Chapter 33: Only with a Thick Skin Can One Be Invincible

The grounds of Heaven Dou Royal Academy were vast. Ye Hao strolled to a serene pavilion and happened to run into Ye Lingling, who was sitting gracefully in the tranquil setting. The surroundings were picturesque, adorned with vibrant blossoms. With her Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul—an auxiliary plant-based martial soul—this environment was undoubtedly the best for cultivation.

Seeing Ye Hao approach, Ye Lingling withdrew her Nine-Heart Begonia. The two yellow and one purple soul rings beneath her feet vanished.

She glanced at Ye Hao calmly. Neither spoke a word.

Ye Hao, unbothered, thick-skinned as ever, sat beside her. However, Ye Lingling's demeanor remained icy. Sitting next to her, Ye Hao could tangibly feel a coldness that seemed to seep into his bones.

"Shhhhh…"

"Sister Lingling, staying here alone, isn't it boring? Want your little brother to keep you company?" 

Ye Lingling gave him a fleeting glance and chose to ignore him, remaining silent, her expression as calm as the still water of a lake.

Ye Hao: "..."

"Yesterday, on the carriage..." 

Before he could finish, Ye Lingling interrupted. "Nothing happened yesterday. Don't get the wrong idea." 

Ye Hao: A clue! 

From his hazy memory, Ye Hao vaguely recalled that someone seemed to have touched him yesterday while he was in the carriage. His head had also rested on something particularly warm. When he noticed Ye Lingling's faint blush, he immediately understood.

Seizing the moment, Ye Hao once again rested his head on Ye Lingling's slender, graceful thighs. Looking up at her now blushing face, he displayed a pure, innocent smile. Truly, being young had its perks.

"You… What are you doing? Get off me right now." 

Ye Lingling's voice revealed a trace of anxiety, her usually serene gaze betraying unease. Her face was flushed, and her shy expression was something Ye Hao had never seen before. So, even the icy and reserved Ye Lingling had such a side.

"Sister, I'm tired." 

Ye Lingling: "..."

Shameless!

"Sister, for the sake of my contributions to the academy, just let me rest for a bit." 

Ye Hao's renowned thick skin—famous even among the Emperor Team—was on full display. Seeing that no one else was around, Ye Lingling rolled her eyes in exasperation, then closed her beautiful eyes, clearly unwilling to look at such a brazen individual any longer.

The following morning, a grand, exquisitely decorated carriage stopped at the foot of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Today marked the departure of Qin Ming and the Emperor Team for their training journey across the Douluo Continent.

With the three school elders personally seeing them off, the Emperor Team boarded the carriage, which began to roll slowly away.

Inside the carriage, Qin Ming spread out a map of the Heaven Dou Empire, marking locations and their final destination.

Ye Hao took a closer look—just as he expected, it was Soto City.

After putting away his marker, Qin Ming looked at the group and gave a serious reminder. "Our ultimate destination is Soto City, a place where I once worked. Along the way, we'll pass through many towns. Be ready to fight at any time—things outside the academy aren't as orderly. Anything can happen."

Everyone nodded, mentally taking his words to heart.

When Qin Ming's gaze fell on Ye Hao, he hesitated slightly. "Ye Hao, are you feeling unwell? You don't look so good."

Everyone turned to Ye Hao, whose pale face and pursed lips gave him the appearance of someone on the verge of vomiting.

"Ye Hao, if I remember correctly, you get motion sickness, right?" reminded Dugu Yan.

Ye Hao nodded awkwardly. Damn this carriage. He still vividly remembered his first time riding one from Nuoding Academy to the Soul Hunting Forest. It had taken a day and a half, during which he had to eat, drink, and... endure everything on the carriage.

Unlike his past life, the Douluo Continent lacked modern vehicles. From that day forward, Ye Hao developed a deep hatred for carriages.

Ye Lingling cast a faint glance at Ye Hao. Seeing that he wasn't faking it, her face turned slightly red. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she extended her slender hand, pulled Ye Hao's head onto her lap, and began gently stroking his hair with her soft, fragrant hands.

Everyone else: (=Д=)

The other male teammates couldn't help but silently give Ye Hao a thumbs-up. Legendary moves, brother!

Dugu Yan, meanwhile, stared at Ye Lingling in astonishment. Was this the same cold and aloof Ye Lingling she knew?

Qin Ming cleared his throat, awkwardly picking up a book to read. However, his gaze occasionally flickered toward Ye Hao, who was lying comfortably. Kid's got guts. If I had that thick skin, I wouldn't still be single.

Resolved, Qin Ming thought: I have to have a good chat with Ye Hao sometime.

Ye Hao felt elated. The disdainful glances from the others didn't faze him. As a fellow man, why weren't they this talented?

"Sister Yan, is your grandfather still around?" Ye Hao asked groggily.

Dugu Yan nodded. "Yes, he's still in the Sunset Forest. I've tried inviting him to act as a consultant for the academy, but my grandpa is eccentric and only does things he enjoys. Sometimes, even I can't persuade him."

"Why are you asking? Don't tell me you've decided to apprentice under my grandpa?"

The group froze at her words, staring at Ye Hao with envy. If Ye Hao could become her grandfather's disciple, it would be an extraordinary feat. After all, her grandfather was Dugu Bo, the poison Douluo. Even being in the presence of a Title Douluo was rare, let alone being accepted as an apprentice.

But Ye Hao gave a weary smile. "I haven't decided on that yet."

Dugu Yan: "..."

So much for getting my hopes up. She thought they might've become family if he became her grandfather's disciple. Now, here he was leaning into Ye Lingling's lap instead.

However, she had to admit—Ye Hao's charm was undeniable. Ye Lingling's current behavior was almost unrecognizable.

Ye Lingling: Don't get the wrong idea. I'm only doing this because he looked pitiful and lonely!

Ye Hao smiled faintly. "Old Poison…" 

Noticing Dugu Yan's glare, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, Senior Dugu's location is quite unique. There's something there I want to acquire. I guarantee it'll benefit everyone for life."

"What is it?" 

Dugu Yan scratched her head. "Why don't I know about this?"

Ye Hao rolled his eyes. "Even the Old Poison doesn't know about it—how could you?"

Dugu Yan: "!!!"

She rolled up her sleeves, ready to teach him a lesson. "Three days without a beating, and you're climbing all over the roof, huh?"

Sensing danger, Ye Hao darted off Ye Lingling's lap, flung open the carriage door, and activated his six-winged purple soul bone wings. In a flash, he was airborne.

"Sister Yan, catch me if you can!" 

Dugu Yan: "You little—#$%!"