"If you really make me wait half a year, I'll beat you black and blue when you get back."
When Yu Yan said it could be as long as six months, Xiao Wu's small pink fist tapped his chest, venting her displeasure.
"I'll come back as fast as I can."
Unable to promise exactly when he'd return, he could only say he'd hurry.
"Since you said 'as fast as you can,' you'd better be back soon."
Knowing exactly what he meant, Xiao Wu ignored the subtext and reminded him again to return quickly.
Cornered, Yu Yan could only nod in agreement.
With that topic closed, the two switched to another.
"Hey, you two, enough already. Yu Yan, if you don't leave now, I'm going without you."
Still single, Vice Dean Jiang Jing cut their farewell short, reminding Yu Yan it was time to go.
"Mm." Answering Jiang Jing, Yu Yan looked at Xiao Wu. "I really have to go. Goodbye."
"Goodbye. I hope you come back early, but I still wish your plan every success."
Xiao Wu bade him farewell and sincerely wished him luck.
"It will. Unless a meteor falls from the sky, nothing will derail my plan."
"I'm off."
Confident in his scheme, Yu Yan flashed Xiao Wu a smile and waved one last time.
After she nodded, he leapt onto the Ice Soul Horse and galloped off to catch up with Vice Dean Jiang Jing, who was already far ahead.
Watching until he vanished, Xiao Wu wandered Exotic Beast Academy for a while, then, bored, hatched a new idea.
She could use this time to visit Da Ming and Er Ming and bring back two Immortal Herbs, void clarity jade cores, from the Lake of Life.
Yu Yan's jaw would drop when he saw the void clarity jade cores; picturing that, Xiao Wu's lips curved in a smile.
She couldn't leave yet. She'd wait until Vice Dean Jiang Jing sent word that Yu Yan had truly gone, then head back.
As for failure—Xiao Wu believed Yu Yan would succeed; failure wasn't an option.
Heaven Dou City, capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, cultivated for generations by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, stood as the most luxurious and majestic city in the realm.
That opulence hit you the moment you saw the Heaven Dou City plaque above the gate, fashioned from priceless gems.
Inside, the word "prosperity" was pushed to its absolute limit.
Yu Yan merely marveled at the splendor; no trace of inferiority crossed his mind.
Within his golden scepter's storage space lay more money than he could spend in a lifetime—wealth in hand, fear in heart banished.
With such riches, how could he feel inferior?
Jiang Jing settled them in an inn to wait two days for Dugu Yan's birthday.
Those two days Yu Yan strolled like any tourist, sampling delicacies and sights.
On the third day, the birthday arrived, and Jiang Jing led him to Dugu Bo's mansion.
As a Titled Douluo leaning toward the Heaven Dou Empire, Dugu Bo owned the largest, most lavish estate in the city, though he'd never asked for it.
"Quite a crowd."
Yu Yan stared at the carriages filling the open ground before the Dugu manor, shock flashing in his eyes.
He'd expected many guests, but not this many.
"That's the draw of a Titled Douluo."
Jiang Jing's single sentence answered his question.
She leaned closer and whispered, "Let me tell you a secret: ninety percent of them have no invitation. They're just here to drop off a gift, then leave."
Yu Yan understood. Whether for Dugu Bo's Face or the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's, they had to bring a present.
Don't?
Then risk the moment when everyone realizes you're the only one who showed up empty-handed.
The chance of being found out was zero—but who dared gamble?
After handing over their gifts and showing their invitations at the gate, they followed directions into the grand hall.
They weren't early; the room was already crowded.
A shrewd-looking elder in Heaven Dou royal attire greeted guests at the door.
"Vice Dean Jiang, long time no see. I thought you'd reconsider my offer, but you went through Yanyan instead—quite the surprise."
The instant he saw Jiang Jing, the old man began to mock.
"Prince Xue Xing, Exotic Beast Academy is small and poor; your terms were too harsh, so we sought another way."
Jiang Jing replied calmly; months of sparring had taught her to ignore his barbs.
Prince Xue Xing—Emperor Xue Ye's younger brother, Dugu Bo's savior, a man seldom seen but hard to forget.
Recalling the file, Yu Yan sized him up.
"Whatever you want with Poison Douluo, I'll make sure you fail—just watch."
With a quiet threat and a public smile, Prince Xue Xing turned to greet others.
"Yu Yan, I…"
The prince's threat meant nothing to Jiang Jing, but it could hurt Yu Yan.
She had fulfilled her promise of a third favor, yet botched the aftermath, and felt deeply apologetic.
"Relax, Dean Jiang, Prince Xue Xing can't stop my deal with Senior Dugu."
Yu Yan was certain that what he offered was something Dugu Bo could not refuse, no matter how the prince schemed.
"Sigh, we'll take it one step at a time."
His confidence didn't infect her; she still felt guilty.
"Mm, one step at a time."
He offered no details and no further comfort; explanations meant little until results spoke for themselves.
Just inside the hall, a jade-faced, dignified, gentle-looking middle-aged man approached.
"Young friend Yu Yan, I've looked forward to meeting you—what a happy coincidence."
Expecting the man to greet Vice Dean Jiang, Yu Yan was startled to receive the greeting himself.