ng Hongchen turned to Wang Dong'er with a puzzled expression.
"What does Su Yu starting a relationship early have to do with you? Why are you so worked up?"
She couldn't help but think Wang Dong was ddling unnecessarily.
And yet, there was sothing about Wang Dong that seed... off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the feeling lingered.
"I... I..."
Wang Dong'er stamred, montarily at a loss for words.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "He's still young! How can he start dating now and let it interfere with his studies?"
"What's most important for him right now is focusing on cultivation and accelerating his growth. I'm only thinking about what's best for him."
Wang Dong'er spoke with conviction, her tone righteous, her expression the picture of concern for Su Yu's future.
"Really?"
ng Hongchen asked, her skepticism evident.
She still couldn't shake the feeling that sothing was off.
"Of course! I see Su Yu as a friend and don't want him to stray from the right path," Wang Dong'er said, thumping her chest with a sincere expression, as though she were the guardian of Su Yu's destiny.
Su Yu couldn't help but tug at the corners of his mouth. Thinking for my good? More like you're scheming for yourself lol.
ng Hongchen stared at Wang Dong'er for a long mont, her gaze unrelenting. Wang Dong'er fidgeted under her scrutiny, finally looking away.
Calmly, ng Hongchen said, "It's just a relationship. It doesn't necessarily have to interfere with Su Yu's growth."
"Who knows? Maybe it could even help him improve faster."
"Impossible!"
Wang Dong'er exclaid.
"And why not?"
ng Hongchen retorted, locking eyes with Wang Dong'er. The tension between them grew.
"I'm doing this for Su Yu's good," Wang Dong'er declared indignantly.
"I'm also doing this for Su Yu's good," ng Hongchen countered, her voice equally firm.
"Nonsense! You just want Su Yu's body," Wang Dong'er accused, her tone sharp.
"Hmph, and you're just being a busybody," ng Hongchen shot back.
Their heated exchange continued, the atmosphere becoming increasingly charged.
Su Yu: "..."
Alright, stop arguing. You're both after my body. Do you think I don't know?
Before Su Yu could intervene, a figure approached.
The newcor was a young man in his early twenties with long black hair tied simply behind his head. His pale complexion gave him an air of fragility, yet his strikingly handso features could make even other n sigh in admiration.
However, his eyes were unnervingly empty, devoid of any light or emotion. His movents were slow and deliberate, almost sluggish, yet sothing about him radiated intensity.
In his hand was a sword—plain and entirely black, about four feet long. Its simple, unadorned design made it look more like a fire poker than a weapon.
As Su Yu's eyes locked onto the man, his expression shifted slightly.
This man's level of handsoness was comparable to Wang Dong'er's when disguised as a male—almost enough to rival Su Yu's own. However, unlike Wang Dong'er's gentle warmth, this man exuded a chilling coldness.
There was no change in the man's expression, and Su Yu couldn't sense even a flicker of emotion.
Yet, his aura was sharp and commanding, forcing Su Yu to take notice.
This man's strength seed to be on par with ng Hongchen's, but there was sothing he possessed that she did not—an unwavering, razor-sharp focus.
This was a natural-born swordsman. A pure swordsman.
People like this were single-minded and relentless, destined to carve out their legends.
At this mont, ng Hongchen and Wang Dong'er also noticed the young man's approach.
Wang Dong'er looked confused, while ng Hongchen furrowed her brows slightly. Why is he here?
As soone from Illustrious Virtue Hall, ng Hongchen imdiately recognized him.
Even within Illustrious Virtue Hall, this guy was an oddball.
Though undeniably good-looking, his withdrawn nature made him utterly unapproachable. His world was starkly simple—so simple that it revolved entirely around the broken sword in his hand.
Still, ng Hongchen couldn't deny his skill.
"What are you here for?"
ng Hongchen asked, frowning.
The man didn't even glance at her. His gaze was locked onto Su Yu, his eyes bright and intense, brimming with an almost overwhelming fighting intent.
"It seems he's looking for ," Su Yu said with a faint smile.
"Ji Juechen. Let's have a duel," the man stated simply, introducing himself before issuing a direct challenge. His words were as concise and sharp as his presence.
Before Su Yu could respond, Ji Juechen added, "I ca here because of the two sword strikes you used."
"When I saw you, it was as if I had found sothing I've been searching for all my life. Please, fight ."
Su Yu's mouth twitched slightly, a reflection of his speechlessness.
How could he not recognize the person standing before him?
The mont he saw him, Su Yu had already deduced his identity.
Ji Juechen—the Sword Fanatic. A man utterly obsessed with swords.
He was a one-of-a-kind figure, perhaps the only one like him on the entire Douluo Continent.
His martial soul was a sword—an ordinary, unremarkable sword without any special abilities. His innate soul power at birth had been a re level three, barely enough to begin cultivation.
But from the mont his martial soul awakened at the age of six, Ji Juechen had been captivated by his sword. Nothing else in the world mattered to him.
