Yu Tianheng, defeated with one strike

After a brief conversation.

Xue Qinghe glanced at the darkening sky, took a gold token from his robes, and held it out to Ji Hongchen. Its design was simple, without any unnecessary ornamentation, with the character for "heaven" engraved on it.

"I should head back. Keep this token. If anything comes up, you can bring it to the imperial palace to find me."

Ji Hongchen accepted without hesitation, feeling that he was walking Tang San's path. Qian Renxue had begun to entertain the idea of recruiting him.

As Xue Qinghe left, Ning Fengzhi also took out a jade box and handed it to Ji Hongchen.

"Hongchen, this is the ten-thousand-year whale glue the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect collected over the past few days. The finest piece is fifty-thousand-year whale rubber!"

Ji Hongchen accepted the jade box and saw a piece of whale rubber as black as ink jade lying inside. Rather than smelling fishy, it gave off a faint, distinctive fragrance.

"Thank you, Father-in-law."

"Think nothing of it. As long as it helps you, it's a trifling matter for our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

"Young Master, Ji Hongchen's talent is truly terrifying. According to our investigation, he has won one hundred consecutive matches since he began competing at the Great Soul Arena, without a single defeat."

Porcupinefish Douluo respectfully reported the results of his investigation.

Snake Lance, meanwhile, wore a murderous expression.

"Young Master, if we allow him to keep growing, he may become a problem for our plans in the future."

"Should we...?"

Snake Lance Douluo drew a hand across his throat.

Xue Qinghe calmly shook his head. "No! I am currently the Heaven Dou Crown Prince in name. Naturally, I must win over these talented individuals to further my plans."

"Once my position on the throne is secure, even if they discover my identity, it will already be too late. After all, I will already be emperor."

Snake Lance Douluo nodded.

Still, he could not quite put his mind at ease.

Ji Hongchen was growing far too quickly, after all.

They feared their plans would fail to keep pace with changing circumstances.

But seeing their Young Master's decisive attitude, both men wisely held their tongues.

Elsewhere.

After returning to Heaven Dou City.

Ji Hongchen began practicing over and over, following a three-point routine: reviewing the Herbal Compendium during the day, concocting pills in the afternoon, and refining pills at night.

Eventually, Ji Hongchen mastered the Herbal Compendium.

He then prepared to visit the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena for practical combat training. No matter how powerful he became, his combat experience had to keep up. Sometimes, he fought Soul Masters without using his martial soul, relying solely on Body Technique to hone his practical experience.

The following evening.

Ji Hongchen arrived at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.

This time, he wore no mask. Dressed in robes whiter than snow, he exuded an otherworldly air. Even the reception staff could not help stealing a few extra glances.

As he stepped into the ring.

His unveiled appearance instantly caused quite a stir.

"Sword Lord, I love you!!!"

"Sword Lord is so handsome!"

"Sword Lord! Sword Lord! Sword Lord!"

Meanwhile, in the waiting room.

A formidable team watched the Sword Lord draw cheers from the entire arena, a trace of nonchalance in their eyes.

"So this is your opponent, Boss?"

"He looks like nothing but a pretty boy."

The man they called Boss watched the Sword Lord in the ring with a hint of arrogance in his eyes. "He's decent enough, but I'll defeat him."

They were an elite team from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and their captain was Yu Tianheng, a prodigy of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He had the credentials to be arrogant.

Dugu Yan looked over, surprise flashing in her eyes.

"It's him!"

She had never expected the young man she had met a while ago to be the Great Soul Arena's renowned Rookie King, a rising star with twenty-eight consecutive victories.

And ever since her grandfather returned.

He had kept telling her to spend more time with this young man. From the sound of it, he was seriously considering betrothing her to Ji Hongchen.

"Yanzi, you know him?"

Yu Tianheng could not help asking.

He was still pursuing Dugu Yan. As a prodigy of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, if he wanted to contend for the position of sect master, he needed not only talent of his own, but also powerful backing.

If he could marry Dugu Yan.

He would gain Dugu Bo's support, effectively putting a Titled Douluo behind him and giving him greater weight within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.

Now that Dugu Yan showed interest in another man, his plans had undoubtedly been disrupted. That displeased him, especially since he still needed the power behind her.

Dugu Yan hid nothing and answered honestly. "Yes, he's my friend, and my grandfather thinks highly of him too."

Yu Tianheng frowned.

Poison Douluo thought highly of this man. That was hardly good news.

"A genius?"

"Perhaps. But being a true genius takes more than words."

Yu Tianheng spoke casually.

His martial soul was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the greatest beast martial soul under heaven.

Once the soul fighting match began.

He would show everyone what a true genius looked like!

Soon.

The soul fighting matches began.

In his first match, Ji Hongchen did not use his martial soul. Relying solely on Body Technique, he easily defeated a three-ring Soul Elder.

Yu Tianheng took the stage for the second match.

"Boss, don't embarrass us!"

"Yeah, show him what a real genius looks like!"

Yu Feng and Osler called out to Yu Tianheng from nearby.

In the ring.

The announcer read Yu Tianheng's credentials, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.

"Next, please welcome Heaven Dou Royal Academy's prodigy, the genius who possesses the greatest beast martial soul under heaven, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon-Yu Tianheng!"

"His opponent is the rising star of our Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, the Rookie King with twenty-nine consecutive victories, the Gentleman as Jade-Sword Lord!"

The announcer had barely finished speaking.

The entire arena erupted.

What was Heaven Dou Royal Academy? It was the finest academy in the entire Heaven Dou Empire. The talent of its students needed no introduction.

Moreover, Yu Tianheng had another distinction.

His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul.

Thus, the moment he appeared, the showdown between the two set the entire arena alight.

"What bullshit Yu Tianheng? My dear Sword Lord is unrivaled under heaven! I've already bet everything on him. Sword Lord will win!"

"What the hell does a little girl like you know? Have you heard of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon? Do you know Heaven Dou Royal Academy? They're Heaven Dou's elite! How could he possibly lose?"

"Hmph, I don't care. Sword Lord will win!"

The girl rolled her eyes at him. She did not care about talent or any of that. All she saw was how incredibly handsome her dear Sword Lord looked, graceful and composed.

In the ring.

Hearing the cheers around him, Yu Tianheng's lips curled slightly upward. He looked at Ji Hongchen with complete confidence and spoke arrogantly.

"Your strength is certainly impressive for a commoner."

"Unfortunately, you've run into me."

"Now I'll show you that even among geniuses, there are differences. And the gulf between your martial soul and mine is as vast as heaven and earth!"

Yu Tianheng was brimming with confidence.

Ji Hongchen's gaze held all the tender concern one might show an idiot.

In the original story, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had been insufferably arrogant, only to be the first wiped out. He wanted to ask them: with just one old dragon guarding the place, what gave them the right to be so cocky?

Had they forgotten how Golden Crocodile Douluo had beaten their old sect master like a wayward grandson?

Ji Hongchen spoke calmly.

His gaze swept over Yu Tianheng, and the Jinghong Sword appeared in his hand.

"One strike is all I need to defeat you."

Seeing Ji Hongchen treat him with such contempt, Yu Tianheng laughed in anger.

A mere commoner genius dared vie with the radiant moon!