t the same time, inside Tian Dou Royal Academy.
A luxurious villa reserved only for a handful of students.
On the sofa in the living room sat Ye Lingling, veiled as always, beside her was Dugu Yan.
"Yanyan, you weren't there that day. The battle was enormous. two Soul Douluo and a Soul Saint surrounded Yang Wushuang. Entire streets and several shops, all destroyed!
Prince Xue Xing even deployed heavy infantry. The place was sealed tighter than a jar."
Ye Lingling's clear, crisp voice described the scene.
Dugu Yan's face remained calm. "Enough, Lingling. I'm not interested."
Since Yu Tianheng's embarrassing public confession in the arena, more than a month had passed.
Dugu Yan hadn't returned to the academy all this time.
She had felt too humiliated.
Only after the Yang Wushuang incident shifted the academy's attention did she grudgingly come back.
"Yanyan, I just want to say that you shouldn't keep fighting with Dugu Feng. He was one of the key players that day."
Ye Lingling's tone was cautious, persuading.
"Lingling, I know your grandfather and his father are close. But our family matters, you don't know the inside story."
Dugu Yan shook her head, refusing to listen.
"Yanyan, you can't beat him. He's only eleven, and already a Soul Elder!"
Dugu Yan's expression chilled. "Enough, Lingling. I won't lose to him. I'll devote everything to cultivation. I don't believe he'll surpass me forever."
Dugu Feng's strength was a thorn in her heart.
His three skills were all offensive and his attack power could rival or even surpass many Soul Ancestors.
She, meanwhile, had only gained her first real offensive ability at her third skill, the Jade Phosphor Purple Poison.
But she still clung to her hope. She was a control-type.
Control-types had advantages against assault-types. With more spirit rings, her strength would only grow. Control could always restrain enemies with weaknesses.
One day, she would be strong too.
And besides, who's to say Dugu Feng wouldn't just collapse from poison backlash someday? The thought gave her bitter comfort.
Ye Lingling could only sigh helplessly. Clearly, this lesson still hadn't humbled Dugu Yan.
It would take time, slowly, to ease the hostility between these cousins. She herself was curious why two people so close in blood could be so at odds.
At the junior division of the academy.
After settling clan affairs, Dugu Feng had returned.
The moment he came back, Feng Ling and Feng Li brought him news.
Ning Rongrong had graduated.
She had already gone through the formalities, saying she would attend another advanced academy.
Dugu Feng froze for a moment.
No wonder she had asked him before if he would remember her...she had been planning to leave.
Normal graduation was still far off. She had left early.
So, she must have gone to Shrek Academy earlier than in the original story.
Was this Ning Fengzhi pulling her out, afraid she'd fall for him?
Dugu Feng chuckled. As expected, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan knew the dangers of the Dugu Clan's martial spirit.
Interesting.
He didn't dwell on it. More importantly, it was time to make his own arrangements.
The hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone—
That was something he absolutely had to take!
When Tang San enrolled, Tang Hao would surely appear at Shrek Academy. Wouldn't that be the perfect chance to snatch the spirit bone?
With that thought, Dugu Feng buried himself in training.
That day, inside the mimicry cultivation grounds—
Dugu Feng was cultivating when he suddenly sensed someone approaching.
"Ye Lingling?"
"I came to see if you needed treatment," Ye Lingling said, her voice still crisp and ethereal as she stepped closer.
Treatment?
It took him a moment to realize what she meant. Because of poison martial spirits, poison-type spirit power could damage the meridians.
Regular medicinal tonics or treatment from support-types could nourish them.
But he had the Pearl. Its warm currents constantly repaired his meridians and strengthened his body.
He didn't need external treatment.
This had amazed both Dugu Shuo and Old Snake. They could only conclude Dugu Feng's talent was simply extraordinary, his body long adapted to poison energy.
"Please, Senior Sister."
Dugu Feng did not refuse.
In the Slaughter City, he had suffered many injuries. Though the Pill Pearl healed internal damage, scars and marks still remained.
Maybe the Nine-Heart Begonia's light could do what the Pill Pearl could not.
Ye Lingling nodded and raised her right hand.
A pink-white begonia flower bloomed upon her palm, its petals delicate and beautiful.
Her third ring shone violet.
White radiance fell like petals, drifting gently onto Dugu Feng.
Though her spirit power couldn't peer into his body, Dugu Feng himself could feel it.
The light melted into him, seeping into every corner.
Old scars dissolved away, leaving flawless skin.
His internal organs absorbed the glow, his body filled with a comforting warmth.
It was different from Ning Rongrong's boost.
Boosting infused energy directly into muscles and spirit power.
But this healing spread everywhere, like drinking hot water on a freezing day, warming from the inside out.
His body drank it all in like a bottomless pit.
In just a short time, Ye Lingling's spirit power was nearly exhausted. She stopped.
"Dugu Feng, Yanyan is your cousin. She's not as mature as you. The lesson you gave her was already harsh, even made Yu Tianheng turn against her… If she bothers you again, could you not hold it against her?"
Ye Lingling suddenly spoke.
Dugu Feng sneered lightly. "So that's why you came. For my cousin."
"You told her to leave me alone, didn't you? And found she couldn't be persuaded?"
"How did you know?" Ye Lingling blurted out.
"Easy guess. Our affairs… you can't interfere."
His tone was cold.
Ye Lingling felt discouraged. These two cousins....neither would yield.
She sighed inwardly. He was right. She couldn't change it.
"Then I'll come every half month to treat you."
With that, she turned to leave.
"That's better. This is the Ye Lingling I know...cold enough. I like it."
Dugu Feng murmured.
Ye Lingling's steps faltered for an instant, but she didn't stop.
Behind the veil, her face flushed, a trace of shame on it.
This Dugu Feng is too bold!
But she didn't know that Dugu Feng already considered the Ye Clan part of his own people.
And Ye Lingling?
She was the most important one among them.
That was why he dared to speak more boldly with her than with anyone else.