay dormant there.
According to the agreement they'd made when he left home, he couldn't give his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul a Spirit Ring until his body was strong enough to withstand a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring. But that didn't mean he couldn't cultivate it.
"Perfect timing. My Dragon Slayer Magic has hit a bottleneck lately. It's time to develop this trump card."
A smile of anticipation curled Yu Tianyu's lips.
He left a note for Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, who were still asleep, so they wouldn't wake up and throw a fit when they couldn't find him. Then, dressed in black, he slipped out of the academy under cover of the morning mist.
Thunderfall Valley, in the back mountains of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
This was a special area that remained shrouded in thunderclouds year-round. Because of the terrain, natural lightning often struck there, making it a cultivation sanctuary for lightning-attribute Spirit Masters. But it was so dangerous that the academy had designated it forbidden ground.
Yu Tianyu easily avoided the guards patrolling the outer perimeter and ventured deeper into the valley.
The farther he went, the more violent the thunder elements in the air became.
"Crackle, crackle..."
Blue-violet arcs of electricity danced between the rocks from time to time. To ordinary Spirit Masters, this was a perilous place. But to Yu Tianyu, who possessed the Thunder Poison Dragon factor, it was practically an all-you-can-eat buffet.
As he walked, he opened his mouth and absorbed the free-floating electrical charges in the air, as leisurely as if he were strolling through a garden.
"Here we are."
Yu Tianyu stopped beside the pool beneath a huge waterfall.
This was the heart of Thunderfall Valley, where the thunder element was most concentrated.
But when his gaze fell on a boulder by the pool, he froze.
The "teacher" he'd imagined would be an immortal-looking old man, or a burly man with muscles like Yu Tianlei.
But the person before him...
Was a woman.
A woman who was drinking.
She reclined on a smooth slab of bluestone, holding a delicate wine gourd and drinking deeply.
Her long purple hair hung loosely down her back, stirring gently in the breeze. She wore a high-slit purple cheongsam that clung to her figure, accentuating an outrageously curvaceous S-shaped silhouette.
Most eye-catching of all was the pair of... magnificent assets that seemed ready to spill out.
As she drank, the fabric across her chest stretched taut, as if it might burst at any moment. A pair of long, shapely, pale legs emerged from the slit in her cheongsam, gleaming with an ivory sheen in the light of the lightning.
"Gulp."
Yu Tianyu swallowed unconsciously.
It wasn't because he was lecherous. The woman's presence was simply too powerful.
The unique allure of a mature woman blended with the wildness of thunder, creating a fatal attraction.
"Had enough of looking, little one?"
As Yu Tianyu studied her, the woman suddenly lowered her wine gourd.
She turned her head, revealing a face of incomparable beauty. Her oval face and naturally seductive eyes were paired with purple irises that glinted with dangerous lightning.
"Since you're here, why don't you come over and kowtow to your teacher?"
The woman's voice was languid and husky, with a captivating resonance.
Yu Tianyu came back to his senses but didn't approach. Instead, he remained on guard. "Are you the teacher the old man found for me?"
"The old man?"
The woman paused, then burst into bell-like laughter, her body shaking with mirth as her ample chest surged.
"Ha ha ha! You're the only 'Rebellious Disciple' on the entire continent who dares to call that old Yu Yuanzhen 'the old man.'"
She slowly sat upright and crossed her long legs, looking at Yu Tianyu with amusement.
"That's right. I'm your teacher. You can call me... Teacher Ji, or Big Sister Ji."
"Big Sister Ji?" Yu Tianyu raised an eyebrow. "I don't make a habit of calling strangers relatives. Looking good isn't enough to make you my teacher."
"Oh?"
Ji Wushuang's smile widened. "Looks like you're itching for a beating. The sect leader told me to train you to the death—as long as I don't kill you."
Before she'd even finished speaking—
Her figure vanished into thin air!
Yu Tianyu's pupils contracted sharply, and every hair on his body stood on end.
So fast!
Was that teleportation?!
"Thump!"
Before he could react, a slender hand had already pressed down on his shoulder.
A crushing force followed, so powerful it took his breath away.
"Rumble!"
Yu Tianyu was driven into the earth like a nail, his feet sinking three inches into the rock!
"Little one, you're too slow to react."
Ji Wushuang's voice sounded in his ear, laced with amusement. "If I'd been your enemy, your head would have been rolling on the ground just now."
Yu Tianyu was horrified.
