Dugu Yan, Are You Embarrassing Me?

After leaving Holy Soul Village, Qin Yao spent seven days finally arriving at Heaven Dou City once again.

Despite his current constitution, the continuous days of travel left him feeling a hint of fatigue.

Qin Yao restrained his aura, his purple-silver hair tied back with a simple cloth strip. His black outfit with dark purple patterns did not stand out in the crowd, yet his overly tall stature and striking appearance still drew sidelong glances from many passersby.

Ignoring those inquisitive gazes, he prepared to find a quiet inn to stay and rest properly before heading into the Sunset Forest to absorb the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone he had just obtained.

Just as he was strolling along the wide streets of Heaven Dou City, a commotion not far ahead caught his attention.

It could not be called an argument; it was more like a pestering entanglement.

Qin Yao originally intended to ignore it, but when he caught sight of one of the individuals, his footsteps faltered.

It was a young woman dressed in a purple-black outfit with silver trim, her ink-green hair draped loosely and her brows long and narrow—it was Dugu Yan.

Why is she here? Qin Yao felt a bit surprised.

Calculating the time, more than half a month had passed since he left the Sunset Forest. He figured she must have already obtained her fourth soul ring.

Standing beside Dugu Yan was another young woman.

She was slender and graceful, dressed in black, her face veiled by a thin black gauze that obscured her features.

A waterfall of blue hair cascaded down her back, and most striking of all were her eyes, which were the same shade of blue and clear to the bottom.

Qin Yao's heart stirred.

Nine Heart Begonia, Ye Lingling.

The top-tier support-type martial soul on Douluo Continent, passed down through a single line, with only two Nine Heart Begonia soul masters capable of existing in each generation.

He had not expected to see two members of the Imperial Fighting Team in one day.

In front of the two young women, a man was blocking their path, looking somewhat agitated.

The man appeared to be in his early twenties, with a tall, lean build and short black hair.

His features were not particularly handsome, but his nose was straight, his mouth square, and his facial lines were rigid. He wore a blue outfit without any superfluous decorations.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianheng.

Qin Yao identified the other party almost instantly.

He stood where he was with interest, acting as a spectator.

He heard Dugu Yan's cold, impatient voice ring out.

"Yu Tianheng, I have already made myself very clear. I have withdrawn from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. There is no possibility for you and me in the future! If you continue to pester me, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Dugu Yan's words were clear and carried a sense of resolution.

Ever since she decided to withdraw from the academy, her mind had been made up. Now, within the academy, Dugu Yan only maintained contact with Ye Lingling.

Although the Ye family of the Nine Heart Begonia held a title within the Heaven Dou Empire, they had not joined any faction. Thus, the relationship between Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling remained as it had always been.

Yu Tianheng clearly could not accept this fact. He stepped forward, questioning her with great emotion:

"Yanzi! Why did you suddenly decide to withdraw? Is there some hidden difficulty? Tell me! We can solve it together!"

His voice was filled with confusion and anxiety.

"Hidden difficulty? What kind of difficulty could I have?"

Dugu Yan's voice turned colder; she did not want to entangle herself with Yu Tianheng here.

Her withdrawal was a decision made after careful consideration.

Ever since her grandfather Dugu Bo submitted to Qin Yao, her identity was no longer as simple as being a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

She was a person belonging to the Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall.

Her grandfather had specifically instructed her that this identity must never be leaked until she had obtained Qin Yao's permission.

On one hand, it was because her grandfather still owed a favor to Prince Xue Xing of the Heaven Dou Empire, and it would be difficult to burn bridges before that debt was repaid.

On the other hand, and most importantly, the future of their grandfather and granddaughter was tied entirely to that Holy Son. They had to act with caution and could not bring any unnecessary trouble to the Holy Son.

Therefore, faced with Yu Tianheng's questioning, she could not explain, nor did she want to.

"Yu Tianheng, I do not need to account for my affairs to you. Please move aside." Dugu Yan's tone was laced with detachment.

Ye Lingling, standing beside her, tugged at her sleeve and whispered a persuasion:

"Yanzi, don't be like this. The captain is only concerned about you."

"Concerned?" Dugu Yan curled her lips in self-mockery. "Is he concerned about me, or is he concerned about the grandfather behind me? Who can really say?"

Dugu Yan understood well how much of Yu Tianheng's pursuit was motivated by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's desire to win over the Poison Douluo.

In the past, she might not have cared, but now, she had a stance.

Upon hearing this, Yu Tianheng's expression turned ugly. He took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart.

"Yanzi, is our friendship of so many years all fake? Just because of my family's status, you want to deny everything about me?"

Standing not far away, Qin Yao took all of this in.

He was quite satisfied with Dugu Yan's performance.

Decisive and clear-headed.

Since she had chosen her side, she should have the resolve to sever the past.

Dragging things out was the most troublesome path.

Seeing Yu Tianheng still trying to pester her, Dugu Yan completely lost her patience.

"Get lost!"

A sharp reprimand, carrying undisguised anger.

The next moment, a tyrannical wave of soul power erupted from within Dugu Yan!

