Drunk, Reclining on a Beauty's Lap

The carriage slowly made its way toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy. They were already halfway there, the sun gradually sank, the lonely night was about to descend, and darkness once again encroached upon the land.

Inside the carriage, Ye Lingling sat utterly still, her thoughts in turmoil. Looking at Ye Hao resting his head on her lap, she could not think of what to do for a moment.

Wake him up?

Obviously not. Seeing how deeply Ye Hao was sleeping, it was impossible. Besides, did hunting the Purple Winged Demonic Spider and absorbing a Soul Ring and an External Soul Bone not consume energy and mental strength?

On top of the exhaustion from traveling by boat and carriage, Ye Hao was already sensitive to carriages. If Heaven Dou City had not forbidden Soul Masters from using their Martial Souls to fly within the city limits, Ye Hao would probably have used the "Six-Winged Purple Light Wings" to return to the dormitory early and bury his head in sleep.

Unless the world was destroyed, no one could wake him.

Ye Lingling was like a statue at that moment. Her cold gaze gradually gained a hint of helplessness. It was the first time in her life she had encountered such a situation, and she truly could not make up her mind.

She understood Ye Hao's character. He was an upright little brother, only eleven years old, innocent and carefree, still at the age when he should be playing.

Ever since Ye Hao had joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Ye Lingling and the others had all witnessed the effort he had put in. That was undeniable.

Ye Lingling deeply sympathized with Ye Hao's lonely and miserable background. Wasn't her own Martial Soul a clear example?

The two could be said to share the same affliction. Ye Lingling subconsciously extended her delicate hand, but the instant it touched Ye Hao's head, she hurriedly pulled it back. The sensation was like an electric shock, a first in her life.

How subtle—

Ye Hao slept peacefully, breathing in Ye Lingling's fragrance as he drifted safely into dreamland. Subconsciously, his head shifted slightly, burrowing hard into Ye Lingling's embrace.

It made Ye Lingling blush deeply, a faint pink coloring her cold cheeks.

Ye Lingling thought carefully about it. Ye Hao was merely a younger brother, having only just turned eleven. People on this continent matured early, and there were quite a few who became fathers at thirteen or fourteen.

But without a doubt, Ye Hao was not that kind of person. At least, not yet. Hehehe...

People changed. As the saying went, people were born with inherently good natures.

As their surroundings changed, even the whitest sheet of paper would eventually be stained with ash. It was unavoidable; no one could preserve their innocence for a lifetime.

Ye Hao slept comfortably enough, but Ye Lingling was suffering. Waking him up did not feel right, yet neither did this or that. She was truly caught in a dilemma.

If she woke Ye Hao, Ye Lingling could not bear to do it. Though she usually said nothing and was exceedingly cold toward everyone, while others chatted and laughed, she would remain alone in a corner, silently keeping to herself.

Yet at such an inconspicuous moment, it had been Ye Hao who took the initiative to speak with her. It was not that their teammates did not care about Ye Lingling; it was simply that she was born that way. Even if you wanted to talk to her, she might not want to talk to you.

Only at crucial moments would Ye Lingling speak. At all other times, she was either silent or on her way to being silent.

Yet by chance, Ye Lingling had developed a slight fondness for Ye Hao. It was not affection between a man and a woman. Ye Hao had not even grown all his hair yet; he was only a child. It was impossible for such feelings to exist between them.

Their relationship was limited to that of simple siblings, and they could also be considered kindred spirits in misfortune.

Ye Lingling's heart trembled as her smooth, delicate palm lightly brushed across Ye Hao's cheek. The gentle sensation nearly made her lose herself in it for a moment. So it was not only petting cats that felt this way—people did too...

The carriage continued onward, finally arriving at the foot of Heaven Dou Royal Academy just as the sun officially set.

The academy was built against the mountains, beside the water, truly an excellent place for cultivation.

Being able to cultivate in such a place was undoubtedly the dream of every Soul Master. Unfortunately, not just anyone could enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt. In the last carriage, Ye Lingling was groggy and showing signs of falling asleep. Since Ye Hao had fallen asleep first, the entire carriage had become frighteningly quiet.

When the carriage stopped, Ye Lingling suddenly opened her eyes. Looking at the all-too-familiar foot of the mountain, she understood that they had arrived at the academy.

She looked at Ye Hao, who was sprawled across her lap and sleeping soundly, then gave him a few reluctant nudges.

"Wake up, we're at the academy."

Ye Lingling said coolly.

Meanwhile, Ye Hao was still immersed in that tender haven, unable to pull himself free. Leaning against Ye Lingling's warm embrace, anyone would find it hard to break away, much less Ye Hao, who was sleeping in a beautiful woman's arms for the first time.

(If it were you, would you want to wake up?)

Enjoying the beautiful Sister's gentle caress, Ye Hao vaguely rubbed himself against Ye Lingling's embrace.

Ye Lingling: "..."

"Ouch!"

Ye Lingling did not indulge Ye Hao. She simply stood up and got out of the carriage.

"What happened to me? Who touched me just now?"

Ye Hao jolted awake. He glanced at the enchanting night outside the window, then at the magnificent buildings on the mountain in the distance.

They had arrived at the academy. Looking around the empty carriage, he realized that Sister Ye Lingling had already left. Ye Hao stretched, only vaguely remembering what had just happened.

Still dazed, Ye Hao rubbed his head, shook it, then got out of the carriage and headed toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy was located not far outside Heaven Dou City. It had been funded and constructed by the Heaven Dou Empire, with Xue Ye as its dean. It also had three Education Commissioners: Chief Meng Shenji, Second Commissioner Bai Baoshan, and Third Commissioner Zhi Lin Hun Douluo. Xue Ye generally did not involve himself in the affairs of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, after all, he had an entire nation to govern.

Thus, the three Education Commissioners were undoubtedly titanic figures within the academy.

Under the dim starlight, three old men in their fifties sat imposingly within an ornately decorated circular room. One was thin, one fat, and one tall. They carried themselves with the calm bearing of men who remained unruffled in the face of danger, exuding an invisible aura.

They were the three Education Commissioners of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Before them, Qin Ming had hurried back. The main purpose of this trip to Sunset Forest had been to find a suitable Soul Ring for Ye Hao. Now that the mission was complete, as Ye Hao's supervisor, he naturally had to report the situation.

"You've worked hard, Teacher Qin."

Meng Shenji sat in the center, his hands resting on either side of his chair as he spoke with a pleased expression.

Qin Ming smiled faintly. "Chief, you flatter me. I was not the one who worked hard; it was those children. To be honest, all of them have good talent, especially Xiao Hao. He gained the most from this trip. Not only did he obtain his Third Soul Ring, his Soul Power also reached level thirty-two, and he even acquired a Soul Bone."

"What!" ×3