New Shrek Academy.
In the quiet courtyard, angry voices echoed, ending with Yu Xiaogang storming out and slamming the door behind him.
Watching his retreating figure, Flender's eyes flickered with complex emotion.
Seeing the conflict between Xiaogang and Erlong growing deeper, he should have felt happy in theory—because it meant he now had a chance.
But when he thought about how the once legendary Golden Iron Triangle had ended up like this, a deep sadness filled his heart.
"Erlong, Xiaogang has always been like this. His pride is too strong—that's why he can't understand your actions."
In truth, even Flender couldn't understand why Yu Xiaogang was so dead set against Qi Lin. His prejudice against Qi Lin had clearly become a fixation.
Liu Erlong, who had just had a massive quarrel with Yu Xiaogang, was still fuming. The calm and patience she had cultivated over the past decade of seclusion had vanished in an instant.
With a thud, she slumped into a chair and slammed her fist down on the table.
Crack!
The table instantly shattered into splinters.
"Hmph! Where did Xiaogang pick up all these bad habits over the years? His temper's gotten worse, and now he refuses to listen to anyone!"
"He really thinks I went to Heaven Dou Academy just to ask Qi Lin for his soul power training method?"
"That was just the excuse. The real reason was to help mend the grudge between the two of them! I even used up three major favors and couldn't get Qi Lin to forgive him!"
Flender was stunned. "You did that?"
Liu Erlong glared at him. "What did you think? That I went there using the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's name just to demand that Qi Lin hand over his training method?"
"This was Xiaogang's fault from the start! He just opened his mouth and expected Qi Lin to hand over such a valuable technique."
"Do you know how much that kid sold the method for? He sold it to both the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Crown Prince."
"How much?" Flender, a notorious miser, perked up immediately.
"Ten million!"
"Each!"
Flender's face froze at the number, then cautiously asked, "Copper soul coins?"
Even ten million copper coins would be equal to a hundred thousand gold soul coins—a fortune Flender had never even dreamed of.
Liu Erlong rolled her eyes. "What do you think?"
It was ten million gold soul coins. From each buyer. That was absurd.
"No wonder Xiaogang's approach came off as entitled."
Liu Erlong snorted coldly. "And with Qi Lin's talent, it won't be long before he becomes a Title Douluo."
"He's no ordinary support-type Soul Master. Provoking him will only hurt Xiaogang."
"With his pitiful soul power rank, one day he might not even know how he died."
Listening to Liu Erlong's fierce tone, Flender quickly nodded. "You're right. I'll try to talk to Xiaogang again later."
Now was definitely not the time to provoke Liu Erlong further.
Seeing him back off, Liu Erlong simply snorted and let the matter go.
Half a month passed in a flash.
Qi Lin figured that if the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really planned to move against him, they would've finished their preparations by now.
With a chuckle, he called Gu Yuena and decided to take a walk through Heaven Dou City.
As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, the city was bustling with activity. Despite having been here for quite a while, Qi Lin had never properly explored it.
Aside from wanting to "fish for fortune," he also simply needed a break.
He didn't bring Xiao Wu or the others.
Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan had too powerful of a background—their presence alone might have deterred the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan from making any moves.
After all, if either of those girls were harmed, it would mean offending the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Dugu Bo. Even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan couldn't afford that.
Stepping out of the academy gates, Qi Lin and Gu Yuena didn't use any transportation—they were specifically "fishing."
Sure enough, not long after leaving, Qi Lin's face lit up with amusement.
Someone really was keeping watch outside the academy!
Interesting.
But… this soul power aura was weak. Just a Soul Emperor.
Clearly, this person was only there to observe. Whoever was going to actually make a move wasn't him.
By now, everyone knew Qi Lin was a support-type Soul Master. But anyone who treated him like an ordinary support-type was a fool.
Meanwhile, several miles from Heaven Dou Academy, deep within a forest...
A middle-aged man's eyes flickered. Scales crept up around his temples, and his pupils changed into those of a soul beast, glinting with a strange light.
When he saw Qi Lin and Gu Yuena emerge from the academy's main gates, his eyes brightened.
"Finally decided to come out!" he sneered, then quickly vanished.
Minutes later, the man arrived in a nearby village, where he found a figure dressed in black robes, wearing a silver mask that revealed only a pair of cold eyes.
"Boss, Qi Lin left Heaven Dou Academy."
The masked man's voice rasped: "No one else with him?"
The middle-aged man grinned. "Relax, Boss. That young lady from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Dugu Yan aren't with him. Just some unknown girl."
"She looks like she's barely in her twenties—no way she's strong."
The masked man nodded slightly.
"I see."
His mission was clear: first, teach Qi Lin a lesson. Killing him was off the table.
If they killed Qi Lin, it would mean completely falling out with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Dugu Bo, and the Crown Prince. Even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wouldn't dare pay that price.
Second, force Qi Lin to hand over his soul power training method.
This masked man was a powerhouse secretly cultivated by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—a peak-level Soul Saint.
With that kind of strength, even if Qi Lin suspected them, he'd have no proof. He'd just have to swallow the insult.
From the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's perspective, sending a peak power-attack Soul Saint to handle a mere support-type Soul King was overkill.
Led by the Soul Emperor, the black-robed Soul Saint soon located Qi Lin.
Watching the two of them strolling casually down the road, the Soul Saint's eyes flashed with disdain.
A level 79 Soul Saint being sent to deal with a lowly Soul King, and a support-type at that?
Ridiculous. This was an insult to his strength.
A Soul Emperor would have been enough.
With a flap of his wings, the masked Soul Saint shot through the air and landed directly in front of Qi Lin, floating above them and casting a long shadow.
"You're Qi Lin?"
Qi Lin looked up at the figure hovering above and smiled faintly.
There you are, my lucky catch.