The Heaven Dou Empire's climate was warm or cool for most of the year, with only brief spells of bitter cold and scorching heat. The Star Luo Empire to the south had almost no winter at all.
When Fang Lin had first returned to the academy, frost was still visible. Now, beyond the carriage window, gentle breezes brushed his face and green leaves cast their shade.
The return journey by Horned Scale Horse took less than half an hour, yet every day seemed like a year to Fang Lin as he sat there.
The carriage came to a stop at the foot of the mountain. As soon as Fang Lin stepped out, he hurriedly pushed Yu Feng by the shoulders. "You go back first. Sister Yan and I have something to discuss."
Pushed onto the stone steps, Yu Feng took a couple of steps before looking back at Fang Lin, his eyes wide and round. "Brother Lin, let me listen too. I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."
Fang Lin glared and gave him another shove. "Haven't you heard the saying? Curiosity killed the bird."
Yu Feng looked back three times with every step, and even Dugu Yan's curiosity was piqued. Fang Lin leaned close and spoke in a low voice.
"Can you get in touch with your grandfather? I have something important to discuss with him. If it works out, it'll benefit both of you."
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well lay deep in Sunset Forest, surrounded by thousand-year and ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts. If Fang Lin wanted to see Dugu Bo, he could only wait for him to come out of his own accord.
"My grandfather's already a Titled Douluo. What benefit could a Soul Elder like you offer him?" Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow, her expression suspicious.
Fang Lin brought up the mysterious ancient book again, and only then did Dugu Yan begin to believe him. "My grandfather went into seclusion after bringing you back. When he comes out, I'll take you to see him."
Once a Soul Master reached the Titled Douluo realm, the time needed to advance a single level was measured in years at the very least.
In the original book, after Dugu Bo had purged the poison, the bottleneck that had built up over many years had loosened, and he had successfully broken through to level ninety-two by the time of the Soul Master Tournament. By Fang Lin's reckoning, that would take at least three months, or half a year at most.
Fang Lin was anxious, but there was nothing he could do.
The two returned to the academy together. Yu Tianheng's injuries had already healed, and Ye Lingling had also awakened from her coma. Fang Lin glanced at the girl's neck. It was as fair as ever. During their confrontation that morning, he had failed to hold back and struck her with a hand chop, leaving a large bruise. Ye Lingling must have healed it with her own Soul Skill.
Fang Lin was about to go meditate and cultivate when Qin Ming sent someone to summon him.
"Do you remember what I told you before about repairing the damage to your meridians? It's been arranged. I'll take you there in two days."
The Nine Heart Begonia could treat hidden ailments in the meridians and restore the body's foundation.
"Teacher Qin, two days might not be enough. Could we wait a little longer?"
After tempering his body with the Ice and Fire Immortal Herbs, Fang Lin's hidden physical ailments had long since vanished. He had asked for this partly as an extra safeguard and partly for his father, Fang Yuanqiao.
Fang Yuanqiao had spent years in the military and carried quite a few injuries. He stimulated his meridians and body with Soul Power far more often than Fang Lin did, and those injuries might well be among the reasons Father Fang had yet to break through level thirty.
Qin Ming frowned in confusion. "The sooner you receive treatment, the sooner your cultivation will benefit. There's nothing you need to prepare, either."
Fang Lin shook his head. "Teacher Qin, it's not for me. I want my father to receive the treatment. It takes at least three to five days to get here from Soto City."
Afraid Qin Ming might have reservations, Fang Lin added, "Senior Dugu has already helped me treat the hidden injuries and ailments left by my body tempering. There's absolutely nothing wrong with me now."
A vein twitched faintly at Qin Ming's temple. In an unreadable tone, he said, "His Majesty the Poison Douluo really does treat you well. He's helped treat you and prepared medicine for you too."
"Uh... maybe he just felt we hit it off," Fang Lin replied with a quiet laugh.
Qin Ming didn't believe a word of it. A Titled Douluo felt he hit it off with someone who hadn't even been a Soul Elder at the time? What would he get out of it? He rolled his eyes and stopped concerning himself with whether Fang Lin was telling the truth.
"Come straight to me when you're ready. But before that, there are a few things I need to tell you."
Qin Ming's expression turned serious. "She's a Healing System Soul Saint. You already know her Martial Soul is the Nine Heart Begonia. She's from the same clan as Ye Lingling, but when you meet her, don't mention your personal relationship with Ye Lingling."
Ye Lingling had said something similar before. They were aunt and niece by blood, so why did they seem to harbor such deep hatred for each other?
Fang Lin's eyes went round. "Teacher Qin, do you know the story behind it? Tell me, so I can avoid saying the wrong thing, right?"
Qin Ming's expression froze for a moment. After a long pause, he spoke. "That Healing System Soul Saint is named Ye Xinhua. The Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul is extremely unusual. Only two Soul Masters with it can be alive at the same time. A new Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master can appear only after the previous one dies, so it's generally passed down through a single line."
"Since Ye Xinhua inherited the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul, the next Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master should, by rights, have been her daughter. But her daughter seems to have died young, and later Ye Lingling appeared as a new Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master..."
Qin Ming broke off there. "I don't know why, but most Soul Masters who seek treatment from Ye Xinhua know that the two families are on bad terms."
This relationship... is a bit complicated.
Fang Lin held two fingers beneath his chin without touching it. For the moment, he couldn't tell whether it was a change in the inheritance, the work of human hands, or both.
"Don't worry, Teacher Qin. I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."
His curiosity satisfied, Fang Lin took his leave of Qin Ming and returned to his dormitory, where he began writing a letter to his father, Fang Yuanqiao.
"Dear Dad, seeing this letter is like seeing me in person.
Your opportunity to break through to Soul Elder has arrived. Come to Heaven Dou Academy at once.
Here's how it happened...
In short, thanks to the academy, a Healing System Soul Saint will be able to treat your hidden ailments and restore your foundation.
Also, if Mom has time, bring her along for a visit to Heaven Dou City. Not only does it have milk cakes so delicious they'll make you feel like you're floating up to become an immortal, but you can also buy good things of a greater age.
Oh, and your son is already a great Soul Elder, and he's already eating the Heaven Dou Academy's official rations ahead of time. There's no need to bring me any Gold Soul Coins this time."
There were two ways to send messages in the Heaven Dou Empire. One was to carry letters by relay horse; the other used carrier pigeons, messenger hawks, and birds with mixed Soul Beast bloodlines. But the latter were not permitted to cross territorial borders and risked being intercepted and hunted down. They were generally used only within a province, and they were expensive.
Fang Lin went to the relay station at the foot of the mountain and sent the letter. He estimated it would take at least five days to reach his parents.
Thinking of his parents' faces, Fang Lin felt a little dazed.
After his promotion to Heavenly Supreme Level student, the academy no longer had a fixed annual vacation for him. If he wanted to go back, he had to request leave himself. Including the half year he had spent with Dugu Bo, it had been nearly two years since Fang Lin last returned to Soto City.
Come to think of it, Shrek Academy didn't seem to be far from Soto City.
In the original book, Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others had faced Shrek in Soto City when they were at levels thirty-nine and thirty-eight. Taking the timing of the Soul Master Tournament into account as well, Fang Lin could only make a rough guess at where they were in the timeline.
But Fang Lin didn't know exactly how far the main plot had progressed.
As for opportunities in Soto City, apart from the possibility that Flender's little shop held a few things, Fang Lin couldn't think of anything useful for the moment.
"I'll deal with it when I remember. I can take a mission related to Soto City from the academy then and stop by home while I'm at it."