"Wang Xian!"
A crisp shout came from inside the academy.
Wang Xian turned to look and froze for a moment.
Dugu Yan was running toward him, but she looked completely different from usual today.
She was not wearing her sharp purple combat outfit. Instead, she had changed into a white dress, its hem fluttering gently as she ran, like a drifting cloud.
Her short dark-purple hair was tousled slightly by the wind, making her seem less heroic than usual and adding a touch of girlish softness.
She ran up to Wang Xian, breathing lightly. A faint blush covered her fair face, though it was unclear whether it came from running or something else.
Wang Xian looked at her, and a trace of amazement flashed through his eyes.
He had seen Dugu Yan countless times at the Soul Fighting Arena, dressed in combat gear with wrist guards tied on, looking dashing and valiant. Yet he had never seen her in a dress.
Noticing his gaze, Dugu Yan shyly spun around in front of him. The hem of her white dress bloomed like a flower.
She pursed her lips and asked softly, "Well?"
"You look beautiful." Wang Xian smiled, his tone sincere.
Dugu Yan's face reddened further. She lowered her head, then quickly raised it again and reached out to grab Wang Xian's wrist. Her voice was much softer than usual. "Come on, let's go find Lingling."
The two headed down the street toward Ye Lingling's home.
Dugu Yan spoke far less than usual along the way. When she did speak, her words came in scattered fragments, but her hand never let go of Wang Xian's wrist.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at a quiet residential area on the eastern side of Heaven Dou City.
Dugu Yan stopped in front of an inconspicuous house. It was not large, with gray walls and black tiles. Several short bamboo plants stood before the door, giving the place a clean, simple feel.
"This is your first time at Lingling's house, right?" Dugu Yan asked.
"That's right." Wang Xian nodded.
Dugu Yan released his wrist, stepped forward two paces, and called into the house, "Lingling, we're here!"
Before long, someone opened the door from within.
The person who opened it was not Ye Lingling, but an elderly man.
He looked to be in his sixties or seventies. His graying hair was neatly combed, and there were not many wrinkles on his face. His skin had been well cared for, making it clear that he must have been quite handsome in his youth.
He wore a grayish-white robe, spotless and without a single crease.
What drew the most attention were his eyes. They were gentle eyes, and his gaze did not make others feel pressured. Instead, it carried the comfort of a warm spring breeze.
But Wang Xian noticed that despite their gentleness, the old man's eyes held the clarity of someone who had seen through the ways of the world, as though he could peer directly into one's heart.
"Yanzi, you've come to see Lingling again." Seeing Dugu Yan, the old man smiled. His voice was quiet but clear.
"Hello, Grandpa Ye." Dugu Yan greeted him obediently.
The old man's gaze fell upon Wang Xian, examining him from head to toe. A subtle glint flashed through his eyes.
He nodded slightly, and his smile deepened. "You must be Wang Xian. I've heard Lingling mention you. Come in together."
Wang Xian gave a slight bow and politely addressed him as "Grandpa Ye," then followed Dugu Yan inside.
The house was not large, but it was kept very tidy. Ye Lingling was sitting in a chair in the living room. When she saw them enter, she stood up, the corners of her lips curving faintly.
She had also changed her outfit today. She wore a light cyan dress, and her hair was more neatly arranged than usual. She seemed brighter than she did at the academy.
"Lingling, let's go." Dugu Yan stepped forward and took Ye Lingling's hand.
Ye Lingling nodded, then turned to glance at the old man.
The old man smiled and waved them off. "Go on, go on. Just don't come back too late."
The three left the house and walked down the street.
Dugu Yan led the way, her steps much lighter than before. The hem of her white dress fluttered gently in the morning breeze.
As she walked, she kept turning back to talk to Wang Xian, saying how nice the weather was today and chatting about all sorts of other things.
She was much more talkative than before, and her tone had returned to its usual cheerfulness. But whenever her eyes met Wang Xian's, her gaze would drift away for a moment before she casually looked elsewhere.
Ye Lingling walked on Wang Xian's right, quiet as a gentle breeze.
She did not speak much, but Wang Xian noticed that she deliberately slowed her pace to remain beside him.
Several times, when Dugu Yan walked ahead, their shoulders nearly touched. Ye Lingling did not move away, merely lowering her head as her eyelashes trembled slightly.
Amid this subtle atmosphere, they visited the more famous sights throughout Heaven Dou City.
By evening, after spending most of the day wandering around, Ye Lingling stopped in front of a ring-toss stall. Her gaze settled on a fluffy little white rabbit doll.
Dugu Yan pulled her over to play, while Wang Xian sat down on a bench nearby and watched the two girls from behind.
Dugu Yan tried several times without landing a ring. Pouting in frustration, she handed the ring to Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling took it, pursed her lips, and flicked her wrist lightly. The plastic ring traced an arc through the air and landed securely around the little white rabbit.
The stall owner smiled and handed over the doll. Ye Lingling accepted it and held it against her chest, a faint smile curving her lips.
Dugu Yan clapped and cheered beside her. Then she glanced back at Wang Xian, and the smile on her face gradually faded. She told Ye Lingling, "You keep playing for now."
Then she turned around, walked over, and sat beside Wang Xian.
The wooden bench swayed slightly.
Dugu Yan braced her hands on either side of herself, lowered her head to look at her skirt, and remained silent for several seconds.
"Wang Xian." She spoke, her voice much softer than usual.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know that before you came, Lingling had never smiled like that?"
Wang Xian turned to look at her, then looked ahead at Ye Lingling, who was selecting a new target at the stall.
Her back was slender and quiet, the hem of her light cyan dress fluttering in the evening breeze.
Holding the little white rabbit doll in her arms, she looked far more relaxed than usual.
"Oh? Is that so?" Wang Xian said.
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at him, though there was no force behind it. It was more like a pause before a sigh.
She drew a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts—or working up her courage.
"Do you know the limitation of the Nine-Heart Begonia martial soul?" she asked.
Of course Wang Xian knew. The Nine-Heart Begonia could have only one inheritor in each generation, and at most two Nine-Heart Begonia Soul Masters could be alive at the same time.
Unless the previous generation died, the next generation could not awaken.
This method of inheritance was unique among all martial souls on the Douluo Continent.
But he did not answer directly. He merely shook his head.
Dugu Yan did not look at him. Her gaze rested on Ye Lingling's distant figure, and her voice lowered.
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