The Zhang Clan residence was less a home and more a fortified sanctuary, a city unto itself nestled within the academy's sprawling grounds. It was a labyrinthine complex of elegant pavilions and serene courtyards, all protected by a dome of incandescent light that hummed with the collective soul power of generations. As Liu Yan and her children followed Zhang Yu through the main gates, the sheer scale of it was breathtaking.
In the main courtyard, a woman of striking beauty and sharp intelligence awaited them. Streaks of silver wove through her dark hair, and her foot tapped an impatient rhythm against the stone. Her arms were crossed, her posture a study in restrained fury. The moment her eyes landed on Zhang Qiu'er, they narrowed to slits.
"Zhang Qiu'er! You dare to show your face here!" Her voice, though not loud, carried the sharp crack of a whip, silencing the ambient hum of the manor's defenses.
Zhang Qiu'er winced, her usual bravado melting away. "Mother..."
The woman strode forward, and for a moment, Liu Yan felt a pressure wash over her. This was Yun'er, Zhang Yu's wife and a formidable Level 71 Soul Sage. "You disappear for half a year! Not a single letter! Do you have any idea how worried your father and I were? I was a day away from burning down the entire province to find you!"
Yun'er's fierce gaze then shifted to the Liu family. Her expression softened fractionally as she took in the two small, dirt-smudged children and the weary but unyielding woman standing protectively behind them. "And these are the guests you brought home? Guests you've clearly put through the wringer."
"Mother," Zhang Qiu'er said, stepping forward and gently taking the woman's hand. "This is Liu Yan, and her children, Liu Cheng and Liu Erlong. They are... special. I brought them back for the academy."
Yun'er's sharp eyes, honed by years of leadership, assessed them in a single, sweeping glance. She saw the latent, coiled power in the children, a power far beyond their years, and the unyielding spirit in Liu Yan's weary eyes. With a long, slow sigh, the anger in her posture seemed to melt away, replaced by a matriarch's warmth that was no less powerful. "Well, any guest of Qiu'er is a guest of the Zhang Clan. You must be exhausted. Come, food has been prepared. We can talk after you've eaten and rested."
The hospitality of the Zhang Clan was a stark, welcome contrast to the rigid, cold formality of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect. That evening, for the first time in months, Liu Yan felt a sense of peace, a fragile but precious thing.
The next morning, bathed in the soft purple light of dawn, the family stood before the grand doors of the Purple Radiance Academy's main building.
"As we discussed," Zhang Yu said, his voice filled with quiet authority. "Liu Yan, your official position will be the Academy's Head Librarian. It is a quiet post with access to all of our collected knowledge. It will give you a legitimate reason to be on campus and a place to cultivate without disturbance."
Liu Yan bowed her head slightly, her voice filled with sincere gratitude. "This disciple is grateful for Master's arrangement."
"As for you two," Zhang Yu looked down at Liu Cheng and Liu Erlong, a rare, genuine smile gracing his lips. "Your talent is an anomaly. The standard junior classes would be a waste of your time. I have spoken with the head of the Elite Class, Teacher Feng. He has agreed to assess you personally. If you pass his test, you will be enrolled as his youngest students ever."
The Elite Class. The very name sent a thrill of excitement and fear through Liu Erlong. It was where the academy's most powerful and promising students trained, the future titans of the continent.
They were led to a massive outdoor training ground, its packed earth scarred by countless battles. In the center stood a man with a lean, wiry build and a face as sharp as a blade. He wore a simple black tracksuit, but the air around him was taut and dangerous, like a drawn sword. This was Teacher Feng, a Level 64 Soul Emperor, and his Wuhun was the Shadowless Blade.
"So, these are the babies Headmaster Yu is so excited about?" Teacher Feng's voice was cold and devoid of emotion. He looked at Liu Cheng and Liu Erlong as if they were curious insects. "Seven years old. One ring each."
Behind him, a group of older students snickered. They were all in their mid-to-late teens, with the lowest cultivation among them being average Level 33. They all had three soul rings, and a few even had four.
"Teacher Feng, surely there's been a mistake," a tall, muscular boy with a condescending sneer said.
Teacher Feng raised a hand, silencing the murmurs. His gaze fell upon the tall boy. "Luo Wuji, you will be the first assessor."
