Nine Heart Begonia Reveals Its Edge

Leaving the core mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, the towering ancient trees around them gradually became sparser. The light grew abundant again, and the air no longer felt so oppressive and stifling. Yet with the addition of a new member, the atmosphere within the group had become subtly different.

Zhu Zhuqing silently followed behind Qin Mo, keeping a distance of about two steps. She still spoke little, and her cold face seemed covered by a layer of frost that would never melt. Yet within those eyes, once filled with despair and numbness, a faint spark called "hope" had quietly ignited. From time to time, she raised her eyes to look at the tall figure ahead of her. Her gaze was complicated—grateful, curious, and above all, filled with scrutiny and resolve toward the unknown road ahead.

Bing'er and Yan'er maintained an appropriate degree of vigilance and distance toward the newly joined girl with her icy temperament. They could sense Zhu Zhuqing's aloofness, which kept others at arm's length, as well as the considerable strength hidden beneath her cold exterior, even though she had yet to recover from her injuries. Naturally, they would not question the Young Sect Master's decision, but the necessary observation was unavoidable.

Qin Mo did not care about this. As he traveled, he continued familiarizing himself with and refining the two new soul skills he had acquired. At times, he communicated with the demon pagoda; at others, he silently worked through various tactical combinations. For him, taking in Zhu Zhuqing had been both a casual act of righteousness and an idle move. Myriad Manifestations Academy needed geniuses, and Zhu Zhuqing, with her Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Soul and resilient character, undoubtedly possessed such potential. As for whether she could truly integrate into the group and how far she would go in the future, that would depend on her own fate.

Under Qin Yuan's guidance, the group soon left the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest. When they finally stepped out of that primordial forest and saw the faint outline of enormous, towering city walls stretching across the distant horizon, everyone except Qin Yuan and Qin Mo unconsciously let out a breath of relief.

The forest's sense of oppression was invisible, yet undeniably real.

As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City possessed a grandeur and prosperity that words could scarcely describe. Its magnificent walls, dozens of meters high, sprawled like a crouching dragon. Banners fluttered atop them, while soldiers in bright armor stood solemnly like nails driven into place. The massive city gates stood wide open, with carriages flowing endlessly and crowds streaming through like a woven tapestry. Splendid carriages, strange Soul Tools, and Soul Masters of every kind moved ceaselessly through the streets. The clamor of voices, hoofbeats, and merchants' cries blended together and washed over them, forming a vibrant portrait of power and prosperity in the imperial capital.

"Wow! Such... such a huge city!" Yan'er could not help exclaiming. Her big eyes looked around curiously at the exquisite buildings, dazzling goods, and crowds dressed in all kinds of clothing. Her little face was filled with novelty and excitement. The sect's secluded residence was peaceful and beautiful, but compared to this ultimate worldly splendor, it was an entirely different sight.

Though Bing'er remained composed, the faint flicker in her eyes revealed the unrest in her heart. She unconsciously moved a little closer to Qin Mo, as if the noisy crowd made her more uncomfortable than the soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Zhu Zhuqing's cold eyes swept over the bustling streetscape. A trace of barely perceptible amazement flashed through their depths, only to be replaced by deeper vigilance. The more people there were, and the more prosperous a place was, the more trouble and danger it often meant. She unconsciously tugged at her hood, hiding more of her face in shadow.

Qin Mo's expression remained calm as his indifferent gaze swept across the heart of the empire. To him, its prosperity was more like a noisy play. He was a spectator, not a participant. His goal was clear—to find a suitable site for Myriad Manifestations Academy and to seek more "seeds" worth nurturing.

Qin Yuan did not linger at the city gate. He seemed quite familiar with Heaven Dou City and led the four children through the bustling crowds, turning this way and that until they arrived at a relatively quiet and elegant street. Tea houses, bookshops, and antique stores lined both sides. There were few customers, and the surroundings were tranquil.

"Let us rest here for a while." Qin Yuan pointed to a tea house that looked quite clean and refined. "Mo'er, think about where you wish to go next as well."

The tea house was called Pure Heart Pavilion. It was decorated in an antique style, with sandalwood incense curling through the air. They chose a secluded spot by the window and sat down. Before long, an attendant served them fragrant tea.

Qin Mo lifted his teacup, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to a girl sitting alone at the neighboring table.

The girl wore a simple black dress. Her features were delicate, but her complexion was overly pale, giving her a sickly and fragile air. She quietly drank tea by herself, her eyes directed out the window without any focus, as if immersed in some distant and melancholy thoughts utterly at odds with her surroundings.

What concerned Qin Mo most was that the Nine-Story Demon Pagoda within him had actually developed an extremely faint, peculiar reaction toward this girl. It was neither the fighting spirit stirred by encountering a powerful soul beast nor the rejection he felt toward an evil aura. Instead, it was a faint resonance and attraction, like that between Support Type Martial Souls of the same origin?

At that moment, the girl seemed to sense something as well and slowly turned her head. Her gaze passed over Bing'er and Yan'er before finally landing on Qin Mo. When her eyes met his, she froze slightly. A trace of surprise flashed through those originally vacant eyes. She seemed to sense from Qin Mo a peculiar aura that was deep and tranquil yet faintly majestic, unlike that of any Soul Master she had encountered before.

Qin Mo took the initiative to speak, his voice gentle. "Forgive the interruption, miss. I am Qin Mo. I sensed that the aura of your Martial Soul seems rather special, containing a... gentle yet powerful life force. May I ask, are you a Healing System Soul Master?"

