"Tianheng?!"
The moment Yu Xiaogang saw the familiar face, he froze.
A flash of emotion and joy swept across his usually stiff expression, and he quickly walked forward.
"Tianheng, what are you doing here?"
Grabbing his nephew's hand tightly, Yu Xiaogang asked in a hoarse but affectionate voice.
"Uncle, I'm currently studying at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy," Yu Tianheng replied with a smile. "The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament is coming up soon. To prepare for it, my teacher is leading us in team battle training here."
Off to the side, Ye Yu narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the pair reconnect.
Interesting. So these two really did run into each other…
He also noticed that Qin Ming had already seen Flender and Zhao Wuji.
Thanks to my influence, Shrek Academy can't even field a full team anymore…
I wonder if they'll end up merging with the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, just like in the original storyline?
Ye Yu figured it was highly likely.
After all, regardless of whether Shrek could cobble together a full team in time, Flender had always intended to dissolve the academy after graduating this class of students.
And Yu Xiaogang—now a Shrek instructor—would undoubtedly want to find a new place, both to participate in this year's and next year's tournaments… and possibly to settle down.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy seemed like the perfect fit.
"Headmaster Flender!"
A voice filled with excitement called out.
Qin Ming strode forward eagerly, eyes shining as he approached Flender and Zhao Wuji.
"…Qin Ming?!"
Zhao Wuji blinked in surprise, finally recognizing the young man. "What are you doing here?"
Qin Ming grinned proudly. "I'm the lead instructor for Tianheng and his team now!"
"Headmaster, Teacher Zhao, these four must be my junior brothers, right?" he asked as he glanced at Dai Mubai, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar with a warm smile.
Inside the main hall of the Soto Great Spirit Arena, Qin Ming and Flender caught up for a while, reminiscing and chatting excitedly.
Eventually, Qin Ming chuckled and said, "Headmaster, Teacher Zhao—you must've brought Dai Mubai and Tang San here for combat training too?"
"Once you're done, wait for me in the lobby. After our team battle, I'll treat you to dinner!"
With that, he led the Heaven Dou Imperial Team toward their assigned battle arena.
Ye Yu, accompanied by Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and the always-hanging-around Xiao Wu, followed behind them.
Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and Flender spotted Ye Yu shortly after.
And just like that, their expressions shifted—some filled with resentment and anger, others with visible dread.
Back at Shrek, Ye Yu had never mentioned he was from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
And since he and his group followed behind Qin Ming at some distance, they hadn't yet pieced it together.
But now…
He's one of them?!
That evening, during the Spirit Arena battles:
Dugu Yan participated in solo matches
She and Ye Lingling teamed up as "Jade Phosphor Begonia" for duo battles
With her Spirit Power at Level 47 and the lethal poison of her Jade Phosphor Serpent, Dugu Yan was nearly unstoppable.
Though her melee and defensive capabilities were weak—and Ye Lingling even more so—Dugu Yan had taken that into account when selecting her fourth Spirit Ring.
She had hunted an 8,000-year-old Thousand-Poison Thornbeast, gaining the powerful fourth ability:
Jade Phosphor Venom Barrier — a defensive shield laced with toxic thorns. Anyone striking the barrier with physical attacks would be poisoned on contact.
A nasty and highly effective ability.
In close-quarters combat on the Spirit Arena's limited platforms, poison-type Spirit Abilities were nearly impossible to avoid—especially when they came in the form of fog or mist.
Using:
Second Ability: Jade Phosphor Black Venom
Third Ability: Jade Phosphor Grey Venom
Fourth Ability: Venom Barrier
—Dugu Yan crushed the solo matches.
And in duo battles, she and Ye Lingling secured easy victories.
As for Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong:
Zhu Zhuqing was Level 35
Ning Rongrong was Level 38
With Zhu Zhuqing's mutated Dark Devilgod Tiger Martial Soul, and Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the two were also dominant in solo and duo matches.
However, in team battles with the Heaven Dou Imperial Team:
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, both now Spirit Ancestors (over Level 40), rarely took the stage due to their high rank
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, became core members of the team
Their Martial Souls and overall strength quickly earned them official spots.
The current lineup of the Heaven Dou Imperial Team was:
Yu Tianheng – Level 39, Power Attack System Spirit Elder
Zhu Zhuqing – Level 38, Power/Agility System Spirit Elder
Shi Mo – Level 38, Defense System Spirit Elder
Shi Mu – Level 37, Defense System Spirit Elder
Yu Feng – Level 36, Agility System Spirit Elder
Zhu Zhu (OC) – Level 34, Control System Spirit Elder
Ning Rongrong – Level 35, Support System Spirit Elder
Meanwhile, the original core team members:
Oslo (Ghost Leopard Martial Soul)
Xiao Yu (Emerald Bamboo Flute Martial Soul, Level 33 Support System)
Shan Lie (Scarlet Flame Tiger Martial Soul, Level 35 Power Attack)
—had all been pushed to the bench.
After the battles concluded that night, Ye Yu and the girls left the arena, heading back to the Zirui Grand Hotel.
Shi Mo, Shi Mu, and Yu Feng decided to walk back to their own inn.
Standing at the arena gates, Yu Feng watched Ye Yu disappear into the distance, flanked by five gorgeous girls.
With envy in his voice, he muttered:
"Every night, he brings five stunning beauties back to the hotel… That's just unfair. What a life!"
Oslo snorted with arms crossed.
"Dream on. With your frail body, even if five beauties lined up for you, you wouldn't survive the night."
"Face it, Feather-Breeze. You're not built for that."
"Oslo! I swear I'll throttle you!" Yu Feng roared.
"Don't slander me like that—I'm perfectly capable!"
Elsewhere in Soto City, on a quiet nighttime street…
Yu Tianheng walked side-by-side with his uncle, Yu Xiaogang.
Though he'd left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan years ago, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but feel a familiar ache in his chest.
He missed them—his father, his mother, his elder brother.
"…Tianheng," he asked softly, "How are your grandfather and father doing?"
"They're well," Tianheng replied. "They still talk about you often."
"Uncle, when will you come back to visit them?"
Yu Xiaogang fell silent, his fists clenching.
After everything—the suffering, humiliation, and most recently, that hellish ordeal under the Pervert Trio—he had often fantasized about returning to the warm embrace of family.
But then he thought of Ye Yu.
His Martial Soul evolved from Blue Silver Grass…
He defeated a Spirit Sage while only a Spirit Ancestor…
Yu Xiaogang's heart burned with unwillingness. He took a deep breath and said firmly:
"Give me a few more years. I'll return… when I can prove myself."
I am NOT a failure…
I, Yu Xiaogang, am a genius. A true genius!
One day, I'll make those who looked down on me eat their words!
His hatred surged, fed by years of scorn and isolation from the clan.
Everything he endured, every rejection, was fuel for his ambition.
And now, the opportunity to prove himself… was within reach.
"Right, Uncle," Tianheng said suddenly, eyes sparkling. "I have a secret to tell you…"