"Do you dare fight me?" Blue-purple lightning had already begun to surge around Yu Tianheng.
Xing Tian didn't back down. A dark aura rose from him as well. "I'll fight you to the end!"
Yu Tianheng pointed angrily at Xing Tian. "If you lose, you'll kneel and kowtow, apologize to me, to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, and to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, admit that everything you said earlier was bullshit, and then get out of the academy!"
Xing Tian folded his arms and replied nonchalantly, "Fine. If you lose, you'll admit you're an arrogant, useless piece of trash—a horned earthworm, a scaly loach—and then you'll get out of the academy too."
"What are you two making a scene for?" A thunderous shout suddenly came from a distance.
The newcomers were the three Education Commissioners: Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin.
Of course. With such a commotion in the library, how could nobody have reported it? What's more, both of the people involved were no ordinary students. Only the Education Committee stepping in could likely put a stop to it.
Though the two stood poised for a fight, they still had to show respect in front of the three Education Commissioners. The lightning and darkness around them subsided.
"Greetings, Education Commissioners."
Meng Shenji wore a stern expression, and his tone left no room for argument. "It's perfectly normal for students to have disagreements. They should resolve their conflicts, but not like this! If word gets out, what will your elders think? What about Heaven Dou Royal Academy? What about the Heaven Dou Imperial Family? Have you considered the consequences?"
"You're both rising stars in your families, carrying your clans' futures on your shoulders. You must be especially careful in your words and actions."
"You're also talents the Imperial Family has devoted tremendous effort to nurturing. Now that you've joined the academy, you must follow its rules. How can a mere wager between you decide whether either of you stays or leaves?"
"Do you have any regard for the Imperial Family? Any regard for His Majesty?"
By invoking their elders and the Emperor, Meng Shenji had raised two mountains neither Xing Tian nor Yu Tianheng could argue against.
But Yu Tianheng was still unconvinced. "Chief Commissioner, are we really just going to let him get away with insulting me and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
Dugu Yan and the others stepped forward. "Reporting to the Chief Commissioner, everyone here can testify that everything Xing Tian said was directed at Yu Tianheng himself. He never once mentioned the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
"Enough! We know what happened."
Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin exchanged glances. Their lips moved, but no sound came out. At last, the three nodded, seemingly having reached an agreement.
Zhilin said, "You may compete, but neither of you may maim the other. The loser must offer a sincere public apology, admit that what he said was wrong, and pay the winner one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. If you refuse to accept our decision, you can submit the matter to Prince Xue Xing, or ask His Majesty to pass judgment directly."
Yu Tianheng didn't want to let Xing Tian off so easily, but taking the matter to Prince Xue Xing would put him at a disadvantage. Everyone at the academy knew Xing Tian was on close terms with Dugu Bo, who was a royal guest invited by Prince Xue Xing.
Taking it to the Heaven Dou Emperor would be even worse. A dispute between two Soul Grandmasters would require the judgment of an emperor—and it had happened to the first direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan sent to the Imperial Academy. That would be the ultimate humiliation for the clan.
"Fine!" "Fine!"
The crowd made its way to the Soul Fighting Arena, where spectators packed the stands in layer upon layer. The showdown between the top student of the Tianwei Level and the top student of the Tianzhu Level, between a top-tier mutated Beast Martial Soul and the world's number-one Beast Martial Soul, had all the makings of a spectacle. If they could sell tickets, they'd make a fortune.
Watching the two face off on the stage, Osler couldn't help worrying about Xing Tian.
After all, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's reputation as the world's number-one Beast Martial Soul wasn't just empty boasting. And Yu Tianheng's Soul Power had already reached level 27, while Xing Tian's was only level 22.
Though the difference in Soul Power Level wasn't as significant for low-ranked Soul Masters as it was for high-ranked ones, five whole levels were still a lot.
But Osler noticed something strange.
"Sister Yan, Lingling, neither of you seems very nervous."
Dugu Yan smiled sweetly. "Xiao Tian will definitely win."
"I believe he can do it." A faint smile showed beneath Ye Lingling's veil, and her gaze was resolute.
Osler was speechless. "You're really just going by a feeling?"
Yu Feng said, "Leopard, you're worrying for nothing. It's a little embarrassing to say this, but Xiao Tian beat me in just a few moves back then. I think Yu Tianheng will have a bit of trouble at most."
"Get out of here! Can you compare yourself to Yu Tianheng? If he were fighting you, he'd beat you in a few moves too."
Just then, Bai Baoshan, who was serving as the referee, began to speak. The four immediately stopped chatting and focused on the match.
"Both sides, pay attention. You must not maim your opponent, and you must stop attacking once they concede. After the match, honor your wager, and this matter will be settled. Is that clear?"
"Clear!"
Bai Baoshan said, "Both sides, release your Martial Souls!"
Two yellow Soul Rings rose beneath Yu Tianheng's feet, and his surging Soul Power burst forth. The phantom image of a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon appeared behind him.
In the next instant, the phantom merged with Yu Tianheng.
A dazzling blue light suddenly flared from Yu Tianheng's brow, then instantly spread, washing down from his forehead and over his entire body.
Streaks of blue-purple lightning burst out like little snakes and swirled around him. A blue lightning mark appeared on his forehead, and his aura instantly rose to its peak.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul truly deserved its reputation as the world's number-one Beast Martial Soul. The dragon race was the ancestor of all beasts, with a strict hierarchy of its own. The purer a true dragon's bloodline, the higher its status.
And the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon ranked among the foremost of all true dragons.
Thus, the instant Yu Tianheng summoned the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, the pressure of a true dragon poured out. Beast Soul Masters of lower rank couldn't help but feel afraid and want to submit.
Even the Beast Soul Master students of the Tiandou Level, whose cultivation was higher than Yu Tianheng's, were affected to some degree.
Yet Xing Tian stood still, his expression calm, as if the heart-chilling dragon pressure didn't exist.
The Dark Evil Spirit Mantis Martial Soul behind him seemed instead to take the dragon's pressure as a challenge, radiating an even more ferocious aura.
"He can actually ignore the pressure of a true dragon?"
Yu Tianheng's pupils contracted. For the first time, a trace of unease crept into his heart, but pride quickly suppressed it.
"It's just a special case caused by a mutation! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is still the world's number-one Beast Martial Soul! Thunder Dragon Claw!"
With a roar, the lightning wrapped around his right arm instantly gathered into a gigantic dragon claw. Crackling with electricity, it swung at Xing Tian, lightning blasting outward.
Xing Tian chose not to meet the lightning head-on. Instead, he dodged with the Nine Deaths Footwork.
The lightning missed, but still swept ten meters through the air before dissipating. The air along its path twisted violently, and the crackling burst out with a heart-chilling intensity.
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