Time slipped by like flowing water, and before anyone realized it, the promotion rounds and finals of the Heaven Dou Empire Division had come to an end.
Under the leadership of the crown prince, fifteen academy teams were selected. Accompanied by their teachers and flanked by hundreds of royal guard knights, the force heading toward the finals was nothing short of grand.
Among them were the four great elemental academies—Kamikaze, Blazing Fire, Tianshui, and Thunder—as well as Shrek Academy.
Inside one of the most luxurious carriages, however, the sound of heavy gulps filled the air.
"Tons… tons… tons… ha!"
Lu Yuan tilted back a jug, draining mouthful after mouthful of alcohol.
Qian Renxue frowned, watching him helplessly.
"Brother Lu Yuan, are you really going to drink this way for the entire journey?"
"There's nothing else to do," Lu Yuan replied dismissively, swirling the jug before taking another sip. He turned to her with mock irritation. "You won't even drink with me!"
There was a hint of reproach in his tone. He had thought that Little Xuexue had called him over to share a drink, but it turned out she just wanted him sitting there while she stared at him. How boring!
Qian Renxue only smiled faintly, the corners of her lips curving ever so slightly. "Brother Lu Yuan, wouldn't it be better to have a chat instead?"
There were too many eyes around them—royal knights outside, academy teams nearby. Drinking heavily here was impossible anyway.
"…Fine," Lu Yuan muttered, reluctantly setting the jug aside, only to grumble under his breath about wasting good wine.
Qian Renxue lowered her voice and leaned slightly closer. "Did you bring that pot of Blue Silver Grass with you?"
Her voice had a rare softness. No matter how she tried to suppress it, the matter weighed heavily on her.
The Blue Silver Emperor was not something to take lightly. If news of it spread across the continent one day, what awaited would be an inevitable storm of bloodshed.
That was why she only felt at ease if the plant was close to her side.
"Ha… Xuexue," Lu Yuan grinned mischievously. "Don't think you can hide it. I knew what you wanted the moment you shifted in your seat."
His sharp eyes sparkled with delight. She couldn't hide a thing from him.
Qian Renxue froze, speechless. "Then… did you bring it?"
"Of course I did." Lu Yuan patted his storage soul guide with a smirk. "But I won't give it to you!"
There were all sorts of rare plants and immortal herbs secured within. No matter how long this journey lasted, he would remain the master of them.
"Hmph." Qian Renxue leaned back into the plush seat, closing her eyes with feigned indifference. Talking to him any further was utterly pointless. This bastard only lived to get under her skin.
But the moment she tried to relax, the harassment began.
"Don't lean on me."
"Don't use my lap as a pillow!"
"Don't touch my face."
"…"
"Lu Yuan! Get away from me!"
Her voice finally erupted in frustration, startling even the guards outside with how sharp it rang.
Calling him to her carriage... that had been the greatest mistake of this trip.
"Xuexue, you're so noisy," Lu Yuan said, looking completely unbothered. "We're both adults. Aren't you being stingy?"
His shameless grin made her want to throttle him.
More than twenty days later, their massive convoy of over a thousand people finally arrived at Martial Soul City.
Qian Renxue stepped out of the carriage and stretched, but her back was so stiff that she grimaced at the memory of Lu Yuan next to her. That man hadn't behaved decently for even a single night, rolling and shifting until she nearly collapsed in exhaustion.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan barely had a chance to blink before someone grabbed his arm.
"What the hell have you been up to, brat?"
Yu Tianheng pulled him aside immediately.
"Lu… Uncle," Lu Yuan greeted lazily.
"Look over there—Martial Soul City's grand hotel! I'll treat you." Yu Tianheng pointed to a tall shining building, voice filled with pride.
Lu Yuan whistled. "Heh. You really know how to please people."
This brat had matured far more than he expected.
Inside a luxurious private room, Yu Tianheng poured wine after wine. For a scion of Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, such an expense was nothing more than sprinkling water. Still, this private meeting was done in secret, even from his teammates.
After a few rounds of drinks, Lu Yuan raised a brow. "Now, out with it. What exactly are you scheming?"
Yu Tianheng set his cup down decisively. "I want to compete this time. No matter what, you have to let me play in the Elite Tournament!"
That was his true purpose for inviting Lu Yuan tonight.
After all, the Tiandou Royal Academy's representatives weren't just from his Huangdou team. Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, even Meng Yiran and Bai Chenxiang had come under the academy's banner.
If Lu Yuan decided to flaunt his monstrous ability and let six girls storm the stage under his command, winning the championship would be a certainty.
But then… what about Yu Tianheng?
This would be his last chance, his final Elite Competition before retirement age. If he couldn't participate and take the glory for himself, then all his years of preparation would be wasted.
And if he couldn't leave a mark here, how could he ever compete against his cousin Yu Tianxin for leadership of the sect?
Lu Yuan raised a brow. "Isn't this something Qin Ming should decide?"
He was barely paying attention. At this point, he didn't even know which of the Heaven Dou teams had advanced into the finals. All he had done was drink wine with Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong for a few days before boarding this carriage ride here.
"Teacher Qin Ming already agreed. I just came to make sure you didn't object." Yu Tianheng chuckled nervously. In truth, Qin Ming had all but begged him to get Lu Yuan's permission. As long as Lu Yuan was here, Qin Ming's position as 'leader' didn't mean anything.
"So that's how it is…" Lu Yuan nodded. "Fine. I don't object."
The relief on Yu Tianheng's face was palpable.
By the time the two left the hotel, both of them were unsteady on their feet. Yu Tianheng's ambition of becoming sect leader gleamed ever closer in his mind, while Lu Yuan stumbled into the moonlit streets.
"Little fox, why are you sneaking around?"
Lu Yuan suddenly halted, a grin tugging at his lips.
From the shadows fifty meters away, a familiar figure froze.
Hu Liena emerged slowly, the moonlight outlining her alluring figure. "Even while drunk, you can still notice me… abnormal."
She sighed softly. "You actually came to Martial Soul City after all."
Her voice carried subtle worry, as if she had expected something terrifying to happen here. She only prayed it was her imagination.
Lu Yuan's narrowed eyes were hazy, the moonlight adding a dangerous allure to his face. "I didn't come just to drink with you."
Hu Liena lowered her gaze. "That day at the tournament… did you see me?"
"I did." Lu Yuan smirked. "Back then, I stood against all of you alone."
He laughed at the memory. Had it not been for his opponents retreating quickly, they might have tasted defeat right there.
"I didn't fight you though!" Hu Liena hurried to clarify. She didn't want him to think she had raised her hand against him.
Lu Yuan looked at her bluntly. "I remember—you were just standing there like a stunned deer."
"You're the stunned deer!" Hu Liena shot back, her cheeks puffing slightly.
But curiosity soon returned. "How did you even realize I was following you just now? My concealment technique isn't that bad. Even if you have an extra spirit ring above me, you shouldn't have noticed from so far away."
Lu Yuan chuckled. "Easy—I could smell you."
He pointed lazily at her curvaceous form.
Hu Liena instantly sniffed her own clothes with growing irritation. She bathed every single day; there was no way she smelled.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" she demanded. "As a girl, being told I have a smell—how am I supposed to accept that?"
Lu Yuan leaned closer, lowering his voice. "It's the smell of a fox."
"…And what exactly does a fox smell like?" Hu Liena narrowed her eyes. "Don't walk away! Tell me clearly—what does a fox smell like?"
Her frustrated voice echoed down Martial Soul City's moonlit street, chasing after his teasing grin.
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