With Liu Erlong standing up for him, the granddaughter of Poison Douluo delivering a message, and now even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect seeking him out, calling Dan Heng an ordinary librarian no longer seemed convincing.
Steward Ning stepped forward and courteously greeted Liu Erlong and Tai Tan first.
As the manager of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a faction adept at maintaining relationships on all sides, he was a man who could navigate any social situation and make everyone feel respected.
Liu Erlong asked, "Did Sect Master Ning send you? What does he want with Mr. Dan Heng?"
Tai Tan was equally curious as he looked at Steward Ning.
Steward Ning smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, the sect master has heard of Mr. Dan Heng's wisdom and hopes to invite him to visit our humble sect."
Then, turning to Dan Heng, he bowed slightly and presented an invitation with both hands.
His approach was entirely formal, demonstrating the respect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect held for Dan Heng.
In comparison, the Power Clan—less influential than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—had simply barged in, making them seem rather crude.
Tai Tan frowned inwardly. Before this, he had held a similar opinion to Tai Nuo's: Dan Heng was admirable in character and well-read, but he had no overwhelming presence, no prestigious background, no absolute strength, nor even any personal renown for the books he read.
Why should the Power Clan take him so seriously?
But now, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had given them a lesson on what true respect looked like.
Liu Erlong, on the other hand, was feeling uneasy. Was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect trying to snatch Dan Heng from her? If so, she wouldn't take it lightly!
With this thought, her expression darkened, and she gave Steward Ning an unfriendly look.
Dan Heng furrowed his brows slightly. He thought about it and realized he had no real connection with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Why had they suddenly invited him?
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was one of the top three sects on the Douluo Continent, maintaining excellent relations with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Emperor Xue Ye had even appointed its master, Ning Fengzhi, as the teacher of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
Once Xue Qinghe ascended the throne, Ning Fengzhi would be the Imperial Tutor!
That kind of major "trouble" was not something Dan Heng wanted to get involved with. He stood up and pushed the invitation back toward Steward Ning.
"Thank you for your kind invitation, but I prefer my freedom and do not wish to engage with others. My apologies."
"…"
Steward Ning was momentarily stunned. He looked into Dan Heng's eyes.
As a representative of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he had extended many invitations, but this was the first time someone had outright refused!
"Mr. Dan Heng, this…" Steward Ning chuckled awkwardly.
Liu Erlong immediately jumped down from the desk, stepped in front of Steward Ning, and smiled. "Dan Heng doesn't like these things, so just forget about it. You can't possibly force him to go, right? You certainly wouldn't be able to get past me!"
Seeing the dangerous glint in Liu Erlong's eyes, Steward Ning laughed. "Dean Liu, you misunderstand. Of course, we will respect Mr. Dan Heng's wishes. Since he is unwilling, we won't insist."
Only then did Liu Erlong look satisfied.
Tai Tan felt a little embarrassed. Compared to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, their Power Clan had indeed shown Dan Heng little respect.
And it was mainly because of that fool Tai Nuo!
But what exactly had Dan Heng done to earn the regard of both Liu Erlong and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
Just because he read a lot of books?
Tai Tan pondered deeply.
Yu Tianheng blinked, committing this moment to memory.
His father had once lamented that Liu Erlong remaining single was a constant concern for his grandfather.
But now, Liu Erlong seemed to hold special regard for this Dan Heng. Could this be a good sign?
Liu Erlong suddenly turned to look at Dugu Yan and asked, "And you, young lady? What does Poison Douluo want to say to Dan Heng?"
Dugu Yan's face flushed slightly. In truth, her grandfather had suggested that she check out Dan Heng and see if they were a good match.
From a woman's perspective, Dan Heng was indeed very handsome and aesthetically pleasing.
But she wasn't particularly interested. He was too weak!
She still preferred a man who could conquer her.
"My grandfather said he will be staying outside the city for about ten days. During this time, if Mr. Dan Heng needs his assistance, he can find him at Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
Dugu Yan spoke politely and then stepped back, not intending to engage further with Dan Heng.
Dan Heng nodded and thought for a moment before saying, "I need medical books. If he has any, please have them sent here."
"Understood, I will inform my grandfather."
Dugu Yan nodded slightly, feeling a bit puzzled. Dan Heng seemed completely unafraid of her grandfather?
Yu Tianheng spoke up. "Aunt, can we now have a match with the Blue Tyrant Academy team?"
"Alright! Let's see the gap between you."
Liu Erlong clapped her hands and eagerly led the way.
Tai Tan and Tai Nuo exchanged glances. "Speaking of which, that kid Tai Long has improved. Let's see how well he performs."
Steward Ning glanced at Dan Heng, thought for a moment, and followed along.
A Short While Later
In a battle arena.
The only spectators were Liu Erlong and the others, while both academy teams stood on the stage.
The match lasted only three minutes before it ended.
The Heaven Dou Royal Team completely crushed the Blue Tyrant Academy Team with overwhelming strength.
There was no suspense.
Only Zhang Zhu and Tai Long showed some promise, but even they were far from matching any member of the Heaven Dou Royal Team.
Onstage, not only were the Blue Tyrant Academy students dumbfounded, but even the Heaven Dou Royal Team was shocked. The strength gap was immense!
"…"
Liu Erlong's face darkened. As a competitive woman, she felt like she had just been slapped in the face.
"Aunt…" Yu Tianheng looked a little embarrassed.
Liu Erlong gritted her teeth. "Five versus seven! Let's go again!"
Yu Tianheng had no choice but to comply, having two teammates step down for a fairer fight.
The second match lasted about five minutes before the Blue Tyrant Academy Team was once again defeated.
"…"
Liu Erlong's expression was now so dark it could drip water.
Red flames flickered around her, making even Tai Tan and Steward Ning hesitant to approach for fear of getting burned.
"Three versus seven!!!"
Liu Erlong practically growled through gritted teeth.
The members of the Heaven Dou Royal Team exchanged looks before turning their eyes toward Yu Tianheng.
They had a bad feeling that they might not be able to return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy after this.
Yu Tianheng said, "I, Yan Zi, and Yu Feng will take the field."
Thus, the third match began.
This time, it lasted ten minutes before the Blue Tyrant Academy Team was once again defeated. Their members stood there, heads hanging, utterly dejected.
Liu Erlong's face was now completely stormy.
Steward Ning cautiously said, "After all, it is a noble academy, and the strongest in Heaven Dou Empire…"
"Everyone stay put! No one is allowed to leave! Blue Tyrant Team members, come with me!"
Liu Erlong, seething with anger, snapped.
(End of Chapter)