Swear by the Divine Soul!

"No... You agreed that quickly? I haven't even finished explaining!"

Bi Ji couldn't help teasing her, her tone tinged with helpless amusement.

Xiao Wu laughed so hard she nearly doubled over as she teased:

"Oh, Sister Bi Ji, just look at how badly little Lingling wants to change her fate."

"Those conditions you just mentioned are practically a pie falling from the sky to her. Forget swearing by her divine soul—even if you asked her to climb a mountain of blades and plunge into a sea of flames, she probably wouldn't even furrow her brow!"

Ah Yin covered her lips and chuckled gently as well:

"That's right. The curse of the Nine Heart Begonia has tormented her for far too long. Now that she's finally seen a glimmer of hope, of course she won't let it slip away."

Gu Yuena gave a slight nod and said calmly:

"To remain clearheaded in the face of such immense temptation and ask about the price of her own accord—this girl certainly has a good disposition."

"Since you've agreed, then swear your oath."

At Gu Yuena's words, Ye Lingling drew a deep breath.

She turned around, her gaze sweeping past everyone before fixing firmly on Ling Xuqing.

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

Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Lingling slowly walked up to Ling Xuqing, bent both knees, and dropped heavily to the ground.

She clasped her hands before her forehead and performed the oldest and most solemn kowtow in the Douluo Continent.

"I, Ye Lingling, swear by my divine soul today!"

"For all my life, I will have no other loyalties and will serve the young master forever! The young master is the only faith of I, Ye Lingling, and my supreme god!"

"If I break this oath, may my divine soul be destroyed and my spirit be cast into the abyss for eternity!"

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

A faint yet pure pink light drifted from Ye Lingling's brow, taking the form of a begonia blossom imprint before sinking into Ling Xuqing's body.

This was a divine-soul pact. Once formed, Ye Lingling would never be able to betray him for all eternity unless Ling Xuqing chose to dissolve it.

Feeling the begonia blossom imprint within him, Ling Xuqing's lips curled into a gentle smile.

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

"Get up. Now that you're mine, I won't let you down."

Ye Lingling rose, her eyes reddened, and nodded firmly.

"All right, now that the oath's been sworn, let's get started!" Bi Ji clapped her hands, her expression turning serious. "Lingling, sit cross-legged and get ready to refine the Immortal Herbs."

Ye Lingling took a deep breath to calm her excitement, then walked to the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and sat down obediently, legs crossed.

Bi Ji stepped behind her and pressed both hands against her back.

A warm, boundless emerald life force flowed slowly through Ye Lingling's meridians and into her body.

"The medicinal properties of the Aromatic Silk Beauty and Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid are extremely potent. First, use the Immortal Herbs to cleanse your marrow and meridians. I'll protect your heart meridian with my origin energy and guide the medicinal power," Bi Ji said softly.

Just then, Gu Yuena stepped forward as well.

She raised her jade-like hand. Frigid ice and scorching fire elements intertwined, forming a perfect temperature-controlled barrier that enveloped Ye Lingling.

"Xiao Wu, Ah Yin, stand guard nearby."

Ling Xuqing gave the order.

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

Once everything was ready, Ling Xuqing focused his thoughts, and a ball of scarlet Ultimate Fire rose in his palm.

He took an Aromatic Silk Beauty and an Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid from the jade box Zi JI had brought back. Under the refining power of the Ultimate Fire, the two Immortal Herbs melted into a dense medicinal liquid woven with seven colors and pure white.

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

Without hesitation, Ye Lingling opened her mouth and swallowed it.

"Boom—!"

Two enormous, violent surges of medicinal power exploded inside her body.

The Sun Moon essence of the Aromatic Silk Beauty turned into countless tiny points of light, furiously washing through her limbs and bones as it purified her Soul Power;

The Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid's power to cleanse her marrow and meridians became a warm current, forcing out the impurities and old injuries that had accumulated inside her bit by bit.

"Ah..."

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

"Focus your mind! Don't resist!"

