Yu Tianheng's Helpless Rage

Ever since Dugu Yan returned from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that day, she had changed.

She used to keep everyone at arm's length at the academy, always alone. Aside from matters involving her grandfather, she hardly spoke an extra word to anyone.

But over the past few days, she had begun appearing around Lin Chen with increasing frequency.

Sometimes after class, she would "happen" to pass by Lin Chen's classroom door, then "happen to be on the way" to the dining hall with him.

Sometimes during the lunch break, she would "just happen" to run into Lin Chen in the library, then "incidentally" sit beside him to read.

Sometimes in the evening, she would "coincidentally" encounter Lin Chen taking a walk around the training grounds, then naturally join him.

Every time, she had a perfectly reasonable excuse. Every time, her expression was calm and composed, as though it truly were just a coincidence.

But once or twice could be coincidence. Three or four times was deliberate.

Xiao Wu was the first to notice something was wrong. Sitting in the dining hall, she watched Dugu Yan once again carry over her tray and "happen" to sit across from Lin Chen, narrowing her eyes.

"Why is she here again?" Xiao Wu bit her chopsticks and whispered to Zhu Zhuqing beside her. "This is already the fifth time this week."

Zhu Zhuqing did not look up and continued eating quietly, though her ears twitched slightly. Clearly, she was listening too.

"And look where she sits. Every time, it's right across from Lin Chen. Every time, she finds something to talk to him about."

The more Xiao Wu spoke, the more something felt off. "Wasn't she always so cold and aloof? Why did she suddenly become so enthusiastic?"

Zhu Zhuqing paused while picking up some food, then said indifferently, "Maybe Lin Chen helped her with something."

"Does helping someone mean following them around every day?" Xiao Wu muttered, feeling inexplicably irritated.

Still, she said nothing. Dugu Yan had not done anything excessive, after all. It was not as if Xiao Wu could just go over and drive her away.

However, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing were not the only ones to notice.

Yu Tianheng.

A direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's publicly recognized genius students, eighteen years old, and a level thirty-seven Soul Elder.

He had always liked Dugu Yan.

At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, practically everyone knew about it.

From the first day Yu Tianheng saw Dugu Yan after enrolling, he had been drawn to her cold, captivating aura.

Over the past two years, he had tried every possible way to pursue her.

But Dugu Yan had always treated him neither warmly nor coldly. She had barely even given him a proper glance.

Yu Tianheng refused to accept it. He believed Dugu Yan was simply cold by nature and treated everyone the same. As long as he persisted, he would eventually move her.

Until Lin Chen appeared.

He saw Dugu Yan take the initiative to speak with Lin Chen. He saw Dugu Yan eat with Lin Chen.

He saw Dugu Yan sit beside Lin Chen in the library. He saw Dugu Yan walk shoulder to shoulder with him through the academy, wearing a gentle expression Yu Tianheng had never seen before.

She had never shown that expression to him.

The flames of jealousy in Yu Tianheng's heart flared wildly, as though oil had been poured over them.

That afternoon, Lin Chen had just stepped out of the classroom when someone blocked his path.

Yu Tianheng stood in the middle of the corridor with his arms folded, looking down at him.

He was more than half a head taller than Lin Chen. Combined with the oppressive aura inherent to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, he stood there like a wall, blocking the entire corridor.

Several lackeys stood behind him, each glaring at Lin Chen with hostility.

"You're Lin Chen?" Yu Tianheng spoke, his voice low and tinged with provocation.

Lin Chen glanced at him, already understanding most of the situation. "That's me. What is it?"

"My name is Yu Tianheng." Yu Tianheng stepped forward, shortening the distance between them. "I'm from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I want to talk to you."

"Talk about what?"

"About how you've been getting too close to Yan Yan lately."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "Yan Yan?"

"Dugu Yan." A flash of displeasure passed through Yu Tianheng's eyes. "I've known her for two years, and I've never seen her get this close to any other boy. I don't know what methods you used to make her see you differently, but I'm warning you: stay away from her."

Lin Chen looked at him in silence for two seconds, then smiled.

The smile was faint, but the contempt in it was completely undisguised.

"Yu Tianheng, right? You like Dugu Yan—that's your business. Who she wants to be close to is her freedom. You have no right to interfere, and you certainly have no right to warn me."

