Crushing Dugu Yan

Facing Dugu Yan's demands, Dai Chengqian smiled and said:

"Senior Dugu is a Titled Douluo. No one can force him to do anything with a few casual words.

Dugu Yan, if I were you,

the first thing I'd do wouldn't be to come questioning someone else.

I'd hurry to ask what major event had happened to my own grandfather."

Dugu Yan's expression changed slightly at Dai Chengqian's words.

Dai Chengqian was right. No one could force her grandfather to do anything.

Something must have happened for him to suddenly ask her to withdraw from the academy and go to the Star Luo Empire today.

Dugu Yan turned and grabbed Dugu Bo's arm, saying:

"Grandpa, what happened? Tell me."

Dugu Bo's brow furrowed. He had never told Dugu Yan about his condition precisely because he did not want her to be upset or worried.

Dai Chengqian said, "Senior Dugu, things are different now.

Before, there was no way to resolve the poison backlash. Telling her would only have given her more to worry about.

Now it's different. I think telling her would be a good thing."

Dugu Bo nodded and told Dugu Yan about both the poison that had seeped deep into his body and his deal with Dai Chengqian.

After hearing him out, Dugu Yan's green eyes reddened slightly.

So her grandfather had been enduring poison backlash all along, yet she had never noticed.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Dugu Yan drew a deep breath, turned to Dai Chengqian, and said:

"So that's what happened. Thank you."

"No need to thank me. We're each getting what we need."

Dugu Yan nodded, then continued:

"But Grandpa said your deal only required him to become your retainer.

There wasn't any condition requiring me to join your team, was there?"

Dai Chengqian smiled and said:

"That's right.

To be honest, not just anyone can join my team.

My goal is first place in the continental elite soul master tournament.

Even if you join, you'll only be a reserve if you can't meet my requirements when the time comes. So whether you join or not is entirely up to you."

As he finished speaking, a system notification sounded in Dai Chengqian's ears.

[Dugu Yan's affection toward you decreased by three points]

Hearing that Dai Chengqian wanted to take first place in the continental soul master tournament, Dugu Yan thought he was rather arrogant.

She shook her head and said:

"Sixth Prince, aren't you being a little too conceited?

Even setting aside the terrifyingly powerful Spirit Hall Team, the other academies' teams won't be easy to beat either.

You'd better not boast so early, lest you end up getting slapped in the face."

Dai Chengqian smiled at her without arguing.

He had a reason he absolutely had to take first place in the continental elite soul master tournament.

There was no point in saying more. When the time came, he would prove through results that he was number one.

Seeing that Dai Chengqian did not argue, Dugu Yan dropped the subject.

She lowered her head and thought for a while, then looked up at Dai Chengqian and said:

"Since my grandfather is going to the Star Luo Empire, I have to go with him.

But before I decide whether to join your team, you need to prove you have something that makes it worth joining."

Dai Chengqian raised an eyebrow and said:

"Oh? How should I prove it?"

Dugu Yan smiled, pointed at herself, and said:

"Simple. Defeat me.

As long as you defeat me, I'll join your team.

If you lose, I'll still go to the Star Luo Royal Academy, but I'll join a team stronger than yours.

Well? Do you dare?"

Dai Chengqian did not say whether he dared. He merely asked calmly, "Where do we fight?"

"Follow me. I'll take you to the academy's sparring arena."

Dugu Yan beckoned to Dai Chengqian, pushed open the reception room's door, and walked out.

Dai Chengqian followed her.

Dugu Bo held his head in his hands.

He knew how strong Dai Chengqian was.

Although his granddaughter's soul power level was much higher than Dai Chengqian's, he certainly did not think Dai Chengqian would lose.

"Ah... that girl." Dugu Bo sighed softly.

Since things had already reached this point, he could not stop the fight.

He could only hope his dear granddaughter would not take too hard a blow.

Dugu Yan was fairly well known at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

When people saw her leading a handsome young man toward the sparring arena, many curious onlookers followed.

"Who's that guy behind Dugu Yan? He's so handsome!"

"No idea. He doesn't look like someone from our academy. Are they going to fight?"

"Do you think Yu Tianheng will get jealous, seeing Dugu Yan with such a handsome guy?"

Nearby, members of the Imperial Fighting Team also saw them and hurried to tell Yu Tianheng.

Soon after receiving the news, Yu Tianheng brought the entire Imperial Fighting Team to the sparring arena.

By then, Dai Chengqian and Dugu Yan were already standing in the arena.

Seeing Dai Chengqian's appearance in the arena, Yu Tianheng felt an inexplicable flicker of alarm.

He called out to Dugu Yan, "Yanyan, what happened? Why are you suddenly fighting someone?"

Dai Chengqian glanced at the man speaking below the arena and thought:

So this is Yu Tianheng, Grandmaster's nephew? He carries himself pretty well.

Dugu Yan looked at Yu Tianheng and smiled.

"It's nothing. Just a fight. If I lose, I'll withdraw from the academy in the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Yanyan! What did you say?"

Yu Tianheng wondered whether he had misheard and wanted to ask again to make sure.

Dugu Yan had no intention of repeating herself.

She took a deep breath, looked seriously at Dai Chengqian, assumed a fighting stance, and said:

"Dugu Yan, level thirty-eight Control-Type Battle Spirit Master. Please show me your skills."

"Dai Chengqian, level thirty-three power attack Battle Soul Master. You can make the first move."

Their soul power levels were five levels apart.

In a one-on-one fight, that was an enormous gap.

Hearing Dai Chengqian tell her to move first, Dugu Yan grew somewhat angry and said coldly:

"I'm a control-type Soul Master. I already have the advantage in a one-on-one fight, and my soul power is higher than yours.

Are you looking down on me?"

Dai Chengqian sighed and said calmly:

"Ah, I'm just afraid that if I move first, you won't get a chance to attack."

"Arrogant."

Dai Chengqian's words thoroughly enraged Dugu Yan.

He simply did not take her seriously at all.

Today, she would teach this Sixth Prince a lesson so he would never dare be so arrogant and conceited again.

Dugu Yan's third Soul Ring lit up.

She used her third Soul Skill right away, intending to teach Dai Chengqian a lesson with overwhelming force that swept through all resistance like rotten wood.

Dugu Yan's eyes turned from green to purple.

A dense cloud of purple poisonous mist spewed from her mouth, instantly spreading across the sparring arena and enveloping it entirely.

Below the arena, someone familiar with Dugu Yan secretly shook his head upon seeing her unleash this Soul Skill.

"The person fighting Dugu Yan was far too careless. You can't let her third Soul Skill touch you.

The best way to counter it is to use a Soul Skill to disperse her poisonous mist as soon as she releases it. I think he's about to lose."

It was as though what happened next was meant specifically to slap him in the face.

He had barely finished speaking.

A spark of electricity flashed within the poisonous mist.

The next second, the poisonous mist gradually dissipated.

There in the sparring arena,

Dai Chengqian had one hand pressed against Dugu Yan's neck and the other gripping both her hands, pinning her entire body to the ground with one knee.

Dugu Yan was still a little dazed.

She had never expected to lose so quickly.

All she had felt was Dai Chengqian flashing before her eyes, followed by a heavy punch to her chest.

Then, a second later, she had been pinned to the ground and subdued.

Although she was held firmly in place, Dugu Yan still managed to turn her head with difficulty to look at Dai Chengqian.

Dai Chengqian smiled at her and said:

"Sorry. You lost."