Following One's Heart

Xiling nodded. "Of course."

After all, he was only showing his Martial Soul. It was nothing serious.

The next moment, a dark golden gemstone appeared in his right hand.

Buzz—

Faint spatial ripples slowly spread from around him, pure and unfathomable.

Sensing those spatial fluctuations, Leng Yaozhu's beautiful eyes widened abruptly. "A spatial Martial Soul!"

Among the upper three elements of the Martial Soul elemental system, the spatial element stood at the top. Its power needed no explanation; it was a domain only Limit Douluos could touch.

Judging from the spatial fluctuations emitted by the Martial Soul, this Martial Soul called the Void Core was of an extremely high grade, likely having reached the level of Ultimate Space.

If properly nurtured, he would become at least a Quasi-God powerhouse in the future!

In that instant, Leng Yaozhu considered many things. Although the Leng Family was one of the core families of the Spirit Pagoda, it had become severely understaffed in recent years. She alone had been holding it together, while her younger sister, Leng Yulai, had vanished without a trace.

The boy's talent immediately made her want to take him as a disciple. She promptly asked, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Hearing that, Xiling was slightly taken aback. His clear azure eyes blinked softly as he replied in an open, straightforward tone, "What benefits would I get from becoming your disciple?"

That plain and direct question left the dignified Leng Yaozhu speechless for a moment, and she fell silent on the spot.

An opportunity others could only dream of obtaining after fighting tooth and nail was instead being weighed for its gains and losses by the boy before her.

She was the Sky Phoenix Douluo! The vice tower master of the Spirit Pagoda! Becoming her disciple was itself the dream of countless geniuses across the continent.

After a moment, Leng Yaozhu came back to her senses. Somewhat surprised, she calmly asked in return, "Then what benefits do you think you should receive from joining me?"

"Money, of course. Lots of money," Xiling answered without hesitation.

He could not help it. He had been terrified of poverty in his previous life, so he had to carefully calculate everything he did. Ninety-nine percent of life's suffering was caused by having no money.

His utterly serious response completely threw Leng Yaozhu off. "Could it be that you want to become a disciple and cultivate solely for money?"

Xiling raised his little face slightly and replied with perfect confidence, "That's right! You only need to spend some money, and you'll gain me, the future strongest person in the world, as your disciple. No matter how you calculate it, you'll make a guaranteed profit!"

Relying on a rich woman was nothing shameful. Nothing embarrassing about it either.

Leng Yaozhu looked at him, both annoyed and amused. Did he even know who he was speaking to?

"You're young, but you sure talk big."

Still, she took a Federation card from her storage Soul Tool. "There are ten million in this card. From now on, I'll transfer another ten million into it every month. Are you satisfied now?"

The entirely black Federation card gleamed faintly. Xiling's azure eyes immediately lit up, and he promptly performed a standard disciple's bow.

"This student, Xiling, greets Teacher."

His movements were crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. The speed with which he changed his attitude made Leng Yaozhu laugh helplessly again.

"All right, get up."

"Teacher will take you to obtain a Soul Spirit."

Hearing that, Xiling's hand, which had just tucked the Federation card into his pocket, paused slightly. "There's no need, Teacher."

"My Martial Soul can condense Soul Rings on its own, so I don't need a Soul Spirit." As his words fell, a Soul Ring interwoven with violet and gold slowly appeared behind him.

Looking at that slowly pulsating Soul Ring, Leng Yaozhu froze, her heart filled with shock.

As far as she knew, Self-Condensed Soul Rings only appeared on transformed soul beasts, or in the legendary Blood Essence Soul Rings.

Yet Xiling clearly belonged to neither category.

Before she could settle her emotions, Xiling spoke again and dropped another bombshell.

"Also, Teacher, my Martial Soul comes with an Innate Domain."

He briefly explained the effects of his domain and the soul skill of his first Soul Ring, concealing the secrets related to Herrscher Transformation and Benares.

There was no need to reveal those trump cards for now, and he was not worried that Leng Yaozhu had any ulterior motives.

"So, Teacher, you definitely won't lose out by taking me as your disciple."

At that moment, Leng Yaozhu was too shocked to speak. Setting everything else aside, that Innate Domain was unbelievably overbearing.

It could even suppress a Limit Douluo! A Limit Douluo! Not just some random nobody.

Was this really an ability that a six-year-old child should possess upon awakening a Martial Soul? She felt as if she had lived her hundred years for nothing.

Once the shock passed, intense delight surged through her heart. She could not resist pinching Xiling's innocent little face.

"It seems Teacher made the right trip today. To think I picked up an unparalleled treasure like you."

Then she sighed again. "But in that case, Soul Spirits are completely useless to you."

"And all I can teach you are a few techniques for wielding the power of space. It makes me seem like a rather cheap teacher."

Rubbing his pinched, reddened cheek, Xiling grinned. "Teacher, there's no need to belittle yourself."

"As your disciple, if I run into trouble in the future and announce your name, even Limit Douluos will probably have to show some caution."

"That alone is the greatest benefit of being your disciple, not to mention the ten million Federation Credits every month."

Leng Yaozhu was instantly amused and lightly tapped his forehead with her fingertip.

"You little rascal, you're so greedy for money at such a young age. If someone offered more than Teacher someday, wouldn't you sell me off?"

Tilting his head, Xiling smiled as if seriously considering it. "That's hard to say. If the price is high enough, I might really sell Teacher."

"You brat, you actually have that kind of thought!"

Leng Yaozhu raised her hand in feigned anger, pretending she was about to punish him, yet she was growing increasingly satisfied with this newly accepted disciple.

Having lived for nearly a century, she had seen plenty of flattery and deliberate fawning. A child like Xiling, with such a pure disposition, who spoke his mind without hiding anything and possessed not a trace of hypocrisy, was truly rare.

Though he was somewhat greedy for money, that frankness was far more likable than those hypocrites who pretended to be lofty and pure.

Leng Yaozhu's hand, suspended in the air, ultimately fell gently and affectionately rubbed Xiling's soft white hair.

"Come. Since you've become my disciple, return to the Spirit Pagoda with me. I'll also be leaving East Sea, and I'll handle your withdrawal from the academy."

Xiling shook his head. "Teacher, I won't return to the Spirit Pagoda with you. I want to remain here for the time being."

Leng Yaozhu looked at Xiling in confusion. "Why? Wouldn't it be better to come back with me? There are the best cultivation resources, and I can personally teach you. Isn't that better than staying here?"

"Of course I know the benefits of going with Teacher, but I still want to remain here for a while first."

"Why?" Leng Yaozhu still did not understand. Where had her clever disciple from just now gone?

Xiling merely smiled. "Teacher, why must there be so many reasons? If I have to give one, it's because I want to stay here."

"It isn't easy to be born into this world. There's no need for a reason behind everything. Do what you want to do; do what you believe should be done; follow your own heart. That is enough."

"Isn't it, Teacher?"

In his previous life, for the sake of his younger siblings and simply to survive, he had compromised in everything and settled at every step. He had lived his entire life for others and had never once followed his own heart.

Now that he had crossed into this life and possessed such advantages, he wanted to live for himself once.

He had indeed become Leng Yaozhu's disciple for money. As for cultivation resources and such, he truly did not care.

Because money, strength, and status were the capital that allowed one to follow one's heart, and now he had all three.

Besides, he truly did not want to go to Shrek City right now, and what he had told Leng Yaozhu had indeed been sincere.