Douluo : Capture the goddess starting from peerless tang sect

Due to the unprecedented number of prodigies in Qian Ran's cohort, which stood out even in Shrek Academy's storied history, every move they made drew attention from the academy's top figures.

"Qian Ran truly has luck with the ladies," Yan Shaozhe remarked with a smile, noting the many admiring glances the young women cast his way. "If I'd known back then that I could enjoy a life like his, I wouldn't have tortured myself over choosing between two. Cai Mei'er and Xian Lin'er are both absolute beauties, each exceptional in her own way. If I'd been smarter back then, I wouldn't be in this mess now."

Back in the day, Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er had shined just as brightly in the outer courtyard as Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya, now standing gracefully in front of Qian Ran.

"With his strength, it's no wonder so many are drawn to him," Qian Duoduo sighed. If he weren't so concerned about pride, he'd be tempted to ask Qian Ran for advice himself. Recently, he had been struggling to understand Xian Lin'er's mixed signals.

With Qian Ran visiting his office less often lately, Qian Duoduo's encounters with Xian Lin'er had also dwindled. Qian Ran's talent was simply too monstrous; he had already grasped the essentials of making soul tools and no longer needed guidance. In reality, Qian Ran had only gone there to charm Xian Lin'er. Once he succeeded, the location became irrelevant. Occasionally, they even spent time in her office, which had a particular thrill of its own.

Especially during times when the hallway outside bustled with people, he and Xian Lin'er would carry on without interruption. Such moments were an excellent test of his composure.

Otherwise, he could just call her out; Xian Lin'er was his teacher, and if she wanted to privately guide him in training, who could object?

"Hmph."

Mu Jin's beautiful eyes lingered on Zhou Yi and Qian Ran, a peculiar smile crossing her face.

Qian Ran's handsome appearance made her heart skip a beat.

There wasn't a single man in Shrek Academy as striking as Qian Ran, who radiated elegance and had a unique, unrivaled charm.

What a shame he was such a heartbreaker, wrapped up in an unclear relationship with Zhou Yi.

"Truly handsome. No wonder Teacher Zhou Yi is so taken with him," Mu Jin remarked, casting a teasing glance at Zhou Yi. Mu Jin's short black hair and slightly upturned phoenix eyes added to her striking, spirited beauty.

Dressed in a fitted outfit, Mu Jin's figure was stunning and not at all inferior to Zhou Yi's.

Zhou Yi shivered at Mu Jin's words, worried she might expose them. Even without concrete evidence, Zhou Yi felt guilty.

"As a teacher, of course, I favor obedient students like Qian Ran," Zhou Yi replied, her gaze drifting toward Qian Ran with a hint of tenderness.

"Is that so? I'd say students as remarkable as Qian Ran probably appreciate obedient teachers just as much," Mu Jin remarked, her voice laced with sarcasm. She glanced at Zhou Yi with barely veiled disdain. Who would have thought that Zhou Yi was such a person behind closed doors?

While Qian Ran was indeed outstanding, Zhou Yi's behavior was utterly shameful!

If she hadn't been assigned a prodigy like Qian Ran, how could she possibly have become a senior teacher?

If Qian Ran were in her class, Mu Jin thought, she'd have achieved the same.

All these years, Zhou Yi had surpassed her in every aspect. Recently, Zhou Yi had even secured her senior teacher position, leaving Mu Jin feeling inferior professionally as well.

"You!"

Zhou Yi's face flushed with shame and anger.

It was true that she was often very accommodating with Qian Ran, wearing several trinkets he'd made for her.

But hearing Mu Jin's frank words made her deeply uncomfortable. How could Mu Jin know the unique charm of Qian Ran? Every woman who spent time with him was drawn to him. She hadn't expected to fall so deeply for him either, but by the time she realized, it was too late to turn back. When love burned as brightly as hers, societal norms and worldly concerns faded away—all she wanted was to leave a mark in Qian Ran's heart.

Only after being with Qian Ran did she come to understand a woman's true happiness.

She only regretted meeting Qian Ran too late; otherwise, things would have been perfect.

"Alright, alright. Qian Ran is Zhou Yi's student, a genuine prodigy. Isn't it normal for her to appreciate him? Mu Jin, could it be that you're just envious of Zhou Yi because your class lacks a star student?" Fan Yu interjected as Zhou Yi and Mu Jin began trading barbs.

"Qian Ran is a talent unlike any other."

Fan Yu, Mu Jin, and Zhou Yi had been the top talents of the outer courtyard over ten years ago, and both Zhou Yi and Mu Jin had been interested in Fan Yu, sparking a rivalry between them. Mu Jin had loved Fan Yu deeply, and even after Fan Yu chose Zhou Yi, she hadn't given up on competing with Zhou Yi.

"Fan Yu, you're such a fool. What would you know?"

Mu Jin's chest tightened at Fan Yu's words.

Fan Yu, the fool, didn't even realize that his own wife had an ambiguous relationship with Qian Ran and had instead turned the blame on her. Yes, she envied Zhou Yi's luck in having a class full of geniuses, but that didn't mean she was holding a grudge over it.

Fan Yu was truly pathetic!

All of a sudden, Mu Jin realized that Fan Yu, whom she had cherished for years, was nothing special. He couldn't even keep his own woman's loyalty, and that alone tarnished his image in her mind. Moreover, Fan Yu's attitude toward her had always been chilly.

Even though Fan Yu was oblivious to the truth, the way he shielded Zhou Yi cut Mu Jin deeply.

"Mu Jin, I hope you understand the reality of our situation. There's no future for us. You're still young; find someone and settle down," Fan Yu said coolly. Mu Jin had spent years waiting for him.

"Don't flatter yourself. I, Mu Jin, am not so desperate as to be without options," Mu Jin replied, her expression growing colder. Fan Yu only had eyes for Zhou Yi and had never once shown her any compassion. Was this man truly worth her time?

In that moment, Mu Jin's years of affection for Fan Yu vanished entirely.

Of course, what finally shattered the image she had of Fan Yu was seeing Zhou Yi's secret relationship with Qian Ran.

"I'm glad you understand."

Fan Yu assumed Mu Jin was merely venting as she often did and dismissed her response.

Fan Yu had always respected Qian Ran. Occasionally, when Qian Ran crafted soul tools, his creativity was so impressive that Fan Yu found himself inspired. In fact, Fan Yu considered Qian Ran more of an equal and often sought his guidance.

Fan Yu's own thinking had grown rigid over the years, and he rarely came up with designs that felt truly innovative.

"Ungrateful fool, I'll leave you to fend for yourself then. Let's see how you handle it!"

Mu Jin cursed inwardly, wishing Zhou Yi would find herself visibly pregnant.

Zhou Yi, watching Mu Jin and Fan Yu's exchange, felt relieved. Fan Yu was unlikely to ever suspect anything; before meeting Qian Ran, Zhou Yi had always been a virtuous person!

Meanwhile, Qian Ran observed the scene above from the audience, mingling with the girls before making his way to the stage.

With his formidable strength, he had been granted a spot in this year's Spirit Master Tournament. Given his power, which had stabilized well beyond the Soul Sage level, Shrek Academy would have been foolish not to send him. Thus, this selection for the Seven Monsters' reserve team didn't concern him.

He had already helped Wang Dong'er and the others strengthen their abilities, leaving little chance for others to surpass them in the selection.

(End of chapter)