Lu Chen turned and met Dugu Yan's gaze. He waved and smiled. "Long time no see, Dugu Yan!"
Dugu Yan crossed the stands and threw herself into Lu Chen's arms, burying her head against his chest. Her shoulders shook violently, and the sobs she had suppressed for so long came muffled from his chest.
Dugu Yan's body felt soft to the touch, with a refreshing coolness.
Lu Chen gently patted Dugu Yan's back. When her sobs gradually subsided, he smiled and said, "If you keep crying, Senior Dugu Bo might capture me and use me as a test subject for poison."
"Huh?"
Xiao Wu spoke up at that moment. "Isn't she the older sister we met at the pharmacy?"
Back then, Xiao Wu had only taken a distant look at Dugu Yan, so she had not recognized her as the girl from the Star Dou Great Forest.
While Lu Chen comforted Dugu Yan, Yu Feng quietly moved over to Yu Tianheng's side and advised him in a lowered voice, "Eldest Boss, I think you should give up. It looks like Sister Yan Zi already has someone in her heart."
Yu Tianheng tugged bitterly at the corner of his mouth without saying anything. He slumped his shoulders and sat beside Osler.
Dugu Yan recovered herself and released her tightly clasped arms. Wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, she said, "If my grandfather dares do that, I'll be the first to forgive him."
At that moment, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing came over. After chatting for a while, they learned what had happened between Lu Chen and Dugu Yan back then.
Recalling the past, Xiao Wu stole a glance at Dugu Yan, looking somewhat guilty.
Seeing this, Lu Chen raised his hand and rubbed Xiao Wu's head. She subconsciously nuzzled against his palm.
"Dugu Yan, let me introduce you. This is Xiao Wu, a thirty-second-level Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master."
"This is Zhu Zhuqing, a thirty-first-level Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master."
Looking at how intimately the three of them interacted, Dugu Yan smiled slightly. "I'm Dugu Yan, vice-captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Team, a thirty-eighth-level Control-Type Battle Spirit Master. From now on, we'll be teammates. Please guide me!"
Her gaze swept across the members of the Heaven Dou Team. Dugu Yan suddenly frowned. "Where's Ling Ling? Did she ask for leave from training today?"
Yu Feng spoke up. "Ling Ling asked for leave yesterday. She said something happened at home."
Dugu Yan's brows furrowed slightly. "Could that bastard Xue Beng be forcing her again?"
The moment Dugu Yan thought of that spoiled imperial prince, a burst of fury surged in her chest.
If she had not taken into consideration her grandfather and Prince Xue Xing, she would have taught that spoiled brat a lesson long ago.
"Let's go take a look at the Ye Family Medical Hall!"
On the way to find Ye Lingling, Lu Chen also learned the whole story.
Ye Lingling's Martial Soul was Nine Heart Begonia. Each generation could have only one inheritor of that Martial Soul, and there could only be two Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters alive at the same time!
By Ye Lingling's generation, only she and Old Madam Ye remained in the Ye family.
A powerful Support System Soul Master with no strong experts protecting her naturally became an object coveted by every faction.
When Ye Lingling entered Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Xue Qinghe, who was the Crown Prince, quickly extended an olive branch to the Ye family. However, Old Madam Ye flatly rejected it.
Then there was that bastard Fourth Prince Xue Beng, who had repeatedly coerced Ye Lingling, only to be driven back by Dugu Yan each time.
No one had expected Xue Beng to still refuse to give up. Taking advantage of Dugu Yan's absence from Heaven Dou Academy, he once again forced Ye Lingling to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
The Ye Family Medical Hall was in the west of Heaven Dou City, not far from the academy.
However, the originally quiet medical hall was now surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
Lu Chen followed behind Dugu Yan into the medical hall. Its furnishings were quite elegant, but the floor was in complete disarray, as if a battle had just taken place.
"Xue Beng, I will never join the Heaven Dou Royal Family. You can give up on that idea!"
Ye Lingling's cold shout suddenly came from the inner room.
"In that case, there's no need for this Ye Family Medical Hall to continue existing!"
Lu Chen felt a Soul Power fluctuation at the level of a Soul King suddenly erupt inside the room and inwardly cursed that something was wrong.
His figure abruptly turned into an afterimage. He slammed the door open and charged inside.
Inside the room stood a middle-aged man with five Soul Rings beside Xue Beng.
The Soul King raised his right hand and was about to strike the Ye family grandmother and granddaughter.
Lu Chen stepped in front of Ye Lingling. With a twist of his wrist, the Asura Demon Sword appeared in his hand.
A Blood Colored Sword Qi, carrying a chilling aura, tore through the air and slashed out, colliding head-on with the Soul King.
With a muffled bang, the middle-aged Soul King was sent flying in an instant, crashing into the medicine rack behind him.
Medicine jars rolled across the floor, and the sound of shattering porcelain pierced the air.
Startled by the turn of events, Xue Beng took half a step back. After recognizing Lu Chen, he stiffened his neck and shouted angrily, "Who are you? Do you know who I am?"
Lu Chen spoke calmly. "Captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Team! Lu Chen!"
At that moment, Dugu Yan led the others in.
Lu Chen looked at Ye Lingling behind him and asked gently, "Are you all right?"
Ye Lingling shook her head.
Ye Lingling looked to be in her early twenties. She had a slender, delicate figure and wore black clothes, with a thin veil covering her face.
Only a pair of eyes the same color as her blue hair could be seen. Her waterfall-like blue hair was somewhat disheveled as it fell over her shoulders, making her look even more pitiful.
The members of the Heaven Dou Team shielded Ye Lingling and Old Madam Ye behind them.
Dugu Yan was the first to attack verbally. "Xue Beng! Aren't you afraid that Prince Xue Xing will punish you for taking what you want by force?"
Xue Beng's face was filled with indifference.
What a joke. It was Prince Xue Xing who had told him to do this. As long as Ye Lingling developed resentment toward the Heaven Dou Royal Family, his "good elder brother" would naturally be unable to win over Nine Heart Begonia!
The middle-aged Soul King climbed to his feet and whispered something into Xue Beng's ear.
Xue Beng cast a wary glance at Lu Chen. Still forcing himself to maintain his dignity, he said, "It's getting late. Let's go!"
Xue Beng swaggered away with his guards.
"Scum!"
Dugu Yan did not avoid criticizing Xue Beng despite his identity.
Old Madam Ye came before Lu Chen and said, "Thank you for your help, young friend."
"Old Madam Ye, there's no need to be so polite!"
Lu Chen's gaze fell on the white-haired old woman before him. She was the current head of the Nine Heart Begonia clan, a six-ring Healing System Soul Emperor.
Although many Soul Masters had befriended the Ye family, when faced with the enormous Heaven Dou Royal Family, they did not want to get involved.
Old Madam Ye's gaze lingered on Lu Chen for a moment, and she saw that he was a Soul Ancestor.
She glanced at her granddaughter, and a sharp glint surfaced in her aged eyes.
Inside the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Xue Qinghe held the report accusing Xue Beng of coercing the Ye family. A trace of coldness flashed through his eyes before he turned to the servant beside him and said, "Present this report to Imperial Father!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The servant respectfully carried the report and hurried away.
Soon, another servant entered and bowed respectfully to Xue Qinghe. "Crown Prince, Sect Master Ning has invited you to watch the matches at the Heaven Dou Soul Arena!"
Xue Qinghe rubbed his brow, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue. "Tell Teacher that I'll go."
In the end, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family apologized to the Ye family, and Prince Xue Xing also confined Xue Beng to his residence for three months.
It was considered an explanation to the Ye family.
Before you continue