With a faint powdery scent lingering on his face, she leaned close to Ye Qiu's ear. Her warm breath swept away the chill of the early morning.
"Actually, I woke up this early just to wait for you!"
"Wait for me?" Ye Qiu frowned in confusion and turned to look at her.
Before he could react, a soft, moist touch brushed against his cheek.
He froze for a moment, his mind going blank.
"Hiss—!"
A sharp sting followed.
Ye Qiu snapped back to his senses and immediately pushed her away. A neat row of teeth marks appeared on his flushed cheek.
"Ning Rongrong! Why did you bite me?!"
"Hee hee~ Looks like I'm not so bad after all."
Ignoring his protest, Ning Rongrong gazed at him with a satisfied smile, her own face slightly red.
Last night's performance had been terribly unsatisfying. She hadn't slept well at all! Was Miss Ben's charm really that weak?
Now that she saw the clear "evidence" on his face, she was finally satisfied.
Raising her chin proudly, she clasped her hands behind her back and walked slowly toward her room.
"Go do your business. Miss Ben is going back to sleep! Hmph!"
"…"
Ye Qiu stood there in a daze. Why on earth had she bitten him?
Click!
Ning Rongrong quickly shut the door, leaning against it as she covered her burning cheeks. Her heart pounded wildly.
In the pavilion, Ye Qiu sat silently at the stone table, still stunned. He wasn't a block of wood.
After what had happened with Zhu Zhuqing, he could clearly sense Ning Rongrong's feelings.
Scratching his head irritably, Ye Qiu decided to let nature take its course.
Little did he know that his indecision now would only make the future "Shura field" even more miserable when all the girls eventually met.
"It doesn't matter. I'll practice first."
For him, the only way to clear his mind was cultivation.
He leaped onto the roof, focusing his attention as a faint purple glow filled his eyes.
When the purple aura in the sky dissipated, Ye Qiu had already vanished.
Using Shenwei as a transit point, he appeared in a small forest near Tiandou Royal Academy.
After pinning the badge to his chest, he entered the academy and headed toward the agreed meeting place.
He hadn't confirmed the exact time yesterday, so he could only arrive early. After all, he was the one asking for help—he couldn't let others wait for him.
The campus was quiet. It was still early, and most noble students were probably still buried under their blankets.
As he approached the cylindrical cafeteria, he spotted a slender figure in the distance.
Long silver-white hair cascaded down her back, and she was dressed in black as usual. The morning breeze gently lifted a corner of her veil, revealing a delicate, beautiful face.
"Miss Lingling! Good morning! I didn't expect you to be here so early. I hope you haven't been waiting long?"
Ye Qiu jogged over. He had thought he was early, but apparently not early enough.
"Good morning. I just arrived," Ye Lingling replied with a slight nod.
Noticing his curiosity, she added, "The team has training today, so I woke up earlier than usual."
"I see." Ye Qiu nodded in understanding.
"Come. I'll take you to see Yanzi."
With that, Ye Lingling turned and walked ahead. Ye Qiu followed closely.
Remembering yesterday's awkward incident, he quickly stepped up to walk beside her.
Ye Lingling glanced at him and frowned. "You're going to see Yanzi like this? Now I really believe you didn't come to pursue her."
"Huh?" Ye Qiu blinked, confused.
"Your romantic luck isn't shallow. Those teeth marks on your face are very obvious."
Her voice turned cold, laced with faint mockery.
Ye Qiu felt his face grow hot.
'Ning Rongrong, you little witch—you've ruined me!'
He let out an awkward chuckle, unable to explain, and could only smile apologetically.
A soft green light emanated from his hands and covered his face. The obvious bite marks gradually faded.
'What strong vitality… What soul skill is that? Isn't his martial soul his eyes?'
A trace of surprise flashed in Ye Lingling's eyes, but she didn't ask. It wasn't important.
The stronger he was, the better.
After that, neither of them spoke. They hurried toward the training ground in silence.
The Huangdou Team's training field lay in an open clearing within a dense forest. Several lounges surrounded a square arena at the center.
Today was battle training.
Three figures stood on the arena.
Two of them looked like twins—strongly built men with straight noses and square jaws, exuding a steady, mature aura.
The Shi brothers, Shi Mo and Shi Mo, raised their shields, ready for battle.
Their opponent was a tall man with long black hair, dressed in a fitted blue uniform. His features weren't particularly handsome, but every movement radiated confidence and pride.
Yu Tianheng's right arm had already transformed into a dragon form. It swelled with power, his sleeve torn apart, revealing blue-purple scales. His hand had turned into a sharp dragon claw crackling with lightning.
Under the arena, several others watched.
Yufeng lay lazily on the ground, his short blond hair catching the light, eyes sharp as he observed the fight.
Beside him stood Oslo, equally blond, his appearance almost delicate like a woman's.
And finally—
The reason Ye Qiu had come.
Dugu Yan.
She looked about sixteen or seventeen. Sitting cross-legged on the grass, she quietly watched the battle. Her hair was purple with streaks of green, her complexion slightly pale, and her figure striking.
Her dark green pupils occasionally flickered as she frowned, as though enduring some hidden pain.
Just as Ye Lingling and Ye Qiu arrived at the edge of the clearing, a loud shout rang out from the arena.
"The Third Soul Skill—Wrath of Thunder!"
Lightning exploded around Yu Tianheng as his purple soul ring flashed. His aura surged dramatically.
He raised his dragon claw and struck at the twin basalt shields flying toward him.
Bang! Bang!
The shields were knocked back into the Shi brothers' hands.
"The First Soul Skill—Thunder Dragon Claw!"
The yellow soul ring lit up as Yu Tianheng slashed wildly. Bolts of lightning shot outward, forming massive dragon claws that roared toward the two brothers.
"The First Soul Skill—Black Tortoise Shield!" ×2
The Shi brothers worked in unison. Their tortoise-shell shields expanded and overlapped, forming a sturdy defense.
Boom!
Under the relentless assault, the first shield shattered.
"It's not over yet! Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Yu Tianheng attacked even more fiercely, stealing a glance at Dugu Yan in the audience, clearly eager to impress.
Crack!
The second shield shattered as well.
Unable to withstand the attack, the Shi brothers leaped off the arena to avoid further damage.
At the edge of the clearing, Ye Qiu and Ye Lingling witnessed the final blow just as they arrived.
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