Yu Tianheng's Defenses Shattered!

That merciless, cutting mockery instantly pushed Ning Rongrong's fiery temper past its limit.

"Hey! Watch that filthy mouth of yours, you worm!!"

Ning Rongrong immediately stepped forward, hands on her hips as she snapped back furiously.

"Whether we pass the assessment or not is none of your damn business! Why are you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?!"

"Don't think you can boss people around here just because you're wearing the useless title of Imperial Fighting captain! So what if we rely on our sect? Having connections is part of strength too! Who the hell do you think you are, acting like you have the right to judge us?!"

Yu Tianheng's face darkened sharply beneath Ning Rongrong's tirade. He forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart before retorting coldly,

"Miss Rongrong, I only kindly reminded you out of consideration for the bond between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, both of which stand among the Upper Three Sects!"

"I simply didn't want to see you make fools of yourselves and tarnish the Upper Three Sects' illustrious reputation!"

"Tarnish our reputation? Make fools of ourselves?"

Ning Ze, who had remained unangered until now, curled his lips into a faintly mocking smile.

"Yu Tianheng, I think you've got things backward."

Ning Ze raised his eyes and looked directly at Yu Tianheng.

"If we pass the assessment in a month and become an official academy team,"

"the first real-combat challenge issued by our God of Love Team will name your so-called 'Imperial Fighting main ace team' as our opponent!"

"When that time comes, beneath the gaze of every teacher and student in the academy, the team whose pride gets crushed on the arena stage before being eliminated in disgrace... that will be the team truly making fools of itself!"

Yu Tianheng was so angry that he laughed instead.

"Challenge our Imperial Fighting Team? Ning Ze, are you fucking still dreaming?!"

As if he had suddenly found Ning Ze's fatal weakness, Yu Tianheng sneered smugly.

"Even if we take ten thousand steps back and Heaven goes blind enough to let you luckily pass the senior students' assessment, so what?!"

"According to the ironclad rules of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, as well as the official team establishment code of Heaven Dou Royal Academy—a proper Soul Master team, including substitutes, must have no fewer than seven registered members!!"

"And your God of Love Team, from beginning to end, only has a mere four people at most!!"

At this point, Yu Tianheng crossed his arms smugly and stared at the four of them as though they were clowns.

"You can't even fill the most basic roster requirements. You don't even qualify to step onto an official challenge arena! And you still want to fight us? What a ridiculous fantasy! You have no idea what you're talking about!!"

The moment those words were spoken, the confident expressions on Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing's faces all froze abruptly.

A seven-person roster?!

The three girls looked at one another, stunned into silence.

They had only thought of forming a team to prove themselves, completely forgetting the harsh ironclad rule of the Continental Soul Master Elite Tournament and official academy teams: seven members were mandatory!

The current God of Love Team, aside from Ning Ze, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu... truly only had four people!

They were still short three official members!

Where could they find top-tier teammates in such a short time—people they could trust and whose talents were terrifying enough?!

Seeing the three girls' bewildered and awkward expressions, the delight in Yu Tianheng's eyes was practically overflowing.

However...

Ning Ze did not show the slightest trace of panic.

"The matter of our numbers is none of your business either."

"There are plenty of mediocre people in this world, but true shining pearls... will eventually gather where they belong."

After saying that, Ning Ze could not even be bothered to spare Yu Tianheng another glance. He naturally wrapped an arm around Ning Rongrong's slender, soft waist, then turned toward Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu with a gentle smile.

"Let's go. We shouldn't let certain people overflowing with superiority ruin our appetite for a late-night meal."

Protected in Ning Ze's warm yet commanding embrace, the last bit of Ning Rongrong's frustration instantly vanished. She immediately stuck out her little pink tongue at Yu Tianheng with borrowed bravado.

"Bleh, bleh, bleh! A good dog doesn't block the road! Let's go eat something delicious!"

Zhu Zhuqing's lips curved slightly, while Xiao Wu happily looped her arm through Ning Ze's other arm. The four of them did not even look back as they walked straight past Yu Tianheng and vanished into the bustling, brightly lit crowd ahead.

Only Yu Tianheng remained standing there stiffly.

Yu Tianheng's face, once filled with pride, instantly turned as dark as liver!

He clenched his fists, overwhelmed by embarrassment and rage!

"Hmph! What an ignorant pretty boy! Still putting on a brave face!"

Trying to salvage some dignity, Yu Tianheng turned with a dark expression and complained mockingly to Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.

"Yan, you saw it all just now, didn't you?"

"Ning Ze and his group are arrogant, conceited, and contemptuous of everyone! They don't even understand the most basic respect for seniors and elders!"

"With such poor character and upbringing, do they deserve to come from the prestigious Upper Three Sects? They've completely disgraced us Upper Three Sects!"

The more Yu Tianheng spoke, the more worked up he became. He even put on the imposing air of the Imperial Fighting Team's commander and snorted righteously.

"And that so-called challenge... heh! Let me make this clear today!"

"With just those four snot-nosed brats, if they really dare step onto the Imperial Fighting Great Arena, I'll beat that arrogant brat until he's crawling all over the ground looking for—"

Smack!!

Before Yu Tianheng could finish his threat, Dugu Yan suddenly stopped in her tracks, visibly irritated.

"Yu Tianheng, have you had enough?!"

Dugu Yan cut him off sharply, her voice as cold as the wind on a winter night.

"What did junior Ning Ze say that was wrong?"

"The assessment hasn't even begun, yet you couldn't wait to jump out and mock them while kicking them when they're down!"

"You keep going on and on about the 'upbringing of the Upper Three Sects,' but does this vicious, mean-spirited, ugly face you're showing right now look well-bred to you?!"

Boom!

Yu Tianheng felt as though he had been struck by lightning. The hand holding the pastry box trembled violently as he stood there completely dumbfounded.

"Yan, Yan... I'm defending the honor of our Imperial Fighting Team! I'm doing this for—"

"For that pathetic, lowly jealousy of yours, that's all!!"

Without mercy, Dugu Yan tore away Yu Tianheng's final shred of pretense right before his face. Her eyes were filled with contempt and disgust.

Beside her, Ye Lingling, who was usually gentle and quiet, likewise showed extreme disapproval and distant disappointment in her clear eyes as she looked at Yu Tianheng.

Rebuked so harshly in the street by the goddess he adored, Yu Tianheng's face turned deathly pale, and his head swam as though the top of his skull had gone numb.

Dugu Yan could not even be bothered to hear another word from him. She grabbed Ye Lingling's hand and turned away, striding off without looking back!

"Lingling, let's go! What a disappointing night!"

Watching the two leave, Yu Tianheng pinned every bit of blame on Ning Ze.

Damn Ning Ze—!

Yu Tianheng panted like a bull, sparks practically flying from his eyes.