"You're quite popular at the academy, Senior Sister."
Yu Tianling glanced at Hu Liena, who was secretly enjoying the sight of others envying him, and spoke in an inscrutable tone.
"Of course!"
When it came to her looks, Hu Liena stopped fretting over competing for favor and was exceptionally confident.
"Nana!"
Just as Hu Liena was about to lead Yu Tianling out of the library, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind. She frowned and looked back. Sure enough, it was Yan, another member of the Golden Generation.
Only after seeing the boy beside him did her brows relax a little. She stood where she was, quietly waiting for the two to approach.
Yu Tianling followed Hu Liena's gaze.
Two boys were hurrying toward them from the library entrance. One had ordinary features and long, fiery-red hair spilling down his back. He was dressed entirely in red, and even his eyes were dark red.
That should be Hu Liena's simp teammate, Yan.
Putting the distinguishing features together, Yu Tianling reached his conclusion.
As for the other boy beside him, he was much better-looking than Yan, but something about his clothes and styling felt familiar to Yu Tianling.
Shamate!
After thinking back carefully, he finally found the most fitting description.
This boy was obviously Hu Liena's older brother, Xie Yue.
"Nana, who's this?!"
The moment Yan reached them, he impatiently demanded to know Yu Tianling's identity.
What gave him the right to stand so close to his Nana?!
"Brat, stay away from Nana from now on! She's not someone you're allowed to associate with!"
Without waiting for Hu Liena to answer, he warned Yu Tianling with a furious expression.
"Heh."
His antics actually made Yu Tianling laugh in anger.
"Don't call me Nana. Only my brother gets to call me that."
Hu Liena spoke to Yan with disgust written across her face.
"And..."
"What business is it of yours who I am?!"
Before Hu Liena could explain his identity, Yu Tianling spoke to Yan in an icy voice.
"What?! Are you looking to die, brat?!"
At Hu Liena's words, Yan's eyes dimmed a little. Then he heard Yu Tianling's reply, and fury blazed within him.
"Don't you dare!"
Hu Liena pulled Yu Tianling to her side and snapped angrily at Yan.
Who exactly was this brat? Why was Nana defending him so fiercely?
Watching his sister defend an unfamiliar boy like this, Xie Yue was utterly puzzled.
"What, are you planning to bully someone younger than you?"
Yu Tianling paid no mind to Yan's furious glare and merely spoke calmly.
"Fine, then I'll suppress my Soul Power to fight you and teach you a proper lesson."
"What are the stakes?"
"Whoever loses can't associate with Nana anymore."
Yan was utterly confident. He believed that even with his Soul Power suppressed, Yu Tianling would be no match for him. This was his pride as a member of the Spirit Hall Golden Generation.
"Fine."
Although Yu Tianling did not care whether he associated with Hu Liena, he imagined that a simp like Yan would care a great deal, so letting him taste some suffering was fine too.
This was bad!
Watching the two get carried away, Hu Liena's heart grew a little heavier.
Heaven Dou Empire, Eastern Palace.
Xue Qinghe opened the intelligence sent from Spirit City, his gaze turning a little strange.
"Spirit Hall's Holy Son, innate full Soul Power, the top-tier beast Martial Soul, Ancient Void Dragon?"
"That woman actually took another disciple."
"Interesting. If that were all, that woman probably wouldn't have gone this far. There must be another reason."
"Bibi Dong, just what are you planning now?"
Xue Qinghe stood before the window, gazing toward Spirit City as the intelligence in his hand gradually dissipated into the air.
In front of the library, a large crowd had already gathered to watch after hearing that Yan was going to duel the boy beside Hu Liena.
"Yan, teach that brat a proper lesson for us!"
Quite a few people cheered Yan on.
"Flame Lord Possession!"
"Ancient Void Dragon Possession!"
Neither said anything more. Both summoned their Martial Souls.
On the left, dark-red light radiated from behind Yan. Then an enormous dark-red demonic phantom abruptly appeared, its body expanding continuously until it reached an astonishing height of over three meters. It then merged directly into Yan, enveloping him completely. His body was only faintly visible through the Martial Soul.
As for its appearance, Yu Tianling thought it looked particularly like Zeus's father described in the Western Olympian mythology of his previous life-Cronus, the Titan fire giant, that magma man who jumped out of a volcano.
On the right stood Yu Tianling after Martial Soul Possession, with two horns on his head and a pair of wings on his back, his entire body radiating the pressure of a high-ranking Martial Soul.
As they felt the powerful fluctuations emanating from each other's Martial Souls, Yan's fighting spirit soared.
Watching from outside the arena, Xie Yue was utterly astonished by Yu Tianling's transformation.
It was not because of his Martial Soul, but because of his Soul Ring's color.
Xie Yue could tell at a glance that Yu Tianling's first Soul Ring was definitely older than four hundred years. By his estimate, it was probably over seven hundred years old.
Yan was probably going to take a fall.
After reaching this conclusion, Xie Yue could not help worrying for his friend. With his Soul Power suppressed to Yu Tianling's level, Yan probably would not be his match.
"Hey, Nana, where exactly did this kid come from? He looks anything but ordinary."
Xie Yue sidled up to Hu Liena and asked in a hushed voice.
"He's Teacher's new disciple, and Teacher has already announced that he's Spirit Hall's Holy Son. I brought him here to register today."
Hu Liena explained to Xie Yue, then remembered something and hurriedly instructed her older brother.
"Brother, if Yan goes too hard in a moment, you have to step in."
"What?! Spirit Hall's Holy Son?!"
Yan, you absolutely mustn't act rashly.
At his sister's words, Xie Yue instantly froze like a wooden chicken. He could only pray that Yan would honor the wager if he lost and not cause any trouble.
If Yan used his full strength to attack Yu Tianling after losing their match, then once the Supreme Pontiff discovered it, his offense would certainly be unforgivable. Yan would be finished.
With this in mind, both Xie Yue and Hu Liena watched the two intently, ready to intervene the moment anything went wrong.
Pushing hard off the ground, Yan charged toward Yu Tianling, his fist covered in scorching flames.
Facing Yan's attack, Yu Tianling's expression did not change. After Martial Soul Possession, the defenses granted by the Ancient Void Dragon were not limited to physical resistance; there was magic resistance too. As long as it was not ultimate fire, Yu Tianling paid it no heed.
Yu Tianling merely raised his right hand and easily blocked Yan's attack. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, he flung him away.
"What?!"
After landing and steadying himself, Yan stared at Yu Tianling in disbelief.
"If that's all you've got, hurry up and surrender. Go home and farm."
"You little brat! Try this!"
At Yu Tianling's words, Yan no longer held anything back.
"First Soul Skill, Hell Magma Rush!"
With Yan's roar, his hundred-year first Soul Ring flashed. Dark-red flames enveloped his body as he charged forward, turning the pavement he passed over charred black.
"Sigh, you're causing far too much damage in just one fight. I'm done playing. Let's finish this quickly."
Seeing the damage Yan was doing to the pavement, Yu Tianling's expression turned serious, and he decided to end the fight quickly.
"First Soul Skill, Spatial Assault!"
Yu Tianling's first Soul Ring flashed as well, and he vanished directly from in front of Yan.
"What?!"
Boom!
Yan only had time to cry out before Yu Tianling, who had "blinked" to his right, sent him flying with a kick, slamming him heavily into the mountain.