The Most Ill-Fated Protagonist

"Hmm?"

Her already flushed cheeks suddenly grew even hotter. Ye Lingling did not know why, but her delicate body trembled with nervousness.

"What I meant was, Senior Lingling, to express my apologies, I will definitely find a way for you to break the curse of the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul."

Realizing she had misspoken, Wang Dong'er immediately tried to remedy the situation.

Her expression was resolute and her tone earnest, coming entirely from the bottom of her heart.

Ye Lingling's mind went blank, and she froze for a moment.

The fact that Wang Dong'er wanted to help her find a way to resolve the martial soul curse was something she had never expected.

Unknowingly, a warmth rose in her heart. The significance of this statement far exceeded that of the immortal medicinal herb that had enhanced her innate talent.

"I should be the one apologizing."

After a dozen seconds, Ye Lingling finally spoke. She still kept her head lowered, too shy to meet her gaze, her voice very soft.

"I know you didn't mean it, and you didn't know my secret either. I shouldn't have gotten angry... I'm sorry."

"As for the martial soul curse, I don't need you to do that for me. It's too difficult. Our Ye Family has been unable to break it for over a dozen generations; I cannot let you be delayed because of me."

"Wang Dong'er, if you ever need me, I will always be behind you... providing support."

The curse of the Ye Family's Nine Heart Begonia was too cruel. In any single generation, there could only be two holders of the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul...

If the Nine Heart Begonia were an evil martial soul, then there would be nothing to say.

But the Nine Heart Begonia was a support-type martial soul, possessing only the healing soul skill. To be a top-tier support by nature yet cursed in such a way was simply unfair.

Breaking the curse was simple: as long as one became a god, it could certainly be done.

Secretly making up her mind, Wang Dong'er couldn't help but think that if there were more holders of the Nine Heart Begonia, the number of people dying in the mouths of soul beasts or in wars would surely decrease significantly.

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Wang Dong'er left Ye Lingling's room.

Dugu Yan was standing outside the door; it seemed she had been eavesdropping the entire time.

"Senior, why haven't you rested yet?"

Wang Dong'er asked.

"I... I was just worried about you two," Dugu Yan said with a laugh. "Since the misunderstanding between you two is resolved, I can rest easy."

"Ha!"

Yawning, Dugu Yan waved her hand and returned to her own room.

"It's getting late, so I'm going to sleep. Dong'er, don't stay up too late."

"Mm."

Wang Dong'er nodded.

Returning to her room, she changed into her pajamas and washed up briefly.

After extinguishing the oil lamp, she pulled back the covers and lay on the bed, her willow-leaf brows suddenly knitting together.

Strange, why was the bed so warm?

It felt as if someone had been lying there, or as if it had been deliberately warmed up.

Forget it, she should just get some rest.

There was no one else's aura in the room, so Wang Dong'er didn't pay much attention to it, assuming it was just the heat of the day and the sun shining through the window at noon.

She closed her eyes, only to suddenly detect slight movement within the blankets.

"Xiao Wu... sister, why are you here?"

Wang Dong'er was stunned for a moment, lowering her voice to ask.

"Eh? How did you guess it was me?"

A puzzled voice rang out, and Xiao Wu's head popped out from the edge of the blanket, looking at her with a grin.

"I just felt... it was you," Wang Dong'er said. "Sister Xiao Wu, stop messing around. We have to leave early tomorrow morning, so we should get some proper rest."

"Alright, let's get some rest then."

Agreeing in words, Xiao Wu shifted to the side to make room for Wang Dong'er, then gently patted the pillow.

"Wasn't this how we were back at Notting Academy? What, it's only been a month and you're already tired of me? Or is it that Dugu Yan is coming to find you later, and I'm getting in the way of you two?"

Xiao Wu pouted, blinking her eyes with a look of grievance.

Wang Dong'er quickly explained, "It's not like that... at Notting Academy, we pushed our beds together."

"It's about the same. Hurry and lie down. I haven't been able to sleep soundly these past few days while you were gone."

Xiao Wu urged her. Wang Dong'er hesitated for a moment, but finally let out a soft sigh, lay down on her side, and carefully maintained a bit of distance.

Xiao Wu, however, reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve, whispering, "Don't stay so far away, I can't even feel your aura. It's not like it used to be at all."

Unable to refuse her, Wang Dong'er had no choice but to move a little closer. She could clearly hear Xiao Wu's steady breathing, and though she felt inexplicably nervous at first, she soon began to relax.

Not long after, Xiao Wu fell asleep.

Wang Dong'er also began to feel drowsy, her consciousness gradually blurring.

In her haze, her lips moved slightly as she whispered, "Mom, goodnight..."

Before the words had even faded, a faint sound rang out. Wang Dong'er's beautiful eyes widened, and she tilted her head slightly to look, only to find an enchanting snake-like shadow appearing by the bedside at some unknown moment.

A soul master's eyesight was exceptionally keen, and Wang Dong'er could clearly see Dugu Yan's face, which was flushed with a mix of shock and excitement.

"Senior Dugu, how... how did you get in? When did you arrive?"

Wang Dong'er asked in a hushed voice. Beside her, Xiao Wu shifted slightly, causing Wang Dong'er's heart to skip a beat. Seeing that she hadn't been woken up, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

"I've been here for a while, almost right after you. I came in through the window, just like you."

While answering Wang Dong'er's question, Dugu Yan lay down beside her. Because her martial soul was manifested, turning her into a snake-woman, her movements were almost completely silent.

She'd been here for a while!?

Wang Dong'er felt her heart turn cold.

Her attention had been entirely on Xiao Wu, which was why she hadn't noticed Dugu Yan's arrival; otherwise, she would have surely detected her immediately.

"Dong'er, I heard that 'sleep talk' of yours loud and clear. You wouldn't want this little rabbit to find out what you just said, would you?"

"Senior, what are you trying to do?"

Wang Dong'er's small face turned deathly pale.

The Dugu Yan before her was no longer a mature senior, but a devil wandering the mortal realm—truly terrifying.

Wang Dong'er would have preferred that those words had been heard by an evil soul master.

A sleepless night passed.

The next morning.

When Xiao Wu woke up and saw the heavy dark circles under Wang Dong'er's eyes, she was genuinely startled.

"Dong'er, did you... did you not sleep all night?"

"Uh... pretty much."

Her head feeling heavy and muddled, Wang Dong'er replied in a hoarse voice.

"Is it because of me? It's all my fault. If I had known... sigh, I'm sorry. If I had known it would affect you this much, I wouldn't have come."

Xiao Wu's tone was filled with self-reproach.

"Xiao Wu... sister, this isn't your fault."

Wang Dong'er shook her head and sighed.

If anyone was to blame, it was her own miserable luck.

"Sister Xiao Wu, I'm a little hungry. Could you go buy me something to eat?"

"Alright, I'll go right now. You lie down and get some rest first."

After helping Wang Dong'er lie back down on the bed, Xiao Wu hurried out of the room.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Wang Dong'er reached out and tapped the mattress lightly: "Senior, Sister Xiao Wu is gone. You... please leave now."

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