Will You Admit Defeat?

Watching Yu Tianheng charge toward him, purple lightning coiling around his body, Qin Yuan became an arrow loosed from a bowstring and rushed to meet him head-on.

"Your Martial Soul's shattered, and you still dare to attack? You're overestimating yourself!" Yu Tianheng sneered. A purple Soul Ring lit up around him.

"Third Soul Skill—Wrath of Thunder!"

Yu Tianheng's third Soul Skill enhanced his own abilities. Once activated, it sent him into a berserk state for a period of time, increasing his lightning power by one hundred percent and his Soul Power by fifty percent.

In an instant, Yu Tianheng's aura surged. He looked at Qin Yuan with even more mockery and disdain.

"Relax. This is just a spar, so I won't kill you. But you're in for some pain!"

"Enough talk!" Qin Yuan had already closed in. A golden gleam suddenly welled up in the depths of his pitch-black eyes, and his pupils turned into Golden Vertical Pupils.

Golden Dragon Scales covered his long neck, limbs, and torso like golden armor. At the same time, a Deep Purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet and circled his body, shining brightly.

"Second Soul Skill—Golden Dragon God Transformation!"

Golden Dragon God Transformation: Increases all attributes by one hundred percent, with no negative effects. Lasts for one hour.

"All attributes" meant strength, speed, Soul Power, defense, and attack—the five major attributes!

Compared with Yu Tianheng's self-enhancement skill, it was far more powerful!

As Qin Yuan activated his Second Soul Skill, his already terrifying aura surged once more. His golden eyes, cold and imposing, were like two concentrated golden suns, dazzlingly bright!

The Golden Dragon Scales covering his body grew harder and brighter, turning a radiant gold. It was as if his Golden Dragon Armor had evolved!

The sneer and mockery froze on Yu Tianheng's face. His pupils shrank to pinpoints, and he cried out in shock:

"What?! Wasn't your Martial Soul a sword? How could you..."

Nearly everyone in the arena sprang to their feet, dumbstruck.

Even Qin Ming, Dugu Yan, Song Qingshuang, and the others stood frozen in shock, like statues.

Ling Tian's Martial Soul wasn't a sword!

Staring coldly at Yu Tianheng's horrified expression, Qin Yuan said without a trace of emotion:

"Who told you my Martial Soul was a sword?"

A cold glint flashed in his golden eyes. He stamped down, shattering the floor tiles. Power rose from the ground, traveled up his legs and through his waist, then coiled into an explosive force that burst from his right fist like a swung iron hammer.

"Bang!"

With the terrifying boost of Golden Dragon God Transformation, Qin Yuan moved so fast that Yu Tianheng could only watch in horror as the fist hammered into the Tanzhong acupoint on his chest.

There was no trick to it, just pure, penetrating force. Yu Tianheng's eyes bulged, and he let out a shrill scream as he flew backward, his back slamming into the ground with a muffled thud like a torn sack.

Blood sprayed from Yu Tianheng's mouth as he slid more than ten meters across the ground, nearly falling off the platform.

"What?!" Disbelieving cries rang out all around them.

Yu Tianheng, the possessor of the top-tier Beast Martial Soul Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, with Soul Power at rank thirty-nine and a reputation as Heaven Dou City's greatest prodigy, couldn't even withstand a single blow!

Qin Ming's eyes widened until they nearly bulged. His whole body trembled. His most prized student had been so easily gravely injured by someone at the same level?!

Dugu Yan and the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team cried out. Their powerful captain couldn't even withstand a single blow!

In a VIP room on the second floor, Song Qingshuang's beautiful eyes lit up. Gazing at the proud, heroic figure standing as if clad in golden armor, she felt her heart pound. Her delicate lips parted slightly.

"So... handsome."

Qin Yuan walked slowly toward Yu Tianheng, who lay at the edge of the platform, desperately struggling to rise but unable to, blood still spraying from his mouth.

Yu Tianheng's pale face was filled with shock, disbelief, and unwillingness. Like a dog, he lay on the ground, gritting his teeth as he tried to push himself up.

Tap!

Suddenly, a pair of black shoes appeared in his field of vision. His expression froze, and he struggled to look up.

He saw a young man wearing a Golden Dragon Mask, Golden Dragon Scales covering his body.

Those dazzling, imposing golden eyes looked down at him. The boy spoke without the slightest trace of emotion.

