Lightning Tyrant Bug

"You bastard! How dare you ambush your granddaddy!"

A surge of powerful lightning erupted around Yu Tianheng, and a long, blue, three-clawed dragon formed behind him.

He sprang to his feet and charged at Ye Yan. He had never been good-tempered-or rather, his temper was fiercer than anyone else's.

Not only had this brat set his sights on Yanyan, he had even dared to ambush him. Yu Tianheng couldn't care less who Ye Yan was. He would slaughter him first and worry about the rest later.

Ye Yan narrowed his eyes. Too slow. How was this any different from a snail? A gleam of azure Soul Power rose in his palm. He raised his right hand high, then swung it with suffocating speed, the air itself cracking sharply beneath his palm.

Yu Tianheng had no time to react. By the time he noticed, that azure palm was already growing larger in his vision before slapping squarely into his left cheek.

With a thunderous bang, Yu Tianheng spun backward like a kite with its string severed. He shattered a window, fell straight from the third floor, and slammed heavily into the ground.

The entire room fell silent. The privileged brats who had been making a fuss earlier hunched behind their classmates, terrified that Ye Yan would settle accounts with them later.

Seeing Yu Tianheng bleeding profusely below, Qin Ming inwardly cursed and hurriedly jumped down to check his injuries. Fortunately, he still had a breath left. Qin Ming hoisted him onto his back and rushed to the infirmary.

Ye Yan watched their retreating figures with disdain. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the world's greatest beast martial soul? You might as well rename yourselves the Blue Lightning Tyrant Bug.

Any clan that could produce a scourge like Prison Xiao Gang was destined to be his enemy. Ye Yan would never show an enemy mercy. At most, he would weigh the benefits and risks, then choose the best moment to strike.

Still, business came first. After collecting himself, Ye Yan greeted Dugu Yan and her companion with a gentle expression.

"The annoying pest has been cleared away. I'm Ye Yan. You can call me Xu Xiaoyan. Might I ask your names, ladies?"

The stark change in his behavior made the two girls exchange smiles. What an interesting boy. He had been so ruthless just now, yet here he was acting as though nothing had happened.

Looking at the delicate-featured younger boy before her, Dugu Yan stood and patted his shoulder.

"Xu Xiaoyan, was it? I'm the big sister around here. Just call me Sister Yanyan. This is Ye Lingling beside me. She's my best friend, so don't get any funny ideas."

Ye Yan was several years younger than both of them, so he naturally had no reservations. Pitching his voice sweetly, he called out,

"Hello, Sister Yanyan~ Hello, Sister Lingling~ It's an honor to meet you! Today's my first day at the academy, and I don't know my way around yet. Sorry for the trouble, but could you show me around?"

"Mmm~ What a good boy."

Dugu Yan reached out and ruffled his hair. A little brother like this simply deserved to be bullied mercilessly by her. Under Ye Yan's resentful gaze, she finally agreed. Taking Lingling along, she began introducing the academy's various facilities.

What surprised Ye Yan most were the academy's Mimicry Training Grounds. There were more than eighty of them, covering every major cultivation system on the continent.

No, no. How could such wonderful training facilities be left to a bunch of ignorant, good-for-nothing nobles? I absolutely had to seize them later and turn them into my own backyard.

When Ye Yan finished daydreaming, he realized they had arrived at a pavilion. He took out the sweet pastries Mu Xia had baked and some juice to share with them. Then he steered the conversation toward cultivation. Dugu Yan was also curious about his actual age; after all, a Soul Master's age couldn't be judged by appearance alone.

Putting on a mysterious air, Ye Yan beckoned them closer. Their three heads huddled together, close enough for him to smell the gardenia fragrance on them. Her face flushed crimson, Yanyan urged him to hurry up and tell them.

Ye Yan stopped keeping them in suspense and told them he was only six and a half. Both girls started and exclaimed that it was impossible.

He could trounce the rank-twenty-six Yu Tianheng only six months after awakening his martial soul, while neither of them could beat Yu Tianheng yet. Had all their years of cultivation been wasted?

Ye Yan simply held out his arm for them to check his bone age. Dugu Yan felt around for ages, her smooth little hand rubbing all over his arm and making it tingle and itch.

Lingling watched Yanyan intently from beside them, eager to know whether Ye Yan was telling the truth. Yet only at the very end did Dugu Yan sheepishly admit that she didn't know how to check bone age.

"Tch~"

Ye Yan gave a disdainful little snort, and Dugu Yan immediately grew flustered.

"I really don't know how to check bone age, but my grandfather does! Xu Xiaoyan, do you dare come home with me tonight? I'll have Grandpa see whether you're really six!"

Ye Yan agreed at once. Only an idiot would refuse. He had been wondering what excuse he could use to accompany Yanyan to meet Dugu Bo. All he could say was that fate worked in wondrous ways.

That afternoon, Dugu Yan took them to the secret base where she usually cultivated. She had claimed the place for herself ever since enrolling, and Ye Yan was the first boy to set foot there.

The three sat cross-legged and cultivated until evening, when Yanyan took him and Lingling home.

Dugu Bo had been happily waiting for his precious granddaughter to return from school. He hadn't expected her to bring an unfamiliar boy with her. His expression immediately darkened as he stared ominously at Ye Yan.

