Dean of Skywater Academy

For a moment, the arena fell completely silent.

Everyone, from the three standing on the platform to the students clamoring below, stared in shock at Lan Yan, whom Yu Tianchen had kicked right out of the arena.

"Th-this... This can't be..."

"One kick! Just one kick! Lan Yan went flying in an instant!"

"But Lan Yan's a Soul Elder! How can this guy be so strong?!"

The silence lasted only a moment before the students watching erupted into even louder discussion.

They couldn't believe the outcome that had just unfolded.

Every word of their discussion reached Lan Yan's ears.

Feeling the sharp pain and numbness in her waist, Lan Yan clenched her teeth and tried to get up.

But the numbness in her body left her unable to muster any strength, no matter how hard she struggled.

"He's that fast without even activating his Martial Soul?"

Aunt Zhou watched the tall, upright figure standing on the platform, her eyes growing serious.

Without activating his Martial Soul.

He had managed to kick away a thirty-first-level Soul Elder before she could even react.

That alone showed how terrifying Yu Tianchen's physique was.

But the most important thing was...

Yu Tianchen was only eight years old!

An eight-year-old who could defeat a Soul Elder in an instant!

There was no longer any way to describe him as merely a prodigy.

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan... really has produced an extraordinary talent..."

Aunt Zhou murmured in admiration.

Beside her, Shui Yue'er was frantically shaking Shui Bing'er's arm.

"Bing'er, Bing'er, did you see that kick Yu Tianchen just landed?!"

"That was so cool!!"

"I saw it."

Shui Bing'er watched Yu Tianchen with shining eyes, secretly relieved that she hadn't asked him to spar.

Even a Soul Elder couldn't withstand one of Yu Tianchen's kicks when he wasn't using his Martial Soul.

If she sparred with Yu Tianchen...

Wouldn't she just be asking to get beaten up?!

On the platform, amid the even louder commotion, Yu Tianchen looked at the three people there.

"Do you still want to fight?"

He asked.

The three snapped out of their shock and immediately shook their heads like rattles.

Lan Yan was the highest-level among their group.

And even without activating his Martial Soul, he had defeated Lan Yan in one move.

Even if they all attacked together, they'd probably only get beaten up.

Seeing that the three had no intention of continuing the fight, Yu Tianchen glanced at Lan Yan, whom he had kicked off the platform.

"Take your classmate to get treated. I knew how much force to use and didn't injure her bones."

"She just needs some time to recover."

With that, he walked off the platform without looking back, watched by everyone.

Seeing that no more fighting would break out, Aunt Zhou immediately arranged for some students to take Lan Yan for treatment.

Yu Tianchen came over to Aunt Zhou as well, speaking with an apologetic note in his voice.

"Sorry, Teacher Zhou. I caused a scene at Skywater Academy."

"Don't worry about it. Lan Yan provoked you first. The academy is the one that should apologize."

Aunt Zhou shook her head and said admiringly,

"You really live up to the reputation of being a genius from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Judging by the physique you showed in that fight, you must have spent a lot of time tempering your body, haven't you?"

"Yes."

Yu Tianchen smiled and nodded.

"I've trained my physique since I was little. After awakening my Martial Soul, I kept up the physical training alongside my daily cultivation."

"No wonder."

Aunt Zhou's expression showed that she had expected as much. She said with some regret,

"What a pity Skywater Academy's rules only allow us to admit female students."

"Otherwise, I'd truly do my best to invite you to join Skywater Academy."

Yu Tianchen smiled but didn't respond.

Joining an academy wasn't part of his current plans.

There was simply no point.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had plenty of the same study materials that academies provided their students.

The clan also had no shortage of simulated cultivation environments.

Besides, Yu Tianchen already had his own way of cultivating.

So, as far as he was concerned, at his current stage...

Joining an advanced Soul Master Academy would bring him no benefit at all.

Otherwise, with the connections of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, which academy could he not get into?

After Aunt Zhou had finished taking care of most of the matters at the training grounds,

she led the three of them toward the small courtyard where the dean lived.

On the way, Aunt Zhou briefly explained the relationship between Skywater Academy's dean and the two Shui sisters.

Only then did Yu Tianchen understand that Lan Ruyue, the dean of Skywater Academy, was Shui Bing'er's mother and Shui Yue'er's stepmother.

No wonder the sisters could enter Skywater Academy as non-students in their mother's name—and even bring him along.

"Dean, I've brought Bing'er and Yue'er..."

When they arrived at the dean's courtyard, Aunt Zhou found Lan Ruyue with the three of them and briefly recounted what had happened at the training grounds.

The sisters, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, stood obediently to one side, looking as though they were the very picture of good behavior.

"You two..."

After hearing Aunt Zhou's account, Lan Ruyue let out a sigh and gave Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er a helpless look.

But she didn't say anything more. Instead, she turned to Yu Tianchen with a warm expression.

"I'm sorry, Young Master Tianchen. On behalf of Skywater Academy, I apologize for what happened at the training grounds."

"I hope you won't take it to heart."

"It's all right, Dean Lan. You can just call me Tianchen."

Yu Tianchen smiled.

"My grandfather and I were only passing through Skywater City this time, and we wanted to visit Shui Bing'er."

"I didn't expect to cause such a commotion at Skywater Academy."

"I should be the one apologizing for causing trouble for your academy."

So the old Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had come too...

Surprise appeared on Lan Ruyue's face, but she quickly recovered.

That made sense.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had finally produced such an outstanding genius.

It would be strange if no powerful expert had come along to protect him.

Then she looked at Shui Bing'er, standing obediently at the side.

As Shui Bing'er's mother, she naturally knew what had happened two years ago when Shui Wusheng took Shui Bing'er to the Star Dou Great Forest.

After she came back, that little girl had talked about Yu Tianchen constantly and worked much harder at cultivation.

To be honest,

Lan Ruyue didn't mind Shui Bing'er spending time with Yu Tianchen.

Yu Tianchen was exceptionally talented, and he could motivate her daughter to work hard too.

It was a rare stroke of good fortune—something that wouldn't come along even if you went looking for it. She had no reason to object.

Since His Excellency Thunder didn't mind, why not let the two children spend time together and see how things went?

Thinking this, Lan Ruyue smiled and said to Shui Bing'er,

"Bing'er, since Tianchen came to visit you, take him around the city and show him a good time. Don't neglect your guest."

"Huh?"

Shui Bing'er had been standing with her head lowered, waiting for her mother to scold her. At Lan Ruyue's words, she immediately looked up, her expression bewildered.