Lan Yu, you wouldn't want Tang Shan to know that it's just you and me, a man and a woman, alone in a room, would you~

"At first, His Majesty was still hesitating, trying to weigh the feelings of the sect against the empire's reputation, but once he heard about your talent and background..."

"He had Yu Yuanzhen thrown out on the spot."

When Meng Shenji reached this point, a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes as well. "What's even more interesting is that the sect master of the Seven-Colored Precious Lotus Sect had originally meant to mediate, but the moment he heard your name, his face darkened right then and there. He stood directly on the imperial family's side and didn't give Yu Yuanzhen the slightest face."

"And that was that. Yu Yuanzhen had no way around it. He couldn't very well truly fall out with the empire and a major sect at the same time, so in the end, the matter could only be dropped. He left with his people in a huff."

Left in a huff? Not necessarily.

Lan Yu gave a soft sigh and shook his head.

After all, those people from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan acted all day as if heaven was first and they were second. How could they possibly swallow this insult?

No matter how strong his and Tang Shan's talents were, before they grew up, they were still nothing more than ants.

If they really fell into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's hands, the Heaven Dou Empire might not necessarily take action to avenge the two siblings.

The reason the Heaven Dou imperial family had refused to give Yu Yuanzhen face today was under the premise that he and Tang Shan were still alive, and that in the future, they would become Title Douluo who belonged solely to the Heaven Dou imperial family.

To the Heaven Dou imperial family, which had always lacked top-tier combat power, this was vitally important.

For that, they were naturally willing to gamble, even if their opponent was a Title Douluo like Yu Yuanzhen, even if this move would break the balance of power within the empire and allow the Seven-Colored Precious Lotus Sect to dominate alone.

"Lan Yu, don't leave the academy for the next few days, just in case something happens."

As if Meng Shenji had remembered something, he hurriedly warned him, "It's a good chance to use this time to get used to the other members of the Heaven Dou Team, isn't it?"

"Am I getting used to them, or are they getting used to me?" Lan Yu came back to himself and raised a brow as he asked in return.

"Am I supposed to adapt to them, or are they supposed to adapt to me?" Lan Yu snapped back to his senses, raised an eyebrow, and asked back.

This world was upside down, after all. Anything could exceed his expectations.

In the future, he was going to walk the path of creating his own divine seat, so he was destined to cultivate a group of his own people.

That also meant those who directly inherited divine seats were destined to be one step faster than him.

So he had to first send someone trustworthy up to the God Realm to pave the way and cover for him. Only then could he safely transform Douluo Continent.

And that person was Tang Shan.

At this thought, Lan Yu subconsciously raised his hand and gently rubbed Tang Shan's fair, delicate cheek.

"Hmph, hmph~"

Tang Shan tilted her head and obediently let him rub her, her beautiful eyes narrowing into two crescent moons as she let out a satisfied little hum.

Brother's touch feels so good~

"Everything will revolve around you. Anyone who doesn't listen gets kicked straight off the team!" After pondering for a moment, Meng Shenji immediately slapped the table and made the decision.

If Lan Yu had asked this in the past, Meng Shenji would not even have needed to think before agreeing outright.

But today was different from the past. The eyes of every faction were gathered on Heaven Dou Academy, and there would definitely be people using the pretext of joining the academy to secretly make contact with Lan Yu.

For example, the little princess of the Seven-Colored Precious Lotus Sect, the youngest son of the General's Mansion, and so on.

He was, after all, the dean of Heaven Dou Academy and one of the higher-ups of the Heaven Dou Empire, so he naturally understood the social obligations between certain factions.

But Lan Yu was ultimately the future pillar of the Heaven Dou Empire. Could those so-called social obligations possibly compare to his importance?!

He did not care whether it was the little princess of the Seven-Colored Precious Lotus Sect or the heirs of other major powers. As long as he was still in Heaven Dou Academy, as long as he was still the academy's chief, then he, Meng Shenji, had the authority to throw them out!

After leaving the teaching office, the group soon arrived in front of the detached villa arranged by the academy.

"Brother, I'm going back to my room to change."

