The Collar Called "Genius," Meng Yiran's Magnificent Revenge

The Royal Enclosure, promotion-round team camp.

The morning sun fell across the tents, but it could not dispel the oppressive, ashen gloom hanging over Shrek Academy's camp.

Ever since Chrysanthemum Douluo had humiliated him in the canyon yesterday, and Yu Tianyu had publicly trampled on his dignity, Tang San had shut himself away in his tent. His wounds had been treated and had already scabbed over, but the humiliation that had sunk into his very bones gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

"Yu Tianyu... Yu Tianyu!!"

Tang San sat cross-legged on his cot, his eyes bloodshot and his teeth grinding. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw Yu Tianyu's lofty, mocking face, along with those words that haunted him like a nightmare: "You're my toy."

Just then, someone lifted the tent flap.

Flender walked in with an exquisitely wrapped gift box in his hands, his expression grim.

"Xiao San, this was... sent over by someone from Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Flender hesitated, then set the box on the table. "They said it was a 'get-well gift' especially for you."

"Would he really be that kind?" Suspicion and wariness flashed through Tang San's eyes.

"Maybe we should just throw it away. What if it's poisoned..." Zhao Wuji rumbled from nearby.

"No. I want to see."

Tang San drew a deep breath. He wanted to see what other tricks that devil had up his sleeve. Suppressing his fury, he tremblingly untied the ribbon around the box.

The moment it opened, a deathly silence fell over the tent.

There were no hidden weapons, no poison.

Resting on a cushion of fine silk was a collar.

A finely crafted leather collar, studded with small diamonds—the sort usually worn around the necks of pet dogs kept by the nobility.

Beside it lay a gold-flecked card bearing just one line, written in bold, forceful strokes:

Since you're a toy, you should look the part. Put this on and give me a performance onstage. —Your master, Yu Tianyu.

"You've gone too far!!"

Dai Mubai roared and slammed his fist into the table, making the collar jump. "What does he take you for? A dog?!"

Tang San stared fixedly at the collar. His face went from pale to livid, then from livid to a sickly flush.

"Pfft!"

He couldn't hold back a mouthful of blood, which sprayed directly onto the collar.

But he didn't faint.

Instead, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The fury in his eyes strangely subsided, replaced by a chilling calm.

It was the madness of someone driven to the brink.

"Good. Very good."

Tang San's voice rasped like sandpaper. "He wants a performance? Then I'll give him one."

"I'll prove with my strength who the real genius is—and who'll be the last one standing."

"Put the collar away."

Tang San rose to his feet. The phantom of a Clear Sky Hammer flickered behind him, radiating a terrifying killing intent.

"One day, I'll put this collar around his neck with my own hands."

The promotion-round format differed from the qualifiers.

It was no longer a seven-person team battle, but a series of one-on-one matches that put individual strength to a much greater test. This also meant that every competitor who took the stage would be exposed to everyone's scrutiny, with nothing held back.

A massive arena had already been built in the center of the grounds.

Emperor Xue Ye sat on the high platform. Beside him sat Ning Fengzhi, Salas, and Xue Qinghe, disguised as the Crown Prince.

Yu Tianyu, as captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, sat at the head of the competitors' section, in the most conspicuous seat.

At that moment, he was enjoying the attentions of a stunning beauty.

Huo Wu wore a shortened maid outfit—though it was still her red dress, Yu Tianyu had insisted she add a white apron and a lace headband. She knelt beside him, blushing as she peeled grapes for him.

The sight broke the hearts of countless men nearby and filled them with envy and jealousy toward Yu Tianyu.

"First match: Shrek Academy versus Exotic Beast Academy!"

At the announcer's words, the entire crowd turned its attention to the arena.

Tang San was the first to step out for Shrek.

He wore clothes washed until they had faded, and held his back straight. He didn't look dejected after yesterday's humiliation. Instead, he carried the grim resolve of a desperate army determined to win.

"Oh? He can still stand?"

Yu Tianyu opened his mouth and accepted a grape from Huo Wu, his gaze amused. "Looks like last night's gift gave him plenty of motivation."

From Exotic Beast Academy's side, a young woman in a tight snakeskin outfit stepped onto the arena.

