Chapter 165: The Oath of the New Peach Garden Three!
After being stopped by Feng Xiaotian, Yu Tianheng looked at Dugu Yan, who was now extremely close to Dai Yao, with a pained expression on his face.
Once their lips parted, his gaze became complicated. After a long while, he painfully spoke:
"Yan Yan, do you know how much I've sacrificed for you?"
In order to be with Dugu Yan, he had rebelled against his family and fought hard to gain their approval. However, when he returned to the academy, he discovered that Dugu Yan had already left.
Dugu Yan, who had snapped back to her senses, didn't even look at Yu Tianheng. Her water-like eyes were filled with Dai Yao, with a softness that made Yu Tianheng feel an unbearable jealousy and envy.
"I'm sorry, there's no need for you to say any more. We are destined to never be together. I have already met the person I'm meant to be with. Also, don't call me Yan Yan anymore, and don't come looking for me. I'm afraid Dai Yao might misunderstand."
Upon hearing this, Yu Tianheng was struck as though by lightning. He froze, his eyes blank, murmuring "Yan Yan" in disbelief.
Suddenly, his gaze landed on the side where Zhu Zhuqing was standing. She looked cold and aloof, with a fiery figure. He angrily directed his words at Dugu Yan:
"Yan Yan, Dai Yao already has a woman! Are you planning to become his concubine?"
"And if I do become his concubine, what's wrong with that? I'm willing."
Dugu Yan gazed at Dai Yao with tenderness in her eyes.
"Yan Yan."
Dai Yao felt his heart stir as his voice slightly trembled.
He then wrapped his arms around the stunned Zhu Zhuqing, looking at the two women standing beside him. With all seriousness, he made a promise:
"Don't worry, in my eyes, there's no difference between a wife and a concubine. You are both my most cherished lovers. You are my wings."
Both women were deeply touched, their gazes filled with affection.
Suddenly, Dugu Yan seemed to recall something. Didn't Dai Yao's White Tiger Eight Wings have eight pairs of wings? Did that mean...?
Seeing the intimate interaction between the three, Huo Wu snorted coldly, stomped her foot, and without even glancing at Feng Xiaotian, turned away angrily.
Hearing Dai Yao's shameless words, Yu Tianheng could no longer hold back. His temples bulged as his soul power raged. He shouted at Dai Yao:
"Dai Yao, I challenge you to a duel!"
"You dare?!"
Unexpectedly, Dugu Yan was the first to step forward, glaring at Yu Tianheng.
"This is a matter for us men," Dai Yao stepped forward and said to Dugu Yan.
Then he turned to face Yu Tianheng, coldly saying:
"Yu Tianheng, fate is unpredictable. Right now, Yan Yan and I truly love each other. Why do you keep dragging things out? If you want a duel, I'll gladly accept. But if you insist on being stubborn, I won't hesitate to make the so-called Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's twin stars fall, one by one."
Dai Yao's domineering words left Feng Xiaotian shocked. Dai Yao didn't seem to care at all about the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! How arrogant!
Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth in hatred, his soul power surging uncontrollably. He was about to attack Dai Yao when a cold voice interrupted:
"Someone dares to be so arrogant, saying they'll make the twin stars of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan fall? I'm curious to see what you have to make that happen."
Upon hearing the voice, everyone turned to look.
A man dressed in purple robes was walking over slowly.
This man was strikingly handsome, with golden short hair fluttering in the wind, his entire aura exuding an imposing presence, one that didn't require anger to command respect. This presence was very similar to Yu Tianheng's.
"Cousin."
When Yu Tianheng saw the man, he immediately calmed down a little.
"Cousin? This must be the other twin star of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianxin."
Dai Yao's gaze suddenly turned cold.
Yu Tianxin looked at the currently somewhat embarrassed Yu Tianheng, remembering the proud figure he once had when they competed. He felt a sense of sadness.
They were the bloodline of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—what kind of woman couldn't they get? Why had Yu Tianheng let a woman make him so miserable?
Moreover, Dugu Yan's health wasn't even suitable to become the future consort of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's heir.
Although there was some competition between the two, their soul powers were similar. Yu Tianheng was younger and more favored by the family, but their competition was always healthy, unlike the deadly struggles of the Star Luo Dai family.
Dai Yao had won Dugu Yan's heart, but this had unknowingly aligned with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's interests.
However, Dai Yao's complete disregard for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and his boastful words about eliminating the twin stars, made Yu Tianxin's anger rise.
"Dai Yao, I've heard of your name. You were impressive in the competition a few days ago, but your words have angered me. You'd better pray you don't run into our Thunder Academy."
