Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling's Invitation

A few days later.

Just as Qian Renxue had said, she utilized the power of Spirit Hall to exert additional pressure on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family from the sidelines.

This left Yu Yuanzhen with no time to devote much energy to the matter involving Yu Tianheng.

Coupled with the fact that Dugu Bo, a guest advisor to the royal family, had personally taken a stand, the turmoil quickly came to an end.

During this period, Yu Yuanzhen did not even come to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy in person, but instead sent a sect deacon to bring Yu Tianheng back to the family.

With the dust settled, Lin Yan returned to the academy to continue his studies, and life went on day by day...

At noon that day, the bell rang right on time, and all the students left the classroom in an orderly fashion.

Lin Yan prepared to stand up as well, but he was called back by Dugu Yan.

"Lin Yan, um... are you free this afternoon?"

Lin Yan turned his head.

"Hmm? Is something the matter?"

Dugu Yan:

"I wanted to invite you to my home for a visit. A few flowers I'm growing are about to bloom, and it's said that the moment they open is truly beautiful."

"So I was thinking..."

The young girl lowered her eyes slightly, her body language and facial expressions uncharacteristically different.

In the past, she was like a beautiful serpent, her breath as fragrant as orchids when she spoke, her words always laced with allure.

But at this moment, she was so nervous that her small hands were twisted together behind her back.

One had to admit that Dugu Yan had indeed developed some feelings for Lin Yan.

Part of this was due to his appearance.

But more than that, it was the temperament and strength Lin Yan had displayed that day that had attracted her.

Girls are just like that; they are attracted to looks and strength! Yearning for beauty... these things are beyond reproach, and Dugu Yan was no exception.

Especially since Lin Yan was still young, it gave her a strange, "nurturing" sense of affection.

One might ask, what young girl wouldn't want to capture a little boy like Lin Yan, raise him from a young age, and eventually make him her own?

Therefore, Dugu Yan followed Dugu Bo's suggestion, intending to invite Lin Yan to her home and then reveal her feelings.

However...

"I'm sorry, I already have plans with Senior Ye Lingling today. Aunt Ye has prepared a meal at the mansion, and I'm going to be a guest at her home."

Lin Yan shook his head slightly, and his answer left Dugu Yan stunned on the spot.

"What?"

"Ye Lingling? The Ye Mansion?"

Before she could even process this, a female voice came from the doorway.

"Little junior, let's go."

The two of them turned their gazes simultaneously; the person speaking was none other than Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling walked over to Lin Yan's side and affectionately pulled him into her arms.

"I've already asked for leave from Teacher Qin Ming. You can stay the night at the Ye Mansion tonight and return to the academy tomorrow."

The two figures, one large and one small, stood embraced like a pair of siblings, with no sense of awkwardness at all, and there was no trace of hesitation in Lin Yan's expression.

Dugu Yan was dumbfounded!

What was going on? She was Lin Yan's desk mate, so how did she not know when Ye Lingling had discussed this with him?

And... why would Ye Lingling invite Lin Yan to her home? Could it be that...

A bad premonition welled up, and Dugu Yan panicked!

Just then, Ye Lingling looked at her with curiosity.

"Oh? Yanzi, you haven't left yet?"

Dugu Yan looked up, her expression still in a state of shock-induced dullness.

"Lingling, you... you and Lin Yan..."

"Oh, my mother wanted to invite the little junior to our home for a visit. Would you like to come along? It just so happens you haven't been to my house in a long time."

"My mother was just talking about you a few days ago."

Ye Lingling spoke with a smile, a sweetness that she had never shown to anyone else in the past.

Dugu Yan furrowed her delicate brows, and the bad premonition in her heart turned into anxiety.

One had to know that because of awakening the Nine Heart Begonia spirit, everyone in the Ye family gradually became reclusive in nature, and Ye Lingling was no exception.

In Dugu Yan's impression, Ye Lingling rarely spoke to people on her own initiative, nor did she often smile at others.

But today...

"Yanzi? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Do you want to come back to the Ye Mansion with me and let my mother treat you?"

Seeing that Dugu Yan hadn't answered for a long time, Ye Lingling waved a hand in front of her while still holding onto Lin Yan.

Dugu Yan snapped back to reality.

"Oh, no... no thanks."

The young girl's eyes were flustered. After leaving those words behind, she hurried out of the classroom, moving ahead of the two of them.

She didn't even look back, appearing as if she were terrified of someone noticing something amiss.

Seeing this, Ye Lingling muttered under her breath.

"Yanzi feels so strange today!"

However, she didn't dwell on it, as she had more important matters at hand.

Ye Lingling turned her gaze toward Lin Yan.

"Let's go then, little junior."

"Mm."

The two figures, one older and one younger, walked out of the classroom and soon left the academy.

In the shadows.

Dugu Yan watched their backs gradually disappear from sight, a faint mist suddenly clouding her beautiful eyes.

Why? Why does it have to be Ye Lingling?

That was right; she had already guessed the purpose behind Ye Lingling inviting Lin Yan over.

The Ye Family was a clan of medical experts, and their inherited martial soul, the Nine Heart Begonia, possessed no offensive capabilities. Ye Rou'er inviting Lin Yan over at a time like this was clearly an attempt to set up her daughter, Ye Lingling, with Lin Yan.

This was easy enough to figure out.

After all, since the recent turmoil had passed, many nobles had been deliberately trying to curry favor with Lin Yan.

Ye Lingling was far from the only one to have invited Lin Yan over.

Yet, without exception, Lin Yan had refused them all, citing the need to focus on his cultivation.

But why? Why was it that only Ye Lingling could succeed?

Could it be that Lin Yan liked Ye Lingling's type...

As soon as this thought emerged, Dugu Yan felt an inexplicable sense of panic.

She recalled a night a few days ago in the dormitory when Ye Lingling had suddenly asked her if she had any feelings for Lin Yan.

Could it have been then?

Evening fell, and the sun began to set.

Inside his mansion in Heaven Dou City, Dugu Bo was waiting expectantly, looking forward to his granddaughter bringing Lin Yan home.

Although the old man was slightly jealous of Lin Yan, he had to admit that Lin Yan's talent was exceptional—far more worthy of Dugu Yan than Yu Tianheng.

The point was, a granddaughter's happiness was worth more than gold!

Therefore, he had reluctantly set aside his prejudices for the time being and ordered the servants to prepare a decent spread of food.

However...

"What's going on? Why aren't they back yet?"

"Even if those two youngsters spent the afternoon eating, drinking, and playing in the city, they should have been back by now!"

At the entrance of the mansion, a level 91 Titled Douluo was pacing like an ordinary parent, constantly peering into the distance.

Unfortunately, as the sky grew dark and the fiery red was replaced by the twilight, Dugu Yan's figure still did not appear.

"Oh no! They didn't go and get a room in the city, did they?"

Dugu Bo realized something was wrong and jumped up in alarm.

He wanted to play matchmaker, but things couldn't be moving this fast.

"No, no! This is too fast. That brat won't cherish Yanzi if he gets her so easily. I have to stop this."

Thinking this, Dugu Bo transformed into a streak of emerald light and soared into the sky...