She held a long Serpent Cane. Her short gray hair made her look brisk and cold, and she fixed Tang San with a stare as if she wanted to devour him alive.

Meng Yiran.

When Tang San saw that his opponent was Meng Yiran, he immediately relaxed a little, and the tension in his nerves eased.

This was hope.

In his eyes, Meng Yiran might not be weak, but she had been defeated by him before. Back in Star Dou Forest, he hadn't even used his Martial Soul; he'd beaten her through a contest of hidden weapons alone.

Looks like Heaven still favors me. My first match has given me an easy opponent so I can regain my confidence.

A confident smile appeared on Tang San's face. He gave Meng Yiran a slight cupped-fist salute.

"Miss Meng, it's been a long time. I hope you've been well since we parted in Star Dou Forest."

He tried to act gracious, hoping to restore some of Shrek Academy's image in front of the nobles and the emperor.

Meng Yiran wasn't buying it.

"Shut up, Tang San."

Meng Yiran's voice was cold as ice. "Stop pretending. You stole my Man Faced Demon Spider back then and made my grandparents lose face. We're settling that score today."

"Begin!" the referee called.

"In that case, I apologize in advance."

A cold glint flashed in Tang San's eyes. He stepped into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and shot forward.

He didn't release the Clear Sky Hammer or use Blue Silver Grass. Instead, he reached to his waist and drew several Bone Piercing Nails.

If he wanted to make a statement, he had to win in style. He intended to recreate his earlier victory, defeating Meng Yiran with the hidden weapons she was best at and crushing her confidence completely.

"Take this!"

His wrist flicked, and three Bone Piercing Nails shot toward Meng Yiran's throat and shoulders in a triangular formation.

Watching the hidden weapons fly toward her, Meng Yiran stood still without dodging. A mocking smile even tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Do you think I'm still the same person I was back then?"

Meng Yiran slammed the Serpent Cane in her hand against the ground.

Bzzzz!

A strange violet-black arc of lightning surged along her Serpent Cane, instantly forming a dense web of electricity in front of her.

Clang, clang, clang!

Tang San's prized Bone Piercing Nails struck the electric web—and bounced right off!

"What?!" Tang San's pupils contracted sharply.

Lightning?

Meng Yiran's Martial Soul was clearly a Serpent Cane. How could it have a lightning attribute? And the aura of this lightning... why was it so similar to Yu Tianyu's?!

On the high platform, Yu Tianyu gently swirled his wineglass, smiling without a word.

That's right. This was his doing.

After Dugu Bo had pledged his allegiance, Yu Tianyu had casually given him a trace of lightning source infused with the aura of the Dragon God, asking him to pass it on to Meng Yiran. For Yu Tianyu, it had been a trivial gift. But for an ordinary Spirit Master like Meng Yiran, it was an opportunity to be reborn.

"Tang San, try this!"

Meng Yiran gave a sharp cry and swung her Serpent Cane.

"Third Spirit Skill: Raging Thunder Snake!"

The Serpent Cane, once merely a physical weapon, now became a giant python wrapped in lightning. It lashed toward Tang San with the numbing, destructive force of a storm.

Its speed and power were more than twice what they had been before!

Caught off guard, Tang San could only use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dodge in a panic.

Whap!

The lightning swept over the hem of his clothes. Though it didn't hit him directly, its residual power instantly numbed half his body.

"Damn it! How could this happen?!"

Tang San's sense of superiority crumbled in an instant.

He had thought she would be an easy opponent, but instead he'd run into a brick wall. The reversal shook the little confidence he had just managed to rebuild.

"Is dodging all you can do? Coward!"

Meng Yiran's assault came in wave after wave. Her Serpent Cane rained down like a violent storm, forcing Tang San to bounce around the Great Soul Arena like a monkey.

"Blue Silver Bind!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Tang San released Blue Silver Grass to try to take control of the situation.

But this time, the moment his Blue Silver Grass touched Meng Yiran, the purple lightning running through it burned it to a crisp.

An attribute counter! Another attribute counter!

Watching Tang San's miserable state, the audience began whispering among themselves.

"So this is the so-called genius?"