Tang Shan's gaze swept coldly over Dugu Yan, who was following behind Lan Yu, then she turned to Lan Yu with a sweet smile. Lowering her voice, she leaned close to his ear and spoke in a coy tone.

"Brother, if you get scared tonight, you can come to my room and hold Xiao Shan while you sleep~"

"You..."

He knew Tang Shan was teasing him, and helplessly tapped the tip of Tang Shan's nose.

Watching Tang Shan's back as she went upstairs, Lan Yu could not help shaking his head with a laugh. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he saw Dugu Yan standing behind him with her head lowered, clutching the hem of her skirt without saying a word.

"Why haven't you left yet?"

"Huh? Oh... I'll go now."

Dugu Yan had been distracted the entire way, repeatedly thinking about her earlier conversation with Tang Shan. This sudden question startled her, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. With a complicated expression, she turned and left.

"How bizarre."

Lan Yu muttered under his breath, then strode back to his own room.

Pushing the door open and entering, he found the furnishings just as they had always been. The bedding was spread casually over the bed, and the two pillows at the head of the bed were nestled close together.

It was no different from before he had left.

Lan Yu picked up the stockings Tang Shan had left on the bed and tossed them aside.

He had just rolled up his sleeves and was about to clean when he suddenly heard an extremely light knock at the door, as if the person had deliberately lowered the sound for fear of being heard by others.

"Come in. The door isn't locked."

Lan Yu bent over and answered casually.

"Lan Yu~"

A soft call came over. Lan Yu whipped his head around, and the first thing that entered his sight was a pair of fair, well-proportioned long legs. His gaze followed them upward before he saw Dugu Yan standing in the doorway.

"Hm? Dugu Yan?"

Lan Yu raised an eyebrow, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes. He had thought it was Tang Shan. After all, that little girl loved sneaking into his room.

"Why are you here?"

"Shh—"

Dugu Yan raised a finger to her lips, signaling for him to keep his voice down.

She turned and leaned toward the door, poking her head out to look around. Then she pulled the door shut behind her, and with a click, the room door was locked from the outside.

"Lan Yu, you wouldn't want Tang Shan to know that the two of us, a lone man and woman, are alone in one room, would you~"

Lan Yu: ??!

In the small grove outside the villa.

Yu Tianheng stared blankly at the tightly shut window on the second floor, his lips trembling slightly as he muttered, "Impossible. How could Yanzi..."

He slowly closed his eyes. It felt as if someone had viciously clenched his chest. His breathing grew heavy, and he could barely catch his breath.

Originally, because relations between the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Heaven Dou Empire had worsened, he had already planned to withdraw from the academy.

The only reason he was still staying at the academy now was to make one final farewell to Dugu Yan.

After learning that Dugu Yan, whom he had not seen for several days, had returned to the academy, he had rushed over excitedly from the dormitory. Before he could even see her, he watched her walk straight toward this villa that had left him with a psychological shadow.

Because of that, for the first time in his life, he did something like tailing someone—only to run right into the scene before him.

He did not understand. Dugu Yan had always been cool and proud. Even with him relying on the fact that they were on the same team and pestering her bitterly for a whole year, all he had managed to get in return was the status of a familiar friend.

How could such a slow-to-warm-up, reserved girl take the initiative to secretly come and see Lan Yu?!

What was more, Lan Yu had beaten the six of them black and blue back then!

Yanzi, are you a masochist?!

"Lan Yu! You deserve to die!" Yu Tianheng gnashed his teeth, his eyes bloodshot as he growled under his breath.

Just as he was seething with resentment, a faint patter of footsteps suddenly came from the distance.

"Captain!"

Yu Tianheng quickly wiped the corners of his eyes and turned to look. He saw Osler and Yu Feng bending over as they hurried over.

"Why are you here?!" Yu Tianheng demanded coldly.

As the future heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he would never allow outsiders to see him looking weak.

"Captain, aren't you going to confess to Sister Yan? We came to cheer you on!" Osler said with a giggle.

They knew Yu Tianheng was going to withdraw from the academy. If he had come out alone now to see Dugu Yan, what else could it be but a confession?

"Captain, where's Sister Yan?" Yu Feng asked in confusion.

Neither of them had noticed just how ugly Yu Tianheng's expression was at that moment.