The boys' dormitory?
Girl, why are you even curious about the boys' dorm?
"You can't. It's against academy rules—boys and girls aren't allowed to visit each other's dorms."
"Besides, there's nothing interesting in the boys' dorm anyway."
Lin Feng replied with a serious expression.
"I don't care! I don't care!"
"Just this once—let me take a peek? I'm really curious!"
"I've never been inside the boys' dorm before!"
Dugu Yan crouched down, tilting her head up at him and blinking adorably.
She brought her hands together, put on a sweet smile, and raised one finger pleadingly.
"Pretty please? Just this once?"
Lin Feng was speechless.
Sure, you've never seen the boys' dorm—but you're acting like I've been to the girls' dorm or something.
Still, when he looked down and saw her trying so hard to act cute…
His heart softened.
"Alright… but just this once."
He sighed in resignation.
Then he reached down and helped her up.
The two crept along the dormitory wall.
"I'll distract the dorm matron. While I'm talking to her, you sneak in from behind. Got it?"
Lin Feng whispered conspiratorially.
"Got it!"
Dugu Yan clenched her fists, her eyes shining with determination.
Lin Feng smiled at her and instinctively gave her head a light pat.
"Alright, I'm going."
With that, he strode confidently into the dorm lobby.
"Auntie Dorm Matron! I need some help—where's the bathroom again?"
"I can't find it…"
He spoke in a soft, childlike voice, mimicking a lost student.
The elderly matron looked at him with a warm smile.
"Little one, you can't find the bathroom?"
"Come, I'll take you."
As she turned to lead the way, Lin Feng quickly looked over his shoulder and gestured frantically to Dugu Yan peeking out from the wall corner.
"Come on! Hurry!"
He silently mouthed the words and waved.
Dugu Yan caught the signal and tiptoed toward the entrance.
At the same time, Lin Feng rushed up and grabbed the dorm matron's hand, walking alongside her.
When they reached the end of the hallway, just before the bathroom, he glanced back to see Dugu Yan safely hiding in a shadowed corner under the staircase.
Then he smiled and said, "Auntie, I just remembered. The bathroom's right up ahead."
"My, what a sharp memory you've got," she chuckled.
"Well, I'll head back to my post now."
With that, she returned to the duty room.
Lin Feng stayed in the bathroom a little longer to make sure she was settled.
Once the coast was clear, he darted back to Dugu Yan's hiding spot, took her hand, and the two hurried upstairs.
They stopped in front of Lin Feng's dorm room.
A faint wooden scent greeted them.
He opened the door, and Dugu Yan immediately scanned the room.
Inside was a simple setup: a sandalwood desk, a bed, and a wardrobe.
Despite the small size, the desk was filled with neatly arranged books.
"Lin Feng, do you like reading?"
She stepped into the room, curiously asking.
"Yeah, of course."
"Books help broaden the mind."
Lin Feng puffed out his chest and answered proudly.
As someone from Blue Star once said: Are bookshelves for reading? No—they're for showing off.
"Hmm, not bad."
"You're really different from the other kids."
Dugu Yan smiled, arms behind her back.
"What do you mean?" Lin Feng blinked, a bit uneasy.
Did she notice something? Surely she can't tell I'm mentally not a six-year-old… right?
"You actually treat me like a normal person. You play with me, do what I want to do."
"Everyone else is scared of me. I don't like them."
Her words were soft, but sincere.
"That's all?"
Lin Feng was a bit surprised at first but laughed it off anyway.
So it was just because he treated her like an equal? No wonder this proud young miss had taken an interest in him.
After she looked around the room a bit more, Dugu Yan pouted.
"Your room's so bare. It's boring."
"Come on, let's go somewhere else!"
---
Unknowingly, their wandering brought them to the back of the academy.
The scenery left them both in awe.
The campus was far larger than they imagined.
Beyond the hillside, there was a vast, tranquil lake.
In the distance, a fountain sprayed gently into the air, its droplets sending ripples across the surface.
The two of them ran and played by the lake, laughing and splashing under the shade of the trees.
Eventually, tired out, they sat down on a rock by the water's edge, letting the breeze wash over them.
Then—
Dugu Yan suddenly turned and stared at Lin Feng.
"…What?"
Lin Feng frowned slightly. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
Was she starting to suspect something?
If she really presses me, I'd better come up with a good excuse…
"Lin Feng," she said, serious now.
"I don't know why… but I'm feeling something strange."
"Strange? What kind of feeling?"
Lin Feng looked puzzled.
Dugu Yan furrowed her brow and didn't answer.
Instead, she scooted closer to him and leaned in, sniffing near his shoulder and neck.
Lin Feng froze.
Then he smirked slightly.
So that's what this is about?
At your age, aren't you a little too forward?
Not that I'm planning anything… but I won't say no to a bit of affection.
But then—
The moment her nose touched his skin, her expression changed.
She lifted her head and met his eyes.
A warm current surged through her body.
Dugu Yan could feel it—soul power stirred deep within her.
"Lin Feng, do you feel that?"
His heart skipped a beat.
A tingling, electric sensation rushed through him.
This… could it be?
"Wait. This feels like… Martial Soul Fusion."
Just as he spoke, brilliant light burst from their bodies.
A massive, crimson three-headed serpent materialized before them.
Its entire body was wreathed in poisonous mist.
From the waist down, it was like a giant python—thick and sinuous.
From the chest up, its torso bulged with muscle, covered in hardened emerald-green scales.
Its three snake heads hissed and snarled, their eyes glowing with eerie green shadows.
From inside the serpent's body, Dugu Yan's voice echoed.
"What is this?!"
She sounded completely stunned.
"It's a Martial Soul Fusion!"
"I can't believe we're actually compatible enough to fuse our souls!"
Lin Feng was ecstatic.
His Flaming Sun Three-Headed Serpent and Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Serpent had merged perfectly.
The result?
A creature with heightened defense, capable of releasing toxic mist from all three heads at once.
And not just any poison—fire venom. Anyone burned by it would suffer corrosive poison damage that was nearly impossible to cleanse.
"Martial Soul Fusion…"
Dugu Yan had heard of it from her grandfather, Dugu Bo, but had never witnessed it firsthand.
Fusion didn't just enhance the soul's base traits—it amplified everything, turning abilities into exponentially stronger forms.
Driven by curiosity, she tried to channel her soul power to control the serpent.
But the creature didn't move.
"What's going on?"
She frowned and focused harder—but the serpent remained still.
"Dugu Yan, I have control right now."
Lin Feng grinned when he saw her puzzled expression.
She pouted.
"Then give me the control!"
When the control passed to her, Dugu Yan lit up.
Under her guidance, the serpent slithered through the mountain paths, then glided effortlessly over the lake surface.
Inside, Lin Feng quietly watched her from within the fused soul.
She was clearly having fun.
But just as Dugu Yan's excitement peaked—
A sudden flash of light burst from the serpent's core.
Their soul power had run dry.
The Martial Soul Fusion dissipated.