Yu Tianheng's expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean this."

Lin Chen looked at him calmly, but there was a sharp chill in his tone. "You're not qualified to tell me what to do."

The air in the corridor instantly froze.

The surrounding students retreated several steps, afraid of getting caught up in it. Yu Tianheng's lackeys tensed as well, ready to make a move at any moment.

Yu Tianheng stared at Lin Chen, his fists clenching with cracking sounds.

In all eighteen years of his life, no one had ever dared speak to him like that.

He was a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Everywhere he went, people flattered and respected him. Yet this boy, five or six years younger than him, dared make him lose face in front of so many people.

"Good. Very good." Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth and spoke word by word. "Lin Chen, you've got guts. Do you dare get on the arena with me?"

"Not interested."

"Are you scared?"

"It's not fear." Lin Chen replied blandly, "It's a waste of time. You're not my opponent."

Those words were like a match, completely igniting Yu Tianheng's fury.

"I'm not your opponent?" Yu Tianheng laughed in extreme anger. His voice echoed through the corridor, carrying a near-uncontrolled shrillness.

"You're just a twelve-year-old brat who's only been enrolled for a few days, and you dare say I'm not your opponent? Do you know who I am? I'm a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a level thirty-seven Soul Elder! I awakened my martial soul at seven, became a Soul Grandmaster at twelve, and broke through to Soul Elder at fifteen! Among my peers at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, few can compare to me! What are you? You're just a newly enrolled freshman who stumbled into a few lucky encounters, yet you dare strut around in front of me?"

His chest heaved violently, veins bulging on his forehead. His finger nearly jabbed Lin Chen in the nose. "I'm telling you, Lin Chen, Yan Yan is not someone you can touch. You'd better know your place and stay away from her. Otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?"

A clear, cold voice came from behind Yu Tianheng.

Yu Tianheng's body stiffened.

He turned around and saw Dugu Yan standing at the other end of the corridor, her arms folded as she looked at him coldly. Her dark green vertical pupils held undisguised irritation.

"Yu Tianheng, what are you doing?" Dugu Yan walked over and stood beside Lin Chen, staring directly at Yu Tianheng. "Since when was it your turn to interfere in my affairs?"

"Yan Yan, I..." Yu Tianheng's expression instantly shifted from anger to panic. "That's not what I meant. I was only worried that this kid was deceiving you."

"Whether I'm being deceived or not, what does that have to do with you?" Dugu Yan's voice was as cold as ice. "Are we even that close?"

Yu Tianheng's face instantly flushed red.

The surrounding students began whispering among themselves. Some snickered, while others shook their heads.

Yu Tianheng could feel those gazes pricking into him like needles, making his entire body uncomfortable.

He looked at Dugu Yan standing beside Lin Chen, at the way she was defending him. The jealousy and humiliation in his heart gnawed at it like venomous snakes.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the rage in his heart and trying to make his voice sound calmer. "Yan Yan, we've known each other for two years. You know how I feel about you. This Lin Chen has only been here for a few days. Do you understand him? Do you know what kind of person he is?"

"I understand him." Dugu Yan's answer was brief and firm.

Yu Tianheng froze.

Dugu Yan looked at him without the slightest hesitation in her eyes. "I understand him better than you understand me. So please don't do such boring things again in the future."

After saying that, she turned to Lin Chen and said, "Let's go." Then she turned first and headed toward the other end of the corridor.

Lin Chen glanced at Yu Tianheng, said nothing more, and followed Dugu Yan.

Yu Tianheng stood where he was, watching the two of them leave side by side. He watched Dugu Yan's natural manner as she walked beside Lin Chen, watched the soft light of the setting sun fall across her profile, revealing a gentleness she had never once shown him.

His hands clenched at his sides, his nails digging deeply into his palms. Blood dripped through the gaps between his fingers onto the floor, but he did not notice.

The students in the corridor gradually dispersed, leaving Yu Tianheng standing there alone.

The setting sun slanted through the windows, stretching his shadow long and longer.

He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head and stared in the direction Lin Chen had disappeared, his eyes surging with almost mad resentment.

"Lin Chen..."

His voice was hoarse and low, as though squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

"I won't let you go. I swear, I will definitely..."