Graduation Approaches, Boss Ling's Identity

"Qingya, are you really not joining Spirit Hall?"

"If you joined, you could attend Spirit Hall's Intermediate Soul Master Academy. Its teachers and cultivation resources are absolutely no worse than those at Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"

"And with your current strength at rank twenty-five, you'd definitely be entrusted with important responsibilities in the future."

As he looked at Duan Qingya, who had come to say goodbye, Su Yuntao could not help feeling reluctant to part with him.

After four years, Su Yuntao had secured a place for himself in Nuoding City's Spirit Hall. His family life was harmonious, and he even had a child now.

"Don't worry, Senior Su Yuntao. I've already received recommendation letters from the dean and the city lord. Getting into Heaven Dou Royal Academy won't be a problem."

"Besides, I'm going to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to earn a noble title when I graduate!"

As he spoke, Duan Qingya took two recommendation letters from the cloth pouch at his waist and waved them.

"If only Nuoding City weren't so far from Heaven Dou City, making it difficult to send your earnings to you."

"Otherwise, I really wouldn't have wanted you to trade your profit share for a Storage Soul Tool like that."

The Storage Soul Tool at Duan Qingya's waist reminded Su Yuntao of what had happened a month earlier.

Duan Qingya had come to him then, saying he wanted to trade his profit share to someone else for a Storage Soul Tool.

There were now no fewer than three bestselling potions on the market from which Duan Qingya received a share of the profits.

If he let those earnings accumulate for a while, he would easily have enough to buy one himself.

"For a Storage Soul Tool with twenty cubic meters of space, money alone isn't enough. I couldn't take those earnings with me anyway, so cashing out early was the right choice."

"The same goes for you, Senior. You can't keep a business running on luck alone forever. Getting up and walking away early is the right choice."

Having been in business for four years, Su Yuntao naturally understood what Duan Qingya meant. The potion market centered on Nuoding City was already saturated.

"I've already started preparing. What I've earned these past few years is enough for my family to live on, and I've bought several shops to collect rent."

"Once I transfer my profit share, I'll focus on my work as a Spirit Hall deacon."

Seeing that Su Yuntao had plans of his own, Duan Qingya said no more on the subject.

"As for Grandpa Niu, I'm sorry to trouble you, Senior Su Yuntao, but please keep an eye on things for him."

"Of course. I'll personally oversee the purchases of medicinal herbs from Village Chief Niu's village. With the money they earn from growing herbs, Village Chief Niu certainly won't lack money in his old age."

Ever since the potions had begun selling well, Duan Qingya had urged Grandpa Niu to lead the villagers in growing the medicinal herbs needed to make them.

Now a One-Ring Soul Master, Grandpa Niu had led the villagers in planting several mu of medicinal herbs, allowing every household to earn over a hundred Gold Soul Coins each year.

After chatting with Su Yuntao a little longer, Duan Qingya rose to take his leave. The pharmacy was the only place he had yet to visit.

Once he had said goodbye to Boss Ling, Duan Qingya would set out for Heaven Dou City.

"You've graduated in the blink of an eye. I really hate to see you go. Once you leave, I'm afraid I'll be busy again."

Looking at Duan Qingya, who had come to say goodbye, Ling Zhi could not help sighing with emotion.

Duan Qingya took a sip of the tea Ling Zhi had poured him, nostalgia surfacing on his face. Six years really had passed in the blink of an eye.

"You could find another pharmacy apprentice, Boss Ling. It's not as though you're short on money now."

"Even if I had twice as much money, I doubt I could find someone as capable as you."

Ling Zhi had indeed considered finding another pharmacy apprentice, but whenever he thought about it, he knew that no matter how hard he searched, he would never find someone as capable as Duan Qingya.

So he had given up. The pharmacy was only so big, after all. He could manage it himself if he worked a little harder.

"My price has gone up now. Even if you doubled it, you still couldn't hire me, Boss Ling."

