Signing Task, Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone

"Alas!"

The old man took a deep breath. A trace of resolve flashed through his cloudy eyes as he suddenly looked in a certain direction—the direction of Sunset Forest.

"Big Dipper Academy!"

The old man spoke with absolute certainty.

"Big Dipper Academy?"

Ye Lingling froze.

"That's right!"

The old man analyzed the situation urgently.

"According to the information circulating across the continent, Big Dipper Academy is unfathomably mysterious. They produced geniuses like Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong, who made it onto the Martial Soul Ranking. Even the evolution of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul is connected to them. Their foundations run impossibly deep!"

His gaze burned as he looked at Ye Lingling. "Most importantly, they do not seem to fear Spirit Hall. Now that your Nine-Heart Begonia has undergone its Ultimate Transformation, when it comes to auxiliary abilities—especially healing—there is practically no equal beneath the heavens."

"Perhaps... perhaps such a mysterious academy will take an interest in you and be willing to provide protection. This is our only choice at present, and our best one."

"No matter what, we have to gamble once!"

Seeing the desperate light in her grandfather's eyes, then sensing her transformed Martial Soul, determination gradually appeared in Ye Lingling's cool eyes as well.

She did not want to become the puppet of any faction.

She longed for freedom, for the chance to truly control her own fate.

"Alright! Grandfather, I'll listen to you. We'll go to Big Dipper Academy!"

Ye Lingling nodded firmly.

The decision had been made. There was no time to lose.

A trace of reluctance flashed through Elder Ye's cloudy eyes. He tightly grasped Ye Lingling's hand and lowered his voice. "Lingling, listen to Grandfather. I can't leave with you."

Ye Lingling was stunned. "Grandfather?"

"Spirit Hall's target is you. If I travel with you, we'll be too conspicuous. Neither of us will get away!"

Elder Ye spoke rapidly, with unquestionable decisiveness in his voice. "You must go alone. I'll have Ye Zhong escort you in secret. He is an eighty-third-rank Soul Douluo, enough to ensure that you reach the outskirts of Sunset Forest safely."

He paused, a trace of bitterness and determination appearing on his face. "As for me, I must stay behind. I am the head of the Ye Family. As long as I remain here, Spirit Hall will hesitate to act recklessly. Perhaps they will not immediately strike harshly against the rest of the family. That can buy you time."

"If I leave as well, the entire Ye Family will face the danger of destruction in an instant! As long as you are safe, join Big Dipper Academy, and receive their protection, the Ye Family will still have hope!"

Ye Lingling instantly understood her grandfather's painstaking intentions, and tears filled her eyes.

She knew how heavy the burden on her shoulders was.

This concerned not only her personal freedom, but the survival of the entire family.

"Grandfather... you must take care of yourself!"

A thousand words ultimately became only this tearful reminder.

"Go!"

Elder Ye shoved her hard. He turned away, his figure stretching long beneath the setting sun, filled with tragic resolve.

Ye Lingling gritted her teeth, gave her grandfather and the family behind her one final look, then turned around resolutely.

Under the cover of Ye Zhong, the family's most loyal guard, she silently left Heaven Dou City.

She raced toward Sunset Forest.

However, less than half an hour after Ye Lingling left—

"Boom!"

A powerful pressure carrying a rich floral fragrance descended upon the Ye Family estate like a storm!

Yue Guan appeared in the courtyard, his expression gloomy as his sharp gaze swept over the fully prepared Elder Ye.

"Head of the Ye Family, where is your granddaughter, Ye Lingling?"

Yue Guan went straight to the point, his tone carrying an unquestionable sense of oppression. "Your Excellency the Pope has summoned her. Please have her come out and meet me."

Elder Ye's heart tightened, but he forced himself to remain calm as he cupped his hands. "Chrysanthemum Douluo, forgive this old man for failing to welcome you from afar."

