Imperial Fighting Team

"Dugu Yan! Your grandfather is clearly my uncle's guest. How can you help the Crown Prince's people?!" Xue Beng shouted angrily, pointing at Dugu Yan.

"Cut the nonsense! I just can't stand watching you bully someone, especially such a young female student! Apologize immediately! Otherwise, I'll definitely report this to the education committee, and then we'll see how His Majesty punishes you!" Dugu Yan shouted back, hands on her hips and utterly unwilling to yield.

"Hmph! A mere commoner thinks she deserves an apology from me? Dream on! Let's go!" Xue Beng snorted coldly. He shot Youquan a glare before leaving unwillingly.

Youquan glanced at the seven people across from her, then cupped her fists toward Dugu Yan. "Thank you."

"You must be Sister Youquan. I've heard so much about you, but never had the chance to meet you. You passed the three education committee members' theory assessments in just one month—I really admire you!" Dugu Yan stepped forward, taking Youquan's little hands in hers as she praised her with sparkling eyes.

"Thank you." Faced with Dugu Yan's excitement, Youquan was somewhat at a loss. Besides, without any Heavenly Flames protecting her at the moment, she was still a little afraid of Dugu Yan, whose entire body was poisonous and who could not even control the backlash against herself.

"Sister Youquan, I'm Dugu Yan. These are all my teammates. We're called the Imperial Fighting Team. If not for the age gap and the fact that our roster is already full, I really would have wanted you to join us." Dugu Yan sighed.

"A team?" Youquan asked curiously.

"Yes. If a team performs well, it can represent the academy in the grandest competition on the continent in the future—the Continental Advanced Soul Academy Elite Tournament," Dugu Yan explained.

Youquan nodded in understanding. Before she could react further, Dugu Yan grabbed her hand and headed outside the academy. "I heard you've been studying ever since you arrived and haven't properly had fun in Heaven Dou City yet. It's a day off today, so I'll show you around Heaven Dou City. Tianheng's paying!"

The eight of them headed toward Heaven Dou City. Youquan sighed. She was still a child, after all, so it would be good for her to spend more time with her classmates. Besides, they had just helped her.

Inside the Crown Prince's chambers at the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

"Uncle Stingray, didn't you say little Youquan would come to see me today?" Xue Qinghe asked with a frown.

"Young Master, Miss Youquan was troubled by Prince Xue Beng and his men. Members of the Dugu Clan and the Imperial Fighting Team helped Miss Youquan. They're taking Miss Youquan around Heaven Dou City now," Stingray Douluo replied.

"All right. Little Youquan should make more friends her own age. As long as they're having fun." Xue Qinghe smiled.

"But, Young Master, the captain of the Imperial Fighting Team is from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. If Miss Youquan becomes good friends with them..." Stingray Douluo said uneasily.

"That is little Youquan's freedom. Our plan has nothing to do with her. Uncle Stingray, surely you aren't thinking of using a child who could be stronger than all you elders to replace you in doing things for us in the future?" Xue Qinghe teased with a smile.

Stingray Douluo smiled. He had been overthinking it.

"Little Youquan should come see me tonight. Tell them to prepare more delicious food," Xue Qinghe instructed the attendants outside the door.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Heaven Dou City.

"Little Youquan, let me introduce you to the members of our Imperial Fighting Team. She's the only other girl on the team besides me. Her name is Ye Lingling, and her martial soul is the Nine Heart Begonia, a healing type. We can often come out and have fun together in the future."

Dugu Yan introduced her teammates to Youquan one by one.

"This is my boyfriend, Yu Tianheng. His martial soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon." Dugu Yan affectionately looped her arm through that of the handsome young man in black fitted clothes who had been standing beside her.

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon? The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect of the Upper Three Sects?" Youquan looked at the handsome young man Dugu Yan was holding onto in surprise.

Dugu Yan proudly explained, "That's right. Tianheng is a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and the one most likely to inherit it."

"Looks like Heaven Dou Royal Academy has quite a few noble students and sect disciples," Youquan remarked.

"Sister Youquan, which family are you from?" Yu Feng stepped forward and asked curiously.

"I'm just an ordinary commoner. I don't belong to any sect," Youquan explained candidly.

"In that case, Boss is covering all the expenses today. Let's fleece this young master from a sect properly," Yu Feng said. After hearing Youquan's words, he showed no disdain. Instead, he jokingly lightened the mood, making sure Youquan would not feel upset.

"In that case, let's go eat at our usual place and let Junior Youquan try Heaven Dou's specialties," Yu Tianheng suggested.

"Great!" Yu Feng excitedly pulled Osler ahead to lead the way.

Dugu Yan continued introducing the Imperial Fighting Team to Youquan.

First-Class Restaurant.

"This is the largest restaurant in Heaven Dou City. The food is delicious, but the prices are outrageous. Good thing Boss is treating us today," Yu Feng quietly explained to Youquan.

As if sensing something, Youquan shifted her steps, used her long hair to cover the side of her face, and hid behind the broad, sturdy Shi Brothers until the people ahead had passed them.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan seemed to notice something as well. Without drawing attention, they shielded Youquan from view.

The people across from them seemed to sense something and turned to look toward Youquan.

"Make way!" Yu Tianheng stared at them domineeringly, his eyes filled with disdain as he pulled their attention back to himself.

"You!" The girl on the other side had a fiery temper. Suddenly provoked, she exploded on the spot.

"Sister Huo Wu, they're from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect." A boy in a red academy uniform beside her tugged at the girl's sleeve.

"Little sister, let's go. We should return to the academy first." Huo Wushuang glanced at Yu Tianheng and recognized his identity. Knowing they could not afford to provoke him, he hurriedly calmed Huo Wu. The group stopped paying attention to Youquan and immediately left together.

Youquan did not know how to explain herself, but the members of the Imperial Fighting Team merely smiled and pulled her along, asking what she wanted to eat. Not one of them took the initiative to ask about what had just happened.

"Thank you, everyone. I have a grudge against the Flame Sect, so I just didn't want them to see me." Youquan picked up a cup of juice and raised it to the group in thanks.

"What are you being so polite for? Since little Youquan has a grudge against the Flame Sect, then Blazing Fire Academy is the enemy of our Imperial Fighting Team. Tianheng, tomorrow we'll ask Teacher Qin Ming to take us to Blazing Fire Academy for a friendly match. We'll help little Youquan vent her anger first!" Dugu Yan crossed her arms, looking indignantly as though she were seeking justice for Youquan.

"Then thank you, Senior Dugu." Youquan was somewhat moved. She began to ponder how she had once studied medicine for a time under Senior Xiao Yixian, an elder of the alliance. No poison was worth mentioning before Senior Xiao Yixian. Perhaps she had a way to solve the poison throughout Dugu Yan's body.

Youquan unconsciously sank into her memories. Xiao Yixian was her teacher's close friend and possessed the Poisonous Body of Misfortune. After enduring countless hardships, they had finally gathered all the medicinal ingredients and, with her teacher's help, brought the Poisonous Body of Misfortune under control. Afterward, Xiao Yixian had become the foremost poison user on the Dou Qi Continent. Her collection of poison manuals alone was enough to draw countless people to pursue them.

I should first prepare some medicinal pills to help Senior Dugu keep it under control and spare her the torment of the poisonous body. Once I find Heavenly Flames and can refine pills, I'll think of a way to help Senior completely resolve this poisonous body. Thankfully, it's much simpler than the Poisonous Body of Misfortune. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know where to find some Bodhi Transforming Body Saliva.