Early the next morning, Dugu Yan left the courtyard to request leave from Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Chen Feng stood outside the academy gates, his hands clasped behind his back, quietly waiting for her.
Ling Yuan Douluo stood behind him in a long red dress, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the academy gates.
Today, she was still disguised as an ordinary maid, her aura completely concealed.
After a while, Dugu Yan finally appeared inside the academy gates.
Dressed in her academy uniform with a simple pack slung over her shoulder, she walked out with light steps.
Behind her followed Yu Tianheng, Ye Lingling, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Yu Feng, and Osler.
They had clearly come specifically to see her off.
The moment Yu Tianheng stepped through the gates, he spotted Chen Feng standing in the distance.
He stopped abruptly, his expression instantly turning ugly.
"You?"
Yu Tianheng's voice was low, and lightning immediately flickered over his right arm.
The other members of the Imperial Fighting Team also released their Soul Power, watching Chen Feng warily.
Last time at the Great Soul Arena, Chen Feng had made them lose all face.
Yu Tianheng had been defeated in public, and Dugu Yan had even been carried away in Chen Feng's arms.
The incident had become a thorn lodged in the Imperial Fighting Team's hearts.
"Yu Tianheng, what are you doing?"
Dugu Yan hurriedly stepped in front of Chen Feng and glared at him.
Yu Tianheng looked at her, his eyes full of bewilderment.
"Yanyan, what are you doing?"
"Don't call me Yanyan anymore."
Dugu Yan's pretty face darkened as she rebuked him without the slightest courtesy.
Yu Tianheng froze on the spot.
They had grown up together, and he had always called Dugu Yan that.
But now, in front of everyone, she was actually telling him never to call her that again.
"Yanyan, what on earth has gotten into you?"
Yu Tianheng frowned deeply, his gaze shifting from Dugu Yan to Chen Feng's face.
Feeling her teammates' gazes, Dugu Yan's cheeks grew slightly warm.
She turned around and looked at Chen Feng in a fluster.
"He and I are just ordinary teammates. There's nothing else between us."
Dugu Yan hurried to explain, afraid that Chen Feng would misunderstand.
"Of course I know."
Smiling, Chen Feng reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
Dugu Yan stiffened slightly, her pretty face instantly flushing crimson, but she did not struggle.
She merely lowered her head, letting Chen Feng hold her in front of everyone.
The sight made Yu Tianheng's fury erupt completely.
"What are you two doing?"
Yu Tianheng roared, lightning instantly covering his entire arm.
Dugu Yan raised her head, her brows tightly knitted.
"Yu Tianheng, this is my business. It has nothing to do with you."
Yu Tianheng stared fixedly at her, his eyes showing how hard he found this to accept.
He had been pursuing Dugu Yan for a long time, and everyone on the Imperial Fighting Team could see it.
Yet now, Dugu Yan had thrown herself into another man's arms right in front of him.
Chen Feng gave Yu Tianheng an indifferent glance without offering any explanation.
The next moment, he activated the Lie Yan Fire Feather.
Crimson wings spread from his back, searing flames burning along their feathers.
Chen Feng held Dugu Yan tightly and beat his wings hard.
The two shot into the sky, turning into a streak of crimson light in the blink of an eye.
"Yanyan!"
Yu Tianheng roared wildly and pushed off hard, trying to chase them.
But he had only rushed a few steps before Chen Feng and Dugu Yan vanished into the distant sky.
Yu Tianheng stood at the academy gates, his fists clenched and his face flushed red with rage.
"Chen Feng, I'll never let you get away with this!"
He threw back his head and bellowed, his voice ringing across the academy entrance.
Ye Lingling looked up at the figures gradually receding into the distance, a trace of something unusual showing in her beautiful eyes.
Recalling Dugu Yan's reaction just now, she vaguely understood something.
Their proud Vice-Captain seemed to have truly fallen for Chen Feng.
Meanwhile, Ling Yuan Douluo also spread her flaming wings and followed closely behind Chen Feng.
Three figures streaked over Heaven Dou City at an astonishing speed.
Sunset Forest was only fifty kilometers from Heaven Dou City.
Flying at full speed, the three reached the outskirts of the forest in just a quarter of an hour.
Chen Feng retracted the Lie Yan Fire Feather and descended from the sky with Dugu Yan in his arms.
Ling Yuan Douluo followed close behind, landing steadily beside them.
Dense trees filled Sunset Forest, and the damp air was thick with the aura of Soul Beasts.
Dugu Yan walked at the front, leading the two deeper into the forest.
"There's a poison formation ahead. Stay close to me."
Dugu Yan stopped and pointed at the woods ahead as she warned them.
A faint green mist shrouded the spaces between the trees, carrying corrosive toxins.
Ling Yuan Douluo released her Soul Power, keeping the poisonous mist away from her body.
Chen Feng held Dugu Yan's hand and followed her inside.
Dugu Yan was very familiar with this poison formation.
Every few steps, she changed direction, avoiding the areas where the poisonous mist was thickest.
The three encountered no obstacles and soon passed through the poison formation.
After traveling a little farther, they came upon an unusual area.
Half the pool churned with scorching heat, while the other half exuded an icy chill.
Two utterly different auras mingled, forming a strange pool.
Many plants of different colors grew along its edges.
Those plants radiated a rich aura of life, and each gave off unique fluctuations.
"This is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
Dugu Yan stood beside a large rock, a measure of pride in her expression.
"Grandpa lives in seclusion nearby. This medicinal garden is also the place he values most."
Chen Feng looked out over it, and a gleam instantly flashed in his eyes.
Countless Immortal Herbs grew in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, each possessing astonishing value. He absolutely could not let Tang San take them all away.
Just then, a faint sound suddenly came from the distance.
Chen Feng looked toward the sound and saw a young man in blue robes preparing to pick an Immortal Herb, his movements extremely careful.
"Tang San."
Chen Feng recognized him instantly.
Good thing I got here in time.
Had I arrived any later, he would probably have already taken some of the Immortal Herbs here.
Chen Feng raised his hand and pointed into the distance, his voice suddenly ringing out.
"You little thief! How dare you steal Immortal Herbs!"
A dark purple branch shot out from behind him, its surface covered in spider-like barbs and laden with concentrated Rakshasa Toxin, hurtling straight toward Tang San.
Tang San's expression changed. He immediately let go of the Immortal Herb in his hand and executed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, swiftly dodging to the side.
The branch brushed past the hem of his robe and lashed heavily against the ground.
The hard rock split instantly, and dark purple toxin spread along the cracks.
"You've misunderstood, sir. I only wanted to look at this medicinal herb."
Tang San steadied himself and hurriedly explained.
"Tang San, how dare you trespass in my grandpa's medicinal garden and steal Immortal Herbs!"
After recognizing Tang San, Dugu Yan's pretty face filled with anger.
She raised her hand to release her Martial Soul, emerald-green Soul Power rapidly gathering.
"Let me handle it."
Chen Feng reached out to stop her, his gaze settling on Tang San.
Naturally, he could not miss an opportunity like this to beat Little Scumbag black and blue.
Dugu Yan stopped, gave Chen Feng a puzzled look, then silently stepped aside.
"You really have misunderstood."
Tang San clenched his fists, his gaze gradually growing grave.
He could sense the terrifying power within that dark purple branch.
The man before him clearly did not have a high Soul Power Level, yet the attack he unleashed put Tang San under immense pressure.
"Whether it's a misunderstanding can wait until I'm done beating you."
Chen Feng raised his hand, and a second red Soul Ring slowly rose.
"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?"
Tang San stared at the red Soul Ring, his pupils abruptly contracting.
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