"I didn't expect us to be capable of Martial Soul Fusion… So my instincts were right all along."
"That strange feeling just now—it was definitely our fusion skill."
Panting slightly, Dugu Yan collapsed onto a stone by the lakeside, trying to catch her breath.
"But Lin Feng," she added after a pause, "when we were fusing our Martial Souls, I could clearly sense that your soul power wasn't just Rank 5."
Lin Feng thought for a moment, then decided not to hide it from her.
"You're right. My innate soul power isn't actually Rank 5."
"But that's a secret of mine. Can I trust you to keep it?"
He turned toward her with a smile.
"Mhm! I promise—I won't tell anyone!"
Dugu Yan nodded eagerly and even patted her chest with confidence.
A gentle warmth rose in her chest.
Is this what it feels like to be trusted? she thought.
After spending nearly the whole day with Lin Feng, she had already come to regard him as the very first true friend in her life.
And it felt… really good to be trusted.
"Hey Lin Feng, what should we name our fused Martial Soul?"
"Hm… how about Jade Phosphor Three-Headed Serpent?"
"Your Martial Soul is the Jade Phosphor Serpent, and mine is the Flaming Sun Three-Headed Serpent. It fits perfectly, right?"
"Oh! That's a great name! Let's go with that!"
Her eyes lit up as she made the decision on the spot.
"Jade Phosphor Three-Headed Serpent… I've got a Martial Soul Fusion now! Hahaha!"
Growl~~
As she laughed, her stomach suddenly rumbled.
"Lin Feng, I'm hungry."
Dugu Yan looked up at him from the rock, clutching her belly.
"Come on, let's go eat at the dining hall."
Lin Feng chuckled and stood up.
He could already tell—after spending just half a day together, Dugu Yan's attitude toward him had changed quite a bit.
He opened the doors to the dining hall.
Inside, elegant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow.
Antique-style wooden tables and ornate bar counters exuded an unmistakable air of nobility.
The food section was packed with mouthwatering dishes, and their fragrant aroma filled the space.
There were not only rare wild fruits but also countless varieties of roasted soul beast meats, each one more tantalizing than the last.
Dugu Yan's eyes darted from dish to dish, overwhelmed by choice.
"I want this one… no, that one! Ugh, what do I do?" she mumbled, visibly distressed.
Seeing her indecision, Lin Feng simply ordered a small portion of everything her gaze had lingered on.
Then the bill arrived.
"W-what?! One hundred Gold Soul Coins?! For this much food?!"
Dugu Yan stared in shock at the total.
She might not have often eaten out, but even she knew that a hundred Gold Soul Coins was no small sum.
Lin Feng merely smiled and paid without hesitation.
After all, as the son of a count, this kind of expense was nothing to him.
And if he ever did run out of money, he could always turn to his very capable second uncle.
The food arrived.
"It's so good!"
Dugu Yan happily stuffed her cheeks with food and beamed at Lin Feng.
Even though she was eating fast, she still maintained the graceful manners of a noble lady.
By the time they were halfway through the meal, the table was still packed with dishes.
Undeterred, Dugu Yan zeroed in on the remaining soul beast meat and forced down a few extra chunks.
Lin Feng gave her a wry smile.
This girl must've been reincarnated from a starving ghost or something.
There were all kinds of rare fruits on the table that restored soul power and didn't even take up space in your stomach—and she ignored them completely for meat.
His father once told him: roasted soul beast meat didn't offer much nutritional value; it was all about taste.
Hiccup~
Dugu Yan leaned back, rubbing her belly in slow circles.
"Lin Feng," she said, eyes glimmering with emotion.
"Spending today with you… I realized something."
"You're the only one who's ever been this good to me—aside from my grandpa."
"No, wait. you're better than Grandpa when it comes to food!"
"That soul beast meat was so delicious…"
She looked at Lin Feng with soft eyes.
"You've never had soul beast meat before?" Lin Feng blinked, genuinely surprised.
His lips twitched slightly, but he tried to act composed.
"Nope."
"My grandpa only makes me drink his awful herbal brews. They're so bitter."
"Lin Feng, will you… bring me here again sometime?"
She blinked at him again, eyes wide and hopeful.
"Sure."
"As long as you want to, I'll bring you anytime I can."
He smiled gently at her.
"Yay! Lin Feng!"
"I've decided!"
"From now on, you're my best friend!"
Dugu Yan beamed, leaping out of her seat and wrapping her arms around Lin Feng.
As she hugged him, she even wiped the grease on her lips against his shirt.
Best friend, huh?
From the look of things, Lin Feng could say he had already partially captured the heart of Dugu Yan.
Wasn't this… a little too easy?
He looked down at the girl clinging to him and couldn't help but smile.
If the system had a "favorability score," he'd bet hers was already above 90.
He was thrilled.
After just a bit of effort, he'd managed to win over the granddaughter of a Titled Douluo.
If this were Blue Star?
He'd be posting screenshots and flexing online right now.
How to get close to a Titled Douluo's granddaughter in three steps:
Step One: Enroll at a Soul Master Academy and sit next to her.
Step Two: Visit the mountains and trigger Martial Soul Fusion.
Step Three: Feed her soul beast meat and win her over through her stomach.
Then he'd attach a photo of Dugu Yan snuggling up and smearing grease on his clothes.
Perfection.
"Wait a second—didn't you just say I'm your best friend?"
"Why are you using my clothes as a napkin?!"
Lin Feng sighed helplessly.
"So what?" she retorted proudly.
"It's an honor for my best friend's shirt to be used by me!"
She stood up, hands on her hips, and jabbed a finger at his nose.
"Don't worry though, I won't let you pay for nothing."
"As your best friend, you'll have me looking out for you from now on!"
She raised her chin confidently, trying to mimic an adult's tone.
"…With that little twig of a body?"
Lin Feng chuckled.
He really couldn't understand where she got the courage to say stuff like this.
"Oh, come on! Don't change the subject!"
"I may not be strong, but I've got my grandpa, don't I?!"
Dugu Yan pouted and stomped her foot in frustration.
"…Ah, now that makes sense."
"If you're bringing your grandpa into it, then I'd better rely on you from now on, Miss Yan."
Lin Feng put on a straight face and reached out to pat her head.
"Hmph."
Dugu Yan turned her head away—but her mood was clearly lifted.
---
Night slowly descended.
"It's getting late. I'll walk you back."
Lin Feng glanced at the darkening sky and spoke gently.
On the way back to the dorms, he walked slightly ahead.
When they passed through an unlit section of the path…
Dugu Yan instinctively reached out and tugged the hem of his shirt.
Lin Feng paused, sensing her presence behind him.
She's afraid of the dark?
So that's what little Dugu Yan was like.
Before long, they reached the entrance to the girls' dormitory.