Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 183 Confrontation
Moreover, Yin Chen knew very well that the reward Yan Shaozhe had initially prepared was not only the Ten-Thousand-Year Glue Whale, but also Ma Xiaotao herself.

However, he didn't pretend to be stupid and accept it directly. If he had accepted it, it would have caused trouble, and he wasn't stupid.

Knowing Ma Xiaotao's temper, he'd be in for a lot of trouble, so he wouldn't take on this big problem before he could tame her.

However, the more of these eye-pleasing perks, the better.

Ma Xiaotao leaped to her feet, dusted herself off, and regained her senior's aura.

She raised her beautiful willow-leaf eyebrows, walked up to Yin Chen, and mimicked his previous manner, scrutinizing him from head to toe with a critical gaze.

"Hmph, you're pretty direct, kid."

Her tone returned to its lazy yet domineering manner.

Immediately afterwards, she took a step forward, almost touching Yin Chen's face, her red lips slightly parted, her breath sweet as orchids, and said in a seductive and teasing tone:
"However, since you've been so honest, once you're a bit older and stronger, I... might not be so afraid to consider you, okay?"

She knew that her appearance was deadly to any young man.

She wanted to turn the tables on him and see if this little brat, who always acted so mature for his age, would blush, feel flustered, and be at a loss for what to do.

The fact that Ma Xiaotao could win the heart of someone like Yin Chen, a prominent figure in the outer courtyard surrounded by beautiful women and known as a heartthrob among the new generation of girls, proves that her charm is irresistible.
She had heard quite a few rumors about this guy.

The number one guy that female students from the Foreign Languages ​​Department privately voted for most wanted to date.

This is the top of the list of male students who are said to deserve to be killed.

She wanted to see just how good this so-called top spot really was.

However, Yin Chen's reaction once again exceeded her expectations.

Faced with her almost provocative posture, Yin Chen showed no trace of the shyness or panic that a young man should have.

His heart didn't even race at all.

He simply looked at her calmly, a hint of a smile flashing in his clear, heterochromatic eyes.

Then, he shrugged, leaned back slightly, creating some distance, and said in a rather regretful tone:

"Then I think we should forget about it."

"After all, there's still quite a big age gap between me and you, Sister Xiaotao."

"It's not appropriate."

The air froze in that instant.

The alluring smile on Ma Xiaotao's face froze on her lips.

The age gap is... a bit too big?

Not suitable?
It took her two seconds to fully grasp the subtext of that sentence.

This guy……

She just called him a brat.

Now, he's indirectly saying she's...old?!

"you……!"

Ma Xiaotao's lips twitched uncontrollably.

A strong urge to hit someone surged into my heart instantly.

She even clenched her fists unconsciously, her knuckles cracking.

Just as the phoenix flames within her were about to ignite uncontrollably once again, she suddenly froze.

She could clearly feel that the anger, though intense, was no longer as easily able to ignite the evil fire within her as it had before.

That anger was like a wild beast trapped in a sturdy cage; it roared but couldn't break free or affect her reason.

She's managed to... control her temper?

This discovery instantly dispelled her anger with a huge surge of joy.

Without the influence of the evil fire... her temper seems... not as fiery as before? In the past, she would have already resorted to violence, and wouldn't have thought about it at all.

She stared blankly at her still-clenched fist, then glanced at Yin Chen, who looked completely innocent, across from her.

She suddenly felt that it seemed... rather childish to resort to violence over such a verbal dispute.

What's more, this guy did indeed expend a lot of effort to help me suppress my evil fire.

Although the process was somewhat...shameful, the result was good.

Thinking of this, she slowly loosened her clenched fist.

She let out a long breath, suppressing the last trace of displeasure in her heart.

Ma Xiaotao snorted coldly, raised her arrogant chin, and said in a tone of magnanimity:
"Hmph, I'm in a good mood today, so I won't stoop to your level."

"Since you just did me a big favor, from now on at Shrek Academy, if anyone dares to bully you, just say my name is Ma Xiaotao."

"I've got your back."

After saying that, she gave Yin Chen no chance to refute her, proudly tossed her head, and turned to leave.

The fiery red figure, like a dazzling streak of light, vanished into the frozen forest in a few flashes.

After her figure completely disappeared, a barely audible whisper, as if carried away by the wind, drifted over.

"Thanks……"

The voice was as soft as a dream, yet it clearly reached Yin Chen's ears.

"Ah."

Yin Chen stood there, listening to the belated thank you, and couldn't help but chuckle softly, shaking his head with amusement.

"Still a tsundere?"

He looked up at the forest whose environment had been completely transformed by his power, the glistening ice sculptures shimmering with a beautiful yet dangerous light in the sunlight.

He had no worries whatsoever.

He turned around, took a step, and leisurely walked out of the woods.

As for the aftermath?

He believed that Dean Yan Shaozhe, who had been secretly observing from beginning to end, would handle these minor troubles well.

as predicted.

Not long after Yin Chen's figure completely left the forest.

A gentle fluctuation of soul power quietly descended.

The hard ice crystals in the forest began to melt at a visible rate.

But the melting water did not soak the soil; instead, it evaporated into pure water vapor before it hit the ground, nourishing the plants that had just experienced the extremes of fire and ice.

In just a short period of time, less than fifteen minutes.

This magnificent world of ice crystals was then restored to its original state.

When Yin Chen's figure reappeared at the door of the freshman class, time seemed to be paused.

The classroom, which had been buzzing just a second ago, fell into an eerie silence in an instant.

All fifty-odd eyes in the class suddenly focused on the silver-haired, heterochromatic-eyed boy at the door.

Curiosity, exploration, envy, jealousy, worry... a variety of complex emotions intertwined in the eyes of these young people.

The class monitor is back.

After being dragged away in public by that senior female student from the inner court, he has finally returned after so long.

(End of this chapter)