After parting ways with Wang Xian, Dugu Yan took Ye Lingling home.
There were not many pedestrians on the road. The two girls walked side by side. Dugu Yan was more than half a head taller than Ye Lingling and took bigger strides, so she had to slow down from time to time to wait for the slow-moving girl beside her.
"Lingling, how many times have I told you? If someone bullies you, you have to fight back. Otherwise, they'll only get worse." Dugu Yan's tone carried a hint of frustration. "The more you keep quiet, the more those people will think you're easy to bully."
Ye Lingling lowered her head, twisting the hem of her skirt with both hands. She quietly said, "I don't want to fight."
"I'm not telling you to fight. I'm telling you to protect yourself." Dugu Yan stopped, turned to face Ye Lingling, and tucked the hair hanging beside her face behind her ear.
"You're pretty, and you're soft-hearted. Those bastards outside specifically target girls like you."
"If Wang Xian hadn't happened to pass by today, what were you going to do?"
Ye Lingling pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Dugu Yan sighed and could not bear to speak harshly anymore.
She knew full well that Ye Lingling had grown up in that kind of family. Her parents had died early, leaving only her grandmother to raise her. Their home was cold and quiet, without even anyone to talk to.
Growing up in such an environment, it was only natural that she had become somewhat meek.
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that." Dugu Yan waved her hand and changed the subject. "Do you know that kid from earlier?"
Ye Lingling shook her head.
"From the looks of him, he was only seven or eight, right? He was barely as tall as my shoulder." Dugu Yan recalled Wang Xian's appearance.
"He managed to scare off those bastards all by himself, so he had some guts. I wonder which academy he was from."
She paused, then suddenly had a thought. "Could he be from our Heaven Dou Intermediate Academy too? How come I've never seen him before?"
Ye Lingling's steps paused slightly, but she quickly returned to her normal pace without responding.
Only a faint ripple flickered in her lowered eyes.
Dugu Yan was used to her silence and continued on her own. "Still, Heaven Dou Intermediate Academy isn't exactly small. It's normal not to know every new student."
"If we run into him again, we can ask."
The two walked on for a while, crossed two streets, and arrived at a quiet residential area in the eastern part of Heaven Dou City.
The houses here were not as imposing as those in the city center, but the area was peaceful. The streets were clean, and the trees lining both sides cast broad patches of shade.
Dugu Yan stopped in front of a modest house.
"We're here, Lingling. Go on in. I'll come find you tomorrow before class. Don't leave by yourself first, okay?" She smiled and patted Ye Lingling's shoulder.
Ye Lingling nodded, the corners of her lips curving into a faint, nearly imperceptible smile. "I understand, Sister Yan."
With that, she pushed open the courtyard gate and walked inside. The gate gently closed behind her with a soft sound.
Dugu Yan stood at the entrance for a while. Only after confirming that Ye Lingling had entered the house did she turn and leave.
The scene shifted.
Wang Xian stood before Treasure Pavilion, looking up at the building.
Treasure Pavilion was the largest Soul Tool trading venue in Heaven Dou City. It was said to have imperial backing. The items inside were outrageously expensive, but they were indeed genuine.
The entire building stood three stories tall, its exterior made of dark gray stone bricks. Large transparent crystals were set into every floor, reflecting dazzling light beneath the sun.
The entrance doors were made of redwood and carved with intricate patterns. A stone statue of an auspicious beast stood on each side, imposing and magnificent.
"As expected of a shop in the capital. Just this storefront is beyond anything Notting City can compare to." Wang Xian sighed and stepped inside.
The moment he entered, a faint scent of sandalwood greeted him.
The floor was paved with polished marble that reflected like a mirror, while several ink-wash paintings of unknown origin hung on the walls.
Display cases all around held all sorts of items: Soul Tools, medicinal herbs, and unidentified metal ores.
Every item bore a price tag, and the numbers were enough to make one's eyelids twitch.
There were not many people in the hall. It was quiet, forming a stark contrast to the bustling streets outside.
A young woman in a red cheongsam spotted Wang Xian entering and immediately approached him.
She was tall and beautiful, with a proper smile on her face. She gave a slight bow.
"Greetings, honored guest. Welcome to Treasure Pavilion. What may I assist you with? I can show you around."
Wang Xian did not beat around the bush. "Do you have any Storage Soul Tools?"
The young woman's eyes lit up, and the smile on her face deepened.
Storage Soul Tools were popular goods at Treasure Pavilion, but they were expensive. Anyone asking about them was generally someone with money to spare.
She turned slightly and gestured for him to follow, leading Wang Xian deeper into the hall.
"Of course. This way, please."
They passed several rows of display cases before arriving at a separate glass cabinet.
The cabinet was covered by a transparent glass dome. Dark blue velvet lined its interior, and resting quietly atop it was a silver-white bracelet.
Intricate patterns were carved across the bracelet's surface. Upon closer inspection, those patterns were actually tiny Soul Tool formations, layered one over another with the precision of clockwork gears.
The young woman opened the glass dome but did not reach in to pick it up. She merely stepped slightly aside so Wang Xian could see it more clearly.
"This Storage Soul Tool is called the Heaven Origin Bracelet. It has twelve cubic meters of storage space and offers the best value among the items currently in our store." She paused before naming the price. "It costs five thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Wang Xian's brow furrowed slightly.
Five thousand Gold Soul Coins. After fighting matches in Notting City for over half a year and winning money from bets, he had only a little over five hundred Gold Coins left after buying Whale Rubber.
Five thousand Gold Soul Coins was an astronomical sum to him.
"Do you have anything cheaper?" Wang Xian asked.
The young woman shook her head awkwardly. Her tone remained polite, but there was already a trace of helplessness in her eyes. "This is already the cheapest Storage Soul Tool in our store. There are simply too few Storage Soul Tools."
Wang Xian fell silent for two seconds, then nodded.
"Then forget it for now. Thank you."
"You're too polite. We welcome you to visit again." The young woman bowed slightly, her smile still perfectly proper.
Wang Xian turned and walked out of Treasure Pavilion. Standing on the steps outside, he watched the crowd flowing along the street and could not help sighing.
There was a full tenfold difference between five hundred Gold Coins and five thousand Gold Coins.
If he relied on fighting match after match to save up, who knew how long it would take?
"Looks like I still need to bet on myself. That's the fastest way to make money."
He shook his head and headed toward Heaven Dou Intermediate Academy.
Since he could not afford it, he might as well go back and cultivate first. He could return once he had saved enough money.
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