Fallen Genius

"Soul Power, Level Three."

Looking at the familiar blue light radiating from the crystal ball before him, Yu Tianjiao reluctantly pulled his hand away.

"Soul Power, Level Three. Rank: Low."

The family member in charge of the test announced Yu Tianjiao's Soul Power Level without expression or emotion. His words immediately stirred an uproar across the testing square.

"Ah, how could this happen? Young Master Tianjiao was a genius with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power at Level Twenty!"

"Exactly. Although Young Master Tianjiao was adopted after the clan leader brought him back from outside, he was sensible, clever, and humble from a young age. He was kind to everyone, and even with such dazzling talent, he never grew conceited. How could someone so exceptional end up like this?"

"I thought the family would reach its peak under the leadership of Young Masters Tianjiao, Tian Heng, and Tianxin. Who could have guessed Young Master Tianjiao would... Ah, what a pity."

"It's not that bad. Young Master Tianjiao may be poor at cultivating Soul Power, but his character and temperament are far better than that person's.

"Besides, Young Master Tianjiao has a handsome face that probably no one on the entire continent can match. His Twin Martial Souls are so powerful they granted him Innate Full Soul Power at Level Twenty, and he has his status, too. The family will surely find him a suitable wife to marry and have children with.

"Even if he can't become a powerful Soul Master, he should still have no trouble living a comfortable, prosperous life."

As he listened to his clansmen express nothing but regret, the corner of Yu Tianjiao's eye twitched.

At that moment, a panel glowing with blue light and brimming with technological flair floated before him, its text written in neat, tiny characters.

[At eleven, you broke through to Dou Zhe, becoming the greatest genius the Xiao Clan had seen in centuries. Yet, from the age of twelve, your Dou Qi cultivation began to mysteriously decline. For three whole years, you made no progress at all—instead, you fell all the way back to the third stage of Dou Qi!]

[The clansmen who once respected and deferred to you now mocked and looked down on you, as if they could erase the dazzling image of the genius boy from their hearts by doing so.]

[You could only offer a bitter smile in silence, your nails digging into your palms.]

He had a feeling he wouldn't have survived those days cooped up at home.

Being transported to Douluo Continent was one thing. His cheat was actually the Xiao Yan Life Simulator.

When he was six, he'd activated the system's starter gift pack and awakened the Buddha Fury Fire Lotus and Ancient Void Dragon as his Twin Martial Souls, along with Innate Full Soul Power at Level Twenty.

At eleven, he'd obtained his fourth Soul Ring, shocking the entire Soul Master World.

Although they weren't related by blood, the man who had adopted him was Yu Yuanzhen, the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The clansmen had treated him well, too, so Xiao Yan had always felt a strong sense of belonging to the clan.

On top of that, having lived two lives, he'd been exceptionally bright and sensible from childhood, and he knew how to talk to people. With talent like his, he'd flourished in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

But that damn system really had taken after Yao Lao, sucking away his Soul Power from the age of twelve!

And it had kept at it until now!

Yu Tianjiao could accept that, at least. Without the system, he could never have awakened divine-grade Power Attack System Martial Souls like the Buddha Fury Fire Lotus and the Ancient Void Dragon.

Besides, even though his Soul Power stayed at Level Three, he still cultivated at the speed of a Soul Ancestor. The Soul Power he gained was simply siphoned off and stored by the system.

Once the three-year period was up, he'd return as the Dragon King!

✓

The one thing that truly rankled him was that he didn't have a Xun'er!

Where was the childhood sweetheart, that little rich girl of his?

It was supposed to be the Xiao Yan Life Simulator. How could it not even set him up with the heroine?

[She'll arrive tomorrow.]

As if it had heard Yu Tianjiao's complaint, the system displayed a brief line of text.

But when he saw it, he felt no joy. His expression even darkened.

Did it really think he hadn't read Battle Through the Heavens?

Could the person arriving tomorrow possibly be the heroine?

It was one hundred percent Nalan Yanran, here to break off the engagement!

As for the engagement...

Yu Tianjiao had one, of course.

When he was eleven, Yu Yuanzhen—the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his grandfather in name and adoptive father in truth—had arranged it for him.

And the bride-to-be was none other than Ning Rongrong, the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's leader. As a Power Attack System genius Soul Master with Twin Martial Souls, Yu Tianjiao was meant to protect her.

Under normal circumstances, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would never let Ning Rongrong marry into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. She would become its next leader, and if she married away, the sect would be left without one.

But the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would never let its brightest future star marry into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, either.

Still, Yu Tianjiao had been so dazzling that the entire Soul Master World knew his name.

Once, Ning Rongrong had gone to the Star Dou Forest to obtain her First Soul Ring. By chance, she'd witnessed Yu Tianjiao use nothing but his own physical strength to beat a thousand-year-old magical beast to death. After that, she'd become intensely curious about him.

The boy looked only a little older than her, yet had a face as beautiful as a god's and strength far beyond that of his peers. Even the two Titled Douluo grandfathers she admired most praised him without end.

Ning Rongrong had been spoiled into a little "Demon Pill" from a young age. She admired the strong and was a sucker for a handsome face. After meeting Yu Tianjiao, she couldn't get him out of her mind. Whenever she could, she'd bring Sword Douluo along to visit the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. In a way, she could be considered half his childhood sweetheart.

When Yu Tianjiao broke through to Level Forty and became a Soul Ancestor at the age of eleven, Ning Fengzhi finally came to the clan to propose an engagement in advance. The two families would marry their children and forge a bond between them.

Both sides made concessions. Yu Tianjiao wouldn't have to marry into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Ning Rongrong wouldn't have to fully marry into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They would simply have two children in the future, one with the surname Yu and one with the surname Ning.

Both families could accept this arrangement. Besides, the two children got along well, so the engagement was settled.

But starting at the age of twelve, Yu Tianjiao's Soul Power began to regress, and no cure could be found. Once this was confirmed, Yu Yuanzhen tried to keep the news under wraps, but he couldn't hide it from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for long.

Because of their Martial Soul, disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could never reach more than Level Seventy-Nine in Soul Power. But when it came to researching Martial Souls, no one on the continent could surpass them. So when Ning Fengzhi heard about Yu Tianjiao, he naturally became deeply concerned about his future son-in-law and quickly sent people to see if they could help restore him.

Three years later, they still hadn't made the slightest progress. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect couldn't possibly let its future leader marry a good-for-nothing with only Level Three Soul Power. After much discussion, they had decided to end the engagement once and for all!