Yan turned his head to look around.
Behind him were two tents where Xie Yue and Hu Liena slept soundly.
Hu Liena, a girl as lively as a fox, had an allure beyond her years at just sixteen, with an unmistakable charm and beauty.
Yan's feelings for her had long gone beyond simple friendship, reaching a different level entirely.
This was why, every time they entered the Death Canyon for training, he willingly took the role of night watchman so that Hu Liena could sleep peacefully without being disturbed by any spirit beasts.
But this time, Yan didn't plan to be the watchman.
Since they were still in the outer area, the danger was minimal.
He took out a tent from his soul guide, set it up, and lay down.
Being newly reincarnated into this world left him somewhat excited, and he couldn't sleep.
Thoughts whirled through his mind.
Reincarnated into the world of Douluo, he realized that merely relying on the resources of the Spirit Hall would not be enough to reach the pinnacle, he would need more opportunities and strategies.
Yu Xiaogang and Tang San were both cunning and crafty, and defeating them wouldn't be easy.
To weaken their power, he would need to plan ahead and intervene in the unfolding events.
Yan knew that Tang San had greatly increased his strength through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where he obtained various rare herbs.
If Yan could enter that place first and disrupt Tang San's opportunity, the future battle could be altered.
But entering the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would not be easy.
The area was guarded by Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, whose Jade Phosphor Serpent poison was feared by all.
But Yan wasn't one to back down.
His flame physique granted him a natural resistance to poison, which might be a useful advantage.
Another possible way in was Elder Yue Guan of the Spirit Hall.
Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena had all lost their parents at a young age and were brought to the Spirit Hall, where they excelled through intense competition.
While Bibi Dong favored Hu Liena, treating her as a successor and assigning Elders Yue Guan and Gui Mei to protect her, Xie Yue and Yan grew up training alongside her, progressing together.
Thus, the two elders also looked after him and Xie Yue, although they preferred Hu Liena.
Gui Mei was enigmatic and aloof, hard to approach.
But Yue Guan was different, he had a passion for plants and flowers.
To earn his trust and support, Yan only had to show interest in his botanical knowledge.
Yan knew this was necessary.
Learning from Yue Guan could provide an opportunity to reach the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The championship prize of the Spirit Master tournament, the Flame Immolation Right Arm Bone, the fire-attributes herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the Ten-Headed Fierce Yang Serpent Core in the Slaughter City, all were things that could greatly strengthen a fire-attribute spirit master.
Those were all things Yan intended to acquire.
But he knew not to rush; his plans had to unfold step by step. The immediate priority was to break through level forty and obtain his fourth spirit ring.
With these thoughts in mind, Yan slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Get up! Do you know what time it is?!"
Early the next morning, Yan was woken by a sharp voice. He groggily opened his eyes and found Hu Liena glaring at him.
Hu Liena may not have been a legendary beauty, but her fair skin and enchanting eyes gave her considerable allure.
At that moment, she bent over, facing him, her posture highlighting her graceful figure.
Yan couldn't help but silently admit that while the old Yan had fawned over her, he did have good taste.
At least, compared to the deceitful woman he'd been obsessed with in his past life, Hu Liena was indeed beautiful.
"What are you staring at?!"
Hu Liena instinctively covered her chest, standing upright, scolding him angrily:
"Weren't you on watch last night? Why are you here sleeping?! If a spirit beast attacked, we'd all be in danger!"
Yan sat up lazily, stretched, and replied indifferently:
"There's no spirit beast here! We're perfectly fine, aren't we?"
His indifferent attitude was a stark contrast to the former Yan, who would eagerly attend to Hu Liena's every wish.
Hu Liena and her brother Xie Yue were stunned, looking at him as if he were a stranger.
Was this the same Yan?
Ignoring their shock, Yan continued packing his tent and belongings.
Hu Liena watched, anger rising within her.
She walked up to Yan, searching his eyes for a trace of the eagerness and longing he once had, but found none.
"What's wrong with you?!"
Finally, she couldn't help but question him.
Yan paused, looked at her, and replied calmly:
"Nothing. The sun's up. We should pack up and head out."
His tone was flat, as if he were discussing the most ordinary of matters.
Hu Liena was completely thrown off by his attitude; she felt ignored.
Xie Yue quickly stepped in, trying to mediate:
"Nana, don't be angry. Yan is probably just in a bad mood; he'll be fine in a while."
But Hu Liena wasn't satisfied with that answer. She gave a huff and glanced at Yan out of the corner of her eye, expecting him to apologize.
If he just apologized, she would let the whole thing slide.
But Yan, seemingly unfazed, continued packing his things, making Hu Liena even more frustrated. She couldn't understand why he seemed to have changed overnight.
Yan finished packing his things quickly.
Xie Yue gathered the other two tents and approached Yan, patting his shoulder, whispering:
"Alright, stop making her angry. Just find a chance to apologize later; she'll forget about it."
Yan gave a dismissive smile, saying nothing.
As childhood friends, Xie Yue treated him well.
Xie Yue also knew how much Yan had admired his sister and how much he had put up with because of it.
Proud Hu Liena, being groomed as Bibi Dong's successor, was out of reach. To win her favor, Yan would have to work much harder.
Yan looked around.
This canyon was their training ground, the place where they grew stronger.
But if they continued to stick together, they'd miss out on true training opportunities.
So, he made a suggestion:
"If we stay together, the spirit beasts won't come near us, which defeats the purpose of training. I think we should go separately."