First Meeting with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling

Heaven Dou Royal Academy, practical combat training grounds.

At that moment, Dugu Yan was practicing coordinated tactics on the training grounds with the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team's main squad.

However, just then, a student suddenly came running over in a panic, shouting, "Sister Yan! Something's wrong!"

Dugu Yan's pretty face darkened as she turned and snapped, "What do you mean, something's wrong? Your Sister Yan is perfectly fine!"

"No, Sister Yan, it's outside!"

The student pointed toward the school gates, panting so hard he nearly failed to catch his breath.

Seeing this, Dugu Yan and the others were almost driven mad with anxiety.

Fortunately, after catching his breath, the student finally managed to finish what he had been trying to say.

"Four people came from outside. They claim to be your relatives, Sister Yan. You should hurry out and take a look."

"Relatives?"

Dugu Yan froze.

Aside from her grandfather, Dugu Bo, she had no other relatives.

Her grandfather had said that there was a problem with the Dugu family's inherited martial soul, the Jade Phosphor Serpent.

Though it was a top-tier beast martial soul, the stronger one cultivated it, the more easily one would suffer backlash from the deadly poison it carried.

That was why only her grandfather and she remained in the Dugu family. Where could these relatives have come from?

At that thought, a surge of inexplicable anger rose in Dugu Yan's heart.

"They dare impersonate my family's relatives? Are they looking to die?"

"Lingling, come with me. We'll settle this with them!"

"You all keep training. Don't slack off!"

"Alright."

A woman with waist-length blue hair, a slim and delicate figure, and a layer of black gauze covering her face nodded and stepped forward, following Dugu Yan as she hurriedly left.

After the two of them had gone, one of the team members cautiously walked over to a black-haired young man.

"Captain, should we... go take a look?"

The black-haired young man looked to be in his early twenties. He was not particularly handsome, but he had a tall, lean build.

He wore a plain blue combat uniform without any decorations. His entire person gave off a simple impression, yet that very simplicity somehow made him seem dangerous.

The young man waved a hand expressionlessly. "Forget it. This is Yan's family matter. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to interfere."

"Captain, aren't you afraid Sister Yan might suffer?" the student asked quietly.

The black-haired young man fell silent for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet and brushed the dust from his robes. "Then let's go take a look."

He strode toward the training grounds' exit. His pace was neither fast nor hesitant.

The several team members behind him exchanged looks and hurriedly followed.

Meanwhile.

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling followed the student who had brought the news and quickly arrived at the school gates.

When they saw Huang Long standing there, their steps faltered slightly.

He stood there half a head taller than others his age, his blond hair somewhat dazzling beneath the sunlight.

He wore a simple white combat uniform with no decorations, yet he was simply impossible to ignore.

Even Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, who had seen plenty of handsome men before, could not help being drawn in by his aura.

And while they were looking at Huang Long, was Huang Long not looking at them as well?

One had purple hair and green eyes. She looked heroic and spirited; while her beauty was not utterly breathtaking, she possessed a bewitching charm.

The other was gentle and sweet, with skin as fair as snow.

Though she wore a veil, her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, blinking as though they could speak.

There was no need to ask. These two had to be Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.

Huang Long immediately walked over and greeted them with a smile. "Dugu Yan, it's nice to meet you. My name is Huang Long."

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling came back to their senses. Remembering that they had stared at him for so long, their cheeks flushed faintly.

Dugu Yan gave a light cough and put on a stern expression, trying her best to appear serious.

"Huang Long, is it? Where did you come from? Why are you impersonating my family's relatives?"

Huang Long replied with a smile, "Naturally, it was because I wished to meet Miss Dugu, so I had no choice but to resort to this measure."

"If I have offended you, please forgive me."

"To meet me?" Dugu Yan frowned slightly.

The two of them had never met before.

If they had, she definitely would have remembered such a handsome young man.

Just then, Ye Lingling, who had been standing behind Dugu Yan the whole time, suddenly spoke.

"Are you trying to find Grandpa Dugu through Yan?"

The moment those words were spoken, Dugu Yan's heart skipped a beat. Thinking that one of her grandfather's former enemies had come looking for him, she immediately stepped back protectively, shielding Ye Lingling behind her.

"Why are you looking for my grandfather?"

Seeing how guarded she was, Huang Long gave a helpless smile.

"You misunderstand. We mean no harm. We only want to help your grandfather."

Dugu Yan sneered. "Help my grandfather? Do you know that my grandfather is a Titled Douluo?"

"Of course I do. But even a Titled Douluo has times when he needs help."

Huang Long smiled. Before Dugu Yan could continue questioning him, he went on.

"Does your grandfather's rib area itch whenever it rains, and does his whole body ache as though pierced by needles at midnight, leaving him unable to sleep?"

"And every month, does he disappear for several days without anyone knowing where he has gone?"

As soon as he said this, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stared at each other in astonishment.

This man had described Dugu Bo's symptoms perfectly!

That was exactly how Dugu Bo was.

There had even been several times when Dugu Yan had seen her grandfather tossing and turning in agony at midnight, unable to sleep.

Could this person know the reason?

Before she could ask, Huang Long smiled and said, "Your grandfather has suffered a backlash from his own martial soul. He's been poisoned."

The instant his words fell, Dugu Yan sharply refuted him.

"Impossible!"

Her grandfather was known as the strongest poison-type soul master on the entire Douluo Continent. How could he possibly be poisoned?

And poisoned by his own martial soul, at that?

That was simply ridiculous!

Huang Long said, "You'll know once you go back and ask your grandfather. And the reason I came here was precisely to help him resolve this problem."

Dugu Yan eyed him suspiciously. The serious expression on his face did not seem like a joke.

Could her grandfather really have suffered a backlash from his own martial soul and been poisoned?

Half-convinced and half-dubious, she nodded slightly. "Alright. I'll go back and tell my grandfather."

"But if you're lying to me, I definitely won't let you off!"

"Alright."

Huang Long smiled and cupped his hands. "Then we shall await your arrival at the largest hotel in Heaven Dou City."

With that, he turned and left without looking back, without the slightest hesitation.

Watching his retreating figure walk out through the school gates, Ye Lingling lightly furrowed her delicate brows.

"Yan, do you really believe them?"

Dugu Yan nodded solemnly. "Those symptoms he mentioned are all true. If he really can treat Grandpa, then I'd rather give it a try!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a burst of footsteps sounded behind her.

"Yan, are you alright?"

It was the black-haired young man, who had arrived together with the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team.

The black-haired young man first looked Dugu Yan over. Only after confirming that she was unharmed did he let out a breath of relief.

Then, the corner of his eye was immediately drawn to Huang Long's retreating figure.

Not because that figure looked particularly impressive.

But because that person's aura had actually stirred the martial soul within his body, as though it had encountered a true sovereign and was trembling in fear.

The black-haired young man's gaze darkened.

His martial soul was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, the strongest beast martial soul on the Douluo Continent. How could it feel fear?

Just who... was that person?