Heart-to-Heart Under the Moon

After all, the Berserk Team's advantage lay in Berserk.

Their members could fight without feeling pain, with all attributes increased by fifteen percent.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Fighting Team had Ye Lingling, a Healing System Spirit Master.

No matter how severely Yu Tianheng and the others were injured, Ye Lingling could heal them—even broken bones.

One side fought without pain, while the other could not be beaten to death.

So, which side would come out on top?

The answer was obviously the side that could not be beaten to death.

Yu Tianheng, Yu Feng, Osler, and even Shi Mo, whom Spider Woman occasionally tried to rush in and attack, were injured time and again, only to be healed by Ye Lingling and thrown back into the fight.

As the stalemate dragged on, just as Lin Hao had expected, the Imperial Fighting Team ultimately claimed victory. The Berserk Team's seven members lay sprawled on the ground in exhaustion.

Yes, their bodies were covered in bruises as they finally collapsed to the ground, completely drained.

"I announce... tonight's victors are... the Imperial Fighting Team."

A wave of thunderous cheers erupted from the stands.

"Congratulations to the Imperial Fighting Team on achieving five consecutive victories."

Ye Lingling, who stood closest to Lin Hao, said, "We won."

Lin Hao said, "I mooched off another win!"

After five consecutive matches, Lin Hao had never once made a move. He had won while lying down, easily earning more than a thousand Gold Soul Coins.

A thousand Gold Soul Coins was no small sum—enough for an ordinary family of four to live in financial freedom for the rest of their lives.

Ye Lingling's tone was remarkably calm, as if what had happened had nothing to do with her. "Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken?"

(PS: The original novel never explained how the Imperial Fighting Team defeated the formidable Berserk Team. This chapter briefly summarizes it and fills in a plot point absent from the original. Please do not criticize it if you dislike it. Thank you for being merciful with your words. This little brother bows in thanks.)

A bright moon hung high in the sky over the Rose Hotel.

While Lin Hao was admiring the night view in the plaza before the Rose Hotel, he noticed a graceful figure on the roof—Ye Lingling.

Lin Hao hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the hotel wall. He sprang from several protrusions, climbing onto the roof in the span of three breaths.

When he reached Ye Lingling's side, she continued gazing into the distance at Suotuo City's nightscape as though she had not noticed him.

Lin Hao sat down beside Ye Lingling and turned to glance at her. Her expression was as calm and cold as ever. "Something on your mind?"

Ye Lingling seemed to hear him, but she did not respond.

"If your grandfather were still alive, he definitely would not want to see you looking so miserable." As Lin Hao's words fell, he clearly noticed the flesh on Ye Lingling's face twitch.

"Your grandfather was already advanced in years. Even if he had not died for you, he would not have lived much longer. Lingling, have you ever heard a poem?"

"What poem?"

"Fallen petals are not heartless things; turned to spring mud, they protect the flowers still."

"What does that mean?" Ye Lingling asked.

"It means that although your grandfather died, he did not truly die. He placed great hopes upon you and wished for you to lead the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan to glory."

"The Nine-Heart Begonia is a curse." Ye Lingling lowered her head.

Calling the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul a curse was not wrong.

At any given time on a single planet, there could only be two Spirit Masters with the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul.

Only when one of them died could someone from the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan possibly awaken the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul.

For Ye Lingling to have a chance to awaken the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul, her grandfather had given her medicinal baths and tempered her body from the day she was born. When she turned six, her grandfather chose to end his own life early.

It was said that despite his advanced age, her grandfather could originally have lived for at least another five years.

Everything had been for Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling had learned of this as well, and from then on, she had constantly rejected her own Martial Soul.

She possessed Rank Nine Innate Soul Power, yet she was at the bottom of the Imperial Fighting Team.

Why?

The problem was that she rejected her Martial Soul and refused to cultivate.

Yet even after neglecting cultivation, she was still a level thirty-five Soul Elder and a Heaven Dou-level student at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"It is a curse, but it is also a blessing."

"A blessing?" Ye Lingling did not feel that her Martial Soul had anything to do with the word "blessing."

"A blessing from your grandfather."

"My grandfather?"

"Yes. Your grandfather did indeed die because of this. You only saw his death, blinded by a single leaf, but failed to see the blessing he left for you. Lingling, this is a world of Spirit Masters. Once you become a Spirit Master, you can eat people—cough, I mean, become someone above others."

Lin Hao coughed softly, then continued guiding Ye Lingling.

"Lingling, only by becoming a Spirit Master can you live without worries over food and clothing on Douluo Continent."

"Your Martial Soul is the Nine-Heart Begonia."

"Even prominent clans and noble families will be injured or fall ill someday. There will always be times when they need you."

"Not only will you never lack food or clothing, you can also use this to command Spirit Masters throughout the Spirit Master world to fight for you. When people with ill intentions try to harm you, they will have to weigh the consequences. They must consider the cost of committing crimes and causing trouble!"

"You only see that your grandfather died for you."

"But I see the mark your grandfather left upon you. He is blessing you. With the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul, you will not only live without worries for the rest of your life, but no one will dare provoke you. Even His Majesty will treat you with respect!"

Lin Hao analyzed it all for Ye Lingling in detail.

Ye Lingling was stunned. She had never considered such things before.

All this time, because of her grandfather's death, she had deeply rejected her Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul.

She had never imagined—never in her wildest dreams—that this was her grandfather's blessing for her.

Ye Lingling parted her lips. "Grandfather..."

Lin Hao nodded. "Yes. Lingling, pull yourself together. Do not let down your grandfather's blessing. Do not let his sacrifice become meaningless. Remember this: some people may be alive, yet they are already dead; some people may be dead, yet they live forever. Your grandfather is still alive. He is in your Martial Soul, and... in your heart!"

As he spoke, Lin Hao reached out and, forgetting himself, touched Ye Lingling's chest over her heart.

Ye Lingling lowered her head and looked at Lin Hao's index finger pressed against her chest. "Grandfather is in my heart!"

"Mhm!" Lin Hao tapped twice with his finger before casually withdrawing his hand. "Yes, in your heart!"

Light bloomed in Ye Lingling's eyes, and her gaze became incomparably resolute. "Lin Hao, I know what I should do now! From now on, I will cultivate properly. I will live up to Grandfather's sacrifice!"

As she spoke, Ye Lingling cupped her hands loosely before her. A Nine-Heart Begonia appeared in her palms. Gazing at it, she seemed to see an elderly figure smiling gently at her.

The two sat quietly.

After a while, Ye Lingling said, "Lin Hao, thank you!"

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Thank you for untangling the knot in my heart. Tell me, how should I repay you?"

"We're teammates. There's no need to be so polite. But..."

"But what?"

"But..." Lin Hao turned his head and stared at the veil over Ye Lingling's face. "Even now, I still do not know what you really look like. If you truly want to repay me, then take off... your veil!"

As he spoke, Lin Hao reached out and took the initiative to remove Ye Lingling's veil.

Ye Lingling frowned slightly and slapped Lin Hao's hand away. Her face flushed faintly as she said in displeasure, "Pervert!"