Bi Ji cried out. The origin energy of the Emerald Swan burst forth in full, forming a thick green shield that fiercely protected Ye Lingling's heart meridian while guiding the two surges of violent medicinal power toward her Martial Soul, the Nine Heart Begonia.

Under Bi Ji's guidance, the Immortal Herbs' medicinal power and the Nine Heart Begonia resonated in a wondrous way.

The petals, originally pink and white, began to transform after absorbing the essence of the Immortal Herbs. A faint emerald hue spread along their edges, and an incomparably pure aura of life radiated from Ye Lingling's body.

"Good. The Immortal Herbs' medicinal power has been absorbed. Next, we strengthen your body with Whale Rubber!"

Without pausing, Ling Xuqing refined a piece of thousand-year Whale Rubber and sent it into Ye Lingling's mouth.

The thousand-year Whale Rubber was even more violent than the Immortal Herbs. It was like a wild beast charging headlong through Ye Lingling's meridians.

"Ugh—!" Ye Lingling's face instantly turned deathly pale. Beads of sweat the size of beans covered her forehead, and she curled up into a ball from the extreme pain.

"Hang on!"

Ling Xuqing pressed both palms against her back, and the pure Yang power of the Golden Dragon King's origin surged domineeringly into her body. Like a stern blacksmith, it forcibly hammered the violent medicinal power of the Whale Rubber into her bones and muscles.

Gu Yuena's ice element kept soothing her meridians, which were on the verge of bursting. One cold, one hot; one hard, one soft. With Ling Xuqing and Gu Yuena working in perfect harmony, Ye Lingling's body was being remolded and strengthened at a terrifying pace.

One piece, two pieces, three pieces...

Ye Lingling absorbed a full five pieces of thousand-year Whale Rubber. A faint golden glow now covered her body, and her formerly slender figure had grown more well-proportioned. Her skin gleamed like polished white jade.

"The final step: fuse with my origin energy!"

Bi Ji drew a deep breath and pressed both hands firmly against the top of Ye Lingling's head.

A dazzling emerald light poured from Bi Ji's body. It was the supreme life origin of the 580,000-year-old Emerald Swan!

This origin energy entered through Ye Lingling's Baihui acupoint and perfectly fused with her Nine Heart Begonia, which had just absorbed the power of the Immortal Herbs and Whale Rubber.

"Vmm—!"

With a clear, ringing hum, the phantom of a Nine Heart Begonia blossomed slowly behind Ye Lingling, its petals emerald green and its life aura rich and vibrant.

At the same time, a powerful aura surged skyward from within her!

Level twenty-four!

Level twenty-five!

Level twenty-six!

Level twenty-nine!

Level thirty!

Her aura settled firmly at the threshold of a level-thirty Soul Elder!

"Boom—!"

As her Soul Power broke through level thirty, golden and emerald light intertwined around Ye Lingling, then slowly dispersed in a brilliant shower.

She slowly opened her eyes. Her once cool, hollow gaze now shimmered with the warm glow of life.

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

Ye Lingling sprang to her feet and looked at Dugu Yan, who was every bit as excited for her. Tears spilled from her eyes.

"Lingling!" Dugu Yan darted forward and pulled her into a tight embrace!

"That's wonderful, just wonderful! Your Martial Soul... your Martial Soul really evolved!"

Feeling the supreme aura of life radiating from her best friend, Dugu Yan's heart overflowed with relief and joy.

Bi Ji looked at Ye Lingling and nodded in satisfaction, smiling as she said, "Not bad. After absorbing the Immortal Herbs, the Whale Rubber, and my origin energy, your Nine Heart Begonia has successfully evolved into the Emerald Nine Heart Begonia."

"Now, you possess the abilities to purify and regenerate, and your physical body and basic attributes have reached an entirely new level."

She paused, a note of anticipation flashing in her eyes:

"Next, all you need to do is absorb a Soul Ring, and you'll become a true Soul Elder."

"And with the foundation you have now, your strength might even rise another level after you absorb the Soul Ring!"