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"Lin Ye? His name is Lin Ye?"
When Mu Yan mentioned Lin Ye's name, Hu Liena was instantly reminded of her first mission from her master. The target she was supposed to find was also named Lin Ye, but he had somehow escaped, supposedly to explore the continent.
Could this Lin Ye be that same Lin Ye?!
A spark of surprise flickered in Hu Liena's beautiful eyes as she thought about it, though she quickly felt something was off.
That Lin Ye was only about six or seven years old, but this one looked closer to twelve or thirteen. They didn't seem like the same person at all.
But now that she'd encountered this Lin Ye, Hu Liena didn't want to let it go. There was still a chance it could be him, wasn't there?
"Senior Mu Yan, could you look into this Lin Ye's background? Like his age and other details? Tell me once I get back—I'm going to find him right now!"
Without waiting for a response, Hu Liena stood up and addressed Mu Yan, determination in her tone.
"Uh... sure, but, Saintess, why do you need to know this?" Mu Yan nodded, though his curiosity was clearly piqued.
"Don't worry about that, Senior," Hu Liena replied, shaking her head without offering further explanation.
Using her connections within the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena soon found out where Lin Ye was staying. She gathered a few Soul Sage guards and headed straight to the Tulip Hotel where Lin Ye was lodging.
Arriving at the hotel, Hu Liena made her way directly upstairs, stopping outside Lin Ye's room before knocking on the door.
Knock, knock, knock…
Inside the room, Lin Ye was busy cultivating the Nine Yang Divine Technique. Hearing the knock, he frowned slightly, pausing his training and rising from the bed.
Who's here to see me?
Lin Ye found the visit strange. He didn't know many people in Evernight City—just the five members of the Savage Bear Soul Hunting Group. But during the day, they were each focused on their own training, only gathering at night to drink at the tavern.
"Who is it?"
Curious, Lin Ye got up and walked toward the door. On the bed, Tangyuan, who had been dozing in his little nest, opened his eyes upon hearing the knock.
Tangyuan, too, seemed curious and hopped down from his nest, trailing behind Lin Ye.
Still puzzled, Lin Ye opened the door.
With a creak, the door swung open, revealing a familiar figure—a lovely woman with golden short hair, dressed in a white gown adorned with golden patterns.
"Envoy Hu Liena?"
Lin Ye couldn't hide his surprise at seeing Hu Liena.
Why would this esteemed envoy from the main hall of the Spirit Hall come looking for him?
"Envoy Hu Liena, what brings you here? Please, come in!"
Although he was filled with questions, Lin Ye felt a bit of goodwill toward Hu Liena—after all, she had given him a substantial sum of money before. With a polite smile, he gestured for her to enter.
"No need to be so formal. I apologize for showing up unannounced; I hope you don't mind," Hu Liena replied, giving him an apologetic yet charming smile.
"It's no trouble at all. Please, come in."
Lin Ye responded with a soft smile, stepping aside and closing the door behind her as they entered the room.
Thanks to his resources, Lin Ye had rented the most luxurious room in the Tulip Hotel. The space was vast, with tasteful and opulent decor.
Though puzzled by her sudden visit, Lin Ye didn't feel uncomfortable with guests.
Chirp, chirp!
As Lin Ye turned to walk further into the room, Tangyuan stood up on his tiny paws, curious about the new visitor. He tilted his head, chirping inquisitively at Hu Liena.
"Oh my… how adorable!"
Hearing the chirping, Hu Liena noticed the small, fluffy white ball on the floor. Tangyuan's cuteness melted her heart, and she couldn't resist exclaiming in delight.
When it came to soft and fluffy animals, girls were always defenseless!
Instead of immediately following Lin Ye, Hu Liena squatted down to pick up Tangyuan, cradling him gently before trailing behind Lin Ye.
After they entered the room, Lin Ye took a seat and pulled out a chair beside him, gesturing politely for her to sit.
"Please, have a seat, Envoy Hu Liena."
"Thank you."
Grateful for Lin Ye's courtesy, Hu Liena put Tangyuan down and took a seat beside him.
"Envoy Hu Liena, I assume you've been busy dealing with the evil soul masters in Evernight Forest. What brings you here today?" Lin Ye asked, curious.
"No need for all the formalities. Just call me Hu Liena." She flashed a soft smile, trying to close the distance between them. "Actually, I came to ask for your help on behalf of the Spirit Hall."
"My help? Is there really anything I could help the Spirit Hall with?"
Lin Ye raised an eyebrow, feeling a hint of suspicion but also a flicker of curiosity.
"Of course you can. Don't forget, you're the one who discovered the tracks of the evil soul masters."
Hu Liena chuckled softly, her eyes glimmering.
"The truth is, I came to ask if you'd accompany us to Evernight Forest and lead us to the place where you last encountered the evil soul masters. We're hoping for some luck. You probably know by now, but despite our efforts, we've made no progress in locating them these past few weeks."
Hu Liena sighed, sounding frustrated.
"Well, I'd love to help, but to be honest, I don't remember the exact spot. It's been over half a month since I was in Evernight Forest."
Lin Ye pondered for a moment before reluctantly shaking his head.
"You don't remember…"
While Hu Liena had half-expected this, she couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
She quickly composed herself, though, understanding that even if they found the previous location, it didn't guarantee they'd find the evil soul masters.
Still, considering Lin Ye had located them once before—whether by luck or intuition—it seemed better to bring him along than to continue searching aimlessly in Evernight Forest.
"Actually, even if we can't find the exact spot, it doesn't matter. Our Spirit Hall has been searching for over a month without results. Since you managed to find traces of them once, I'm hoping you can bring us a stroke of luck again," Hu Liena said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Envoy Hu Liena, as much as I'd like to help, you know just how dangerous those evil soul masters can be. Isn't it the Spirit Hall's duty to handle them? I'm only a Soul Grandmaster, and helping would mean putting my life on the line…"
Lin Ye shook his head again.
He wasn't exactly one to do favors for free. Sure, he didn't mind lending a hand now and then, but only if it didn't come at a personal cost.
Lin Ye believed in a balance between power and responsibility. If he hadn't yet reaped any benefits, why should he bear the burden?
Risking his life for someone else's mission wasn't the type of deal he'd make.
"Don't worry. We're well aware of the risks involved in entering Evernight Forest. We'll make sure you're rewarded, and you'll be under my protection, so your safety is guaranteed!"
Hu Liena's eyes sparkled as she reassured him, undeterred by his reluctance.
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