Hero Saves Beauty, First Encounter with Ling Yuan!

"By the way, Old Master!"

"How are things with the Ye Family now?"

Xia Mu looked toward Dugu Bo. The Ye Family was also one of their partners, and he wanted to know how they were doing.

"Other than seeing patients as usual, Old Ye spends all his remaining time scouring the market for rare medicinal herb seeds. I've been helping him look as well!"

"Old Ye is ten years older than me!"

"Although he's advanced to Soul Sage, his potential is limited. I'm afraid he has no hope of ever becoming a Titled Douluo in this lifetime."

"On top of that, he's a support-type soul master. His Soul Power progresses slowly, and once he reaches his fifties or sixties, his vitality will decline. Then he'll have even less hope."

"Now it depends on whether he can seize these final ten-plus years of cultivation. If he can advance to Soul Douluo, he'll be able to live a little longer."

Dugu Bo had advanced to Soul Douluo and was only six ranks of Soul Power away from becoming a Titled Douluo. With his talent, he would certainly break through to the Titled Douluo realm in this lifetime.

Once a soul master became Titled, it was like a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate.

Not only could they be reborn, but their lifespan would also be several times longer than that of ordinary soul masters.

Soul Douluo was the pinnacle of ordinary soul masters. A Soul Douluo generally lived around one hundred and fifty years.

Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi had once personally said that an ordinary Titled Douluo had a lifespan of around three hundred years.

For every rank a Titled Douluo advanced, they could live another hundred years. An ordinary Ultimate Douluo could live for over a thousand years.

The first Sea God, Poseidon, had spent a thousand years gathering enough faith as an Ultimate Douluo before becoming the Sea God of Douluo Continent!

Ordinary people only lived sixty to eighty years. Though soul masters lived somewhat longer, they generally did not exceed one hundred and twenty years!

Ye Renxin was over fifty and had advanced to a low-ranked Soul Sage. This pace was not slow among support-type soul masters.

Yet the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan bore a heaven-defying curse. Ye Renxin had never intended to keep living forever.

"By the way, Young Master!"

"There's something I forgot to tell you!"

"Old Ye asked me to sound you out. He said he wants to betroth Ziyi to you and arrange a marriage between you two!"

"He asked me to see what you think!"

Dugu Bo's words were shocking, but that was actually Ye Renxin's scheme—a beauty trap!

The Ye Family bore a curse. For every generation born, a generation had to die. It was an inescapable fate.

Ye Ziyi was no longer young. During their last trip to the Dugu Family, she had fallen for Xia Mu at first sight.

After returning home, Ye Ziyi could neither eat nor sleep.

Ye Renxin knew that his daughter had fallen for someone, and he could not help letting out a sigh.

His daughter had grown up, and her heart had grown wild. She was no longer easy to control!

Once his daughter married and gave birth to nephews and nieces, Ye Renxin's life would also come to an end.

Rather than let Ye Ziyi marry someone else, he might as well let her marry the man she liked. Besides, the two heads of the Xia Family were genuinely promising prospects!

This thought flashed through Ye Renxin's mind.

After Xia Feng broke through to Soul Sage, all the problems were resolved. Ye Renxin was finally at ease. At least after his death, the Xia Family would be able to protect Ye Ziyi.

With Xia Mu, another promising prospect whose potential had yet to be unleashed, Ye Renxin intended to marry Ye Ziyi into the Xia Family.

But all of this depended on Xia Mu agreeing. Otherwise, none of it would come to pass!

"Ye Ziyi?"

"Old Master Ye isn't looking for a fine husband for Sister Ziyi. He's looking for someone to back him up!"

Xia Mu chuckled, having seen through the crux of the matter.

"This isn't something to take lightly!"

"The Ye Family is our partner. Old Master Ye is doing this to pave a path for the Ye Family's future!"

"Nine-Heart Begonia, two people in every generation!"

"When one is born, one is bound to die!"

"Old Ye wants Sister Ziyi to marry me. He's using the Ye Family's assets as Sister Ziyi's dowry!"

Xia Mu spoke softly. This already involved an exchange of family interests, so he could not casually state his position.