He released his martial soul daily, training tirelessly. No one could explain how he managed to increase his soul power.
By the age of eight, he had reached level ten and ventured alone into a soul beast habitat with nothing but his sword.
Three days later, he returned covered in blood, having hunted and acquired his first hundred-year soul ring.
Yes, his hundred-year soul ring was earned through his own hands, not granted by anyone else.
The soul skill he obtained was a basic soul power amplification ability—similar to those used by Soul Engineers.
At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, where students often relied on drugs to boost their soul power, Ji Juechen stood out as an anomaly. He had never resorted to such ans.
He remained at the academy because of the Soul Engineers who far surpassed him in power, viewing them as benchmarks to sharpen his skills.
His sword—a piece of teoric iron that resembled a rod when he first obtained it—had been shaped over more than ten years of painstaking refinent through his own hands and soul power.
This dedication earned him the nickna Sword Fanatic among both students and faculty.
The title suited him. In his eyes, there was only the sword.
At the academy, few wanted to interact with him. Silent by nature, Ji Juechen spoke only to issue challenges—or occasionally to his sword.
Su Yu wasn't surprised to be targeted by him. The profound artistic conception of Su Yu's sword techniques was bound to attract soone like Ji Juechen.
What Su Yu hadn't expected was for Ji Juechen to challenge him so directly, with hardly an exchange of words.
Still, this was entirely in character for the Sword Fanatic.
"Ji Juechen, stop causing trouble. Su Yu has a final match this afternoon. How can he waste his soul power on you?"
ng Hongchen interjected before Su Yu could respond.
To her, Ji Juechen's timing was completely inappropriate.
A battle with him would consu too much energy. If Su Yu was drained, how could he compete in the final against her brother?
ng Hongchen didn't want to see Su Yu lose.
(ng Hongchen's brother in the background: So, it's fine if I lose, huh?)
Ji Juechen's face, typically devoid of emotion, shifted slightly at ng Hongchen's words.
"Apologies. I'll co back tomorrow," he said evenly.
"I'm busy tomorrow as well," Su Yu replied, shaking his head.
"Then I'll co the day after," Ji Juechen persisted, his determination unwavering.
Su Yu felt a headache coming on. If he agreed, Ji Juechen would beco a constant presence. But refusing outright wouldn't stop the pestering.
"You're not my match," Su Yu said calmly.
Even Ma Rulong was barely a threat to him, and Ji Juechen was no exception. Su Yu was confident that no one in Illustrious Virtue Hall could challenge him—unless soone from the older generation intervened.
"Try !"
Ji Juechen said, his grip tightening on his sword. His eyes glead with fiery determination.
Su Yu: "..."
Dealing with soone as single-minded as Ji Juechen was truly exasperating.
Yet, Su Yu couldn't help but admire his persistence. Born with level three innate soul power, Ji Juechen had defied the odds to beco a Titled Douluo through sheer effort—a testant to his extraordinary nature.
"If you can withstand one punch from , I'll agree to find ti for a duel," Su Yu said after so thought.
"If you can't, don't bring this up again."
Ji Juechen's face remained stoic, but his eyes blazed with excitent. "Agreed."
The mont hung heavy with tension. Ji Juechen's five soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—shimred to life. His sharp, almost tangible aura fused with the teoric iron sword in his hands.
Man and sword beca one.
Su Yu's expression grew more serious. Ji Juechen deserved a certain level of respect.
"Wang Dong, support ng'er," Su Yu said, gently lowering ng Hongchen to the ground.
Wang Dong'er quickly stepped forward to assist her.
"Be careful, Su Yu. You still have the final this afternoon," ng Hongchen warned.
"Don't worry. I'll be quick," Su Yu replied with a faint smile.
A cold, blue light emanated from him as his Ice Emperor Martial Soul materialized. Four pitch-black soul rings surrounded him, their brilliance dazzling.
ng Hongchen's face turned pale with shock.
"Black, black, black, black?"
Wang Dong'er murmured, eyes wide.
"All ten-thousand-year soul rings? This is insane."
Nearby students stopped in their tracks, their faces full of astonishnt.
Ji Juechen, however, remained unaffected, his resolve unshaken.
As Su Yu's frost-infused aura clashed with Ji Juechen's razor-sharp sword intent, the battlefield grew suffused with energy.
Finally, Su Yu struck, his punch radiating a fusion of icy power and absolute supremacy.
Ji Juechen did not retreat. With unyielding determination, he slashed his sword to et the blow.
"Boom!"
Fist and sword collided, releasing a wave of force. Ji Juechen's body was sent flying.
Su Yu stood firm, glancing at the faint cut on his fist before speaking calmly, "Co find in three days."
Without another word, he walked over to Wang Dong'er, picked up ng Hongchen, and left.
In the distance, Ji Juechen lay in the dust, his sword broken, his palms bloodied. Yet, a smile spread across his face, his eyes alight with unstoppable excitent.
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