Enough!
At that critical moment, a voice rang out from the upper floor.
"Elephant Armor Academy, do not cause trouble."
The speaker was none other than Crown Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heaven Dou Empire—
Or rather, the one disguised as Xue Qinghe: Spirit Hall's true heir, Qian Renxue.
Whether she was Xue Qinghe or Qian Renxue in that moment didn't matter. Deep down, her loyalties naturally leaned toward Spirit Hall.
Even if they didn't, the fact remained: the Elephant Armor Academy had been the one to provoke first, making the Heaven Dou side technically at fault.
Though Elephant Armor Academy wasn't directly part of the Heaven Dou Empire, they were still a force within its territory, so the crown prince's authority carried weight here.
As she spoke, Xue Qinghe secretly cast a glance at Su Linfeng. Her heart trembled.
This boy… who exactly is he?
That smile he'd given her earlier, so gentle and warm—
Could it really be that little one she once knew?
He'd grown up so much.
And so handsome!
Her thoughts whirled, pupils tightening with emotion. Excitement welled in her chest.
If not for the crowd watching, she might have rushed downstairs to demand the truth then and there. But circumstances didn't allow it.
Seeing her, Su Linfeng's fiery intent faded, giving the Heaven Dou Empire some face.
Well— not the empire's face, really.
He was giving Qian Renxue face.
He inclined his head slightly toward her but still spoke coldly:
"The Heaven Dou team is too arrogant. But this is Spirit City. We don't start trouble, but we're not afraid of it either. If the Heaven Dou Empire cannot restrain its people, then Spirit Hall will."
His words were sharp—
a warning, a threat, and a display of anger over Hu Yanli's strike against Hu Liena.
If not for the fact that the Elephant Armor Sect was destined to fall under Spirit Hall's banner eventually, Su Linfeng would have taught him a brutal lesson on the spot.
But even so, the matter wasn't over.
They would settle it in the finals.
Su Linfeng cast Hu Yanli one last cold glance. His voice carried unhidden aggression now.
This was Spirit City.
No matter what power stood behind you—
Here, dragons must coil, and tigers must crouch.
Hu Yanli, face stiff with pride, stepped forward to shield his team, glaring back at Su Linfeng. "Save your nonsense. We'll settle this in the finals!"
Su Linfeng lifted his eyelids slightly, speechless.
Is this guy an idiot?
All around, the other academies exchanged uneasy glances.
The tournament hadn't even started, yet the air was thick with gunpowder.
When these two teams met, neither would hold back.
The students of the Star Luo Empire clearly treated it as a spectacle, remaining unaffected.
The Heaven Dou side, however, looked worried. Hu Yanli's rashness might bring Spirit Academy's ire down on all Heaven Dou academies.
In the end, Su Linfeng no longer bothered with Hu Yanli. Under countless stares, he led the Golden Generation upstairs.
"Teacher."
In the corner, Qin Ming watched the group ascend. He turned to the middle-aged man beside him. "I feel that boy will become my greatest rival."
The man appeared about forty, with a sturdy build and distinct features: a jutting jaw, broad cheekbones, a flat face, a hooked nose, and black square-framed glasses that gave him a peculiar air.
It was none other than his teacher—
Flender, the founder and first headmaster of Shrek Academy, is a member of the Golden Iron Triangle, known as the Four-Eyed Owl.
"Mm."
Flender pushed his glasses up, lips curling slightly. "To comprehend a Domain at such a young age… a monster among monsters indeed. But…"
He paused—
Then narrowed his eyes and chuckled confidently. "But that makes things interesting. At least he'll be worth taking seriously. Otherwise, winning the individual title this year would be utterly boring."
"I sensed his martial soul carries fire as well. I wonder if it can compare to your Blazing Flame Wolf."
"We'll know once the finals begin."
…
Thus, the commotion dispersed.
To avoid unnecessary complications, Su Linfeng refrained from approaching Dugu Bo or Dugu Yan, simply leading the Golden Generation to settle into their assigned rooms.
What surprised him, however, was that the one guarding Qian Renxue wasn't Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—
But Dugu Bo.
It seemed that when Bibi Dong had allowed him to remain within the Heaven Dou Empire, it wasn't just for gathering intelligence. He was also playing the role of Qian Renxue's protector.
As the Heaven Dou royal family's guest elder, he was their sole Title Douluo.
…
Night fell.
By late evening, most competitors in the hotel were already asleep. Only then did Su Linfeng quietly slip from his room, heading for the ninth floor—toward the crown prince's quarters.
Outside Qian Renxue's window, Dugu Bo stirred, opening his eyes lazily.
But when he sensed the familiar aura, his lips curled in amusement.
The next instant, he vanished without a trace.
Inside the chamber—
The lamps flickered softly.
Qian Renxue had just shed her disguise. Fresh from her bath, the month-long journey from Heaven Dou to Spirit City had left her utterly exhausted, and at last she could relax.
Climbing onto her bed, her mind immediately filled with Su Linfeng's image. She kept wondering: Could that boy really be my brother?
Yet even with her Angel Martial Soul, she couldn't sense a beast spirit from him, leaving her more conflicted than ever.
At eighteen, Qian Renxue had fully blossomed. Her skin was fairer than snow, her nose straight, her phoenix eyes sharp with regal beauty, her figure nearly flawless.
Here, in her private chamber where no one was permitted to enter, she allowed herself comfort.
She lay beneath a thin pink quilt, her golden hair cascading loosely, barely concealing her curves, faintly revealing yet wholly enticing. Her body was perfection without flaw.
Relaxed, she reclined with one arm propping her head, the other flipping through the roster of competitors, hoping to find information on Su Linfeng.
Sure enough, she found the Golden Generation's details.
Su Linfeng.
Captain of Spirit Academy's team.
Martial Soul: Confidential.
Soul Power: Confidential.
Abilities: Confidential.
Nearly all his information was classified.
Su Linfeng!
Her brother!
Her pupils shrank as she bolted upright, unable to conceal her excitement.
Just then—
She sensed movement outside her window. The thrill in her chest was instantly replaced by caution.
That wasn't Elder Dugu!
"Who's there?!"
Qian Renxue's voice was sharp as she hastily grabbed the clothes beside her and snuffed out the lamp.