Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was situated amidst the scenic mountains on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City.
Its architecture was grand and magnificent, blending royal luxury with the solemnity of a Spirit Master academy, making it the premier Spirit Master institution in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
On the first day of the term, people streamed in and out of the academy like threads on a loom.
Noble children, teachers, attendants… they formed a bustling and vibrant scene.
The air was filled with the spirit of youth, the joyful sounds of reunion, and anticipation for the new semester.
Under a large tree beside the academy’s main path, two figures spotted each other almost simultaneously.
“Lingling!”
“Dugu Yan!”
Two cries of surprise rang out at the same time.
Ye Lingling still wore a simple, plain-colored dress.
Her short silver hair was neatly combed, and her face bore a cool, otherworldly expression.
But if one looked closely, one would notice she seemed slightly taller than before the break.
Her posture was more upright and balanced, and her emerald green eyes held an indescribable depth and vitality.
The aura she unconsciously exuded had long surpassed that of an ordinary student.
The girl running towards her wore a deep green martial outfit that outlined her slender yet athletic figure.
She had striking short deep purple hair, slightly pale fair skin, and a pair of captivating emerald eyes—both charming and carrying a hint of serpentine sharpness and wildness.
She was, as expected, Dugu Yan.
Unlike Ye Lingling’s restrained temperament, her beauty was more outward and aggressive, like a gorgeous yet poisonous flower.
“We finally meet. You barely contacted me the entire break. Were you secretly working hard at home, preparing to surprise everyone?”
Dugu Yan reached Ye Lingling in a few quick steps, affectionately linking arms with her.
She looked her up and down, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and undisguised concern.
As one of Ye Lingling’s few and closest friends,
Dugu Yan keenly sensed that some indescribable change had occurred in her best friend.
“I wasn’t secretly working hard. I just… encountered some special circumstances.” A sincere, warm smile blossomed on Ye Lingling’s cool face as she let Dugu Yan hold her arm. Read the latest chapters at g.com.
In front of Dugu Yan, she could let down many of her guards and reveal a girlish gentleness.
“On the other hand, Dugu Yan, your Spirit Power seems to have improved quite a bit. Your control over the Jade Phosphor Snake venom should be much easier now, right?”
She could sense that Dugu Yan’s aura was more solid than last semester, a clear sign she hadn’t wasted her break.
“Hehe, Grandpa specifically took me to train in a few places where poisons gather. Although I suffered a bit, the gains were substantial.”
Dugu Yan slightly raised her chin with a hint of pride, then leaned closer, lowering her voice.
Her green eyes were full of questions.
“Never mind me. Tell me the truth! You’ve changed so much! It’s not just your Spirit Power… you feel like a different person! Tell me, did you encounter some amazing stroke of luck? Or… did you get a boyfriend?”
At the end, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.
Ye Lingling’s cheeks flushed at her friend’s bluntness, and she gently swatted her.
“Nonsense! It’s just that my Spirit… underwent some positive changes. I just got lucky.”
As for the core secrets of Ling Ye, the divine trials, and the 100,000-year Spirit Bones, she couldn’t reveal them yet, not even to Dugu Yan.
“Spirit evolution? My god! The Nine Heart Begonia can also evolve?”
Dugu Yan’s eyes widened in shock.
She knew that the Spirit inheritance of Ye Lingling’s family was unique and stable; there had almost never been any precedent of mutation or evolution.
This was simply a miracle that overturned all conventional understanding!
“Quick, tell me, what does it look like now? Is it powerful?”
Thus, the two girls leaned against the tree, heads close together, talking in low voices.
Ye Lingling carefully chose her words, revealing some permissible information, such as subtle changes in the color and form of her Spirit, and the enhancement of her healing abilities.
Dugu Yan listened with exclamations of wonder, genuinely happy for her friend.
While the two girls were immersed in the joy of reunion and private conversation, within Ye Lingling’s mental world, Ling Ye was not entirely focused on their dialogue.
His gaze had long since pierced through the warm scene before him, looking towards a more distant place.
“Dugu Yan… Dugu Bo’s granddaughter.”
Ling Ye’s soul phantom murmured within the mental world.
“Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo… He may not be the absolute top-tier fighter among Titled Douluo, but his poison techniques are incredibly troublesome. More importantly…” Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.
“The Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire, one of the three great treasure basins, a wondrous sight created by nature’s divine craftsmanship. Gathered there are immortal herbs enough to drive even Titled Douluo mad with envy…” Ling Ye’s thoughts raced.
He remembered what was there in his past life:
Fiery Apricot Blossom, Mysterious Octagonal Ice Grass, Gaze of Autumn Dew, Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Eight Petal Immortal Orchid, Jade Bone of Narcissus, Romantic Tulip…
Each one was a treasure of heaven and earth, capable of altering a Spirit Master’s destiny and laying an unparalleled foundation.
In his previous life, it was these immortal herbs that forged the monstrous reputations of the Shrek Seven Devils.
But in this life…
Ling Ye’s “gaze” fell upon Dugu Yan, who was chatting and laughing with Ye Lingling, and then “looked” at Ye Lingling.
“Lingling and Dugu Yan have a very good relationship, like sisters. That old freak Dugu Bo is eccentric and reclusive, but he dotes on this granddaughter to an extreme degree, granting her almost every wish and treasuring her like a precious jewel…”
“If I can first solve the problem of the Jade Phosphor Snake venom backlash that plagues both grandfather and granddaughter… use that as an entry point to gain access to the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire, and even share in those immortal herbs… that would be far simpler and safer than forcibly seizing them or employing complex schemes.”
Having thought this through, Ling Ye no longer hesitated.
He directly communicated with Ye Lingling in the mental world, concisely informing her of some of his thoughts and plans.
He emphasized the long-term harm of the Jade Phosphor Snake venom to both Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo, stated that he indeed had a solution, and hinted that this method might require the aid of certain herbs from the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire.
Ye Lingling listened for a moment, a flash of understanding and resolve passing through her eyes.
She had always been concerned about Dugu Yan’s health and respected Dugu Bo, the senior who had watched her grow up.
Although eccentric, he had never brought trouble to the Ye family.
If she could help them, she was naturally more than willing.
Moreover, Brother Ling Ye’s plan sounded completely logical and reasonable.
Therefore, seizing a moment when Dugu Yan was pressing for more details about the Spirit evolution,
Ye Lingling gently squeezed her friend’s hand.
Her emerald green eyes gazed at her, her expression turning serious.
“Dugu Yan, let’s put aside my Spirit for now. There’s something I want to tell you.”
“Hmm? What’s so serious?” Seeing her expression, Dugu Yan also set aside her joking mood.
Ye Lingling carefully chose her words and spoke slowly: “After my Spirit evolved, not only did my healing ability change, but it seems… my understanding and control over Life energy have reached a new level.”
“I carefully recalled what you mentioned before—that cold sensation during the occasional backlash of the Jade Phosphor Snake venom, how it erodes your internal organs… combined with some newly acquired knowledge I have.”
“I think… I might have a way to alleviate, or even completely cure, the problem of Spirit toxin accumulation and backlash within your body.”