Dugu Yan Again

(Thanks to the reader 20230120359407 for the monthly ticket. I'll see if I can push out an extra chapter this weekend. Thanks!)

Several minutes passed.

Hu Liena leaned into Lin Huai's embrace, catching her breath.

Lin Huai, meanwhile, touched his slightly red lips, his mind racing. This won't do. If more people join us later, just kissing each one will take nearly an hour a day. When will I have time to cultivate?

No!

I must work harder. Once I become the strongest in this world, I won't have to worry about intimate moments wasting time.

Seeing Lin Huai break into a silly grin, Hu Liena brushed his cheek.

Feeling a warm touch on his face, Lin Huai snapped back to reality.

"Let's go see if Elder Dugu is back. I also need to visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."

With that, he and Hu Liena left and arrived at Dugu Bo's mansion.

Seeing the attendant at the door, Lin Huai spoke:

"Inform your master that the Martial Soul Hall has come to pay a visit."

After the attendant went inside to deliver the message, a moment later, a beautiful woman with short purple hair emerged.

Although her martial soul was no longer the Jade Phosphor Snake, the exotic aura she exuded was even more pronounced.

Her light purple eyes, her alluring figure, and her appearance had all become more exquisite.

"You... are Little Huai?"

Seeing that Dugu Yan recognized him, Lin Huai grinned and said:

"It's me, Sister Yan. Long time no see!"

He opened his arms and gave her a gentle hug.

Dugu Yan was now an eighteen-year-old young woman. As Lin Huai held her, even though it was only for a moment, she felt the warmth of his embrace.

Her pretty face flushed slightly, and she stammered:

"Why... why are you in Tiandou City?"

Lin Huai was a bit puzzled. Wasn't the Dugu Yan he knew before quite outgoing and feisty?

Why was she so shy now?

Hu Liena smiled knowingly at the scene and greeted Dugu Yan first.

"My name is Hu Liena. I should be about two months older than you. I'll call you Yanzi from now on, okay?"

"If you don't mind, you can call me Nana, or Sister Na."

Dugu Yan noticed Hu Liena, a beauty.

Her black hair was naturally enchanting.

While not immediately stunning at first glance, the more she looked, the more captivating she found her. Even as a woman, her heart skipped a beat.

"Of course, Sister Na."

Seeing that the two women had introduced themselves, Lin Huai asked:

"Sister Yan, has Elder Dugu returned?"

Dugu Yan calculated the days and replied:

"Not yet. Grandpa should be back in a few days."

She then moved aside, gesturing for them to come in.

"You two come in first. I happen to have a friend I'd like you to meet."

Lin Huai and Hu Liena knew it was likely Ye Lingling.

Nevertheless, they followed Dugu Yan inside.

Passing through several doors, they arrived in the courtyard of the mansion.

A young woman in black, her face covered by a black veil, sat by a stone table.

She had waterfall-like blue hair and eyes the same color as her hair, exuding an aura of loneliness and distance.

Dugu Yan walked up and hugged Ye Lingling's arm, pointing at Lin Huai and Hu Liena.

"Lingling, why are you wearing the veil again?"

"Let me introduce these two. This young man on the left is the Holy Son of the Martial Soul Hall—Lin Huai. His combat power is very strong!"

"The beauty next to him is named Hu Liena. She's a little older than me."

Dugu Yan looked toward Lin Huai and his companion again, her hands supporting Ye Lingling.

"This is the good sister I mentioned before, Ye Lingling."

Ye Lingling had not expected that this handsome youth was actually the Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall.

The Heaven Dou Imperial City had long been filled with legends of the Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall.

At the age of seven, he had forced the previous Heaven Dou Emperor to yield, even extracting a national treasure before the Holy Son's anger was appeased.

Ye Lingling bowed slightly, her head lowered as she offered a salute, her voice cool and detached.

"Ye Lingling greets His Highness the Holy Son."

Lin Huai waved his hand, walking closer with Hu Liena before taking a seat.

