Breaking the Engagement

The moon was like a jade plate, and the stars were scattered like dust.

Yu Tianjiao lay atop the canopy of a towering tree behind the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a stalk of foxtail grass dangling from his lips, though a faint glimmer of excitement flickered in the depths of his eyes.

Because after tomorrow, he would be able to resume normal cultivation of his soul power, and the soul power accumulated over these past three years would be returned to him as he practiced day by day.

By then, it would only take him one year to traverse the path he had once spent six years walking!

"Tianjiao, still thinking about the test?"

An aged voice resonated gently beside his ear.

Yu Tianjiao didn't need to turn around to know it was the man who treated him best in the entire clan: the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Yuanzhen.

"Old man, I've caused you much worry over these past three years."

Yu Tianjiao stood up, speaking with a hint of apology.

When he had transmigrated as an infant, he had nearly knocked this old man unconscious upon arrival.

Yu Yuanzhen was already a Titled Douluo at the time, possessing a top-tier beast martial soul like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon that significantly enhanced physical constitution; for him to be head-butted by a delicate, doll-like baby was truly inconceivable.

Thinking the child was fated to be with him, Yu Yuanzhen brought him back to the clan. Although he gave him a name following the naming convention of his grandsons, Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, he was effectively raising him as a son.

Therefore, while outsiders assumed Yu Tianjiao was the younger brother of Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, everyone in the clan knew that Yu Tianjiao was actually Yu Yuanzhen's adopted son, the uncle of Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, and the younger brother of Yu Tianheng's father and Yu Xiaogang.

Regardless of how one calculated it, Yu Tianjiao was the Third Young Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

It was just that when facing his own family, the seniority was a bit chaotic.

Since Yu Tianjiao didn't want to put on airs of an elder in front of his peers, he simply maintained separate relationships with his four cousins of confusing seniority; at home, he was the uncle of Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, while outside, he was their younger brother.

As for Yu Xiaogang, who had long since left the clan, although the family had invited him back to examine Yu Tianjiao when his soul power began to regress, there was no doubt that the "Master"—a good-for-nothing who relied on others' strength to organize the theories of predecessors and ultimately created the reputation-stealing "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul"—had absolutely no solution for Yu Tianjiao's condition.

He couldn't even solve the problems of his own martial soul, so how could he possibly solve Yu Tianjiao's?

"You child, anyone would feel terrible about such a thing, yet you insist on saying you sealed your own soul power, claiming something about the Dragon King returning once the three-year period is up. You're always saying things just to comfort others."

Yu Yuanzhen looked at the youth he had raised like his own son with a helpless expression, feeling his heart ache at how sensible the boy was.

"Don't you often say I'm a child of the gods who fell from the heavens?"

Yu Tianjiao said with a beaming smile.

"Indeed, I still believe that to this day. It's just that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may no longer be willing to wait for you. You are a child I raised with my own hands, so I naturally believe in your 'three-year period' talk, but as for them..."

Yu Yuanzhen sighed, his tone laced with helplessness.

"It's fine. Over these three years, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has done all they could for me. It's just that since Rongrong originally offered to wait for me for three years, I would still like to hear her thoughts.

Besides, even if we cannot become in-laws, the cooperation between our two houses should continue to move forward. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect needs powerful soul masters for protection, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan needs such top-tier support as a backup. Only in this way can we remain invincible."

Yu Tianjiao waved his hand dismissively.

He was far more interested in the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect than in Ning Rongrong alone.

Moreover, after these few years of interaction, he had long since seen through that little girl.

When he regained his strength, she would surely regret it.

It just wouldn't be so easy for her to rekindle their relationship then. Although his system was the Xiao Yan Life Simulator, he wasn't actually Xiao Yan.

Ning Rongrong had decent looks, a suitable status, and great talent; it wouldn't be bad to take her as a maid later and train her well.

"But, tomorrow is your birthday..."

