The Path of the Wise
At night, Fang Ling was meditating on his bed.
The playful sparring during the day with Ye Lingling had been quite enjoyable, helping him to finally relax the tense nerves that had been strung tight for so long.
Even his meditation felt more powerful.
A gentle breeze drifted through the open window, bringing a touch of coolness.
Like nature's softest caress, it lulled him as his eyes slowly closed and he silently fell into slumber.
In the next moment, taking advantage of the night, a thin, frail figure silently appeared.
If there had been light, one would have seen that this sneaky visitor looked like a javelin, his beard and hair were all dark green.
His eyes gleamed like emeralds.
His entire presence felt illusory, as though he were a mirage.
This man's face was expressionless, or rather, his expression seemed frozen.
His cheeks were sunken, his green hair was messy, and he wore only a plain grey robe.
It was none other than Dugu Bo, who had come quietly to the academy at his granddaughter's request.
Fang Ling was meditating, so he had used a knockout powder.
If it weren't for his granddaughter's kindness, her desire not to interfere with Fang Ling's studies, he wouldn't have bothered investigating.
A swift silent strike in the dark would've been much simpler and cleaner.
But since he had agreed, he would keep his word.
Staring at the boy on the bed, Dugu Bo examined Fang Ling's leg.
It was broken. He had found the right person.
A long, slender finger pressed against Fang Ling's wrist. His soul power and spiritual power simultaneously flowed swiftly through the boy's meridians.
The result was unexpected.
There wasn't even a trace of the typical bloodlust or resentment found in evil soul masters. Fang Ling's soul power was astonishingly pure.
It was like freshly fallen snow on a sacred mountain, untouched by dust, with not a hint of impurity.
An intense willpower was embedded within it, so strong that even he, a Titled Douluo, felt inferior.
Soul power this pure? Well, the system-produced ones were always top-tier.
"This kid?"
Dugu Bo's eyes filled with disbelief.
He didn't withdraw his finger from Fang Ling's wrist. Instead, he once again used his soul power and spiritual power to probe.
The result was the same.
His soul power was as pure as a newborn's innocent soul, untainted and uncarved by the world.
If Fang Ling had known what he was thinking, he would've mentally added: "Not counting Tang San."
Born with acute hearing? That's just cheating.
Dugu Bo was still puzzled.
Could someone's soul power really be like this?
If not for the strong will to fight, and the lack of any holy or fiery aura, one might've mistaken him for a sacred angel.
Arms folded, Dugu Bo fell into deep thought.
Definitely not a fallen soul master. That meant he posed no threat to Yan Yan.
Then why the constant glances?
Could it be… affection?
But this way of expressing it was a little strange.
Because he was young, disabled, and from a poor background, did he carry deep insecurities?
Afraid to express his feelings openly, and only dared to peek from afar?
"Tch, young boys…" Dugu Bo shook his head slightly, smacked his lips, and disappeared in a flash.
With a pulse of soul power, he cleared the air of the colorless, odorless knockout powder. Before leaving, he even took care to straighten the blue hair tied to the window.
To this, he could only say, such cautiousness was meaningless.
If someone thought this would fool a Titled Douluo, it would be laughable.
What kind of Titled Douluo would be so weak?
The next day, Fang Ling also got up early.
Stretching and rubbing his eyes.
He had enjoyed a rare restful sleep, and his body felt revitalized, as if every inch of skin radiated comfort and ease.
Then he suddenly froze.
"Wasn't I meditating last night?"
"Did I fall asleep while meditating? Was yesterday's battle really that exhausting?"
Fang Ling scratched his neck.
Feeling the warm sunlight spilling across his body, he suddenly turned his head to look at the nearby window.
The window was intact, and the strand of hair he had gotten from Ye Lingling was still tied securely in place.
Dugu Bo hadn't come.
After all, this disgrace of a Titled Douluo couldn't even detect a hundred-thousand-year soul beast at close range, how could he possibly notice a fine strand of hair?
That's what Fang Ling believed.
Thinking back, it was probably just that the last few months had been too exhausting.
His body was constantly fatigued, though Ye Lingling's healing helped him recover well.
The real fatigue was mental, from pushing himself too hard in mastering his scythe techniques. It had left him drained.
He needed these couple of days to recover.
Fang Ling was completely unaware that he had made a perfect misjudgment.
Dugu Bo had indeed come, and found nothing suspicious.
If anything, his visit had further confirmed that Fang Ling wasn't a fallen soul master.
For once, Fang Ling felt truly at peace.
It was still a short vacation, three days total. Today was the second day, so there was no group running session.
And for once, he decided not to think about training at all.
After breakfast, his eyes passed calmly over the half-open window, gazing at the scenery outside.
Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was one of the top noble academies in the empire.
Not only were the accommodations excellent and the facilities expensive, but the environment was also superb.
Lush trees provided shade, and flowers bloomed abundantly.
It was early summer, and the flowers in the villa's courtyard had begun to bloom one after another.
Dew glistened like jewels, and several flower buds stood quietly, like shy young girls.
Other blossoms had already opened boldly, their tender petals swaying gently in the morning breeze, telling the story of summer.
Tiny bees buzzed between them, tirelessly at work.
Butterflies fluttered among the flowers, their vibrant colors dancing with the landscape.
Sunlight filtered like silk through the light mist, casting a golden glow over the flowers, as if they had been gilded with a soft light.
Fang Ling sat still, quietly watching.
All the noise of the world seemed to fade in that moment, distant and blurred.
Only the calm in his heart grew clearer and deeper.
Suddenly, a wave of inexplicable comfort surged within him.
It was as if a stream of clear spring water flowed through his veins, and he could hear its cool murmur echoing in his ears.
The clutter in his mind gradually disappeared, replaced by a profound sense of lightness.
It felt as if all burdens had been swept away by the wind in that instant.
All that remained was boundless clarity and freedom.
A cool sensation quietly filled his heart, nourishing his spirit. It felt like a moment of spiritual transformation, a complete renewal.
Not an illusion, it was real!
He didn't know how long he had been like this until Ye Lingling showed up in confusion, wondering what he was doing.
By pure chance, his warrior's will had upgraded!
Fang Ling ignored Ye Lingling, his eyes focused and suddenly gleaming with intensity.
The character panel had changed again under the Specialization section.
Warrior's Will Lv3 → Lv4
(Innate specialty. A tenacious fighting spirit born from fierce life-and-death battles. Allows temporary resistance to physical pain. Rest is the path of the wise; knowing when to pause and find inner peace in stillness is not laziness, but preparation for a stronger departure. Passive increase to soul power circulation speed: 15% → 25%)
From 15% to 25%, a full 10% increase, twice as much as each previous level.
Level 4 truly was a major leap!
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