Douluo: Martial Soul Iron-Eating Beast, Never Be a Slave

Seeing the two of them, Zhao Mu naturally welcomed them in.

"Second Grandfather, the academy treats you pretty well. Everyone else has four people to a dorm room," Dugu Yan teased.

Zhao Mu bluntly exposed her. "Hmph, didn't the academy arrange this kind of dorm for you too?"

The reason Zhao Mu had this kind of dormitory was largely because of the relationship between Dugu Bo and Prince Xue Xing. Dugu Yan had that same connection, so she most likely had this kind of dorm as well, not the four-person room she claimed to have.

Dugu Yan stuck out her tongue and smiled. "Hehe, the academy did arrange a dorm like this for me, but I brought Lingling over to live with me."

"Oh? You're not living with Yu Tianheng?" Zhao Mu blurted out curiously.

To his surprise, Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not living with Tianheng! What are you thinking, Second Grandfather? You're so young, yet your mind is full of such..."

Dugu Yan then changed the subject. "Second Grandfather, weren't you and Grandpa looking for a Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide before? I asked Lingling, and her family really does have a comprehensive one. Lingling is also willing to lend it to us."

As she spoke, Dugu Yan looked at Ye Lingling beside her.

Ye Lingling stepped forward and took an extremely thick book from her bracelet Soul Tool. Its pages had yellowed somewhat and carried a distinctive musty scent. It was clearly quite old.

"Second Grandfather, this is the Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide my parents left behind. I can't guarantee it contains every medicinal herb on the continent, but at least ninety percent of them are recorded inside. Yanzi said you needed it, so I brought it over."

Zhao Mu carefully accepted the guide. The pages of old books were extremely fragile. He did not want them to crumble at the slightest touch.

Balancing the book flat on his arm, Zhao Mu slowly flipped through more than a dozen pages.

There were many medicinal herbs Zhao Mu did not recognize, but he also spotted several familiar ones among them. They were precisely herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Nine-Rank Ganoderma... Fragrant Silk Luo... Snow Silkworm...

Compared to the medicinal herb catalog Zhao Mu had found in the Heaven Dou Royal Academy library, the Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide Ye Lingling had brought was far more comprehensive. More importantly, it had illustrations!

They were not photographs, merely hand-drawn pictures, but they were incredibly lifelike. Based on the images and descriptions in the guide, Zhao Mu could match them one by one with the immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, allowing him to identify those immortal herbs.

Gently closing the book, Zhao Mu's joy was plainly visible on his face. "Lingling, thank you so much. This Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide is extremely useful to me. I may need to borrow it for some time."

Ye Lingling merely lowered her head and said softly, "It's nothing. I don't need the book for the time being anyway. If you need it, just take it."

After saying that, Ye Lingling did not speak again. Sitting there, she gave off a lonely feeling, though the way she occasionally raised her head suggested that she had something she wanted to say.

In the end, Dugu Yan took the initiative to speak for Ye Lingling. "Lingling, you're too embarrassed to say it, so I'll say it for you."

"Second Grandfather, Lingling came this time because she needs your help!"

Hearing that, Zhao Mu immediately looked at Ye Lingling, who wore black clothes and a black veil over her face. "Lingling, you've helped me so much this time that I don't even know how to repay you. If there's anything you need help with, just say it!"

Only after hearing Zhao Mu say this did Ye Lingling speak softly. Her voice was pleasant, yet somewhat hollow, giving people an unreal feeling.

"Second Grandfather, did you help Yanzi's Martial Soul evolve?"

The changes in Dugu Yan's Martial Soul had been fully displayed during the Selection Tournament. As Dugu Yan's only female friend, Ye Lingling also knew some of the secrets behind Dugu Yan's Martial Soul defect.

After all, the defect in the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul had once caused Dugu Yan immense trouble. Dugu Yan had sought Ye Lingling's treatment for it before, but Ye Lingling had been completely helpless regarding the Jade Phosphorous Snake's Martial Soul defect.

However, after Dugu Yan returned this time, Ye Lingling discovered that not only had Dugu Yan's Martial Soul changed, but the defect that had always plagued her had also vanished.

While happy for Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling could not help seeking her out to ask about it. In the end, she learned that Zhao Mu had helped.

Naturally, Zhao Mu had no need to hide it and admitted it openly. "I was indeed the one who resolved Yan Yan's Martial Soul defect."

After receiving Zhao Mu's confirmation, Ye Lingling's body trembled slightly, as though she were excited.

Ye Lingling knew exactly how troublesome Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorous Snake Martial Soul defect had been. Since Zhao Mu could help Dugu Yan solve her Martial Soul defect, then...

"Since... since you could help Yanzi solve her Martial Soul defect, then... could I ask you to help solve mine as well? Could you lift the curse of my Nine Heart Begonia?"

"For that, I'm willing to pay any price!"

"Lingling, if Second Grandfather can help, he'll definitely help you. You don't need to pay any price," Dugu Yan hurriedly said. As Ye Lingling's friend, Dugu Yan naturally hoped she could help her. There was no need for Ye Lingling to say something so serious.

However, Ye Lingling did not relent because of Dugu Yan's reassurance. She truly was willing to pay any price.

The Nine Heart Begonia was passed down through a single bloodline. Each generation could have only one inheritor, and no more than two Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters could be alive at the same time. Only after one died could another appear among the descendants. Thus, the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul was not only the rarest Martial Soul on the continent, but also the loneliest.

Ye Lingling regarded this trait of the Nine Heart Begonia as a curse. She had also been searching for a way to resolve that curse, but she had found nothing.

