Early the next morning.
Sunlight streamed through the window into the dormitory. Yu Tianming had just finished washing up.
Suddenly, a clamor rose outside the window.
"Tianming, come look."
Yu Tianheng pulled back the curtain, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Yu Tianming walked to the window and saw students crowding around below the dormitory.
In the center of the crowd, a bare-chested blond boy knelt on the ground with thorn branches strapped to his back. Behind him stood a middle-aged man in fine clothes.
They were Li Hao and his father, Li Ju.
"At least they know what's good for them."
Yu Tianming chuckled and put away his towel. "Let's go, brother. We shouldn't keep them waiting."
When the two went downstairs, the spectators immediately cleared a path.
Upon seeing them, Li Ju hurriedly dragged his son forward a few steps and bowed deeply. "My ignorant son offended the young sect master. We have come today to beg forgiveness!"
Li Hao pressed his forehead to the ground, the thorn branches cutting bloody marks into his back. "I was blind yesterday and failed to recognize your greatness. Please punish me, young sect master!"
His voice trembled, but he dared not raise his head.
Yu Tianming slowly stepped forward. Though young, he naturally exuded an imposing presence.
He reached out and removed a thorn branch from Li Hao's back, tapping it lightly against his palm.
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
"I shouldn't have run my foul mouth, much less offended the dignity of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..." Before Li Hao could finish, the thorn branch suddenly cracked against the ground beside his feet, kicking up a puff of dust.
"Remember today."
Yu Tianming tossed aside the thorn branch, his voice calm. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan does not bully the weak with its strength, but neither will it tolerate casual insults."
As though granted a pardon, Earl Dingyuan repeatedly bowed with cupped hands. "You are truly magnanimous, young sect master! I will discipline him strictly when we return!"
As he spoke, he kicked his son. "Aren't you going to thank him for his mercy?"
Li Hao hurriedly thanked him and bowed respectfully.
Yu Tianming waved a hand, then turned and smiled at the watching students. "Go on, disperse."
The crowd scattered.
They discussed it in twos and threes.
"He forgave him just like that?"
"What do you know? That's the true bearing of a great clan..."
"As expected of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's young sect master. So magnanimous."
On the way to the training grounds, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling caught up from behind. The former said, "Tianming, you were far too easy on him! If you ask me, you should at least have made him sweep the training grounds for a month!"
"Yanzi." Yu Tianheng shook his head in disapproval. "Where you can spare someone, spare them."
Yu Tianming smiled without answering.
In fact, he could see clearly that after this incident, the arrogance in Li Hao's eyes was gone, while his father held the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in even greater awe.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's majesty had also taken deeper root in people's hearts.
His goal had been achieved, so he could not be bothered to punish Li Hao further.
The morning's practical combat class was scheduled at the third training ground. When Yu Tianming and the others arrived, an iron-tower-like figure stood in its center.
He was a burly man nearly two meters tall, dressed in a sleeveless training outfit.
The muscles on his exposed arms were extraordinarily pronounced. One glance was enough to tell that he was an expert with an exceptionally powerful body.
Most eye-catching was the teacher's badge pinned to his chest. Its six golden lines marked him as a Heaven Dou Grade teacher.
"Line up!"
His voice boomed like muffled thunder, making several girls cover their ears.
Yu Tianming stood at the very front of the line, looking up as he studied the instructor.
The man's almost tangible gaze swept over them. It paused slightly upon reaching him, a trace of barely concealed surprise flashing in his eyes.
"My name is Tie Zhan. Starting today, I'm in charge of drilling you little brats."
The muscles in the burly man's neck shifted like steel bars as he spoke. "I know plenty of you are pampered nobles, but here, there's only one kind of person-the living kind that training can't kill!"
As soon as he finished speaking,
Tie Zhan stamped his right foot hard against the ground.
Without using any Soul Power, relying purely on his physical strength, he made the students feel the ground shake, leaving them visibly shocked.
"Good grief, this teacher is so strong!"
Yu Feng cried out.
Yu Tianming narrowed his eyes. Teacher Tie Zhan's body was indeed powerful, beyond the Soul Emperor level and at least comparable to a Soul Saint's.
Tie Zhan also sensed Yu Tianming's outstanding physique and blood vitality, and strode toward him.
As the distance closed,
Yu Tianming caught a peculiar scent, a mixture of steel and sweat-the smell found only on those who had spent years tempering their bodies.
"You're Yu Tianming? Your body really is strong. What extraordinary talent!"
Tie Zhan's voice echoed over the training ground like rumbling thunder.
He studied the boy before him, his eyes gleaming as though he had discovered a treasure.
Yu Tianming replied without servility or arrogance, "You flatter me, Teacher Tie Zhan."
"Flatter you?"
Tie Zhan suddenly burst into laughter, making the surrounding students' eardrums ache. "Do you know why I came to this lousy junior academy?"
Without waiting for an answer, he slapped his palm-leaf-fan-sized hand onto Yu Tianming's shoulder.
"For you!"
His words were like a huge rock thrown into a tranquil lake, immediately sending the students present into an uproar.
"Just as I thought, this Soul Emperor teacher came specifically for Tianming!" Yu Feng looked as though he had expected it all along.
Dugu Yan chuckled. "Isn't that perfect? We get to bask in his reflected glory too."
Tie Zhan swept his gaze around, his voice ringing like a great bell. "All of you, listen up!"
"You should count yourselves lucky that there's a Little Monster from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in your year. Otherwise, I couldn't be bothered to come teach you brats who haven't even grown all your hair yet!"
Tie Zhan turned to Yu Tianming, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "Now, let me see whether you were worth the trip."
As he spoke,
He strode to the center of the training ground, took a pitch-black metal pillar from his Storage Soul Tool, and drove it heavily into the ground.
At this sight, the gazes of Yu Tianming and the others shifted.
A Storage Soul Tool.
That was not something just anyone could own!
Yu Tianming and Yu Tianheng both had one, as did Dugu Yan, but they were the grandsons and granddaughter of Titled Douluos. It was perfectly normal for them to have Storage Soul Tools.
Among the others, only Ye Lingling, the Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master, possessed a storage ring.
"This Teacher Tie Zhan is no ordinary man!"
Yu Tianming touched his jade storage belt as he spoke.
"A black iron pillar. A thing for testing physical strength."
Tie Zhan patted the pillar. "The test is simple. Punch it three times with all your strength. I'll judge your strength based on the vibrations."
Osler was the first to step forward, throwing a punch with every ounce of strength he had.
A dull bang rang out.
The black iron post trembled slightly, its amplitude no more than an inch, lasting about two seconds.
"Still a little short of a Soul Grandmaster. Normal level." Tie Zhan glanced at it and delivered his assessment without mercy. "Next!"
The students stepped forward in turn.
"Yu Feng, your strength is below the normal standard. Trash level!"
Yu Feng's face immediately darkened.
"Hahaha, you're killing me! Trash level!" Osler clutched his stomach with laughter, even patting Yu Feng on the shoulder.
Yu Tianheng's strike made the black iron post sway noticeably, its amplitude reaching three inches and lasting five seconds.
"Strength comparable to an early-stage Soul Grandmaster. So-so." Tie Zhan nodded slightly. "Boy from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, you pass."
When Dugu Yan struck with deftly applied force,
The black iron post gave off a peculiar hum, its pattern of vibration unlike the others.
"Average strength, but good technique in applying it." For once, Tie Zhan offered approval.
When Yu Tianming's turn came, the training ground suddenly fell silent.
Everyone held their breath, anticipating this monster's performance.