Dugu Yan: What do you mean you slept here all night?

The next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the window, spilling onto the soft bed in the room. Ye Lingling, who had been exhausted the night before, slowly opened her clear eyes as the environment gradually brightened.

"Mmm~"

A soft, girlish moan escaped her lips, but she quickly realized this was not her own room and felt a jolt of alarm in her heart!

No, wait, this is...

Oh, this is Yu Tianjiao's room; it's not the place of some villain.

She regained her composure and scanned the room, only to find that it was completely empty.

"Tianjiao?"

She felt a bit puzzled and couldn't help but call out softly.

However, no one responded to her.

She couldn't help but pout.

Looking down at her still-neat clothes and seeing that the bed only bore the traces of her own presence, she felt both relieved and disappointed.

She was relieved because Yu Tianjiao was indeed the gentleman she knew him to be, and he hadn't taken advantage of her while she was fast asleep to do anything untoward.

She was disappointed because she was quite confident in her appearance and figure, yet Yu Tianjiao hadn't even suggested sleeping while holding her, which made her feel a little insecure about her own charm.

In reality, she was just overthinking things.

Yu Tianjiao's mind was currently entirely focused on cultivation. Kissing her, or even kissing Dugu Yan, was merely a diversion outside of completing his system tasks.

Although Yu Tianjiao didn't intend to let any of these beautiful women go and was prepared to conquer them all and pull them into his embrace, he knew very well that in a fantasy world—especially one where the protagonist was an abstract person like Tang San, who would spout nonsense about "the way of death" at the drop of a hat—if he didn't have sufficient power, he might be killed by the protagonist one day.

Having read Douluo Continent, he knew that Tang San's criteria for friend or foe were quite abstract; even if you had no malice toward him, he might decide you were an enemy simply because you discovered his secrets, and then consider whether or not to kill you.

Even if Yu Tianjiao was the younger brother of Tang San's teacher, and by seniority Tang San should call him "Uncle-Master," it wouldn't matter.

Furthermore, Yu Tianjiao intended to compete for the championship in the Soul Master Tournament. A famous figure like him would have already been marked by Martial Soul Hall. What if that crazy woman Bibi Dong took a dislike to him, a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and decided to kill him?

After all, that woman was crazy enough to wipe out the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan just because her useless second brother, Yu Xiaogang, had been slighted by them.

To be honest, even now, Yu Tianjiao couldn't understand how Yu Xiaogang had the nerve to act as if he were the victim.

The guy was useless at cultivation and useless at being a person. He just compiled some information about martial souls he'd obtained from the clan and Martial Soul Hall, published it for civilian soul masters to see, and then had the audacity to call himself a "Grandmaster."

The clan had truly done everything they could for him.

In short, because of the trouble Yu Xiaogang had caused, Yu Tianjiao didn't dare to slack off because of his own talent.

Truth be told, he only hated that he had transmigrated too late.

If he had transmigrated earlier, he would have snatched Bibi Dong away before Yu Xiaogang could, and he would have intercepted Tang San's mother, that hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Grass!

Two losers who couldn't even protect their own women—how could they have the nerve to call themselves protagonists?

If it were him, Yu Tianjiao, he would have beaten Qian Xunji until not even his ashes remained!

Unfortunately, there were no "ifs."

So, he could only seize every moment to cultivate, lest he find himself without enough power when the time came to act.

With these thoughts in mind, Yu Tianjiao returned to the dormitory with the breakfast he had bought.

Seeing Yu Tianjiao return, Ye Lingling immediately revealed a gentle smile. She hopped over to his side like a young girl and proactively gave him a loving hug.

"So you went to buy me breakfast! You're so good, Tianjiao!"

Ye Lingling said with a beaming smile.

"You are my girlfriend; naturally, I have to treat you well. Alright, eat while it's hot."

Hearing this, Yu Tianjiao stopped his internal musings. His expression remained unchanged as he said this with a faint smile.

"Mm!"

Ye Lingling nodded with a smile, unwrapped the breakfast, set it out on the table, and began to eat with Yu Tianjiao.

She took small bites of the warm bun, but her gaze remained fixed on Yu Tianjiao's face.

Ye Lingling understood Yu Tianjiao, so she could naturally see that although her boyfriend appeared calm on the surface, his spirit seemed somewhat tense. Was something the matter?

"Tianjiao," she put down her food, her voice carrying a hint of cautious probing, "last night... did you not sleep at all?"

Yu Tianjiao was drinking porridge. Hearing this, he revealed a gentle smile:

"Mm. I was stagnant for three years and unable to cultivate. Now that I've recovered, I naturally cherish the time for cultivation even more than before."