Hearing Ling Zhi's words, Duan Qingya teased him.

Ling Zhi laughed along at Duan Qingya's teasing.

"Hahaha, of course! Oh, right. Wait here a moment. I have something for you."

"Oh? I didn't expect you to be so generous, Boss Ling. You even prepared a farewell gift for me!"

Duan Qingya watched as Ling Zhi walked over to the medicine cabinet and pulled its drawers in a particular sequence. A hidden compartment suddenly rose from the floor.

Ling Zhi crouched down, took a small wooden box from the compartment, and handed it to Duan Qingya, gesturing for him to open it.

Although Duan Qingya did not know what Ling Zhi intended, he opened the wooden box.

Inside lay a token. Duan Qingya picked it up and saw a begonia flower engraved on it.

"Nine Heart Begonia?! Boss Ling, how do you have something like this?"

Over the years, although Duan Qingya had not received private instruction from Grandmaster as Tang San had, he had still studied diligently.

A family famous throughout the continent and mentioned in the original story was certainly something Duan Qingya had made a point of remembering.

"I didn't expect you to recognize the Nine Heart Begonia Family's crest, Qingya. I was once a disciple of its current patriarch. This token is proof."

"Once a disciple?"

Duan Qingya did not quite understand. Ling Zhi possessed a Nine Heart Begonia Family Token, so how could he be a former disciple?

Facing Duan Qingya's confusion, Ling Zhi sighed softly and sat back down across from him, a trace of sorrow appearing on his face.

"When I was young, I traveled the continent with my master. But we unexpectedly fell into an enemy ambush, and I was gravely wounded. All my meridians were damaged."

"My master spent three days and nights healing me, then left me this token."

"Unable to cultivate, I took the token and used what money I had left to open this pharmacy."

After hearing Boss Ling's history with the Nine Heart Begonia Family, Duan Qingya finally understood why he could not sense any soul power fluctuations from Ling Zhi.

Previously, he had always assumed Ling Zhi was an ordinary person without innate soul power.

"Then I can't accept this token. It's proof of the past you shared with your master, Boss Ling!"

"Don't refuse. Take this token to the Nine Heart Begonia Family."

"If my master still acknowledges me, tell him you're my disciple. That way, you'll have something to stand on when you attend Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"If my master no longer acknowledges me, then I'm sorry for the trouble, Qingya, but please return this token to him. Let it bring our bond as master and disciple to a close."

Duan Qingya had not expected so much to lie behind this token, but the benefits it could bring were considerable as well.

He currently had neither power nor influence. If he could use this token to establish a connection with the Nine Heart Begonia Family, certain things would surely become much easier for him later.

Especially since the current patriarch of the Nine Heart Begonia Family was a healing-type Titled Douluo.

"Since you've put it that way, Boss Ling, I'd seem heartless if I still refused!"

"But regardless of what happens when I visit the Nine Heart Begonia Family, let me thank you now for your help, Boss Ling!"

Duan Qingya put the Nine Heart Begonia Family token into his Soul Tool and bowed to Ling Zhi as a disciple would to his master.

Seeing Duan Qingya bow to him as a disciple, Ling Zhi hurriedly reached out to help him straighten up.

"Qingya, there's no need for this! I'm the one troubling you. I'm unwilling to face what the truth might be, so I'm asking you to do this in my place."

"As for how much you can gain from this token, Qingya, that will all be the result of your own efforts. It has nothing to do with me."

Even now, Ling Zhi feared that his master had abandoned him, leaving him afraid to take the token to the Nine Heart Begonia Family and ask.

"Once everything is settled, I'll have someone deliver a letter. Then you'll know the truth about what happened back then, Boss Ling."

Looking at Boss Ling, who stood at the doorway to see him off, Duan Qingya repeated his assurance, afraid that Ling Zhi might still worry.

"All right. Then I'll await your good news! And stay safe on the road. Whatever happens, put your own life first."