"Young Master, how do you know about this?"

Dugu Bo wore a ghostly expression. He had not expected Xia Mu to know this secret as well.

"History's rise and fall can serve as a mirror!"

Xia Mu said no more and quietly pondered for a moment.

"I plan to head out for a while!"

"After I return, I'll have to trouble you, Old Master, to act as the intermediary so we can discuss this matter!"

Only after speaking did Xia Mu bid the two farewell.

Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin escorted Xia Mu outside and watched him leave with their own eyes before closing the gates.

"What a pity!"

"Our Dugu Family has so few members!"

"Otherwise, we could have formed a marriage alliance too!"

Dugu Xin said frankly. Such a good opportunity had fallen to the Ye Family—why did they not have such luck?

"Hm? Are you blaming me?"

Dugu Bo was immediately angered. Back then, his mother had lost her life giving birth to this unfilial son.

And now this unfilial son still dared to make such sarcastic remarks.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

"Father, please calm down!"

Seeing that things were going badly, Dugu Xin immediately tried to slip away!

To his surprise, Dugu Bo grabbed him and lifted him up, saying sinisterly, "You and Shasha have been married for nearly two years. Why is there still no movement in her belly?"

"You unfilial brat, why are you so disappointing? If I hadn't met the Young Master, I would have died long ago. Why can't you fulfill this one wish of mine?"

Dugu Bo was nearly fifty now. All he thought about every day was holding a grandson or granddaughter, yet his wish had not come true. The young couple seemed somewhat resistant to having children!

"Dad, didn't you survive?"

"Shasha and I discussed it. We're going to wait a little longer before having children. We should cultivate properly while we're young. When we're older, it won't be too late to have them then!"

The moment Dugu Xin said it, he sounded remarkably filial, and his words nearly made Dugu Bo explode with rage.

"You unfilial brat!"

"Do you really want me to die with my eyes open?"

Dugu Bo was furious and immediately berated him.

"Father!"

"Why are you arguing with Brother Xin again?"

At that moment, Feng Yansha returned home.

"It's nothing, it's nothing!"

"Father and I were just fooling around!"

Dugu Xin waved his hand and went to Feng Yansha's side.

"Forget it, forget it!"

"Do whatever you want. I won't interfere anymore!"

Dugu Bo could not save face, so he flicked his sleeve and left for the quiet room to refine the ten-thousand-year medicinal king.

Meanwhile, in Sunset Forest!

The bat wings on Xia Mu's back beat as his entire body turned into a streak of light, flying toward the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

"Whoosh~"

Halfway there, he suddenly saw a woman flying toward him, with a soul beast pursuing her from behind.

"Help! Save me!"

"I'm Ling Yuan from Blazing Academy. I was hunting soul beasts in Sunset Forest, but after I hunted a Blazing Golden Bird, it set its sights on me."

Ling Yuan hurriedly spoke as she arrived before Xia Mu.

"Ling Yuan?"

"Spirit Hall's Ninth Elder—Ling Yuan?"

"She's actually just an ordinary student at Blazing Academy right now and hasn't joined Spirit Hall yet?"

Xia Mu looked at Ling Yuan. She was not very old, around twenty, and was a quasi-Soul Ancestor!

"Cry!"

With a shrill cry, the soul beast chasing Ling Yuan revealed itself. Its entire body burned with blazing flames, and its magnificent tail feathers hung behind it, scattering endless radiance!

"Hiss!"

"This is a ninety-thousand-year Blazing Sun Golden Crow Emperor! That Blazing Golden Bird you hunted was its child!"

"Why did you have to provoke it?"

The Blazing Sun Golden Crow was a rare top-tier soul beast with the three attributes of light, fire, and metal. Its temperament was violent.

The Blazing Sun Golden Crow Emperor was an outstanding member of the Blazing Sun Golden Crow race, a true super soul beast!

Now that its child was dead, it had no interest in distinguishing right from wrong or settling grudges. It only wanted to slaughter every human in sight!

"What are you standing there for? Run!"

A ninety-thousand-year soul beast was comparable to a high-ranked Soul Douluo. With a burden in tow, Xia Mu had no chance of fighting it.