Dugu Yan was walking along Vermillion Bird Street, the most prosperous avenue in Heaven Dou City, but her steps were so heavy even she didn't notice it.
The afternoon sunlight fell from the eaves of the elegant buildings on both sides, casting dappled light and shadow over her body, yet it could not penetrate the gloom in her heart. Her gaze would unconsciously glance at the youth walking beside her.
Today, Chen Yi was dressed in a very well-tailored suit of violet-gold. Under the sun, the fabric shone with a faint, subdued luster, a restrained luxury that set off the unspoken elegance in his firm brows. Yet even such impeccable clothes could not truly make him blend into this noisy and splendid imperial capital.
Rather, he seemed like a warm piece of dark jade set by chance atop a mountain of gold and jewels. The calmness that emanated from his very bones formed a subtle contrast with the gaudy clamor around him.
This person…
Dugu Yan sighed silently in her heart.
Just two days ago, her grandfather Dugu Bo had returned from seclusion. Not only had the illness that tormented him for years completely disappeared, but his soul power had become even more refined. His whole being was radiant, as if he had grown younger by ten years.
Naturally, Dugu Yan was overjoyed. She personally prepared good wine and delicacies, and the grandfather and granddaughter happily drank together in celebration.
Unexpectedly, before the joy had even cooled, two uninvited guests claiming to be from some hidden sect arrived a few days later.
When Dugu Yan heard that, she found it utterly ridiculous. Her grandfather, the world-famous Poison Douluo, had a fiery temperament and had spent half his life alone. Since when did he ever need to be bound by any sect? She'd almost thought these two were shameless frauds, and was ready to call people over to beat them out of the manor.
But her grandfather's reaction shocked her.
Instead of getting angry, Dugu Bo actually went out in a hurry himself with an imposing manner she'd never seen before. In his aura… there was even something she had never sensed before—
Fear.
Only afterwards did she learn that the sect those visitors represented was the one that had granted her grandfather the chance to rebuild himself, alleviating the backlash of the poison that had nearly exhausted his life's cultivation.
In order to repay this graciousness, Grandfather had agreed to join their faction.
As a result, the violet-gold youth beside her was now the "Young Sect Master" of that sect, the one her grandfather had to address with respectful courtesy.
"Young Sect Master…"
Dugu Yan called out, sounding somewhat awkward. She deliberately averted her gaze from him and stopped on a floor tile in the middle of the street carved with a delicate auspicious beast motif.
Hearing her, Chen Yi tilted his head slightly. The corners of his lips lifted just right as he gently interjected:
"Sister Yan doesn't have to be so formal. You're Elder Dugu's granddaughter, so just call me Junior Brother Chen."
His voice was as clear as jade chimes, clean in the way only a youth's could be, yet somehow it soothed the unease in people's hearts.
"Junior Brother Chen…"
Dugu Yan changed the words that were originally on her tongue, and her heart really did relax a little.
If she had to keep making this young man, who looked younger than herself, bow his head to her while she called him "Young Sect Master" all the time, it would truly be too awkward. She was also a pampered young lady—how had she managed to hold herself back like this?
The atmosphere eased somewhat.
Dugu Yan was still young. The faint displeasure in her heart was smoothed over by this newly acknowledged "junior brother." Since she was the one responsible for showing him around, she adjusted her mood and took the initiative to ask:
"Junior Brother Chen, you've never been to Heaven Dou City before, have you? Anything you especially want to see?"
Chen Yi's eyes swept lightly across the dazzling shops, the crowded throngs, and the luxuriously decorated carriages on both sides of the street. In his gaze, this prosperity and commotion seemed as fleeting as passing clouds, and his eyes remained calm.
"It really is my first time here," Chen Yi said frankly.
Dugu Yan's bright eyes lit up. The pride and hospitality inherent in a Heaven Dou noble lady surged within her.
"That's perfect. I'll take you to the best place in Heaven Dou City—Shanhai Pavilion! Their dishes are unique, and there are rare delicacies there that even the royal family treasures. You'll never find them anywhere else!"
Her tone was crisp and lively, as if she'd left some of her earlier gloom behind.
Chen Yi looked at her animated manner, and a faint smile rose in his eyes. He nodded gently.
"Alright. I've long heard of the name Shanhai Pavilion. Today I'll have to trouble Sister Yan to broaden my horizons."
At the words "Sister Yan," Dugu Yan raised her brows slightly, and a small, quiet pride rose in her heart.
The two of them then headed in the direction of Shanhai Pavilion.
As they walked, Dugu Yan enthusiastically introduced all kinds of things about Heaven Dou City. From time to time she pointed to the majestic palace complex in the distance, vividly talking about the imperial capital's dignity and secrets. When they passed the splendid auction house, she spoke of a soul bone that had once been auctioned there at a sky-high price. By observing the unique styles of certain buildings, she explained, you could even deduce the origins of various noble or soul master clans.
The familiarity and sense of superiority between her words helped Chen Yi gain a more three-dimensional understanding of this imperial city.
Chen Yi mostly listened in silence. Whenever Dugu Yan mentioned something important or an interesting detail, he would occasionally ask a question. His questions were often right on point, revealing a sharp insight far beyond his apparent age. This not only let Dugu Yan keep talking happily, but also made her start to secretly see this "Junior Brother Chen" in a new light.
He wore splendid clothes yet did not flaunt them. The sort of secrets most people could never even touch seemed to be things he could speak of with complete indifference, as though everything in the world was under his control. Such a temperament was absolutely not something the children of ordinary sects could possess.
Just as they were about to arrive at the main building of Shanhai Pavilion, whose glass-clad exterior glittered under the sun, a commotion at the corner of the intersection ahead interrupted their walk.
The crowd had spontaneously formed a half-circle. Amidst the murmurs, all gazes focused on the two people in the middle.
A young man in brocade garments was blocking the path of a veiled girl.
The girl's figure was slender. Her dress was as white as the moon, making her aura seem even more aloof from the dust of the world. A sheer veil of the same color covered most of her face, revealing only a pair of clear, bright eyes like autumn water. Yet at this moment, those beautiful eyes were filled with obvious helplessness and embarrassment. She had turned slightly to the side to avoid him, but the youth moved with a smooth step, once again spreading his arms and blocking her way.
The young man blocking her seemed fifteen or sixteen, dressed in brocade with a jade belt, his attire extremely luxurious. His features were handsome, yet there was a trace of frivolity between his brows, undermining any impression of gentility. He wore a self-justified smile, his burning gaze fixed on the veiled girl. The specifics of what he was saying were unclear, but the entangled posture made passersby glance sideways—still, no one stepped forward to intervene.
The instant Chen Yi clearly saw the veiled girl's face, his brows lifted so slightly it was almost imperceptible.
He had not expected to run into her again, after several days, and in such a situation.
And by his side, Dugu Yan had already cried out in surprise.
"Lingling?!"
...
PS: Bonus chapter at 100 PS