The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
A young man and a young woman walked leisurely through the academy's beautifully landscaped grounds. Many passersby couldn't help but sneak glances at them, secretly admiring what seemed to be a perfect golden couple.
The man looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. His appearance was remarkably handsome, and he carried an air of calm confidence. The girl beside him seemed slightly younger, around sixteen or seventeen, with a delicate beauty and a figure already showing signs of graceful maturity. It wasn't hard to imagine how enchanting she would become in the future.
These two were, of course, Li Chang'an and the newly arrived "junior student," Dugu Yan.
After Dugu Yan's "friendly invitation", Li Chang'an, in his role as "senior," naturally took it upon himself to show her around the academy grounds.
Although Dugu Yan was fourteen years old this year, her outward appearance seemed closer to sixteen or seventeen. Having already absorbed two spirit rings and being seven years older than Li Chang'an, who was only seven years old this year, she still somehow looked younger than him.
This seeming inconsistency was, in fact, quite normal—because the growth effects that spirit rings had on spirit masters varied from person to person.
Absorbing spirit rings could accelerate one's physical development, but the extent of that effect depended on one's martial spirit, physique, and even genetics.
Most people would indeed mature physically after acquiring spirit rings, but there were exceptions. For some, like Li Chang'an, their body's appearance could surge ahead, making him look like a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old after absorbing just two spirit rings. For others, like Dugu Yan, the effect might be much smaller—perhaps only making them look a couple of years older.
There was no fixed rule—it was simply a matter of individual difference. Some developed faster, some slower, and some not at all.
"…The academy's main campus is halfway up the mountain. The training areas are scattered both above and below, and there are some near the lakeside as well…"
As Li Chang'an led Dugu Yan up the marble steps carved from white jade, he explained the layout. Each step bore the intricate carvings of different spirit beasts, showing exquisite craftsmanship.
The warm sunlight filtered through the trees, casting shifting shadows over the white stone, lending the whole path a sense of serenity and charm. The air was fresh and fragrant, like walking through a world made of greenery.
"By the way, senior," Dugu Yan said casually, as if just remembering something, "we've talked for so long, and I still don't know your name."
"Me? I'm Li Chang'an." He replied naturally, then asked, "What about you, junior?"
"Me?" The girl clasped her hands behind her back, turned to smile playfully at him, and said, "I'm Dugu Yan. Senior must remember my name properly, okay~"
It had to be said—this girl's mixture of purity and a hint of charm was dangerously captivating. Even Li Chang'an, who had seen countless beauties in his past life—online models and glamorous influencers alike—couldn't help but be momentarily distracted.
A real enchantress… he thought inwardly.
"Dugu Yan… I'll remember it," Li Chang'an said seriously, pretending not to be affected in the least—a perfect example of a straight-faced man.
That reaction, however, left Dugu Yan feeling slightly deflated. She had gathered her courage to make the first move, and yet her teasing had gone completely unnoticed.
Could it be that I'm not his type? Or… am I not as pretty as I thought?
Like many girls new to love, her emotions began to waver with uncertainty.
Li Chang'an, of course, knew perfectly well that she was interested in him. But he also understood a crucial truth—what you can't easily get is always more desirable.
If he wanted to maintain the upper hand in their future relationship, he needed to make her the one who pursued him—not the other way around.
Besides, he was currently the imperial son-in-law, the husband of the emperor's daughter. Such a position left no room for openly flirting with other women. Otherwise, where would that leave the dignity of the emperor and the princess?
For now, he still relied on the Heaven Dou Empire's protection and had no power to challenge imperial authority.
Only when he became a Spirit Douluo—or better yet, a Titled Douluo—would he have the right to speak and act freely. By then, not only could he court whoever he wanted, but even forming a harem might draw no objections.
With true power, everything changed.
The academy's main campus consisted of low buildings arranged like a fortress. The outer walls were five meters high and painted a bright yellow. Even the rooftops were tiled with glazed ceramic, glimmering magnificently in the setting sun.
After touring all the main areas of the academy with Dugu Yan, it was time for them to part ways. She had come today only to complete her registration—her official classes would start two days later.
After bidding farewell to the reluctant girl, Li Chang'an returned to his dormitory.
Sitting cross-legged in his meditation space, he closed his eyes and shifted his consciousness into his spirit beast avatar…
Inside a vast underground cavern—
A massive green serpent, over ten meters long, was slowly coiling and twisting. Its once-smooth skin looked dry and pale, wrapped in a thin white membrane.
As it writhed and rubbed against the ground, cracks began forming along its body, especially near the head, revealing a layer of fresh, glistening green scales beneath.
With more struggling, the serpent finally began to shed its outer skin entirely.
When it finished, the creature that emerged was far larger—nearly twenty meters long.
It had grown through molting.
"Finally… a thousand years," Li Chang'an murmured as he examined his newly reborn body.
Through constant hunting and devouring of spirit beasts, his spirit beast clone had quickly advanced from a hundred-year beast to a thousand-year one.
And this time, upon becoming a thousand-year spirit beast, he could feel a much deeper, more profound link between his beast body and his human form.
Previously, even though both shared the same soul, their bodies acted independently, unable to perfectly synchronize.
But now—something fundamental had changed.
For the first time, he could truly control both bodies at once.
Before, focusing on one would make the other sluggish, like trying to multitask beyond human capacity.
Now, he could manage both simultaneously—smoothly, effortlessly.
A qualitative evolution had occurred.
(End of Chapter)
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