Lin Yan's answer convinced Dugu Yan that Lin Yan was interested in joining the team, so she had to bring him into the Imperial Fighting Team.
She could almost imagine the wonderful expressions on Captain Yu Tianheng's and the other team members' faces when they saw Lin Yan's Soul Ring Configuration of two purple and one black.
"It's more than just interesting!" Dugu Yan said excitedly. "With your strength, once you join, our Imperial Fighting Team will definitely have a chance to win the championship in this Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academy!" She was already quite confident in the strength of her team, and now with the addition of Lin Yan, this monster, her confidence was off the charts.
"A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind. If you can conceal your talents, you should." Dugu Bo reminded him.
"Don't worry, teacher!"
As he spoke, Lin Yan released his Martial Soul once again, but this time, his Soul Ring had changed to two yellow and one purple.
"This is the ability granted to me by my First Soul Ring. I can use the disguise ability of the Iridescent Withering and Flourishing Fern Soul Ring to disguise my Soul Ring Soul Ring a normal one, so that ordinary people can't tell the difference."
"Truly amazing." Dugu Bo watched from the side. If he hadn't been carefully sensing, he might not have been able to tell that Lin Yan's Soul Ring were disguised.
"In that case, I'm relieved. You do need to be with equally outstanding people to make better progress." Dugu Bo stroked his beard, looking pleased.
His disciple was outstanding, his granddaughter was happy, and he was naturally in a good mood as well.
Then, Dugu Bo spoke again, "You must be tired from rushing back today, Yan'er. Get some rest at home tonight and go back to school tomorrow."
"Yes, teacher." Lin Yan nodded in agreement.
That night, Lin Yan settled into the guest room arranged by the Dugu Manor. He did not rest immediately, but instead sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to practice the " Supreme Purity Breathing Technique " to consolidate his level 38 Soul Power. At the same time, he carefully comprehended the fusion of the External Soul Bone " Nine-Leaf Sword Wings " with his own Martial Soul and Soul Skill.
With a slight thought, nine cyan-gold sword leaves silently appeared behind him, darting around the room like fish, bringing with them sharp sword energy, yet he controlled them precisely within a small space, without damaging any items in the room. His control over this External Soul Bone was becoming more and more adept with each use.
" Nine-Leaf Sword Wings, Blue Silver · Sword Leaf... the offensive means are already sufficient. What's lacking now is perhaps stronger control, or more unpredictable variations," Lin Yan pondered to himself. "However, the most urgent task is to fully master the existing power and integrate it into battle."
He was starting to look forward to joining the team and participating in the Continental Elite Tournament Advanced Soul Master Academy. It would be interesting to compete against those true geniuses!
The following morning, Lin Yan and Dugu Yan left Dugu Bo's villa and returned to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
As soon as Lin Yan stepped through the magnificent gates of the academy, before he could even savor the familiar feeling of being away for so long, a slender figure hurriedly came to greet him.
The person who arrived was Ye Lingling.
She was still dressed in a simple dress, her temperament as aloof as a solitary You Lan in a secluded valley. But her usually calm and undisturbed blue eyes now clearly reflected Lin Yan's figure, carrying a hint of barely perceptible urgency and worry. The moment she saw that Lin Yan was safe and sound, it turned into a slight sense of relief.
" Lin Yan!" Ye Lingling's voice was still gentle, but a little faster than usual, "You're back."
Her gaze was almost glued to Lin Yan, quickly scanning him from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did her tense shoulders relax almost imperceptibly.
Dugu Yan took in all of this, and a mocking smile immediately appeared on her lips.
She deliberately took a step forward, blocking Ye Lingling and Lin Yan, hands on her hips, and feigned displeasure, saying, "Hey, Lingling, aren't you being a bit too biased? There's a perfectly healthy person standing right here, didn't you see me at all? I've been gone for days!"
Two blushes instantly appeared on Ye Lingling's fair cheeks, like rouge falling on the white snow, making her look exceptionally beautiful.
She looked away in a flustered manner, glancing at Dugu Yan, and whispered in a barely audible voice, " Yanzi... no, I... I saw you."
"You saw me?" Dugu Yan drawled, circling Ye Lingling as she teased, "But your eyes were glued to someone! You just darted past me without even stopping. Oh well, I'm very perceptive. Some people just think I'm in their way! I'll leave, I'll leave, okay? I won't be this eyesore of a 'big lantern' anymore!"
As she spoke, Dugu Yan winked at Lin Yan, giving him a knowing look, then let out a string of silvery laughter and ran off quickly, leaving Ye Lingling, who was even more embarrassed, and Lin Yan, who was also at a loss.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat subtle and quiet.
Lin Yan looked at Ye Lingling, who was looking down with her head down and whose earlobes were tinged with pink, and his heart skipped a beat. He subconsciously raised his hand to scratch his head, trying to break the awkward yet sweet silence, and coughed before saying, "Ahem, Lingling, it's been a long time."
Ye Lingling gave a soft "Mmm," still not looking up, her eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes, as if something there was something particularly attractive about them. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes as she whispered, "Long time no see... you... are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Lin Yan quickly replied. "I've become a disciple of Senior Dugu Bo. I've gained a lot from cultivating under his guidance."
He paused, realizing that besides a dry greeting, he couldn't find any other topics to talk about.
The mindset of a science and engineering man, honed over twenty years in his previous life, completely crashed when faced with this ambiguous situation between a young man and woman.
He could clearly analyze the complex flow of Soul Power and identify rare and precious Immortal Herb, but at this moment he felt that organizing his thoughts was even more difficult than absorbing Soul Ring from a higher level.
He could clearly feel his special affection for Ye Lingling. This girl had a cold exterior, but a soft and kind heart.
Although she didn't talk much during their time at the academy, Lin Yan felt very comfortable studying together.
Although this body is only twelve years old, his soul is already mature. It is only natural for him to be moved by such a pure and beautiful girl. Perhaps without realizing it, Ye Lingling has already entered Lin Yan's heart.
However, while he was moved, how to express it proved difficult for this "old boy" in theory and "straight man" in practice.
A silence spread again, thicker than before. Lin Yan could even hear his own heartbeat, which was a little too loud.
He took a deep breath, feeling that he couldn't let the atmosphere continue like this; he had to say or do something.