Five years later.
Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team lounge.
Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Xie Le, Shi Mò, Shi Mó, Yu Feng, Osler, Ye Lingling, and Yue Fengling were all sitting together, quietly discussing in low voices.
Although their expressions were relaxed, they kept their volume very low, as if waiting for something.
Suddenly, a chilly wind gradually spread from under the door of the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team lounge.
Then the cold air slowly disappeared, and the room returned to normal temperature.
“Xue brother has finally gained complete control over his cold aura.” Yu Tianheng laughed heartily.
“That’s right, this familiar cold air, it’s Boss Xue.” “Boss Xue has come out of seclusion!” Yu Feng jumped up and quickly pulled the door open.
“Not bad, I’ve come out.” A young man walked in.
In these five years, Xue Lei Han had indeed grown quite a bit taller.
His figure was tall and straight, and his appearance had inherited the handsome genes of Emperor Xue Ye and Empress Mu Xue’er.
He had short ice-blue hair, and his eyes were still as deep as ever, but the crystal-like pupils flowed with brilliance, clearly a sign of abundant soul power.
His usually calm face slightly thawed, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
He asked, “Hasn’t Teacher Qin Ming’s training ended?
Why are you all still here?” “We heard that Brother Xue is leaving, so we came to see you off.” In these five years, Yu Tianheng had become even steadier.
His build was taller and stronger, and when he used his martial soul, the pressure he exerted on opponents was like a humanoid ferocious beast.
On the battlefield, he was undoubtedly a battle maniac, but now this sturdy young man showed a gentle smile as he spoke.
He was now one of the Twin Stars of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, titled the Blue Lightning Tyrant.
When this title was first given, Xue Lei Han also approved of it.
Yu Tianheng’s soul skills were indeed as domineering as lightning.
“Where is Boss Xue going?” Osler wiped the sweat from his cheek with a handkerchief and asked.
Xue Lei Han glanced around at the nine of the current renowned Heaven Dou Ten Elites of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and said calmly, “I plan to attend Shrek Academy, where Teacher Qin Ming previously graduated.” He introduced lightly, “Shrek Academy is located in a small village in the Barak Kingdom.
I heard from Teacher Qin Ming that their educational philosophy is very advanced, so I decided to go there.” “Age not exceeding twelve, soul power exceeding twentieth rank.
I’m not yet twelve, and my soul power just meets the standard, so I’m going to give it a try.” “Just meets the standard?
Boss Xue, you just said ‘just meets the standard’?
May I ask what level you are at now?” Yue Fengling asked while eating cake, her face slightly blushing as she secretly handed a piece of cake to Yu Tianheng, who was sitting tightly beside her.
Xue Lei Han was extremely sharp.
He teasingly glanced at the Blue Lightning Tyrant, whose face was gradually turning red, and clicked his tongue lightly.
But everyone’s ears were extremely sharp.
Under the hint from Xue Lei Han’s gaze, the group looked at Yue Fengling and Yu Tianheng and immediately let out a chorus of jeers.
“Something is going on!” — This was Osler.
“There’s an affair!” — This was Yu Feng.
Yu Tianheng’s old face stiffened.
He said in a rough voice, “Who was jeering the loudest just now?
Xie Le, was that you?
Let’s meet at the training field later.” “I will not yield even under threat of force!
I’m reporting you to Boss Xue!” Xie Le shouted aggrievedly.
Xue Lei Han suddenly felt both amused and helpless, but his face remained as calm as ever.
He said to everyone, “My soul power is stuck at the 40th rank and is still in the consolidation phase, so I’m not planning to hunt for soul rings yet.” “You really are a monster…” Everyone sighed.
Xue Lei Han coughed lightly and turned his head slightly.
He said seriously to Yu Tianheng: “Tianheng, while I’m away, I’m entrusting the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team to you.
You will serve as the captain, and Dugu Yan will be the vice-captain.
Also, remember to train Yu Feng, Osler, and Xie Le hard for me.” “I will take good care of them.” Yu Tianheng deliberately emphasized the words “take good care,” and flashed an evil smile at the three.
Ignoring the three’s resentful looks and wails, Xue Lei Han continued, “You all should also focus on protecting Xie Le, Yue Fengling, and Ye Lingling.
Support-type soul masters must be protected by power attack-type soul masters.
I’m leaving their soul rings to you.” Yue Fengling, Ye Lingling, and Xie Le (who had just recovered) showed grateful smiles to their captain.
