Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

"This..." Yu Tianheng found himself momentarily speechless. No wonder he always felt Dugu Bo seemed to have something against him—it turned out there was a reason!

With a slight twitch in his face, Yu Tianheng thought to himself that once he returned to his family, he would have to find out who had the nerve to provoke Dugu Bo. Didn't they know about his relationship with Dugu Yan? It was like poking a hornet's nest!

"Oh, by the way, Cheng Xiao, I almost forgot. The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is just a year away. Teacher Sun Buyu asked me to remind you to be ready to participate."

"Alright, thanks, Tianheng." Cheng Xiao patted his shoulder with a smile.

"Okay, I have to take them to train, so I won't disturb you and Senior Dugu any further." Yu Tianheng nodded and then signaled to the Shi Brothers, Oslo, Yu Feng, and the others. "Let's go, we're heading to the Spirit Arena for training."

With that, Yu Tianheng led his group away.

After they left, Dugu Bo glanced at the still-meditating Dugu Yan, then turned to Cheng Xiao with a smile. "Kid, why don't you just become my grandson-in-law?"

Cheng Xiao's face shifted slightly, and he waved his hands in protest. "No way, old poison! I don't want to be your grandson-in-law. I think the relationship we have now is just fine."

"Ha, you cheeky brat. You're benefitting and yet complaining, aren't you?" Dugu Bo gave Cheng Xiao a look. "You might not want to be, but there are plenty who do."

"Being your grandson-in-law would still need Yan's approval, wouldn't it?" Cheng Xiao scratched his head, feeling slightly awkward.

"Hmph, I don't care." With a huff, Dugu Bo flung his sleeve and started walking out of the room.

"Stubborn old man." Shaking his head, Cheng Xiao's gaze fell on the spiral staircase leading to the second floor. After a brief pause, he slowly walked upstairs.

On the second floor, Cheng Xiao glanced around before his gaze settled on the balcony. There, Ye Lingling was leaning quietly against the windowsill, her hands resting lightly as her elbows supported her weight. Her delicate cheeks rested on her palms, gazing through the window into the distance.

Sunlight poured in through the window, casting a warm glow on her slender figure, while a gentle breeze stirred the air, adding a touch of elegance to the scene.

Captivated by her beauty, Cheng Xiao stood still, quietly watching her for a moment, saying nothing.

"Cheng Xiao, you're back?"

Gently turning her head, the girl's gaze fell on the silent, black-clad youth standing behind her. With no veil to conceal her face, her refined and elegant features brightened with a faint smile.

Hearing Ye Lingling's soft voice, Cheng Xiao snapped back to reality. He waved at her and chuckled, "It's been a while."

"Yes, it has." Looking at his face, which seemed a bit more mature than before, Ye Lingling's eyes showed a hint of emotion. She smiled softly and said, "It seems your recent trip to the Sunset Forest was quite rewarding. Can you tell me what happened during that time?"

"Of course, we're friends." Cheng Xiao nodded slightly, then moved to stand beside her. Together, they looked out over the endless horizon. "A lot happened, but fortunately, I didn't encounter any real danger. I returned with Yan's grandfather, and we got along quite well, which delayed me a bit."

"That sounds nice. Yan's grandfather is a Title Douluo—someone of great strength. To be able to get along with him so well is quite impressive," she said with a hint of admiration, then laughed softly.

"It was mostly luck." Cheng Xiao shook his head with a smile.

Just then, Dugu Yan's excited voice could be heard from below as she came up the stairs.

"Lingling, I heard from Grandpa that Cheng Xiao is back. Has he come to see you?" Hearing Dugu Yan's voice, Ye Lingling, usually calm, blushed slightly. She glanced at Cheng Xiao out of the corner of her eye and lowered her head, fingers twisting together nervously.

"Ha...ha, Yan, finished your training?" Cheng Xiao forced a smile and stepped forward to greet her.

"Yes, I'm done." Stretching lazily, Dugu Yan's slender figure was fully displayed in the pose, making Ye Lingling subconsciously clench her fists as she watched from behind.

Noticing Ye Lingling's subtle reaction, Dugu Yan chuckled softly and then said in a low voice, "Well, you're a lot better than that blockhead Yu Tianheng."

"What do you mean?" Cheng Xiao was slightly puzzled.

"Nothing much, just keep at it; I believe in you." Dugu Yan smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and then headed downstairs without looking back.

This whole sequence left Cheng Xiao feeling rather baffled. As someone who had been single his whole life, he found it hard to understand the hidden implications in Dugu Yan's words.

---

Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy

Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun were engaged in spirit mimicry training. Their instructor this time was Zhao Wuji.

"Faster, faster! Xiao Wu, pick up the speed! Zhu Zhuqing, be fiercer with your attacks! Are you planning on tickling people in the tournament with those cat claws of yours?" Zhao Wuji shouted as he used gravity enhancement to pressurize their training.

Suddenly, a few Shrek students rushed over, calling out as they reached the mimicry training grounds, "Teacher Zhao Wuji! Someone outside is looking for Tang San and Dai Mubai!"

"Looking for Dai Mubai and Tang San?" Zhao Wuji looked slightly surprised, then asked, "Who is it?"

"Not sure, but it seems like they're important," one of the students replied.

"Important people, huh..." Zhao Wuji frowned, glancing back at the group who had stopped their training. "Oscar, go call Tang San. Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, today's morning training ends here. Dai Mubai, come with me."

Although Dai Mubai felt uneasy, he braced himself and followed Zhao Wuji toward the academy entrance.

Watching Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai heading toward the front gate, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged puzzled glances but decided to resume their training.

Outside Shrek Academy

Standing in the center was an elderly man holding the arms of two people beside him. On his left stood a beautiful young girl who looked no older than fifteen. On his right was a refined, gentle-looking middle-aged man. These three were none other than Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong, and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.