Pang Hu's so-called "flashy clothes" turned out to be a gold vest embroidered all over with money patterns. On his round, plump frame, he looked just like a walking gold ingot.
"Brother Yu, what do you think? I had this specially made. People are guaranteed to turn around and look when I walk by!" Pang Hu flicked his nonexistent bangs, looking completely confident.
Yu Tianyu's mouth twitched. Resisting the urge to punch him until he became a real gold ingot, he nodded. "It's definitely... eye-catching. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria. I'm hungry."
The two left the dormitory building. It was mealtime, and the campus was bustling with students. Just as Pang Hu had predicted, they attracted plenty of attention—but half the looks were because of his gold vest, while the other half were because of Yu Tianyu's exceptionally handsome face, and the whispers that came with it.
"Hey, look at the blue-haired guy. Is that Yu Tianyu?" "Yeah, the one from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—their 'Abandoned Disciple.'" "I heard he awakened a Trash Martial Soul that specifically counters his own clan's Martial Soul. Innate Full Soul Power didn't help him at all. Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen beat him half to death and kicked him out." "Tsk, tsk. He's handsome, at least. Too bad he's a disgrace to his family..."
The voices were quiet, but Yu Tianyu's hearing was sharp enough to catch every word.
Pang Hu's usually grinning expression stiffened. He glanced at Yu Tianyu with concern, only to find no trace of emotion on his new roommate's face. Those deep violet eyes were as calm as still water, as if the gossip were about the price of cabbage.
"Brother Yu, they..."
"They're just a bunch of flies. Ignore them." Yu Tianyu spoke coolly, without breaking stride. "Would a lion care about a sheep's bleating?"
Pang Hu blinked, then gave him a thumbs-up. "Impressive! Really impressive!"
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy cafeteria was enormous, with two floors. The first floor was for ordinary students, while the second was reserved for noble students and upperclassmen.
Yu Tianyu didn't want trouble, so he headed straight for a serving counter on the first floor. But trouble was like a mosquito in summer: even if you didn't go looking for it, it could still sniff you out.
"Get out of the way! Are you blind? A good dog doesn't block the road!"
A commotion broke out up ahead, followed by the sharp clatter of a tray hitting the floor.
Yu Tianyu furrowed his brow and looked over. In a passageway not far ahead, several students in upperclassman uniforms had surrounded a little girl.
She looked only six or seven, but her figure was already showing signs of becoming tall and slender. Most striking were her short, dark green hair and deep green eyes. Though still very young, her gaze held a fierceness and arrogance that didn't belong to a child her age.
"So being an upperclassman means you can bully people whenever you want?" The girl stared coldly at the boy in front of her, who stood a head taller. Her voice was clear, but carried a chill. "You spilled my soup. You're not leaving without apologizing."
"Apologize?" The upperclassman in charge sneered. A Wolf Head badge was pinned to his chest. "Little girl, don't think I won't lay a hand on you just because you're pretty. Strength is what matters at this academy. You're a new student, aren't you? You just got here, and you're already talking back to your senior?"
"I said you should apologize." The girl repeated herself. A faint gleam flickered in her green eyes, and the air around them seemed to turn cold.
"This girl's got some nerve," Pang Hu muttered. "But those guys look like third-years. That one has a Wind Wolf Martial Soul and is a level-eleven Spirit Master. This little girl's probably in for a rough time."
Yu Tianyu said nothing. His gaze rested on the girl. For some reason, the moment he saw her, his Dragon Slayer Magic Martial Soul stirred faintly within him.
It was the instinctive reaction of a predator spotting prey.
That aura... a snake? Yu Tianyu wondered.
The tension in the passageway had reached a breaking point. Clearly angered by the girl's attitude, the upperclassman raised a hand and shoved her. "Don't push your luck!"
The girl reacted swiftly, twisting nimbly like a snake to dodge the shove. At the same time, she curled her right hand into a claw. A faint green light glimmered at her fingertips as she swiped at the boy's wrist.
"Gah!" the boy cried out in pain. Three black marks had appeared on his wrist, and the skin around the wounds was rapidly changing color.
"Poison?!" The boy flew into a rage. "You little poison brat! Brothers, get her! Teach this clueless new student a lesson!"
