50: Chapter 50 The Morning Visitor

On the second day after Bai Qi completed the fusion of his Spirit Core, he woke up on a rock, having adjusted himself all night, and opened his eyes.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard a faint breathing sound beside him.

Bai Qi was startled and subconsciously looked back, finding Liu Erlong sitting against a rock not far behind him, fast asleep.

Her head was slightly tilted to one side, her hands were crossed over her chest, her eyelashes fluttered gently in the morning light, and she was covered with a blanket.

Bai Qi smiled helplessly, not expecting Teacher Erlong to actually stay there all night.

He then got up, walked over, gently shook Liu Erlong's shoulder, and whispered.

"Teacher Erlong? Teacher Erlong? Wake up."

Liu Erlong frowned, woke up groggily, mumbled twice, rubbed her eyes, and spoke with a sleepy voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Teacher Erlong, it's cold outside. Let's go back to the tent to sleep."

Bai Qi said, pointing to the tent.

Liu Erlong, hearing this, groggily looked at the tent in the direction Bai Qi pointed, then looked at Bai Qi, clearly not fully awake yet.

"Let's go."

After speaking, Bai Qi reached out to help her up.

Liu Erlong stood up, staggered, and Bai Qi quickly helped her steady herself after folding the blanket.

After Liu Erlong stabilized, she patted the dust off her clothes. Her sleepy appearance was completely different from her usual fiery temper.

Bai Qi suppressed a smile, helped her to the side of the tent, and lifted the curtain for her to enter.

Once at the tent, Liu Erlong waited for Bai Qi to lift the curtain, then directly burrowed into the tent, lay down, and pulled the blanket over herself.

Seeing this scene, Bai Qi couldn't help but laugh, then placed the blanket he was holding on the ground inside the tent.

After tidying the blanket covering her, he turned and walked out.

After doing all this and leaving the tent, Bai Qi suddenly sensed two people entering the valley entrance.

He then walked towards it.

Upon reaching there, Bai Qi indeed saw two figures, one in front and one behind.

The one in front still had that distinctive ear-length short hair, but her complexion was much better than before. It was Dugu Yan.

Following behind was a slender girl with a cold temperament and silver-gray hair slightly longer than Dugu Yan's, her eyes quiet and indifferent.

Bai Qi recognized her at a glance: Ye Lingling.

The inheritor of the Nine Heart Begonia Spirit, a support system Spirit Master, a unique existence in the entire Douluo Continent.

Although he knew who had come, Bai Qi still walked over and asked in confusion.

"Why did only you come today? Where's the Old freak? And who is she?"

Dugu Yan paused slightly when she saw Bai Qi. Dugu Yan suddenly felt her face flush, and her heart beat a few times faster.

She didn't know if it was out of gratitude for him saving her and her grandfather, or for some other reason.

She averted her gaze and said stubbornly.

"Grandpa went out for something. I'm off today, so I came to see if you've damaged my grandpa's medicinal garden."

After speaking, she turned sideways and pointed to Ye Lingling behind her, her tone returning to normal as she said.

"Her name is Ye Lingling, and she came with me."

Ye Lingling nodded slightly towards Bai Qi, greeting him. Bai Qi also politely nodded back.

"Since you're here, then come in."

Bai Qi gestured for them to enter.

Dugu Yan was not polite, hooking her arm through Ye Lingling's and walking inside, muttering.

"This is my grandpa's territory, so it's mine too. Do I need you to invite me?"

Bai Qi smiled and followed behind them.

As soon as Dugu Yan entered, she looked around, wanting to see if Bai Qi had touched her grandpa's herbs.

However, having only been there a few times herself, she didn't know what was added or what was missing, so she reluctantly gave up.

Bai Qi, uncharacteristically, didn't continue cultivating today. After having the two sit down, he walked to a small medicinal garden he had prepared for Liu Erlong to water.

He picked a few leaves of the root-strengthening and essence-cultivating herbs from inside, took out water from his storage ring, heated it with his Soul Power, and brewed a pot of tea.

The tea had a light fragrance, with a hint of herbal sweetness, and just smelling it gave a refreshing feeling.

After brewing, he poured the tea into teacups and handed them to Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.

Dugu Yan took the teacup, took a sip, and her eyes lit up slightly.

Ye Lingling also took a sip. Although she didn't speak much, she could clearly feel that this tea was extraordinary; it was mild on the palate, and her Soul Power felt much smoother.

The three sat on the rocks by the spring, quietly drinking tea for a while.

Dugu Yan suddenly remembered that Bai Qi seemed to have been in her grandpa's medicinal garden all this time. She put down her teacup and looked at Bai Qi, asking.