Yu Tianxin clasped his hands behind his back, his cold eyes piercing.
Dai Yao sneered: "Then you'd better pray you don't meet me anytime soon."
Yu Tianxin's arrival made the atmosphere even more tense, but since they were near the Soul Battle Arena, all grievances between soul masters would be settled there.
The upcoming battle with Thunder Academy would certainly be a fierce one.
With the three of them exchanging cold glances, Dai Yao, accompanied by Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, left the area.
...
After Dai Yao left, Yu Tianxin took Yu Tianheng and Feng Xiaotian to his private estate in the Heaven Dou Imperial City.
The peach blossoms were in full bloom at this time of year, creating a sea of pink.
Yu Tianxin looked at the two men, who were clearly heartbroken, and sighed before returning to his room to prepare tea.
Yu Tianheng leaned against a peach tree, his arms crossed. He was deeply dejected, eyes closed, and his mind was flooded with painful memories of the sweet moments between Dugu Yan and Dai Yao. His heart felt like it was being crushed.
Suddenly, an odd sound reached his ears.
He looked up, only to see Feng Xiaotian, his face full of pain, frantically slapping the peach tree in front of him. It was as if he hadn't hit it enough, so he took off his Godwind Academy jacket and used it as a weapon, violently hitting the tree, leaving it covered in marks.
The peach tree seemed to symbolize Dai Yao as Feng Xiaotian bit into it, as if it were his vent for anger.
After venting for a long time, Feng Xiaotian collapsed to his knees, recalling Huo Wu kissing Dai Yao. The sadness welled up inside him, and he howled to the sky:
"No—!"
This cry echoed across the land, filled with sorrow and despair.
It was as if the heavens were moved by his grief. The peach blossoms fell like snowflakes, scattering over Feng Xiaotian's body.
Yu Tianheng, deeply empathetic, suddenly felt a familiar pang. This scene reminded him of when Dugu Yan had rejected him in Oaklan.
At that moment, Yu Tianxin entered the scene with a cup of tea. He noticed Feng Xiaotian's behavior and was stunned.
"Is this really the leader of the Godwind Academy? To be so heartbroken over a woman? Maybe I've overestimated him."
"My younger cousin might be focused on cultivation, but he wouldn't act like Feng Xiaotian."
As his gaze shifted to Yu Tianheng's vacant expression, Yu Tianxin suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Could it be that my younger cousin is like Feng Xiaotian too...?"
"Gentlemen, the tea is ready. Let's try to change our mood, shall we?"
Yu Tianxin lightly coughed and spoke.
Both Yu Tianheng and Feng Xiaotian felt somewhat awkward, but they weren't ordinary men. They quickly regained their composure and followed Yu Tianxin to a pavilion in the peach blossom grove.
Breathing in the fragrance of the tea, Feng Xiaotian felt refreshed. He raised an eyebrow, saying, "Good tea."
As Yu Tianheng sat with a grim expression, he turned to Yu Tianxin and spoke in a serious tone.
"Cousin, I need to ask a favor of you."
Yu Tianxin paused, his thoughts racing. A flicker of understanding crossed his face, and he quickly deduced the reason behind Yu Tianheng's request.
"You want to talk about Dai Yao, don't you?"
"Yes. As a member of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy team, I've made it to the finals but haven't had the chance to face him. So, I want to ask you, cousin, to teach that guy a lesson for me."
Yu Tianxin didn't respond immediately. Instead, he sipped his tea slowly, his sharp gaze locked onto Yu Tianheng as he spoke with an icy edge:
"Punishing Dai Yao is something I won't hesitate to do. His arrogance has stained the honor of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family. For that alone, he's already set himself on the path to death. But tell me, cousin—why exactly are you asking this favor of me?
"If it's for the glory of our family, I'll certainly help. But if it's because of that woman..."
Yu Tianxin let his words trail off, but Yu Tianheng understood his meaning clearly.
Taking a deep breath, Yu Tianheng met Yu Tianxin's gaze and replied with sincerity:
"I won't lie to you, cousin. It's both. First, because Dugu Yan left me, I've been thoroughly humiliated as a man. And second, do you still remember that incident three years ago when I was defeated?"
"Three years ago?"
Yu Tianxin frowned, lost in thought. Suddenly, his expression turned severe as the realization struck him.
"Could it be the time you were defeated, and the strength of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul—acknowledged as the world's strongest beast martial soul—was called into question? Are you saying the one who defeated you back then was Dai Yao?"
Yu Tianheng nodded. "That's right. It was him."
"No wonder. No wonder!"
