Yu Tianheng knelt in the deep pit, his whole body stiff with the bitter cold. Even when he gave it everything he had, he couldn't move an inch.
That crushing suppression of Soul Power had struck him like a sledgehammer, jolting him awake.
This wasn't an illusion.
It was an insurmountable gulf in strength.
Yu Tianheng lowered his proud head. His eyes were vacant as he sank into a profound crisis of faith in himself.
In the VIP seats, Qian Renxue drew a deep breath and suppressed the churning blood in her chest.
She quickly regained her composure and put on her usual gentle, refined manner.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
The crisp sound of applause rang across the silent training grounds.
Clapping as she walked down from the stands, Qian Renxue spoke with unreserved admiration.
"Splendid. Absolutely splendid."
"I never imagined Skywater Academy had nurtured such an astonishing genius."
She went to the edge of the arena and gave Shui Bing'er and Xue Tianyu a slight nod.
"Our Imperial Fighting Team lost this match."
"We concede wholeheartedly and accept defeat at once."
Hearing that even the Crown Prince had personally come forward to concede, Xue Wu and the others cheered with delight once more.
Shui Bing'er let out a long breath of relief.
She looked at Xue Tianyu, who had already withdrawn his Soul Rings and was preparing to leave the arena with an uninterested expression, and felt deeply grateful.
It was all thanks to Tian Yu stepping in at just the right moment.
He had not only won the match cleanly but had also completely preserved Skywater Academy's dignity, which no one was allowed to trample.
Xue Wu's face flushed with excitement as she rushed straight into the arena without a second thought.
She threw an arm around Xue Tianyu's neck and bounced up and down with joy, forgetting all about being demure.
"Tian Yu! You're amazing!"
"You slammed that arrogant jerk into a pit and left him unable to get up. That felt so good!"
Right after that, Shui Yue'er, Yu Hairou, and several other girls crowded around, chattering excitedly.
They surrounded Xue Tianyu like stars around the moon.
The girls' subtly different fragrances mingled, wafting straight to Xue Tianyu's nose.
Their soft bodies pressed tightly against him.
Even through his clothes, Xue Tianyu could clearly feel them trembling with excitement.
Shui Bing'er stood on the outskirts, watching with a smile in her eyes.
She stepped forward on her long, slender legs and went to Xue Tianyu.
Without hesitation, Shui Bing'er opened her arms and gave him a powerful hug.
The instant she was in his arms, a fresh, icy-snow scent washed over him.
Shui Bing'er had a stunning figure.
Her slender waist, narrow enough to clasp in one hand, and her full, captivating curves pressed tightly against Xue Tianyu's chest.
An astonishing softness and heart-stirring springiness met him.
For any normal man, this was an utterly tempting reward.
Shui Bing'er rested her chin on Xue Tianyu's shoulder.
She breathed in his clean, refreshing, unmistakable scent.
A sense of security and attachment unlike anything she had ever felt quietly took root in her heart, winding around it like a vine.
In the arms of this boy, who was even a few years younger than her, she felt the reassurance of being completely protected.
A moment later, Shui Bing'er belatedly realized what she had done.
In front of everyone, she had actually hugged him so tightly of her own accord.
She quickly let go and stepped back half a pace.
Her fair, jade-like face instantly turned a captivating shade of red, and even her crystal-clear earlobes flushed crimson.
The lively celebration had only just come to an end.
Qian Renxue came over, waving her folding fan as she walked with calm elegance.
"Skywater Academy is truly full of hidden talents."
"I never imagined that among all these delicate girls, someone like you—a peerless genius—would be hiding."
Qian Renxue looked at Xue Tianyu, her admiration and desire to recruit him entirely undisguised.
Xue Tianyu glanced up at her.
"Are you trying to poach me?"
Caught out so directly, a flicker of surprise crossed Qian Renxue's eyes.
Then she smiled, entirely at ease, and shook her head several times.
"Talking to a clever person really does save effort."
"Skywater Academy is all right, but the waters here are far too shallow."
"A true dragon destined to soar through the heavens like you would only have your incredible talent wasted if you stayed here."
Qian Renxue fixed him with a burning gaze and extended an exceedingly tempting offer.
Xue Tianyu folded his arms across his chest, still wearing that lazy expression.
"Wherever a true dragon goes, it can become a true dragon."
"It doesn't need to move to a different pond to prove itself."
Those words shook Qian Renxue to the core.
She stared at the boy before her, who was only twelve or thirteen.
What kind of confidence did it take to be so supremely self-assured?
Qian Renxue was intensely curious.
She couldn't help studying Xue Tianyu's features closely.
His skin was as white as snow, his brows and eyes as lovely as a painting.
The more she looked, the more she felt that this boy was truly handsome—flawless in every way.
Qian Renxue's heartbeat began to quicken despite herself.
"Thump, thump, thump."
A strange ripple she had never felt before stirred in her heart.
Just then, Xue Tianyu happened to turn his gaze toward her.
Their eyes met unexpectedly.
Qian Renxue felt as if she'd been caught red-handed. Her heart lurched.
She hurriedly looked away, not daring to meet Xue Tianyu's gaze again.
A faint, unnatural blush spread across her handsome, refined face.
Seeing her like this, Xue Tianyu chuckled.
"Why are you blushing?"
"You're the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou. Don't tell me you like men?"
At his words, Qian Renxue's cheeks grew even hotter. All she could manage was an awkward laugh.
"Brother Tianyu, you really know how to joke."
"I just think it's a little stuffy here."
She did her best to deny it, but her heart was filled with unease.
The casual look in Xue Tianyu's eyes made her feel as if his words held a deeper meaning.
Had he seen through her disguise?
How could that be possible!
Qian Renxue immediately dismissed the absurd thought.
Xue Tianyu didn't tease Qian Renxue any further.
His gaze passed through the crowd and landed on a corner not far away.
Dugu Yan of the Imperial Fighting Team was wandering there alone, looking a little pale.
The sight of Dugu Yan immediately brought the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and the Immortal Herbs to Xue Tianyu's mind.
She was the perfect opening.
"Your Highness, take a rest. I have something to do."
Xue Tianyu casually said goodbye to Qian Renxue, then headed toward Dugu Yan.
At that moment, Dugu Yan's mind was a complete mess.
All she could think about were the five Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings that had risen beneath Xue Tianyu's feet.
They had completely upended everything she had known about Soul Masters for over a decade.
How had he broken the theoretical limit for the Soul Rings a Soul Master could absorb?
Just as she was struggling to make sense of it, a violent spasm suddenly seized her body.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison had flared up.
Dugu Yan gasped in pain and clutched her chest with both hands.
Her emerald-green eyes were full of anguish. Her legs gave way, and she began to collapse toward the ground.
A pale, slender hand caught her arm and held her steady.
Then an exceptionally pure power of extreme cold flowed into her body through that hand.
The frigid energy was domineering. In an instant, it forcibly froze the raging snake venom inside her and suppressed it.
Before you continue