"Yan Yan..." Yu Tianheng could not help but speak, his voice somewhat dry as he tried to draw her attention back to himself.
Dugu Yan frowned and turned to look at him, her tone carrying a hint of impatience, her brows knotted tightly together:
"Yu Tianheng, we are not that familiar. Please do not call me Yan Yan. Just call me Dugu Yan. We have not reached the kind of relationship where you can use a pet name."
Yu Tianheng's face instantly flushed red, as if someone had slapped him hard across the face. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but not a single word came out. It felt as though something were lodged in his throat.
Dugu Yan turned back to explain to Lin Ming, a trace of urgency in her voice. "Lin Ming, do not misunderstand. I have nothing to do with Yu Tianheng. We only met a few times at the academy before and exchanged a few words. We cannot even be considered friends. He is just overly familiar with people. Do not take it to heart."
Those words were like a sharp knife stabbing viciously into Yu Tianheng's heart, then twisting three times.
The students around them watched the scene with wonderfully varied expressions. Some covered their mouths and snickered, some shook their heads and sighed, while others openly reveled in his misfortune.
"Holy shit, what kind of Asura scene is this? This is way too exciting!"
"Senior Yu Tianheng likes Senior Dugu Yan, but Senior Dugu Yan likes that Lin Ming? This love triangle is way too messy!"
"This is too miserable... Getting friend-zoned in front of so many people—he has completely lost face."
"I feel like Senior Yu Tianheng has gone a little green. No, he is green enough to glow."
"Poor Senior Yu Tianheng. It ended before it even began."
Yu Tianheng's chest heaved violently like a boiler on the verge of exploding. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his flesh, blood seeping from his palms.
He looked at Lin Ming's calm, unruffled face, as though everything were under his control, and the fury in his heart erupted like a volcano, burning away every shred of his reason.
"Lin Ming!" Yu Tianheng roared, his voice filled with rage and humiliation, shaking leaves from the surrounding trees.
"If you are a man, fight me right now! I will show you who is worthy of Yan... Dugu Yan! I will defeat you in front of everyone!"
Lin Ming raised a brow. Before he could speak, Dugu Yan spoke first.
She said casually, as though discussing what to eat that evening:
"Lin Ming, hurry up and finish this. I reserved a table at the cafeteria, the private room by the window on the third floor. The view is especially nice. We can go eat afterward and talk about your arrangements at the academy. I know a few teachers and can recommend you to them."
That tone, that attitude, that casual glance—it was as if she did not believe Yu Tianheng could win at all, as if the outcome of this battle had already been decided.
Yu Tianheng trembled from head to toe with rage. His eyes reddened, and veins bulged on his forehead like wriggling earthworms.
The surrounding spectators all sucked in cold breaths and began whispering among themselves.
"Senior Dugu Yan does not think highly of Senior Yu Tianheng at all... That has to hurt!"
"If I were Senior Yu Tianheng, I would want to crawl into a crack in the ground right now. This is too embarrassing."
"They have not even fought yet, and he has already lost."
Seeing Yu Tianheng on the verge of exploding with rage, Lin Ming sighed helplessly. Carrying his spear, he stepped onto the martial arena and planted his feet firmly.
"Fine. Since you want to fight so badly, come on. But let me remind you of something—I hate simps the most. Simp until the end, and you will have nothing."
"What did you say?!" Yu Tianheng flew into a furious rage. The veins on his forehead nearly burst as dragon scales instantly covered his entire body, with even his neck crawling with fine scales.
Blue-violet lightning danced madly around him, crackling explosively as it blasted cracks into the stone slabs beneath his feet.
"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—Possession!"
Three Soul Rings, two yellow and one purple, rose from beneath his feet, radiating dazzling light and making him look like a thunder god descended upon the world. His hands transformed into sharp dragon claws, their nails half a foot long and gleaming coldly.
His arms were covered in dense layers of dragon scales, stacked one upon another, displaying astonishing defensive power and the noble bloodline of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
A violent aura spread outward from him, forcing the surrounding spectators to unconsciously retreat several steps as they felt a suffocating pressure.
"Thunderclap Dragon Claw!"
"Thunderous Thousand Jun!"
"Dragon's Fury!"
Yu Tianheng unleashed three soul skills in succession the moment he attacked, holding nothing back as he pushed his strength to its limits.
Rage had already clouded his mind. He only wanted to use the fastest speed and greatest force to utterly crush this person who had made him lose all face, grinding him into dust!
Blue-violet lightning condensed into a gigantic dragon claw as large as a millstone, descending upon Lin Ming's head with overwhelming force!
The air filled with a burnt stench. Stray lightning blasted blackened pits into the stone slabs, sending shattered rocks flying everywhere. Wherever the dragon claw passed, the air let out a piercing shriek, as though even space itself were about to be torn apart.
"So strong!"
"Senior Yu Tianheng is serious! He is not holding back at all!"
"Even a Soul King would not dare take that attack head-on! That is terrifying!"
The spectators cried out in alarm, their faces pale. Some even shut their eyes, not daring to watch the coming tragedy.
Yet Lin Ming stood in place without moving. He did not even raise an eyelid, as though that overwhelming attack were merely a light breeze.
Only when the lightning dragon claw was about to fall onto his head, less than three feet from his scalp, did he finally move.
The Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear left its sheath.
The platinum spear shaft bloomed with dazzling light in his hand, as though a miniature sun had risen from his palm. The golden patterns along the spear blade began to flow as if they had come alive, radiating an indescribable pressure.
Three Soul Rings, two purple and one black, lit up at the same time and slowly revolved around him.
The moment that deep black Soul Ring entered everyone's sight, the entire martial arena fell into dead silence.
Everyone's eyes widened and their mouths fell open, as though they had seen something utterly unimaginable.
"A... a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"
"Am I seeing things? That is a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?! Black! It really is a black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring!"
"How old is he? Twelve or thirteen? His third Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old?! How is that possible? It defies all common sense!"
"Even the child of a Titled Douluo could not possibly absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as their third Soul Ring! How did he do it?!"
Everyone's eyeballs nearly popped out, their jaws dropping in utter shock.
Yu Tianheng's pupils suddenly contracted as well. His heart thudded violently, and intense unease and fear welled up inside him.
But it was already too late.
Lin Ming's second Soul Ring lit up—Heaven-Piercing Battle Intent!
His eyes glowed with brilliant golden light, as though two flames burned within his pupils. His muscles swelled slightly, and his speed and strength instantly increased by more than double! A violent battle intent spread outward from him, making even the surrounding air grow heavy.
Immediately afterward, his first Soul Ring lit up. A dazzling platinum spear radiance condensed upon the Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear, flickering and pulsing with an incomparably sharp aura, as if it could pierce through anything.
"Shatter the Sky."
Lin Ming calmly spoke two words.
Then, he thrust his spear.
There were no flashy techniques, no unnecessary movements, no dazzling effects—only the purest, most extreme penetrating force. Returning to simplicity, the greatest truths were the simplest.
That streak of platinum spear radiance was like a meteor tearing across the night sky. It ripped through the air and collided violently with Yu Tianheng's lightning dragon claw.
Before you continue