Bibi Dong looked at Xiao Wu, who was trembling as she hid behind Ye Xuan.
Xiao Wu's injuries had completely healed.
Bibi Dong's voice was calm.
"Ye Xuan, innate ninth-level Soul Power, a special Mutated Martial Soul called Pokeball, and..."
Her gaze fell on the Pokeball.
"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast who has been forcibly bound and cannot be killed by conventional means."
A rare note of appreciation entered Bibi Dong's voice.
"Would you be willing to become my second disciple? From now on, you won't need to attend Martial Soul Academy. I'll provide you with the best cultivation resources and do everything I can to bring out your potential."
Hearing Bibi Dong's words,
Ye Xuan marveled inwardly.
She had already put it so plainly.
If he refused now, he'd be rejecting a kindness.
He lifted his head.
Meeting Bibi Dong's scrutinizing gaze,
he went down on one knee.
His voice was clear and resolute.
"Your disciple Ye Xuan pays his respects to you, Teacher."
Bibi Dong's lips slowly curved into a satisfied smile.
"Very good."
She raised a hand gently.
A soft force lifted Ye Xuan to his feet.
"From today onward, you are my second disciple, Bibi Dong's."
She looked at Xiao Wu standing behind Ye Xuan.
A profound glint flashed in her eyes.
"As for this little one behind you... take good care of her."
"She will be your greatest ally in the future."
"Yes, Teacher."
Ye Xuan lowered his head and replied.
Xiao Wu's eyes were especially conflicted.
But she knew the truth in her heart.
Neither she,
nor the human child who had taken her as a Soul Ring through a twist of fate,
had any right to choose.
Before long,
Bibi Dong carried Ye Xuan across the mist-wreathed lake, a little over a hundred meters wide.
Perhaps because Lake Heart Island was surrounded by water,
Ye Xuan, who had just followed Bibi Dong onto the island,
could feel that the temperature here was a little lower than outside.
And
flowers and rare plants could be found everywhere.
The life energy here was richer than in the outside world.
Before long, a voice that was gentle yet clear rang out.
"Teacher."
The person who arrived was a young woman.
She looked to be around seventeen or eighteen.
She had a slender figure and exquisite features.
Her eyes shimmered with a natural charm.
But at that moment, her gaze was respectful and composed.
Her chestnut hair was simply tied back.
She wore a practical Spirit Hall uniform.
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod.
"Nana, this is Ye Xuan. From today onward, he is your junior brother, and he'll be cultivating here as well."
Hearing her teacher's words,
Hu Liena was quite surprised.
Soon,
her gaze settled on Ye Xuan.
There was a hint of scrutiny in it,
but more than anything, curiosity.
Although she didn't know why her teacher would take a male disciple, her teacher surely had her reasons.
Bibi Dong turned to him, her tone mild but leaving no room for argument.
"Ye Xuan,"
"This is Lake Heart Island, where you'll cultivate from now on. There aren't many rules here, but you must remember a few: don't leave the island without permission, don't enter my quarters without permission, and... keep the peace here."
She paused briefly.
"Let Nana explain the rest. I have some matters to attend to."
With that, Bibi Dong hurried away, as though she had sensed something.
After Bibi Dong left,
the air fell silent for a moment.
In the end,
Hu Liena was the first to break the silence.
A faint smile appeared on her somewhat aloof face.
"Welcome to Lake Heart Island, Junior Brother Ye Xuan. Actually, this is the first time I've seen Teacher bring someone here herself."
"Come with me. I'll show you where you'll be staying, then tell you some of the rules here."
She walked along as she explained.
Her voice was gentle.
"Basically, the rules are the ones Teacher just mentioned. The eastern part of the island is where we live and train day to day. The western part is the Martial Soul Mimicry Training Ground. The woods to the north are where Teacher meditates in seclusion, so never go near them. The south..."
She pointed toward the broad stretch of water they had crossed on their way in.
"...is our boundary."
She led Ye Xuan to several exquisite wooden cabins built among the trees.
"This empty cabin will be yours. Mine is next door. Supplies will be delivered regularly, so all we need to do is focus on cultivation. We don't need to worry about anything else."
After finishing the tour,
Hu Liena sat down on a stone stool in front of the cabin.
She looked at Ye Xuan with interest.
"My name is Hu Liena. My Martial Soul is the Demon Fox, and I'm a thirty-first-level Control-Type Battle Spirit Master."
"All right, Junior Brother. Now it's your turn to introduce yourself. Teacher only told me your name. I still don't know what your Martial Soul is."
Hu Liena looked at the young boy standing in front of her, brimming with curiosity.
"Senior Sister, my name is Ye Xuan, and my Martial Soul is the Pokeball."
A confused look came over Hu Liena's face at Ye Xuan's introduction.
It was clear
that she was trying to figure out what exactly a Pokeball was.
"What kind of abilities does it have?"
She pressed, leaning forward without realizing it.
Ye Xuan didn't hide anything. He directly explained the Pokeball Martial Soul's basic functions.
"My Soul Ring absorption is different from that of ordinary Soul Masters. My Pokeball Martial Soul can capture Soul Beasts. I only need to badly injure a Soul Beast of a suitable age, then use my Martial Soul to take it in."
"When I need to fight, I can summon them to help me, or... share some of their power and traits."
Ye Xuan kept his explanation brief.
But he had made the main points clear.
Hu Liena grew even more curious after hearing him.
It could capture Soul Beasts directly?
What an unusual Martial Soul.
Most importantly, he could release the Soul Beasts to help him fight whenever he needed!
"Have you captured any Soul Beasts yet? Could you show me?"
Her voice held a touch of curiosity and entreaty.
Ye Xuan looked into her eager, curious eyes.
He hesitated for a moment,
but didn't refuse.
Soul Power surged in his palm, gradually condensing into a red-and-white Pokeball.
As a soft glow spilled out,
Xiao Wu's figure soon took shape before them.
A petite girl in a pink outfit appeared, her scorpion braid hanging down to her ankles.
It was Xiao Wu.
However,
perhaps because of what she had just endured,
she was completely different from how she had been before.
Although the Pokeball could greatly ease her anxiety and mental distress,
the terror Bibi Dong had instilled in Xiao Wu was carved into her bones.
Her usually lively, pink eyes were filled with fear and unease.
Her long rabbit ears were pressed tight against the back of her head.
They trembled faintly.
The moment she appeared,
she almost instantly darted behind Ye Xuan.
Her little hands clutched his clothes tightly.
Her knuckles turned white.
Her gaze darted around, warily scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.
Especially when she saw Hu Liena,
her body stiffened visibly.
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