After Chen Yuan finished speaking, Ye Lingling stepped forward slowly.
Her delicate face showed a hint of excitement. This time, she could finally be of help instead of being a burden.
In the next moment, she summoned her martial soul. She clasped her hands together in front of her, and within a pink glow, a massive pink flower materialized.
Its branches and leaves stretched out, swaying gently like willow branches in the spring breeze, exuding a rich aura of life.
At Ye Lingling's feet, seven soul rings appeared one after another: two yellow, two purple, and three black.
Seeing this, Xue Ye's eyes widened. He recognized Ye Lingling—she had been a member of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team.
But five years ago, Ye Lingling had only been a Soul Ancestor at the fortieth rank. How had she become a Soul Sage at the seventieth rank in just five years?
If Xue Ye knew that Ye Lingling had already reached the eightieth rank but hadn't yet obtained her eighth soul ring, he would have been even more shocked.
Ye Lingling's expression turned serious as she softly said:
"Seventh Soul Skill, Nine-Hearted Begonia True Body!"
The seventh black soul ring suddenly lit up, and Ye Lingling's Nine-Hearted Begonia bloomed with dazzling light. The entire room was filled with a pink hue, and the rich life energy in the air made everyone feel refreshed with just a single breath.
Soon, the light faded, and pink petals began to fall from the Nine-Hearted Begonia, landing one after another on Xue Ye.
The life energy contained within instantly awakened Xue Ye's bodily functions. Although he was already alive, he felt as if his body had come to life, beginning to regulate itself autonomously.
His primary negative state was poisoning. As his bodily functions revived, they began to expel the toxins naturally.
The poison hidden in his limbs, bones, and internal organs was now being driven out.
Xue Ye felt a fiery heat coursing through his body. Sweat rolled down his forehead, and white steam rose from his head. His face cycled through a spectrum of colors.
Not long after, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of multicolored, toxic blood. Immediately, Xue Ye felt completely healed, even more comfortable than ever before.
At this moment, Chen Yuan stepped forward and placed a hand on Ye Lingling's shoulder. Ye Lingling tilted her head, glanced at Chen Yuan, and immediately understood his intention. She then retracted her martial soul.
Chen Yuan smiled faintly and said:
"Your Majesty, the poison has now been expelled from your body. With proper rest and care, you will fully recover."
Xue Ye's eyes burned with excitement. The clarity in his mind and the strength in his body filled him with exhilaration. He looked at Ye Lingling and said:
"Lingling, right? That's your name, isn't it? I've seen your abilities. I want you to become a royal guardian of the Heaven Dou Empire. I'll pay you 300,000 gold soul coins a year. If you want a noble title or land, I can grant those as well. What do you say?"
Ye Lingling didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned and wrapped her arm around Chen Yuan's, then said:
"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty. But I've already chosen to follow Chen Yuan. Wherever he goes, I will go. I must decline the position of royal guardian."
Xue Ye felt a pang of frustration. As the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, a ruler with supreme authority, his olive branch had been outright rejected.
Though he was deeply dissatisfied, he was a shrewd emperor and didn't show it. He simply shook his head and said:
"What a pity. The Nine-Hearted Begonia, when fully matured, possesses such an incredible ability to expel deadly poisons from the body."
Ning Fengzhi stared intently at Ye Lingling but eventually looked away. Since she had refused the royal offer and chosen to follow Chen Yuan, she was still on their side. Otherwise, with her ability to expel poison, she would have been a formidable competitor to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
The room fell into an awkward silence. After a moment, under the escort of a group of imperial guards, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was brought in.
A sky-blue cone-shaped object was placed on a tray. This was the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Xue Ye felt a pang of regret. The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a national treasure of the Heaven Dou Empire, but he had promised it, and now he had no choice but to hand it over.
"Haha, this is the Heaven Dou Empire's national treasure, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. A treasure for a hero. Today, I bestow this Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud upon you, Douluo."
Chen Yuan felt no emotion. This was a fair trade. They had saved Xue Ye's life, and the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was the reward. No matter how Xue Ye framed it, that fact remained unchanged.
He reached out, picked up the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, and with a flash of silver light in his eyes, temporarily stored it in his Mirror World. Chen Yuan smiled faintly and said:
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Now that the poison has been expelled and we've obtained the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, we'll take our leave. Sect Master, we'll be going now."
After clasping his hands in a slight bow, Chen Yuan turned and left with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, not showing the slightest bit of attachment or interest in the opportunity to get closer to the emperor.
Dugu Bo hesitated for a moment. Since Xue Ye had recovered, there was no need for him to stay. On the contrary, he hadn't seen his granddaughter in a long time, so he quickly followed. He was also curious about Ye Lingling, who had managed to expel a poison even he couldn't cure. His entire strength lay in poison, and this young girl seemed to counter him.
Ning Fengzhi shook his head with a troubled expression. Chen Yuan, with his talent and opportunities, had become a Titled Douluo at a young age and possessed such formidable strength. Naturally, he had a proud demeanor. But his unyielding attitude might have left Xue Ye with some resentment.
However, it wasn't a big issue. Ning Fengzhi himself was merely playing along with Xue Ye, hoping to use the Heaven Dou Empire's million-strong army to counter the Spirit Hall's tens of thousands of soul masters.
Moreover, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was not only immensely wealthy but also had numerous powerful experts. They didn't need to grovel, and Xue Ye's resentment would have to be suppressed.
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly, his demeanor gentle and scholarly, as he said:
"Your Majesty, Chen Yuan is young and spirited. Please don't take his attitude to heart. What's important now is that the poison has been expelled from your body. This is a cause for celebration."
"However, we must remain vigilant. The Crown Prince's mysterious disappearance and the uncertain fate of my poor disciple are clear signs that the Spirit Hall's schemes won't stop here."
Hearing this, Xue Ye understood that the main enemy was still the Spirit Hall. Although Chen Yuan had made him lose face, he was still a potential ally whose immense strength could rival multiple Titled Douluos.
With this in mind, he frowned and said angrily:
"Exactly, this despicable Spirit Hall! Not only did they poison me, but they likely also harmed my Crown Prince. I have recovered, but my Crown Prince is gone. I will immediately order the mobilization of troops, the preparation of supplies, and the stockpiling of weapons. When the time comes, the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will join forces to utterly destroy the Spirit Hall."
Just as Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi were discussing this, another eunuch arrived to report that the leaders of Shrek Academy—the Golden Iron Triangle, consisting of Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong—had come to pay their respects.
Xue Ye's interest was piqued. The Golden Iron Triangle had made quite a name for themselves in the soul master world. With their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, they could even challenge Titled Douluos.
Since they wanted to meet, he would grant them an audience. If he could win them over, the Heaven Dou Empire's strength would increase significantly.
After all, compared to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been completely wiped out...
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,423
---
T/N: Thank You to All of the People who are on My Patreon and Webnovel who are Still Sticking it with me, My schedule these days is a little messed up with My Collage Projects and Assisments but I will try My best to Deliver the Content you Deserve.
--Fallen_Archangel_
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, Go Check It Out.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.