Douluo: Peerless Ice Throne [52]

The battle-hardened gaze of Shu Yan swept across the crowd, finally lingering on the ever-cold and mysterious Luo Qinghan. A flicker of intrigue, uncontrollable, flashed in his eyes.

Noticing his slightly unusual gaze, Luo Qinghan slowly turned her wheelchair around. Without betraying any emotion, she subtly tugged at the edge of her skirt, just about to speak when a figure in a golden dress stepped in front of her.

Shu Yan withdrew his gaze, a bit surprised, but his attention was quickly drawn to the blonde girl now standing before him.

The golden-haired girl leaned over and whispered a few words to Luo Qinghan. Seeing no response, she turned back around with a helpless expression, and then flashed a charming, playful smile.

"Hello there, little brother. I'm Tian Ling, Qinghan's older sister. You must be that genius with the ultimate spirit, right? Tsk tsk, I heard from Wang Lin and the others that you're even prettier than Qinghan. I didn’t believe it at first, but now that I’ve seen you... you're truly one handsome little heartthrob."

Shu Yan’s expression stiffened slightly, then relaxed into a helpless smile. He looked at Tian Ling, his eyes glinting with amusement as he replied softly:

"Auntie, you're exaggerating. At most, I just look a bit like a pretty boy. But comparing beauty with girls? That’s not really my thing."

The moment he said "auntie," Tian Ling’s face visibly darkened. Her gaze sharpened, and her fair fist clenched tightly.

"Watch it, kid. I'm only seventeen—just in the prime of my youth. Maybe I look a bit mature, but I’m definitely not anyone’s auntie."

"Oh, really?"

Shu Yan gave her another once-over and chuckled.

Tian Ling’s curvy figure radiated temptation without any effort, and her face—a blend of youthful freshness and mature allure—made her appear dangerously charming.

Realizing Shu Yan was teasing her on purpose, Tian Ling regained her composure and smiled slyly as she turned her gaze to Xu Jiujiu beside him, deliberately drawing out her words:

"Is the princess’s lapdog life treating you well? If so, how about taking big sis along? Don’t worry, I’ll sleep in the middle. That way, you two lovebirds won’t fight. Tempting, isn’t it? Think it over, hmm?"

She even winked cheekily at Xu Jiujiu as she said it.

Xu Jiujiu offered her a helpless smile, just about to reply when another cold voice cut in:

"Tian Ling, what’s the point of wasting so much breath on them? If you're going to fight, then fight. If not, I’ve got training to do. I don’t have time for these stupid games."

Everyone turned toward the voice, their gazes landing on a tall girl with a black ponytail.

Her presence was icy—colder even than Luo Qinghan's—devoid of emotion, like a human-shaped block of ice. Just standing there seemed to chill the surrounding air.

But no one could deny her beauty. Her sharp, well-defined features carried a striking intensity, almost aggressive in its appeal.

Shu Yan sensed a familiar energy from her—an impartial, righteous coldness—like the kind he once felt from Qian Gu Zhaosheng. It was a unique trait of those with the Coiling Dragon Staff spirit. The intensity differed, but the essence was the same.

Noticing Shu Yan’s gaze, the girl scoffed disdainfully and narrowed her eyes with an obvious challenge, her tone openly hostile:

"So you’re the so-called genius with the Ultimate Ice Spirit? You don’t look the part. More like an arrogant brat. I want to see just how strong your so-called ultimate spirit is—what gives you the guts to think we’d ever submit to someone like you?"

Shu Yan met her provocation with a calm smile, replying lightly:

"Is that so? I don’t know how strong I am, but I’m definitely stronger than you. Don’t you think?"

Qian Gu Yueyin blinked, startled, then followed his gaze. Realization dawned, and a burst of fury flared in her eyes. Her teeth ground audibly as she looked up, her cheeks flushed—whether from shame or anger was unclear—but her gaze blazed with pure rage.

The next second, a dark gold staff appeared in her hand, and her icy voice rang out again:

"Good. You’ve successfully pissed me off. If you can walk out of this arena on your own two feet today, I’ll take your damn surname!"

A dark golden blur flashed through the air. In an instant, Qian Gu Yueyin was upon Shu Yan, her staff striking down with overwhelming force. A faint sonic boom echoed—testament to the sheer power behind her blow.

Shu Yan gently pushed Xu Jiujiu aside and sidestepped the attack. The staff wind whipped through his long white hair, but his expression remained calm and unbothered.

Seeing her full-powered strike easily dodged, Qian Gu Yueyin paused for a moment, then grew visibly more furious. The Coiling Dragon Staff danced in her hands with increasing ferocity, each strike packed with lethal force. Her speed increased until her movements blurred.

Luo Qinghan and the others had already retreated to a safe distance. Xue Di and Bing Di appeared beside Xu Jiujiu and soon joined her in the viewing stands, eyes fixed on the scene below.

Noticing the intensity of her assault, Shu Yan finally set aside his nonchalant demeanor. His gaze locked on the rhythm and motion of Qian Gu Yueyin’s attacks. Then, he moved.

A single, seemingly unremarkable punch met the Coiling Dragon Staff.

Boom!

The collision echoed thunderously. Qian Gu Yueyin’s hand trembled violently as she was thrown backward with her staff, crashing into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Shu Yan turned his gaze toward the others above, a faint smile curling his lips as he raised a finger and beckoned.

"Come together. I don’t feel like wasting time. Let fists do the talking—no point in blabbering."

"Show me your full strength. Let me see whether you’re truly qualified to follow me to the top of this continent… or if this is as far as your path goes."