For the past four years, he'd been invincible among his peers. He'd even stood his ground against Yu Tianlei, who was at the Soul Elder level. But before this woman, he hadn't even had a chance to fight back?
How powerful was she? A Spirit Saint? Or... a Soul Douluo?!
"Get off me!"
Yu Tianyu roared, and his Dragon Slayer Magic Power erupted.
"Fire Dragon's—Roar!"
He turned sharply and blasted a stream of scarlet Dragon Flame from his mouth, straight at the woman behind him.
But Ji Wushuang didn't even dodge.
She merely raised a finger and tapped lightly.
"Zzt—"
A streak of purple lightning pierced through the flames and struck Yu Tianyu between the brows.
"Pop."
The fierce-looking Dragon Flame vanished instantly, like a balloon being pricked.
A tingling sensation spread through his body. Yu Tianyu's limbs went limp, and he dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Someone's got quite a temper."
Ji Wushuang circled around to face him and looked down at him from above.
From Yu Tianyu's angle, he had a perfect view of the endless scenery beneath the slit of her cheongsam, along with the breathtaking depths of her cleavage.
"Fire, poison, and a trace of lightning."
Ji Wushuang reached out and lifted Yu Tianyu's chin with one finger. "So this is your so-called 'Dragon Slayer Magic'? It's quite interesting. I even feel a hint of pressure from it."
"But..."
Her eyes turned cold as she pressed down hard with her finger.
"Where's your Second Martial Soul? Why aren't you using it?"
"The sect leader didn't send you here to entertain me with your flashy magic. Bring out the dragon you've been hiding!"
Yu Tianyu clenched his teeth, feeling the pain in his chin and the powerful presence radiating from the woman that made him tremble.
"You want to see my dragon?"
"Then I hope you can handle it!"
The vertical pupils in Yu Tianyu's eyes contracted to pinpricks.
He stopped holding back.
"Roar—!!!"
A deep, primordial Dragon Roar rose from the depths of his soul.
This time, he didn't use the fire or poison of his Dragon Slayer Magic.
His left arm transformed in an instant.
His human arm swelled, deep blue dragon scales covering its surface as his fingertips became razor-sharp claws. Violent blue-violet lightning crackled across his arm.
It was... the purest Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!
Though he had no Spirit Ring, the domineering aura of his top-tier Beast Martial Soul was every bit as powerful as his Dragon Slayer Magic.
"Break!"
Yu Tianyu swung his transformed left arm. With a thunderclap that tore through the air, he slashed at the hand Ji Wushuang had pressed against his chin.
"Now that's more like it."
A hint of approval flashed through Ji Wushuang's eyes.
She didn't dodge the blow, which was powerful enough to rip steel apart.
A layer of purple light appeared over her hand as well. It wasn't dragon scales, but an unusual pattern resembling feathers—her Purple Lightning Thunder Luan had possessed her!
"Clang!!!"
The collision of claw and hand rang like metal striking metal.
A violent shockwave burst outward, sending the water in the pool surging several meters into the air.
Yu Tianyu felt as if his dragon claw had struck an immovable divine iron. The force of the impact numbed his entire arm.
But this time, he wasn't knocked down.
He'd held his ground!
"Not bad."
Ji Wushuang withdrew her hand and stepped back, shaking her wrist. "You haven't got a Spirit Ring, but the toughness and strength of your Dragon Transformation are already on par with a level-thirty Soul Grandmaster. You really are that man's son."
She looked at Yu Tianyu. The teasing had faded from her eyes, replaced by a hint of seriousness.
"Let me introduce myself."
"My name is Ji Wushuang, and I'm an eighty-fifth-level agility-type Soul Douluo. I'm an honored elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"From today onward, I'll teach you... how to become a true dragon."
"A Soul Douluo?!"
Yu Tianyu shook out his numb arm and cursed the old man in his heart.
He'd actually found a Soul Douluo to train him, a Soul Grandmaster? Did the old man think he had a death wish?
"What, are you scared?"
Ji Wushuang walked over to a flat boulder, sat down, and patted the space beside her. "Come here and sit."
Yu Tianyu hesitated, then walked over and sat a meter away from her.
"Why sit so far away? Afraid I'll eat you?"
Ji Wushuang rolled her eyes at him. A fragrant breeze swept over as she moved right beside Yu Tianyu, her body practically touching his arm.
The soft, warm contact made Yu Tianyu stiffen all over.
