"It's his eyes! His Martial Soul must be ocular... he used a mental shockwave we couldn't even detect!"
"Is the rumor true? Did he actually slay a Fourth-Ring Soul Ancestor?"
"Hehe... I wonder how he'd stack up against the new genius, Yu Tianheng?"
The whispers of the crowd faded into the distance. It was a pity Ye Qiu wasn't there to listen; he might have been impressed that a few students were actually sharp enough to deduce the nature of his power. Rare as they were, spiritual attacks existed—and they were terrifying to those who didn't understand them.
Ye Qiu followed Ye Lingling through a labyrinth of ivory teaching buildings until the noise of the academy was swallowed by the rustle of a secluded grove. Seeing her silence, Ye Qiu finally broke the quiet. "Where exactly are we going?"
"We're—" Ye Lingling started to turn, but stopped abruptly.
Ye Qiu, distracted by the surrounding scenery, didn't notice the sudden halt. Before he could react, he walked right into her. The impact was soft yet firm, sending a jolt through him.
Ye Lingling let out a muffled groan, her face beneath the black veil flushing a deep crimson. The collision left Ye Qiu's chest feeling tight—a sensation that had nothing to do with spirit power and everything to do with the physical reality of the girl before him.
"Ahem... Sorry! My mistake." He scratched his head, offering a stiff, awkward laugh.
He realized then that at fifteen or sixteen, Ye Lingling was no longer a child. Beneath the loose, flowy fabric of her black dress was a hidden, mature elegance he hadn't expected.
"It's nothing," Ye Lingling said, her voice turning frosty to mask her embarrassment. Her chest felt a dull numbness from the bump, and she instinctively stepped back. She wasn't used to physical contact with men. She had only helped Ye Qiu initially because of his likable little companion... as for any other reason? She pushed that thought deep down.
"I'm taking you to the cafeteria," she said, quickening her pace to put a safe distance between them.
"The canteen?" Ye Qiu looked up. The sun was high; he hadn't realized it was already noon. He shook off the lingering awkwardness and caught up with her.
"How did a commoner like you get into the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?" she asked, her eyes drifting to the badge on his chest.
"I'm just here to find someone."
At that, Ye Lingling spun around, blocking his path. "Who? Who are you looking for?"
Ye Qiu blinked at her sudden intensity. "I... I really didn't mean to bump into you!"
She dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. That didn't matter now. Her eyes searched his. "Who is it? Maybe I can help."
Ye Qiu opened his mouth to explain, then noticed the tips of her ears were still bright red. He decided not to push the apology further. "Actually, you're probably the only one who can help."
"Oh?" Her eyebrows twitched. A look of sudden realization, mixed with a hint of disdain, crossed her features. "Did you come here for Yanzi too?"
"That's right! Wait—what do you mean 'too'? Does she get a lot of visitors?"
Ye Lingling's gaze turned cold, her expression screaming: Men are all the same. She turned her back on him and continued walking, her voice lonely and detached. "Plenty of people come for her. But be warned—half of them end up poisoned and paralyzed by that 'Goose.' If you're lucky, you'll only lose sensation on one side of your body."
There was a hint of dark humor in her voice, a sign of her deep friendship with Dugu Yan.
"I think you've misunderstood," Ye Qiu clarified, stepping up beside her. "I'm not here to woo her."
"It doesn't matter what you tell me. Dugu Yan has enough suitors to fill a garrison. Do you think they'll believe your 'noble' intentions?"
"Whether they believe me or not isn't my concern," Ye Qiu shrugged.
"I admire the confidence," she replied dryly. "But the guy who showed up last month is a different breed. He's incredibly overbearing."
"Who?"
"Yu Tianheng. He transferred here specifically to pursue her." There was a clear note of distaste in her voice when she mentioned his name.
"Him?" Ye Qiu's interest piqued. The future master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—one of the three Great Sects.
"If you manage to get rid of him, I might actually owe you a favor," she added. She had always felt Yu Tianheng's interest in Dugu Yan was more political than personal.
"We'll see if he looks for trouble first," Ye Qiu replied calmly. He calculated the timeline in his head. Yu Tianheng wouldn't reach Level 39 for another year. At his current level, he wasn't a threat. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect isn't here to protect him... the advantage is mine.
"So, will you help me find her?"
"We're here. Let's eat first."
They emerged from the grove to face a magnificent cylindrical building clad in opaque glazed tiles. Wisps of aromatic steam rose from the roof, carrying the scent of high-grade spirit food.
They took a private room on the upper floors. The academy spared no expense; the one-way glass allowed them to look out over the lush forests and shimmering lakes of the campus while remaining invisible to those outside.
"The view is secondary," Ye Lingling said as the food arrived. "The real draw is this—meat from soul beasts aged hundreds, even thousands of years."
She reached up and slowly removed her veil.
Ye Qiu found himself staring. She had a perfect oval face, framed by silky, silver-white hair. Her eyebrows were like delicate willow leaves, and her light blue eyes were as deep and still as an ancient well. There was a profound, eternal loneliness in her gaze.
"Is it pretty?" she asked, her voice snapping him out of his trance. Her eyes were cold again, indifferent to his scrutiny.
"Hehe... Not bad. Not bad at all," Ye Qiu chuckled, trying to play it cool.
Ye Lingling frowned. She couldn't tell if she was more annoyed by his staring or by his casual "not bad" evaluation of her face. "I can't take you to her right now."
"Why not?" Ye Qiu asked, picking up his chopsticks.
"Yanzi has been having health issues lately. She left the academy this morning and won't be back until tomorrow."
Ye Qiu's chopsticks froze. Health issues? Already? Could the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison be backfiring this early in the story?
"Come find me here tomorrow morning," she said, eating in small, elegant bites. "I'll take you to her then."
"Thank you, Miss Lingling."
The rest of the meal passed in a comfortable, contemplative silence. When they finished, they walked back out into the afternoon sun. As soon as they were clear of the building, Ye Lingling immediately increased the distance between them, turning back with one fluid motion.
"Tomorrow. Right here. Don't be late."
Ye Qiu watched her walk away, feeling a bit helpless at her sudden return to her wary, distant self. "Thank you again!"
She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod and vanished into the trees.