allendalepharm Chapter 32 7 Challenges
Chapter 32 7 Challenges
At the entrance of Dormitory Seven, Xiao Wu had just run back to Yan Zu's side when she threw herself into his arms, her voice tinged with lingering fear: "Auntie, Tang San just confessed to me, and I clearly rejected him, but he doesn't seem to believe me and even blames you!"
Yan Zu gently patted her back, the auspicious aura of the Qilin quietly spreading, soothing her slightly flustered emotions, but a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes: "I understand, I will be more careful in the future and will not let him hurt you."
Xiaoyu also jumped down from Yanzu's shoulder, rubbed against Xiaowu's hand, and made a gentle "ee-ya" sound, as if comforting her.
"His gaze was so scary just now." Xiao Wu nestled in Yan Zu's arms, her voice muffled. "I'm a little afraid he might do something bad in the future."
"Don't be afraid." Yan Zu gently ruffled her hair, his voice steady and firm. "With me here, with Xiao Yu here, he can't hurt you. Don't contact him alone in the future. I'll be with you if anything happens."
Xiao Wu nodded and hugged Yan Zu's arm tightly, as if she had found the most solid support.
As night deepened, Notting College fell silent.
In the shadows in the distance, Tang Hao leaned against a tree trunk, drinking one sip of wine after another. Occasionally, he would glance in the direction of Tang San's dormitory, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, which ultimately turned into a silent sigh.
When the autumn winds of his third year swept through Notting College, Yan Zu was nine years old.
The boy grew even taller, and his shoulder line began to reveal the slender profile typical of young people.
Years of practicing the Nine Yin Manual had made his temperament increasingly calm and composed, and the light deep within his dark eyes was no longer the clear and bright light that a child should have.
Xiao Wu's changes were even more noticeable. The girl grew taller and taller, and her smooth pink hair reached her waist, which she often braided into lively scorpion braids.
The childishness in her eyes and brows has mostly faded, replaced by a unique liveliness and the gradually blossoming beauty of a young girl.
But when she looked at Yan Zu, her big eyes were still filled with unreserved trust and affection.
The two walked side by side on the main path of the academy, their soul power fluctuations already faintly touching the threshold of level 30. This was unprecedented in the history of Notting Academy—a nine-year-old at the peak of the Great Soul Master realm meant that they could break through at any moment and become Soul Venerables.
On his ninth birthday, Yan Zu completed his sign-in in the morning light.
[Ding! Today's check-in successful!]
[Congratulations, host, on reaching the nine-year milestone! This triggers the annual critical reward!]
[Obtained: Soul Tool - People's Livelihood Improvement Kit]
[Content: Includes complete design blueprints for the "Soul-Guided Water Purifier," "Soul-Guided Automatic Tiller," and "Soul-Guided Automatic Harvester," compatible with low-level soul power (operable by soul masters below level 5).]
[Note: Widespread adoption of this kit could significantly improve agricultural productivity and free up labor.]
As Yan Zu felt the detailed blueprints flooding into his mind, a slight ripple stirred within him.
These designs are far more complex than the soul-guided lamps and soul-guided heaters he previously "restored," involving multiple fields such as energy conversion, mechanical transmission, and soul power regulation.
However, the system thoughtfully provided a complete process flow diagram and even marked the materials that could be substituted in Douluo Continent.
"Perfect timing." Yan Zu looked towards the west of the city. "The rice trial planting has been successful; the next step is to promote it. And promotion requires higher efficiency... These machines have arrived just in time."
Over the past year, the hybrid rice from "Seeds of Civilization: A Compendium of Grains" has yielded fruitful results in the small experimental field in the backyard of the Su Family Medical Clinic.
With Su Qing's meticulous care and Yan Zu's occasional assistance using the Qilin's vitality, the yield of that one-acre experimental field reached an astonishing 500 jin—more than three times that of traditional rice varieties.
On harvest day, Su Qing held the heavy ears of rice, her hands trembling.
Yan Hu's eyes widened, and he murmured, "If this could be planted all around Notting City, who would go hungry?"
But after the joy comes caution.
"Ah Zu, this matter cannot be rushed."
After calming down, Su Qing immediately gave instructions.
"Our family can't withstand any more trouble. This rice seed is too amazing. Once word gets out, it will either be seized by powerful forces or targeted by those with ill intentions."
Yan Zu deeply agreed.
Although he had accumulated some fame and wealth through his identity as "Wen Yansheng," he was still vulnerable in the face of true power.
The shadow of Tang Hao, the spying of the Spirit Hall, the covetousness of various forces... all these forces forced him to proceed with extreme caution.
"Don't worry, Mother, I understand."
Yan Zu carefully sealed the harvested rice seeds.
"We will keep only a portion of these rice seeds for further breeding. We can promote them when the time is right—when I have enough power, or when I find reliable allies."
Notting College, Martial Arts Arena.
"Bang!"
Tang San was sent flying backward, tumbling several times in the air before barely landing.
He knelt on one knee, his right hand clutching his chest. Two yellow spirit rings flickered intensely beneath his feet. He had just unleashed his second spirit skill, "Parasitism," but it was easily dodged by his opponent.
Yan Zu also happened to turn pale and sway unsteadily.
"We lost again..." one of the students watching whispered.
"Tang San challenged Ancestor Yan seven times this year, and lost all seven times. Although they were all 'narrow defeats,'..."
"You flatter me." Yan Zu clasped his hands in a fist salute, pretending to be breathing rapidly, but there wasn't even a drop of sweat on his forehead.
His gaze inadvertently swept over the ancient locust tree at the edge of the training ground—there, a terrifying aura was faintly visible, it was Tang Hao.
Tang San felt a surge of overwhelming rage.
Over the past year, under Yu Xiaogang's "special training," he absorbed his second soul ring, and his soul power has reached level twenty-three. He has also created Tang Clan hidden weapons such as the Zhuge Crossbow and the Silent Sleeve Arrow.
He confidently challenged Yan Zu, only to find that the other party was like a bottomless pool—every time he thought he had seen the bottom, the other party revealed a new depth.
Seven challenges, seven defeats by a "slight disadvantage".
What Tang San didn't know was that Yan Zu was indeed hiding his true abilities.
Each time they clashed, Yan Zu's Insightful Eyes could clearly detect the terrifying aura that lingered behind the old locust tree at the edge of the training ground—Tang Hao, the missing Haotian Douluo, was always secretly observing his son.
Yan Zu dared not appear too dazzling.
A "genius" is worthy of admiration, but a "prodigy" may bring about his death.
He deliberately suppressed his soul power to just over level eighteen, and each "sparring" with Tang San was kept within the range of "slightly superior," so that Tang San would feel frustrated but Tang Hao would not feel that his son was being "crushed" and thus develop murderous intent.
It's not particularly surprising that a low-level Soul Master could defeat a level 20+ "Blue Silver Grass Waste Martial Soul".
"That's enough for today." Yan Zu turned and left. Xiao Wu came up to him, handed him a water bag, and naturally took his arm.
"Brother Azu, that Tang San is so annoying. He's lost seven times already and he's still bothering you." Xiao Wu pouted, but her voice was loud enough for Tang San to hear.
Tang San watched the two of them walking intimately from behind, his eyes bloodshot.
He reached for the Zhuge Divine Crossbow in his sleeve, his latest creation, capable of firing eighteen bolts instantly, enough to threaten even a Soul Venerable level expert.
However, he did not make a move. After all, in the academy, killing someone simply because of losing a competition was too heinous, and even the teachers could not protect him.