"Teacher, we should keep things proper between us..."
"Don't pretend to be some innocent little virgin."
Ji Wushuang bluntly saw through his act. "I heard you've been keeping company with girls left and right at the academy. How come you're shy around Big Sister?"
Yu Tianyu: "..."
Was this woman's information network a little too well-connected?
"Enough. Let's talk business."
Ji Wushuang put away her teasing expression, took Yu Tianyu's left hand, and carefully examined his transformed arm.
"Do you know why the sect leader won't let you give your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon a Spirit Ring?"
"Because my body isn't strong enough?" Yu Tianyu guessed.
"That's only one reason."
Ji Wushuang lightly ran her fingertips over the blue scales. "More importantly, the greatest strength of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul doesn't lie in its Spirit Skills. It lies in Dragon Transformation."
"Ordinary Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit Masters transform one part of their bodies with each Spirit Ring they obtain. But that's actually a restriction."
"A true dragon doesn't need Spirit Rings to define its form."
"What the sect leader wants you to do is use the powerful physique you gained from your 'Dragon Slayer Magic' to force your entire body to undergo Dragon Transformation without a Spirit Ring!"
"In other words—become a dragon with your flesh alone!"
A gleam flashed in Yu Tianyu's eyes.
Become a dragon with his flesh alone!
It was a crazy idea. If he could really achieve full-body Dragon Transformation without adding any Spirit Rings, then once he gained a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring—or even a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring—how terrifying would his fighting strength become?
"But it won't be easy."
Ji Wushuang released his hand, her tone turning playful. "Without a Spirit Ring to guide you, the power of Dragon Transformation will be extremely violent. One wrong move and your meridians will rupture. So..."
"So what?"
"So you'll need outside help."
Ji Wushuang suddenly stood and walked behind Yu Tianyu.
"Take off your shirt."
"Huh?" Yu Tianyu froze.
"I said take it off! Your shirt!"
Ji Wushuang impatiently smacked the back of his head. "I'm going to use my lightning Soul Power to stimulate your bones and meridians and help guide your dragon energy. How am I supposed to do that through your clothes?"
Yu Tianyu's mouth twitched.
Why did this feel so familiar?
Four years ago, when he'd taught Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling by the hot spring, he'd used the same kind of line to trick—no, teach them.
Who would've thought that karma would come around? Today, he was the one being "taken advantage of."
"Fine, I'll take it off. I'm a man. What have I got to be afraid of?"
Yu Tianyu didn't hesitate. In a few quick motions, he took off his shirt, revealing his well-built physique.
When she saw the faint dragon patterns on Yu Tianyu's back—the markings left by Dragon Slayer Magic—a glint of interest flashed in Ji Wushuang's eyes.
"Well, well. Not bad, kid."
She ran her cool fingertips slowly down his spine.
The electric sensation made Yu Tianyu shudder.
"Don't move around."
Ji Wushuang's voice turned serious. "This is going to hurt a little, and feel... good, too. Bear with it."
"Crackle, crackle—"
She abruptly pressed both hands to Yu Tianyu's back. Purple lightning surged in her palms, like countless tiny needles piercing his skin!
"Mmgh—!"
Yu Tianyu groaned, every muscle in his body tensing at once.
Pain!
It felt like countless ants were gnawing at his bones, or as if he'd been blasted with high-voltage electricity.
But after the searing pain came an indescribable tingling warmth.
Ji Wushuang controlled her Soul Power with extraordinary precision. The lightning didn't injure his body; instead, it relentlessly tempered his bones and stirred the dormant dragon blood within him.
"Roar..."
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul inside Yu Tianyu seemed to awaken, roaring wildly through his meridians.
"Guide it! Don't suppress it!" Ji Wushuang barked into his ear.
Yu Tianyu gritted his teeth and stopped restraining his Martial Soul.
Crack! Crack!
A series of bone-chilling pops rang out.
It wasn't just his left arm.
Blue, illusory dragon scales began appearing on Yu Tianyu's right arm, shoulders, and even along his spine!
They were still unstable, but this was already a sign that parts of his torso were undergoing Dragon Transformation!
"Ah..."
The stimulation was so intense that Yu Tianyu couldn't help letting out a low growl.
Sweat streamed down his muscles, soaking the waistband of his pants.
Looking at the boy before her, radiating masculine vigor and a wild dragon's might, Ji Wushuang's gaze gradually grew hazy.
