Chapter 53: Sorry, I Don’t Intend to Surrender

"Bei Bei is the great-grandson of the Dragon God Douluo Mu En, the Sea God Pavilion Master and the strongest at Shrek Academy," Qian Ran said calmly.

"You knew? Did Yan Shaozhe tell you, or was it Xian Lin'er? If you knew about Bei Bei's background, why did you still go after him?" Zhang Lexuan asked, surprised by Qian Ran's attitude.

Despite Bei Bei's influential lineage, Qian Ran seemed entirely unfazed.

It was truly odd. Bei Bei's background was so powerful that they kept it confidential to let him live and study as a regular student. If everyone knew Bei Bei was Mu En's great-grandson, even teachers would treat him with the utmost respect.

After all, the great-grandson of an Ultimate Douluo had a formidable background.

Didn't Qian Ran worry at all, knowing Bei Bei's lineage?

"Why should I be afraid? That he'll bring people to attack me? Am I just supposed to let myself be a target?" Qian Ran sneered.

Mu En was a respectable figure in the original story, so Qian Ran was willing to give him some face.

But if Mu En wanted to target him for Bei Bei's sake, he wouldn't back down in the slightest.

Honestly, how many years did Mu En even have left?

Based on the current timeline, Mu En had only a few years to live. Even if he wasn't assassinated by that poison-wielding enemy in the future, Mu En's days were already numbered. He was holding on by sheer willpower at this point.

"Your hidden cards?"

Zhang Lexuan looked at him closely.

Qian Ran's talent was so exceptional that it was hard to believe he didn't have powerful allies backing him.

With the Six-Winged Angel spirit, if he leveraged its status well, he could gather a group of powerful followers in no time.

Qian Ran's spirit was the Six-Winged Angel, suggesting there might be other powerful figures from the angel family. If that were true, there should at least be a Super Douluo from the angel family somewhere on the continent.

However, Zhang Lexuan didn't care about what support Qian Ran had.

Truthfully, she thought Qian Ran was much better than Bei Bei.

Even through a biased lens, she couldn't deny the gap between Bei Bei and Qian Ran.

In terms of maturity and strength, Bei Bei was far behind.

Bei Bei was older than Qian Ran, yet he wasn't as composed or mature.

"Fine, you have a point. All I need is your promise not to target Bei Bei anymore. I won't allow you to bully him," Zhang Lexuan said reluctantly. She had promised Mu En to protect Bei Bei, who, knowing his life was nearing its end, had adopted her to ensure Bei Bei wouldn't be alone after he passed.

As Mu En's greatest legacy, Zhang Lexuan, with her exceptional talent, had the potential to become an Ultimate Douluo if given the right opportunities. With a wife like that, Bei Bei was bound to have a secure future.

Yet, Bei Bei didn't appreciate her at all.

"No chance. Why should I suffer in silence? If Bei Bei acts arrogant, I'll put him in his place," Qian Ran said, shaking his head.

If Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi acted up, why shouldn't he handle them?

"You!"

"If you keep acting so stubborn, I might just get angry."

Zhang Lexuan was frustrated. She thought she had been quite accommodating, but Qian Ran wasn't giving her any face. She was, after all, the Senior Sister of the inner court; did she really deserve this kind of treatment?

Zhang Lexuan activated her martial spirit, revealing her eight soul rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, and red. As they appeared beneath her, her aura turned terrifying.

Behind her, a bright full moon emerged, making her shine like a goddess.

Floating in the air, she exuded the grace of a lunar deity.

Her dress flowed around her, and a faint smile remained on her face.

The powerful aura of a Soul Douluo sent a strong gust that felt like it could blow Qian Ran away.

A Soul Douluo!

What the…!

Qian Ran was dumbfounded.

"Damn it! Zhang Lexuan is already a Soul Douluo? Guess I remembered wrong." Sensing her intense power, Qian Ran took a sharp breath. In the original story, there wasn't much detail about Zhang Lexuan's age. He only knew that when Mu En died a few years later, Zhang Lexuan had already been a Soul Douluo for some time. He'd thought she was still a Soul Sage at this point.

If she were still a Soul Sage, he might have been able to overpower her with mental attacks and maybe even win her over. Then he could envision Zhang Lexuan, the Senior Sister of the inner court, yielding to his power.

But now, that plan was out the window.

Zhang Lexuan was a strong Soul Douluo!

While Qian Ran had the mental power of a Titled Douluo, that didn't mean he had the combat power of one. He'd only had the God Control Art for a short time, so he wasn't going to master it overnight.

He probably needed at least a year or two of training before he could reach his true potential.

Still, he wasn't completely without options, as he'd learned a few moves from the God Control Art recently.

"So?"

"Are you ready to agree now?"

Zhang Lexuan smiled, her tone carrying an authoritative edge.

While she was indeed gentle, she could also be firm when it mattered.

For some reason, she was curious to see Qian Ran yield. After all, even when talking about Elder Mu, Qian Ran hadn't shown a hint of fear. If he yielded, she would find it satisfying. But at the same time, she didn't really want him to give in.

This fearless guy had genuinely intrigued her.

If Qian Ran truly surrendered under her pressure, she'd probably be a little disappointed.

After all, his unyielding spirit had caught her attention.

"What am I thinking? I'm a Soul Douluo, and he's just a Grandmaster. The gap between us is vast. He should make the wise choice." Zhang Lexuan muttered to herself.

Looking at Qian Ran's upright posture and handsome face, she began to understand why so many girls admired him. While he might be a bit of a flirt, he was undeniably a true man.

The fierce winds from her aura swept back Qian Ran's clothes, making his frame look small in contrast.

"Sorry, but I don't intend to surrender."

Qian Ran stood there, as solid as a rock. He looked up at Zhang Lexuan, standing elegantly in the air, and smiled.

(End of Chapter)