Yu Yuanzhen watched Yu Tianjiao's carefree demeanor, but his heart felt heavy.

In his eyes, even if Yu Tianjiao never made another inch of progress in his life, he was still his adopted son.

As long as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was willing to honor the marriage contract, their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would continue to stand with them. At worst, he would simply assign a guard unit led by a Soul Douluo to accompany Yu Tianjiao.

"Hehe, actually, I'm quite curious. Tomorrow is the first day after the three-year agreement ends, and it's also my birthday. Is she really going to come here tomorrow to break off the engagement?"

Hearing this, Yu Tianjiao laughed with a carefree, almost reckless air.

His so-called birthday was the day he descended upon Douluo Continent and head-butted Yu Yuanzhen.

Seeing this reaction, Yu Yuanzhen only felt that the child was forcing himself to stay calm, while inside he was likely suffering immensely, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for this sensible boy.

Little did he know that Yu Tianjiao was already dying to shout, "Do not bully the young because they are poor!"

"Fine, get some rest early. Perhaps Ning Rongrong is just coming to celebrate your birthday like she used to..."

Yu Yuanzhen instinctively offered a word of comfort, but he choked on his words before he could finish.

Even he didn't believe what he was saying!

"Mm, you should get some rest early too, old man. You're getting on in years; staying up late isn't good for your health."

Yu Tianjiao laughed.

"You brat, I am a Titled Douluo, after all. What's a little late night to me?"

Yu Yuanzhen laughed and scolded helplessly.

The next day.

Ning Rongrong, the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, accompanied by the Supreme Elder Chen Xin, paid a visit to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

When Yu Tianjiao arrived at the ceremonial hall after a night of cultivating soul power, there were only six people inside.

Yu Yuanzhen, Yu Luomian, their respective sons whose names were unknown, the immortal-looking Sword Douluo Chen Xin in his upright white robes, and Yu Tianjiao's fiancée, Ning Rongrong.

There was an empty seat beside Ning Rongrong, reserved for him.

Although Ning Rongrong was only twelve years old, the soul power cultivation seemed to have a natural growth-promoting effect, as the young girl had already reached a height of 1.6 meters.

Setting aside her mischievous nature, her beautiful features, exquisite white dress, and the noble aura of her prestigious background truly made her a charming and lovely young girl.

Yu Tianjiao first bowed to Chen Xin, a powerhouse at the Title Douluo level, before walking over and plopping down into the seat beside Ning Rongrong.

Noticing that Yu Tianjiao's soul power fluctuations remained as mediocre as ever, the glimmer of hope that had been hidden in the depths of Ning Rongrong's eyes dimmed completely.

Three years had passed, and Brother Tianjiao was still...

"Since the child Tianjiao has arrived, we need not beat around the bush. Let us get straight to the point."

Three years had passed, and not only had Tianjiao's soul power failed to recover, it had actually regressed to level three.

What Rongrong needs is a powerful soul master capable of protecting her; Tianjiao can no longer do that.

Therefore, I hope to annul the engagement between the two of them.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood up and spoke with an expressionless face.

Beside him, Ning Rongrong lowered her head upon hearing this, biting her lower lip gently as a trace of conflict surfaced in her eyes.

Although her Brother Tianjiao was now an ordinary person whose soul power was stuck at level three with no hope of progress, the stunning impression he had made when they first met still frequently surfaced in the young girl's mind.

It was just that neither her father nor her two grandfathers wanted her to invest unnecessary feelings in a boy destined to have no future, and she... she herself truly did not want to watch the once powerful and charming boy be left further and further behind by her.

They were already becoming people from two different worlds.

They were no longer suited to be together.

Even if he had once been the bright, white moonlight she admired most.

She only hoped he would not pester her because of this matter; if he did, she would be very disappointed in him.

She had already decided that after the engagement matter was settled, she would go out to clear her mind. She had already inquired about a place called Shrek Academy; it was said they only accepted monsters, which sounded like it would be very interesting!