Heaven Dou City!
Dugu Bo escorted Dugu Yan and Wang Li to the outskirts of the city. A dangerous glint flashed in his dark green eyes as he warned them:
"Yan Yan, remember to be back before dinner. I'll have people prepare your favorite dishes. The two of us will have a proper meal together."
In front of Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan responded coquettishly:
"Okay, Grandpa!"
Then she grabbed Wang Li and headed into Heaven Dou City.
Watching their retreating figures, the dangerous light in Dugu Bo's eyes did not fade in the slightest.
If he did not keep an eye on them, he truly feared the two children might stir up some kind of trouble and give him a huge surprise. Although one was only sixteen and the other only nine, this was the Douluo Continent. After martial soul awakening at six years old, there were plenty of people whose martial souls carried inherent evil fire and who had to visit brothels to vent it.
The Dugu family owned a residence in Heaven Dou City. Although it was located in a relatively quiet corner, in terms of scale it was definitely a luxurious mansion.
When Dugu Bo spoke of going home, he meant returning to this residence. Although the two masters were often absent, there were always servants to clean and cooks to prepare meals. Everything was fully staffed.
At the same time, on the other side,
Following Dugu Yan into Heaven Dou City, Wang Li felt a strong sense of curiosity. Compared to Liejia City, Notting City was already tiny beyond measure, and even Liejia City seemed insignificant when compared to Heaven Dou City.
As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, its scale was among the two greatest metropolises on the entire continent. The other was Star Luo City of the Star Luo Empire.
As for Spirit Hall's Spirit City, those who could live there were either soul masters or their families. In terms of sheer size alone, it still could not compare to the capitals of the two great empires.
Returning to Heaven Dou City, Dugu Yan was very familiar with the place. And when accompanying a girl, it was inevitable to shop nonstop and buy endlessly along the way.
Clothes, jewelry, all kinds of goods were available, enough to dazzle anyone's eyes. Wang Li, however, had no such worries. Dugu Yan tried on outfits and accessories one by one, while Wang Li simply admired her and praised her from the side.
In the end, Dugu Yan took out a black gold soul coin stored-value card from the snake-shaped storage soul tool on her slender wrist and bought all the clothes and jewelry that Wang Li had complimented.
In truth, Dugu Yan could definitely be considered a low-key rich girl. Although she did not have a sect wealthy enough to rival a nation behind her, as Dugu Bo's granddaughter, money was never something she needed to worry about.
After shopping for clothes and jewelry, they continued eating and drinking their way through the city. By the end, even Wang Li, with his excellent appetite, felt as if he was about to burst.
As evening fell, the two walked along the road back home when Dugu Yan suddenly stopped. She had spotted a candied hawthorn vendor.
She turned to Wang Li and said:
"Stay right here and don't move. I'll go buy you some candied hawthorns!"
After saying that, she jogged after the vendor.
Left behind, Wang Li stood there alone, utterly stunned. His eyes widened as he pressed his lips together. He had heard similar words before, but he never expected them to come to life in such a way today.
Dugu Yan was very generous. She paid one gold soul coin and bought two skewers of candied hawthorn. Even in Heaven Dou City, where prices were high, the purchasing power of a gold soul coin was still impressive. The vendor never expected such a windfall just before closing and could not hide the smile on his face.
When Dugu Yan returned, she stuffed one skewer into Wang Li's hand.
"Hold this for me!"
Then she picked a single hawthorn from her own skewer, looked at Wang Li with eager anticipation, and said:
"Eating hawthorn helps digestion. Come on, open your mouth. I'll feed you!"
Wang Li took a deep breath. His body was only nine years old, but he was not truly just nine. Still, looking at the sugar-coated hawthorn and Dugu Yan's expectant expression, he gave in.
"Ah,"
Dugu Yan successfully fed him, and a great sense of satisfaction filled her heart. Since childhood, one relative after another had passed away, leaving only her grandfather to rely on. Now she finally got to indulge in being an older sister.
With curved brows and gentle eyes, Dugu Yan asked softly:
"Is it sweet?"
The hawthorn had been pitted. After biting through the sugar coating, Wang Li tasted the slightly sour hawthorn flesh inside. The blend of sweet and sour was quite delicious.
"Sweet!" he replied.
Encouraged, Dugu Yan fed him every single hawthorn from both skewers, one by one. By the time they finished eating, they had also arrived at the Dugu family residence.
When night came,
Dinner began in a strange atmosphere. Those present were the "kind" grandfather, the gentle older sister, and the "adorable" younger brother.
Of course, this was from Dugu Yan's perspective. She liked this atmosphere very much. It finally felt like a home.
They spent several carefree days like this. During the day, Wang Li accompanied Dugu Yan shopping, and Dugu Yan fed Wang Li. At night, the "family of three" ate dinner together, until the holiday finally came to an end.
Deep within Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
Dugu Bo brought Dugu Yan and Wang Li straight in without hesitation. A Titled Douluo was simply that domineering.
Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin, the three education committee members, reacted as if facing a great enemy, yet still bowed respectfully.
"Your Excellency Biphos, may we ask what brings you here?"
Dugu Bo responded indifferently, then placed one hand on Wang Li's shoulder. Without any room for negotiation, as if issuing a direct notice, he said:
"I'm taking this child away. From now on, he will cultivate with me."
The expressions of Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin changed. Meng Shenji stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"Your Excellency, this is a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Even if you are a Titled Douluo, you cannot take him away at will!"
Sensing the tension, Wang Li spoke up on his own initiative:
"Honored committee members, I am still a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It's just that Senior Dugu's seclusion site provides a simulated cultivation environment very suitable for me. I was the one who requested Senior Dugu to let me cultivate there, and I can return at any time in the future."
Dugu Bo lifted his head proudly and said:
"I'm only doing this for Yan Yan's sake. This child has good talent, so I'll personally train him for a while."
The momentum of Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin completely dissipated, and they returned to treating Dugu Bo with respect. A Soul Douluo facing a Titled Douluo had no choice but to bow.
Meng Shenji even said politely:
"Then we'll leave this child in your care, Your Excellency. His talent is outstanding. He is one of the candidates we've already selected to join the Heaven Dou Royal Team for the next All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Tournament."
There was no threat to his life, and he would still retain his identity as a Heaven Dou Royal Academy student. What reason did they have to oppose it? Being guided by a Titled Douluo was something countless people dreamed of.
Still, when Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin looked at Wang Li, their gazes carried a mix of admiration, envy, and astonishment.
This child was extraordinary. In just half a month at the academy, he had already established ties with Dugu Yan and latched onto Dugu Bo himself. That was a Titled Douluo, one of the strongest beings on the continent.
There are gains and losses. Although he gained the favor of a Titled Douluo, he also lost all the troubles of ordinary life.
Wang Li's life was destined to be incomplete. By skipping decades of detours and never experiencing society's harsh lessons, how could it truly be called a complete life?
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