"You should be about our age, right? Why don't you go to school?"

Ye Lingling's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and she also looked up at Bai Qi, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Bai Qi was slightly startled. He raised his hand, took a light sip of tea, and then said with a smile.

"Me? I guess I dropped out."

"Ah?"

Dugu Yan's mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, her eyes wide and round. After a moment, she asked.

"A genius like you, and your academy would actually let you leave?"

She really couldn't understand. A genius even her grandpa acknowledged, and an academy would actually let him leave. Ye Lingling, though silent, also had a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Inside the tent, Liu Erlong had been awake for a while and was about to go out when she heard this sentence and stopped in her tracks.

She squatted behind the tent curtain, pricking up her ears.

She knew that if she went out now, Bai Qi might just brush over this topic.

After spending these past few days together, her impression of this young man was already very high, so she also wanted to hear which clueless academy dared to expel Bai Qi.

Bai Qi thought about the situation at the time, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up as he said, somewhat amused.

"It's nothing. It's just that at that school, we had a small group. One of us was scolded by the dean, and then our Big Sister was unconvinced and went to argue, suffering a small loss herself. Then, in a fit of pique, we all dropped out."

After speaking, the curve of Bai Qi's mouth was even higher than before, as if he recalled something interesting.

Although Dugu Yan didn't know Bai Qi's specific strength, from what her grandpa hinted, Bai Qi was definitely stronger than Yu Tianheng, and by a lot.

That someone like him actually had a Big Sister surprised her a little.

"Someone like you actually has a Big Sister?"

Dugu Yan asked, tilting her head.

"Then is her strength stronger than yours?"

Bai Qi thought for a moment and said involuntarily:

"Stronger than me? I guess so."

When he said this, his tone showed no resentment, but rather a hint of matter-of-factness.

Seeing that Bai Qi didn't want to discuss this matter further, Dugu Yan immediately said.

"How about this, you bring them to our Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. It definitely won't be like your previous academy, and with your talent, you'll definitely be on our team."

Ye Lingling listened to Dugu Yan's words and also looked at Bai Qi with some anticipation.

Just as Bai Qi was about to speak, a voice suddenly came from behind the tent.

"No."

Liu Erlong lifted the curtain and walked out, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression not looking too good.

Dugu Yan was stunned when she saw Liu Erlong.

"Senior Liu Erlong? Why are you here?"

Liu Erlong didn't answer her but looked at Bai Qi, her tone carrying an undeniable force.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere."

Bai Qi smiled helplessly.

"Teacher Erlong, I haven't even decided to go yet."

Liu Erlong snorted, walked over and sat beside him, her gaze sweeping over Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, as if declaring something.

Dugu Yan felt a little guilty under her gaze, but she didn't know why she felt guilty.

Bai Qi thought about his future plans and said.

"I want to go to Teacher Erlong's academy."

Liu Erlong's expression softened upon hearing this, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upwards slightly.

Dugu Yan was displeased.

"Senior Liu Erlong's academy? Which academy?"

"Lanba Academy," Liu Erlong said.

Dugu Yan frowned, then thought for a moment and said.

"Lanba Academy? Is that the academy that only recruits commoners and not nobles?"

Liu Erlong raised her head and said.

"Precisely."

Dugu Yan wanted to say something else, but Bai Qi raised his hand to interrupt her.

"How about this, I might currently want to go to Lanba Academy. If Miss Dugu Yan and Miss Ye Lingling wish to come, you are always welcome. But if you want me to go to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, that's out of the question."

Seeing Bai Qi's firm attitude, Dugu Yan's defiant Spirit immediately flared up, and her tone became a bit sharper as she said.

"Fine, if you don't go, then don't go. But I want to see what abilities you possess that even my grandpa looks at you differently."

Bai Qi was startled and said.

"What do you mean?"

"Fight me."

Dugu Yan stood up and patted the dust off her skirt.

"My grandpa said you're stronger than me, and I don't believe it."

Bai Qi sighed helplessly.

"Is that necessary?"

"It is necessary."

Dugu Yan stared at him intently, not backing down an inch.

Bai Qi glanced at Liu Erlong, who shrugged, giving him an expression of "you decide."

Bai Qi's eyes instantly widened, looking at her in disbelief.

He then glanced at Ye Lingling, attempting to make Ye Lingling pull Dugu Yan back with his eyes.

But Ye Lingling merely held her teacup, expressionless, though a hint of curiosity in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Alright then."

Bai Qi sighed, stood up, walked to the open space, turned to Dugu Yan, and said.

"Let's stop before anyone gets seriously hurt."