Perhaps the reason Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had become friends was that the misery of their Martial Souls had caused them to resonate with one another. They huddled together for warmth and shared their sorrows.

Now that Dugu Yan had resolved the Jade Phosphorous Snake Martial Soul's defect through Martial Soul Evolution, Ye Lingling was happy for her, but it also allowed her to glimpse a sliver of hope.

Could her Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul also evolve and resolve that lonely curse?

Ye Lingling had already walked through darkness for some time and experienced loneliness and desolation. Therefore, no matter the price, she could accept it, as long as she could lift this damned curse and allow her children, or future Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters, to escape loneliness and enjoy the warmth of an ordinary life.

Beneath the black veil, Zhao Mu could feel a pair of beautiful eyes fixed tightly upon him, waiting for his answer.

Zhao Mu smiled calmly. He did not truly make any excessive demands just because Ye Lingling said she was willing to pay any price.

Offer herself to him?

Pah, pah, pah!

He was only seven years old!

"You're Yan Yan's friend, and you've helped me so much. Of course I'll help you. But I can't guarantee that I'll definitely be able to break the shackles of the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul." Zhao Mu raised the Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide in his hand.

After Zhao Mu agreed, Ye Lingling beneath her veil seemed to let out a breath of relief.

"Second Grandfather, if Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul is to evolve, does it also need Heibai's blood?" Hearing Zhao Mu agree, Dugu Yan hurriedly asked.

The moment he heard that they might need to draw his blood again, Heibai shuddered all over.

His gaze toward Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling immediately turned unfriendly.

These two bad women, awooo~

Especially after seeing their figures and appearances, Heibai became even more panicked. His damned Soul Master definitely would not be able to resist temptation.

Several more days' worth of meals were about to disappear, awooo~

Yet in the next moment, the grief-stricken Heibai heard a voice that sounded like heavenly music.

"Lingling's situation is different from yours, Yan Yan. Heibai's blood may not necessarily help Lingling's Martial Soul evolve."

As Zhao Mu spoke, he failed to notice that Heibai beside his leg was staring at him with shining eyes, his huge pupils filled with gratitude.

For a Soul Master like this, he would definitely curse him less in the future.

What Zhao Mu said was indeed the truth.

The reason Heibai's blood could trigger evolution was because it contained the medicinal potency of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon.

However, the Earth Dragon Golden Melon's evolutionary effect was only effective on dragon-type soul beasts. Its effects on other living beings were far less obvious.

Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo's Martial Souls were Jade Phosphorous Snakes. While they were not dragon-type soul beasts, they were more or less related to dragons, which was why the Earth Dragon Golden Melon's medicinal potency could fully trigger the evolution of the Jade Phosphorous Snake.

But for the Nine Heart Begonia, it might not be able to trigger evolution.

The same was true for Heibai and Zhao Mu. Neither of their evolutions had been completed.

Heibai had only evolved a Demonic Rhyme Seed, while Zhao Mu had merely gotten started.

"If we don't use Heibai's blood, then how can we help Lingling's Martial Soul evolve?" Because Ye Lingling was withdrawn and rarely spoke, Dugu Yan had practically become Ye Lingling's "spokesperson."

Zhao Mu slowly said:

"I do know another method that might help Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia evolve, but I need to study it first."

"How about this, Lingling? Give me some time first. Once I've confirmed the arrangements, I'll contact you again."

From Zhao Mu's expression and words, Dugu Yan seemed to guess that the other method he mentioned might involve the immortal herbs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Dugu Yan knew what should and should not be said, and she did not dare reveal the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's secret to Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling did not urge Zhao Mu. After all, she had waited for so many years, and generations of Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters had endured it. She was not afraid of waiting a little longer.

"I've waited this long already. I can wait a little longer. Lingling will await Second Grandfather's good news."

After settling the matter, the three chatted for a while longer before Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling left Zhao Mu's dormitory together.

After the two left, Zhao Mu did not go to the Mimicry Cultivation Environment to train. Instead, he carefully left Heaven Dou Royal Academy and returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"Big Brother, I got the Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide that records the immortal herbs here!"

The moment he entered the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Zhao Mu held up the guide in his hand and called out to Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo rushed over immediately. With a flash of his figure, his speed showed that he had become increasingly accustomed to his new Martial Soul during this period.

The immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were all treasures, but without knowing what they were or what they did, even Dugu Bo did not dare consume or use them carelessly. It was rather frustrating to be able to see them but not touch them.

With this Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide, however, once they understood the effects of the immortal herbs here, they could prescribe the right remedy and truly make use of them. Only then would these treasures truly be theirs.

"Did you get this from Yan Yan's friend with the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul?" Dugu Bo leaned over and asked.

After seeing Zhao Mu nod, Dugu Bo could not help sighing. "The Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul is quite remarkable. Although its bloodline is sparse, it has been passed down through a single line until now. It can be considered the Martial Soul with the longest inheritance on the continent. It is no easy feat to possess such a foundation of knowledge."

Zhao Mu did not deny it. The medicinal herbs in this guide all came with illustrations, and judging from the detailed treatment of the drawings, they did not seem to have been made by a single person. This Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide was likely compiled and organized through the continuous efforts of several generations, perhaps even more, of Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters.

It was not merely a matter of time. The effort and manpower invested in it were likely even greater.

But how had they learned the properties of these medicinal herbs?

Could they have imitated Shennong tasting a hundred herbs and tried them bit by bit?

That was possible. Nine Heart Begonia Soul Masters had such powerful healing abilities that they could afford to court death.

Watching Zhao Mu search through the Medicinal Herb Illustration Guide page by page, Dugu Bo could not help asking, "What are you looking for?"