The Duel

Bronk lowered his head, timidly following behind Ye Fan, looking exactly like a wronged wife too afraid to complain. Ye Fan had actually completed his first blood transformation, a result that not only exceeded Bronk's expectations but also deeply shook him.

After all, he was a student at the prestigious Tianlan Academy and had yet to undergo his first blood transformation. Yet Ye Fan, just an orphan working odd jobs, had managed to achieve it so quickly! Even if Ye Fan had been fortunate enough to earn Professor Billy's favor, it still seemed impossible for him to complete the first blood transformation so soon.

Bronk was torn as he watched Ye Fan walk ahead with a look of anticipation. His mind was filled with resentment, and he thought to himself that he would definitely badmouth Ye Fan to Qiao Mingtian later, hoping Qiao would severely punish this lowly brat.

Bronk had confidence in Qiao Mingtian. Although he and Ye Fan were both first-level blood transformation warriors, strength can vary even within the same realm. Besides, Qiao Mingtian was naturally gifted with immense strength, something Bronk had witnessed firsthand.

The two of them walked out of Professor Billy's laboratory and headed straight to a small forest behind it. A few minutes later, Bronk pointed to a grove of maple trees ahead and whispered, "It's right there."

Ye Fan squinted his eyes, looking toward the maple grove. He saw towering maple trees with graceful branches reaching toward the sky, full of life and vitality. Under a large maple tree on the edge of the grove stood six or seven young men.

Among them, the leader was a burly man with a massive build, easily over 7 feet tall. Just standing there, he looked like a statue of a giant. But when Ye Fan's gaze moved to the man's face, he was momentarily stunned.

It wasn't surprising that Ye Fan was taken aback; the man's appearance was truly extraordinary. He had a square face with a slightly dark complexion, a wide mouth, a bulbous nose with flaring nostrils, and most remarkably, a pair of mismatched eyes—one large and one small.

The large eye was the size of a pigeon's egg, while the small one was no bigger than a soybean. Such a shocking appearance was something Ye Fan, despite his two lifetimes of experience, had never encountered before.

Bronk noticed Ye Fan's stunned expression and a sly smile flashed in his eyes. He leaned in and whispered, "That burly guy is Qiao Mingtian, the most obsessed pursuer of Li Miaoyi. But Li Miaoyi doesn't pay him any attention; he's just been pestering her shamelessly."

After hearing Bronk's words, Ye Fan gave him a long, deep look. This kid had some nerve. If Ye Fan were really a hot-headed teenager, he might have been provoked into a fight with Qiao Mingtian just from Bronk's words.

Bronk felt a chill run down his spine under Ye Fan's gaze, as if his scheme had been seen through. He had purely acted out of jealousy toward Ye Fan. Though they hadn't interacted much before, in just this brief encounter, Bronk could tell that Ye Fan was no ordinary teenager—he was a cunning and calculating fox.

Ye Fan ignored Bronk's shifting emotions and kept his focus on Qiao Mingtian's unique appearance. In his mind, he couldn't help but merge the images of Li Miaoyi and Qiao Mingtian together, and the thought sent a shiver down his spine. This Qiao Mingtian didn't just look like a beast; he was a full-fledged monster. If he were actually with Li Miaoyi, it would be the ultimate beauty and the beast pairing.

Despite having mismatched eyes, Qiao Mingtian's vision was excellent. From afar, he spotted Ye Fan and Bronk. Especially when he noticed that Ye Fan was just a slender 5'9" pretty boy, the larger of his two eyes rolled upward, and he snorted loudly with a nasal tone, saying, "I thought I was going to face some kind of hero, but it's just a little pretty boy." Then he slapped his own face twice and said smugly, "How could he ever compare to someone as strong as me?"

The group of young men behind him chimed in with flattery, causing Qiao Mingtian to beam with joy. In high spirits, Qiao Mingtian took a few steps forward and shouted at Ye Fan, who had stopped in his tracks, "Hey, you little pretty boy! How dare you try to steal my woman? Scared, aren't you? If you're scared, go home and drink your milk!"