The boy stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "Luo Wuji. Wuhun: Warhammer. Level 35. Attack Type Soul Master." He looked down at Liu Cheng with disdain.
Teacher Feng's gaze shifted to the small boy. "Your turn."
Liu Cheng walked into the center of the combat arena, his small stature a stark contrast to the brawny teenager. He stopped, his expression placid, and gave a slight bow. "Liu Cheng. Wuhun: Fire Dragon. Level 18. Attack Type Soul Master."
A wave of surprised murmurs went through the students. A seven-year-old at Level 18 was unheard of.
"Begin!" Teacher Feng commanded.
Luo Wuji laughed, a harsh, grating sound. He summoned his Wuhun—a massive, heavy-looking hammer materializing in his hands. "This will be over quickly, kid!" He charged, and as he swung the hammer in a deadly arc, his two yellow and third spirit rings flared, but it was the yellow first ring that shone with a brilliant light as he activated his first soul skill. "Warhammer Impact!"
But Liu Cheng didn't move. He simply watched the hammer descend, his eyes tracking its path with unnerving calm. At the last possible second, he sidestepped with an impossible speed, his body seeming to flicker out of existence for a fraction of a second.
"What?!" Luo Wuji's eyes widened. He had put all his strength into that swing and stumbled forward, his momentum carrying him past the small boy.
In that moment, a brilliant yellow light erupted from Liu Cheng's own sole soul ring. " First Soul Skill: Fire Dragon's Roar!"
A concentrated beam of fire, far more powerful and condensed than what he had used in the forest, erupted from Liu Cheng's mouth. It wasn't aimed at Luo Wuji, but at the head of his warhammer.
*CLANG!*
The intense heat struck the metal hammerhead. There was no explosion, just a searing, white-hot glow. Luo Wuji screamed in pain as the heat traveled up the hammer handle in an instant, scorching his hands. He dropped his Wuhun with a deafening clatter, his palms blistered an angry red.
The entire training ground fell silent. The snickering students stared in disbelief, their smug expressions replaced with shock.
Liu Cheng hadn't even broken a sweat. He looked at the fallen hammer, then at the cringing Luo Wuji. "I believe that is one hit."
"My turn!" Liu Erlong couldn't hold back any longer. She shot into the circle like a violet comet, stopping to glare at the stunned students. "Liu Erlong! Wuhun: Fire Dragon! Level 17! Attack Type! And you'd better remember my name, because you're about to lose to a seven-year-old!"
She pointed a finger at another student who looked frozen in place. Without waiting for a command, a searing yellow light burst to life around her as her first soul ring illuminated. " First Soul Skill: Fire Dragon Claw!"
She didn't give him a chance to react. She appeared before him in a flash, her flaming claws slashing through the air. The student, a Level 27 with a Beast Soul, instinctively raised his arms to defend himself.
*Whoosh!*
The claws stopped an inch from his face, but the intense heat and the fierce wind from the swipe sent him stumbling backward, falling on his rear in terror. His face was pale, and he could feel the heat singeing his eyebrows.
Liu Erlong dispelled her claws and put her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks. "Hmph! Don't underestimate us just because we're small!"
Teacher Feng stared at the two children, his mind racing. A seven-year-old with the control and tactical precision of a veteran soul master. A seven-year-old with the ferocity and explosive power of a wild beast. Headmaster Yu hadn't been exaggerating. They were monsters.
He straightened up, his voice regaining its composure, though now it held a note of undisguised recognize. "The assessment is over. Liu Cheng, Liu Erlong... welcome to the Purple Radiance Elite Class."
From the window of her new office in the grand library, Liu Yan watched the scene unfold on the distant training ground. A proud, tearful smile touched her lips. Her children were shining. They were finding their place.
She turned back to the vast shelves of books surrounding her, the scent of old paper and knowledge a comforting balm. This was her new sanctuary. Here, she could cultivate in peace, absorb the knowledge of a continent, and watch her children grow into the powerful soul masters they were destined to be.
The future was bright, but Liu Yan knew, deep in her heart, that this was only the beginning. The Douluo Continent was vast, and true monsters were lurking in places far more dangerous than an academy training ground. But today, in this moment, her family was safe, strong, and together. And that was all that mattered.