Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Things can change in an instant, and victory or defeat often hinges on a single moment.

Soul skills are blind, and injuries are inevitable. As long as the rules are not violated and no one is intentionally killed or maimed, it is allowed.

But now, their team leader is actually asking them to "go easy" on the competition before it even starts?

If they show mercy, will the other side show mercy? If the other side takes the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, and they are injured or even defeated as a result, who will be held responsible?

"Teacher Qin!"

Ning Rongrong was the first to lose her temper. She jumped out from behind Snow White, her pretty little face filled with disbelief and dissatisfaction.

"What are you talking about? In a battle of spirits, how can you expect the contestants to hold back? Aren't you making us fight with our hands and feet tied?"

Her voice was rapid and crisp, like a machine gun:

"Besides, what makes you think we need to hold back? Didn't you just say the opponent was very strong? What if we lose because we held back? What are you thinking?"

Ning Rongrong's question voiced the doubts in everyone's hearts.

Qin Ming's face flushed red and then turned pale.

He knew that this request was unreasonable, even absurd.

But deep down, he had an almost instinctive protectiveness towards Shrek Academy, Dean Flander, and those junior students he had never met.

He didn't want to see his alma mater's team crushed, or even utterly humiliated, by the imperial prodigies he now led, who were armed to the teeth.

That would make him feel like a traitor.

Faced with Ning Rongrong's relentless questioning and the intense gazes of everyone, Qin Ming knew he couldn't hide it any longer.

Chapter 339 Alma Mater

He took a deep breath, as if he had unloaded some burden, or as if he had given up entirely, and explained in a low voice:

"Because the Shrek Seven Devils are the team of my alma mater, Shrek Academy. Dean Flander is my mentor. Those kids are my juniors."

These words caused another uproar in the living room.

That's it!

No wonder Teacher Qin acted out of character, desperately praising the "Shrek Seven Devils" and even making such outrageous demands!

Everything has an explanation: this wasn't based on rational judgment, but purely on selfishness and bias!

Everyone's expression changed.

Even the most good-natured graphite and millstone brothers frowned.

Yu Feng and Oslo exchanged a glance, both seeing deep dissatisfaction in each other's eyes.

A cold, mocking smile curled at the corners of Dugu Yan's lips, her emerald eyes filled with disdainful "just as I thought" attitude.

Yu Tianheng's face also darkened. He never expected that Teacher Qin, who was always fair and professional, would abandon his duties for personal reasons to this extent.

Upon hearing Qin Ming's explanation, Snow White's usually calm and clear eyes finally showed obvious ripples.

It wasn't anger, but a coldness that mixed disappointment, understanding, and final decision.

She slowly stood up.

Although she was only a twelve-year-old girl and her figure had not yet fully developed, when she stood up straight and looked calmly at Qin Ming, she naturally exuded an aura of majesty that was impossible to ignore.

That was the majesty belonging to the princess of the Heavenly Dou Empire and the captain of this team.

"Teacher Qin."

Snow White's voice was calm, yet clear and cold like colliding ice crystals, instantly silencing all the whispers in the living room.

All eyes were on her.

"I understand your feelings for your alma mater, and I also understand your desire to protect your younger schoolmates." Her opening remarks even carried a hint of polite tolerance, but what followed were words that were like knives.

"However, please recognize your own position."

"You are now the team leader of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team. Your responsibility is to be responsible for our team and to consider our safety, growth and victory."

"Your request just now, asking us to go easy on you in the formal Soul Battle, is not out of tactical considerations, nor is it to protect us. It is purely to satisfy your personal feelings and avoid a 'shameful' defeat for your juniors."

Snow White took a small step forward, her gaze fixed on Qin Ming, whose face was growing increasingly grim.

“This harms our interests and increases our unnecessary risks. As the team leader, I cannot accept such a request, and I also have a responsibility to protect my team members from being affected by such unreasonable demands.”

She paused, her tone resolute, leaving no room for negotiation:

"So, I'm sorry, Teacher Qin. On behalf of Team Tiandou, I formally refuse your request."

"In the arena, we will respect our opponents and give it our all. As for the outcome and whether anyone will get injured, that depends on the strength of both sides and their performance on the day, and we should not be bound by such biased 'measures' beforehand."

Snow White's words were reasonable, dignified, and neither humble nor arrogant, yet they thoroughly exposed Qin Ming's selfish motives.

Qin Ming's face turned completely red, a color a mixture of shame, anger, and resentment.

He felt that his good intentions had been taken for granted, and that his protection of his alma mater had been misinterpreted as "bias".

"Snow White!" Qin Ming's voice rose, filled with suppressed anger. "I was just telling you to know your place! Does the mighty Heavenly Fighting Team not know how to fight without ruthless tactics? Besides..."