She was a Soul Douluo and nearly thirty years old, but her pride had kept her from ever falling for a man.
Yet now, this ten-year-old boy beneath her hands stirred something in her she'd never felt before.
It was the pull of dragon blood calling to dragon blood.
And the yearning for untapped potential.
"Not bad, kid. You're good at enduring pain."
Ji Wushuang leaned close to his ear, her breath fragrant. Then, teasingly, she extended the tip of her tongue and lightly licked the bead of sweat on his earlobe.
"Boom!"
That lick was even more devastating than the lightning.
Yu Tianyu's eyes flew open, bloodshot with the instinctive desire of a dragon in heat.
He spun around and seized Ji Wushuang by the wrist.
They were now extremely close.
A fine sheen of sweat covered Ji Wushuang's forehead from casting the spell. As she leaned forward, the neckline of her qipao gaped open, her stunningly pale skin almost brushing Yu Tianyu's face.
"Teacher..."
Yu Tianyu's voice was hoarse, edged with danger. "You're playing with fire."
"Playing with fire?"
Ji Wushuang didn't pull her hand away. Instead, she leaned toward him, their noses almost touching.
She met Yu Tianyu's predatory gaze, a seductive, taunting smile on her lips.
"I was playing with fire before you were even born, little boy."
"But..."
Her hand suddenly slid down and stopped at Yu Tianyu's lower abdomen, over his dantian. She pressed lightly.
"You're still too green."
"When you can truly transform your whole body into a dragon and defeat me..."
"Maybe then your big sister will consider letting you 'play' for real."
With that, lightning flashed around her, and she instantly reappeared atop a boulder ten meters away.
"That's enough for today."
Ji Wushuang picked up her wine gourd and took a swig, her carefree air making it seem as if nothing intimate had happened.
"Go back and let that lightning energy settle in. We'll continue tomorrow."
"Oh, and remember to bring more supplements. Your big sister's technique takes a lot of stamina."
Yu Tianyu sat where he was, watching her alluring figure disappear into the distance. For a long while, he didn't move.
He lowered his head to look at his still-trembling hands and the skin where blue scales lingered.
The feeling of being filled with power was better than anything he'd ever experienced.
"Ji Wushuang..."
Yu Tianyu licked his lips, a glint of conquest in his eyes.
"A Soul Douluo, huh?"
"Just wait. It won't be long before I show you who the real dragon is."
He stood and put his clothes back on.
She might have teased him, but he'd gained a lot, too.
After that lightning tempering, he felt as if a bridge had formed between his Second Martial Soul and Dragon Slayer Magic.
The idea of becoming a dragon through the strength of his body really could work!
"The old man made a brilliant move."
Yu Tianyu stretched and looked at the sun, now risen high in the sky.
"Not only did he give me a cheat to help me get stronger, he also sent me such a gorgeous wife... I mean, teacher."
"Looks like I'll have to visit Thunderfall Valley more often."
By the time he returned to the academy, it was already noon.
As soon as he entered the cafeteria, he saw Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling sitting there with dark expressions, while Pang Hu trembled nearby.
"Where have you been?"
The moment Dugu Yan spotted him, she rushed over like a police dog and sniffed him.
"Why do you smell like... wine? And some kind of really expensive perfume?!"
Dugu Yan's snake-like pupils narrowed to slits. "Yu Tianyu! Did you sneak off to a club without telling us?!"
Ye Lingling looked up at him too, her gaze melancholy, as if she were looking at a heartless man.
"Ahem..."
Yu Tianyu hastily raised his hands. "I'm innocent! I went to train! The old man found me a lunatic of a teacher. She nearly worked me to death!"
"A teacher? A woman?" Dugu Yan immediately caught the important detail.
"Um... sort of. She's an old lady! A really fierce old lady!" Yu Tianyu lied without batting an eye.
"An old lady?" Dugu Yan looked at him skeptically. "Would an old lady wear perfume that smells like ylang-ylang?"
"Aw, don't get hung up on the little things. I'm starving. Let's eat!"
Yu Tianyu hastily changed the subject, sat down, and began wolfing down meat.
With the two girls still eyeing him suspiciously, Yu Tianyu thought to himself:
Life was going to get rough from here on out.
Two little dragons—or rather, snakes—at home, and a big female dragon outside.
Why did this love triangle feel like it was getting more complicated by the day?
Still...
A smile tugged at Yu Tianyu's lips.
This was the life of a strong man—painful, but exhilarating!
Before you continue