Ye Lingling looked at Luo Yu seriously.
The man was also pondering.
The scene fell silent for a moment.
Qin Ming became anxious and rushed towards Luo Yu.
His voice was urgent and filled with pleading.
"Brother, you absolutely can't just take our Lingling away like this!"
Luo Yu glanced at the anxious-looking Qin Ming and raised an eyebrow, "Your Ye Lingling?"
Qin Ming nodded repeatedly, "Yes, she's the treasure of our Imperial Fighting Team, you really can't take her away!!"
Luo Yu turned his gaze directly to Ye Lingling and stated calmly, "He says you're theirs."
"That's his thinking," Ye Lingling's lips moved lightly, her ethereal voice without a trace of worldliness, "As I said before, right now I only want to support you."
This woman indeed was a bit special.
Luo Yu thought to himself and his lips curved slightly upward as he nodded to the girl and turned back to Qin Ming.
"Old Qin, as you see, I'm not trying to take your person away; she insists on following me."
"No, you really can't do this," Qin Ming said with a face full of urgency.
Luo Yu asked, "I didn't force her to come with me through martial power, did I?"
"No," Qin Ming shook his head.
Luo Yu then asked, "I didn't tempt her with benefits, did I?"
"No," Qin Ming responded dumbly.
"She's willing, right?"
"Yes," Qin Ming was at a loss for words.
Luo Yu stepped forward, patted Qin Ming on the shoulder, and sighed, "Old Qin, if it's destined to rain, if a woman is to marry, there's no use in reluctance; a melon forced from the vine isn't sweet."
Qin Ming nodded, then quickly shook his head.
He said resolutely, "No, you can't take Lingling away; you don't understand her importance to the Tiandou Empire, nor do you realize how much the empire values her supportive abilities."
"Maybe injuring Yu Tianheng wouldn't matter, but if Ye Lingling were to run away with you, the Sky Dou Royal Family would go ballistic, and they definitely wouldn't let it go; you simply don't understand the strategic significance of Lingling's growth."
Nobody noticed at this moment, the subtle sorrow that flashed through the quiet eyes of Ye Lingling when she heard Qin Ming's words.
Looking into Qin Ming's unwavering eyes and after a three-second gaze, Luo Yu patted his shoulder.
Then he turned and walked in front of Ye Lingling.
Qin Ming's eyes showed joy; he believed Luo Yu was a smart man who would weigh the situation clearly and wouldn't offend the Sky Dou Royal Family for a woman he barely knew.
Ye Lingling's fair face seemed unchanged, but her smooth hand hanging by her side had clenched tightly, betraying her inner nervousness.
The audience felt somewhat sorry; the goddess had been so proactive, yet she was still facing a ruthless rejection.
Then, Luo Yu's actions surprised everyone.
He extended his large hand towards the girl in front of him, smiling amiably.
"Ye Lingling, right? I'm delighted to meet you."
"From now on—"
"You can follow me."
Ye Lingling's undisturbed, bright eyes instantly widened, but quickly, she revealed a tranquil and modest smile.
Like a blooming crabapple flower, filled with an ineffable grace.
She quickly extended her small hand and grasped the man's large one.
"Okay."
She nodded her small head gently; though she uttered only a single word softly, it was as if she was making a promise that would never be broken.
This scene stunned countless onlookers.
In the audience, someone nudged their friend.
"Hey, buddy!"
"Stop looking."
"Even if you gaze at her a thousand times, she's not yours."
The friend instantly felt heartache and turned away with tears in his eyes, enviously crying.
"Can't I just look at my goddess from afar?"
The person disdainfully replied, "What's the use? You look at her a thousand times, but she doesn't look at you."
"Crack, crack!"
It was the sound of men's hearts breaking everywhere.
Ye Lingling's beautiful and cold demeanor had long attracted many male fans at the grand soul fighting arena, who saw her as the woman of their dreams.
Now, their goddess had resolutely walked away with another man, leaving them with shattered hearts.
Qin Ming's eyes reddened as he grabbed ahold of Luo Yu's clothing, "Brother, no, you really can't take Lingling away, the future of the Sky Dou Royal Family needs her."
Luo Yu glanced at him and slowly shook his head, speaking calmly.
"Why do you always like to consider your own needs?"
"The Sky Dou Royal Family needs her, but does she need the Sky Dou Royal Family?"
"I think, you've probably never asked what she likes."
"Isn't that asking the obvious?" Qin Ming retorted, "Whatever she wants, the Sky Dou Royal Family would grant her."
Luo Yu's mouth curved into a scornful smile, "What if what Ye Lingling wants... is freedom?"
Qin Ming's sturdy frame shook, his eyes became incredibly complex, and he fell silent.
Those words shook Ye Lingling's heart fiercely.
Could there really be someone in the world who understood her?
Her eyes sparkled with a different light as she looked at Luo Yu.
Ye Lingling walked up to Qin Ming, offering a storage pouch embroidered with an Asiatic apple.
"Teacher Qin, the Sky Dou Royal Family has funded my cultivation resources for many years, and I remember this kindness; I will repay it."
