Chapter 343: Martial Soul Evolution, New Ability

Seeing Ye Lingling's hesitation, Su Ming decided to remain silent, trusting she'd work things out herself.

Moments later, Ye Lingling looked at him with renewed resolve and said, "Alright, I'll absorb it!"

She had made her decision. After four months with Su Ming, she'd come to see him as a solid choice—someone with a good character. He had expressed his interest in her, yet hadn't pursued her aggressively. Instead, he quietly supported her, helping her train every day.

It was different from other noble suitors, whose flashy and repetitive advances often annoyed her. Had it not been for her close friendship with Dugu Yan, some of those nobles might have even tried to take her by force. Naturally, she hadn't accepted any gifts from them; she understood well that these "presents" came with hidden intentions.

Su Ming, on the other hand, had always respected boundaries. Even with Dugu Yan away, he hadn't taken any liberties with her, further raising her opinion of him.

In short, though Su Ming's thoughts might be intense at times in his diary, he maintained a clear moral line in real life, never overstepping bounds without consent. His only flaw was having several women around him, but compared to nobles who had dozens of concubines, Su Ming's current count of two was modest.

With a look of determination, Ye Lingling accepted the Yin-Yang Twin Lotus. The moment she touched it, a wave of familiarity washed over her, as if this flower had been destined for her.

She sat cross-legged and began the process of absorption, while Su Ming stood guard, erecting a barrier around them to contain any aura that might arise from her martial soul's evolution and to keep watch for any approaching figures.

Around noon, her energy shifted dramatically, embodying the essence of the Yin-Yang Twin Lotus itself: one side radiated purity and sanctity, the other a profound darkness. Her Nine-Hearted Begonia also began to change, its once-pure white petals now interlaced with black, mirroring the lotus she had absorbed.

Boom!

An aura exploded from her as her spirit power surged to level forty. With her next spirit ring, her power would undergo another transformation.

Ye Lingling opened her eyes, filled with joy. Her martial soul had evolved!

Not only that, but she had indeed gained a new ability, and while it wasn't supportive, it was precisely what she had hoped for. She was no longer just a helpless healer.

Su Ming smiled, "Lingling, how does it feel? Your martial soul is entirely different from before; calling it Nine-Hearted Begonia doesn't seem fitting anymore."

She smiled back, "You're right. My spirit now resembles the Yin-Yang Twin Lotus I absorbed, so why not call it Yin-Yang Twin Lotus from now on?"

Su Ming nodded, finding the name entirely suitable. "So, aside from healing, what's this new ability?"

Ye Lingling explained, "The new ability is poison. Like my healing, it's independent of my spirit rings—its potency is directly proportional to the spirit power I invest in it."

"It's also an area-effect poison. My soul petals, each black and white, can cover allies and enemies alike. And here's the twist—I can choose to alter the effect as I please."

Su Ming's eyes lit up. In other words, when Ye Lingling used her wide-area abilities, her allies would receive healing while her enemies would suffer poisoning—undetectably so.

Her poison could cover the entire arena. Unless her opponents had advanced aerial capabilities, their only escape would be to jump out of bounds. But Su Ming knew this was a tactic best saved for a single use; once revealed, opponents would wise up to it. He pointed this out to her as well.

Ye Lingling clarified, "That shouldn't be a problem. My poison isn't like Yan Yan's, where the effects appear immediately upon contact. It's a slow-acting toxin that lies dormant, only surfacing once it accumulates enough and I choose to trigger it."

Su Ming was surprised. A hidden poison—this could perfectly complement Dugu Yan's Phosphorus Snake Emperor poison. With one poison in plain sight and the other concealed, teams in the tournament would only guard against Dugu Yan, while overlooking Ye Lingling. She had now transformed into a covert threat on the battlefield.

"This is great! If you and Yan Yan coordinate well, you'll catch opponents off guard. They might think they've evaded Dugu Yan's poison, only to suddenly find themselves incapacitated. They'll be totally baffled, wondering how they lost their fighting strength," Su Ming laughed.

Ye Lingling shared his excitement, although she felt her new ability might hold more than just poisoning potential. Poison seemed to be only the surface, and there could be more to uncover as her powers grew.

Just then, her stomach grumbled loudly, making her blush in embarrassment. She felt mortified, blaming her stomach for acting up at such a time.

Su Ming chuckled, "Let's go get some lunch; it's past noon now. Besides, I didn't hear a thing~~," he teased, lowering the barrier with a grin.

Ye Lingling glared slightly in jest. Usually, she'd never let her hunger show, but the strain of absorbing an immortal herb and evolving her martial soul had drained her reserves faster than expected.

Trying to ease her embarrassment, Su Ming asked, "So, you've reached level forty now. When do you plan to go for your fourth spirit ring?"

But before she could answer, he felt a warm, soft sensation graze his cheek.