Her purple-black combat suit fluttered without wind, her ink-green hair flew wildly, and the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor manifested instantly!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple.

Four soul rings rose quietly, circling around her body.

A Soul Ancestor!

Yu Tianheng's pupils shrank sharply. He had never expected that not only had Dugu Yan quietly withdrawn from the academy, but her soul power had actually broken through to the fortieth level!

He himself was currently only a thirty-seventh-level Soul Elder.

"Captain! Yanzi! Don't fight!" Ye Lingling's pretty face turned pale with anxiety as she hurriedly stepped between the two.

But having been scolded by Dugu Yan in public and witnessing her strength far exceeding his own, the pride of Yu Tianheng, as the heir to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was completely ignited.

"Good, a fine Soul Ancestor indeed!" Yu Tianheng laughed in extreme anger. "Today, I want to see exactly what gives you the right to tell me to get lost!"

"Roar!"

A deafening dragon roar rang out, and blinding blue-purple lightning erupted from his body, instantly enveloping him.

Yu Tianheng's right arm expanded rapidly, covered in a layer of thick, blue-purple dragon scales, his right hand transforming into a ferocious dragon claw.

Yellow, yellow, purple—three soul rings rose as well.

"First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"

Yu Tianheng did not hesitate in the slightest, opening with his most rigid and fierce attack. The massive lightning dragon claw tore through the air, carrying a shrill whistle as it struck directly at Dugu Yan's face.

Dugu Yan frowned; she hadn't expected Yu Tianheng to attack so abruptly.

She tapped her toes lightly, her figure drifting backward, and her first soul ring lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Jade Phosphorous Red Poison!"

A faint red mist diffused from her body, boosting her speed and reflexes, allowing her to dodge the strike by a hair's breadth.

The Thunder Dragon Claw landed on the ground, carving five deep furrows into the hard stone road.

Dugu Yan felt a surge of irritation. Her third and fourth soul skills were too powerful and carried the toxins of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor; if they made contact, the consequences would be unimaginable.

On the streets of Heaven Dou City, if she accidentally poisoned the heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to death, the trouble would be immense.

But if she didn't use her third and fourth soul skills, she couldn't gain any advantage against the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, which was renowned for its raw power and explosive force.

For a moment, Dugu Yan could only keep dodging, appearing constrained and restricted.

"Second Soul Skill, Thunderbolt!"

Yu Tianheng pressed his advantage, the snake-like electricity around his body exploding instantly into countless tiny bolts of lightning, covering every space where Dugu Yan could dodge.

Dugu Yan was forced to retreat repeatedly by the dense lightning, inevitably being struck by several bolts, sending waves of numbness through her.

Pedestrians on the street had long since fled to a distance, leaving a large open space.

Ye Lingling stood to the side, stamping her feet in anxiety, but she was helpless to intervene.

Qin Yao watched from the side, his brows gradually knitting together.

A forty-second-level Soul Ancestor, being suppressed by a thirty-seventh-level Soul Elder?

Fighting against others, yet acting so timid and hesitant!

Since when was it someone else's turn to bully his people?

Just as Yu Tianheng's third soul ring lit up, preparing to unleash his augmentation skill "Thunder Fury" to secure the victory, Qin Yao appeared instantly in front of Dugu Yan.

"Second Soul Skill, Lion's Fang."

The calm voice rang out, yet it made everyone present feel a tremor in their hearts.

The figure raised his right hand, and in his palm, a mass of dark purple flames, concentrated to the extreme, appeared out of thin air, instantly condensing into the shape of a roaring lion's head.

He gave Yu Tianheng no time to react.

The purple fire lion head left his hand, tracing a strange arc through the air before slamming directly into Yu Tianheng's chest.

With a muffled "Boom!"

The blue-purple lightning on Yu Tianheng's body was instantly swallowed and annihilated by the purple flames.

The dragon-scaled right arm he took such pride in shattered scale by scale. It was as if he had been struck head-on by an ancient beast; he spat out blood, his body flying backward for over ten meters before crashing heavily to the ground. He struggled twice, then fell unconscious.

A one-hit kill!

The entire arena fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Ye Lingling covered her mouth, her clear blue eyes filled with shock.

Dugu Yan also froze in place, staring at the upright figure before her, unable to react for a moment.

She was far too familiar with this back.

That dark purple hair, that black-and-gold-patterned martial attire—it was the Holy Son!

Why was he here?

A wave of wild joy surged through Dugu Yan's heart, followed immediately by an inexplicable sense of grievance.

Had he seen just how miserably Yu Tianheng had forced her into a corner?

Qin Yao turned around slowly, his face devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

He paid no mind to the unconscious Yu Tianheng on the ground, nor did he look at the petrified Ye Lingling standing to the side.

Qin Yao's gaze landed on Dugu Yan's face.

Just as Dugu Yan expected Qin Yao to say something comforting, a cold voice rang in her ears.

"A Soul Ancestor, yet you were being suppressed by a Soul Elder? Dugu Yan, are you trying to embarrass me?"