"You're back, Yanyan. Lingling's here too. Oh? Is this your new friend?"

Dugu Yan gave a little huff.

"Grandpa, this is Ye Yan. He just joined our class today. He says he's only six and a half. I didn't believe him, but I couldn't figure out his bone age, so I brought him home."

Dugu Bo's expression softened slightly. So she wanted me to check his age. He reached out, gripped Ye Yan's shoulder, and sent Soul Power into his body.

"Yanyan, he's right. He's indeed only a little over six. Hmm? Rank-twenty Soul Power!"

He stared at Ye Yan in shock, as though looking at a monster. Was this... innate rank twenty?

Seizing the moment, Ye Yan cupped his hands and bowed.

"Senior Dugu, I've admired Sister Yanyan for a long time. I boldly ask that you arrange a betrothal between us."

All three froze. A betrothal?

Dugu Yan raised her little fist and swung at him. You little scoundrel, what were you saying? You hadn't even known me before today, yet you dared claim you'd admired me for ages!

Ye Yan frantically dodged, calling for her to calm down from behind Lingling. Dugu Bo, however, stroked his beard in satisfaction. With talent like this, it wasn't out of the question. Judging by his granddaughter's reaction, she wasn't especially opposed either.

"All right, Yanyan, stop fooling around. And Ye Yan, was it? I only have this one precious granddaughter. As long as she takes a liking to you, I certainly won't stand in your way."

In other words, he should forget about arranging a betrothal and work hard to woo Dugu Yan. But Ye Yan was after the immortal herbs. Without a betrothal, he truly feared Dugu Bo would simply kill him.

Looks like I'd have to sell myself after all. X﹏X

"Don't be so hasty, Senior Dugu. You can decide in a moment."

Ye Yan's eyes lit up. Blue Silver Grass and the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords floated around him, while a crimson Soul Ring descended from above his head, stirring up a fierce wind.

All three cried out together,

"A h-hundred thousand year Soul Ring!"

Heh heh, Sister Xiao Wu's Soul Ring was the ultimate tool for showing off. Who wouldn't be scared to tears by a hundred thousand year first ring?

Dugu Bo's expression shifted several times. After pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming, he looked at Ye Yan with a beaming smile.

"Ahem, my dear grandson-in-law, perhaps I didn't express myself quite accurately earlier. In a moment, I'll have them...

"No, I'll arrange it myself. We'll get you two engaged tonight!"

Dugu Yan blushed and looked at him bashfully. Honestly, Grandpa had sold her off just like that. Though she didn't really mind~

Dugu Bo told the two of them to chat while he went to instruct the servants to prepare a banquet. He wouldn't invite any outsiders, though. With his grandson-in-law possessing such extraordinary talent, it was better to keep him hidden for now.

As soon as he left, Yanyan and Lingling crowded around Ye Yan, their big eyes sparkling with curiosity. Just how had he managed it?

Since he had already revealed his Soul Ring, Ye Yan naturally wouldn't hide things from them. Dugu Yan was his current wife, and Ye Lingling was his future wife. Both could hear it.

For the sake of their feelings, however, he didn't tell the plain truth as he had before. Instead, he made up a heart-wrenching story.

The gist was that he had met a transformed Soul Beast in a small city, and the two had depended on each other to survive. Then one day, a Titled Douluo with a hammer martial soul discovered them and tried to kill Xiao Wu.

He desperately tried to stop him, but how could a Soul Scholar without even a Soul Ring stand against a Titled Douluo? In despair, Xiao Wu sacrificed herself to him, telling him to live on and avenge her someday.

Dugu Yan's eyes reddened as she listened. Meanwhile, Lingling, who looked like an emotionless, taciturn girl on the outside, was actually the most sentimental of all. She threw herself against Dugu Yan and sobbed her heart out.

Meow, meow, meow?

Ye Yan began to panic. He seemed to have taken his story too far. Once Xiao Wu came back to life and they learned the truth, wouldn't these two torment him to death?

After they comforted Lingling, Dugu Yan looked at him again, her eyes carrying a hint of... heartache?

"Ye Yan, do you really like me? Or is it because my grandfather is a Titled Douluo, and you want him to avenge you?"

Kitty, how could you think that of me? Of course it was because I liked you and your immortal-herb dowry~

"Silly girl, of course I genuinely like you. Otherwise, I would've gone to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to get engaged to Ning Rongrong. They have both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo there."

Dugu Yan considered it carefully. That did seem true. With his talent, that old fox Ning Fengzhi certainly wouldn't refuse him. Though she hated to admit it, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were indeed much stronger than her grandfather.

So I really was quite charming, wasn't I? I'd captivated him at our very first meeting. Xu Xiaoyan was such a small-fry little brother~

No, she'd heard that the more talented boys were, the more fickle they became. She had to train him from childhood so he would obediently listen to her in the future.

She pulled Ye Yan over to a nearby chair and sat down, then grasped his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes. Her domineering queen act made Ye Yan feel shy, and he instinctively tried to resist.

Dugu Yan leaned close to his ear and gently blew a warm breath. "Hoo~"

That alone left Ye Yan weak all over, slumping helplessly into her arms. Yanyan nodded in satisfaction. An innocent little virgin like him really was easy to handle.