After an unknown stretch of time, a patter of light footsteps approached the two of them. Ye Lingling found it somewhat familiar, and when she looked up, it was indeed her good friend Dugu Yan.
She wore a pale cyan gauze dress, its soft hem draping down, lending her a touch more maidenly gentleness. Delicate pale cyan patterns of winding branches were embroidered along the neckline, and the cuffs were slightly gathered, keeping the outfit neat while giving it an elegant softness.
Dugu Yan's eyes tilted slightly upward at the corners, and a faint smile rested on her lips as her gaze settled lightly on Ye Lingling.
Her eyes were bright and lively, carrying a hint of warmth. A trace of surprise flashed plainly through them, as though she were gently reminding her, "Time to eat."
The corners of Ye Lingling's lips lifted ever so slightly, spreading into a faint smile as gentle as water. A trace of apology appeared in her eyes as she blamed herself for missing their agreed mealtime, then put her things away.
The movement also drew Ling Yu out of his thoughts. He glanced back, and his face instantly stirred Dugu Yan's memories, prompting a thought.
It's him, the royal poison tester who's interested in poisonous substances.
Why is Lingling sitting near him?
Could it be...?
A glint of mischief passed through Dugu Yan's green eyes. Her lips curled into a wicked smile, and an urge to play a prank rose within her as she walked toward Ling Yu.
Ye Lingling's heart tightened. A touch of alarm entered her cool features, her hands unconsciously clenched, and her gaze wavered evasively.
Dugu Yan's lips lifted slightly. Just as I thought, she murmured inwardly. Then she drew back her foot and turned slightly, signaling for Ye Lingling to leave with her.
Only then did Ye Lingling realize Dugu Yan had been testing her. After walking over, she lightly pinched Dugu Yan's palm.
That night, Ling Yu was organizing Soul Tool array patterns in the research room when a knock disturbed him. Su Yao opened the door, and Xue Qinghe walked in.
As soon as the door closed, she returned to her true form.
"Good evening, Sister Xue."
"Good evening. I thought your first words would be to ask what I was here for." Qian Renxue's voice was clear and cool, with a touch of languor, and a teasing glint passed through her eyes.
"Isn't this somewhere you can come whenever you like, Sister Xue?" Ling Yu gave a light cough, his smile carrying a hint of embarrassment.
"At least you know what's good for you."
"Here." Qian Renxue sat down. Her delicate fingers curled slightly, and a green brocade-pouch-shaped Storage Soul Tool landed gently before Ling Yu. Her tone allowed no refusal.
"Could this be a Soul Tool that can store living things?" Remembering the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, Ling Yu asked tentatively.
"I just happened to hear a little about them." After accepting it, Ling Yu immediately activated Martial Soul Possession and used two Soul Skills-
After Spiritual Appraisal, several pieces of information appeared in his mind:
"Traits: life, wood, space. Fifty-three thousand nine hundred and twenty-one years."
"Traits: space."
"Traits: ice, mental."
The array patterns on the spatial crystal were reflected in his eyes, extraordinarily intricate. Even the outside of the pouch and the inside of its drawstring contained soul lines and array patterns. The materials on which they were inscribed were also exceptionally precious, far surpassing the spatial Storage Soul Tools he had examined before.
Ling Yu instinctively raised a hand to press his brow. It was not because he had consumed too much Soul Power, but because the high-level knowledge made manifest was so vast that it gave him a kind of phantom pain.
"How was it? Are you all right?" Seeing Ling Yu withdraw his Martial Soul, Qian Renxue furrowed her brows slightly and softly asked after him, an almost imperceptible emotion in her voice.
"It's no ordinary level of difficulty." Ling Yu gave a bitter smile.
"That's no surprise. Being able to hold living things is hard enough to imagine in itself. You can imagine its grade." Qian Renxue nodded slightly, her long hair brushing her shoulders with the movement.
"Grandfather said this is yours. Give it a name. There's also a portion of brain and Whale Rubber from an eighty-thousand-year Illusory Heart Whale inside. He personally led the team that killed it."
Qian Renxue's tone was flat, without the slightest ripple in her expression, as though she were merely discussing the most commonplace little matter. Yet every word from her mouth struck like thunder.
"With whale Soul Beasts this close to a hundred thousand years old, portions of both their brains and Whale Rubber have turned golden yellow. The Whale Rubber in particular has an almost solid core. Your earlier guess was right: Whale Rubber is Whale Pearl."
"They've already tested it. It can improve mental power and physical constitution. Even though we've eaten Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue before, it can still improve us quite a bit, but we can only eat a little each day. About half a fistful."
"This... in that case, let's call it Spirit Ruins, a resting place for spiritual things. Please thank the Great Enshrined for me, Sister Xue." Ling Yu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a thread of worry passed through his eyes, but he soon recovered.
"Spirit Ruins. A good name. Are you worried that we're hunting and killing indiscriminately?" Qian Renxue keenly noticed Ling Yu's expression.
"A little..."
"Don't worry. Not slaughtering Soul Beasts indiscriminately without cause is also one of Spirit Hall's principles. Otherwise, we wouldn't station enforcement squads in the various Soul Hunting Forests."
"Ever since you told us about Whale Rubber, they've been going to the Spirit Whale Sea Area. The Wave-Shattering Whales there reproduce very quickly and occupy the entire sea area. Each time they head out to sea, they also bring several water-attribute Soul Masters who need Soul Rings. They won't kill indiscriminately."
"They killed the eighty-thousand-year one because a water-attribute Soul Saint had broken through to Soul Douluo. When it was reported to Spirit Hall, Grandfather intended to give you a gift, so he intervened and chose one at the limit."
After hearing this, Ling Yu felt considerably more at ease.
"We were particularly lucky this time. It even dropped an eighty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone, a Mental Attribute one. Even Spirit Hall doesn't have many Soul Bones in storage."
"Grandfather said that if you develop something else and hand it over in the future, he'll give it to you." Qian Renxue's lips lifted slightly, her expression softening as she raised her hand, rested it gently on Ling Yu's crown, and ruffled his hair.
"The Great Enshrined is thoughtful." Ling Yu sighed with feeling.
"By the way, Sister Xue, does Spirit Hall have very few Soul Bones? Even after being passed down for so many years?" Ling Yu suddenly remembered a question he had considered before. Unfortunately, only those at teacher level could read the books about Soul Bones.
"It's normal that you don't know." Qian Renxue tilted her head slightly and pressed her lips together, seemingly weighing her words carefully.
"Soul Bones suffer wear each time they're passed down. Only Soul Bones that have never been absorbed can gain a little Soul Power. Starting from the second refinement, differences in Soul Power fluctuations cause conflicts each time, erasing some of the imprints within the Soul Bone."
"After two or three times, the Soul Skill can no longer be used. A Soul Bone without a Soul Skill can only strengthen the body a little, and after repeated refinements, it becomes completely useless." Qian Renxue paused slightly, leaving some things unsaid.
"Soul Bones can also be damaged. For example, a Thousand-Year Soul Bone will break if struck by a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill. Only a small portion of broken Soul Bones can still be used; most are ruined. This is also why malformed Soul Bones appear."
"Even Soul Bones left in storage for a long time will gradually lose Soul Power and imprints because they lack the nourishment of Soul Power."
"On top of that, Spirit Hall has always restricted powerful Soul Masters from slaughtering Soul Beasts indiscriminately for their bones, so very few Soul Bones are in circulation now."