Originally, Dugu Yan had planned to treat Oscar as an older brother. After all, Oscar stood at about 1.88 meters tall. Although his handsome face still carried a trace of youthful softness, boys often matured physically later than girls.
But she never expected that Oscar was actually four years younger than her! And not only that—he was already at the same spirit power level as her… no, he was even ahead, having already obtained his third spirit ring!
This was what could truly be called a monster! What kind of academy could nurture a genius like this? If one wanted to learn, then surely it should be in such an academy.
Meanwhile, listening to the conversation between Dugu Yan and Oscar, the hidden Dugu Bo was utterly shocked as well. An eleven-year-old Spirit Elder?
Watching Oscar converse so naturally with Dugu Yan, coupled with his knowledge and genuine attitude toward her, Dugu Bo's expression shifted back and forth, his thoughts uncertain.
Shao Xin, sitting nearby, occasionally chimed in to add his words of praise for Oscar while listening to their chat.
As for Oscar inviting Dugu Yan to Shrek Academy, Shao Xin didn't see any problem with it.
According to Shrek's enrollment requirements—twelve years old, at least two spirit rings, both of them yellow—if Dugu Yan's age were adjusted down to twelve, she would pass easily.
Moreover, this was the first time Shao Xin had ever seen Oscar show such genuine interest in a girl. And, well, the young lady was indeed exceptional.
But remembering that Oscar was also a vigorous young man, Shao Xin only chuckled and didn't say anything further.
With how much the teachers at the academy doted on Oscar, as long as Oscar brought Dugu Yan back, not a single one of them would object.
In the end, though Dugu Yan was moved, she didn't immediately make a decision. Instead, she replied:
"Although I really am tempted to go to Shrek Academy, I still want to ask my grandfather's opinion first. After all, according to what you've said, Shrek Academy is more than a week's journey from Heaven Dou City."
"I'm only giving you a suggestion," Oscar smiled lightly. "The decision is ultimately yours. After all, I can't just kidnap you with sweet words just because you're beautiful. Otherwise, not only your grandfather, but my own teacher wouldn't forgive me either!"
He half-joked as he spoke.
Just then, while the two were talking happily, a sudden surge of powerful spirit energy erupted from the dense forest not far away.
A cold, sharp voice followed:
"Creeping around… looking for death!"
It was Gai Yue. He had always been a man of few words and ruthless action. Though in the past two years he had softened somewhat when dealing with Oscar, his disciple, he had never bothered wasting words on outsiders.
Oscar and Dugu Yan exchanged a glance, then instantly released their martial spirits, turning warily toward the direction of the voice.
Both of them had already guessed.
Dugu Yan knew clearly that her grandfather was secretly protecting her. That voice earlier had to be Oscar's teacher returning and stumbling across her grandfather, resulting in a clash.
Oscar, for his part, had also guessed that Dugu Yan's grandfather must be hiding nearby. Hearing Gai Yue's voice, his first thought was that Gai Yue had encountered Dugu Bo.
Oscar quickly glanced at Shao Xin and said:
"Teacher Shao, you stay here with Dugu Yan. I'll go check it out."
But Dugu Yan immediately protested:
"No! If it's my grandfather and your teacher who've met, I have to go too!"
"You…" Oscar pretended to hesitate, then finally nodded.
"Alright. But you have to stay close to me. If it's not them, I need to be able to protect you."
As he spoke, Oscar pulled two Swift Flying Swallow Sausages from his soul tool, handing one to Dugu Yan.
"Eat this."
He tossed one into his own mouth, and in an instant, a pair of long, pure white wings unfurled from his back. Dugu Yan, not hesitating, ate her sausage too, and wings sprouted from her back as well.
This was her first time experiencing the wonder of flight. But before she could marvel at Oscar's miraculous spirit ability, her jade-like hand was suddenly taken by Oscar.
"Forgive the offense," Oscar explained. "Since it's your first time flying, it's safer if I hold on to you."
With that, his wings flapped, and the two of them transformed into streaks of light that darted deep into the forest.
At first, Dugu Yan was overwhelmed by the exhilarating rush of speed, her heart racing. But soon her cheeks flushed red—not because of the flight, but because Oscar was holding her hand so tightly.
This was already the second time he had held her hand. The first was during their earlier conversation, when Oscar had deliberately grasped her hand to prove that he could safely touch her despite her poisoned body. He'd held on for a full three minutes, leaving her embarrassed to death.
Now again, his grip was firm. Though she was a little flustered, she didn't think too much about it. Instead, her heart was anxious about whether her grandfather and Oscar's teacher were indeed facing each other.
But she wasn't worried that her grandfather would be in danger—rather, she feared that he might accidentally injure Oscar's teacher. If that happened, she really would feel guilty toward Oscar.
Oscar's third spirit ability granted incredible speed. With the swiftness of a sharp-tailed swallow, they arrived in moments.
They saw at once: Dugu Bo and Gai Yue standing opposite each other in confrontation.
Not far from Gai Yue lay the corpse of a massive plant-type spirit beast—obviously the prey he had just hunted down for Shao Xin's seventh spirit ring.
In Gai Yue's hand gleamed the Frostmoon Sword. His body radiated icy spirit power as two yellow, two purple, and four black spirit rings circled him, eight in total. The frost spread outward, freezing everything nearby—trees, flowers, grass—into ice sculptures.
Opposite him, perched atop a massive tree, was an old man. His tall, thin body resembled a spear thrusting into the sky. His hair and beard were entirely dark green, and his eyes shone like twin emeralds.
Nine spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—rose slowly around him, the oppressive aura of a Titled Douluo flooding the forest. Everywhere around him, trees and plants withered instantly, corroded by his poisonous energy.
"Young man, I am not your enemy," Dugu Bo said, in a rare gesture of explanation.
Normally, if someone dared to speak to him like this, there would only ever be one outcome: death.
But after secretly listening to Oscar and Dugu Yan's conversation, he had already guessed that this Spirit Douluo was probably Oscar's teacher. That was why he refrained from explaining.
Gai Yue's pupils contracted sharply when he saw the nine rings glowing on Dugu Bo's body. The pressure was overwhelming.
Even though he was already at the eighty-fifth rank and possessed two soul bones, he knew he could not win against a Titled Douluo.
Even the weakest of Titled Douluo were worlds apart from Spirit Douluo.
This was the real world—not a novel.
Though Dugu Bo was called the weakest Titled Douluo, he was still far beyond the reach of any Spirit Douluo.
In the original work, Yang Wudi had once fought a ninety-second rank Snake Lance Douluo as an eighty-second rank Spirit Douluo without falling behind—but that was only because he had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support and Tang San's Killing God Domain suppressing the opponent.
Even then, Yang Wudi had fought with reckless abandon, abandoning defense and throwing his life away in attack, and he was gravely injured afterward.
So Gai Yue's solemn caution at this moment was the true reaction of a Spirit Douluo when facing a Titled Douluo.
But after hearing Dugu Bo's explanation, Gai Yue was slightly puzzled.
Not an enemy? Then why were you secretly hiding around our camp?
Before he could speak, two figures streaked in from the forest, voices overlapping:
"Teacher, that's Dugu Yan's grandfather—he's not an enemy!"
Grandfather, that's Oscar's teacher—he's not an enemy!