Outside Lanba Academy, the royal cavalry stood in orderly formation, their armor gleaming under the morning sun as they awaited the departure of the Lanba Team for the final round of the tournament.
Soon, the full team emerged, Tang yin taking the lead with his confident smile captivating.
Behind him walked the proud and cheerful Dugu Yan, her emerald eyes gleaming with excitement. The ever-observant and silent Zhu Zhuqing followed closely, vigilant as always. At her side strode the fiery Meng Yiran, practically radiating fighting spirit with every step.
Next came Ning Rongrong, playful and cheeky as ever, her noble facade nowhere to be seen in every quirky movement. Beside her, the gentle-hearted Ye Lingling drifted like a breeze—serene and quietly supportive.
Trailing behind was Dai Mubai, once a prideful White Tiger, now hopeless and incompetent. Tai long and the rest also followed behind.
The beautiful Liu Erlong walked gracefully toward the carriage, followed by the ever-shrewd Flender and the mighty Zhao Wuji, the undisputed short king.
The guards opened the carriage door for the students with respectful demeanor. Tang Yin and the girls boarded one carriage, while the boys were herded into another—which earned him more than a few resentful glares as their journey to Spirit City began.
The fifteen teams representing the Tian Dou Empire who had qualified for the final round gradually merged onto the same route, each accompanied by their respective troops.
Among them were the Tianshui Team and the Blazing Academy Team.
Just as Tang Yin was about to go greet them, he caught sight of Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er through the carriage window, chatting as if they'd been best friends for years. In that moment, the "surprise" Shui Bing'er had hinted at earlier became painfully obvious.
"So that's it... They're teaming up against us in the finals. Haiz, so petty."
Even so, Tang Yin decided to alert the girls about the unexpected development they were likely to face in the Tournament.
"Everyone," he informed them casually, "it looks like we're going to have a bit of trouble in the final round."
The girls blinked in confusion. Tang Yin tilted his head toward the Tianshui Team's carriage. Following his gaze, they spotted Huo Wu laughing excitedly beside Shui Bing'er.
"It seems they're going to join forces to take us down," Tang Yin said dryly. "So be prepared—it's going to be a tough match."
The girls exchanged incredulous glances, half amused and half annoyed. But Dugu Yan, if anything, looked downright thrilled. After all, Tang Yin had promised her a spot in the final battle—and this only meant the fight could be even more exciting than she'd hoped.
As their convoy moved through the narrowing canyon roads, approaching the border between the Tian Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, Tang Yin stealthily activated his telepathy, scanning the surroundings for any signs of an ambush.
But thankfully, this time, there were no sudden attacks—no assassins, no traps, no hidden Spirit Hall ambushes like in the original story. Perhaps because Tang San wasn't present to show off his Hao Tian Hammer, history had taken a quieter turn.
But Tang yin could sense Ning Fengzhi and a powerful aura—likely that of the Sword Douluo Chen Xin—following behind them. He also detected Qian Renxue nearby, likely being protected by Ning Fengzhi.
With the path ahead clear, Tang Yin finally allowed himself to relax as they drew closer to Spirit City, the heart of the Martial Soul Hall—and the stage for their final battle.
After three days of travel, they finally arrived at the bustling Spirit City. The ancient buildings and intricate architecture were awe-inspiring—so much so that even Tang Yin, who had transmigrated from Earth, couldn't help but be amazed by the city's grandeur.
"Finally, we've arrived! Let's go shopping—I've heard there are so many luxurious places in the Spirit City," Ning Rongrong perked up as soon as she stepped out of the carriage.
The girls immediately agreed and glanced at Tang Yin, silently asking if he wanted to come along. Liu Erlong also gave him a hopeful look, eager to join in—but Tang Yin politely turned them down.
Honestly, even though he wasn't tired, Tang Yin wasn't keen on this kind of girlish stuff. It made him uncomfortable. So, generously, he handed them a hefty pouch filled with gold coins and excused himself.
The girls took Liu Erlong along with them and spent hours shopping, bonding over the fun of spending Tang Yin's fortune. They all knew he had earned a hefty sum of two million gold during the preliminary rounds, so they happily indulged without any worries
There was a stunning view of the sacred temple from the lodge the empire had provided them. Tang Yin found himself staring at it, lost in thought—imagining what the two legendary beauties he had yet to meet might look like.
Hu Liena and her master Bibi Dong were said to be peerless in appearance, second only to Qian Renxue herself. The thought alone stirred a sense of curiosity and excitement in him for tomorrow's opening ceremony.
"I need to see them already… haiz, why isn't it tomorrow yet?" he groaned, flopping onto the bed as he slowly drifted off into a nap.
The Next Day
Tang Yin had gathered all the members of the Lanba Team, along with their instructors, for an important meeting to go over the tournament rules and some key strategies.
"Alright, everyone."
Tang Yin got everyone's attention as he stood at the front, hands clasped behind his back, his voice both encouraging and commanding.
"We've finally reached the final round of the tournament. Only Thirty-three teams remain, including three seeded teams—one each from the two empires, and the last from Wuhun Hall.
Among them, the team from Martial Soul Hall will be our toughest challenge. They're said to be the most dazzling group of geniuses in recent years."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in before continuing with a light chuckle.
"Well, there's no need to worry—because we're just as talented as those so-called geniuses."
As he spoke, Tang Yin gestured toward Dugu Yan, who lifted her chin with a smug little smile, clearly savoring her moment to shine.
"Also, Dugu Yan will now be joining the match regularly. With you on board, our Lanba Team's total strength will improve even more.
As the champions of the qualifying rounds, we've earned the right to draw a bye, which gives us the chance to skip a match. But we'll only use it if we really need to rest. Got it?"
Everyone nodded in understanding.
