The glow of the setting sun dyed the broad bluestone streets of Heaven Dou City a warm golden color, but it could not dispel the chill in Ye Lingling's heart.
She stared at the hippie smile in front of her, at that entangling face, her beautiful brows knitting tighter in boredom and helplessness that would not fade.
Xue Beng, Fourth Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, was a famously infamous wastrel in the empire. At this moment, he was dressed in flashy clothes, leading several equally frivolous attendants to block Ye Lingling's way.
"Miss Lingling, why reject someone who's come from so far away?"
Xue Beng flicked an ornate folding fan that only looked elegant on the surface. His tone was languid and affected.
"It's just a meal. This prince heard a new Drunken Immortal Pavilion has opened in the city—fine cuisine, elegant surroundings, a place perfectly worthy of your status, Miss Lingling."
Today, Ye Lingling wore a light blue gown. Her slender figure and cool temperament made her seem like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley. In her arms she held a brocade box filled with medicinal herbs, having just come from a pharmacy.
Facing Xue Beng's pestering, her voice remained clear but carried an obvious distance.
"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness. I truly have important matters at home and it would be inconvenient to stay out long. Please excuse me."
With that, Ye Lingling turned slightly, intending to leave.
But Xue Beng took a step and once again stood before her, his smile turning somewhat rogue-like.
"Oh? Miss Lingling, what could be more important than having dinner with this prince? Could it be that you… look down on me, Xue Beng?"
Being blocked again and again, Ye Lingling's patience finally ran out. She raised her head; a sharp glint gleamed in her autumn-water eyes. Her voice was as cold as ice beads falling onto a jade plate.
"Your Highness Xue Beng, please step aside.
Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."
There was no timidity in her words, only unquestionable authority.
She was the young mistress of the Nine-Hearted Begonia Ye Clan, the heir to the first auxiliary martial soul in the Douluo Continent. Her status was noble and transcendent, absolutely not something a prince with neither real power nor merit could force.
The Nine-Hearted Begonia was a unique bloodline. Its status in the soul master world across generations was extremely special. Even Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire had to treat the Ye family with courtesy.
Being mercilessly reprimanded in the middle of the street, Xue Beng's smile froze in an instant, and then slowly darkened. A flash of embarrassment passed through his eyes.
He didn't actually dare to do anything to Ye Lingling. The wrath of the Nine-Hearted Begonia Ye Clan was not something a "playboy prince" like him could bear.
But if he retreated now, where would that leave the Fourth Prince's dignity? All he could do was grit his teeth, continue pestering, and try to "soften" and then "force" Ye Lingling into submission.
"Why get angry, Miss Lingling? This prince merely admires your bearing and wishes to make friends…"
Xue Beng babbled on endlessly, his words becoming more vulgar and unpleasant.
Ye Lingling's brows furrowed tighter and tighter. The irritation and disgust in her heart had almost reached their peak. She tightened her grip on the brocade box in her hands, her knuckles turning slightly white. She was already considering using her soul power to blast him away—even if it did cause unnecessary trouble.
In this stalemate, as the atmosphere grew more and more tense, a slightly sharp yet anxious female voice rang out from not far away.
"Lingling!"
That voice was very familiar to Ye Lingling's ears. She immediately turned her head, surprise flashing across her face as she called back loudly:
"Yan! I'm over here!"
The crowd parted, and two figures walked over quickly.
The woman in front wore a fitted outfit like the scales of a blue-scaled serpent. Her figure was graceful, her short green hair and sharp eyes giving off a natural, piercing aura. She was Dugu Bo's granddaughter—Dugu Yan.
At this moment, she exuded a sharp presence that made people instinctively wary of offending her. Behind Dugu Yan walked a youth in violet-gold robes.
Seeing Dugu Yan, Xue Beng's heart suddenly sank. The roguish look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a barely concealed panic.
He knew all too well how important Dugu Yan was to Grandfather Dugu Bo.
Prince Xue Xing and his current transcendent status in the Heaven Dou royal family depended more than anything on the titled Douluo "Poison Douluo Dugu Bo."
Back then, Prince Xue Xing had been saved by Dugu Bo's hands. Out of gratitude, he'd used that favor to keep this powerful Titled Douluo in the Heaven Dou Empire.
However, over the years, Dugu Bo had probably rendered more aid to the Heaven Dou Empire than the number of times the empire had helped him—perhaps far more.
If he provoked Dugu Yan today and Dugu Bo, with his short-tempered and protective nature, flew into a rage and decided to leave the Heaven Dou Empire, it would be a disaster for both Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng himself.
Thinking of this, cold sweat nearly broke out over his body. Seizing on a brief pause in Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling's greeting, he quietly shifted his feet, trying to slip away into the crowd.
"Stop!"
Dugu Yan's sharp shout cracked like a whip through the air. Her eyes flashed like lightning and locked on Xue Beng in an instant.
