Return, Visitor

The morning mist at Heaven Dou Royal Academy had yet to dissipate.

Chen Jieqi, having finished his meditation and prayer, was already standing on the training ground.

He had only been gone for a few days, and everything in the academy remained unchanged; the Mimicry Cultivation Ground in the distance shimmered with a faint halo.

The scent of breakfast wafted from the direction of the cafeteria, and a few lower-grade students passed by, whispering to each other.

Everything was the same as before, but he knew that something had changed.

Dugu Bo had broken through.

Level 95; the bottleneck had loosened, and he had caught a glimpse of the door to level 96.

And with the flight ability and regenerative power brought by that Blue Silver Emperor leg bone, that eccentric old man could now exhaust and defeat even Tang Hao.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

The Holy Light of the Heart of the Naaru flowed slowly through his body, docile and calm.

Not only had he broken through to level 44 after returning from Suotuo City, but he could also feel that his soul power had quietly advanced a bit more during these days.

It wasn't much, but it was solid enough.

Footsteps approached from behind, light and familiar.

"Xiao Qi!"

Chen Jieqi opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up.

"Sister Yanyan."

After Chen Jieqi took charge as the captain of the Huangdou Team, Dugu Yan had finally dropped the "little" from his title.

Dugu Yan walked up to him and looked him up and down.

Her dark orange short hair glowed with warmth in the morning light, and a hint of inquiry flashed in her earthy-yellow eyes.

"Grandpa's side... did it succeed?"

"It did."

She didn't press for details, just nodded.

A flash of pride crossed her eyes, which she quickly suppressed.

"Then why are you still standing here spacing out?"

She turned and walked forward, her tone as casual as if she were talking about the weather.

"Let's go, time for breakfast.

Tianheng and the others will definitely pester you for a spar once they know you're back."

Chen Jieqi chuckled and followed her pace.

"It's not like I'm the one who wins against them."

"Who cares about that?"

Dugu Yan didn't look back.

"As long as you're here, they have a goal."

The cafeteria was much livelier than the training ground.

The Huangdou Team's table was packed full; Yu Feng was arguing with Osler about something.

The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo were tackling the mountain of food in front of them with steamed buns.

Ye Lingling sat quietly in the corner, sipping her porridge in small mouthfuls.

Yu Tianheng sat by the window; his tray was already empty, but he hadn't left.

His fingers tapped the tabletop unconsciously, as if he were waiting for someone.

Seeing Chen Jieqi walk in, his eyes lit up, but he didn't stand up immediately.

It wasn't until Chen Jieqi and Dugu Yan sat down with their trays that he rose and walked over, his movements as natural as if he were just passing by.

"Captain Chen, you're back?"

"Yeah."

Chen Jieqi looked up at him.

"You haven't fallen behind on training these past few days, have you?"

"No."

Yu Tianheng paused, as if weighing his words.

"Even with you gone, everyone has been training."

Yu Feng leaned over from the next table, half a bun still stuffed in his mouth, and interjected vaguely, "Boss Yu has been training extra every single day, even harder than when you were here.

We're all starting to wonder if he's been triggered by something."

Yu Tianheng glanced at him, expressionless.

Yu Feng shrank his neck, shoved the rest of the bun into his mouth, and wisely decided to stay quiet.

Dugu Yan chuckled softly, choosing not to expose him.

Chen Jieqi also smiled, not pressing the matter further.

After the meal, in the training room, Yu Tianheng's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul was operating at full capacity.

Purple lightning crackled across his Dragon Transformation right arm, every inch of muscle strained to its limit.

"Again!"

He let out a low roar, his right claw slamming toward Chen Jieqi with the momentum of a thunderbolt.

Lightning condensed into a purple light at the tip of his claw, tearing through the air with a shrill hiss.

Chen Jieqi sidestepped, holding Ashbringer horizontally in front of him, catching the blow steadily.

The lightning struck Ashbringer, sending countless tiny arcs of electricity splashing outward, only to be dissolved and annihilated layer by layer by the Holy Light.

"Your power is more stable than last week."

Chen Jieqi withdrew his hand, his tone calm, "But there's still leakage during the burst. Control it at the very moment of impact; don't let your strength dissipate prematurely."

Yu Tianheng panted heavily and nodded. He didn't ask "How could you tell?"

This wasn't the first time. Sweat slid down his temples, dripping onto the bluestone floor, where it was quickly evaporated.

Yu Feng dropped down from mid-air and sidestepped over to Dugu Yan, lowering his voice, "Big Sis, has Captain Chen gotten even stronger?"

Dugu Yan glanced at him, "What do you think?"

"I think... he's always been strong."

Yu Feng scratched his head and gave a silly grin, "But since he came back this time, he feels different. I can't put my finger on it, it's just..."

"It's that he's more composed."

Osler had appeared beside them at some point, arms crossed, speaking indifferently.

The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo exchanged a look and nodded in unison, "I think so too."

Dugu Yan didn't speak, merely watching Chen Jieqi's back in the center of the room.

She recalled the line in her grandfather's letter: "The brat shoved a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone at me."

This little kid she had protected behind her since they were small had, without her realizing it, walked ahead of everyone else.

"Alright,"

She clapped her hands, her voice clear and bright, "Stop standing around. Go do what you need to do. Xiao Qi just got back, let him rest."

Yu Feng let out a mournful wail, "Big Sis, what we were doing just now was normal training, not a gauntlet..."

"I said rest, so rest."

Dugu Yan walked toward the cafeteria without looking back.

Behind her came Yu Feng's soft muttering, "Ever since Captain Chen came back, Big Sis has become more and more protective..."

Followed by a dull thud, as if someone had slapped him.

Chen Jieqi shook his head with a smile and followed after them.

During the sparring, he had noticed that Yu Tianheng's soul power was nearing the threshold of a breakthrough.

He didn't point it out, merely giving Yu Tianheng an extra look.

In the afternoon, Qin Ming found Chen Jieqi in the training room.

"You're back?"

Qin Ming set down the lesson plan in his hand, "As for the Huangdou team, during the time you were away, Yu Tianheng has been training extra hard.

Judging by his condition, he isn't far from a breakthrough."

Chen Jieqi nodded slightly.

"I noticed."

"Mm."

Qin Ming leaned back in his chair, his gaze resting on the view outside the window.

"You know how he is; he doesn't say much, but he keeps a fire burning inside.

Ever since you took over as captain, he hasn't stopped."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of emotion.

"This is a good thing. The team needs someone like him."

Chen Jieqi didn't speak, merely nodding in response.

Qin Ming glanced at him and suddenly smiled.

"Alright, I won't take up any more of your time."

Chen Jieqi sat alone by the window of the cultivation room.

The afternoon sunlight spilled in through the lattice, casting long shadows across the floor.

He held a teacup in his hand, not drinking, but staring blankly at the surface of the water, the corners of his mouth curling up unconsciously.

He recalled the expression on Xue Qinghe's face when she asked him "when will you return."

She had kept her head lowered, her voice very soft, the memorial in her hands left unturned.

Dugu Bo's breakthrough had given him true confidence in Tiantou City.

He set down the teacup and stood up.

Outside the window, in the direction of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy gate, a few figures were vaguely visible. They weren't students, but visitors.

He narrowed his eyes, making out two of the figures.

One wore a ponytail and walked with a light step; the other walked beside her, their hair longer than he remembered.

The corners of his mouth tilted upward.

They had arrived sooner than he expected.