A Soul Vow!

"Wait... you agreed that quickly? I hadn't even finished speaking yet!"

Bi Ji couldn't help but retort, her tone carrying a mix of helplessness and amusement.

Xiao Wu, standing to the side, laughed until she swayed, teasing:

"Oh, Sister Bi Ji, you don't realize just how desperate little Lingling is to change her fate."

"The conditions you just mentioned are like a pie falling from the sky for her. Forget a soul vow; if you asked her to walk through fire or climb a mountain of blades, she probably wouldn't even frown!"

A Yin also covered her lips and chuckled gently:

"Indeed. The curse of the Nine Heart Begonia has tormented her for too long. Now that she has finally caught a glimpse of dawn, she naturally wouldn't let it slip away."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly, saying indifferently:

"To remain clear-headed in the face of such immense temptation and proactively ask for the cost, this girl's temperament is truly commendable."

"Since you have agreed, then take the vow."

Hearing Gu Yuena's words, Ye Lingling took a deep breath.

She turned her head, her gaze passing over the others to lock firmly onto Ling Xuqing.

This boy, only six years old yet as dazzling as a god, was the only light in her life.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Lingling walked slowly to Ling Xuqing, bent her knees, and knelt heavily.

She folded her hands before her forehead, performing the oldest and most solemn kowtow ritual of the Douluo Continent.

"I, Ye Lingling, take this vow today with my soul!"

"In this life and this world, I shall have no second thoughts and will be forever loyal to the Young Master! The Young Master is my only faith, my supreme god!"

"Should I break this vow, may my soul be extinguished and may I fall into the abyss forever!"

The moment her words fell, an invisible force of the laws of heaven and earth descended quietly.

A faint yet pure pink light drifted from the center of Ye Lingling's brow, transforming into a begonia flower mark that merged into Ling Xuqing's body.

This was a soul contract. Once formed, unless Ling Xuqing voluntarily released it, Ye Lingling could never betray him for all eternity.

Ling Xuqing felt the begonia mark within his body, and a gentle smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

He reached out, and a gentle force of the Golden Dragon King's origin lifted Ye Lingling up.

"Rise. Since you are now mine, I naturally will not let you down."

Ye Lingling stood up, her eyes slightly red, and nodded heavily.

"Alright, since the vow is made, let's get started immediately!" Bi Ji clapped her hands, her expression turning serious. "Lingling, sit cross-legged first and prepare to refine the immortal herbs."

Ye Lingling took a deep breath to calm her excitement and walked to the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, sitting down cross-legged obediently.

Bi Ji walked behind her and pressed her hands against her back.

A warm, vast emerald-colored life soul power flowed slowly into Ye Lingling's body along her meridians.

"The medicinal properties of the Tulip of Romance and the Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid are extremely overbearing. Use the immortal herbs to cleanse your marrow and cut your meridians first; I will use my origin power to protect your heart and guide the medicinal strength," Bi Ji said softly.

Immediately after, Gu Yuena also stepped forward.

She raised her jade-like hand, and a frigid ice element intertwined with an intense fire element, forming a perfect constant-temperature barrier that enveloped Ye Lingling.

"Xiao Wu, A Yin, you two stand guard on the side."

Ling Xuqing commanded.

"Don't worry!" Xiao Wu and A Yin replied in unison.

Everything was ready. Ling Xuqing moved his mind, and a cluster of crimson Ultimate Fire rose in his palm.

He took a Tulip of Romance and an Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid from the jade box brought back by Zi Ji. Under the refinement of the Ultimate Fire, the two immortal herbs transformed into a dense medicinal liquid, a blend of seven colors and pure white.

"Swallow it." Ling Xuqing brought the liquid to Ye Lingling's lips.

Ye Lingling opened her mouth and swallowed it without hesitation.

"Boom--!"

Two massive and violent medicinal forces exploded instantly within her body.

The sun and moon essence of the Tulip of Romance turned into countless tiny specks of light, frantically scouring her limbs and bones, purifying her soul power; while the marrow-cleansing and meridian-cutting power of the Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid turned into a warm current, forcing out the impurities and hidden injuries accumulated in her body over the years.

"Ah..."

