Qian Renxue: Lan, congratulations! Terrifying strength of one against seven! Shark boy!

"Hiss... this kid's strikes are way too ruthless!"

"More than ruthless, it's practically humiliation! Striking a girl right in the chest!"

"But... don't you think that blade of his just now was as fast as a ghost?"

The crowd below the stage discussed it fervently, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.

In the VIP seats, Xue Qinghe's body stiffened slightly, and he subconsciously touched his own chest.

It was as if a trace of icy sensation had traveled there as well.

He watched the back of the youth on the arena stage, the desire for inquiry in the depths of his pupils almost turning into something tangible.

On the other side of the arena.

The last remaining member of the Heaven Dou Royal Team, Ye Lingling, stared blankly at this scene.

She did not show terror or anger like the others.

On the contrary.

A morbid flush appeared on her cheeks, and a strange brilliance ignited in her autumn-water-like eyes.

Her breathing even became somewhat rapid.

She looked at the shocking wound on Dugu Yan's chest, watched the crimson bloodstains, and parted her lips slightly, as if anticipating something.

Lan turned around.

His gaze passed over the swaying Dugu Yan, who was clutching her chest, and landed on Ye Lingling.

Step by step, he walked toward her.

The killing intent was not concealed in the slightest.

He had intended to end it with one blade.

Clean and swift.

But when he arrived before Ye Lingling and prepared to swing his blade, he met a pair of... eyes filled with a trace of excitement and anticipation?

Lan's movements paused.

His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

This woman before him was very wrong.

The next second, he flipped his wrist, and the Shark Blade traced a deep blue arc through the air.

Bang!

A muffled sound rang out.

The hilt, not the blade, slammed solidly into Ye Lingling's soft abdomen.

"Ugh..."

Ye Lingling let out a muffled groan, her entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, falling directly off the arena.

The entire venue fell into an eerie silence once again.

No one had expected that this god of slaughter would actually show mercy at the end.

"The match is over!"

It was not until the referee's high-pitched voice rang out that the crowd snapped back to reality.

"The winner—Skywater Academy!"

Lan expressionlessly put away his short blade, and the deep blue weapon dissipated into thin air.

He turned and walked off the stage calmly.

As if the person who had just taken on seven by himself was not him at all.

Just as he stepped off the stage, a gaze filled with humiliation nailed itself firmly onto him.

It was Dugu Yan.

She had already received preliminary treatment for her wounds from the Heaven Dou healing-type soul master, but the front of her clothes remained stained with blood.

Lan's gaze did not linger on her.

He glanced toward the other side, at Ye Lingling, who was being helped up by her teammates.

Her face still bore that abnormal flush, and there was even a trace of... a satisfied smile on the corners of her mouth?

Lan thought to himself.

Nine Heart Begonia is indeed powerful.

"Captain!"

"Lan!"

"We won! We actually won, ahhh!"

Before he could think any further, a wave of fragrant wind rushed toward him.

The girls of Skywater Academy could no longer contain themselves, shrieking as they swarmed around him.

Shui Yue'er was the most direct; she lunged forward like a nimble koala, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck from behind and hanging off him.

"Captain, you were too strong! Too cool! I love you to death!"

The girl's soft, supple body pressed firmly against his back, her tight blue uniform outlining her youthful and alluring curves. Her fragrant hair brushed against Lan's cheek, and her long, slender legs, encased in white stockings, swung excitedly at his sides, catching every eye.

Lan was nearly choked by her grip, yet his face remained devoid of expression.

"We beat the Heaven Dou Royal Team! It's our first time winning against them!"

"Captain, you are simply my god!"

The rest of the team crowded around as well, their eyes sparkling, chattering away with gazes full of adoration directed at Lan.

Shui Bing'er pushed through the crowd and walked over.

She was not as impulsive as her younger sister, but her exquisite, peerless face was filled with irrepressible joy and pride.

She looked at Lan, who was currently being "worn" by her sister, her cold, clear eyes shining with an astonishing brilliance, like the stars of the Far North.

