"The Godslayer has once again successfully challenged an opponent ranked above him!"
"Congratulations to him..."
As usual, Gu Yuena stood by the entrance, watching Yang Teng stroll out at his leisure amid the spectators' fervor and fearful gazes.
He weighed the heavy bag of Gold Soul Coins he'd just won in his hand, the familiar, devil-may-care smile on his lips unchanged.
Qian Renxue followed half a step behind him, determination in her golden eyes.
Yang Teng had always relied on just two moves: the silent "Space Strangling" and "Space Lock." They had deeply shaken her.
His abilities could no longer be described as merely "exceptional talent." And when she considered that he was only a Soul Elder, they seemed all the more astonishing.
"Your strength always manages to surprise me."
Qian Renxue's voice rang out. Beneath its calmness lay unmistakable admiration—and a determination to claim him for her side.
"Challenging opponents ranked above you seems as easy as eating and drinking. Your reputation has spread throughout Guda City's Soul Fighting Arenas these past few days."
Yang Teng stuffed the money bag into his Storage Soul Tool and merely chuckled at her words.
"Reputation's all smoke and mirrors. This is what really matters."
He said it lightly, with no apparent desire for empty fame—only satisfaction with the "hard-earned money" inside.
Qian Renxue stopped and turned to face Yang Teng.
She had spent years in the Heaven Dou Empire disguised as Xue Qinghe. By her reckoning, it was indeed time for her to return.
At this moment, her desire to recruit him had reached its peak.
Qian Renxue flicked her wrist, and a token appeared in her palm.
Neither metal nor jade, the token felt cool to the touch. A clear "雪" was carved into its front, set against a lifelike relief of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul that radiated a faint, sacred aura.
"Yang Teng!"
Qian Renxue held out the token, her expression unusually solemn.
"This is my token. In certain circumstances, it can grant you a degree of convenience when dealing with Spirit Hall."
She paused. "My offer still stands. The doors of Spirit Hall will always be open to you. I hope I'll hear good news when we meet again."
It was an unmistakable olive branch, and the highest-ranking personal token she could offer as the young mistress of the Elder Hall.
Yang Teng accepted it with a smile and carefully put it away.
"Sure, I'll take the token. Take care, beautiful Renxue!"
Qian Renxue gave a slight nod. After walking a few steps, she stopped again. "That sounds a bit awkward. Just call me Xiao Xue!"
Yang Teng froze. Do I really have that much charm? She's already letting me call her Xiao Xue!
Over the following days, Yang Teng continued making the rounds of Guda City's Soul Fighting Arenas, deliberately seeking out Soul Ancestors as opponents. He won every match.
One time, after returning from the arena, Gu Yuena watched him finish counting his winnings with his usual satisfaction. At last, she spoke, her cool voice ringing through the quiet inn room.
"What are your plans now?"
There was a clear note of impatience in her question.
Yang Teng carefully put away his Soul Tool and stretched. He made no attempt to hide his intentions.
"I'm going to apply to Tianshui Academy, then compete in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament."
His eyes lit up as he said it.
"Tianshui Academy..."
Gu Yuena repeated the name and gave a slight nod.
Tianshui Academy was located within the Balak Kingdom.
Before setting out for Balak Royal City, Yang Teng showed a thoughtful side.
He hired a spacious, comfortable carriage instead of making them endure the journey on foot.
Along the way, he also bought a variety of local delicacies: exquisite pastries and candies of every kind, all with enticing aromas.
At first, Gu Yuena only gave the colorful sweets a passing glance. Her silver eyes remained placid, and she kept up the cool indifference befitting the Silver Dragon King.
She thought, Yang Teng's the son of a God King. Why does he always like these completely useless things?
But Yang Teng was just too wicked.
He deliberately ate in front of Gu Yuena with obvious relish, praising the sweets now and then in an exaggerated voice. "Sweet but not cloying, melts in your mouth—this is incredible!"
He even waved the pastries near her, letting their sweet aroma waft right under her nose.
Gu Yuena furrowed her brow and turned away.
Finally, one day, when Yang Teng offered her a piece of osmanthus cake that looked almost translucent, Gu Yuena's gaze lingered on it for a moment.
She extended a slender finger and, with extreme care and speed, picked up a tiny crumb from the edge of the cake and slipped it between her pink lips.
Her movement was so swift it was almost impossible to see, as if she'd merely brushed against it by chance.
Then her long silver lashes trembled ever so slightly.
Yang Teng suppressed a laugh, pretended not to notice, and picked up another piece.
A while later, he realized that the osmanthus cake Gu Yuena had "sampled" had somehow lost a small corner.
"What a faker!"
Yang Teng muttered under his breath.
After that, the sweets kept in the carriage disappeared noticeably faster.
Gu Yuena still didn't say much, and she remained cool and aloof. But when Yang Teng offered her a pastry, she no longer refused. She took it and ate it in small, extremely elegant bites.
Before they knew it, the invisible wall of ice that had stood between them at first seemed to have drawn back a little.
Balak Royal City.
As one of the Heaven Dou Empire's four vassal kingdoms, it was undeniably prosperous.
It might have fallen a little short of Heaven Dou Imperial City, but it was still magnificent and bustling.
After briefly settling in the royal city, Yang Teng and Gu Yuena headed straight for their destination.
Tianshui Academy stood in the quiet northern district of the royal city. From a distance, its walls appeared a pale blue and white.
The entrance to the academy was fairly quiet.
A woman stood at the gate. She looked to be in her thirties, still charming, and wore a well-tailored, form-fitting sky-blue dress that outlined her mature, graceful figure.
Leaning against a gatepost, she leisurely sipped a cup of chilled juice, her gaze casually sweeping over the street.
Yang Teng immediately put on his best warm, winning smile and strode over, his voice clear and friendly.
"Hello, miss! Is this Tianshui Academy?"
The woman turned at the sound of his voice. Before her stood a fair-skinned boy with clear, bright features and a sunny, roguish smile, waving at her.
She paused for a moment, then returned his polite smile and nodded.
"Yes, this is Tianshui Academy."
She looked Yang Teng up and down. Her smile remained, but her tone made the academy's rules clear.
"However, young man, our academy only accepts female students with water- or ice-type Martial Souls. You..."
Her gaze swept over Yang Teng, making her meaning obvious: he was a boy, and his attribute probably wasn't suitable either.
Having been seen through at a glance, Yang Teng's smile stiffened for half a second.
"Is it that obvious?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Gu Yuena standing quietly a few steps behind him.
Silver hair, cool and aloof, breathtakingly beautiful—and, most importantly, the Silver Dragon King, a natural master of the elements!
Every element in the world was under her control. Naturally, water and ice were no exception.
Why not have Gu Yuena enroll at Tianshui Academy first? If she got in and he had someone he knew on the inside, it would make everything easier!
Yang Teng's smile immediately bloomed again, brighter than before. He abruptly turned to Gu Yuena and shot her a look.
Then he turned back to the woman in blue and introduced her enthusiastically.
"You've got it wrong, miss! It's not me, it's her! Her name is Gu Yuena, and her Martial Soul is Element Control!"
For once, the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena looked startled, her silver hair fluttering in the breeze.
"Do I have to study too?"
Before you continue