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"Ye Lan, this time I wholeheartedly admit my defeat! But I won't give up on Dugu Yan! One day, I'll defeat you and prove myself to her," Yu Tianheng walked up to Ye Lan and declared.
"Hmph! Even if you do defeat Ye Lan, I still won't agree to be with you!" Dugu Yan frowned. Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul masters were so annoying and self-righteous.
Ye Lan replied, "That day will never come. I will only ever move forward, until I am far beyond your reach."
Wanting to know if the gap between them wasn't as large as he imagined, Yu Tianheng asked, "Ye Lan, did you use your full strength just now?"
Ye Lan shook his head.
He hadn't used his external spirit bone, the Light of Origin, or the Blue God's Foresight. For Yu Tianheng to defeat him was as difficult as an ancient man trying to build a rocket by chopping wood.
The fighting spirit in Yu Tianheng's eyes gave way to a trace of dejection. He said defeatedly, "I'm sorry, Ye Lan. I am sorry that I wasn't able to make you use your full strength."
"From today onward, you are the captain of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's first team."
With that, Yu Tianheng tossed out the team captain's armband.
"Captain!" Shi Mo and Shi Mo cried out anxiously.
Yu Tianheng shook his head. "This has always been the way of Team One. Whoever can defeat the captain becomes the next captain."
"You should all feel honored to have Ye Lan as your leader. He will lead us to greater heights."
The Shi brothers looked saddened. After all, Yu Tianheng had been their captain for many years, and they shared a strong bond with him.
Oslo, who loved to stir things up, laughed and said, "Hehe, as expected, the agility-attack type is the strongest! The captain should be the fastest one—Lord Ye Lan!"
Oslo then handed the armband he had caught to Ye Lan.
Yu Tianheng rolled his eyes at Oslo. "I'm stepping down as captain today, not dying."
"You bastard, Oslo, how could you switch sides so quickly! At least cry for me!"
The moment Yu Tianheng feigned anger, Oslo bolted.
Watching him run off, Yu Tianheng shook his head helplessly.
Shi Mo wondered aloud, "Even if you're flattering the captain, there's no need to call him 'Lord.'"
Yufeng replied matter-of-factly, "Turtle Bro, Ye Lan is also the great 'Scholar' Lord."
"What?!" Yu Tianheng stared at Ye Lan in disbelief. He couldn't imagine that someone so strong in close combat could also be a master theorist.
Shi Mo immediately locked Yufeng's head in an armlock, his bicep thicker than a thigh. "I told you not to call me Turtle Bro!"
"Ow, I'm suffocating! It stinks here, have you even bathed recently?!"
"Bullshit, I bathe every day!"
Sensing the atmosphere of Team One, Ye Lan nodded. This is what a team should be like. Regardless of their coordination, the team's morale must be good. Otherwise, they would only perform worse under high-pressure environments. It seemed leading Team One wouldn't be too difficult.
"Captain Ye, this is for you too!" Dugu Yan handed Ye Lan Dugu Bo's token.
Ye Lan accepted it, pondering for a moment. Is that old poison master really planning to make me his grandson-in-law?
"Captain Ye, to celebrate your first day of school and becoming Team One's captain on your second, how about you accompany me and Lengleng for a feast in Heaven Dou City tonight?!" Dugu Yan winked, giving him a seductive look.
Her sultry charm made goosebumps rise on Ye Lan's skin. It was truly hard to handle.
"I'll think about it," Ye Lan said.
"What's there to think about? Come on, let's go with me and Lengleng," Dugu Yan immediately wrapped her arm around Ye Lan's and pulled Ye Lengleng along as they headed for the academy gates.
Ye Lan's left arm was continuously pressed against something soft. Even he had some trouble with Dugu Yan's boldness.
Watching Dugu Yan cling to Ye Lan's arm as they walked away, a sour feeling welled up from the bottom of Yu Tianheng's heart. He instantly slung his arms around Yufeng and the Shi brothers, shouting, "Let's go! We're going to the cafeteria for drinks, my treat!"
Meanwhile, Dugu Yan, who was holding onto Ye Lan, was actually very nervous. She was afraid that Ye Lan would be repulsed by her forwardness. Fortunately, after she took his arm, he showed no signs of displeasure. Looks like I made a good impression on my idol, she thought with a little joy.
Part of her boldness came from overhearing her grandfather muttering about marrying her off to Ye Lan. Although she didn't know if Ye Lan had agreed, Dugu Yan was confident that no one could refuse her allure. As a mature woman, she was well aware of her advantages.
The three walked toward Heaven Dou City, with Dugu Yan positioning herself between Ye Lan and Ye Lengleng. Although Dugu Yan and Ye Lan appeared quite intimate, not a single ripple of emotion showed in Ye Lengleng's blue eyes.
The trio arrived in Heaven Dou City and were about to head to the liveliest night market. A group of people appeared before them, led by a black-haired man in plain clothes, Xue Qinghe. Behind him followed a group of plainclothes guards.
Qian Renxue's black eyes swept over Ye Lan's arm and Dugu Yan's impressive assets, a flicker of gold flashing through her dark pupils.
"Brother Ye, I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon!" Xue Qinghe said with a smile.
Ye Lan was unaware of the turbulent emotions hidden beneath Xue Qinghe's gentle smile.
"Brother Xue, long time no see! Seeing you reminds me of that pleasant day we chatted at the Biluo Pavilion," Ye Lan said.
Qian Renxue nodded in satisfaction and asked, "And might these two be your lovely confidantes?"
Dugu Yan's face flushed red, and she quickly let go of Ye Lan's arm. "We're just good friends, yes! Good friends."
Ye Lan introduced the two women to Xue Qinghe. "Brother Xue, this is the granddaughter of Poison Douluo, Dugu Yan."
"The other is the renowned owner of the number-one healing martial soul, 'Nine-Heart Begonia,' Ye Lengleng. They are both members of Team One."
Then, Ye Lan introduced Xue Qinghe to them. "This is the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, His Highness Xue Qinghe. He is also my Brother Xue. You can just call him Brother Xue like I do."
"Brother Xue," Ye Lengleng said.
"Brother Xue, I never thought Ye Lan's 'Brother Xue' was the crown prince himself!" Dugu Yan was surprised, not expecting Ye Lan's connections to be so extensive. As expected of my idol, Ye Lan!
Xue Qinghe nodded, then waved his hand to his guards. "You are all dismissed. I will accompany Brother Ye for a stroll through the Heaven Dou night market."
Hearing his command, the plainclothes guards instantly vanished.
After the guards left, Xue Qinghe seemed to shed a burden, looking much more relaxed. He walked to Ye Lan's right side and put an arm around his shoulder. "Brother Ye, how about I take you all to a flower pavilion I frequent? The craftsmanship, flower wine, and scenery there are excellent, and it's very suitable for the two young ladies to dine at."
"Then we'll follow your lead, Brother Xue," Ye Lan replied. Although he felt the atmosphere was a bit strange, he didn't give it much thought.
The four of them walked down the street, each lost in their own thoughts.
(End of Chapter)