"There is no need for such formalities. Since you are Sister Yan's friend, you are our friend as well."

Dugu Yan thought of how her own martial soul had evolved through the consumption of an Immortal Herb, while her dear friend remained trapped by the curse of the Nine Heart Begonia.

She looked at Lin Huai, attempting to solicit his help.

"Xiao Huai, you should know about the curse of the Nine Heart Begonia family, right?"

Upon hearing this, a look of sorrow appeared on Ye Lingling's indifferent face.

Lin Huai knew that Dugu Yan wanted him to help Ye Lingling, but he remained silent, merely observing the two women.

Dugu Yan continued:

"Do you know if there is any way you could help Lingling?"

Lin Huai was quite satisfied.

Dugu Yan had not directly blurted out the words "Immortal Herb," which showed she still understood the gravity of the situation.

Recalling the effects of the Immortal Herbs he already possessed, Lin Huai could not find any that had a relevant effect.

Under Ye Lingling's slightly expectant gaze, Lin Huai shook his head.

In an instant, Ye Lingling's eyes were filled with a sense of shattered hope.

"However, if the Nine Heart Begonia family is willing to join Martial Soul Hall, I can have Chrysanthemum Douluo search for a solution."

Noticing the doubt in Ye Lingling's eyes, Lin Huai affirmed:

"In this world, aside from the gods, I fear that only Chrysanthemum Douluo could find a way to break the curse of the Nine Heart Begonia."

Dugu Yan also recalled that the flaws in her own martial soul had been resolved by Chrysanthemum Douluo finding the corresponding Immortal Herb, which had not only fixed the defect but allowed her martial soul to evolve.

She looked to her side with anticipation, gripping Ye Lingling's slightly cold hand.

"It is indeed true; the mutation of my martial soul was actually helped by Chrysanthemum Douluo."

"Lingling, I hope you can join Martial Soul Hall. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, it is better than doing nothing at all."

Seeing her best friend genuinely planning for her sake, Ye Lingling felt conflicted.

She recalled her mother, who had passed away years ago. To ensure she could awaken the Nine Heart Begonia, her mother had never undergone a martial soul awakening herself, leading to a weakened body after giving birth to her, eventually passing away when Ye Lingling was thirteen.

This was the best method the Nine Heart Begonia family had found.

By performing the awakening every other generation, they could ensure there was no shortage of top-tier healing soul masters while allowing their loved ones to live a few years longer.

Ye Lingling's gaze turned firm as she looked at Lin Huai and said:

"I will try to persuade my grandfather!"

With that, Ye Lingling rose and left the Dugu Manor.

Dugu Yan watched the gate, her face etched with worry.

"Xiao Huai, will Elder Chrysanthemum really have a way to solve this?"

Lin Huai looked at the worried Dugu Yan, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Even if Elder Chrysanthemum cannot solve it, we still have Sister Xiao Xue. She is destined to become a god."

Dugu Yan was instantly relieved.

She naturally knew who the "Sister Xiao Xue" in Lin Huai's words was, even though they had never met.

If Lin Huai knew her inner thoughts, He would surely say that they had actually met long ago, and many times at that.

Lin Huai roughly calculated the time.

He then turned to Dugu Yan and asked:

"Sister Yan, does your Imperial Dou Team have any plans right now?"

Dugu Yan recalled what Qin Ming had said not long ago about preparing to challenge the Great Soul Arenas across the land.

She looked at Lin Huai and said slowly:

"We do. In a little over ten days, we will leave Tiandou City, challenging the soul arenas along the way, and finally stop at Suotuo City."

"Suotuo City?"

"We just came from there."

Hu Liena saw Dugu Yan mention Suotuo City, so she recounted everything they had encountered there.

Upon hearing that Shrek had actually ruined so many geniuses, Dugu Yan's tone turned somewhat indignant.

"This Shrek is truly detestable."

Lin Huai smiled meaningfully and said:

"Qin Ming is a graduate of Shrek."