Xue Lei Han rarely shrugged and said, “Don’t look at me like that.
The power of support-type soul masters, no, it should be said that your power is indispensable to the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team.” “No problem.” Yu Tianheng nodded, indicating he had remembered.
“Shi Mò and Shi Mó, you two are still as reliable as ever.
After I leave, I’ll trouble you brothers to steadily maintain the team’s balance.
After all, there are too many troublemakers in the team.” He quietly glanced at Yu Feng, Osler, and Xie Le.
The two brothers thought of the trio’s usual behavior and nodded with suppressed smiles.
“I believe we will shine in the Advanced Soul Master Tournament.
I believe in your talents and hard work.
You only need the accumulation of time.” “Brothers, we will meet again someday.
I’ll treat you all to drinks.” Yu Feng cheekily interrupted, “I seem to remember that someone five years ago was the first to pass out after treating us to fruit wine.” Xue Lei Han instantly became so angry that his soul nearly ascended to heaven.
The sadness of the impending farewell was completely blown away by Yu Feng’s words.
Everyone burst into loud laughter, feeling deeply emotional.
Five years ago, when they had just met, Xue Lei Han was very cold toward them and focused solely on cultivation.
It was the same when Teacher Qin Ming appointed him as captain of the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team.
But after battle after battle and coordination after coordination, Xue Lei Han’s ice gradually thawed.
He slowly began to care about the teammates around him, sometimes training with them, sometimes going to the Sunset Forest together to hunt soul rings for teammates advancing in rank, treating them like brothers.
Even the proud Yu Tianheng was convinced by him, let alone the others.
Many times during crises and dangerous moments, Xue Lei Han never said anything, but he was always the one covering everyone’s retreat and guarding the rear.
This was what touched them the most.
The Third Prince’s status was noble, yet he never cared about his identity in front of them.
Still, the team members felt a warmth like that of brothers and sisters from Xue Lei Han’s repeated protection, life-and-death struggles, and always standing at the front line in battle.
If Emperor Xue Ye saw what his Third Prince had achieved over these years, he would probably be unable to resist raising a cup and getting drunk.
“After school today, I will leave.
Dugu Yan stays, everyone else is dismissed!” Xue Lei Han clapped his hands.
Everyone scattered at once.
Osler and Xie Le gave him an ambiguous look, which almost made Xue Lei Han unable to resist drawing his Azure Rose Sword to duel them.
After five years of unremitting effort, Dugu Yan had finally won Xue Lei Han over and become his girlfriend.
The moment Xue Lei Han took the initiative to hold Dugu Yan’s hand, she shed tears of happiness for the five years of effort and bitterness.
She understood what kind of person Xue Lei Han was, so this relationship was especially hard-won.
After Xue Lei Han and Dugu Yan confirmed their relationship, Dugu Yan immediately told her grandfather, the Title Douluo who lived year-round in the Sunset Forest Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
When Dugu Bo heard the news, he was somewhat incredulous at first, but upon learning that his granddaughter’s boyfriend was Xue Lei Han, he laughed heartily, clearly extremely satisfied with his granddaughter’s choice.
He immediately went to the imperial palace to meet Emperor Xue Ye.
When Emperor Xue Ye heard that Xue Lei Han had a girlfriend, the thousand-year warm jade he was playing with fell to the ground with a clang.
He didn’t feel the slightest heartache even as it shattered.
Emperor Xue Ye had never expected any girl to fall for his cold-natured third son.
Moreover, his third son’s girlfriend was the granddaughter of Dugu Bo, the one whose beard was now happily blowing up to the sky.
But when Emperor Xue Ye summoned Xue Lei Han and Dugu Yan, he saw Xue Lei Han, who had never been good at expressing emotions, tightly holding Dugu Yan’s hand, along with Xue Lei Han’s determined gaze.
His eyes flickered with nostalgia, excitement, and most of all, joy.
He looked at Xue Lei Han with great satisfaction, his proud Third Prince.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and Second Prince Xue Beng also stood to the side.
Although the two often had friction, they had always doted on their third brother the most.
Seeing that their little brother finally had someone, they, who were usually immersed in political struggles, rarely showed sincere smiles.
The childhood voices often echoed in their ears: “Big Brother, your martial arts are so powerful.
Can you teach me?” and “Second Brother, you know so much.
Can you continue teaching me to read tomorrow?” Both of them sighed at the same time and began searching their storage rings for gifts for the pair.
Since he was the third brother of the Xue family, the gifts he received must be more noble than anyone else’s!