Several upperclassmen immediately closed in around her. Their Martial Souls shimmered into view; they clearly intended to overwhelm her with numbers.
The girl's gaze was fierce, but she was alone, and her Soul Power seemed to have only just awakened. Against several Spirit Masters of level eleven or twelve, she gradually fell behind.
"Bang!" In one clash, the girl was knocked back several steps, straight toward Yu Tianyu, who was standing nearby.
Yu Tianyu instinctively reached out and caught her by the shoulder.
Her skin felt icy beneath his hand, as if he had touched cold jade rather than human flesh.
The girl whipped around, eyes wary. The green light at her fingertips hadn't faded, and a sweet, sickly odor wafted toward him.
"Let go!" she snapped.
Yu Tianyu released her and stepped back half a pace, brushing dust from his palms even though there was none. "Is that how you say thank you?"
The girl froze. Before she could reply, the upperclassmen had already caught up with them.
"Oh, you've got a helper?" The boy in charge clutched his blackened wrist and glared at Yu Tianyu and Pang Hu, his face twisted with anger. "You're new students too? Great. I'll teach all of you how things work around here!"
Pang Hu's chubby body trembled, and he ducked behind Yu Tianyu. "Uh... Senior, this is a misunderstanding. We were just passing through..."
"Passing through my ass!" the boy roared, then activated his Martial Soul. A green Wind Wolf apparition appeared behind him. Though the yellow Century Spirit Ring at his feet glowed dimly, it was more than enough to intimidate new students.
"Wind Wolf Possession! First Spirit Skill: Wind Wolf Claw!"
The boy drove off the ground, claws slashing through the air as he lunged straight at Yu Tianyu's face. He was clearly taking all his anger out on the "pretty boy," who looked like the easiest target.
The green-haired girl's expression changed. She was about to intervene when she suddenly felt a terrifying heat rise beside her.
"You're too loud."
Yu Tianyu's voice remained calm, but beneath that calmness was something like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
He didn't even activate Martial Soul Possession. He merely raised his right fist.
In an instant, scarlet flames burst into life around his fist. This wasn't ordinary fire, but Dragon Flame—wild and destructive!
The temperature in the air soared. The cold poison that had filled the passageway was instantly burned away.
The green-haired girl, standing closest to him, felt it most keenly. The moment Yu Tianyu threw his punch, her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul let out a frightened wail, as if it had encountered its natural enemy. It trembled uncontrollably, and even the flow of her Soul Power grew sluggish.
Was this... bloodline suppression?!
"Fire Dragon's—Iron Fist!"
Yu Tianyu gave a quiet shout. His flaming fist struck first, hitting the Wind Wolf Claw with pinpoint accuracy.
"Boom!"
The blast sent flames scattering everywhere.
There was no suspense. The so-called upperclassman didn't even have time to scream before he was sent flying like a cannonball. He sailed more than ten meters and slammed into the cafeteria wall, cracking it in a web of fractures.
The entire cafeteria fell silent.
The once-bustling room went completely quiet. Everyone stared open-mouthed at the boy holding his fist out.
The upperclassman slid to the ground, already unconscious. The sleeve on his right arm had burned away, and the entire arm was charred black.
Yu Tianyu lowered his fist and blew away a wisp of smoke, as if he had merely swatted a fly.
"Next time you eat, remember to line up."
He didn't even glance at the stunned upperclassmen. Turning to Pang Hu, he said, "Come on. Let's get our food."
Pang Hu was still staring, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "Yu... Yu Tianyu, that was incredible! He had a Century Spirit Ring!"
"Was he strong?" Yu Tianyu asked.
Pang Hu swallowed. "Was he strong? We just enrolled!"
Yu Tianyu didn't bother explaining. To someone like him, with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, an opponent with only one ring and a low-quality Martial Soul was no different from a wild chicken.
They had only taken a couple of steps when a cool voice sounded behind them.
"Hey. Stop."
Yu Tianyu paused and looked back.
The green-haired girl had recovered from her shock, but her gaze had grown unusually complicated. She quickly walked over and stood in front of Yu Tianyu, tilting her head back to look at him.
"What's your name?"
"Yu Tianyu."
"Yu Tianyu..." The girl repeated the name, a strange look passing through her eyes. "The one from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
"What, you want to laugh at me too?" Yu Tianyu raised an eyebrow.
