The day Ning Rongrong joined the Imperial Fighting Team.
Ye Qing came to understand one thing deeply.
Ten-year-old girls were the hardest creatures in the world to deal with. Bar none.
"Big Brother Ye Qing, did you really beat Yu Tianheng?"
"He's a Level 35, three-ring Soul Elder, and he has the number-one Beast Martial Soul in the world, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!"
"Were you nervous? How many moves did he use?"
"What are your Soul Skills? Why are all your Soul Rings thousand-year purple? You—"
Ning Rongrong was like a little bee that had discovered a flower, buzzing around Ye Qing without stopping.
Ye Qing stared expressionlessly at Dugu Yan, his eyes spelling out four words: Save me.
Dugu Yan gave him a look that said, "You're on your own," then leisurely picked up her teacup and took a sip.
"Big Brother Ye Qing, why aren't you answering me?"
Ning Rongrong tilted her head, her beautiful eyes sparkling with innocent light.
Ye Qing took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Miss Ning, your father sent you to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to train, not to work as a reporter."
"That's okay! I can train and interview people at the same time!"
Ning Rongrong declared with conviction.
"My dad said that information-gathering skills are the most important thing for support-type Soul Masters. I'm training right now!"
Ye Qing turned to Ye Lingling and asked in a lowered voice, "Are all support-type Soul Masters this talkative?"
Ye Lingling pressed her lips together slightly, a hint of amusement flashing in her blue eyes as she gently shook her head. "She might be an exception."
Nearby, Yu Feng muttered to Osler, "Big Boss Ye looks more miserable now than he did when he fought the captain."
Osler remained expressionless. "Beating the captain was a complete stomp. Dealing with Ning Rongrong might take all day."
"I can hear you, you know!"
Ning Rongrong turned and smiled sweetly at Yu Feng and Osler. Both of them shuddered.
Dugu Yan finally set down her teacup.
A helpless yet amused glint flashed in her jade-green eyes.
This little chatterbox was noisy enough to make your head pound, but she really had brought some life to their dull training routine.
More importantly...
She sneaked a glance at Ye Qing.
Watching this shameless guy get flustered by all the attention was pretty entertaining.
"Enough, enough."
Ye Qing finally surrendered, rubbing his throbbing temples.
"Miss Ning, ask whatever you want."
"But promise me one thing: when you're done, let me go train, okay?"
He really couldn't understand when Ning Rongrong had become such a chatterbox.
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. As if by magic, she pulled a little notebook and a pen from behind her back.
Her movements were practiced, like those of a professional paparazzo.
Ye Qing's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Good grief. She even had props ready.
The next day.
Training ground.
Qin Ming hadn't even had the chance to announce the day's training plan when someone pushed open the training ground's doors from outside.
The newcomer wore the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's signature robe.
He bore some resemblance to Yu Tianheng.
But there was less arrogance in his features and more composure and severity.
His gaze swept past everyone present before fixing squarely on Ye Qing.
"Are you Ye Qing?"
Yu Feng instinctively edged half a step behind Osler and whispered, "Who's that? Why's he so full of himself?"
Osler furrowed his brow and replied in a low voice, "Yu Tianxin, the captain's cousin. One of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's twin stars."
Yu Feng froze. "Another Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon?"
The Shi Mo brothers swallowed in unison and added in low voices, "They say he's as strong as the captain."
Yu Tianxin stood with his hands behind his back, his voice deep and forceful. "My name is Yu Tianxin. I'm from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"I came here today for one purpose only: to avenge my cousin's defeat and restore the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's glory."
He had happened to return to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan the day before, only to find Yu Tianheng in an extremely low mood.
After learning what had happened, he came here.
Everyone exchanged glances.
They'd beaten the younger brother, and now the older one was here. Had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan started a gauntlet mode?
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up instantly.
She even pulled out some melon seeds, looking every bit ready to enjoy the show.
Ye Qing was about to speak when a slender arm blocked his way.
Dugu Yan stepped out from beside him.
Her long jade-green hair lifted gently in the breeze, and the light in her eyes was as cold as a spring in the Far North Ice Plains.
Everyone froze for a moment.
Dugu Yan could be haughty around Ye Qing, but she never let that sharp, murderous aura show.
Now, standing there, she had become someone else entirely.
"Ye Qing, let me handle this one."
Ye Qing looked at her, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
He didn't ask, "Are you sure?" or tell her to be careful.
He could see the anger roiling beneath her eyes.
It wasn't impulsiveness, but an eruption of long-suppressed fury.
"I've had enough."
Dugu Yan's voice was cold enough to freeze.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan keeps sending people to cause trouble. Do you really think my man is a practice dummy for you to beat on?"
Yu Tianxin frowned slightly, recognizing the girl standing in his way.
Dugu Yan, the girl his cousin Yu Tianheng liked.
He remembered that she was weaker than Tianheng.
Given that he was about as strong as Yu Tianheng, the outcome would be beyond doubt.
"I don't want to fight a woman."
Yu Tianxin spoke calmly. "This is a grudge between the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Ye Qing. It has nothing to do with Miss Dugu."
Dugu Yan looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling into a dangerous smile.
Jade-green light erupted around her.
"Roar!"
A dragon-like Martial Soul apparition coiled behind her, hissing.
At the same time, four Soul Rings shot up from beneath her feet—yellow, yellow, purple, purple!
Everyone on the Imperial Fighting Team stared, their eyes wide.
"What?!"
Yu Feng's mouth fell open, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.
Osler's pupils contracted. At last, unmistakable shock appeared on his usually blank face.
Ye Lingling was stunned as well.
The Shi Mo brothers rubbed their eyes in unison.
"Level 45?!"
Yu Feng's voice cracked. "Yanzi, when did you break through?"
"Weren't you still a Soul Elder just a few months ago?!"
Qin Ming stood by the edge of the training ground, his gaze even sharper than everyone else's behind his glasses.
He stared at the Martial Soul apparition behind Dugu Yan, its body entirely dark green with golden edges.
A dragon's head, a serpent's body, and two claws on its belly. It exuded the chill of poison and the heavy force of earth at once.
This was clearly not a Jade Phosphorous Serpent!
It was a kind of flood dragon that retained the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's characteristics!
A Martial Soul Mutation, along with a sharp rise in Soul Power.
Even he was baffled as to what had happened to Dugu Yan over the past few months.
Dugu Yan's jade-green eyes locked onto Yu Tianxin as she spoke coldly. "Still think I'm not worthy of being your opponent?"
Yu Tianxin's expression changed.
From disdain to surprise, and from surprise to solemnity.
His information had been wrong—terribly wrong!
Dugu Yan's strength was nowhere near that of a Soul Elder.
The Soul Power she was giving off now far surpassed his own.
He took a deep breath. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon blood coursing through him blazed to life, ignited by Dugu Yan's challenge. "There's no such word as 'afraid' in my dictionary!"
Dugu Yan let out a cold laugh. "Then today, I'll help you carve that word into it."