"Will you admit defeat?"

Yu Tianheng's pale face stiffened. The two stared at each other for a long time. Then Yu Tianheng slowly lowered his head, like a servant bowing before a king. His body began to tremble faintly, and his clenched teeth ground together.

After a long while, he forced three words through his teeth:

"I... lost..."

At those words, everyone sucked in a breath, especially Qin Ming and Dugu Yan, who knew just how proud Yu Tianheng was. Their expressions turned complicated.

A once-in-a-generation prodigy had bowed his head in public to someone his own age. What a humiliating thing.

In the VIP room on the second floor, Song Qingshuang gazed down at the man who had forced Yu Tianheng to bow his head. Her bright eyes gleamed as she murmured softly:

"Only a man like that is worthy of my giving him my whole life."

As she spoke, she couldn't help thinking of her former fiancé, and sneered with disdain:

"Compared to Ling Tian, that Qin Yuan is simply an eyesore! He's not even worthy of carrying Ling Tian's shoes! And he actually dared to dream of marrying me? Disgusting!"

At the mention of Ling Tian, the disdain vanished from her eyes and face in an instant, replaced by admiration.

Now that Ling Tian had appeared in her world, she could no longer look favorably on the suitors she had once thought decent. Even the Duke's legitimate son couldn't catch her eye.

Her mind was now filled with images of herself standing beside Ling Tian.

Seeing Yu Tianheng lower his head, Qin Yuan showed that he wasn't the sort to press an advantage. He left his Martial Soul Possession state.

He glanced around at the silent crowd. Everywhere he looked, people stood frozen, wide-eyed and stunned, like one statue after another.

He shook the blood from his right hand, turned, and headed down from the platform.

"Can you tell me what your Martial Soul really is?"

Yu Tianheng's weak, unwilling voice suddenly rang out behind him.

Qin Yuan didn't stop or look back as he answered:

"Golden Dragon."

Watching Qin Yuan's retreating figure, Yu Tianheng quietly repeated those three words:

"Golden Dragon..."

Suddenly, he gave a bitter smile. "So it really is a dragon-type Martial Soul. I'm a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, yet I lost to another dragon-type Martial Soul..."

Qin Yuan had no idea how Yu Tianheng reacted, and he didn't care to know. By then, he had already left the Soul Fighting Arena.

Having keenly sensed powerful experts following him, he showed no reaction. He entered the inn closest to the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace, rented a room, and, after locking the doors and windows, teleported straight back to the palace.

The experts who had sensed Qin Yuan's aura suddenly vanish rushed in to look. They all froze on the spot.

Where had he gone?

The news of Ling Tian crushing Yu Tianheng with a single move spread throughout Heaven Dou City overnight like a raging storm, then swiftly reached far beyond it.

Countless factions wanted to win the favor of this young prodigy. They all knew that someone like him was destined to become a Titled Douluo—and not an ordinary one, either!

Making the acquaintance of a figure like him would surely bring endless benefits in the future.

Unfortunately, after defeating Yu Tianheng and leaving that night, Ling Tian never appeared again. No one knew where he had gone. It was as if he had vanished from the world.

Inside the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace, Emperor Xue Ye couldn't stop praising Ling Tian. He sighed to Qian Renxue:

"Ling Tian truly is a peerless genius, one rarely seen in a hundred years! If we can win him over, the position of our Heavenly Dou royal family will be even more secure!

"Once he grows up, even the Star Luo Empire and Spirit Hall will have to think twice before opposing our Heavenly Dou Empire.

"We must find him and win him over at any cost!"

Emperor Xue Ye's final words were low and emphatic.

Qian Renxue nodded firmly in agreement.

Then she suddenly said with regret, "If only Xiao Yuan had half of Ling Tian's talent."

"Hmph, don't mention that good-for-nothing!" Emperor Xue Ye snorted, his voice tinged with displeasure and anger. "He's Qin Zhan's son, yet he didn't inherit Qin Zhan's top-tier Martial Soul. Instead, it mutated into a trash Martial Soul. He's nothing but a useless waste!"

"Father, Xiao Yuan is your own nephew. How can you belittle him like that?" Qian Renxue said, forcing down her anger.

"I have no nephew as useless as that!"

Leaving those cold words behind, Emperor Xue Ye turned and strode away.