Evening. Yang Yunhai carried the dishes to the dining table.
"Eat." He called softly, then began eating. Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, her head lowered, also picked up their chopsticks.
As they ate, Yiner's voice rang in Yang Yunhai's ear.
He glanced toward the door.
Soon, steady footsteps echoed. Dugu Bo walked in with hands clasped behind his back, swaggering.
"Hmph!" Dugu Yan turned at the sound, immediately giving a cold snort and turning away.
'Heh, silly girl. If not for your grandfather, would you have been able to squeeze your way in? You'll thank me later.' Dugu Bo muttered inwardly, though his mouth moved quickly instead. "Cough." He cleared his throat, striding to the table and sitting down.
"Alright, your grandpa admits fault!"
Then he turned and shamelessly shifted blame onto someone else, looking at Yang Yunhai. "But this wasn't all my idea! It was your teacher's suggestion, and the formula came from him too."
"..." Yang Yunhai was speechless. The formula coming from Elder Chrysanthemum he could believe, but the idea being his teacher's? He'd never believe that, not even beaten to death. He hadn't expected even his teacher to be an accomplice!
'So even Xiao Hai's teacher…' Dugu Yan blinked, secretly shocked.
"Eat." Yang Yunhai glanced at Dugu Bo and spoke calmly.
Dugu Bo felt a touch embarrassed. He knew he couldn't fool Yang Yunhai, but since the rice was already cooked, it hardly mattered. Without a change in expression, he nodded slightly, then casually produced a set of chopsticks and bowl from his Soul Tool and started eating openly.
It was obvious he had prepared this long ago.
The three others—all directly involved—glanced at him but said nothing, each quietly continuing to eat.
No one mentioned last night's events. The silence between them was tacit understanding.
After the meal, each returned to their rooms to cultivate soul power, none of them sparing Dugu Bo another word.
Dugu Bo didn't mind, retreating to the top floor to cultivate as well.
Months of hard work without breaking through rank 95 left him increasingly anxious. He dared not slack off in the slightest.
When one focused, time passed quickly. Hours slipped by, and near midnight Yang Yunhai and Zhu Zhuqing both opened their eyes. She turned her head, gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"..." Yang Yunhai hesitated. In the end, he left Yiner in the room and walked out.
Not long after, he came to the second floor and knocked softly on Dugu Yan's door.
Light footsteps approached. The door opened to reveal Dugu Yan's blushing face, her head lowered. She wore a loose pale-blue nightgown, her figure curving beneath the fabric, her fair skin glistening under the light.
"Come in." Her voice was nervous, as she stepped aside.
Yang Yunhai walked in and sat at the bed's edge. Dugu Yan, head still lowered, sat beside him.
"Cough… Yan Yan." Yang Yunhai lightly cleared his throat.
Unlike her usual straightforwardness, Dugu Yan now looked like a bashful bride. Her face flushed red, she answered softly, "Mm."
The atmosphere turned awkward. After a pause, Yang Yunhai decided not to struggle in a field he wasn't skilled at. He let his mind calm, then asked quietly, "Yan Yan, last night… do you remember anything?"
Her face grew redder. She shook her head.
"Neither do I." Yang Yunhai admitted.
'So then…' Dugu Yan thought, stealing a glance at him, only to find him staring at her.
Her cheeks flamed. She understood.
She fiddled with her fingers, then slowly turned her face, closing her eyes.
'She understood?' Yang Yunhai was surprised, then inhaled deeply and leaned closer.
Moments later, tender words filled the room, hushed and intimate.
Half an hour later, Yang Yunhai held her in his arms, looking out the window at the moonlight. Exhaustion weighed on him. He hadn't fought at his full strength—there were still several of his "ultimate moves" he hadn't even displayed—but Dugu Yan was already drained, her stamina gone.
He adjusted his position, kissed her gently, and whispered, "Sleep."
"Mm." She lifted her face slightly, answering lazily before closing her eyes.
Time slipped by. Suddenly, Yiner's voice entered Yang Yunhai's ears.
"Yun, someone has entered the Academy forest. It's the same one as before."
Yang Yunhai's eyes snapped open. Looking down, he saw Dugu Yan sound asleep. He carefully rose from bed, slipped outside, and found Yiner already waiting.
They exchanged a glance. Yiner nodded and returned to the soul bone.
Yang Yunhai hurried upstairs to the third floor.
The door creaked open. Hearing the sound, Dugu Bo stepped out.
"If I'm not wrong, it's Tang Hao," Yang Yunhai said.
"That shameless bastard." Dugu Bo's eyes flashed with anger. "I'll go meet him myself."
"No need." Yang Yunhai quickly stopped him. "As long as he doesn't come here, we don't need to intervene."
"You mean to let him scout the training grounds and equipment?" Dugu Bo frowned.
Yang Yunhai nodded. "Grandpa, time always leaves traces. The designs I proposed are already known by the Academy's committee and even Emperor Xue Ye. I'd rather Xiaogang and the others copy them. During the tournament, when Teacher has free time, he can check. Tang Hao won't be there."
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. "If Yue Guan from Spirit Hall can prepare a Soul Tool that records images, even better. I'll speak with him after the holiday."
Yang Yunhai was startled—such a Soul Tool existed? He gave a slight nod.
Dugu Bo sneered. "Xue Ye has decreed that anything related to your team's training leaking before the tournament counts as treason. If Shrek dares to build it openly, I'll see how they explain themselves."
"Even Ning Fengzhi wouldn't dare shield them—he'd at most pretend ignorance."
He nodded at Yang Yunhai. "Go rest. I'll watch here. I may not have your far-reaching senses, but if Tang Hao comes near, I'll detect him immediately."
As his Martial Soul had evolved from the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, he retained a serpent's keen sensing abilities.
"Alright." Yang Yunhai returned to the second floor.
He sent Yiner to accompany Zhu Zhuqing downstairs, then slipped back into Dugu Yan's room, into her waiting arms.
Elsewhere, Tang Hao arrived at the newly built training grounds, guarded by soldiers and lit by lanterns.
"So this is where they've hidden it…" he murmured. He couldn't fully understand all the equipment, but some he could guess—and the uses were ingenious.
'No wonder Xue Ye stationed heavy guards. This is not only for the Academy's advantage, but also for the Empire's military.'
Still, secrets like this would eventually spread. At most, Xue Ye had gained a head start.
'These designs would benefit the Clear Sky Sect as well. I'll have Xiaogang copy them secretly at Shrek. But they must be destroyed afterward—if exposed, the trouble would be immense. As for Ning Fengzhi, he'll pretend ignorance. He might even use them within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.'
Satisfied, he scanned the grounds once more, then left, heading toward the dormitory.
From afar, he saw darkness. "So they've all gone home for the New Year." He mused. "According to Yu Tianheng, Yang Yunhai often trains in the back valley. An orphan, with no home to return to… he should either be there or at Dugu Bo's place. I wonder if Dugu Bo is with him."
He glanced toward the valley. Seeing the three-story building lit with red lanterns, he paused. Then he turned away, leaving swiftly.
"Ha! What Clear Sky Douluo? He's nothing more than a rat." Dugu Bo sneered from within, cold killing intent in his eyes.
"You'll get what's coming."
With a cold snort, he closed his eyes and resumed cultivation.
(End of Chapter)
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