In the town inn, Ling Ye sensed Hu Liena's presence approaching, but he remained calm.
Instead, a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
He vanished from the room in a flash, like a ghost, and the next moment, he appeared in a secluded woodland outside the town.
Almost simultaneously, a seductive figure caught up, it was Hu Liena.
Her pretty face was frosty, her eyes filled with anger at being tricked and a hint of barely perceptible curiosity.
"You really are suspicious! Who are you?" Hu Liena said coldly, her Martial Soul Demon Fox instantly possessing her. Five Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—rose, emanating a seductive aura in an attempt to disturb Ling Ye's mind.
However, Ling Ye simply looked at her quietly, his eyes remaining calm and deep, as if her allure had no effect.
"Miss Hu Liena, chasing after a 'Firefly' Soul Master is beneath your status as a member of the Golden Generation, isn't it?" Ling Ye said calmly.
"Stop pretending! The matter of Qingmu Town, and the suspicions surrounding you, come back to the Spirit Hall with me and explain everything!" Hu Liena shouted, her second spirit ring lighting up as she prepared to unleash a powerful spirit skill.
But just as she was about to unleash her soul skill, Ling Ye moved!
It's not an attack, it's a blink!
His figure appeared as if by teleportation, suddenly appearing at a very close distance behind Hu Liena in a way that Hu Liena could not comprehend at all.
At the same time, a terrifying aura, as vast as the sea, suddenly descended!
Thump!
Hu Liena felt her soul power instantly and completely suppressed, unable to move even a finger. The terrifying pressure made her soul tremble, and her demon fox martial soul let out a mournful cry and dissipated.
Her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to her knees. All color drained from her pretty face, leaving only boundless terror!
What... what kind of power is this?! A Title Douluo?!
No, he might even be stronger! He... he's not a Firefly Soul Master at all!
Ling Ye gently touched the back of her neck with his fingers, and a pure and domineering power surged in instantly, sealing her soul power and leaving a hidden spiritual mark.
"Ugh..." Hu Liena groaned, her body going completely limp, and she was supported by Ling Ye.
She looked up at Ling Ye's face, so close yet exuding absolute control, and her heart was filled with turmoil.
"You... what exactly are you..."
"Who I am is not important." Ling Ye's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power. "What is important is that from today onwards, you are mine."
His fingertips traced Hu Liena's smooth cheek, with an air of irresistible force.
"You know what to say to His Holiness the Pope. I need an eye on the Spirit Hall, and you are perfect for that."
Hu Liena's delicate body trembled, her eyes flashing with struggle and fear, but more than that, there was a sense of bewilderment and strange tremor after being conquered by absolute power.
The mental imprint subtly took effect, preventing her from resisting Ling Ye and instead giving her an instinctive sense of obedience and dependence.
"...Yes." Finally, she lowered her head and replied in a barely audible voice.
The arrogance of the golden generation was utterly shattered in the face of absolute strength and mystery.
Ling Ye released his grip, partially easing the suppression. "Go back. Forget about what happened earlier. Just carry out your mission as usual. I'll contact you if needed."
Hu Liena gave him a complicated look, bit her lip, turned and staggered away, her mind in turmoil.
"Wait a minute!" Ling Ye suddenly spoke up.
Hu Liena turned to look at him. "Is there something you need?"
Ling Ye smiled slightly, wanting to test her obedience. "I need something right now."
Hu Liena's gaze swept over him, a look of shock appearing on her face.
Then she tossed her hair and knelt down in front of Ling Ye.
After testing Hu Liena's obedience, Ling Ye was in a good mood and then sent her away, saying, "Go back first, I need to think about life."
Hu Liena wiped her mouth, swallowed hard, tears welling in her eyes, and disappeared into the night.
Ling Ye watched the spot where she disappeared. Subduing Hu Liena, a pawn, would greatly benefit his future plans.
The next day, he left Aoki Town and went to a larger city nearby.
He needed a legitimate identity and rank certificate that would allow him to move freely on the mainland, and the Spirit Hall's certification was undoubtedly the best choice.
The City Martial Soul Sub-Hall is magnificent and bustling with people.
Ling Ye once again disguised himself as a level 9 soul power user with a down-on-his-luck appearance and Firefly Martial Soul, and walked into the Soul Master Certification Hall.
He was received by a middle-aged examiner who, upon seeing his shabby appearance and pitiful martial spirit certificate, made no attempt to conceal his contempt.