Yu Tianxin's energy surged, the air around him rippling as faint streaks of lightning flashed around his body, a reflection of his rising fury.
"No wonder that man is so bold! This time, if I meet him in the competition, it will be the perfect opportunity to wash away the disgrace he brought to our family!"
"To restore the glory of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family is a duty none of us can shirk!"
Yu Tianxin's voice was resolute, his words striking a chord in Yu Tianheng's heart. Yu Tianheng clenched his fists, regret flashing in his eyes.
"What a shame. If only I had the chance to face Dai Yao myself. I wish I could personally crush him!"
At this moment, Feng Xiaotian interjected with a confident grin:
"Brother Tianheng, no need to be so regretful. Count me in for teaching Dai Yao a lesson!"
Feng Xiaotian's demeanor was brimming with confidence. The aura he exuded now was entirely different from the one he displayed in front of Huo Wu—he was self-assured, bristling with strength.
Both Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the same Feng Xiaotian they had known before.
"With Brother Xiaotian joining us, we couldn't be happier," Yu Tianxin said with a smile.
"Today, under the perfect moonlight and stars, we share a common goal. Why not swear brotherhood?"
"This…"
"Cousin, we're already relatives. Is there really a need to swear brotherhood?" Yu Tianheng hesitated.
After all, the three of them were proud individuals. None of them would willingly call someone else "big brother" based solely on age.
While Feng Xiaotian's background was not as illustrious as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, he had absolute confidence in his future achievements. Swearing brotherhood and placing himself a rank below the others would be a blow to his pride.
Seeing their hesitation, Yu Tianxin laughed and explained, "Haha, I know we're all extremely proud of ourselves and don't want to rank below anyone else for no reason. That's why the brotherhood I propose isn't based on seniority. We'll simply call each other brothers to show our camaraderie."
"So that's what you meant." Feng Xiaotian's eyes lit up, and he nodded decisively. "In that case, I'm in!"
Yu Tianxin was momentarily surprised that Feng Xiaotian was the first to agree, a testament to his animosity toward Dai Yao.
Both of them then turned to Yu Tianheng. After a moment of deliberation, Yu Tianheng finally nodded and said:
"Alright, count me in!"
And thus, the Anti-Dai Yao Alliance was officially formed.
The Competition Heats Up
The animosity between Yu Tianxin, Feng Xiaotian, and Dai Yao was but a minor episode in Dai Yao's path through the tournament. With his current strength, he had no reason to fear any of them.
After all, Dai Yao wasn't just anyone—he was favored by both the Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and he was the future grandson-in-law of Dugu Bo. With such formidable backers, few would dare to challenge him.
Even if someone was foolish enough to provoke him, they would soon regret it. After all, his second martial soul, the Chaotic Green Lotus, was far more than a mere ornament.
The preliminary rounds of the tournament were progressing at a rapid pace, with a total of 27 rounds already halfway through.
Currently, the top-ranked teams were as follows:
Thunderclap Academy – 11 matches, 11 wins.Divine Wind Academy – 11 matches, 11 wins.Auckland Academy – 11 matches, 11 wins.
These three teams formed the first tier, remaining undefeated so far. The upcoming clashes between these powerhouses were highly anticipated.
In the second tier were the following teams:
Tianshui Academy – 11 matches, 10 wins. Their only loss was to Divine Wind Academy.Blazing Academy – 11 matches, 10 wins. Their only loss was to Auckland Academy.Shrek Academy – 11 matches, 10 wins. Their only loss was to Blazing Academy.
These teams were closely trailing the first tier and remained strong contenders for the finals.
Among them, Shrek Academy was the dark horse of the tournament, alongside Auckland Academy.
Despite having only two Soul Elders, Dai Mubai and Tang San, Shrek Academy's extraordinary control abilities allowed them to repeatedly defeat formidable opponents.
Dai Yao had watched every match involving Shrek Academy. He knew that they still held hidden strengths, the most notable being Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer, which had yet to make an appearance.
The first half of the tournament wasn't too intense, as most strong teams had yet to face each other. However, the second half would be full of fierce battles.
If Shrek Academy hoped to advance, they wouldn't have it as easy as in the original story. Without water and fire immunity, victories against Blazing Academy and Tianshui Academy would be much harder to achieve.
Moreover, even more powerful teams like Thunderclap Academy and Divine Wind Academy awaited them.
As for the Elephant Armored Academy, they were undoubtedly the most tragic of the Five Elemental Academies.
With a record of 11 matches and 7 wins, they ranked seventh. They lost every match against the top six teams, leaving their chances of advancing slim.
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