After a long, tense silence in the quiet room, the lock clicked and the door swung open. Ye Yin stepped out first, looking completely unfazed. Dugu Yan followed a moment later, her face a mask of cold fury. She had consumed all three treasures, and she could feel an unprecedented level of pure, potent energy coursing through her veins, but the humiliation of being so thoroughly outmaneuvered by him still stung.
She grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "Not a word of what happened in here to anyone," she hissed, her eyes blazing. "Do you understand?"
Ye Yin simply smirked. "My lips are sealed. Enjoy the power boost." He casually pulled his arm free and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the hallway. She watched him go, her fists clenched, a whirlwind of anger, gratitude, and confusion raging within her.
"Where did Yan Yan go?"
On the training grounds, the members of the Royal Fight Team were taking a break. Dugu Yan's best friend, Ye Lingling, spoke quietly, her clear voice muffled slightly by her veil. "Why hasn't she come back yet?"
"I remember her grandfather called her away," another teammate said. "But that was a while ago. She should be back by now."
Yu Tianheng stood up, his brow furrowed with concern. "I'll go look for her. See where she went."
He began searching the nearby areas, but he didn't find Dugu Yan. Instead, he found Dugu Bo standing alone, looking out over the academy grounds.
"Senior, hello," Yu Tianheng said respectfully. "I'm Yan Yan's team leader, Yu Tianheng. Have you seen her? Isn't she with you?"
Dugu Bo turned and gave Yu Tianheng a flat, appraising look. In the past, he'd had a good impression of the boy. He was, after all, the future leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. But that was before he met Ye Yin.
The future leader of a great clan? What good was that title when it couldn't solve the poison curse that had plagued his family for generations? Ye Yin, on the other hand, had provided a solution in a single day. The comparison was stark.
"I came with a boy named Ye Yin to deliver something to her," Dugu Bo said, his tone devoid of its usual warmth. "She should be with him now. You can go look for them yourself."
Yu Tianheng nodded, taken aback by the Titled Douluo's coldness. "I... I will. Thank you, Senior." He could only bow and continue his search alone.
As he walked away, a strange feeling settled in his stomach. For some reason, Dugu Bo felt different today. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but there was a distinct sense of alienation. Before, the old man had always been encouraging, telling him to take good care of Yan Yan. Why was he so distant now?
Yu Tianheng began asking around, and finally found a student who had seen Dugu Yan go into a nearby building with another boy. A knot of unease tightened in his gut. He had a terrible feeling that something bad had happened.
He entered the building and began searching classroom after classroom, his calls for Dugu Yan echoing in the empty halls. But no matter where he looked, he couldn't find any trace of her.
"Where on earth did Yan Yan go?"
The more he couldn't find her, the more anxious he became. The unease in his gut grew stronger, twisting into a sharp, painful premonition that things would never be the same again.
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