"Tsk, Firefly Martial Soul, Level 9 Soul Power? You have the nerve to come for certification? Alright, alright, just go through the motions, here's the lowest-level badge, get out of here." The examiner waved his hand impatiently.
In the theoretical exam, Ling Ye deliberately answered carelessly, barely passing.
When it came to the actual combat assessment, the opponent was a level 25 powerful attack-type Soul Master whose Martial Soul was the Gale Wolf.
When the young man saw Ling Ye's setup, he almost burst out laughing.
"Brother, just admit defeat, or I'm afraid a gust of wind will blow you away," the young man joked.
Ling Ye waved his hand nervously: "Please...please give me your guidance."
The assessment begins!
The young man let out a low roar, and two yellow spirit rings lit up beneath his feet, increasing his speed dramatically. His claws whistled through the air as he reached for Ling Ye, intending to end the battle in one move.
However, what happened next made all the onlookers and examiners widen their eyes.
Ling Ye appeared like a leaf in a storm, seemingly in grave danger but always managing to "luckily" evade the youth's attacks by the smallest of margins.
One moment it "accidentally" tripped to avoid the attack, and the next it "just happened" to be poked by a stone on the ground, sliding to dodge the sharp claws.
The young man launched more than a dozen attacks, but couldn't even touch the hem of Ling Ye's clothes. Instead, he was exhausted and panting, feeling a little embarrassed.
"All you can do is dodge?!" Enraged, the young man used his second soul skill, increasing his speed once again, and transformed into a streak of azure light as he pounced forward!
Just as the shot was about to hit, Ling Ye seemed to be "terrified" and stood still.
Just when everyone thought he was about to be knocked away, Ling Ye seemed to trip over his foot again, and his body spun around in an extremely awkward way. Not only did he narrowly avoid a fatal blow, but his elbow also "accidentally" hit the young man's vulnerable armpit after he missed his target!
"Ugh!" the young man screamed, half of his body went numb, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a while.
The entire room fell silent.
The examiner dropped his pen on the ground.
This...this actually works?! Is my luck really that good?!
Every dodge was so awkward and forced, yet he just couldn't hit!
That final counterattack was even more coincidental!
Ling Ye, still shaken, patted his chest and cautiously asked, "Are you...are you alright? I...I didn't mean to..."
The young man was so angry he almost vomited blood. He was helped up, his face ashen, but he had nothing to say.
The loss was so frustrating!
The examiner snapped out of his daze and looked at Ling Ye with a strange expression.
He walked up to Ling Ye and personally released his soul power to examine him. After confirming that it was indeed a level 9 soul power, the Firefly Martial Soul.
That's really strange!
"You...have you practiced before?" the examiner couldn't help but ask.
Ling Ye answered honestly, "No...no, I was just gathering herbs in the forest, and I was often chased by wild animals, so I...I ran a little too fast..."
The examiner's lips twitched. This explanation... seemed to make sense? Could it be that his combat awareness was truly exceptional? What a pity, this martial soul was too useless, otherwise he would definitely be a promising talent.
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your practical assessment... counts as passing. Although you took a shortcut, this is the result. Here is your Soul Master badge and this month's stipend." He handed Ling Ye an iron badge with a vertical stripe engraved on it and several gold soul coins.
"Thank you, sir!" Ling Ye accepted it "gratefully."
As the examiner watched him leave, he added, "Kid, although your martial spirit isn't great, your combat awareness is excellent. How about staying at the branch hall as a guard? It's safer than running around everywhere."
Ling Ye chuckled inwardly, but outwardly declined with a flattered air: "Thank you for your kindness, sir, but I... I'm used to being free and easy, and I still want to travel around and see the world."
The examiner shook his head with some regret and didn't insist.
Ling Ye put away the badge and gold soul coins and left the Martial Soul Sub-Hall in a low-key manner.
I got my ID and also got to watch a good show.
What he didn't know was that after he left, the examiner found it increasingly unbelievable and recorded the bizarre examination process, reporting it as an interesting anecdote to the Bishop of the Temple.
The bishop was also amazed when he saw the report.
"Firefly Martial Soul? Level 9 Soul Power? Defeating a Level 25 Great Soul Master with just agility and luck? Interesting..." The bishop stroked his chin. "If this combat awareness is real, we can observe it. Send someone to keep an eye on the movements of this young man named Ling Ye and see if he is really that 'lucky'."
An invisible gaze began to quietly fall upon Ling Ye, who had just left the city.
(End of chapter)