"Unfortunately, Lingling left several days ago to visit friends and has yet to return. This old man does not know her exact whereabouts either."

Yue Guan's eyes turned cold. His powerful Mental Power instantly spread over the entire Ye Family estate like spilled mercury.

Sure enough, he found no trace of Ye Lingling.

He had found nothing when he went to Heaven Dou Royal Academy earlier. This time, despite receiving definite information and rushing here, he was once again a step too late!

"Head of the Ye Family, I advise you not to bring ruin upon yourself!"

A chill entered Yue Guan's voice.

"The restriction on the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul has been lifted. This is a matter of great importance, and Your Excellency the Pope is determined to obtain her. If you conceal what you know and shelter her, you will be making an enemy of all Spirit Hall!"

"Can your Ye Family bear the consequences?"

Elder Ye straightened his back and met Yue Guan's eyes without retreating. "Your Excellency, this old man truly does not know Lingling's whereabouts. If she returns, I will certainly inform Spirit Hall at once."

"Stubborn fool!"

Yue Guan finally lost his patience, and a trace of viciousness flashed across his face.

His repeated failures had filled him with rage.

"Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

"Men!"

"Take everyone in the Ye Family back to Spirit Hall for custody. I want to see whether that Ye Lingling can truly abandon her entire family!"

As soon as his words fell, several powerful figures emerged from all around. They were all Cardinals of Spirit Hall, their auras formidable.

Elder Ye's expression changed drastically, but he was powerless to resist. He could only watch as the members of his family were subdued by Spirit Hall's experts, his heart filled with grief, indignation, and helplessness.

He could only hope that his granddaughter would safely reach Big Dipper Academy.

Big Dipper Academy.

Lu Xiao was guiding the newly arrived Ao Yin in several techniques for controlling the elements. Seeing the Dragon Race youth's astonishing comprehension, he felt quite gratified.

Just then, the familiar notification sound rang in his mind once more.

[ Ding! Special sign-in task conditions detected. Sign-in task issued: Recruit Ye Lingling (Nine-Heart Begonia soul master) into Big Dipper Academy.]

[Task reward: Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone—Void Wings!]

A sharp gleam flashed through Lu Xiao's eyes. The system had triggered twice in a single day, and this sign-in task in particular offered such an extravagant reward: a Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone!

This system truly never acted without reason.

"Ye Lingling... the Nine-Heart Begonia whose curse has been lifted..."

The corners of Lu Xiao's lips rose slightly.

"A top-tier Auxiliary system soul master like her is indeed worth recruiting. However, Spirit Hall's actions are likely faster than expected."

With a thought, he slightly spread out his Mental Power.

He immediately sensed two people anxiously searching around the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

The aura of the young woman among them was pure and brimming with vitality. It was undoubtedly the transformed Nine-Heart Begonia.

"Wenji."

Lu Xiao spoke calmly.

A graceful green figure appeared inside the room like a fresh breeze. It was Cai Wenji, holding her zither.

"Dean, were you looking for me?"

"Go to the outskirts of Sunset Forest and bring back a young woman named Ye Lingling. She is a Nine-Heart Begonia soul master and is being pursued by Spirit Hall. Her family has likely already met with disaster."

Lu Xiao gave the order, transmitting Ye Lingling's location to her at the same time.

Cai Wenji was exceptionally intelligent and immediately understood the urgency and importance of the matter. She bowed. "Wenji accepts the order."

With a flicker, she vanished from where she stood.

The outskirts of Sunset Forest.

Ye Lingling and her guard Ye Zhong moved through a dense stretch of forest, both of them wearing anxious and exhausted expressions.

They had searched this area for a long time, yet they still could not find any trace of Big Dipper Academy.

It was as though that academy did not exist in this world at all.

"Young Miss, is Big Dipper Academy... really here?"

Ye Zhong could not help asking in a low voice, his face full of doubt.

Even after releasing his Mental Power to investigate, all he could sense was the aura of a primordial forest.