Liu Erlong's Personal Charm

Clearly, Dugu Yan was not the only one curious about this; even Ye Lingling, standing to the side, turned her gaze toward them.

Come to think of it, she had already met the two of them more than once. Being as sharp as she was, she could naturally tell that their relationship was out of the ordinary, and she couldn't help but feel a bit of curiosity in her heart.

"Well, I was adopted by Sister Erlong when I was young," Mo Li said.

"Oh, I see." Dugu Yan nodded, and for once, she uncharacteristically refrained from pressing further.

"But the environment at your academy is actually quite nice."

Dugu Yan walked over to the spot where Mo Li usually sat, crouched down, and reached out to ripple the lake water.

"You have a good eye," Mo Li said, uncharacteristically not arguing with Dugu Yan. "Why don't you and Sister Lingling consider transferring to our academy?"

"Our academy's cafeteria is delicious, you know." Mo Li tilted his head slightly and winked at Jiang Zhu, who was daydreaming nearby.

Jiang Zhu blinked her large eyes and immediately caught on. Her gaze swept back and forth between Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, full of anticipation. "Yeah, yeah, will you come?"

"Is that possible?" The corners of Ye Lingling's mouth curled up slightly beneath her veil.

"Lingling!"

Dugu Yan glared fiercely at Mo Li and scoffed, "Lingling is definitely joking. I would never go to your academy; our Heaven Dou Royal Academy is much better than yours."

"Nonsense, our academy is the best," Mo Li shook his head and said.

"You're the one talking nonsense! Our academy is just better than yours!" Dugu Yan retorted.

"Your academy isn't good; our academy is good," Mo Li said.

"Your academy isn't good; our academy is the best!" Dugu Yan insisted.

Ye Lingling and Jiang Zhu, standing to the side, watched the two bickering with speechless expressions, exchanging a look of utter helplessness.

I don't know how much time passed.

"Sigh, what a pity," Mo Li said, shaking his head and sighing.

"What's so pitiful about it?" Dugu Yan glared at Mo Li.

"I feel sorry for you two for missing out on a great opportunity to join our academy."

"...You really are thick-skinned."

"Thank you for the compliment," Mo Li laughed, completely unbothered.

"You guy!" Dugu Yan said angrily.

Just as they were chatting aimlessly, Liu Erlong returned.

She spotted the group by the pond from a distance.

"Sister Erlong," Mo Li was the first to notice her figure and waved at her. Once Liu Erlong drew closer, he introduced them: "You've met these two before, so you shouldn't have forgotten them, right?"

Liu Erlong shot Mo Li an annoyed look before sweeping her gaze over the two young women and smiling slightly. "Hello."

"Hello, Dean Liu," Ye Lingling replied gracefully.

Dugu Yan followed suit, her eyes immediately sizing up the tall, cold, and elegant woman in black standing before her.

High-level female soul masters were quite rare, and each one was rather eye-catching.

Since Dugu Yan's goal was to become a powerful soul master, Liu Erlong, who appeared to possess considerable strength, naturally became the object of her curiosity.

Mo Li noticed Dugu Yan's gaze as well, but he didn't find it surprising.

One had to know that female soul masters made up at least half of the Blue Tyrant Academy's total student and faculty population, and a significant portion of them had been drawn there by Liu Erlong's personal charisma.

Sister Erlong's charm was truly irresistible.

Liu Erlong seemed not to notice Dugu Yan's scrutiny, looking at the group with a hearty laugh. "So, are you all finished with your business?"

At these words, Dugu Yan's expression suddenly became a bit embarrassed.

She had just been bickering with Mo Li, pointlessly turning red in the face while arguing over which academy was better, only for the Dean herself to show up—and look so friendly, at that.

Then there was the matter of losing to Mo Li in their spar. She was, after all, a student of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy; while it was a fact that she had lost to Mo Li, having that humiliation exposed in front of his Dean was, for her, an incredibly awkward situation.

"What's wrong, Sister Erlong?" Mo Li asked.

Dugu Yan's shamed and angry gaze never left Mo Li, but to her surprise, he didn't make an issue out of either of those things.

"Nothing at all," Liu Erlong shook her head slightly, her eyes lifting. "I heard from the academy teachers that two unfamiliar girls had arrived, so I guessed it was the two of you."

"Mo Li told me about your situation. He said you were his friends and might come to visit our academy, so I wanted to come and see you."

Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan looked at Mo Li simultaneously.

"I've already spoken to the guards at the gate; you can come in directly whenever you want from now on."

"Since this is your first time at our academy, I'll be the host today. Little Li, have the cafeteria prepare a banquet in the second-floor private room."

"We must treat these two young ladies well at lunch."

Liu Erlong's forthright demeanor couldn't help but win the favor of both Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan.

"There is no need for the trouble, Dean Liu; we must return to our academy early today," Ye Lingling politely declined. "Sister Erlong, should I still go?"

Seeing this, Mo Li asked with some confusion.

"It depends on what these two young ladies wish; there is no need for you to go," Liu Erlong said helplessly.

"Since that is the case, you two may chat; I still have matters to attend to back there."

"Little Li, do not be negligent toward these two young ladies," Liu Erlong instructed Mo Li before waving her hand and turning to leave.

Mo Li, however, was left scratching his head, recalling the meaningful look Liu Erlong had cast him as she departed.

"Do you not have classes at your academy in the morning?" Mo Li asked curiously.

"There aren't many tasks at the academy, so we are free to manage our own cultivation time."

Dugu Yan finally gave a serious answer.

"Alright then."

For the remainder of the time, Mo Li took the two of them for a casual stroll around the academy until Jiang Zhu left to attend to some business.

Finally, just before noon, the two of them prepared to depart.

At the entrance of Blue Tyrant Academy.

"Sister Yanyan, when will you come back for another spar?" Mo Li called out to Dugu Yan, who had already turned her back to him.

"Would you be willing to come to our Heaven Dou Royal Academy instead?" Dugu Yan ignored him, but Ye Lingling asked with a smile.

"Mm, sure." Mo Li readily agreed; he had never been to Heaven Dou Royal Academy before.

"Sister Yanyan, if you ever decide that our academy is better, you are always welcome here," Mo Li shouted again, watching Dugu Yan, who didn't even look back.

"You pushy bastard!"

Dugu Yan, who had turned away intending to ignore Mo Li's nonsense, felt her hands trembling as she clenched them tightly, until she finally erupted like a volcano.

Unable to restrain herself, she turned around, intending to lunge at Mo Li.

Fortunately, Ye Lingling reached out to hold her back, her expression beneath her veil clearly one of utter helplessness.

She bid farewell to Mo Li while coaxing the fuming Dugu Yan away.

"What an unyielding girl."

Mo Li smiled as he watched their retreating figures, then turned and headed back into the academy.