Yu Yuanzhen Apologizes, Yu Tianheng Loses an Arm

Early the next morning, a completely black carriage stopped at the gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The carriage itself was unremarkable, but the two horses pulling it were rare Dragon Blood Horses.

They were a full size larger than ordinary steeds, covered in fine scales, and breathed out faint white mist with every breath.

Anyone knowledgeable could tell at a glance that only the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan possessed such horses.

The carriage door opened, and Yu Yuanzhen stepped down.

He was not wearing the luxurious robe that symbolized his status as clan leader. Instead, he wore plain gray cloth garments, his hair simply tied behind his head with a wooden hairpin. He looked like an ordinary old man, without a trace of a Titled Douluo's imposing air.

He carried an ancient wooden box in his hand. Two attendants followed behind him, each holding a heavy tray covered with red cloth, concealing whatever lay beneath.

He did not alert the academy's administrators. Instead, he directly explained his purpose to the guards: he wished to see Lin Chen.

The guards recognized the leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and did not dare neglect him. They hurriedly sent someone to notify Lin Chen.

Before long, Lin Chen emerged from the dormitory building, followed by Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing.

When he saw Yu Yuanzhen, he showed no surprise. He merely walked forward calmly and gave a slight bow. "Clan Leader Yu, I have long heard of your great name."

Yu Yuanzhen looked at the young man before him and silently sighed in admiration.

A twelve-year-old Soul King, facing a level ninety-six Titled Douluo without being humble or overbearing, his expression composed. This bearing alone surpassed that worthless grandson of his by eighteen streets.

He took a deep breath, bent at the waist, and gave Lin Chen a deep bow.

That bow stunned everyone present.

A Titled Douluo bowing to a twelve-year-old boy—if word of this spread, it would be enough to shake the entire continent.

Yet there was not the slightest hesitation in Yu Yuanzhen's bowed back. His voice was low and sincere. "Little friend Lin Chen, I have come today to offer you my apology. My useless grandson, Yu Tianheng, committed an unforgivable act of folly out of selfish desire. I failed to educate my grandson properly, and I have wronged you."

He straightened, opened the wooden box in his hand, and revealed neatly stacked bundles of gold notes within. Each note was worth ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. There were a thousand in total—ten million Gold Soul Coins.

The two attendants behind him also lifted the red cloth from their trays, revealing all manner of heavenly treasures. Every item was priceless; any one of them would be enough to make an ordinary Soul Master strive for an entire lifetime.

"This is ten million Gold Soul Coins, along with thirty-six heavenly treasures that my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has treasured for many years."

Yu Yuanzhen's voice echoed through the morning air. "This meager gift is insufficient to express my sincerity. I only hope it can somewhat ease the guilt in my heart. Please accept it, little friend Lin Chen."

Lin Chen looked at the gold notes and treasures, remaining silent for a moment before slowly speaking. "Clan Leader Yu, I can accept these gifts."

Yu Yuanzhen inwardly relaxed, but Lin Chen's next words made his heart tighten again.

"But," Lin Chen said, his gaze calm and firm, "these things are only enough to pay for Yu Tianheng's life. He hired an assassin to kill me. That debt cannot simply be wiped away with money."

Yu Yuanzhen's pupils contracted slightly, but he did not argue. He merely waited quietly for Lin Chen to continue.

"The death penalty may be spared, but punishment cannot be avoided." Lin Chen spoke each word distinctly. "Go back and personally sever one of his arms. From then on, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and I will be even."

The moment those words fell, the entire place went silent.

The expressions of Yu Yuanzhen's two attendants changed drastically. One of them could not help stepping forward, wanting to say something, but Yu Yuanzhen raised a hand to stop him.

Yu Yuanzhen looked at Lin Chen and remained silent for a long time.

At last, he let out a heavy sigh.

He nodded.

"Fine."

He did not haggle, plead, or offer excuses.

He turned around and told the two attendants, "Leave the things behind," then walked toward the carriage without looking back.

