Stirring the Waters

Back at the Crown Prince's Residence, Xue Qinghe immediately summoned Zhang Fei.

She told Zhang Fei everything that had happened at court.

After hearing it, Zhang Fei was not nervous in the slightest. Instead, he grinned, fighting spirit rising in his eyes. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really overestimates itself. A bunch of fools who have never seen beyond their little well. Perfect timing!"

He rolled his wrists and said confidently, "Rest assured, Your Highness. I'll beat him until even his mother won't recognize him. Dragon Transformation Secret Technique? I like that wager. No reason to turn down something being handed to me for free."

Xue Qinghe naturally had complete faith in Zhang Fei, but she could not help reminding him, "Do not be careless. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has stood among the upper three sects for many years. It must have exceptional strengths."

She walked over to Zhang Fei and gently straightened his collar. "But don't worry. Win or lose, I will not let them have their way. Besides, I have complete faith in you."

Looking into her eyes from so close, Zhang Fei's heart churned. If she were not disguised as Xue Qinghe right now, he really wanted to pin her against the wall and kiss her hard.

He nodded seriously. "Your Highness, I won't let you down."

The two gazed into each other's eyes, their manner intimate, and Xue Qinghe's heart suddenly began pounding.

She immediately looked away. "Go back and get some proper rest. Make sure you adjust yourself over the next few days."

Zhang Fei chuckled. "All right. Then Your Highness should rest early too."

With that, he turned and returned to his room, leaving behind Xue Qinghe, whose ears were still faintly red.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena had never been as lively as it was today.

The enormous main spirit arena was packed to the brim. All eighty thousand seats were filled, while spectators without seats crowded even the corridors and stairways.

A tide of voices surged in from every direction. Buzzing discussions and wave after wave of shouts merged into a deafening roar.

News of this battle had spread throughout all of Heaven Dou City within three days.

Yu Tianheng, one of the twin stars of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, would challenge the famed young man from the Crown Prince's Residence, the boy with a second soul ring of a thousand years and the Golden Dragon martial soul, on an open spirit battle stage.

The stakes were even more explosive: if Zhang Fei lost, he would join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; if Yu Tianheng lost, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would hand over the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique to Zhang Fei.

After obtaining permission from both sides, the Great Spirit Arena spared no effort in fanning the flames.

Promotional posters covered every street and alley in Heaven Dou City. Ticket prices were pushed to ten times their usual cost, yet tickets were still impossible to get.

The Great Spirit Arena's ticket revenue from this single match alone equaled its usual monthly turnover.

During those three days, Zhang Fei did not participate in any more spirit battles at the Great Spirit Arena. Aside from his fixed morning training, he spent all his remaining time adjusting his condition.

On the morning of the third day.

After breakfast, Zhang Fei changed into a dark azure outfit that highlighted his broad shoulders and long legs, making him look sharp and energetic.

He followed Xue Qinghe to the Great Spirit Arena.

Ning Fengzhi arrived shortly afterward with the Sword Douluo and Ning Rongrong. After exchanging greetings, the group passed through the VIP passage and entered the Great Spirit Arena.

As before, Zhang Fei went alone to the contestant lounge specially prepared for him by the Great Spirit Arena and waited for the match to begin.

After an unknown amount of time, someone knocked on the lounge door.

A staff member pushed the door open and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Dragon Travels the World, the match is about to begin. Please prepare to enter."

"It's time."

Zhang Fei rose to his feet and rolled his wrists.

Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, main spirit battle stage.

This enormous arena, more than a hundred meters in diameter, was brightly illuminated.

The tiered stands surrounding it rose like a gigantic valley. The roar of eighty thousand people echoed within it, making everyone's eardrums tingle.

On the main platform above the stands, Xue Ye the Great sat in the center, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. His expression was calm and unreadable.

To his left sat a white-haired elder with a mountain-like build and an imposing face. He was Yu Yuanzhen, the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a level ninety-five Titled Douluo.

Dugu Bo sat beside Yu Yuanzhen. His gray-green robes stood out sharply from the surroundings, and he wore an official, businesslike expression.

Beside Dugu Bo stood a young girl of around fourteen or fifteen. Her brows and eyes carried a trace of cold pride. She was Dugu Yan.

To Xue Ye the Great's right sat Ning Fengzhi and the Sword Douluo Chen Xin, while Ning Rongrong sat together with Ning Fengzhi.

Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Xing, and Yu Luomian occupied seats farther back.

On the spirit battle stage, the host was already standing in the center. Holding a sound-amplifying soul tool, his voice was exceptionally stirring.

He first thanked Xue Ye the Great and the two patriarchs of the upper three sects for their presence, then delivered an opening speech to stir the crowd, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.

Finally, he turned toward the passageway and raised a hand, his voice rising several octaves.

"First to enter is the genius disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, hailed as one of the Blue Lightning Twin Stars—Yu Tianheng!"

A figure slowly emerged from the passage on the other side.

Yu Tianheng appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. At that age, one was already considered an adult on Douluo Continent.

He was already over one meter eighty tall, dressed in an exquisite dark blue outfit embroidered with the lightning emblem of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on the chest. He was not particularly handsome—rather, his appearance was somewhat ordinary. His features could only be called decent, but his brows carried an innate arrogance.

It was the pride unique to disciples of great sects. Having been surrounded by praise since childhood, they believed deep down that they were superior to others.

He walked to the center of the spirit battle stage and stopped. His gaze swept casually across the stands, his chin slightly raised and a confident smile hanging on his lips.

"Next, let us welcome the other challenger: the young genius from the Crown Prince's Residence, holder of thirty consecutive victories at the Great Spirit Arena—Dragon Travels the World!"

Zhang Fei strode out of the passage.

Light poured down from the dome, illuminating his sharply defined face.

The youth stood tall and straight. His dark azure outfit outlined the smooth lines of his muscles, and his unhurried steps seemed to fall in rhythm with every heartbeat.

When Xue Qinghe saw that figure from the main platform, the corners of her lips could not help curling upward.

Zhang Fei calmly walked to the other side of the spirit battle stage and stopped. His expression was tranquil as his gaze swept over the main platform, briefly meeting Xue Qinghe's eyes in midair. Then he withdrew his gaze and fixed it on Yu Tianheng across from him.

The two stood more than ten paces apart, their gazes colliding in the air above the arena.

The clamor from the stands quieted slightly. Everyone was waiting for this moment.

The host retreated to the edge of the stage, raised an arm, and announced loudly, "Both sides, unleash your martial souls!"

Yu Tianheng moved first.

He stepped forward with his right foot, and two yellow soul rings rose from beneath his feet. Blue-violet lightning crackled around his body.

Accompanied by an earthshaking dragon roar, the phantom of a massive blue-violet dragon suddenly rose behind him. Its body was long and powerful, its scales covered in fine arcs of electricity. Its dragon head was raised high, radiating a tyrannical and fierce aura.

The number one beast martial soul in the world truly lived up to its reputation.