Ye Lingling nodded upon hearing this. She couldn't detect any flaws in Yu Tianjiao's words.

"This porridge is good. Do you want to try some?"

Following that, Yu Tianjiao picked up the other bowl of porridge while speaking, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it gently, and then held the spoon out to Ye Lingling's lips.

It was the first time Ye Lingling had been treated in such a doting manner. Her pretty face flushed slightly, but looking at the tenderness on Yu Tianjiao's face, she obediently lowered her head, parted her red lips, took the spoon, and sipped the porridge.

The taste was indeed excellent—more delicious than any porridge she had ever had before.

Yet she felt that perhaps it wasn't simply because the porridge tasted good, but rather the sentiment behind the person before her feeding her by hand that left her feeling incomparably content.

After being fed by Yu Tianjiao for a while, Ye Lingling's "lovestruck brain" kicked in; she promptly forgot what she had intended to say and simply settled into enjoying her meal.

Once the buns were finished and the porridge bowl was empty, Yu Tianjiao raised his hand and, with extreme naturalness, used his thumb to wipe away a trace of translucent white porridge from the corner of her lip. The gesture was so intimate that it made the young girl's pretty face flush slightly once more.

Only then did Yu Tianjiao speak, picking up the thread of their previous conversation.

"Cultivation is like rowing a boat against the current; if you do not advance, you retreat. One cannot afford even a moment of relaxation. I cannot slack off just because I am a genius; that would be a waste of my talent."

The sense of loss in Ye Lingling's heart had long since been washed away by sweetness, yet the doubts in her mind had not entirely dissipated.

She gathered her courage, her voice growing even softer:

"But you can't go without rest entirely, can you? If this continues, is your body really going to be alright?"

Yu Tianjiao's smile faded slightly, and his gaze sank.

He did not rush to answer, instead picking up the bowl of clear porridge from the table and downing it in one sharp gulp.

"Lingling," his voice deepened, carrying a gravity Ye Lingling had never heard before, "how long do you think our current peaceful days can last?"

Ye Lingling was startled by this, blinking in confusion:

"What do you mean?"

Yu Tianjiao set the bowl down and traced a line across the tabletop, his posture exuding the air of one who commands the situation:

"In recent years, the Martial Soul Hall has grown increasingly powerful, and their style of conduct has become overbearing. Back then, the Clear Sky Sect was forced to seal their mountain and hide from the world, forbidding their disciples from venturing out. The head of the Upper Three Sects was reduced to such a state.

How many more years of glory do you think our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, will have?

Although this is merely a conjecture, it is by no means an impossibility.

Furthermore, the current Martial Soul Hall provides benefits to spirit masters, giving them an incredibly deep foundation in the spirit master world. The contemporary Pope, Bibi Dong, is also an ambitious woman. I believe there is a possibility she will eventually declare herself Empress, transforming the Martial Soul Hall into the Spirit Hall Empire. When that time comes, the spirit master world will surely fall into chaos!"

Hearing such words from Yu Tianjiao, Ye Lingling could not help but be shocked.

Given her status, she was simply not in a position to receive such information, nor would she have considered such matters.

But after hearing Yu Tianjiao put it this way, she truly felt that his words made a great deal of sense.

Seeing that Ye Lingling had been swayed by his rhetoric, Yu Tianjiao felt a weight lift from his heart, though his gaze remained exceptionally deep and resolute:

"As the hope of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I naturally cannot afford to slack off for a single moment. Every extra moment of practice might provide one more shred of certainty in dealing with future crises. I do not want..." He paused, his tone turning heavy, "to one day be forced to watch those important to me fall into danger while I stand by, powerless."

These words were, naturally, a jab at Yu Xiaogang, Tang Hao, and Tang San.

The former was a pure waste who didn't know his own worth, so he didn't need to be mentioned. The latter two could be considered geniuses of their era, yet they all ended up acting like useless fools, letting women take blows for them!

Yu Tianjiao despised such cowards most of all.

He would rather die than stand by and watch his woman, his family, or his friends be harmed!

Ye Lingling's heart trembled violently.

Looking at the heavy sense of responsibility and urgency in his eyes, the lingering disappointment of her earlier girlish thoughts vanished completely, replaced by deep heartache and self-reproach.

So, he was training so hard only because he cared for her so much, and she had actually felt disappointed because of it—she had been far too inconsiderate!

She reached out and gently pressed her hand onto his clenched fist.

"I understand," her voice was gentle yet firm, and a fighting spirit ignited in her clear eyes. "Tianjiao, I won't let you face the future crises alone. I will work twice as hard at my cultivation from now on! The flowers of the Nine Heart Begonia will always bloom for you!"