His back appeared somewhat hunched in the morning light, as though he had aged ten years in an instant.

The carriage slowly departed and disappeared around the corner of the street.

In a side room in the rear courtyard of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianheng was being watched by two guards.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his face ashen and his eyes lifeless, as though his soul had been ripped from him.

His right arm was wrapped in thick bandages. Beneath them was a wound so deep that bone could be seen.

Yu Yuanzhen had left that wound himself.

Just an hour earlier, after Yu Yuanzhen returned from the academy, he had not said a single word. He went straight into the ancestral hall and had Yu Tianheng brought inside.

Before the clan's ancestors, he severed Yu Tianheng's right arm with a single palm strike, then turned and left without uttering a word from beginning to end.

The pain had caused Yu Tianheng to faint. When he woke, he was already lying on this bed.

He lowered his head and looked at his bandaged right arm, at the empty sleeve hanging beneath it, and tears silently slid down his face.

His right arm was gone.

The arm he had relied upon for cultivation, for battle, for pride—gone.

His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul remained, but losing an arm had reduced his combat strength by at least thirty percent.

His future, his prospects, his pride—everything had been cut away in that instant.

And all of it was because of Lin Chen.

"Lin Chen... Lin Chen... Lin Chen!!!" Yu Tianheng suddenly roared like a madman. With his left hand, he grabbed a pillow and hurled it viciously against the wall, then snatched up a cup from the table and smashed it through the window. A series of loud crashes rang out.

"Why?! Why?! I am the direct disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! I am the genius of Heaven Dou Royal Academy! What the hell is he?! He is just some wild brat who appeared out of nowhere! Why is everyone taking his side?! Why did Grandfather have to sever one of my arms for him?! Why?!"

He screamed hysterically, his voice hoarse and shrill, like a dying beast giving its final mournful cry.

He grabbed the last porcelain bottle from the table and hurled it hard into the corner. The sound of it shattering echoed through the room, as though answering his rage.

The two guards stood at the door, expressionlessly watching him go mad. They neither stepped forward to stop him nor spoke to comfort him.

They had been ordered by the clan leader to guard him, not serve him.

In their eyes, this former young master was completely finished.

He had lost an arm, been removed from the line of succession, and been confined for three years.

Even if he could emerge after three years, what could a cripple missing an arm possibly accomplish?

Yu Tianheng vented for a long time until he finally ran out of strength. He collapsed onto the bed, gasping heavily.

His tears continued to fall, but no sound came from him anymore. His eyes remained open as he stared at the ceiling, his gaze hollow and despairing.

He regretted it.

He regretted seeking out an assassin, regretted being so impulsive, regretted failing to swallow that anger.

If he had not gone to Shadow Pavilion, if he had not hired that assassin, if he had been able to endure that humiliation...

He would still be the direct disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, still the lofty genius, still someone qualified to pursue Dugu Yan.

But now, everything was gone. His right arm was gone, his future was gone, his pride was gone. Everything he had was gone.

But more than regret, he felt hatred.

He hated Lin Chen. If Lin Chen had never appeared, none of this would have happened.

If Lin Chen had not stolen Dugu Yan from him, he would never have reached this point.

If not for Lin Chen, he would still be the glorious Yu Tianheng.

Lin Chen had destroyed everything. As he lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, the emptiness in his eyes gradually filled with an even darker emotion.

He gritted his teeth and forced out a few words through the gaps. "Lin Chen... just wait... I will not let you go... One day... I will definitely..."

But his voice grew weaker and weaker, until even he could no longer hear what he was saying.

Because he knew those words were nothing more than the impotent rage of a powerless man.

He did not even have one intact arm left. What right did he have to seek revenge on Lin Chen?

He could not even meet Lin Chen face-to-face before being trapped in this room, like a bird with broken wings that could never fly again.

He closed his eyes. Tears slid from the corners of his eyes, soaking the pillow.