Dugu Yan had originally intended to treat Oscar like an older brother. After all, Oscar was already about 1.88 meters tall, and although his handsome face looked a bit young, boys tended to mature later than girls.
But she never expected Oscar to be a full four years younger than her? The key wasn't just the four-year age gap, but his Soul Power rank was actually the same as hers? No, he had even gotten his third Soul Ring before her!
Now that was a true monster, wasn't it? What kind of academy could possibly produce a genius like that? If she wanted to learn, she should probably go to an academy like that.
Listening to the conversation between Dugu Yan and Oscar, Dugu Bo, who was secretly hidden nearby, was also incredibly shocked. a Soul Elder at only eleven years old?
Looking at Oscar, who was chatting so amiably with Dugu Yan, combined with his knowledge and his attitude towards her, Dugu Bo's expression shifted through a series of emotions, his thoughts unknown.
Shao Xin, listening to Oscar and Dugu Yan's chat, would also interject with a comment from time to time, mostly praising Oscar.
As for Oscar inviting Dugu Yan to Shrek Academy, Shao Xin didn't think much of it.
According to Shrek Academy's admission standards, one needed to be twelve years old with a two-ring cultivation, and both Soul Rings had to be yellow. If Dugu Yan's age were adjusted to twelve, she would easily pass.
Besides, this was the first time Shao Xin had seen Oscar show such concern for a girl, although this young lady was truly outstanding.
But then again, thinking of Oscar as a hot-blooded young man, Shao Xin just smiled and said nothing more.
After all, with the academy teachers' doting on Oscar, as long as he brought Dugu Yan back, no one would have any objections.
In the end, although Dugu Yan was tempted, she didn't make a decision on the spot. Instead, she replied, "While I'm a bit interested in going to Shrek Academy now, I still need to ask my grandfather's opinion. After all, as you said, Shrek Academy is more than a week's journey from Tiandou City."
"I'm only giving you a suggestion. The final decision is in your hands. After all, I can't just try to lure you away with words just because you're pretty, otherwise, not only would your grandfather come after me, my teacher might not let me off the hook either!" Oscar replied half-jokingly.
Just as the two were chatting happily, a sudden burst of intense Soul Power fluctuation came from the dense forest nearby. Gai Yue's icy-cold voice echoed from the woods: "Sneaking around, looking for a death wish!"
Gai Yue had always been a man of few words, and though he had become more affable in front of his disciple Oscar in the past two years, he had never been one to waste words on outsiders.
Hearing the commotion, Oscar and Dugu Yan exchanged a glance before both instantly released their Martial Souls, looking warily in the direction of Gai Yue's voice.
In truth, they already had their suspicions. Dugu Yan knew clearly that her grandfather was secretly protecting her, and the voice just now must have been her teacher, Gai Yue, returning, discovering her grandfather, and thus a conflict arising.
Oscar also guessed that Dugu Yan's grandfather was hidden nearby, so upon hearing Gai Yue's voice, his first thought was that the returning Gai Yue might have encountered Dugu Bo.
Oscar exchanged a look with Shao Xin and then said, "Teacher Shao, you and Dugu Yan hide here. I'll go take a look."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan objected, "No, it might be my grandfather and your teacher who've met. I have to go see."
"You..." Oscar pretended to hesitate. "Fine, but you have to stick with me. In case it's not what we think, I can better protect you."
As he spoke, Oscar took two Wind-swallowing Swift-soul Sausages from his Soul Guide Device and handed one to Dugu Yan. "Eat this."
Then, Oscar tossed the sausage into his mouth, and a pair of pure white, slender wings condensed on his back. Without hesitation, Dugu Yan also consumed the sausage, and a pair of wings materialized behind her as well.
This was her first time experiencing flight, but before she could marvel at the wonder of Oscar's Soul Skill, her delicate hand was grasped by Oscar.
"My apologies, this is your first time flying, so it's safer this way," Oscar explained. Then, with a flap of his wings, he turned into a streak of light, carrying Dugu Yan deep into the forest.
As Oscar held her hand, Dugu Yan was initially marveling at the thrill of flight, but soon her cheeks flushed because Oscar was holding her hand so tightly.
This was already the second time she had held hands with Oscar. Excluding their first handshake, when they were talking, Oscar had held her hand for a full three minutes just to prove he could touch her again, which had made Dugu Yan incredibly shy.
But now, although Dugu Yan was blushing, she wasn't thinking too much about it, as she was also worried about whether it really was her grandfather and Oscar's teacher who had met.
However, Dugu Yan wasn't afraid for her grandfather's safety; she was afraid that her grandfather might injure Oscar's teacher. If that happened, she would truly feel awful toward Oscar.
Oscar's third Soul Skill, Flight, was incredibly fast. Traveling at the speed of a Swift-soul Swift-swallower, they arrived at the scene in a moment, just in time to see Dugu Bo and Gai Yue facing off.
Not far from Gai Yue lay a massive plant-type Soul Beast, clearly the seventh Soul Ring he had captured for Shao Xin.
Gai Yue held the Frost Moon Sword in his hand, and the two yellow, two purple, and four black Soul Rings on his body glowed brilliantly. As his Ice Soul Power erupted, the surrounding trees and plants were instantly frozen.
On a giant tree opposite him stood a tall, lean old man who looked like a javelin. His beard and hair were an unusual emerald green, and his eyes glowed like green gemstones.
Nine Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—slowly rose from his body. The terrifying aura of a Title Douluo washed over them, and the surrounding trees and plants withered and corroded instantly in its presence.
"Young man, I am not an enemy," Dugu Bo said, a rare explanation.
In truth, given Dugu Bo's personality, if anyone dared to speak to him in such a way, there was only one possible outcome for that person: death.
However, having been eavesdropping on Oscar and Dugu Yan's conversation, Dugu Bo could probably guess that this Soul Douluo was Oscar's teacher, which was why he offered the explanation.
Seeing the nine Soul Rings on Dugu Bo, Gai Yue's pupils instantly constricted, feeling immense pressure.
Although he was already Level 85 and possessed two pieces of Soul Bone, he had no confidence in being able to defeat a Title Douluo.
After all, even the weakest Title Douluo differed from a Soul Douluo in a fundamental way.
This was the real world, not a novel.
Although Dugu Bo was known as the weakest Title Douluo, he was absolutely not a Soul Douluo could challenge.
In the original story, Yang Wudi had the terrifying feat of fighting the Snake Spear Douluo at Level 82 without being at a disadvantage, but that was only with the suppression of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and Tang San's Killing God Domain.
Moreover, Yang Wudi had achieved that by completely abandoning defense and launching a life-or-death assault, and he himself had been seriously injured in that battle.
Therefore, Gai Yue's current seriousness was the true feeling of a Soul Douluo facing a Title Douluo. However, after hearing Dugu Bo's explanation, Gai Yue was puzzled.
You're not an enemy? Then why are you sneaking around and hiding near our camp?
But before Gai Yue could question him, two figures flew out of the dense forest, speaking in unison:
"Teacher, he should be Dugu Yan's grandfather, he's not an enemy!"
"Grandfather, that's Oscar's teacher, he's not an enemy!"