Ye Lingling had taken it all in. Seeing Dugu Yan turn her face aside, looking thoroughly disgruntled, she reached out and gently poked her soft waist.
"Lingling, what are you doing?!"
Dugu Yan turned back, her face flushed with embarrassment and annoyance, and glared at Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling knew her temperament well. Not the least bit annoyed, she instead said gently, "Aren't you always curious about who helped me out at the city gate before?"
"You mean that time you were waiting for me at the gate?"
"He's right here in front of you now."
Dugu Yan turned to look at Mo Li, and her expression instantly became a sight to behold.
Jiang Zhu, meanwhile, had been completely baffled the whole time.
Listening to the three of them chat, she couldn't help feeling like she was the odd one out.
Still, it seemed they wouldn't be fighting now. She could tell that Mo Li and Ye Lingling knew each other.
"Looks like we've become acquainted after a fight, senior. I'm Mo Li, and this is my senior, Jiang Zhu," Mo Li introduced himself.
Dugu Yan looked at Mo Li's mild expression and pursed her lips.
If she hadn't just witnessed his strange flames and fierce attacks, she might really have thought Mo Li was as mild as he looked.
After they introduced themselves and cleared up the misunderstanding, Dugu Yan realized she had been in the wrong. Looking somewhat awkward, she quietly apologized to the two of them.
Mo Li smiled and waved it off, showing he didn't mind.
After a moment's discussion, they decided to leave.
A Royal Guard patrol would be arriving soon. Given their status, none of them would be punished, but they would still have to deal with a lot of hassle.
Mo Li took the purple pouch from Jiang Zhu, glanced inside, then handed it back to Dugu Yan.
He hadn't looked closely at what was inside, nor had he had time to. It probably wasn't anything valuable anyway.
After all, truly precious things were usually kept in storage Soul Tools rather than carried around. Mo Li didn't believe Dugu Bo would have any trouble getting his hands on one.
The four of them now walked together down the street.
Mo Li and Ye Lingling walked in the middle, with Jiang Zhu and Dugu Yan each beside them.
Ye Lingling really was cold and reserved. They had already walked quite a way, yet she hadn't said a single word of her own accord.
To break the awkward silence, Mo Li had to make conversation. "It's been a while, Sister Lingling. You seem even prettier than before."
Ye Lingling turned her head and glanced at him, her voice tinged with curiosity. "I'm curious. How can you tell when I look like this?"
"I can just tell," Mo Li replied.
Beneath her veil, Ye Lingling's lovely face curved into a faint smile. She had always been cold and distant; all these years, Dugu Yan had been her only friend.
Still, Mo Li made her feel a little differently.
Perhaps it was because the boy had once offered her his kindness by coming to her aid. Perhaps, by a twist of fate, he had touched her heart.
Who could say for sure?
"By the way, Sister Lingling, did you and Senior Dugu come out shopping too?"
Ye Lingling fell silent. Dugu Yan, on the other hand, seemed to still be sore about losing to Mo Li. Her tone was a little sharp. "What's it to you?"
Mo Li gave her a helpless look.
"Senior Dugu, that's a bit harsh. I was the one who helped you get your things back just now."
"I... you..."
Dugu Yan's retort caught in her throat. Her face burned with frustration, but she couldn't manage to get out a complete sentence.
Seeing her like that, Mo Li couldn't help laughing. Suddenly, he felt like teasing her. "Senior Dugu, did I do something to upset you?"
"I just can't accept losing."
"What can't you accept?" Mo Li asked, looking completely baffled.
"You!" Dugu Yan snapped, exasperated.
For a moment, Dugu Yan didn't know how she was supposed to treat Mo Li.
Watching her, Ye Lingling couldn't help smiling too.
"I was hoping to spar with you some more, Senior Dugu. But since you dislike me so much, I suppose we can forget about it," Mo Li said with a laugh and a shake of his head.
"Don't forget about it!" Dugu Yan seized on the important part of what he'd said, her eyes lighting up.
"Are you serious?"
Dugu Yan's pretty face took on an expression that seemed to ask, "You're not lying to me, are you?"
Mo Li nodded.
"Great!" Dugu Yan's voice rose with excitement, making passersby turn to look.
Seeing their reactions, Dugu Yan realized she'd made a scene and quickly lowered her voice. "Mo Li, you'd better keep your word. Where can I find you?"
"Just come to Blue Tyrant Academy."
"Blue Tyrant Academy..."
Dugu Yan murmured the name to herself.
"You mean that Blue Tyrant Academy in Heaven Dou City that only accepts commoner students?" she asked.
"That's the one."
Once she'd gotten the answer she wanted, Dugu Yan gave Mo Li a satisfied look, and her mood eased considerably.
She might have lost to Mo Li decisively this time, but now she knew where to find him. Once she had prepared properly, winning back her pride would be a piece of cake.
And since they were all students, she could also rule out the possibility that the two of them had approached her and Ye Lingling with ulterior motives.
"Looks like you still can't get over losing to me, Senior Dugu," Mo Li said with a grin.
"Hmph!" Dugu Yan decided to let the kid enjoy his little victory for a while.
"We did come here for another reason," Ye Lingling said.
Mo Li looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
He hadn't been trying to pry into why the two of them were here; he'd only asked casually. But now it seemed they hadn't come to Heaven Dou City simply to sightsee.
Ye Lingling's veil shifted slightly, and her cool voice came from beneath it. "I don't mind telling you about it. Would you two like to come with us to an auction?"
"The Heaven Dou Auction House?"
"Mm."
Mo Li was a little curious. Ye Lingling hadn't answered him directly. Perhaps the crowded street was too full of prying ears; perhaps, more likely, they were headed to the auction house because that was where they hoped to find what they were looking for.
To be honest, Mo Li didn't want to miss the chance to get to know the two of them better, so he had no objection to going to the auction.
He looked to Jiang Zhu at his left.
Jiang Zhu understood that Mo Li was asking for her opinion. She smiled sweetly at him and said, "I'll go wherever little brother Mo Li goes. Besides, I've never been to an auction before!"
With Jiang Zhu's agreement, Mo Li looked at Ye Lingling and smiled. "Since you're willing to trust us, Sister Lingling, let's go together!"
Dugu Yan looked at Mo Li in surprise, then at Ye Lingling. An inexplicable sense of crisis welled up inside her.
In the next instant, she wedged herself between them, hooked her right arm around Ye Lingling's, and pushed Mo Li aside with her other hand, like a lioness defending her territory.
Caught off guard, Mo Li didn't understand why she'd pushed him. He looked up—and met Dugu Yan's strangely alluring green eyes.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
The words slipped out before Mo Li could stop them.
It was the first time he'd ever observed Dugu Yan's eyes from so close.
Her irises had probably turned dark green under the influence of the Jade Phosphor Snake. They gave her a very unusual look, and they really were beautiful. Still, being corroded by poison to this extent clearly wasn't a good thing.