"With you here, little brother, we will surely win the championship at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

The girl's voice was crisp and firm. She straightened her slender waist, tracing a breathtaking arc, her long, jade-like legs standing elegantly beneath the short skirt of her uniform.

"We will become the strongest team!"

As soon as Shui Bing'er finished speaking, Shui Yue'er, still hanging off Lan, chimed in excitedly.

"Right! The strongest team! With the Captain here, the Martial Soul Hall Academy or whoever—none of them will be our match!"

The surrounding girls also wore expressions of reflected glory, chattering away as they envisioned a brilliant future.

Just then, a gentle voice drifted from behind, clearly cutting through all the clamor.

"Lan, congratulations on your victory."

Everyone turned at the sound.

They saw the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe, walking slowly toward them with a warm, jade-like smile.

His posture was upright and his temperament graceful; every movement carried a natural air of nobility that made people feel instinctively well-disposed toward him.

The girls of Skywater Academy instantly quieted down, their faces showing a hint of nervousness and reserve as they bowed to him one after another.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Xue Qinghe waved his hand with a smile, though his gaze remained fixed on the indifferent youth in the center of the crowd.

"Your performance truly exceeded my expectations."

He walked up to Lan, his eyes filled with undisguised appreciation.

"Among the younger generation, I fear there is no longer anyone who can be your match."

Shui Yue'er tactfully slid down from Lan's back and stood with the other team members, curiously sizing up this legendary Crown Prince.

Xue Qinghe shifted the topic, his tone becoming as intimate as an older brother from next door.

"I wonder, little brother Lan, are you betrothed?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the girls of Skywater Academy pricked up their ears, and even the cold, clear eyes of Shui Bing'er flashed with a strange glimmer.

Xue Qinghe seemed not to notice the change in the surrounding atmosphere and continued gently.

"I have a younger sister named Xue Ke, sixteen years of age, gentle in temperament, and talented in both appearance and intellect."

"If you do not mind, little brother, I would be happy to act as a matchmaker. She and a young talent like you would be a perfect match."

This statement was no less than a thunderclap on a clear day.

To marry into the royal family was an honor that countless people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Yet, Lan's face remained as still as an ancient well.

He simply looked at Xue Qinghe calmly and uttered five words.

"My ambitions do not lie there."

The smile on Xue Qinghe's face did not change in the slightest, as if he had long expected this answer.

"Is that so? That is truly a pity."

He paused, then asked as if in passing.

"Then, I wonder... does little brother Lan have any other siblings at home? If so, I could also vouch for you and help facilitate a wonderful union with the royal family."

Lan's gaze narrowed slightly.

Here it was again.

This Xue Qinghe was still probing for his background without leaving a trace.

He shook his head lightly and said nothing.

"No matter."

Xue Qinghe continued to smile warmly, as if he were truly just making idle conversation.

He took a warm, smooth jade tablet from his robes, carved with intricate and elegant patterns, with the character "Xue" engraved in the center.

He handed the jade tablet toward Lan.

"This is my token. Within Heaven Dou City, should you encounter any trouble, show this, and no one will dare to give you any difficulty."

Lan did not stand on ceremony and reached out to take it.

The jade tablet felt slightly cool in his hand, carrying a faint, lingering fragrance that drifted into his nostrils, elusive yet present.

The very moment his fingertips touched the jade, Xue Qinghe's fingers inadvertently brushed against Lan's palm.

Xue Qinghe's body stiffened slightly once more.

An indescribable sense of intimacy surged from the depths of his bloodline, making his gaze toward the youth before him grow even more complex.

He looked at Lan and suddenly offered a gentle smile.

"Your hand is very steady."

"Are the hands of those who wield blades always like this?"

The remark sounded like a jest, yet also like a sigh of reflection.

Lan did not answer, simply tucking the token away.

Xue Qinghe withdrew his hand, suppressing that momentary surge of strange emotion to regain the composure befitting a crown prince.

"In a few days' time, there will be a grand auction held within Heaven Dou City."

"I wonder, little brother Lan, would you have any interest?"