Returning to Dugu Manor, Li Qing brought Ye Lingling to the back garden alone, but didn't rush to have her help test his Soul Skill. Instead, he planned to first explain their family's bloodline issue to her.
"You invited me to eat because you wanted to ask about your family's bloodline issue, right?"
"Yes."
Ye Lingling was very straightforward because she knew this was a bit difficult for Li Qing. Not only did she think so herself, but her family also didn't think Li Qing could truly solve it.
They were just trying it out with a hopeful mindset.
Li Qing shook his head and said, "You think too highly of me. If I could even solve this, then there would probably be no secrets about Martial Souls in front of me."
"Furthermore, it's hard to say if your family's bloodline issue is a Martial Soul defect."
"Among ordinary people, the phenomenon of a single heir for multiple generations also exists; it's just that for them, it manifests as having only male heirs, while for your Ye family, it's related to the Martial Soul."
Ye Lingling asked somewhat unwillingly, "What about Martial Soul Evolution?"
Although Ning Rongrong outwardly claimed that the heavenly materials and earthly treasures were found by their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School themselves, anyone with a discerning eye could guess that her Martial Soul Evolution was definitely inseparable from Li Qing.
Because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's attitude said it all.
Her mentioning Martial Soul Evolution wasn't because the Ye family wanted to freeload Li Qing's Martial Soul Evolution method and heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but rather to see if such a possibility existed.
If Martial Soul Evolution could truly solve their family's bloodline issue, then their family would be willing to pay any price.
Li Qing: "Martial Soul Evolution isn't as simple as you imagine. Nine Heart Sea Tang is already a top-tier Martial Soul. At least, I have no way to help you complete its Martial Soul Evolution."
To help Nine Heart Sea Tang evolve, it would probably require a life-attribute immortal grade item.
The only life-attribute Blue Silver Emperor comparable to an immortal grade item that Li Qing knew of had already been eaten by him. Where was he supposed to find a second life-attribute immortal grade item for her?
Moreover, their relationship wasn't that deep.
"Sigh!"
Although she had expected it, upon truly learning that Li Qing also had no solution, Ye Lingling couldn't help but sigh, but she quickly adjusted her mindset.
"Weren't you going to test your Soul Skill? Let's go."
Li Qing glanced at the many plants in the garden and asked, "Can your healing work on these plants?"
"Huh?"
Ye Lingling looked at the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees, feeling a bit bewildered. What normal person would try to heal plants? Isn't that just pure madness?
"I'll try."
As Soul Power surged, a sea Tang flower composed of white and pink appeared in Ye Lingling's hand, and as she injected Soul Power into her only Soul Ring.
A faint fragrance instantly permeated the air.
White light surged from the sea Tang flower, condensing into a petal, which flashed and then entered the body of an ornamental tree, causing the tree to sway.
Li Qing could clearly feel that the ornamental tree's vitality had strengthened slightly.
It worked.
"Later, I'll use my Soul Skill on this tree. Please heal it quickly, because I'm afraid it might die before your healing takes effect."
Ye Lingling nodded, "Okay."
As Li Qing's Soul Power surged, he completed his Martial Soul Avatar. Three Soul Rings, yellow, purple, and black, rose from his feet, causing Ye Lingling to widen her eyes involuntarily.
Ten... A ten-thousand-year level third ring?
She knew Li Qing could absorb Soul Rings beyond his limit, but for the third ring to be ten thousand years, wasn't that a bit too exaggerated? No wonder Dugu Yan directly gave up the captain's position.
How could anyone compete with that?
Moreover, just over half a year ago, Li Qing was only level fourteen. In the past half year, he suddenly reached level thirty-something, which means he increased his Soul Power by at least sixteen levels in that time.
Even if absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's limit grants a lot of Soul Power, it shouldn't be this exaggerated, right?
"Are you ready?"
Ye Lingling looked deeply at Li Qing and said, "Ready."
"Begin!"
With a low shout, Li Qing injected Soul Power into his first Soul Ring. Black Underworld Fire sprayed from his mouth, enveloping the ornamental tree in the blink of an eye.
Ye Lingling's timing was perfectly controlled.
Almost the instant Li Qing's Underworld Fire ignited the ornamental tree, her healing also arrived. However, unlike the healing from the Life Snowdrop, there was a difference.
Not only did Ye Lingling's healing fail to extinguish the Underworld Fire, but it actually made the Underworld Fire burn even more fiercely, like an engine.
The ornamental tree's vitality was almost instantly burned away, turning it into a withered tree. Its lush green leaves all withered and fell, and its trunk was like dried firewood.
"This is?"
Li Qing suddenly looked at Ye Lingling because, at the moment her healing and his Underworld Fire merged, he felt an inexplicable tremor originating from his Martial Soul.
The source of that tremor was precisely Ye Lingling, or more accurately, her Martial Soul.
Her Martial Soul was attracting his.
This attraction made Li Qing subconsciously think of a possibility, a very rare possibility, one they had studied in class.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
One of the prerequisites for a Martial Soul Fusion Skill is that the Martial Soul attributes complement each other. As long as this condition is met, resonance will occur between the two Martial Souls.
That tremor just now was very similar to the Martial Soul Resonance Qin Ming talked about in class.
It's just that they had been in contact for quite some time, and they hadn't produced this kind of resonance even before testing the Soul Skill, which made him somewhat uncertain.
Ye Lingling was also looking at him.
Surprise, excitement, disbelief, and other emotions continuously flickered across her face. Clearly, she had also felt the Martial Soul Resonance that suddenly appeared.
"Want to try?"
Li Qing said tentatively.
"Okay."
Ye Lingling nodded heavily, then generously extended her right hand.
Li Qing took her hand.
Ye Lingling's hand was very soft and smooth. While it wasn't boneless, it made one reluctant to let go, with an urge to hold it and admire it properly.
Li Qing asked, "Are you ready?"
Ye Lingling nodded.
Then, the two simultaneously mobilized their Soul Power. Black and white light gradually appeared on their bodies, but that Martial Soul Resonance did not reappear.
Both of them frowned slightly.
Li Qing was certain that the resonance just now wasn't an illusion, but why did it suddenly stop working now?
Could it be the Soul Skill?
Ye Lingling was a healing Soul Master, so Li Qing had never sparred with her. However, he had often seen her use her Martial Soul and Soul Skills. The only difference today was using their Soul Skills simultaneously.
"Try releasing your Soul Skill."
"Okay."
Ye Lingling nodded, then began injecting Soul Power into her Soul Ring. Li Qing also injected Soul Power into his first Soul Ring at almost the same time.
It was at that very instant that the Martial Soul Resonance reappeared.
Feeling the Martial Soul Resonance again, a hint of irrepressible joy appeared on both their faces, because this resonance was clearly stronger than the previous one.
The black and white Soul Power on their bodies even faintly showed signs of merging.
However, perhaps it was precisely because they missed the opportunity in their excitement that the Martial Soul Resonance disappeared again in an instant, ultimately failing to complete the Martial Soul Fusion.