"He's running around like a dog!"

"Looks like the rumors were true. Shrek Academy is just a bunch of useless braggarts."

Their words stabbed into Tang San's ears like needles.

I can't lose! I absolutely can't lose to someone I've already beaten!

A vicious glint flashed in Tang San's eyes.

If his Martial Soul was countered, then he'd use more advanced techniques!

His hands danced like butterflies among flowers as Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon activated. He tried to redirect Meng Yiran's attacks, while his other hand quietly reached toward Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.

That was the Dragon Whisker Needle!

A sinister hidden weapon that specialized in piercing protective energy.

"Die!"

Tang San seized the moment when Meng Yiran's previous force had run its course and she hadn't yet gathered new strength. A flash of gold appeared in his hand.

He intended to cripple Meng Yiran with this attack. So what if his methods were cruel, as long as he won?

However.

Just as the Dragon Whisker Needle was about to shoot out,

Yu Tianyu, seated in the VIP section, lightly tapped his finger against the table.

"Thump."

The sound wasn't loud, but through a special sonic frequency, it went straight into Tang San's eardrum.

For an instant, Tang San felt as if a heavy hammer had smashed into his brain. His mind went blank for a split second.

A spiritual shock!

When masters clashed, even the slightest difference could decide the outcome.

That moment of distraction made Tang San's aim falter by a mere centimeter.

That one centimeter decided everything.

The Dragon Whisker Needle, which had been aimed at one of Meng Yiran's acupoints, flew past her cheek, taking only a strand of hair with it.

Meng Yiran seized the fatal opening.

"Die!"

She thrust her Serpent Cane forward. The Snake Blade at its tip pierced Tang San's shoulder and lifted him into the air!

"Ah!!!"

Tang San screamed as he was pinned to the Serpent Cane, his feet dangling above the ground and blood dripping down his arm.

The crowd erupted!

He lost?

The so-called genius with Twin Martial Souls had lost to an unknown young woman? And so miserably, hanging in midair like meat on a skewer?

"Let me go!!!"

The pain and humiliation drove Tang San completely out of his mind.

His eyes turned blood-red, and the killing aura of the Asura God within him—still faint though it was—was stirred awake.

"Chaotic Cloak!!"

Even with his shoulder pierced, Tang San forced himself to summon the Clear Sky Hammer with his other hand.

He even disregarded the risk of rupturing his meridians and directly burned through his life force.

Boom!

A massive black hammer-shadow appeared from nowhere, hurtling toward Meng Yiran at point-blank range with the mad force of a final, suicidal strike.

"What?!" Meng Yiran was horrified. It was too late for her to pull away.

If that hammer struck, Meng Yiran would die—she might even be crushed to pulp.

"Stop!!"

The teachers from Exotic Beast Academy and Dragon Duke and Snake Grandmother cried out in alarm.

This was a competition, not a fight to the death! Tang San was trying to kill someone!

Just as tragedy was about to unfold,

a transparent curtain of water suddenly appeared in front of Meng Yiran.

Thud!

The Clear Sky Hammer slammed into the water curtain with a muffled crash, sending countless ripples across its surface, but it couldn't break through.

It was none other than the dean of Skywater Academy who had intervened—or perhaps Yu Tianyu had secretly stepped in to defuse the blow.

But to the spectators, it looked entirely different.

Tang San couldn't accept defeat.

Defeated by a woman, he flew into a rage and wanted to kill her.

"Boo!!!"

Deafening boos rang throughout the Royal Enclosure.

"Get down! You trash!"

"If you can't handle losing, don't compete!"

"Murderer! Get off the stage!"

Xue Ye's expression darkened as well. "This boy is far too vicious. His character is crooked."

Ning Fengzhi closed his eyes, and the last trace of hesitation in his heart disappeared. A madman who couldn't control his emotions and was quick to kill was certainly not worth the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect investing in.

On the arena.

Tang San leaned on his Clear Sky Hammer, panting heavily. Blood stained half his body.

He stared blankly at the crowd.

Why?

I only wanted to win... I only wanted to prove myself...

Why was everyone cursing me?

He turned toward the elevated stands.