He seemed to be driven to desperation, and blurted out without thinking:

"I was originally considering not letting you participate in the battle for the sake of balance and training value!"

As soon as he said it, Qin Ming was stunned for a moment, and then regretted it a little, but what's said can't be taken back.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Why not let the captain play? Or is it for the sake of so-called balance, to take care of his alma mater's team?

Now, even the last shred of respect for the teacher quickly melted away in everyone's eyes.

Ning Rongrong's face turned red with anger. She was about to say something when Snow White stopped her with a look.

Snow White looked at Qin Ming, and the last trace of warmth in her eyes vanished.

She wasn't angered by Qin Ming's words; instead, she became even calmer, a calmness that sent chills down one's spine.

“In that case,” Snow White’s voice remained clear and steady, yet carried an undeniable detachment and decisiveness.

"It seems that there is a fundamental difference between Teacher Qin and us in our understanding and expectations of this match."

She nodded slightly, no longer looking at Qin Ming, but turning to her teammates, her voice carrying clearly throughout the living room:

"Then, I will make the final decision on the tactics and personnel for this team battle three days from now. Since Teacher Qin has his own ideas, we don't need to force him to agree."

She glanced one last time at Qin Ming, whose face was ashen and whose chest was heaving violently, and said indifferently:

"Teacher Qin, please get some rest. You don't need to worry about the preparations."

After saying this, Snow White stopped and turned to walk towards her room.

Ning Rongrong immediately followed like a little tail.

Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Yu Feng, Aosi Luo, Shi Mo, Shi Mo... everyone silently stood up, without looking at Qin Ming again, and dispersed.

Ye Lingling closed the book and left quietly.

Rapunzel also stood up. As she walked past Qin Ming, she paused slightly, glanced at him with her amber eyes, which held no accusation but only a faint sense of detachment. Then she quietly left the living room.

In the blink of an eye, only Qin Ming remained in the huge living room.

He stood there, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white, and his face was a mixture of red and blue.

Looking at the empty living room and listening to the sound of the team members closing the door without any hesitation as they left, Qin Ming felt a surge of frustration stuck in his chest, unable to spit it out or swallow it down.

His initial enthusiasm and self-righteous planning have now become a complete joke.

In the end, all he could do was let out a cold snort through gritted teeth at the air:

"Fine...fine! Since you all have your own ideas, then you don't have to listen to me!"

……

On the other side, after leaving the living room, the members of the Tian Dou team all had faces so gloomy they could drip water.

They dispersed and headed towards their respective rooms, their steps heavier than usual, a silent anger simmering in the air.

These privileged children, born with a silver spoon in their mouths and raised with the utmost care, have never suffered such injustice and blatant favoritism.

Chapter 340 Sending a Message

Qin Ming's actions today are not merely a misjudgment or a moment of confusion, but a blatant prioritization of personal feelings over team interests, even demanding that they go easy on him in the formal Soul Battle to fulfill his alma mater sentiment!

This is utterly absurd and an insult to their strength and dignity!

"I'm so angry! I'm so angry!"

As soon as Ning Rongrong returned to her room, she slammed the door shut, the hem of her beautiful pale yellow dress tracing an angry arc due to the force of the movement.

Her chest heaved violently, her face flushed red with anger, and her eyes, which were always full of lively smiles, were now burning with flames of fury.

"What kind of teacher is Qin Ming! He can't separate public and private matters! He's biased towards outsiders! He wants Sister Xue to not participate? Has he forgotten who pays his salary and whose students he teaches!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Ning Rongrong rushed to her desk, spread out a sheet of paper, and started writing.

She pressed the pen down hard, almost tearing the paper. She was going to tell her father, Ning Fengzhi, everything that had happened that day, and even embellish it...

No, it's a factual description of how Qin Ming favored other schools, suppressed his own team members, and attempted to harm the interests of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!

She was determined to make her father give this Teacher Qin a proper greeting and ask him if he still wanted to stay in Tiandou City!

In the next room, Dugu Yan was in an equally bad mood.

Her emerald green eyes were filled with a chilling light as she sat by the window, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table.

Qin Ming's final words, "Don't let Snow White appear," completely ignited her anger.

Snow White is the captain, the soul and strongest force of the team. Qin Ming actually wants to cut off his own arm for the sake of his dilapidated alma mater.

This isn't just confused, it's stupid and malicious!

Dugu Bo's grandfather has now aligned himself with Queen Eva and has a close relationship with the royal family.

Qin Ming's actions not only harmed the team's interests, but also, to some extent, slapped the face of the royal family and Queen Eva's faction.

Without further hesitation, she decided to immediately inform her grandfather, Dugu Bo, about this matter.