"No." The girl shook her head. Her gaze fell on Yu Tianyu's hand, as if she were still recalling the terror of having her Martial Soul suppressed a moment ago. "That move wasn't a Spirit Skill from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Your flames... are unusual."
"Nothing special. They're good for grilling fish, though." Yu Tianyu made something up offhand.
The girl's lips curved into a playful smile that didn't quite suit her temperament. "My name is Dugu Yan. I owe you one for what happened just now."
Dugu Yan!
Pang Hu sucked in a sharp breath. He leaned close to Yu Tianyu and whispered, "Brother Yu! She's Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's granddaughter! That famous Old Poison!"
Yu Tianyu's eyes flickered. So it really was her—the future vice-captain of the Imperial Fighting Team.
"No need. I just happened to be passing by." Yu Tianyu turned to leave.
"Wait." Dugu Yan refused to let it go. She stepped forward, her deep green, snake-like eyes fixed on Yu Tianyu. "Your Martial Soul can suppress mine. I'm interested in you. Let's be friends."
If someone else had said that, it might have sounded flirtatious. Coming from Dugu Yan, it carried a note of challenge and curiosity instead.
Yu Tianyu looked at the hand she held out. Her nails were long, and a faint green tint seemed to show beneath them.
He smiled but didn't take her hand. Instead, he tucked his hands into his pockets, leaned down, and brought his face close to her ear. He spoke so softly that only the two of them could hear.
"You want to be friends? Get your snake poison under control first. You're too weak right now. You can't even control your own poison. Be careful you don't poison yourself to death one day."
With Dugu Yan staring at him in shock, her pupils contracting, Yu Tianyu straightened and called to Pang Hu, who was still standing there dazed.
"Come on, Pang Hu. They're about to run out of braised pork."
Watching Yu Tianyu walk away, Dugu Yan stood rooted to the spot, motionless for a long while.
Her body trembled slightly—not with anger, but with the shock of having her secret exposed.
In this world, no one except her grandfather, Dugu Bo, had ever been able to see at a glance the danger posed by the backlash of her Jade Phosphorous Snake Poison. And certainly not a boy her own age!
"Yu Tianyu..."
Dugu Yan clenched her fist, digging her nails into her palm.
"You're the first person my age who's ever dared to call me weak. Interesting. Very interesting..."
A desire to win unlike anything she had felt before ignited in her deep green eyes.
After getting their food, they found a seat in a corner.
As he stuffed braised pork into his mouth, Pang Hu mumbled, "Brother Yu, you were so cool back there! But you really shouldn't pick a fight with Dugu Yan. She's a Little Witch! I heard her grandpa's fiercely protective!"
"Protective?" Yu Tianyu picked up a piece of greens and smiled faintly. "That's convenient. My dad's pretty protective too."
Though he claimed to have been cast out as an "Abandoned Disciple," Yu Tianyu knew full well that if his Titled Douluo father heard he'd been bullied, the whole "Abandoned Disciple" act would fall apart in an instant. His father would come charging over to protect his son.
"And besides..." A glint flashed in Yu Tianyu's eyes.
The poison in Dugu Yan's body was a deadly threat to other people, but to someone with Dragon Slayer Magic, perhaps...
If Natsu could eat fire, Gajeel could eat iron, and Wendy could eat air...
Since he had awakened the potential for Dragon Slayer Magic of all attributes—although only fire had manifested so far, Yu Tianyu could also eat attacks of other attributes, but they were no stronger than fire, and Dragon Slayer Magic would only show its true power once he had attached Spirit Rings—
Did that mean that, as long as his constitution was strong enough, he could eat anything?
The magic of a Poison Dragon... didn't sound bad either.
Just then, another commotion came from the cafeteria entrance.
"It's Ye Lingling! The heir to Nine Heart Begonia is here too!"
Yu Tianyu looked up and saw a veiled girl in black quietly enter the cafeteria. She radiated a coldness that kept everyone at a distance, completely unlike the fiery, haughty Dugu Yan.
"This academy really is full of hidden talents."
Yu Tianyu's lips curled slightly as he swallowed his last mouthful of rice.
Since he was here, he might as well have some fun.
Whether they were evil dragons or poisonous snakes, in a world where strength ruled, they would all eventually have to curl up and behave!
Before you continue