Emperor Xue Ye decisively became in-laws with Dugu Bo.
Xue Lei Han and Dugu Yan became engaged that very day.
Empress Mu Xue’er, who was watching from the side, smiled like a flower.
She quickly pulled Dugu Yan into her arms and began whispering.
Dugu Yan’s face turned bright red, but unlike her usual mischievous nature, she was unusually shy.
Mu Xue’er ordered a maid to take a jade bracelet from the imperial treasury and gave it to Dugu Yan on the spot.
It meant that wearing this jade bracelet made her part of the Xue family.
Dugu Yan suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
I, Dugu Yan, have decided on my lifelong partner today.
Recalling their first meeting, although Xue Lei Han was young, he was more mature and steadier than Dugu Yan, who was a few years older.
“When I grow up, I want to protect Father, Mother, my two elder brothers, and the entire Heaven Dou Empire,” Xue Lei Han had said at the time.
“What about me?” Dugu Yan asked dazedly while looking at his thoughtful back.
Xue Lei Han thought for a long time before saying, “Big Sister Dugu plays with me every day, so of course I will protect you too.” He had only been by her side for a short year, but Dugu Yan felt it was the happiest childhood time of her life.
After that, he went to the Heaven Dou Imperial Library to study hard for a year, because he knew that strength alone was not enough.
Without theoretical knowledge, he would only be a brute.
Their second meeting took place at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
By then, he had already become a genius in everyone’s eyes.
His coldness toward others and his constant frenzied cultivation were all in pursuit of that seemingly ridiculous childhood dream: to protect everything he wanted to protect.
But Dugu Yan still felt the trace of gentleness he showed only to her.
Xue Lei Han looked at Dugu Yan, who was crying like a tearful person, and a feeling he had never experienced before arose in his heart: tenderness toward the girl.
Dugu Bo patted Xue Lei Han’s shoulder at the time and said, “Treat my granddaughter well, or I’ll beat you to death, you stinky brat.” The moment he finished speaking, he received a glare from Dugu Yan.
When Ning Fengzhi heard the news, he brought Bone Douluo and Sword Douluo to the palace and drank with Emperor Xue Ye until they were completely drunk.
“Yan, I have to go.” Xue Lei Han said with a relaxed smile.
This smile was one only his parents and brothers had seen before; now Dugu Yan was added to that list.
It had to be said that in these five years as captain of the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team, Xue Lei Han had indeed changed a lot.
He had become more responsible and no longer thought only about cultivation.
From time to time, he would turn his attention to his teammates.
This made the other team members’ hearts gather even more firmly around Xue Lei Han.
If the newly formed Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team had fought for Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, then the current team would only fight for Xue Lei Han alone for his will.
“Mm.” Dugu Yan put away her usual lively and mischievous demoness appearance.
She gazed gently at the boy who was slightly shorter than her, then gently hugged him.
“If you’re tired, just come back.” “Okay.” Xue Lei Han answered gently.
He brushed the girl’s black hair behind her ear.
The two sat on the long bench in the lounge, holding hands, feeling each other’s warmth, silent for a long time.
After a while, Xue Lei Han cleared his throat lightly and then hung the Azure Rose Sword at his waist.
“I’m leaving.
I will come back.” After leaving his beloved with a smile, Xue Lei Han put on a black robe and left the lounge.
Dugu Yan smiled.
Although Xue Lei Han was still not good at expressing his feelings and often spoke concisely, seeing his gentle smile toward her and feeling the warmth in his heart was enough to make her feel completely satisfied.
Sometimes, love was just this simple yet warm.
After bidding farewell to Dream God Machine, Xue Lei Han came to Teacher Qin Ming’s office.
“Teacher Qin, I’m ready to set off.” “Mm.
When you reach Shrek Academy, remember to send my regards to the dean.” Qin Ming looked at the calm-faced young man before him with appreciation.
He was the only student during his time teaching at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy that he felt truly proud of, the top of the Heaven Dou Academy Ten Elites and one of the Twin Stars, Xue Lei Han.
“I will.
Thank you, Teacher Qin Ming, for your cultivation of Leihan these past few years.” After Xue Lei Han finished speaking solemnly, he left the gratified-looking Qin Ming and gently closed the door.
“Whew.” Xue Lei Han let out a long breath and looked at the familiar Heaven Dou Academy.
We will meet again.
Thinking of his companions’ faces, Xue Lei Han smiled, then stepped out of the campus.