Yu Tianyu took the peeled grape in his hand and leisurely popped it into his mouth. Then he gave Tang San a thumbs-down.

Tang San understood what his lips mouthed:

"Quite the performance, puppy."

Pfft!

This time, Tang San could no longer hold back. His vision went black, and, overcome by rage, he collapsed rigidly onto the arena.

He hadn't lost quite so badly physically, but as for his reputation, resolve, and dignity, he had lost everything.

Late at night, with everything quiet.

The lights were bright in Yu Tianyu's tent, which was as warm as spring. It stood in stark contrast to the cold night wind outside.

While Tang San's side was shrouded in gloom, a very different, intimate scene was unfolding here.

Yu Tianyu reclined on a broad tiger-skin couch, flipping through an ancient book in his hand.

Before the couch, Huo Wu knelt on the ground, awkwardly helping him remove his boots.

As the pride of Blazing Fire Academy, her hands were meant to summon flames and command the battlefield. She had never served anyone before. Yet now she had no choice but to bow her noble head and do such menial work.

"Your touch is too light."

Yu Tianyu didn't even look up as he spoke coolly. "Haven't you eaten?"

Huo Wu gritted her teeth and pressed a little harder against the Yongquan Acupoint on the sole of Yu Tianyu's foot.

"Y-you're going too far," Huo Wu protested in a low voice. "I only agreed to be your sparring partner and maid. I never said I'd do this sort of thing..."

"This sort of what?"

Yu Tianyu closed the book, leaned forward, and pinched Huo Wu's cheek, forcing her to look up at him.

"Do you feel wronged?"

"Huo Wu, you need to understand something."

"In this world, the weak don't even have the right to choose how they die. Just look at Tang San today."

At the mention of Tang San, Huo Wu's body trembled slightly.

The events of the day had shaken her deeply. The young man once hailed as a genius had been toyed with by Yu Tianyu until he became so ugly, so utterly helpless.

"Do you want to become someone like Tang San?" Yu Tianyu asked softly.

Huo Wu shook her head frantically.

"Then be obedient."

Yu Tianyu's fingers slid down her cheek and came to rest on her slender neck, feeling the pulse of the artery beneath it.

"I can destroy a genius, and I can create a god."

"As long as you satisfy me."

As he spoke, Yu Tianyu turned his palm over, revealing a pill that glowed a fiery red.

It was the Blazing Fire Marrow-Cleansing Pill he had refined at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Though it couldn't compare to an Immortal Herb, for a fire-type Spirit Master, it was enough to purify her Martial Soul and raise her Innate Soul Power by one level.

"Eat it."

Huo Wu looked at the pill and felt the surging fire element within it. The resistance in her eyes instantly turned to longing.

It was a Spirit Master's instinct.

She parted her red lips and let Yu Tianyu feed her the pill.

The pill melted in her mouth, and a scorching wave of heat swept through her body.

"Mm..."

Huo Wu let out an involuntary, delicate moan and went limp across Yu Tianyu's lap. Her skin flushed an alluring pink.

"Absorb it properly."

Yu Tianyu placed his hand on her back, helping her guide the medicinal energy.

"From today onward, you're no longer Huo Wu of Blazing Fire Academy."

"You're a flame in my hands, Yu Tianyu's."

"A flame... that burns only for me."

Huo Wu gazed hazily at the man before her, who seemed like a god or demon. Under the allure of power and his absolute domination, the last barrier in her heart finally crumbled.

She wrapped her arms around Yu Tianyu of her own accord and pressed her feverish face against his thigh.

"Yes... Master."

At that moment, the proud Fire Phoenix finally had her wings broken and willingly became the Dragon God's perch.

Outside the tent.

A figure in white palace robes stood silently in the shadows.

Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) listened to the sounds within, a complicated glimmer passing through her eyes.

"Not only is he powerful, but he's this skilled at manipulating people..."

"Yu Tianyu, who exactly are you?"

"Looks like I came here for nothing tonight."

Qian Renxue turned to leave, but before she did, she took a long look at the tent.

Her original plan to recruit and test him had now become more urgent—and more... dangerous.

Since you like conquering proud women,

I'd like to see whether you conquer an Angel, or the Angel purifies a demon.