Hearing Qiao Mingtian's arrogant taunt, Ye Fan frowned, a dangerous glint flashing in his squinted eyes. Bronk, who had been anxiously watching, was overjoyed. He had been worried that the two wouldn't fight, but now it seemed Qiao Mingtian's provocation had turned the tide.

Just as Bronk anticipated, a murderous intent began to brew within Ye Fan. In his past life, Ye Fan was the God of Thunder, a name known for its dominance. How could someone like him tolerate being provoked?

"Hmph, I say, you freak! You think you can chase after women? Maybe in your next life!"

Ye Fan's retort was venomous, hitting Qiao Mingtian right where it hurt. Unfortunately for Qiao Mingtian, his unusual appearance was his biggest insecurity. Now that Ye Fan had exposed it, his mismatched eyes turned blood red with rage.

"You pretty-faced weakling, I'm going to tear you apart!"

Qiao Mingtian roared, hot air snorting out from his flaring nostrils. Like a mad bull, he charged straight at Ye Fan. Off to the side, Bronk's face lit up with joy as he quickly retreated to a safe distance.

Ye Fan, seeing this, chuckled with a glint of excitement in his eyes. Though his appearance was delicate, within him beat the heart of a wild and dominant force. Now that Qiao Mingtian was charging at him without any fancy moves, Ye Fan couldn't help but feel a thrill.

Since completing his first blood transformation, Ye Fan's physical abilities had reached a new level. Combined with the Dragon Elephant Power gene chain and the Iron Serpent Defense gene chain, his strength now exceeded 12,000 pounds. He had been itching for a challenge, and now he finally had his chance.

Whoosh...

Ye Fan took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto the charging Qiao Mingtian, and instantly activated the blood energy within him. The source energy stored in his cells surged like a warm current, fueling every cell in his body.

In nearly an instant, Ye Fan reached his peak state. A powerful, invisible energy radiated from him, spreading outward. Bronk, who was several meters away, was the first to feel its impact. He groaned, his face turning pale as he quickly retreated further back.

Ye Fan paid no mind to any of this. At that moment, his focus was entirely on Qiao Mingtian.

"Hey, you beast, let's test our strength!"

Ye Fan shouted excitedly as he took a step forward, charging headlong towards Qiao Mingtian. His sudden action left everyone stunned, especially Bronk, who had just stopped a few meters away, his face frozen in disbelief.

For a moment, Bronk wondered if Ye Fan had lost his mind, daring to engage in a direct clash of strength with someone like Qiao Mingtian. But that thought only lasted a fraction of a second before he was overwhelmed with a surge of excitement.

This damned little bastard, wouldn't it be better if he died? With that thought, Bronk's eyes lit up as he eagerly watched the two closing in on each other, already imagining the scene of Ye Fan being sent flying like a ragdoll.

Under the astonished and eager gazes of the onlookers, neither of the two dodged. They collided head-on. The moment their bodies met, a dull thud echoed through the air, causing everyone's heads to buzz for a moment.

Immediately, the grass outside the grove flew up, as if swept away by the force of an explosion, scattering in all directions. For a moment, the view was obscured, and everyone strained their eyes, focusing on the center of the battlefield.

As the grass settled, an astonishing scene came into view. On the green turf, the two of them were separated by four or five meters, with one sitting and the other standing. The grass between them had been completely destroyed.

The black soil beneath had been turned over half a foot deep, mixed with bits of green. Both men were breathing heavily, their eyes locked onto each other, like two bulls dueling for the right to mate.

"How is this possible? That lowly brat actually knocked Qiao Mingtian down!" Bronk rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing on the battlefield.

Though neither man appeared injured from the clash, their postures—one sitting and the other standing—made it clear: Ye Fan had the upper hand in strength.