Xue Beng's body stiffened. He turned his head quickly, forcing a fawning smile.
"I didn't expect to run into Miss Dugu here today. What an honor…"
"Xue Beng, I'm warning you—don't you dare provoke Lingling again in the future. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."
Before he could finish, Dugu Yan cut him off bluntly. But Xue Beng was already used to being scolded by her. He hurriedly nodded and bowed:
"Yes, yes, yes. Miss Dugu has taught me a good lesson. I was just muddle-headed for a moment. I definitely won't do it again, absolutely won't…"
That obsequious expression was a world apart from the arrogant rogue who'd been pestering Ye Lingling just moments ago.
Ye Lingling gave Xue Beng a cold look, a faint trace of disdain in her eyes, then turned to Dugu Yan with gratitude.
"Yan, thank you. It's fortunate you came."
Dugu Yan patted her hand lightly and smiled sincerely.
"What's with the politeness? If this man dares bother you again, just tell me directly. I'll ask Grandfather to 'have a little chat' with him."
She deliberately placed emphasis on the words "little chat," startling Xue Beng so much his shoulders trembled again.
At that moment, Ye Lingling's gaze passed over Dugu Yan and fell on the youth in violet-gold robes. He was also looking at her, a faint smile on his lips.
Ye Lingling was slightly stunned. In her mind, the bloody, shocking scene from a year ago in Star Dou Great Forest flashed before her eyes, and her delicate body trembled so slightly it was almost unnoticeable.
Chen Yi took a step forward. His tone was calm, his warmth just right.
"It's been a year, Miss Ye. Have you been well?"
His clear voice pulled Ye Lingling out of that fleeting memory. She quickly calmed herself, nodded lightly, and replied politely:
"Everything has been well. Thank you for your concern."
Her voice was still cool, but if one listened carefully, one could detect a faint nervousness. She tried her best to hide it, yet as she met Chen Yi's gaze, she still couldn't completely conceal the fear deep in her eyes.
Chen Yi keenly caught that fleeting emotion. His mind turned once, and he immediately understood the reason.
He understood in his heart but did not expose it. Instead, he smiled gently, that smile carrying a hint of apology and seeming like a silent expression of understanding. He didn't continue on that topic.
The more such things were explained, the more deliberate they seemed. It was better to let time slowly wear everything away.
Watching the interaction between the two, especially Ye Lingling's subtle unease, Dugu Yan's curiosity was piqued. She took Ye Lingling's arm and asked:
"Lingling, you two know each other? Junior Brother Chen, when did you meet Lingling?"
Chen Yi smiled and explained in a relaxed tone:
"About a year ago in Star Dou Great Forest, we had a fated encounter. Our sect and the Ye Clan are old friends, and it just so happened that we met there."
Ye Lingling followed his words and nodded gently.
"Senior Chen's elders have long been acquainted with the elders of my family."
She did not mention their blood-soaked encounter, unconsciously reluctant to recall that scene.
Seeing that the two famous beauties of Heaven Dou City, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, both knew this violet-robed youth who had appeared out of nowhere, Xue Beng's face contorted with shock and jealousy.
He couldn't help but take a step forward, staring at Chen Yi. His tone carried the instinctive condescension of a prince—though it was somewhat weakened by the fact he'd just been thoroughly humiliated.
"Oh? This friend looks unfamiliar; I don't know which exalted figure you might be. Yet you know both Miss Dugu and Miss Lingling?"
Only then did Chen Yi formally turn his gaze on Xue Beng.
Naturally, he knew of this Fourth Prince who would eventually rely on "playing dead" and other stratagems to ascend the throne of Heaven Dou Empire. To be fair, to withstand the immense pressure of Spirit Hall and ultimately seize the fruits of victory, Xue Beng's scheming and endurance could not be underestimated.
But knowing was one thing; understanding was another. It didn't mean Chen Yi had to hold a favorable impression of him.
During his years of "restrained forbearance," Xue Beng had concealed himself by bullying both men and women and committing countless outrages. Many commoners and low-ranked soul masters had suffered under his hand. For a man who trampled on others indiscriminately for his own ends, Chen Yi felt a deep disgust from the bottom of his heart.
So he completely ignored Xue Beng's question, as if he hadn't even heard it.
He simply turned back to Ye Lingling and extended an invitation.
"Miss Ye, Yan and I were planning to have dinner at Shanhai Pavilion. If you have nothing urgent to attend to, would you care to join us? Consider it a chance to relax after such an annoyance."
Ye Lingling wanted nothing more than to leave this place of right and wrong as quickly as possible. After that earlier harassment, she truly needed to calm down. She hesitated slightly, then nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Then I'll trouble Senior Chen and Yan."
"Great!"
Dugu Yan said happily, "Let's go."
Chen Yi nodded, and the three of them turned away, not sparing Xue Beng another glance, as if he were nothing more than an insignificant piece of background scenery.
...
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