Douluo : Capture the goddess starting from peerless tang sect

"Qian Ran, are you really that amazing? Even more incredible than I imagined?"

Shortly after the announcement was posted, Ke Ke ran over, excitedly clutching Qian Ran's hand to her chest.

Everyone already knew Qian Ran was exceptional, but this was an official evaluation from the academy itself.

The title of the "Greatest Genius on the Continent" was well-deserved.

The announcement stirred the entire academy into a frenzy. Never before had the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy offered such high praise to anyone.

Ke Ke clung tightly to Qian Ran's hand, as though afraid someone might snatch him away. A twinge of regret bubbled within her—she should have been even more proactive before. Now that the whole academy knew just how incredible Qian Ran was, there would surely be hordes of women eager to latch onto him, seeking a shortcut to fame.

After all, even before Qian Ran's full potential was revealed, plenty of sultry seductresses in skimpy bikinis had tried to cozy up to him. If that was how things were before, how bad would it get now?

For the first time, Ke Ke felt genuine anxiety. She wished she could… right here and now…

"After today, I bet a lot of people will have their eyes on you," Juzi teased as she strolled over. Despite the casual remark, she maintained a respectable distance, refraining from any overtly intimate gestures in front of others.

Xu Tiannan had no desire for the whole world to know about his… particular situation. He only wanted an heir, after all.

"I noticed the announcement says even Soul Saints are allowed to participate. What was the academy thinking?" Juzi muttered, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice. Qian Ran was only at the Soul King level, yet the academy would allow Soul Saints to challenge him. Even if they won, wouldn't it still be a disgrace?

"Soul Saints or even Soul Emperors—it makes no difference to me. Honestly, I thought Jing Hongchen might let Soul Douluos join in. Guess he's still underestimating me," Qian Ran smirked dismissively.

"If they really let a Soul Douluo fight you, wouldn't the academy lose all face?" Juzi glared at Qian Ran. Soul Douluos were exceedingly rare at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, representing the pinnacle of their strength. Many of them even possessed knowledge of crafting Rank 9 Soul Tools, their only limitation being cultivation.

"Anyone below Soul Douluo is no more than a speed bump to me. What's the point of dragging this out over three days? I could finish all the matches in a single day," Qian Ran grumbled, contemplating whether he should leave Jing Hongchen a shred of dignity.

Sweeping through the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy in mere hours might seem… impolite.

For Meng Hongchen's sake, perhaps he should slow things down?

"Pfft! There you go, bragging again. Do you think our academy is full of pushovers? You'd better adjust that attitude, or you'll have a hard time!" Ke Ke giggled.

She knew Qian Ran was strong, but could he really defeat a Soul Saint? The academy's Soul Saints were all Rank 7 Soul Engineers, many equipped with Rank 8 Soul Tools.

The Sun Moon Empire might lack individual powerhouses, but their true strength lay in their meticulously outfitted Soul Engineer armies and their vast stockpile of Soul Tools.

"You'll all see soon enough," Qian Ran replied with a shrug.

"I've made up my mind—I'll do whatever you say," Juzi whispered as she stepped closer to Qian Ran, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.

After days of contemplation, she had finally reached a decision.

As long as she could avenge her parents, she could let go of the burden in her heart. She no longer needed to stay by Xu Tiannan's side, scheming tirelessly to seize military power from him.

Since meeting Qian Ran, her previously narrow perspective had broadened. She now realized how vast the world truly was.

All she needed now was an outlet for her anguish, and she could release her obsession.

"Good. If you've thought it through, I'll bring those people to you. You can handle them however you wish."

Seeing that Juzi had let go of her inner torment, Qian Ran was in high spirits as well.

Juzi's parents had perished in the war between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Xu Tiannan had redirected Juzi's hatred toward the Star Luo Empire, but Qian Ran had deftly shifted it onto Dai Hao and his associates.

After all, to Qian Ran, Dai Hao was nothing more than a dog.

No matter how Juzi chose to deal with Dai Hao, Qian Ran wouldn't bat an eye.

In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to bring both Dai Hao and Zhu Ying together. Qian Ran could indulge himself in the process…

But what pleased Qian Ran most was Juzi's attitude toward him compared to Xu Tiannan. Once Juzi was fully his, he could flaunt her to Xu Tiannan daily. How delightful that would be…

A eunuch dreaming of uniting the continent? Utterly laughable.

Though Qian Ran normally didn't harbor animosity toward such individuals, Xu Tiannan's grotesque methods of impregnating his wife disgusted him. Qian Ran seriously suspected the man suffered from some unspeakable affliction.

He'd seen plenty of depraved characters like Xu Tiannan on niche forums. These were the types who dressed their wives provocatively, invited a bunch of shady friends over for drinks, and then conveniently left when their wives got drunk. Absolute beasts.

Qian Ran was starting to wonder if he should give Xu Tiannan a little push to fully unleash his darker tendencies.

Two days later, nearly every eligible student at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had signed up.

Qian Ran prepared a few oversized "bottle-type" Soul Tools for himself. With so many opponents, even the smallest consumption could accumulate into a considerable drain.

"Qian Ran, are you ready? Do your best!" Before Qian Ran could even leave his dorm, Meng Hongchen had already come to cheer him on.

"I don't need to prepare much. But is it really appropriate for you to be encouraging me? After all, you're the Hall Master's granddaughter," Qian Ran teased, giving Meng Hongchen's curvaceous figure a playful squeeze. Over the past few days, their relationship had advanced significantly, with Qian Ran taking every opportunity to get handsy.

"Ah! Just be careful, okay? I'll be watching from the stands," Meng Hongchen stammered before leaving in a hurry, clearly embarrassed.

She worried that if anyone saw her being so affectionate with Qian Ran, it would spark widespread protests. After all, the entire academy was mobilizing to fend off an "external enemy." If the eldest daughter of Mingde Hall was seen fraternizing with the enemy, what would that look like?

The Soul Engineering Testing Arena was the largest structure on the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's campus, capable of accommodating up to 10,000 spectators. Its design bore some resemblance to Shrek Academy's Beast Arena. The interior featured a massive central plaza surrounded by tiered seating that rose high into the air. It was typically used for assessments, competitions, and testing large Soul Tools.

Although it was still early morning, the arena was already packed. The academy had nearly 12,000 students and faculty, including those from Mingde Hall.

(End of Chapter)

Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X