Boom! The Nine Curved Snake Vine collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Its massive body hit the ground with a thunderous crash. Eight side vines withered instantly. Only the main vine remained, a black soul ring slowly condensing above it.
Ye Lingling stood before it, leaning on her sword, gasping violently. Her lungs burned. Her eyes throbbed as if about to explode; everything blurred.
Whoosh! A figure appeared beside her. She raised her sword instinctively— a hand pressed it down. "It's me!"
A small medicine vial touched her lips. "Drink this."
She obeyed. Warmth flooded her body; depleted soul power recovered rapidly. She summoned the Nine Heart Begonia and healed herself. External wounds vanished. Side effects of the Red Eyes of the Other Shore disappeared.
"Well done." Lin Yang smiled. "How does it feel to defeat a strong enemy with your own hands?"
Ye Lingling looked up, a smile forming. "The best!"
Lin Yang chuckled. "You'll come to love this feeling."
"Recover your soul power, then absorb the ring."
She nodded. Once recovered, she sat cross-legged beside the vine. Lin Yang handed her a golden vial—the Holy Defense Potion. Its sole purpose: withstand the mental shock of absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
She drank it and began the absorption. Lin Yang wasn't idle. He noticed a soul bone had flown from the vine. With a flick of his finger the vine split; a portion of left-arm bone fell into his hand. When Linlin wakes, have her refine this.
Absorption took a full hour—longer than expected. When she opened her eyes, her rings had changed: two yellow, one purple, one black.
"Congratulations on advancing to Soul Ancestor."
Ye Lingling stared at him for a long moment, then softly said, "Thank you!"
"Why so polite?" Lin Yang asked, surprised.
She shook her head and said nothing more. She was grateful—Lin Yang had guided her onto an exciting, wonderful path she had never imagined.
Lin Yang smiled and handed her the left-arm bone. "You're lucky. It dropped a soul bone—absorb it."
Ye Lingling didn't hesitate. She equipped it on her left arm. Refinement completed faster than an incense stick burns. Her soul power broke through to level 42.
"How's the soul-bone skill?"
Excitement lit her usually cool face—this was her first soul bone. "It's a support skill I call 'Snake Vine Healing.' It increases recovery effect by fifty percent and simultaneously recovers twenty percent of my soul power."
Lin Yang nodded. "Perfect. Extremely powerful and ideal for Nine Heart Begonia."
She nodded, about to speak—then remembered something. She closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, and felt a burning sensation at her collarbone—exactly like the mark Xiao Wu had described. She opened her collar. A faint purple begonia pattern had appeared on her skin.
"Lin Yang, look! My mark activated!"
She pointed excitedly. Lin Yang glanced—then quickly looked away. Earlier the vine had wounded her chest; the wound healed but her clothes hadn't regenerated. What could previously be hidden was now exposed. He could see almost everything.
Ye Lingling felt the shift. Her body stiffened. She quietly lowered her hands, cheeks flushing.
Sensing the awkwardness, Lin Yang coughed lightly. "I'll gather some materials and return shortly."
"Mm," she answered softly.
By the time they returned to Heaven Dou City from the Sunset Forest it was midnight; the city gates were closed. They bypassed the city and stayed in the university dormitory. "Makeshift" perhaps, but this was an elite private school—each student received a private room with excellent conditions.
After escorting Ye Lingling to the girls' dormitory, Lin Yang turned to leave. Suddenly his hand was grabbed. He looked back in surprise. "What's wrong?"
Ye Lingling said nothing. A fragrant breeze blew; soft, warm lips brushed his cheek—light, fleeting—then withdrew. Under the moonlight her face was crimson. The bold act had clearly exhausted all her courage.
The girl had gone this far. If Lin Yang didn't respond, could he still call himself a man? He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She froze, surprised. At first bewildered, she gradually responded under his gentle encouragement.
Time blurred. Ye Lingling suddenly pushed his chest, stepped back, and gasped for air. She had nearly suffocated!
Lin Yang teased, "Linlin, you still need practice!"
This bastard! She glared fiercely. Scumbag! Pervert! That kiss was too skilled—he must have practiced endlessly with Yanzi. And his hands… definitely not well-behaved! She cursed him again in her heart. If he knew, he would protest it was unfair—he was always passive with Dugu Yan.
They had not yet taken the final step, yet kissing, hugging, and cuddling had become natural. Though Lin Yang and Ye Lingling had never directly confessed feelings, only a thin veil remained between them. He felt they were still too young to rush and simply enjoyed the ambiguous atmosphere.
Yet surprisingly… Ye Lingling had taken the initiative first.