Finally, Lanba Team made their way to the coliseum. Dugu Yan skipped happily as she was about to fight for the first time. Once they arrived, Flender excused himself as he had to draw who their opponents would be today.
After some time, Flender returned, his face grim as he let out a heavy sigh—carrying with him both troubling news and a faint silver lining
"Just as Tang Yin predicted… the members of the Blazing Team have transferred to the Tianshui Team. It looks like we'll be facing a much tougher challenge soon.
Originally, our first match was supposed to be against the Blazing Team, but they've forfeited—seems all their core members have moved to Tianshui. Haiz…"
"You've got to be kidding me! I finally get my chance to fight… and they forfeit?" Dugu yan ruffled her hair in frustration.
That day, thirty-two teams competed across sixteen fierce matches, with one lucky team receiving a bye due to the odd number of participants. By sundown, only seventeen teams remained.
The next day came with a new sunrise, casting long shadows across the tournament grounds as Team Lanba once again made their way toward the grand coliseum.
Lanba Team's match was scheduled early, once again against the Thunderclap Team.
A restless Dugu Yan could barely sit still.
She stretched her arms behind her head and grinned. "Finally! I can feel it—today's going to be a hot-blooded one. If they dare show their faces, I'll—"
But before her sentence could end, the Thunderclap Team forfeited.
Again.
Dugu Yan stared blankly for a beat, then groaned, "Why do they even show up!?"
"Why wouldn't they forfeit? We've already beaten them twice." Tang Yin, standing beside her with his arms folded, let out a soft chuckle.
Dugu Yan huffed, crossing her arms and tapping her foot like a volcano waiting to erupt.
But it was the third match that truly stirred him.
The opponent?
Xing Luo Imperial Team—The team led by none other than Dai Weisi—crown prince of Xing Luo Empire. Hehe... Let's start the game.
Inside the Lanba Team's resting area, Zhuqing stood quietly in the corner, her fingers fidgeting nervously. She stole a quick glance at Tang Yin seated beside her, then quickly looked away as their eyes nearly met.
But Tang Yin had already noticed her hesitate.
Without speaking, he reached out and gently stroked the top of her head. Their eyes locked, and his voice softened with quiet comfort.
"Hey, Zhuqing. If you've got something to say, just say it. Why would you ever need to hide anything from me? Aren't we friends?"
She looked up at him slowly, Zhuqing's eyes glistening with tears that threatened to fall.
"Only friends?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper, her gaze locked onto his as if she was wounded by his words.
Tang Yin knew that, sometimes, words meant little—so he didn't hesitate and took action.
He leaned forward and captured her lips in a sudden, tender kiss. Her breath caught in her throat, startled—but she didn't pull away.
Instead, Zhuqing's eyes fluttered shut as she melted into his warmth, their kiss deepening into something slow & undeniably passionate.
When he finally pulled back—after what felt like a long, breathless minute—he kept his hand in her hair, his forehead brushing lightly against hers.
His voice was low but resolute.
"I know your situation, Zhuqing. Don't worry. We'll beat them fair and square today. And soon…"
"…I'll be strong enough that no one will ever dare lay a hand on you. I promise."
Zhuqing nodded with a soft hum, her eyes shimmering like moonlit water. She stared into his violet eyes and smiled—gently, lovingly.
"I believe you."
The arena buzzed with tension as the two Teams stood across from each other. On one side stood Tang Yin and the Lanba Team, with Dugu Yan radiating unrestrained fighting spirit,
On the other, the proud members of Xing Luo, wearing crimson and gold, their tiger insignia roaring under the sunlight.
On one side of the VIP balcony, Ning Fengzhi stood alongside Xue Qinghe, both calmly observing the arena below as the two of the powerful teams prepared to clash.
Beside them, the Chen xin Sword Douluo watched with quiet intensity, his sharp gaze fixed on Tang Yin. It was the first time he had seen the young man—and something about him demanded attention.
Across from them, Salas leaned forward with a glint of anticipation in his eyes. He was silently hoping that the Pope herself would take an interest in Tang Yin's self-created skills. So it would be easier to gain more resources when he gets his hands on those secret skills.
Just then, the atmosphere shifted.
A hush fell over the crowd as a breathtaking woman appeared on the balcony—Bibi Dong, clad in a flowing pink royal gown, a delicate crown adorning her head.
She walked with effortless grace, flanked on either side by two imposing Titled Douluo—Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
The tap of her pink crystal scepter echoed faintly against the marble as she came to a stop, her ruby eyes sweeped across the arena. Her gaze flicked across both of the Lanba and Xing Luo Teams. Two strong lineups, filled with potential threats & future rivals to Wuhun Hall.
That's when her gaze caught Tang Yin staring at her with a warm, loving smile—as if he genuinely knew her and was truly excited to see her—Bibi Dong felt a flicker of confusion. She couldn't recall ever meeting or knowing someone like him.
Then, Tang Yin bowed—gracefully and with genuine respect, like a knight paying homage.
Almost reflexively, Bibi Dong nodded in return, the corners of her lips lifting into a small, quiet smile. From him, she felt no lust, no desire, no hidden intentions. No man had looked at her like that in all her lifetime. Most either feared her or desired her—and both disgusted her.
She didn't know why. She didn't like any men anymore as they repulsed her even disgusted her. But this one didn't. And for a fleeting second, she found herself wondering… why?
(Why? Because Tang Yin had made a change—to turn his desire, lust, and all inappropriate thought into genuine respect and reverence—the kind that one deserved as the Pope.
It was self-hypnosis, a subtle use of telepathy to reshape his own feelings… not to deceive her, but to avoid repulsing her. Tang yin knew that winning her heart wouldn't be an easy task—not even close. It's going to be a long ride...)