378. Teasing

“Lingling, what are you looking at?”

Dugu Yan curiously followed Ye Lingling’s gaze but found nothing unusual.

“Nothing.”

Ye Lingling quickly looked away, shaking her head gently.

Dugu Yan bit into the apricot in her hand and didn’t press further.

However, as if something had come to mind, a teasing glint appeared in her eyes. She leaned closer to Ye Lingling’s ear and said mischievously:

“By the way, Lingling, I just thought of something—”

“When the next Soul Master Tournament comes around, do you think you’ll have been completely… devoured by then?”

Ye Lingling froze momentarily, her face rapidly turning red. She stammered, “Y-Yan Yan, what nonsense are you saying?”

“How is it nonsense? You’ve already been sharing the same bed!”

Dugu Yan pouted, but the sweetness of the apricot in her mouth turned slightly sour.

She was already far behind. Secretly, she hoped His Highness the Holy Son would take some initiative and leave Lingling utterly flustered, giving her, the personal attendant, a chance to shine.

“I-I haven’t done anything with him! He… he’s very well-behaved…”

Ye Lingling’s voice grew softer as she continued.

At first, Qian Renjue was indeed well-behaved—sometimes even she couldn’t resist initiating. But even after they became closer, their interactions remained limited to light touches and kisses, never crossing any major boundaries.

“Lingling, that’s for now!”

Dugu Yan’s expression turned serious before breaking into a sly grin.

“Once you grow up a little more, who knows…”

With that, Dugu Yan’s face took on a mischievous expression. She clamped the apricot between her lips, made a fist with one hand, and formed a circle with the other. Her fists moved with practiced swiftness, leaving afterimages.

When Ye Lingling finally realized what she was seeing, the clenched fist remained firm while the circle-hand opened to clasp the wrist.

“Ah! Yan Yan!”

Ye Lingling belatedly understood, her face burning bright red. She swung a delicate fist at Dugu Yan, hitting her lightly on the chest.

“Pfft! Hahaha…”

Dugu Yan burst out laughing, her apricot falling to the ground as she clutched her stomach. Her own cheeks were also glowing red.

“Yan Yan, stop making such jokes!”

Even with her reserved personality, Ye Lingling couldn’t handle jokes of this nature.

“Alright, alright, I’ll try… haha,” Dugu Yan replied, still chuckling as she pulled out more fruit from her soul tool and handed one to Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling took a green jujube, placed it under her veil, and gently bit into it.

Yet Dugu Yan’s earlier words echoed in her ears, making her blush even more.

I should have been his first…

Crunch!

“Lingling, this match isn’t interesting at all. They’re all weaker than me.”

Dugu Yan munched on a green apple, her pale green eyes watching the platform with boredom.

If not for His Highness insisting, she might’ve joined this Soul Master Tournament herself.

“Isn’t that normal?”

Ye Lingling didn’t even look up.

She was never particularly interested in fighting. At fifteen years old, she was already a Rank 43 Soul Elder, while Dugu Yan, at sixteen, had reached Rank 46 Soul Elder.

“Yeah, it’s all thanks to His Highness.”

Dugu Yan rested her chin on her hand, suddenly feeling a pang of regret.

Back when she served as a maid in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, she’d had the chance to attend to His Highness during his baths.

Why hadn’t she cherished that opportunity back then?!



————

As the Blue Tyrant Academy team fought valiantly in the competition, two intimate figures could be seen atop the highest pillar on the edge of the arena.

Golden hair billowed in the wind, and calm purple eyes gazed downward. Qian Renjue watched the match below, his gaze lingering on several familiar figures.

Beside him, short pink hair danced lightly in the breeze. Bright, lively eyes sparkled, and a pale yellow dress added a youthful, fresh charm to the young girl.

Ning Rongrong nestled under Qian Renjue’s arm, her fair cheeks flushed. Resting on her shoulder was his arm, wrapped gently around her. She held his hand tightly, her voice as soft as silk.

“Brother Holy Son, do you think Grandpa Sword has noticed us? He seems to keep glancing this way.”

“Yes, Elder Sword has indeed noticed us,” Qian Renjue replied, nodding slightly. His gaze then shifted to the audience, where two familiar feminine silhouettes sat close together.

Ning Rongrong handed him a candy painting she had been holding. Looking up, she asked curiously, “Brother Holy Son? What are you looking at?”

“I’m looking at Lingling and her group.”

Qian Renjue didn’t hide anything, taking the candy painting from her hands which was now slightly damp from her saliva, and biting into it.

“Lingling? Ye Lingling?” Ning Rongrong froze for a moment before realizing. Her brows furrowed slightly as she asked, “You mean your eldest fiancée?”

“Hmm,” Qian Renjue affirmed, nodding while handing back the candy painting.

“Brother Holy Son, can you tell Rongrong where she is?” Ning Rongrong turned to face him, wrapping her arms around him as she pleaded. Her pink lips pursed slightly, and her cheeks puffed out in a childish display of dissatisfaction. At not even nine years old, her emotions were still written all over her face.

“Of course, no problem.”

Qian Renjue didn’t mind. This was an inevitable question. He ruffled her hair gently and pointed in Ye Lingling’s direction.

“She’s in the fifth row, seventh seat from the right.”

“Hmm, I see her!”

Ning Rongrong’s gaze locked onto Ye Lingling’s back. Her small hands tightened their grip on Qian Renjue’s clothing, her tiny frame pressing close against him.

“The one beside her is Dugu Yan, the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo,” Qian Renjue added, stroking Ning Rongrong’s slender back as he spoke.

“Brother Holy Son~”

Ning Rongrong suddenly tilted her head to look up at him, her voice soft and sticky with sweetness.

“Is she prettier than Rongrong? Is she more obedient?”

“Uh…”

Qian Renjue froze for a moment, rendered speechless. Ning Rongrong already showed the makings of a future beauty, but for now, she was far too young.

After some thought, he replied meaningfully, “Rongrong is still young; it’s hard for me to say for sure right now.”

“Hmph!” Ning Rongrong let out a playful huff, interpreting his answer as a yes. She lowered her head, muttering under her breath, “Brother Holy Son, Rongrong will grow up too! Rongrong can also be obedient…”

“Just be yourself,” Qian Renjue replied helplessly, ruffling her soft hair again.

“Hmph.”

Ning Rongrong swung her head side to side, sticking out her tongue as she licked the candy painting in her hand. The more she ate, the less appealing it tasted.

Unable to hold back a smile, Qian Renjue gripped her shoulders and refocused his attention on the match below, his gaze falling on Liu Erlong.

The sealed Memory Revealing Pearl still left him puzzled and uncertain.

Ning Rongrong tugged at his clothes, tilting her head to look at him.

“Brother Holy Son, let’s leave.”

“Do you want to go shopping again?” Qian Renjue asked, glancing down at her.

Ning Rongrong shook her head and nestled into his embrace. “Rongrong doesn’t want to shop anymore. Brother Holy Son, come home with me for a bit. We can read books or something.”

“Alright.”

Qian Renjue wrapped an arm around her tiny waist, while she playfully hooked her arms around his neck.

A triangular purple-black shield enveloped them as Qian Renjue took to the skies.

Ning Rongrong paid no attention to the scenery below. She pressed her cheek against Qian Renjue’s and murmured softly, “Brother Holy Son, will you ever abandon Rongrong?”

“Never.”

Qian Renjue smiled, taking the candy painting from her hand and biting into it lightly before holding it back up to her mouth.