Nine-Heart Begonia

Walking along the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City, Lin Nuo did not wander around. Instead, he headed straight for the city's most luxurious commercial district and unapologetically bought himself several sets of exquisitely tailored clothes.

Money was meant to be spent once it was earned.

Besides, all these expenses could be rightfully charged to the Eastern Palace's crown prince. There was no reason to make things hard on himself.

As the imperial capital, Heaven Dou City was crowded with nobles and dignitaries. "Clothes make the man, saddles make the horse" was the most basic unspoken rule for survival here.

As for those ridiculous routines of deliberately dressing in rags to play the underdog before shocking everyone, Lin Nuo had no interest in them.

After giving himself a complete makeover, Lin Nuo continued down the street. Before he knew it, his steps had stopped before a famous medical clinic.

According to the passersby, the clinic's owner was a highly accomplished healing-type Soul Master. She never charged commoners exorbitant fees for treatment, at most collecting a small sum to cover the cost of medicinal herbs.

In the dog-eat-dog world of Soul Masters, possessing such a benevolent healer's ethics was absolutely an anomaly.

There were even rumors that so long as someone still had a breath left in them, this clinic owner could pull them back from the gates of death.

Hearing these reports, a thought flashed through Lin Nuo's mind.

Could this be a business of the Nine-Heart Begonia Family?

When he had taught Yu Tianheng a lesson at the Soul Fighting Arena before, Lin Nuo had caught sight of a black-robed girl in a veil standing beside Dugu Yan from the corner of his eye.

At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, there was only one female Soul Master who could be close enough to the Poison Douluo's granddaughter while keeping her face covered year-round: Ye Lingling.

In Lin Nuo's initial plans for his future inner circle, an ultimate support Martial Soul like Nine-Heart Begonia, hailed as a miracle among Martial Souls, was someone he had to recruit.

A top-tier healer capable of reviving the dead and restoring flesh to bare bones was rare anywhere on the continent.

As for the curse that allowed the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul to be passed down through only a single bloodline?

If even the flaws of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul could be overcome with Aromatic Silk Beauty, Lin Nuo refused to believe that among the pile of Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, there was not a single medicinal herb capable of resolving the Nine-Heart Begonia curse.

With that thought in mind, Lin Nuo straightened his collar and strode into the clinic.

The clinic stood at one of Heaven Dou City's busiest intersections, with an endless stream of patients seeking treatment outside its doors.

Lin Nuo looked up at the plaque, and the four large characters—Ye Family Medical Clinic—completely confirmed his guess.

As the line slowly moved forward, it finally became Lin Nuo's turn.

Stepping over the threshold, he immediately saw two figures, one older and one younger, seated in the main hall.

"Young friend, where are you feeling unwell?"

The speaker was a mature woman dressed in a simple, elegant white gown.

Her figure was full and graceful, her features delicate and gentle. Her brows carried the compassionate air of a healer dedicated to saving lives. Just one look at her made people feel as though they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Even Lin Nuo, who had lived two lives, could not help a trace of amazement flashing through his eyes when he saw the beautiful woman's face and figure clearly.

However, Lin Nuo quickly shifted his gaze to the petite figure beside her.

She wore black robes, and a head of soft light-blue hair draped over her shoulders.

Although the lower half of her face was concealed behind a layer of black gauze, Lin Nuo could tell from those aloof, icy eyes alone that she was an exceptionally beautiful girl.

While Lin Nuo was observing her, the black-robed girl noticed him as well.

"Classmate Lin Nuo?"

Her cool voice carried a hint of surprise, confirming that she was indeed Ye Lingling.

Hearing her daughter's voice, the beautiful mature woman turned around with curiosity in her eyes and fixed her gaze on Lin Nuo.

After Ye Lingling had returned to the clinic from the academy earlier, she had told her mother every detail of the commotion at the Soul Fighting Arena.

Like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Nine-Heart Begonia Family was a clan centered entirely around support-type Martial Souls. They lacked the ability to protect themselves, so their desire for supreme battle geniuses was no less than Ning Fengzhi's.

Thus, when Ye Qingrou, the current head of the Nine-Heart Begonia Family and Ye Lingling's mother, learned that the academy had produced an unrivaled prodigy with a thousand-year second soul ring, her thoughts immediately began to stir.

She had originally intended to prepare generous gifts and personally visit this child named Lin Nuo in a few days. She had not expected the real person to come knocking on her door today.

"Lingling, so this is the talented classmate you mentioned?"

"If you hadn't told me beforehand, at first glance I would have thought he was a pretty little girl."

Ye Qingrou covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze moving back and forth between Lin Nuo and her daughter as she spoke meaningfully.

"There are many patients here for treatment. You two young people should go chat in the back hall first. Once Mother finishes prescribing these medicines, I'll come over and entertain our young guest."

The blatant matchmaking in those words could not have been more obvious.

That knowing smile made Lin Nuo cry out inwardly, Well, damn.

I'm after your family's Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul, and you're directly after my body?

I'm not even nine yet!

"Mother!"

Hearing the teasing in her mother's words, a blush instantly rose to the ears of the usually aloof and quiet Ye Lingling, and she could not help protesting in embarrassment.

How could her mother be so indiscreet in front of an outsider?

What if Lin Nuo misunderstood? How would they face each other at the academy afterward?

However, Ye Qingrou's arrangement to proactively draw them closer was exactly what Lin Nuo wanted.

Naturally, he had no reason to refuse.

After smiling and nodding to Ye Qingrou, he followed Ye Lingling toward the back hall.

Following Ye Lingling into the clinic's back hall, Lin Nuo caught the faint fragrance of grass and wood drifting through the air.

The furnishings inside were not especially expensive or luxurious, yet they gave him a peaceful, comforting feeling from the bottom of his heart.

Ye Lingling led Lin Nuo to sit by the tea table and skillfully warmed the pot before brewing tea.

After pushing a cup of steaming clear tea in front of Lin Nuo, she quietly withdrew her hands, lowered her eyes, and did not speak again.

Though Nine-Heart Begonia was a miracle among healing-type Martial Souls, it carried a cruel and merciless curse.

At any given time on the entire continent, a third Nine-Heart Begonia Soul Master was absolutely forbidden from appearing.

As long as two inheritors remained alive, no descendant would ever be able to awaken this Martial Soul.

That was what had shaped Ye Lingling into someone quiet and reserved since childhood.

For a moment, the room fell completely silent.

Lin Nuo prided himself on being socially adept. He could laugh and converse freely even with an old fox like Ning Fengzhi, yet now, facing the black-robed girl who silently lowered her head and even deliberately softened her breathing, he found himself at a loss for words, unable to think of an appropriate opening topic.

The two simply sat facing each other, and the atmosphere in the room gradually sank into silence.

Fortunately, the slightly awkward atmosphere did not last long.

As soft footsteps approached, a fair hand lifted the curtain to the back hall.

Ye Qingrou entered carrying a tray of delicate tea snacks.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Classmate Lin Nuo. There were simply a few too many patients outside just now."

Before she even spoke, the still-charming head of the Ye Family smiled. Her warm voice carried a natural friendliness that instantly shattered the stifling air between the two young people.