NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 33: Barrage
After reassuring the two worried girls that he was perfectly fine and promising such incidents would never recur, An Zhen agreed to give a full explanation later.
"Honestly, hugging in public like this..." The young mistress broke free from An Zhen's embrace, muttering proudly, though she couldn't help noticing a faint fragrance lingering around him.
"Mm..." Huo Yutong's cheeks flushed crimson, only now realizing their public display.
An Zhen turned to the pair watching nearby. Before the indignant girl could accuse him of two-timing, he smiled at the refined youth. "Bei Bei, is Zhang Lexuan your sister?"
"? Yes." The refined youth nodded, surprised An Zhen knew this. Yesterday, Elder Xuan had asked him to inform Wang Dong and Huo Yutong of An Zhen's safety, revealing Wang Dong's true gender. Elder Xuan claimed An Zhen was training in the inner court but shared no further details.
"!" The petite girl stared at her boyfriend. "Bei Bei, Senior Sister is your sister?!" She'd never known.
"Right." An Zhen stepped forward, grinning broadly at the refined youth. "Your patriarch ordered me to beat you up."
An Zhen was here to complete Elder Mu's task.
Tang Ya: ?
Dining students: ?
As one of the outer court's Twin Stars, the refined and handsome youth was widely admired. His presence in the cafeteria drew constant attention. Now a boy with a youthful face was challenging him to a fight.
"Isn't that the Class 9 freshman captain who made the whole grade compete fiercely?"
"Who?"
"The one who defeated Xu Sanshi."
"Heard he made him beg on his knees, crying."
"Rumor says he robbed Xu Sanshi blind, forcing him to wash dishes in a restaurant."
"No—I heard he stole Jiang Nannan too!"
"Damn!"
"Quiet! He might come for you next!"
"Outer court seniors getting bullied by a freshman? Unbelievable!"
An Zhen: ?
Who started these rumors?
When did I rob anyone?
When did I "steal" Jiang Nannan?
After glaring at the murmuring crowd, An Zhen shrugged at Bei Bei. "Can't help it. Elder's orders."
"Let's go." Bei Bei sighed. Did Patriarch think I'd been too idle lately?
"Bei Bei, you've been hiding things from me!" Tang Ya eyed him suspiciously.
Bei Bei hesitated. Tang Ya's fierce pride made her reject his financial help—the very reason he'd hidden his background.
"That grandpa napping at the freshman dorm entrance? He often talks about his great-great-grandson and future granddaughter-in-law," An Zhen interjected smoothly. (Per original lore, Mu En lounged there daily, not just during enrollment.)
"The dorm grandpa is Senior Brother's patriarch?!" Huo Yutong gasped.
Bei Bei looked startled. "You never visited him? He rests there every sunny day."
"What granddaughter-in-law?!" Tang Ya stomped, forgetting her anger at An Zhen. Meeting the family? The thought flooded her mind.
"I rarely noticed the freshman dorms," Bei Bei admitted awkwardly.
Soon, they reached the dueling arena.
A freshman challenging one of the Twin Stars?
To those who knew the Twin Stars' prowess, it seemed suicidal—unless this freshman had already crushed the other star.
As gossip spread, students flocked to the arena.
Would the freshman dominate the outer court by crushing both Twin Stars?
Or would Bei Bei defend senior dignity?
"A freshman challenging the Twin Stars?" A golden-haired freshman sneered, arm around a black-haired cat-eared girl. "Zhu Lu, let's watch."
...
"Freshman An Zhen challenges fourth-year Bei Bei. Rules clear? Ready?"
Bei Bei and An Zhen nodded, retreating to opposite ends.
"Oh no..." Tang Ya snapped out of her daze. "An Zhen won't use that move on Bei Bei, will he?" She couldn't bear her handsome boyfriend groveling like Xu Sanshi.
"Probably not." Huo Yutong trusted An Zhen's gentle nature.
"Wang Dong—"
"Yutong!" Wang Dong cut her off, pink-blue eyes serious. "Earlier... did you smell a faint fragrance on An Zhen?"
"Perfume?"
"Why would he wear perfume? I mean... is he cheating on you?!"
"An Zhen gege isn't like that!"
Wang Dong bit her tongue. How could she admit she kissed and cuddled An Zhen while Yutong practiced Tang Sect techniques?
...
Huff. Honestly, Bei Bei felt uneasy. He knew little of An Zhen's martial soul skills. If even Xu Sanshi's defense had crumbled...
Recalling how An Zhen retreated first against Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei wondered: Does that ability need a wind-up?
"Begin!"
Blue lightning erupted. Bei Bei's right arm swelled, covered in electric scales. Bolts surged behind him as he charged like lightning.
"ROAR—"
A divine dragon's cry echoed. White-gold scales armored An Zhen's right arm. Holy light enveloped him like a sunlit deity.
Yellow-Yellow-Purple.
Second Soul Skill: Light Breath.
(Mu En's Light Holy Dragon lacked lightning attributes—unlike Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon variants. Reference: Dou Luo 3's Enci.)
"!" Bei Bei's eyes widened at the illusory, sacred dragon head.
Light Holy Dragon!
Is An Zhen twin-souled?!
No time to ponder. Bei Bei knew the Light Holy Dragon's supremacy over his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. His first (yellow) and third (purple) rings flashed simultaneously.
Thunder boomed. Blue-purple lightning exploded around him. Scales spread from his arm across his body, boosting his aura. A massive lightning claw formed in his hand.
An Zhen, bathed in light, lifted his head leisurely. The dragon head mirrored him. A white-gold point gathered before his lips—then dawn's radiance unleashed devastating force.
Dragon breath vs. lightning claw.
Holy light engulfed the thunderous figure.
Light Breath: Maximum Output.
"BOOM!"
The blue-purple silhouette resembled a mantis blocking a chariot. Lightning flared wildly, barely deflecting the luminous tide. Bei Bei tumbled left, evading the beam's path. Puzzlingly, the breath didn't pursue him. Instead, it veered away, blasting the arena's far end.
Silence gripped the arena.
Students gaped at the 100-meter scar gouged into the floor.
This destruction came from a freshman?
"Just as I thought." An Zhen crossed his arms, admiring his handiwork. "All fear stems from inadequate firepower. This is how battles should be."
Referee: ?
Bei Bei: ?
Audience: ?
Ground: ?
Was the arena your enemy?!
You could've aimed at him! Why blast empty space?!
"Bei Bei, surrender?"
"I should ask you that." Bei Bei eyed the ravaged field. Even a Light Holy Dragon user should be drained now. Was this a pity move?
The youth looked ragged—hair singed, clothes torn. To the crowd and referee, the outcome seemed obvious: An Zhen's attack was mighty, but a Soul Elder couldn't sustain such output.
One combatant: battered but aura intact.
The other: calm but likely exhausted.
"You think I'm out of soul power?" An Zhen raised an eyebrow.
"You still have some?" Bei Bei stared.
"Bei Bei, you haven't sensed my martial soul yet. Don't judge hastily."
The smirking youth tilted his chin up. "My martial soul is 'World,' not Light Holy Dragon."
Why squander soul power? Because he could. With his virtual world, An Zhen could train like swordsman Ji Juechen... but he preferred overwhelming force. The World should crush opposition.
"ROAR—"
The sacred dragon head reappeared. White-gold light pooled at An Zhen's lips.
Fire!
(A proper chapter, like its proper author.)
(ˉˉ)
(End of Chapter)