Yu Tianheng's Invitation

Three months later, Bala Kingdom, the royal capital of Bala City, Great Soul Arena.

"Congratulations to the Imperial Dou Team for defeating the Undying Phoenix Team, winning this group soul battle, and successfully promoting to Gold Soul status."

On the main soul fighting stage, as the host in a tuxedo announced the results, a tsunami of cheers erupted throughout Bala City.

The members of the Imperial Dou Team returned to the lounge.

"Wow, Si, you guys are too amazing! You actually beat the Undying Phoenix Team, which had two Soul Ancestors." As soon as they entered, Osler, who had been substituted out by Lan Si, pounced toward him with a face full of admiration.

Lan Si held Ye Lingling's hand and dodged Osler with a flash, causing the latter to immediately face-plant onto the floor.

"You're too heartless," Osler groaned, rubbing his sore arm.

Lan Si smiled faintly: "Sorry, Leopard, my sexual orientation is perfectly normal. If you want a hug, go find Yu Tianheng or that guy Yu Feng."

Yu Tianheng, standing to the side, rolled his eyes. His stiff face, which bore a slight resemblance to Yu Xiaogang, managed a rare, faint smile as he retorted: "Are you implying my sexual orientation isn't normal?"

Clearly, the victory in this soul battle had put him in a very good mood, making him uncharacteristically prone to joking.

"Exactly, exactly. I have no opinion on you mentioning Yu Feng, but my Tianheng is a normal man," Dugu Yan, standing beside Yu Tianheng, chimed in.

"Why am I..." Yu Feng, standing at the very back of the seven, spoke up weakly, but his words were cut off by a glare from Dugu Yan's purple eyes.

Hearing the back-and-forth, Osler climbed up from the floor and argued his case: "My sexual orientation is also perfectly normal, okay? I like beauties, I like beauties!"

Unfortunately, no one paid him any mind, all looking at him as if he were a fool.

Lan Si shrugged slightly, took off his half-mask, and sat on the long sofa opposite with Ye Lingling.

Three months had passed since Lan Si enrolled in the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. In these three months, their group had set out from Heaven Dou City and traveled west, visiting three major cities. Every time they arrived in a city, they would change their aliases and participate in soul battles. In the first two cities, they had undoubtedly achieved Silver Soul status within a month. In this third city, Bala City, they had used their strength as Soul Elders to defeat a team featuring two Soul Ancestors and five members with soul power exceeding level 37, promoting to Gold Soul.

The soul power of the Imperial Dou Team members had also risen to the levels they held when they first appeared in the original story, and a month ago, Lan Si had raised his soul power to level 33.

At the Soul Elder stage, raising one's soul power by a full level in less than three months truly shocked the rest of the Imperial Dou Team.

One must know that the higher the soul power level, the harder it is to improve. At the Soul Elder stage, even geniuses like Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan considered it good to advance one level every four or five months; sometimes, it could even take over half a year. Take Yu Tianheng, for example—he had been stuck at level 39 for over half a year, and barring any accidents, it would be difficult for him to break through to level 40 even with another month or two.

Lan Si's rate of improvement undoubtedly brought pressure upon them, creating an intermittent sense of urgent cultivation within the Imperial Dou Team.

This was undoubtedly something Qin Ming, the leader of the Imperial Dou Team, was happy to see.

As everyone took their seats, Osler, acting as the errand boy, picked up a teapot to pour water for everyone. When it was Lan Si's turn, Osler glanced at the mask on the table and asked casually: "Si, why do you always wear a mask whenever you participate in a soul battle?"

Hearing this, the other members of the Imperial Dou Team couldn't help but look at Lan Si, their eyes filled with curiosity. After these few months of getting along, they had gained a preliminary understanding of him.

He was relatively peaceful, disliked fighting but was not afraid of it, possessed immense talent, practiced diligently, and his strength was plain for all to see.

Although he had never truly sparred with Yu Tianheng, the members of the Imperial Dou Team already placed Lan Si on the same level as him. To some extent, they even believed that if the two were to truly face off, Lan Si might have a slightly better chance of winning. During every soul battle, no matter what opponents they faced, they would entrust their backs to Lan Si and charge forward without hesitation.

And every time, Lan Si would nip every hidden danger in the bud, truly controlling the entire field.

He had become another core member alongside Yu Tianheng.

Facing everyone's gaze, Lan Si picked up his water cup, took a leisurely sip, shook his head, and smiled faintly: "Young people, it's better to keep a low profile. Unlike you all, who have major sects or powerful figures backing you, if I were to be targeted one day, I wouldn't even know how I died."

Hearing this, everyone suddenly realized. Now they finally understood why Lan Si had asked them not to reveal that he was Ye Lingling's cousin. No matter how powerful the Nine Heart Begonia was, it was ultimately a support-type spirit, and they were few in number, unlike the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with its vast wealth and influence. Lan Si's talent was impeccable, and if he were targeted by someone with ill intentions, it would indeed be dangerous.

"In that case, why not join my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? With your talent, I believe my grandfather would definitely give you the best training if he knew. Then, absolutely no one would dare to touch you." Yu Tianheng excitedly extended an invitation to Lan Si. Although the pride of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan made him unwilling to admit it, in terms of talent, Lan Si was indeed far superior to him. At the very least, at Lan Si's age, he was definitely not a match for him.

Similarly, Yu Tianheng's girlfriend, Dugu Yan, also valued Lan Si's talent and advocated for her boyfriend: "That's right, Si. Tianheng's grandfather is the famous Thunder Douluo, who possesses the world's number one beast spirit, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. If you join, no one will dare to target you. Even if someone did, I would ask my grandfather, the Poison Douluo, to teach them a lesson."

Hearing this from Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, Lan Si nearly spat out the tea he had just taken into his mouth. Join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?

Stop joking.

Not to mention the clan's near-pathological requirements for pure bloodlines—which were even more extreme than the Clear Sky Sect—joining them would mean being a servant destined for exclusion; even Yu Xiaogang, the son of the sect master, could not escape that fate.

Even if it were true, as Yu Tianheng said, that he would receive the best treatment, the clan was destined to be wiped out by Bibi Dong in the future.

Only a fool would join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and go to their deaths with them.

Besides, wouldn't it be better to marry Qian Renxue and inherit the legacy of Qian Xunji?

"Cough, cough." Lan Si coughed a few times, shook his head with a smile, and politely declined: "Compared to joining a faction, I prefer to be on my own. I don't like being restricted, and my dream for the future is to travel the continent, so I'm sorry."

Hearing this, a flash of regret crossed Yu Tianheng's eyes, but he wasn't angry. Maintaining the mindset of a teammate and a friend, he said solemnly: "In that case, I won't force you, but the doors of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will always be open to you."

PS: Second update.