"Here are some resources; please take them back for me first."
"As for the rest, I'll work hard to accumulate them."
Qin Ming didn't reach out to take the pouch and said solemnly, "Lingling, you should know how difficult it is for your Nine-heart Asiatic Apple to increase in strength; it needs a massive amount of resources to advance."
"At the Imperial Fighting Academy, the empire can always provide you with resources,"
"If you go with him, what will you do about the path of your cultivation afterward?"
"Hmm?" Luo Yu looked at Ye Lingling, "Is it very difficult for you to increase your strength?"
Qin Ming answered hurriedly, "Her Nine-heart Asiatic Apple has heaven-defying effects; legends say that if cultivated to the extreme, it could even bring people back from the dead. But there are numerous constraints on her cultivation, and without a massive amount of resources to assist her, it's very difficult for her to progress to each new level."
"She was able to reach level thirty-five smoothly only because the Tiandou Empire helped her without counting the cost."
Luo Yu asked the girl, "Is what he's saying true?"
"Yes."
Ye Lingling pursed her lips, she hadn't thought much about it before, but now she was deeply afraid Luo Yu would despise her.
But she wouldn't lie.
"I understand," Luo Yu nodded.
Qin Ming felt that this time Luo Yu surely wouldn't still want to take in Lingling as a "gold-eating beast" at the cost of offending the Tiandou Empire.
Ye Lingling felt uneasy, sensing she was about to be shunned.
Luo Yu walked in front, pulled back Ye Lingling's hand that was clutching the brocade pouch.
"Ah?" Ye Lingling was confused, unsure of what the man was doing.
Luo Yu smiled, "Keep your little belongings for yourself."
"Since you're with me now, I'll pay off your debts."
"Brother, you really dare to say that, do you know how many resources she has consumed to cultivate to level thirty-five?" Qin Ming said incredulously.
"Let me, let me pay it back slowly," Ye Lingling whispered.
"Shut up."
"I like those who are obedient."
Ye Lingling instantly fell silent, pouting her cherry lips; the man was too domineering.
However, she seemed to like it a tiny, tiny bit.
Luo Yu didn't dawdle and directly took out something from his chest, shimmering with a clear blue light.
"Teacher Qin, is this thing enough to pay it off?"
"How could it possibly be enough..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Qin Ming's voice abruptly stopped.
His eyes widened and his breathing quickly became rapid.
"Soul... soul bone???" He stammered.
The audience section exploded into chaos; most of them were ordinary Soul Masters, and they had never seen a soul bone in their lives.
"Is... is this the legendary soul bone?"
"Damn, he just whipped out a soul bone just like that?"
"This is insanely inhumane."
Qin Ming stared in disbelief, "Are you going to use a soul bone to pay off Lingling's debt??"
Luo Yu repeated, "Is it enough?"
"Enough... it's more than enough!" Qin Ming responded repeatedly, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Oh, then there is no problem," Luo Yu said.
Some eagle-eyed audience members noticed Luo Yu's motion of reaching into his chest and then stopping.
"Hiss, what does that flick of his hand mean, was he going to take out another if one wasn't enough?"
"Damn, can't be."
"Where's this sugar daddy from, he's so rich?"
They thought about robbing him, but they didn't dare!
Now even Ye Lingling couldn't stay calm, she said in disbelief, "You... you're going to use a soul bone to pay off my debt?"
"You don't have to worry about these things."
Luo Yu glared at Ye Lingling and directly stuffed the soul bone into the dumbfounded hands of Qin Ming.
"The soul bone is for you; Ye Lingling and the Tiandou Empire are officially even now, she owes nothing."
"From now on, she is my person."
"If anyone is dissatisfied and wants to cause trouble, they can't blame me."
Having said that, and ignoring Qin Ming's reaction, Luo Yu led the group away.
Leaving behind the audience in a state of disarray.
On the streets of Soto City.
A man was walking down the street with a group of striking beauties.
They attracted countless gazes.
Along the way, Ye Lingling discreetly admired Luo Yu with her beautiful eyes.
Her heart skipped and skipped, and her usually tranquil little face turned a blushing red.
The man's decisive and swift actions had dazzled her.
A seed of affection that was already present sprouted swiftly.
What woman does not like a man like that?
Unable to help herself, Ye Lingling asked, "The soul bone, that's a soul bone, aren't you distressed?"
Xiaowu and several other women also turned their eyes filled with jealousy; they wanted to know, too.
Luo Yu shook his head.
He had been looked after by his own Dong'er and gotten four soul bones from the Martial Soul Hall, and he had casually brought another two from Star Dou Forest.
Six in total.
He gave one to each of the Zhu Zhuqing Sisters.
The one he just gave away was one he brought from Star Dou Forest; it wasn't very old, so he didn't think much of it.
Most importantly, to exchange a flawed soul bone for the most powerful healing class support in Douluo, and such a refined little beauty at that, wasn't it worth it?
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PS: A large chapter of three thousand words, I came back too late today. There will be another update later; I'll stay up late to code it.