Dugu Yan seemed to completely ignore Xiao Wu's provocation.
Her slender fingers snapped a nut in half. She elegantly popped the kernel into her mouth, then lifted her eyes to Chu Men.
"Teacher Chu's open class was fascinating. I wonder if you'd be interested in teaching at Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
"No."
Chu Men refused without hesitation. "Heaven Dou Royal Academy is full of aristocratic students. I don't think I could put up with them."
"Haha~"
Dugu Yan chuckled and looked at the close friend beside her.
"Lingling, see? I told you Teacher Chu wouldn't agree."
Ye Lingling was so shy that her face had gone red all the way to her neck. She raised her delicate hands and covered her face with them.
She couldn't show her face anymore!
It was all Sister Yan's fault. How could she say everything out loud?!
Seeing Ye Lingling's ears turn bright red, Dugu Yan couldn't help curving her lips.
It all started when Dugu Yan returned to the dormitory that afternoon.
Dugu Yan had just pushed open the dormitory door when a pale-blue figure rushed over. A soft voice, tinged with urgency, called out:
"Yan Yan, you're finally back!"
Ye Lingling still clutched a crumpled flyer in her hand. It showed the poster for Chu Men's open class, made by Liu Erlong.
She tipped up her little face, eyes sparkling as she asked, "Yan Yan, tell me about it! How was Teacher Chu's class?"
Dugu Yan leisurely sat down on the bed and deliberately drew out her words. "Hmm... it was all right, I guess. Nothing special."
"How could you say that? I heard from my classmates..."
Ye Lingling grew anxious. She held Dugu Yan's arm and gave it a gentle shake. "Sister Yan... my dear Yan, please, tell me already!"
Ye Lingling was quite comfortable around Dugu Yan, but her coaxing voice was so soft that it was nothing like her usual persona.
"Haha, all right, all right. I won't tease you anymore."
Seeing her like this, Dugu Yan couldn't help laughing before continuing.
"Teacher Chu's class was interesting! He showed off a lightning-type Soul Tool that could convert Soul Power into lightning attacks. It was really cool!"
Ye Lingling murmured, "Lightning?"
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, of course it's lightning."
A hint of disdain had just appeared on Dugu Yan's face, but it quickly gave way to approval.
"Lightning really is destructive. And... Teacher Chu's not bad-looking, either. He's quite graceful, so he wouldn't be a waste of that pretty little face of yours."
Ye Lingling immediately blushed scarlet and chided her. "What are you talking about!"
"Tsk! Still denying it? Then why did you urge me to go to his class? I'm not interested in Soul Tools."
That was what Dugu Yan said, but in her mind, she was already designing a poison Soul Tool made just for herself!
Before going to Blue Tyrant Academy, she really hadn't been all that interested.
But ever since attending the open class, her appetite had grown and grown!
She wanted not only a Soul Tool, but him, too!
Sorry, bestie. Let your big sister test out the man you've been admiring first!
"Sister Yan~"
Ye Lingling drew out the last syllable, continuing to wheedle.
"It's just that something came up at home at the last minute, and you know how much us Auxiliary Soul Masters need to feel safe."
"I know, I know. Next time I see Aunt Ye, I'll tell her our Lingling wants to get married and can't get enough..."
"Don't say that! Don't!"
Ye Lingling hurriedly tried to cover Dugu Yan's mouth, only to topple her onto the bed.
Dugu Yan tickled her at the waist while laughing.
"You're still young, and you have a top-grade Martial Soul like the Nine-Heart Begonia. What's the rush?"
"Who said I was in a rush?"
Ye Lingling protested, her face red. "I just want him to help design a Soul Tool to protect me. I never said I wanted to date him... You're so annoying!"
Dugu Yan didn't believe her. "Then go ask him directly. Didn't you already find out that he has some kind of Soul Tool shop? Just go there and buy one."
Ye Lingling glanced at Dugu Yan like she was an idiot.
"It's a Soul Tool with offensive capabilities, big sis! Those kinds of good things were snapped up long ago by high-level Auxiliary Soul Masters. How could you possibly find one on the market?"
Naturally, she didn't mean ordinary wares, but high-quality Soul Tools.
After all, the Ye family was a noble family of the Heaven Dou Empire. They might keep a low profile, but they had quite a bit of influence.
Even Ye Lingling herself had no shortage of protective treasures. She simply didn't use them lightly.
Dugu Yan lounged comfortably with an arm around her best friend. "Hmph! So you want to avoid trading on your looks, but still want to hit on him? That's a tall order!"
"What do you mean, trading on my looks? And hitting on him? Sister Yan, you love saying the most ridiculous things!"
Ye Lingling twisted her waist in protest, looking as if she couldn't bear the teasing.
"I just want to find out how capable this Teacher Chu from Blue Tyrant Academy is. He could be all reputation and no substance, just a fame-hungry fraud."
They were at the tender age of youthful romance. How had Sister Yan made it sound as if she was determined to do something to the man?
Damn Sister Yan!
Dugu Yan replayed the morning's class in her mind and declared with certainty, "He is capable. He really is!"
As soon as Ye Lingling heard her affirmative answer, she hurriedly asked:
"Then give me some advice, Sister Yan. How should I visit him? Should I go to Blue Tyrant Academy as a student, or pretend to be a customer at his Soul Tool shop? Or maybe..."
Ye Lingling rattled off several plans in one breath. Clearly, this was "all part of a long-laid scheme"!
"How is such a simple question turning into such a mess?" Dugu Yan rubbed her brow. "Just bring a generous gift and go ask to buy one from him."
"No, no, Sister Yan. You're a Battle Soul Master, so you don't know how this works."
Ye Lingling sighed.
"We Auxiliary Soul Masters get ripped off badly even when we go to Gengxin City to pick out a weapon that suits us. And that's not all—the things we buy are made with shoddy workmanship and substandard materials."
Dugu Yan didn't argue with her.
Battle Soul Masters had very little need for weapons.
In most cases, their Martial Souls were their weapons. Fighting itself tempered their Martial Souls, so outside tools would only be gilding the lily.
Ye Lingling suggested, "I heard he's already a Soul Ancestor. How about we ask him to teach at Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
Dugu Yan applauded her. "Get close to the water and you'll be the first to admire the moon—what a clever little scheme. I can practically hear it clacking away!"
Ye Lingling swatted her flapping hands away and pouted.
"What are you talking about? A teacher wouldn't take advantage of a student, would he? I'm just... unwilling to let the Empire waste a talent!"
She silently affirmed to herself, That's right. That's all this is!
"He won't agree," Dugu Yan said with absolute certainty.
Ye Lingling didn't believe her. "How could he not? Our Royal Academy is the strongest in the Empire..."
The flashback ended in an instant.
"This morning, I asked Teacher Chu to teach me Soul Tool techniques, and now I've brought him a student who needs a defensive Soul Tool more than anyone. What do you think? Pretty thoughtful of me, right?"
Dugu Yan's lips curled up. She crossed one leg over the other and looked at Chu Men with a teasing smile.
[Warning: the Shura Field has escalated!]
[Yanmen Army, attention! Reinforcements have arrived. Launch the counterattack!]
[Holy crap, this is exciting! Could it be time for our great Ye Sect to make its debut?]
Just then, a thunderous crash suddenly came from the stage—
A dark shadow tore through the curtain bearing the angel projection, and the audience below erupted into an uproar.
Before you continue