Douluo Dalu: Immortal Dragon Clan

Chapter 162 Xu Tianran picking a fight with Jin Tianming? ? ?

On Shrek Seagod Island, Mo Yan and Mu En reached a deal, while Jin Tianming, who was focused on researching soul tools at the Sun Moon Royal Academy, was greeted by an uninvited guest.

As soon as Jin Tianming stepped out of the laboratory, he ignored the female students who were casting admiring glances at him and walked straight ahead. In his view, women would only interfere with his cultivation and research on soul tools.

"Is he Jin Tianming, junior?" a female student asked softly.

"Yeah, he's handsome and has a great presence, but it's a shame he's so hard to approach," his companion sighed in response.

"I heard that a few days ago, a girl tried to talk to him, but one look from him scared her to tears," another voice said with a hint of regret.

"Huh? Is it that scary?" someone exclaimed.

"They're so focused on studying and cultivating themselves, they don't have time for romance."

A group of female students watched Jin Tianming's departing figure and discussed among themselves. Their admiration for Jin Tianming grew day by day. With such outstanding looks, extraordinary martial soul talent, and unfathomable mastery of soul tools, who wouldn't be tempted to be his partner?
But they could only sigh in vain, for Jin Tianming's arrogant aura made him difficult to approach.

"Orange, isn't this guy in your class? You've really never talked to him?" Little Coco turned to look at Orange, who was eating beside her, her eyes full of curiosity. She found it hard to believe that someone could be so alone in the academy.

Ju Zi swallowed the food in her mouth, pushed up her glasses, and said with certainty, "Jin Tianming is that kind of person. Apart from the members of the Hongchen family, he hardly interacts with anyone else in the academy, and it seems that he doesn't even care to associate with them. Even I am no exception. He is very arrogant."

These words completely shattered Keke's understanding.

Orange continued, "Once you get to know him better, you'll find that this guy has a cold and aloof attitude towards everything."

Keke couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Aren't humans social animals? How can he manage to be so alone? It's really strange."

"Just like sheep are naturally social animals, lone wolves are used to going it alone," Orange added casually.

That's the feeling Jin Tianming gave her: he was more indifferent and arrogant than Xu Tianran, even more disdainful of everyone, and more arrogant than the emperor and princes!

Keke fell silent. She never expected that someone could be so aloof. Are all geniuses this strange?
As soon as Jin Tianming arrived at the dormitory building, he bumped into a group of people waiting there.

Looking at these figures, he sneered inwardly. Sure enough, Xu Tianran had just ascended to the position of Crown Prince and purged the Second Prince's faction, and he was already in a hurry to make a move against him.

Does he think that the position of crown prince would allow him to sit on equal footing with him?
"Jin Tianming, the Crown Prince requests your presence."

One of them spoke with an arrogant tone and his eyes were full of contempt, as if Jin Tianming in front of him was not worth mentioning. After all, their master was now the crown prince and had secured the position of the only heir apparent. No other prince could compete with him.

Jin Tianming stared at the man, his tone icy: "Does your master's appointment as crown prince give you dogs who rely on their master's power so much confidence?"

"What did you say?"

The group instantly flew into a rage. In their minds, only their master had the right to call them "dogs." Such insults from others were a trampling of their dignity. In their fury, their soul power pressure pressed down on Jin Tianming like a tidal wave.

Jin Tianming remained unmoved, secretly signaling Mo Xie, hidden in the shadows, to unleash her oppressive power in retaliation. "Bang!"

These lowly fellows immediately knelt down on the ground in unison.

He walked slowly to the previously imperious eunuch, lifted the man's chin with his fingertip, and said with a half-smile, "Go back and tell your master that he will have him come to see me in person later, otherwise..."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, "I don't mind exposing your master's dirty deeds."

"roll!"

At this shout, the people on the ground scrambled and crawled, fleeing frantically towards the school gate.

Inside the office of the Hall Master of Hongchen, Jing Hongchen's face instantly darkened upon hearing of the recent events. He never expected that, after just one outing, the newly appointed Crown Prince would dare to treat him, the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, as nothing, brazenly barging into the academy and attempting to take people away at will.

"Director Lin, do you think this Crown Prince is deliberately trying to intimidate me?" Jing Hongchen's gaze was like a icy blade as he stared at the figures fleeing in disarray outside the courtyard. Without turning his head, he asked Director Lin behind him, his voice as cold as if it had been pulled out of an ice cellar.

Director Lin stepped forward, his Adam's apple bobbing as he tentatively asked, "Master, should we report this matter to His Majesty?" He was also seething with anger. Today, Xu Tianran had been acting recklessly at the Royal Academy, clearly showing no respect for the Mingde Hall's senior officials.

Jing Hongchen waved his hand, his sleeve brushing against the table with a soft sound: "No need, this matter probably has the tacit approval of that smiling tiger emperor behind it."

He stroked the jade pendant at his waist, a meaningful smile curving his lips. "In that case, we can take our time with that experiment. We'll restart the research whenever the royal family allocates funds."

As dusk deepened outside the window, the calculations in his eyes grew even more profound. The Red Dust Family had already secretly secured a new patron. Although he could not openly betray the Sun Moon Empire, he had plenty of ways to trip up the royal family. When the time was right, he would help Jin Tianming support an obedient emperor to ascend the throne!

He felt that this matter was becoming more and more promising!

Director Lin's pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't expected Jing Hongchen to dare use the project personally selected by the emperor as leverage. A thousand questions welled up in his throat, but in the end, they all turned into a gesture of bowing and accepting orders. Some things, knowing too much about them, can be deadly.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled like molten gold onto the bluestone slabs of the Sun and Moon Royal Academy. Xu Tianran let Ju Zi push him forward from behind. Along the way, students either stopped to stare or whispered among themselves. Shock, surprise, and disbelief alternated on their faces. He always had a gentle smile on his face and nodded to everyone who looked at him.

Orange, pushing the cart behind him, couldn't help but think to herself, "Are all emperors or crown princes particularly good at acting?"

She had some opinions about Xu Tianran's personality. Ever since he lost that thing, Xu Tianran's temper had become increasingly irritable, especially towards his subordinates, whom he treated as if they were not human.

At this moment, Xu Tianran was just as Ju Zi had imagined. Although he was smiling, he was extremely angry inside, and there was also a trace of unease mixed in. He was dissatisfied with his subordinates' incompetence and resentful of Jin Tianming for not giving the Crown Prince any face.

That unease stemmed from what Jin Tianming said to his subordinates: after all, apart from Ju Zi, no one should know his secret!
"We'll only know the truth when we meet that self-proclaimed genius." Xu Tianran suppressed his irritation and continued to smile at the passing students, a little trick he used to win people over.

　I had a meltdown today. The company's internet went down this afternoon, and my draft was gone. I had to come back and rewrite it.

　　I'm really sorry.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)