The atmosphere had reached a tense standoff. Fourth Prince Xue Beng originally thought that with Dugu Yan speaking on his behalf, he wouldn't be humiliated—but now, the situation looked dire. Under the icy glares of Xie Yue and Yan, he had no choice but to keep rolling on the ground, not daring to pause for a moment, terrified of being kicked again.
Though he submitted for now, Xue Beng's heart was burning with fury. Just wait... he swore viciously to himself, Once I get out of this mess, I'll find someone to teach these bastards a painful lesson. They'll be crawling at my feet before long.
"Xue Beng…"
Watching the Fourth Prince grovel like a stray dog, Dugu Yan's expression turned more and more sour. As fellow students of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, she couldn't help but feel utterly humiliated.
Suddenly, a soft, graceful voice cut through the tension.
"Hello everyone, I'm Shui Bing'er from Tianshui Academy. I'm here to represent my school in the academy exchange event. May I ask… what happened here?"
A group of young women walked in behind her, each more stunning than the last. Their elegant presence made several of the male students lying on the ground "playing dead" instantly perk up, some even drooling at the sight.
Shui Bing'er herself had a sweet, serene smile and a calm, pleasant tone. She wore a striking outfit—a violet-blue dress with a short puffy skirt and a trailing hem behind her. One of her long legs was clad in a white stocking, while the other was only wrapped in a silk ribbon. The contrast elevated her charm instantly, turning heads wherever she went.
Sensing a chance to break the awkward tension, Dugu Yan quickly stepped forward.
"I'm Dugu Yan. Welcome to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, everyone."
She deliberately avoided looking at Ye Chen, whose presence was simply too overwhelming. Just standing near him made her feel like there was no room to negotiate—like any wrong move would get her flattened.
"Nice to meet you," Shui Bing'er nodded politely, then shifted her gaze toward Ye Chen and his group. "Are you also here for the exchange event? May I ask which academy you're from?"
"Wu—" Ye Chen had just opened his mouth to reply when a sudden blur of yellow streaked across the plaza and came to a stop right in front of the crowd.
It was a dog. A large, scruffy-looking yellow dog.
Despite its unassuming appearance, the speed at which it had rushed in had stunned everyone. Even Ye Chen had only managed to catch a glimpse of the blur.
Sniffing around curiously, the dog trotted right up to Ye Chen and began circling him, nose twitching furiously.
"…Captain, is that your dog?" Xie Yue asked as he walked up, looking baffled. "I don't remember anyone bringing a dog when we left the academy."
Even though Ye Chen was engaged to Hu Liena, he and Xie Yue hadn't interacted much. Maybe it was the lack of familiarity, or maybe Ye Chen's strength made it hard for even a proud older brother to hold his head high. Still, Xie Yue knew he needed to get along with him—after all, Ye Chen was the Pope's most gifted disciple and likely the next in line for leadership.
"I don't have a dog," Ye Chen frowned. "No idea where this mutt came from."
Behind him, Hu Liena's brows furrowed slightly as she spoke. "It looks like Li Yang's dog. Same color and pattern. I can't think of anyone else in the academy who owns a yellow dog like that."
"Li Yang?" Xie Yue's face changed. "Wait—get away from that thing! It's—!"
But before he could finish, the yellow dog suddenly lunged at Ye Chen, jaws wide open.
Its speed was terrifying.
Ye Chen reacted instantly, reaching out to grab it, but only managed to catch a handful of fur as it slipped past his fingers.
Luckily, he wasn't hurt.
"AHHHH!!"
"OH MY GOD!!"
A chorus of shrieks erupted across the plaza.
Ye Chen, confused, glanced around at the screaming crowd. The girls had their mouths covered in shock, cheeks bright red, their eyes wide as saucers.
Even the boys, at first indifferent, quickly turned pale and looked away, instinctively covering their lower halves as if they'd just witnessed something deeply scarring.
"Don't look! Everyone, shut your eyes!"
With a whoosh, Hu Liena rushed in front of Ye Chen, face red as an apple, arms spread wide to block the view.
"What the hell is going on?" Ye Chen muttered, puzzled.
Just then, a breeze swept past—and he suddenly felt… a draft.
A very specific, very cold draft.
Eyes widening in alarm, he looked down—only to freeze on the spot, completely stunned.
Then he exploded.
"WHAT THE F—! YOU DAMN MUTT! I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Roaring in rage, Ye Chen snatched up his Seven-Star Demon Abyss Sword, stomped hard on the ground, and blasted off like a missile in the direction the dog had fled.
The plaza went quiet. In the bright sunlight, a pair of pale cheeks flashed for a moment before disappearing into the distance.
Xie Yue coughed awkwardly, then turned to Hu Liena and the others. "Alright, nothing to see here. Let's head inside, I'm sure the captain will… be back soon."
Despite the strained smile on his face, Xie Yue's expression betrayed deep discomfort as he quickly led his teammates toward the academy gates.
"Let's go. Time to check in," Dugu Yan said quickly, face flushed as she hurried off with the girls from Tianshui Academy in tow.
Only a group of defeated male students remained, crouching and sighing in embarrassment. Once everyone else had cleared out, they finally helped the dazed and battered Fourth Prince to his feet and slinked off quietly.
Moments later, Ye Chen reappeared from the side of the plaza, fully dressed once more, a storm cloud hanging over his head.
Staring into the distance, he muttered through gritted teeth:
"You better hope I don't catch you, you mangy mutt… I swear I'll skin you alive and snap every damn bone in your body…"
Clenching his fists, he sheathed his sword, and with a face darker than thunder, stalked off toward Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.