Later that afternoon, the trio had settled on a shaded overlook near the outer edge of the city—a quiet hillside dotted with wildflowers, overlooking where the cliffs dipped toward a stretch of rocky shoreline. The sun had mellowed into a warm amber glow, casting soft light across the waves and long shadows behind them.
They sat against a large, flat stone, content and relaxed. For once, it truly felt like peace.
Just the sea breeze, a soft place to sit, and time that didn’t demand anything of them.
Dave leaned back with both arms stretched out behind his head, eyes half-lidded. "Alright... I always felt its cringy but now, I am now enjoying watching the sunset peacefuly."
Meilin lazily swirled a blade of grass between her fingers. "Don’t say it out loud. You’ll jinx it."
And right on cue, a sharp yell broke through the calm.
Down the slope, near a twisting forest path that led out of the city, a small figure was running toward them—frantic, desperate, and clearly being pursued. A girl, maybe twelve or thirteen, with long black hair, dirt-smudged cheeks, and bright silver eyes full of fear. Around her wrist were five faintly glowing spirit rings—an unusual number for someone so young.
Chasing her were several dark-cloaked figures on foot, moving fast, their presence cold and threatening even from this distance. One of them raised a hand, and a spirit technique flared to life—a spiraling black tether of energy lashing out toward the girl.
Dave stood immediately, sighing as he dusted off his coat. "Of course. Just when I start to enjoy a breeze."
Meilin narrowed her eyes. "They’re targeting a child. And spirit masters, by the looks of it."
The girl’s foot caught a root, and she tumbled forward, landing hard. She clutched her side but tried to get up again, breathing raggedly.
Dugu Yan was already rising beside Dave. "We can rest later. We need to help her now."
Dave glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I agree, but why’s your face so red and scary right now?"
Yan blinked, realizing her cheeks were burning. "W-What?! I’m not angry! I’m not—" She turned away, clearly flustered. "I just... don’t like seeing anyone hunted like that, okay?!"
"She’s definitely angry someone interrupted our peaceful time," Meilin muttered with a sly grin, her arms crossed.
Dave just smirked silently, but the look in his eyes said the same thing.
And Dugu Yan knew they were right.
Her embarrassment melted into something sharper as her eyes fell on the scene below—on the five black-cloaked figures who had caught up to the girl... and were now binding her with glowing, sickly-green chains that pulsed with suppressive energy.
The girl cried out, helpless and pinned against the dirt. One of the cloaked men raised a hand, a dark blade forming from his spirit ring.
That was the last straw.
Without waiting for a word, Dugu Yan’s spirit energy erupted like a tidal wave.
In an instant, jade-green scales shimmered across her skin, her hair whipped back by the force of her awakening power. Behind her, her martial spirit manifested in full—a majestic, serpentine Jade
Mid-step, her body merged partially with the spirit—her eyes glowing with draconic intensity as her transformation reached its peak.
"Ten Thousand Poison Arts: Stealing Life Cloud!" she roared.
She exhaled a wave of breath—not mere mist, but a shimmering, cloud-like poison field that bloomed outward with haunting beauty and deadly purpose. The fog twisted as it moved, carrying her will with it. It curved around the girl without touching her, instead targeting only the five figures binding her.
Dave’s eyes widened slightly as he stepped up beside Meilin. "She’s using that art already... I didn’t think she’d grasp it this fast."
Meilin nodded, eyes sharp. "It’s the technique you gave her—’Ten Thousand Poison Arts.’ She’s already adapted it to her dragon’s core."
The mist moved with intelligence—perhaps guided by Dugu Yan’s spirit or her sheer intent—and while it looked serene, its touch was anything but. As it reached the black-cloaked men, their bodies stiffened, then sagged as if gravity itself had increased tenfold.
Their joints buckled. Their blades fell. One tried to scream but couldn’t.
And then, before they could even recover—
"Venom Dragon Art: Claw of Corrosion."
Yan’s right hand ignited in a poisonous crimson glow. Her clawed fingers glimmered like jade wrapped in acid flame as she lashed out from a distance.
With a flicker of movement—faster than most could follow—her strike exploded forward like a whip of pure venom.
Five simultaneous impacts.
Five cloaked enemies flung backward, shrieking briefly before their bodies convulsed and collapsed—melting into sizzling pools of corrupted blood and dissolving robes. Only silence remained... and the gentle breeze now laced with the scent of wild herbs and burnt toxins.
The glowing chains that bound the girl shattered like brittle glass.
The mist rolled back, returning to Yan like loyal wings folding behind her.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Dave let out a low whistle. "Remind me not to get on her bad side."
Meilin smirked. "You already have. You just distract her too much for her to do anything about it."
Dugu Yan slowly exhaled, her spirit receding, scales fading as she returned to her normal form. Her face was flushed, but her breathing steady. She walked forward, kneeling beside the trembling girl and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It’s alright now," Dugu Yan said softly, kneeling beside the trembling girl. "You’re safe."
The girl looked up at her with tear-filled eyes, breathing ragged. "T-Thank you for saving me... but... you should run. All of you..."
She tried to stand, but her legs gave out. Still, her voice pressed on—urgent, panicked.
"They have an enforcer with them... one of those Titled Douluo. My mom and dad—both of them tried to hold him back so I could run. They told me to go. To survive." Her lips trembled. "But they were bleeding... and that man—he’s stronger than them."
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