Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.
"Ling Ling, I heard there's a selection match for the Royal Fight Team today. Do you want to go and watch it together?"
Yu Feng's crisp voice lingered in the young girl's ear.
"Thank you, but Yu Feng, you can go by yourself."
At this moment, a ray of sunlight slanted in through the window, gently falling on the side of the silver-haired girl's face, outlining a dreamlike, faint golden hue.
Her delicate earlobes were almost bloodless, and when viewed against the light, one could faintly see the pale blue veins beneath.
Ye Lingling's eyes were nearly devoid of spirit as she gazed out the window, filled with worry.
"Sigh, I really don't understand you two. One leaves without a word, and the other spends all day longing for Gu Feng, just like those young maidens in the storybooks who pine for their lovers, forgetting to eat and drink. I'm so lucky to have friends like you."
As soon as these words were spoken, Ye Lingling's face instantly turned crimson, even the roots of her ears flushing red. She retorted with both embarrassment and annoyance, "Yu Feng! Don't talk nonsense! What lover? I'm just worried about a friend, that's all!"
Gu Feng was her first friend.
Wasn't it reasonable for her to worry about a friend?
At least, that's what Ye Lingling thought.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. I'll shut up, okay?"
Yu Feng waved her hand, dropping the subject.
But after a pause, she couldn't help but bring it up again.
"Speaking of which, Gu Feng has been missing for a long time. The academy leaders are also clueless and have no idea where he went. Maybe he really..."
Yu Feng suddenly stopped, hesitating to continue.
"Yu Feng, don't speculate. Gu Feng will definitely be fine, definitely..."
Ye Lingling urgently refuted, but as she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer, as faint as a mosquito's hum. Even she herself lacked confidence in her words.
After all, even the Education Committee of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy had personally stepped in to search, but after many days, there was still no trace, not a single clue.
It was said that even Emperor Xue Ye had been alerted to the matter and had even dispatched the Royal Guard to search.
Yet, there was still no clue. The only possible outcome was...
Gu Feng was dead!
At this thought, Ye Lingling's eyes involuntarily reddened, and her delicate nose twitched. For some reason, she felt a pang of sourness.
"Hey! Don't cry. I was just teasing you earlier."
Seeing Ye Lingling's eyes redden, Yu Feng panicked, quickly softening her tone to comfort her.
"Gu Feng will definitely be fine. Believe me, I'm his roommate, after all."
"He secretly told me before that he was just going out for some training with his family elders. I'm telling you this in confidence, so don't tell anyone else."
As she spoke, Yu Feng glanced guiltily at Ye Lingling, silently praying that this lie wouldn't be exposed.
In truth, she didn't even know which family Gu Feng belonged to.
She could only use this to comfort Ye Lingling for now.
"Really?"
Ye Lingling raised her eyes, her teary peach-blossom eyes brimming with tears, looking pitifully at Yu Feng. Her delicate appearance was truly heart-wrenching.
She knew that Gu Feng was from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and was even Bone Douluo's grandson.
If Gu Feng had gone out for training with his family elders, that would make perfect sense.
After all, the training of children from major families naturally couldn't be made known to everyone.
"Of course!"
Yu Feng gritted her teeth, steeled her heart, and delivered this well-intentioned lie with absolute conviction.
The moment her words fell.
Ye Lingling instantly broke into a smile, her previously dull eyes regaining their sparkle, her face beaming with a sweet smile.
"Hehe... I knew it, Gu Feng must be fine. Yu Feng, let's go, let's watch the selection matches of the Imperial Dou Team together!"
As she spoke, Ye Lingling grabbed Yu Feng's hand, eager to head out, as if the earlier gloom had never existed.
Watching the naive and innocent girl who had been completely fooled by her lie, Yu Feng inwardly lamented.
What kind of mess was this?
She could only silently pray that this lie wouldn't be exposed too soon, or she would become the villain.
...
Meanwhile, at the Crown Prince's residence.
"You've really pulled off something earth-shattering this time!"
Xue Qinghe looked incredulously at Gu Feng, who had appeared alive and well before him, falling into a brief contemplation before laying his cards on the table:
"Speak, where have you been all this time? Even my father was alarmed, and your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was notified. I thought you had died out there."
"Hehe, that's something I can't reveal." Gu Feng scratched his head and gave a simple, honest smile.
"Hmph, do you really think I care? Every time I have to clean up after you, I'm not your brother-in-law! Besides, you don't even have a sister."
Xue Qinghe snorted in anger, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had almost let slip something crucial. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, swiftly changing his words at the critical moment, cleverly covering it up.
Even so, why did he feel that Gu Feng's aura was far stronger than before?
It even seemed that a Great Spirit Master would be no match for Gu Feng.
Xue Qinghe narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the familiar yet unfamiliar young man before him, a sense of unease quietly growing in his heart. Could things be slipping out of his control?
In an instant, a barely perceptible cold glint flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes.
Not good!
A killing intent!
Gu Feng, keenly sensing the change in Xue Qinghe, quickly spoke up obediently:
"Brother Xue, can't I come to you even without a sister? In my heart, you are irreplaceable."
"I was thinking of expanding the territory for you in the future, and the first place I'd attack would be the Spirit Hall, capturing Bibidong alive."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Feng, as if to prove his sincerity, reached out and wrapped his arms around Xue Qinghe's waist, hugging her tightly, like a child showing affection to someone they adore.
At first, when Gu Feng said he was irreplaceable, Xue Qinghe indeed felt a hint of unusual pleasure.
But as Gu Feng's words grew more and more outrageous, especially when he mentioned attacking the Spirit Hall and capturing Bibidong alive.
Xue Qinghe's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
At that moment, Xue Qinghe suddenly felt Gu Feng's hands around her waist, an unfamiliar sensation washing over her. Her face instantly turned cold, and she pushed him away without hesitation: "What are you doing!"
From childhood to adulthood, apart from her grandfather and father, she had never had such intimate contact with any other man, leaving her both shocked and embarrassed.
"Brother Xue, why did you push me? Could it be that you've started to dislike me?"
Gu Feng put on an innocent expression, rubbing his eyes with his hands, trying to squeeze out a few tears.
But after rubbing for a while, his eyes remained dry, and not a single tear fell.
Seeing Gu Feng like this, Xue Qinghe's expression softened slightly.
She suddenly realized that her current identity was Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, and also the proud disciple of Sovereign Ning of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Gu Feng being close to her would only benefit her future plans, not harm them.
Moreover, Gu Feng was just a six-year-old child—what kind of ill intentions could he possibly have?
(End of Chapter)