Yu Tianjiao felt a warmth in his heart at these words. He turned his hand to clasp her slightly cool one, feeling the strength she transmitted, and finally, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

What a wonderful girl; how could he not love her?

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the dormitory door was shoved open with a crash, and a verdant green figure burst in with a whirlwind of momentum—it was Dugu Yan.

The moment she saw the two of them at the table, hands clasped tightly, the atmosphere thick with intimacy, her willow-leaf brows shot upward.

After she had returned last night, she couldn't sleep no matter how she tossed and turned; she had even ended up filing off her newly done nails and amusing herself all night long.

As a result, when she went to call her best friend to find Yu Tianjiao this morning, she discovered that her best friend hadn't returned all night!

She immediately sensed something was wrong, ran over to open the door, and saw that the sky had fallen!

What was this? You two are having breakfast together, and after eating, you're still clinging to each other, acting all lovey-dovey?

Good for you, Ye Lingling! Last night you acted all aggrieved as if I were the one sneaking around, but you just tricked me into leaving so you could have Yu Tianjiao all to yourself, right!

Glancing at the bed, Dugu Yan became even more certain: Ye Lingling had slept here last night!

She slept here!

Ahhhhhhh!

Dugu Yan had already begun to wail in her mind.

"Ye Lingling, you slept here last night?"

Dugu Yan took a deep breath, struggling to force a smile.

She had expected Ye Lingling to at least offer an explanation.

But Ye Lingling did not!

"Yes, Tianjiao and I were busy until very late last night. We were so exhausted that we just fell asleep here."

Ye Lingling's words were certainly ambiguous.

Never mind Dugu Yan; even Yu Tianjiao, standing right there, could barely keep a straight face!

What did she mean by "busy until very late" and "so exhausted"?

Did she not realize how dangerous it was to speak like that?

Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan was first stunned by Ye Lingling's bold, suggestive remark, and then the young girl's pretty face turned bright red at lightning speed.

"Yu Tianjiao! You actually... you took Lingling's body just like that..."

She spun around, lunged at Yu Tianjiao, grabbed his collar, and shook him violently.

Ye Lingling began her performance then; she held her breath until her face flushed, then suddenly hugged Dugu Yan and pulled her away, pouting with a face full of shy indignation:

"Yanzi, what are you saying? Tianjiao didn't do anything to me!"

Dugu Yan froze upon hearing this. What did she mean? Had she misunderstood everything?

She couldn't help but ask:

"Then what did you mean just now?"

Ye Lingling stomped her foot in frustration, bit her red lip, and said:

"Tianjiao just regained the ability to cultivate his soul power. I was worried he hadn't fully recovered, so I was helping him treat his body just like I used to. You used to support me in this, so why are you now..."

As she spoke, the girl in the black dress felt her eyes redden, as if her best friend's lack of trust had truly broken her heart.

This completely fried Dugu Yan's brain.

Wait, you...

Huh?

So it was my fault?

"Lingling, Yanzi was just concerned about you. She was afraid you'd be taken advantage of, which is why she misunderstood."

Standing to the side, Yu Tianjiao ran through every sad memory of his life, and finding them insufficient, he forced himself to recall his past life as a corporate slave to keep from laughing. He reached out, pulled Ye Lingling into his arms, and comforted her.

Dugu Yan was completely dazed by this one-two punch from the pair.

Could it really be her fault?

Why did she feel like something was wrong?

"Hmph, last night I was still thinking about our friendship and wanted her to be your girlfriend along with me, but now I've changed my mind. Until I forgive her, you are not allowed to be with her!"

Ye Lingling pouted, staring at Yu Tianjiao with teary, clear eyes, looking at him expectantly.

"This..."

Yu Tianjiao put on a look of feigned difficulty.

Dugu Yan felt as if the sky had gone completely dark.

It seemed she had... really messed up!

"Lingling, listen to my explanation!"

After pulling herself together, Dugu Yan hurriedly grabbed Ye Lingling's arm. The aggressive stance she had taken to confront them had vanished without a trace, replaced by a face full of sincere apology.

"I don't want to hear it. You coming to Tianjiao's place behind my back last night was one thing, but to treat me like this now? Do you even consider me your good sister in your heart?"

Ye Lingling buried her head into Yu Tianjiao's chest, openly enjoying the closeness with her boyfriend.

Dugu Yan was left speechless by the accusation, feeling that anything she said would be wrong.

Yu Tianjiao simply watched, saying nothing.

Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Dugu Yan finally turned her gaze toward Yu Tianjiao for help, her tone softening into something almost like a coquettish plea:

"Tianjiao, say something!"