Shui Bing'er, You Damn Waterworks!

A day and a night passed.

By the time the two woke, it was already morning on the third day.

"Shui Bing'er."

"Look what you've done."

"I could wring water out of the damn mattress."

"Go wash it and hang it out to dry."

"..."

Shui Bing'er's brows drew tight.

What?

How could he blame her for that?

Though Shui Bing'er had her complaints, she obediently did as she was told.

Her father had repeatedly told her to listen to Lin Ye more often. He was talented, cultivated quickly, and had plenty she could learn from him.

Hah—

She hadn't learned any cultivation methods, but she'd mastered several positions.

After cleaning Lin Ye's room, Shui Bing'er left.

She paused at the door. "Yesterday wasn't because I was grateful."

Mm...

She'd genuinely wanted to give herself to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye watched her walk away and shrugged.

Did it matter?

They'd already made love.

What mattered most was enjoying the process.

Skywater City.

The Shui Family Council Hall.

Shui Bing'er was summoned there as soon as she returned.

Now,

At the Elder's request, she released her Martial Soul.

"Her Martial Soul evolved."

"The problem with her unstable foundation is gone too."

"Her Soul Power."

"Look at her Soul Power!"

"Bing'er's Soul Power has reached Level 45."

"This..."

"Is this the effect of that herb?"

"Unbelievable..."

"What kind of Immortal-Grade Herb could bring a Soul Master such a tremendous improvement overnight?"

"..."

The two Elders were utterly stunned.

Now it seemed...

this trade had been worth it.

If they were to make an equal exchange,

even three Cold Jade Beds wouldn't buy a single Immortal-Grade Herbs.

"Good!"

"Wonderful!"

"The Shui Family has hope."

Shui Tianhan couldn't hide the delight on his face.

Mm...

As he saw it, Lin Ye had taken his marriage to Bing'er into account after all.

"Bing'er."

"Does Lin Ye happen to have any more Immortal-Grade Herbs?"

The two Elders' intentions were plain.

Who wouldn't be dazzled by an Immortal-Grade Herbs like that?

They might be old, but they still wanted their blood to burn once more in this lifetime.

"No!"

Shui Bing'er's answer came without hesitation.

She was obedient,

but she wasn't foolish.

At a time like this, even if he had more, she had to say he didn't. Otherwise, she might bring trouble down on Lin Ye.

"Ah..."

The two Elders gave rueful smiles.

They had only asked on a whim.

Even if Lin Ye could produce a suitable herb, what could they offer in exchange?

After that,

the Council Hall rang with ten straight minutes of praise for Shui Bing'er.

Once the two Elders had left...

Shui Bing'er approached her father and told him about the Cold Jade Bed.

Her approach remained as simple and unadorned as ever.

"What you've mentioned isn't a family secret."

"Every family head, Elder, and even Deacon has known that the core of a Cold Jade Bed is Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow."

"When I first became family head, I took a team of Soul Masters to the Frozen Forest myself. We followed the route your great-grandfather took, hoping to find Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow."

"Unfortunately..."

Shui Bing'er knew the outcome as soon as she heard that.

"I'm certain that boy Lin Ye won't let this go."

"In that case!"

"Go with him to the Frozen Forest."

"Training together can improve the affinity between your Martial Souls. More importantly, it will help you grow closer."

"I'll send a team of Soul Masters to follow behind and keep you safe."

Shui Tianhan had arranged the marriage for practical gain at first.

A marriage could involve practical gain,

but it couldn't be about that forever.

As the saying went, affection grew with time...

More than anything, he hoped Lin Ye and Bing'er would bear a child born of love.

"Mm..."

Shui Bing'er nodded quietly.

She accepted her father's arrangements without question.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After the holiday...

the Imperial Fighting Team's first lesson was a practical battle.

As expected, Lin Ye thrashed every member of the team.

"Do you know why you lost to Shrek?"

"First, Yu Tianheng."

"That's not how you use a dragon."

"You're a Power Attack System Soul Master, yet you don't fight fiercely enough to tear through an opponent's defenses."

"Then there's the Shi Brothers. Your defense is full of holes."

"..."

Yu Tianheng and the others listened intently.

This was a world where strength ruled.

Lin Ye was stronger than all of them, yet he was willing to teach them. That alone was a rare stroke of fortune.

Their instructor, Qin Ming, sat below them, equally absorbed in pouring water down his throat.

Thank goodness.

Lin Ye was only a Soul King.

If that kid had one more ring, Qin Ming would probably have gotten a lecture too.

"Take some time to review the fight."

Lin Ye had just sat down

when Ye Lingling came over with a smile.

"Captain."

"Mm?"

"I went to the Auction House yesterday and happened upon an Ice-Type Herbs."

As she spoke, Ye Lingling took out the herb.

It was a Three-Thousand-Year Frost Petal Grass.

It cleared blockages in the meridians, refined the Martial Soul Origin of an ice-type Martial Soul, and helped break through level barriers.

"For me?"

Before Ye Lingling could answer, Lin Ye had already taken it.

That was what she'd intended, after all.

Mm...

The girl liked him.

Though the Nine Heart Begonia was passed down to a single heir each generation, the Ye Family was widely recognized as Heaven Dou City's foremost family of healers, with a medical business spanning the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

That had made Ye Lingling a wealthy young woman in every sense.

With money she could never spend fast enough, Ye Lingling had gathered no small number of Ice-Type Herbs for him.

Before he absorbed his ten-thousand-year Fourth Ring, he'd taken a Mental-Type Herb that Ye Lingling had bought at a Soul Fighting Arena auction for five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Come to think of it...

he owed Ye Lingling quite a lot.

"Lingling."

"Come to my dorm after class."

Mm...

Tonight, he'd make it up to this kind girl properly.

"???"

Ye Lingling's palms grew slick with nervous sweat.

She liked Lin Ye very much.

Deep down, she hoped they could end up together.

But...

wasn't this a little sudden?

She hadn't even prepared herself, and Lin Ye had already chosen her?

Lin Ye asked again, "Did you hear me?"

"Mm..."

Ye Lingling pressed her lips together.

She said nothing else.

Should she go?

Or shouldn't she?

Two little figures appeared in her mind and began fighting like mad.

Her thoughts were left in utter disarray.

In the end...

Ye Lingling decided to follow her heart.

She'd go!

Wasn't that the very scene she'd dreamed of?

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

The others were more than happy to stir the pot.

"Lingling's so good to the captain."

"If a girl treated me like that, I'd tear out my heart, lungs, and every other organ for her."

"Yeah!"

"If I were Lin Ye, I'd marry Lingling."

"He already has Shui Bing'er."

"I heard Shui Bing'er's been staying in Lin Ye's dorm these past few days."

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

"Yan Yan, did you hear that?"

"..."

The group turned to Dugu Yan, their expressions strange.

"Don't make me slap you all!" Dugu Yan said, her voice thick with murderous intent.