READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 197: Chapter 197: "One Isn't Enough, Is It? Lingling!"
Chapter 197: "One Isn't Enough, Is It? Lingling!"
A brief glance at the shoes on the floor revealed a pair of emerald-green ones—no need to guess, they must belong to Dugu Yan.
As for the light blue pair? Most likely Ye Lingling's, right?
Fine, Kong had already deduced they were Ye Lingling's. Why? Because in the entire Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Dugu Yan had only one close friend, and that was Ye Lingling.
Apart from her, even Princess Xue Ke wouldn't receive a second glance from Dugu Yan.
Cautiously pushing open his door, what greeted Kong's eyes were Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling sitting on the living room sofa. Their gazes, intentionally or not, were fixed on the door.
The moment the door opened, the two women's eyes sparkled with intensity, and the smiles on their faces deepened.
Of course, Ye Lingling's face was covered with a veil. However, its sheer fabric failed to obscure her stunning beauty.
"Haha, Sister Yan, Lingling," Kong greeted awkwardly, scratching his head.
The girls' shoes were at the door, and they were currently barefoot...
Naturally, how could peerless beauties possibly have smelly feet?
Kong's embarrassment wasn't because of that, though.
It was because Sister Yan had once said something that still haunted him:
"One isn't enough, is it? Lingling!"
Good heavens, Ye Lingling, if Sister Yan has kidnapped you, just blink!
"Sister Yan, congratulations on completing your seclusion!" Kong sincerely congratulated her.
Reaching the rank of Soul Emperor at her age, Dugu Yan had already achieved a level comparable to the original Shrek Seven Devils.
Dugu Yan said nothing. Instead, she transformed into a dark green streak of light and leaped toward Kong. It had been so, so long since she'd seen him—almost two years, in fact!
Throwing herself into Kong's arms, Dugu Yan listened to his heartbeat...
Kong, unsure of what to do with his hands, finally wrapped them around her.
Time passed, second by second, as the two held each other in silence.
No one knew how long it lasted, but eventually, Dugu Yan let go, lifted her head, and gazed up at Kong, her dark pupils reflecting his face.
"You joined the Emperor Team without even telling me! If it weren't for Dean Liu Erlong, I'd still be clueless!"
Dugu Yan shot Kong a playful glare.
It was through Liu Erlong that Dugu Yan learned of Kong's enrollment at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and his entry into the Emperor Team. Otherwise, she'd still be debating whether to continue her seclusion.
Just after finishing her retreat, with the help of her grandfather Dugu Bo, she had obtained her sixth spirit ring and become a Level 62 Soul Emperor. Before she could celebrate, Dugu Bo informed her that Kong was already a Soul Sage—and well along that path at that!
Dugu Yan was stunned. After two grueling years of training, not only had she failed to close the gap in their spirit power levels, but the distance had actually grown. This realization was hard for her to accept.
While she was happy for Kong's breakthroughs, she also felt disheartened by her own perceived inadequacy.
Qin Ming, her former mentor, was known as the second-youngest Soul Emperor in a century, reaching Level 60 at age 30.
Yet here she was, only 20 years old and already a Level 62 Soul Emperor. And still...
Compared to the person she liked, she was more than ten levels behind! And how old was he?
"I didn't want to disturb your training," Kong said smoothly, without so much as a flinch.
To be honest, when Qian Renxue invited him to embarrass Bibi Dong, Dugu Yan hadn't even crossed his mind.
Of course, women needed coaxing. In his haste, he came up with this flimsy excuse.
But the woman before him actually believed it!
Dugu Yan's sadness turned to joy, her face lighting up with happiness.
Smooch!
Kong: "!!!"
Alright, so this is how it's going to be, huh?
Do all the girls on Douluo Continent express their emotions this way?
First Qian Renxue, now Dugu Yan. Not that Kong resisted—if he did, their cultivation levels wouldn't even come close to succeeding in such "sneak attacks."
"Sister Yan, next time you pull a stunt like that, aim somewhere else."
Kong's lips curved slightly upward as he smiled.
Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then seemed to have a sudden realization. In just two years, Kong had actually become mischievous! It truly made her see him in a new light.
Ye Lingling: You two really don't treat me as an outsider, do you?
"I've been out of seclusion for over a month now and have reached Level 62 as a Battle Soul Emperor," Dugu Yan said. "And I have to thank you for that soul bone you gave me. Without it, breaking through to Soul Emperor might have taken me another six months."
Geniuses and ordinary people both cultivate, but the efficiency is vastly different.
After being enhanced by the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, Dugu Yan had undoubtedly become one of the most gifted individuals on the Douluo Continent.
For an ordinary person, breaking through one level of soul power might take a lifetime and still be unattainable—Yu Xiaogang was a prime example.
He remained stuck below Level 30 his entire life, unable to become a Soul Elder.
But for a genius, breaking through one level of soul power might take as little as three months, or six months at most.
This was something ordinary people couldn't even dream of.
Human beings are born unequal, and the same holds true for cultivation talent.
Without the opportunity provided by the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, Dugu Yan's talent, though decent, wouldn't have placed her among the top-tier geniuses. She would have been just another person blending into the backdrop of Douluo Continent.
Hearing this, old memories resurfaced and hit Kong like a tidal wave. That soul bone was originally a gift for Dugu Bo, but he had passed it on to Dugu Yan. The old man even claimed it was a gift from Kong to her.
Dugu Yan had already been incredibly fond of Kong, but now her feelings had completely skyrocketed.
"As long as Sister Yan likes it," Kong said with a shrug.
What else could he do? With Dugu Bo's "kind intentions," it wasn't like he could refuse!
He and Dugu Yan had grown up together, practically childhood sweethearts. Letting her down wasn't something Kong could bring himself to do.
It wasn't like he was trying to make excuses for being a flirt, but honestly, if any other transmigrator had been in his place, Dugu Yan wouldn't still be… cough cough...
"Everything you give me, I like!"
Ye Lingling: ...
She finally understood—these two didn't see her as a person at all!
No, correction—they didn't even acknowledge her existence. Their conversation was so lively, yet neither had spared her a glance from start to finish.
Why had she accompanied Dugu Yan here? Was it just to watch this show of affection?
"Unbelievable! You're supposed to be my best friend!"
"And you just leave me out like this!"
Ye Lingling clenched her delicate fists tightly, grinding her teeth in frustration, though she kept her expression calm.
Naturally quiet and reserved, Ye Lingling carefully shifted her position to make herself even less conspicuous.
Was she immune to Kong's charm?
Absolutely not!
As a support-type Soul Master, it was only natural to desire a partner who was overwhelmingly strong, someone who could provide her with safety and security.
And Kong? He was strong enough, and his looks—just a fraction short of legendary perfection—only added to the allure...
(End of Chapter)
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