Chapter 69: Ye Lingling and Gu Ran

"Senior Lingling, Gu Ran, why are you two still awake so late?" Tian Lin looked at the two of them and asked. "I can't sleep, I'm thinking about something," Ye Lingling's voice was as cold as ever. In this quiet forest, it sounded even lonelier. "You're my boss. If the boss doesn't sleep, how can a little follower like me just go off and rest?" Gu Ran said with a hearty laugh, his role as a loyal subordinate truly well-played. "Not bad, Gu Ran, you're loyal. As for Senior Lingling, are you feeling too excited because of your sudden improvement in strength?" Tian Lin smiled. After all, Ye Lingling had just obtained a thousand-year soul ring upon arriving, so it made sense if she was too happy to sleep. Ye Lingling shook her head. "No, my pursuit of strength isn't that intense. I don't need to shoulder the burdens of a family or sect like you, Gu Ran, or Tian Heng. Our Nine Heart Begonia lineage has always been passed down to only one person, and we possess only healing abilities. We can only survive by relying on other families." "Nine Heart Begonia, the number one healing-type martial soul of the current era. There isn't a sect that would refuse your membership," Tian Lin remarked. He couldn't help but feel that Ye Lingling seemed a bit strange. Despite having such a powerful martial soul, she didn't seem happy. Ye Lingling gave a bitter smile at his words. "True, no sect would refuse me. But I don't want to join any of them. Tianheng invited me before, but I tactfully declined. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family members are all too fiery for my liking." "I want to be like my mother and find someone I can truly rely on," Ye Lingling said longingly. "Not a bad idea. By the way, what do you think of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Across the entire continent, our sect's reputation is undoubtedly the best," Tian Lin said with a smile. He had his eyes on the strength of the Nine Heart Begonia. Without combat capabilities, it was like a tempting but vulnerable piece of meat that would be targeted without protection. Ye Lingling had to find someone to rely on. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is a large sect; they lack nothing when it comes to support-type soul masters. If I joined your sect, I probably wouldn't have much of a position, right? It wouldn't be any different from living under someone else's roof," Ye Lingling said with a bitter smile. She had considered the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan before but feared she wouldn't be valued there. "You've misunderstood. If you joined us, Uncle Ning would laugh in his sleep! While you and the sect members are both support-type soul masters, your roles are completely different. Healing abilities are exactly what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan lacks," Tian Lin explained. Hearing this, Ye Lingling thought for a moment. She realized Tian Lin had a point. Perhaps she really could receive strong support from the sect. Noticing her interest, Tian Lin glanced at Gu Ran and came up with an idea. He pressed further, "By the way, Senior, what do you think of Gu Ran? After consuming the Iron-Armored Peony, his defense is now on par with the Shi brothers, and his attack power even surpasses theirs. He's destined to become a future Titled Douluo. You're about the same age. Why not try dating him? He's the prized disciple of Bone Douluo. If you marry him, you won't be living under someone else's roof—you'd be family." Tian Lin truly cared for his loyal little follower. Ye Lingling was both beautiful and strong, making her a perfect match for Gu Ran. In the future, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan could boast of having two Titled Douluos in one generation: the strongest amplifier Ning Rongrong behind Tian Lin, and the strongest healer Ye Lingling behind Gu Ran. It would undoubtedly be a legendary tale. "You're so young, yet you're already this frivolous," Ye Lingling said, her cheeks flushing red at Tian Lin's words. Truth be told, ever since entering the Spirit Hunting Forest, Gu Ran hadn't left her side, always protecting her. She had seen it as simple camaraderie among teammates, but now that Tian Lin brought it up, the atmosphere suddenly grew awkward. "Boss, what are you talking about? How could someone as divine as Senior Ye even look at me?" Gu Ran stammered, unsure if he was nervous or embarrassed. However, Tian Lin could see that Gu Ran wasn't entirely uninterested in Ye Lingling. Otherwise, why would he look so flustered? Gu Ran felt wronged. He hadn't had any improper thoughts before, but now, thanks to Tian Lin's remarks, a subtle tension had arisen between him and Ye Lingling. If he said he had feelings, they had just developed; if he said he didn't, that would be a lie. "What's so unmatched about it? Senior Lingling is indeed outstanding, but you're also a future Titled Douluo of our sect!" Tian Lin said, frustrated at Gu Ran's lack of confidence. If it weren't for his young age and the fact that he already had Ning Rongrong, he wouldn't have let this opportunity slip to Gu Ran. "Someone who lacks confidence in themselves, no matter how talented, will never reach the highest level!" Ye Lingling's cold voice interrupted. She had initially been somewhat interested, but Gu Ran's lack of confidence left her disappointed. At that moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from the forest. Tian Lin quickly stood up and shielded the two of them. "There's killing intent. Senior Lingling, Gu Ran, be careful!" Gu Ran didn't hesitate to pull Ye Lingling behind him. Although he couldn't sense what Tian Lin had detected, he trusted him completely and prepared for battle. "Boss, should we wake up the teachers?" "No need. Let's first see what's coming. If it's just some clueless hundred-year soul beast, we don't need to disturb their rest." As he spoke, Tian Lin's eyes glowed with golden light, making him look especially striking in the dark night. When his external soul bone activated, Tian Lin could see even in pitch darkness. "Is that... a soul bone?" Ye Lingling exclaimed, surprised. She hadn't expected Tian Lin to still be hiding some of his strength. She couldn't help but wonder how much more potential he had yet to reveal. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's foundation was deeper than she had imagined. Perhaps it really could be her future haven. As for Gu Ran, although he lacked confidence, the way he instinctively shielded her in a moment of danger had left her slightly moved. If he could grow stronger in the future, perhaps he might deserve a chance. What Ye Lingling didn't realize was that Tian Lin's soul bone wasn't an ordinary one but an even rarer external soul bone. If she had known, she would have been even more astonished. "There are two soul beasts. Their bodies are pitch black, they have wings, and they're humanoid. They're extremely fast, with sharp fangs at the corners of their mouths. They're currently moving swiftly through the forest," Tian Lin described the appearance of the soul beasts he saw. They reminded him somewhat of the vampires from his previous life. Of course, in the world of Douluo Dalu, they wouldn't be Western-style bats but similar soul beasts. "They're Night Devils!" Ye Lingling, a top student at the academy, immediately identified the beasts. "Night Devils are soul beasts that only appear at night. They feed on the blood of humans or other soul beasts. It seems they've targeted us. Xiao Tian, can you estimate their height?" Tian Lin observed for a moment and estimated, "Their height is about 1.5 to 1.6 meters." Ye Lingling nodded. "These are two thousand-year soul beasts, roughly 1,500 to 1,600 years old. They're just perfect for us!" PS: I somehow like this Mc. He is committed to only one girl, Rongrong.