Upon hearing Lin Mu's dismissal of the Swan Martial Soul, a faint dark vein appeared on Xue Qinghe's forehead. She thought to herself, 'Clearly, he's just being stingy with the good medicine, insisting the Swan Martial Soul is a waste of resources.'
After a moment, she suppressed her irritation, maintaining her gentle smile while speaking meaningfully. "Brother Lin, you are mistaken. Even if I am buried in government affairs, I cannot neglect my cultivation. After all, there are not many truly reliable people around me." After a slight pause, she added, "If Brother Lin is willing to stand by me in this great undertaking, perhaps I won't need to focus on improving my own strength at all."
Faced with this, Lin Mu decisively pulled out a jade bottle and placed it in Xue Qinghe's hand. "Your Highness, given our relationship, this bottle of pills is yours."
"Thank you, Brother Lin." As soon as the words left her mouth, Xue Qinghe realized something was wrong; the quality of the pills was significantly lower than what she had just witnessed. She frowned slightly. "This pill is clearly not of the same grade as the one she absorbed."
"Well, there's nothing I can do. The rare herbs are limited, and this is the last of the batch," Lin Mu said, spreading his hands with no intention of producing a higher-quality alternative.
Xue Qinghe felt a surge of displeasure and a twinge of jealousy, but she had no way to refute him. She could only harbor her annoyance in silence.
A while later, the soft white light and floral fragrance surrounding Ye Lingling gradually receded. She slowly opened her eyes, which seemed to sparkle with the brilliance of starlight. Her temperament had become even more ethereal and otherworldly, possessing a grace that felt detached from the mortal realm.
"Brother Lin Mu, I've broken through to Level 40!" Ye Lingling exclaimed with delight, feeling the massive surge in her Soul Power.
Lin Mu shook his head slightly and explained, "The medicinal power you absorbed hasn't been fully converted yet. Once you obtain your fourth Soul Ring, you should be able to jump one or two more Levels immediately."
Before taking the pill, Ye Lingling was at Level 36. Theoretically, the medicine should have boosted her by six Levels to Level 42, but since she lacked a Soul Ring to break the bottleneck, she was capped at Level 40 for now. Once she obtained her ring, she would likely land around Level 43.
However, Lin Mu was more interested in whether her Martial Soul had evolved. "Lingling, release your Martial Soul. Let's see the change."
"Okay." Ye Lingling nodded, controlling her excitement as she clasped her hands together.
Amidst a flow of light, a strange begonia flower bloomed in her palms. Previously, the Nine-Heart Begonia only possessed white and pink petals, but it now featured an additional pale golden petal. The three colors intertwined, shimmering with a sacred and magnificent radiance. The evolution was complete.
Watching from the side, Xue Qinghe felt a flash of envy. Her Seraphim Martial Soul was a god-level soul and required no evolution, but the opportunity to break through the shackles of one's bloodline was still a tempting prospect.
Lin Mu examined the Three-Colored Begonia. The soft light it emitted pulsed with healing energy. "What changes do you feel?"
"It is the same as before, only one Soul Skill, area healing, but the effect has transformed!" Ye Lingling could hardly contain her joy. "In addition to healing injuries, it can now detoxify and restore Soul Power to a certain extent!"
Lin Mu and Xue Qinghe were both taken aback. The original Nine-Heart Begonia was legendary but flawed; this evolved version was nearly the perfect support Martial Soul. It was no longer just about healing; it was about restoring vitality and soul power.
"Brother Lin Mu, thank you!" Overwhelmed, Ye Lingling tiptoed and planted a quick kiss on Lin Mu's cheek. Her face flushed a deep red as she whispered, "Thank you for breaking the curse of the Nine-Heart Begonia lineage."
With the evolution of the Martial Soul, the curse that had restricted the Ye family to a single successor for generations had naturally vanished. Lin Mu was momentarily stunned, caught off guard by the girl's sudden display of affection.
Xue Qinghe felt inexplicably annoyed, thinking to herself, "This girl... can't she at least show some restraint?" She looked at the mediocre bottle of pills in her hand and then at Ye Lingling, her heart feeling strangely bitter.
"Brother Lin, I still have official business to attend to. I shall take my leave," Xue Qinghe said curtly, departing without waiting for a reply.
Lin Mu watched her go, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Was the "Crowned Prince" throwing a tantrum? Regardless, it saved him from being bothered.
Three days later, the results of the pills became fully apparent. Dugu Yan and Shi Mò successfully broke through to Level 40, while the rest of the team reached Level 37 or higher. The three Board Members were ecstatic and immediately reimbursed the full cost of the pills.
With Tang San, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Shi Mò all at Level 40, four people now required new Soul Rings. The Board Members wanted to entrust the entire group to Lin Mu, as he was the most powerful teacher in the academy. However, Lin Mu refused.
His plan required taking Tang San and Ye Lingling deep into the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest to find specific, high-level Soul Beasts. The core area was too dangerous to escort a large group. Ultimately, the Board Members assigned Qin Ming and another Soul Emperor teacher to help Dugu Yan and Shi Mò.
Just as the tasks were being finalized, a powerful, chilling aura descended upon the office. A golden figure materialized, it was Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan, arriving exactly as scheduled. His gaze swept the room, his voice high-pitched and commanding.
"The three-day deadline has passed. Where is Lin Mu?"
Before the Board Members could speak, Lin Mu stepped forward. "I am Lin Mu."
His expression was calm and his tone lacked any hint of the subservience usually shown to a Title Douluo. He appeared utterly unfazed by the presence of the Spirit Hall Elder.