The girl's fingers tightened slightly around her teacup. A trace of vigilance flashed through her clear eyes, but there was more of the subtle stir one felt upon meeting someone of the same kind. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded faintly. Her voice was as cool as a secluded mountain spring. "Ye Lingling. My Martial Soul is the Nine Heart Begonia."

"Nine Heart Begonia?" Understanding flashed through Qin Mo's eyes. So it was this peculiar Martial Soul, known as the greatest Healing Type tool Martial Soul in the world, yet burdened with the shackles of a fate of "only one descendant per generation."

He smiled faintly, about to say more.

Suddenly!

A burst of panicked cries and commotion erupted from the street outside the tea house without warning!

"Someone, hurry! Help! The old master is dying!" "Is there a Healing System Soul Master here? Please, save my grandfather!" "Elder Chen! Elder Chen, hold on!"

In the middle of the street, an elderly man dressed in luxurious robes, his beard and hair entirely white, had collapsed to the ground. His face was pale as paper, his lips purple, and his body convulsed violently. His breathing was so faint it was nearly gone, and he looked as though his life was about to burn out! A circle of people surrounded him, but every one of them was helpless and in utter chaos.

At the sight, Ye Lingling almost instinctively rose to her feet. Soul Power stirred faintly at her fingertips, and the phantom of a begonia flower with soft white radiance and exquisitely layered petals appeared behind her—none other than the Nine Heart Begonia, said to be capable of restoring the dead to life and regrowing flesh upon bone!

However, someone was faster than her!

At the very moment Ye Lingling was about to release her Martial Soul, Qin Mo did not even leave his seat. He merely raised his right hand casually, and a hazy Nine-Colored Light filled with vitality and spiritual essence curled around his fingertips.

He did not look outside. Relying only on his spiritual perception, he lightly flicked his finger toward the direction where the old man had fallen beyond the window.

That speck of Nine-Colored Light seemed to possess a life and will of its own. It slipped lightly through the gaps in the crowd and entered the old man's heart with incomparable precision.

In an instant!

Under the disbelieving gazes of everyone present, the old man, whose face had been gray with death and whose breath had been fading away, rapidly regained color at a visible rate! His weak breathing became steady and strong, his purple lips returned to their normal color, and his violently convulsing body gradually calmed. The old man's eyelids trembled a few times before he actually let out a soft groan and slowly woke up!

"He's alive! The old master is alive!" "A miracle! This is a miracle!" "What... what was that light just now? Who did it?!"

The street fell silent for a moment before erupting in thunderous cries and uproar! The crowd frantically searched for the person who had acted.

Inside Pure Heart Pavilion, Ye Lingling's movement to release her Martial Soul froze completely.

For the first time, undisguised shock and astonishment appeared on her cold face! Her eyes, which always carried a faint sadness, were now wide open as she stared fixedly at the old man outside, who was already unharmed. Then she abruptly turned back, looking in disbelief at the black-clothed boy still seated peacefully, as if he had merely flicked away a speck of dust!

She could clearly sense that the Life Energy contained within that Nine-Colored Light was pure, vast, and full of spiritual essence! Its method of healing was entirely different from the Nine Heart Begonia's direct and forceful injection of life force. It focused more on awakening the body's innate vitality, nourishing it silently and subtly. Its effect... seemed no weaker at all, and on some level, it was even more profound and natural!

Who... who was he?! What kind of Martial Soul was that?! Other than the Nine Heart Begonia, there was actually such a miraculous method of healing in this world?!

Qin Mo slowly withdrew his hand and looked once more at Ye Lingling, who stood frozen in place. His tone remained calm. "Miss Ye, what do you think? Does my healing technique meet your standards?"

Ye Lingling came back to her senses from the immense shock. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her turbulent emotions. Her voice carried a faint tremor that even she had not noticed. "You... what exactly is your Martial Soul? Why... why can it produce such an effect?" She could neither understand nor describe that feeling. It was absolutely not an ordinary healing soul skill!

"My Martial Soul is called the Nine-Story Demon Pagoda." Qin Mo did not conceal it, though he did not explain in detail. "Its functions are somewhat varied. Healing and recovery are merely the tip of the iceberg."

He paused, looking into Ye Lingling's eyes, which were filled with shock, curiosity, and inquiry, then extended an invitation. "I intend to establish an academy, one meant to gather talents from across the world, explore the true principles of Martial Souls, and pursue the legendary Path to Godhood. Miss Ye's Nine Heart Begonia is one of a kind. It would be a pity for you to be trapped by mundane matters or constrained by the curse of your bloodline. Would you be interested in joining? Perhaps there, you may find the possibility of taking your Martial Soul a step further, or even... a way to break your fate."

"Explore the true principles of Martial Souls... the Path to Godhood... break fate..." These words struck Ye Lingling's heart like heavy hammers. Because of the uniqueness of her Martial Soul, she had been lonely since childhood. She longed to grow stronger, longed to meet someone who understood her Martial Soul, and even more, longed to change the cruel fate of "only one descendant per generation." The miraculous ability Qin Mo had displayed and his words now seemed to light a lamp upon the dark road before her.

She looked into Qin Mo's deep and sincere eyes, then at Zhu Zhuqing, Bing'er, and Yan'er behind him, each with their distinct temperaments, and made her decision.

With almost no hesitation, she nodded solemnly. Her cool voice carried a trace of barely perceptible excitement and determination. "All right. I'll join."

Myriad Manifestations Academy had gained another genius healer.