Ye Lingling couldn't help but let out a painful muffled groan. Her body trembled violently, and a layer of black, foul-smelling sweat seeped out from her skin.

"Hold onto your heart and mind! Do not resist!"

Bi Ji shouted sharply. The origin power of the Emerald Swan erupted fully, forming a thick green light shield that firmly protected Ye Lingling's heart, while simultaneously guiding the two violent medicinal forces to converge toward her martial soul, the Nine Heart Begonia.

Under Bi Ji's guidance, the medicinal power of the immortal herbs resonated miraculously with the Nine Heart Begonia.

The originally pink-white petals, after absorbing the essence of the immortal herbs, actually began to transform slowly. The edges of the petals were stained with a faint emerald color, and an extremely pure life aura emanated from her body.

"Good, the medicinal power of the immortal herbs has been absorbed. Next, it is time for the Whale Glue body refinement!"

Ling Xuqing did not pause for a moment; he immediately refined a piece of thousand-year Whale Glue and sent it into Ye Lingling's mouth.

The medicinal power of the thousand-year Whale Glue was even more violent than the immortal herbs. It was like a rampaging beast, rushing wildly through Ye Lingling's meridians.

"Ugh, ah--" Ye Lingling's face turned deathly pale in an instant, her forehead covered in beads of sweat, her body curled into a ball from the extreme pain.

"Hold on!"

Ling Xuqing pressed his palms against her back, and the Yang-attribute power of the Golden Dragon King's origin surged into her body domineeringly, like a stern blacksmith, forcibly pressing the violent Whale Glue medicinal power into her bones and muscles.

Gu Yuena's ice element continuously nourished her meridians, which were on the verge of bursting. One cold and one hot, one rigid and one soft—under the perfect coordination of Ling Xuqing and Gu Yuena, Ye Lingling's physical body was being reshaped and strengthened at a terrifying speed.

One piece, two pieces, three pieces...

A full five pieces of thousand-year Whale Glue were absorbed by Ye Lingling. Her body now shimmered with a faint golden light, her originally slender figure becoming more balanced, and her skin as crystal clear as mutton-fat jade.

"The final step, fuse with my origin power!"

Bi Ji took a deep breath and slammed her hands onto the top of Ye Lingling's head.

A brilliant, intense emerald-green light surged from Bi Ji's body—this was the ultimate life origin belonging to a 580,000-year-old Emerald Swan!

This origin power poured in through Ye Lingling's Baihui acupoint, perfectly fusing with the Nine Heart Begonia that had just absorbed the power of the immortal herbs and Whale Glue.

"Hum--!"

Accompanied by a crisp hum, a phantom of a Nine Heart Begonia, radiating a rich life aura with emerald-colored petals, bloomed slowly behind Ye Lingling.

At the same time, a powerful aura soared into the sky from her body!

Level 24!

Level 25!

Level 26!

Level 29!

Level 30!

The aura stopped steadily at the barrier of a level 30 Soul Grandmaster!

"Boom--!"

As her soul power broke through level 30, the golden and emerald lights around Ye Lingling intertwined, turning into a gorgeous rain of light that slowly dissipated.

She opened her eyes slowly. Those beautiful eyes, which had been cold and hollow, now shimmered with a warm, living luster.

"I did it... Yan Yan, I did it too!"

Ye Lingling stood up abruptly, looking at Dugu Yan not far away, who was equally excited for her, and tears streamed down her face.

"Lingling!" Dugu Yan rushed forward in a flash and pulled her into a tight embrace!

"That's great, that's great! Your martial soul... your martial soul really evolved!"

Feeling the extreme life aura on her best friend, Dugu Yan's heart was filled with endless relief and joy.

Bi Ji looked at Ye Lingling, nodded with satisfaction, and smiled: "Not bad. After absorbing the immortal herbs, Whale Glue, and the origin power, your Nine Heart Begonia has successfully evolved into the Emerald Nine Heart Begonia."

"Now, you not only possess the ability to purify and regenerate, but your physical body and base attributes have also reached a brand-new height."

She paused, a hint of expectation flashing in her eyes:

"Next, as long as you go and absorb a soul ring, you can become a true Soul Grandmaster."

"Moreover, with your current foundation, after absorbing the soul ring, your strength might even rise another notch!"