The next morning, after settling Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo set off for the Balak Kingdom. Although Oscar had told Dugu Bo the location of Shrek Academy before, the academy was new to him, so he needed some time to find it, which was why he left early.
But Dugu Bo was quite helpless about this. The person was there in the morning, but gone by the afternoon?
Besides, Gai Yue and Shao Xin had only been here yesterday morning, and they probably hadn't even returned to the academy yet. If he ran into them halfway, what would he say to them? That he planned to seclude himself to research the method Oscar had mentioned for accelerating the soul bone extraction process, and then Oscar was just gone by the afternoon?
Dugu Bo felt that with Gai Yue's personality, he might just draw his sword and fight him.
Normally, Dugu Bo definitely wouldn't have put up with Gai Yue, but now it was because of his own oversight that Oscar had simply vanished, so he couldn't very well attack Gai Yue, could he?
Dugu Bo brooded as he traveled, his head in his hands. To think that the great Title Douluo of Poison would ever have to worry about something like this.
Just as Dugu Bo had left, Dugu Yan, who had just arrived at the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures and was thinking of Oscar, witnessed a scene she would never forget in her life.
...
After opening his eyes, Oscar assessed his physical condition and revealed a satisfied, charming smile.
Then, Oscar leaped directly from the spring, and as he stood naked on the shore, he prepared to retrieve clothes from his soul tool to put on before he could start brewing the antidote for Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.
However, after searching the shore, Oscar discovered that his soul tool was nowhere to be found. Then, he noticed the messy size 45 footprints on the shore, which were clearly Dugu Bo's, since Oscar himself wore a size 42, and his soles were plain.
But Oscar couldn't figure out why Dugu Bo would take his soul tool. Was it a prank? And wasn't Dugu Bo supposed to be busy experimenting with the method he had told him about? Why was he so idle?
Unable to figure it out, Oscar decided not to dwell on it and walked naked toward the outside of the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures. After all, he had no clothes and needed to get his soul tool back and get dressed first.
However, Oscar had no idea what had happened after he entered the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures, let alone that the eyes had completely isolated his aura, making Dugu Bo think he had fallen in and dissolved into pulp.
Just as Oscar was walking outside the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures, Dugu Yan was walking toward him. Their eyes met, and Dugu Yan let out a scream that could shake the heavens.
Then Oscar saw Dugu Yan cover her eyes with her hands. What puzzled Oscar, however, was why the gaps between her fingers were so wide, and her eyes were still peeking at his body through them.
After a long while, Dugu Yan said in disbelief, "You... are you human or a ghost?"
Hearing this question, Oscar was baffled and quickly covered his "capital" because he realized Dugu Yan hadn't covered herself properly at all and had seen everything.
Actually, Oscar wasn't particularly shy. After all, he had already entertained improper thoughts about Dugu Yan. Letting her see his "capital," something that would make any man on the Douluo Continent feel inferior, might just make Dugu Yan... feel something for him.
But letting Dugu Yan stare at him like this wasn't right, especially since Dugu Bo was still around. If that old man saw this, he might just skin him alive.
After covering himself, Oscar replied with a wry smile, "Sister, of course, I'm human! We've only been apart for a day, and you don't recognize me anymore?"
Hearing this, Dugu Yan still found it hard to believe. After all, her grandfather had personally told her that Oscar was gone. Dugu Bo was a Title Douluo, and if a Title Douluo couldn't find Oscar, where could he have possibly gone?
"How is that possible? Grandpa said yesterday afternoon that you disappeared!" Dugu Yan's green eyes stared fixedly at Oscar, as if trying to see right through him.
Hearing this, Oscar was stunned for a moment before he understood. It must be that when Dugu Bo came looking for him, Oscar had already consumed the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Blazing Fire Apricot Delicate Vegetable and entered the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures, which was why Dugu Bo couldn't find him.
And then... that old man had taken his soul tool?
Thinking of this, Oscar noticed that Dugu Yan's right index and middle fingers were wearing his two silver soul tool rings!
"Damn it... So it was you? I damn well thought it was your grandpa!" Oscar thought to himself, speechless... He suddenly felt that Dugu Yan was interested in him.
Wasn't Dugu Yan's action just like a boy deliberately taking a girl's clothes while she's bathing, then returning them to her while taking the opportunity to get a free peek and boost his favorability?
However, Oscar vaguely felt that something was off. Although Dugu Yan was staring at him intently, there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes.
Still, Oscar explained since he had never intended to hide it from Dugu Bo and the others. "I wasn't here because I entered the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures. Yesterday I consumed two legendary medicinal herbs, and to absorb and refine their energy, I went inside. Your grandfather probably didn't notice me."
As he said this, Oscar glanced meaningfully at Dugu Yan's right hand. "Look, my soul tool was left on the shore! Didn't you pick it up?"
Hearing this, Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment before she realized that Oscar was safe and sound. Although Oscar had indeed fallen into the Ice and Fire Eyes of Two Natures, it was because he had consumed some legendary medicinal herbs and needed to absorb and refine their energy?
So even her grandfather had been fooled by Oscar yesterday? And after confirming that Oscar was really okay, Dugu Yan immediately closed her fingers! This was real?
So what she had just seen was also real? But Oscar was only eleven years old! What had he been eating to grow like this? It was one thing that he was tall, but that too?
Dugu Yan was fifteen years old. Although she usually had no friends and was sheltered from many things, precisely because she had no friends, she particularly loved to read various storybooks and had a certain understanding of certain matters.
And today, she had seen what might be the "capital" of a lifetime that she would never forget. Surprise, nervousness, joy, and excitement all battled in her mind.
She was delighted that Oscar was safe, and her joy even turned to excitement. But she was also nervous because she had seen Oscar naked. Should she go tell Oscar that she would take responsibility for this?
After all, in the storybooks, when a boy sees a girl's body, the girl either tries to kill herself or must marry the man, and the men at such times bravely take responsibility and promise to care for the girl.
So should she imitate the boys in the storybooks? Be a brave and responsible person, make a promise to Oscar, so he wouldn't try to harm himself because she had seen him?
After all, he had more talent and knowledge than the heroines described in the storybooks, and he was so handsome? So Oscar should be even more proud, right? A proud person like him having no privacy in front of her... wouldn't that...
Just as Dugu Yan was imagining a dramatic scene between a hero and heroine, Oscar's timid voice sounded, "Um... Sister... could you please return my soul tool to me? I need to get dressed..."
(End of Chapter)