Settling Old and New Scores Together! The Golden Leaf Duo?

Lin Jiang took the badge, turned it over a few times, then casually tucked it into his clothes.

Just then—

"Oh?"

A strange, mocking voice came from nearby.

Lin Jiang turned his head and saw two young men walking toward them.

One was lean and wiry, while the other was somewhat sturdier. Both wore displeased expressions, their gazes shifting between Lin Jiang and Ye Lingling.

Osler.

Yu Feng.

Members of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team, and loyal followers of Yu Tianheng.

Osler narrowed his eyes and looked Lin Jiang up and down. "Isn't that Lingling? Who's the guy beside her?"

Yu Feng crossed his arms and tilted his head, studying them for a moment. "Never seen him before. He's not from our academy, is he?"

The two exchanged a glance.

"She won't team up with us, but she's found some guy from outside?"

Osler spat. "Come on, let's see what kind of teammate Lingling found."

"Let's go!"

The two strode over, full of bluster.

When Ye Lingling saw them, her expression shifted. She instinctively moved closer to Lin Jiang and lowered her voice.

"Let's go. Those two look like they're here to pick a fight with you."

Her voice carried a note of nervousness.

Lin Jiang followed her gaze and studied Osler and Yu Feng.

Though he'd only seen them once, six years ago, he still remembered these two minor characters from the original story.

Lin Jiang looked away and said casually, "Aren't they just a couple of lackeys?"

Ye Lingling's expression changed. She hurriedly tugged at his sleeve. "Keep your voice down!"

Too late.

Osler and Yu Feng were already close enough to hear every word.

Both their expressions darkened.

Yu Feng crossed his arms, lifted his chin, and looked down his nose at Lin Jiang.

"Kid, do you know who we are?"

Ye Lingling's expression changed. She hurried forward and stood in front of Lin Jiang.

"He's my partner! You two, don't be like this!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was plainly tense.

Osler looked Lin Jiang up and down, a disdainful smile on his lips.

"Lingling, with two strong men like us right here, you still won't team up with us? Where'd you find this little brat?"

Ye Lingling opened her mouth. "I—!"

Before she could finish, a hand gently rested on her shoulder.

Lin Jiang's hand.

"Who Lingling chooses to team up with is her business." His voice was calm and unhurried. "It has nothing to do with you two, does it?"

Osler's eyes widened. "Who said you could speak?"

He was about to step forward when Yu Feng suddenly held him back.

"Wait."

Yu Feng stared at Lin Jiang's face, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

He felt like he'd seen that face somewhere before...

That face was almost offensively handsome, the kind that made you want to punch its owner...

Yu Feng's pupils contracted.

He remembered!

Six years ago, at the entrance to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

That little brat crouching by the wall.

That pretty boy who'd been slapped by Dugu Yan after making their boss angry!

Yu Feng shot Osler a look.

Osler hadn't recognized Lin Jiang, but he could tell from Yu Feng's expression that he had a plan, so he snorted and took half a step back.

"Hmph. I'll leave this to you, then." He lowered his voice. "Let's see how you get beaten up."

Lin Jiang couldn't be bothered with them. He turned and walked away.

"Lingling, let's go. We're signing up for two-on-two."

He casually took Ye Lingling by the wrist and headed for the registration desk without looking back.

Ye Lingling was caught off guard. Her face instantly flushed bright red, and she followed with her head lowered, not daring to say a word.

Once the two had gone some distance, Osler leaned toward Yu Feng.

"What's wrong? You know that kid?"

Yu Feng narrowed his eyes, watching Lin Jiang's retreating figure.

"Don't you think his face looks familiar?"

Osler blinked. "Familiar?"

"Six years ago." Yu Feng enunciated each word. "At the academy entrance. The kid Dugu Yan slapped because he made our boss angry."

Osler's eyes flew wide open.

"What?! It's him?!"

"Hmph."

Osler clenched his fists until they cracked, gnashing his teeth. "Then why'd you stop me? I have to teach him a lesson!"

Yu Feng held him back, a sinister smile curling his lips.

"Don't rush."

"We'll teach him a lesson in the Soul Fighting Arena."

"Make him humiliate himself in front of everyone!"

Osler was taken aback, then his eyes lit up. He rubbed his chin.

"That's a great idea! We'll settle old and new scores together!"

Yu Feng nodded, growing more pleased with the idea by the second.

"When we get back and tell our boss, we'll have earned ourselves another merit!"

"Hahahaha!"

The two exchanged a glance and burst out laughing, shamelessly loud.

The Soul Masters passing nearby glanced at them, wondering what had gotten into the two.

In the distance, Lin Jiang had already led Ye Lingling to the two-on-two registration desk.

"Sign us up."

The staff member looked up at him. "Team name?"

Lin Jiang thought it over. "Uh...I'm Golden Scale."

"And your teammate?"

"Y-Ye Lingling," she said softly.

"Then what's your duo called?"

Lin Jiang scratched his head. What a hassle. They even had to come up with a duo name.

He might as well pick something at random.

Ye Lingling suddenly spoke, a little louder than before. "Then...how about using the first characters of our names?"

Lin Jiang turned to look at her. "Hm?"

Ye Lingling lowered her head and twisted the edge of her clothes between her fingers. "The Golden Leaf Duo!"

Lin Jiang: "..."

Ye Lingling lifted her head, her eyes sparkling. "It's nice, isn't it?"

Her big blue eyes were full of hope.

Lin Jiang looked at her expression, then swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"...Whatever you like."

The corners of Ye Lingling's mouth lifted slightly. She softly repeated the name. "The Golden Leaf Duo...It actually sounds pretty nice."

The staff member quickly wrote it down and, without looking up, handed them a match slip.

"All set. Your match is scheduled for ten o'clock at No. 5 Sub-Soul Fighting Arena. Be there fifteen minutes early."

Lin Jiang took the match slip and sighed, covering his face with a hand.

The Golden Leaf Duo...

Whatever. It was just a name. As long as they could fight, that was all that mattered.

Ye Lingling followed behind him, her steps much lighter. She kept softly repeating, "Golden Leaf, Golden Leaf..."

The two had barely left when Yu Feng and Osler approached the counter.

"Set us up for a match."

Yu Feng leaned against the counter and tapped his fingers on it. "We want to fight those two from just now."

The staff member looked up. "Huh?"

He looked at Yu Feng, then Osler, and recognized them.

The Wind Leopard Duo had made a bit of a name for themselves in the Soul Fighting Arena.

"But..." The staff member flipped through the records.

"You two have won dozens of matches in a row, and you're almost ready to rank up from Bronze Soul Fighter to Silver Soul Fighter. Those two just registered as a new duo. The gap in strength is too great. The rules don't allow—"

Yu Feng said nothing. He simply took a few Gold Soul Coins from his clothes and discreetly slid them across.

"Make an exception."

The Gold Soul Coins clinked crisply against the counter.

The staff member glanced at the coins, then at Yu Feng. Slowly, the corners of his mouth curled up.

"No problem."

He slipped the coins into his sleeve and quickly made a few changes to the records.

"Ten o'clock, No. 5 Sub-Soul Fighting Arena."

Yu Feng and Osler exchanged a glance, both breaking into smiles...