"Ye Lingling," she said, her voice soft but carrying a strange, resonant clarity. "I didn't intend to startle you. I merely waited until you were alone."
"I have a business proposition," Ye Lingling replied, her hands clasping politely in front of her. "I am in need of a guard. Someone capable of assisting me in hunting a Spirit Beast for my third Soul Ring."
Arthev raised an eyebrow, a short, dry laugh escaping his lips. He gestured vaguely toward the bustling streets of Soto City behind him.
"You're in Soto City, the heart of the kingdom's spirit master economy," Arthev said, his tone dripping with skepticism.
"There are Spirit Halls, mercenary bands, and clans everywhere. If you have money which, judging by your attire, you do, you could hire a fully equipped Spirit Team within the hour. Why stalk a lone traveler coming out of the woods?"
He took a step forward, his eyes piercing through the gloom. "More importantly, how do you know who I am? And what makes you think I'm even strong enough to help you survive a thousand-year spirit beast hunt? For all you know, I could be a novice who just got lucky."
Ye Lingling remained motionless, unfazed by his aggression. Under the veil, her eyes seemed to study him with clinical precision.
"Luck had nothing to do with what happened yesterday,"she said simply.
Arthev paused. "Yesterday?"
"You fought a three-ring Soul Elder," she continued.
Arthev's expression didn't change. "He attacked first."
"I know." Her tone stayed even, but her hand tightened at her side. "I was just outside. I heard the noise and ran into the hotel to know what was happening. I saw everything through the entrance."
That made him pause.
"I saw him release his spirit," she said. "I felt the pressure from where I stood. Most people cannot stay upright under that sort of aura." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "But you blocked him without even shifting your stance."
"That was nothing," Arthev replied.
"No," she said quietly. "It was not nothing."
He waited.
"You deflected his full-force punch like it was a poorly timed sparring strike," she said. "And then you used… something. Not a soul skill. Something fast. Rotating. I have never seen anything like it."
"I did." Her tone stayed even. " I suspect You suppressed your soul power completely. To make a Soul Elder misjudge you that badly, you must be at least two realms stronger than you appear. That is why I want you."
Arthev met her eyes and held the stare. Her words hung in the air, steady and unshaken. His guarded posture loosened bit by bit, replaced by a cooler, more measured focus. She had not just witnessed the fight. She had broken it down piece by piece.
That kind of insight was rare.
"Impressive," Arthev conceded, a faint, predatory smile touching his lips. "You certainly paid attention. And you're right. No luck involved."
He crossed his arms, leaning back against the rough stone wall of the city entrance. "So you want to hire the guy who can beat a Spirit Elder with a single punch. That brings us back to my original questions, Ms. Ye Lingling."
"First, the fee. My assistance comes at a high price. What is your offer?"
"500 gold coins," she stated immediately, her voice remaining level. "Paid in full upon our return to the city, regardless of whether the hunt is successful. Plus, all costs for lodging, supplies, and travel are covered by me."
Arthev raised an eyebrow again. 500 gold coins was a significant sum for what might only be a few days' work. It confirmed her wealth and the urgency of her need.
"Acceptable," he said. "Now, the second question, and the most important one. You are clearly from a prominent family, given your resources and your level of cultivation. Why haven't you hired members of your own clan, or a loyal Spirit Team? Why risk your life on a stranger who, despite my power, could simply abandon you when the beast appears?"
Ye Lingling sighed, a soft, almost imperceptible sound of exhaustion. She finally reached up and gently moved the fine black veil just enough to show the lower half of her face. Her lips were set in a firm, resolute line.
"Because of my Martial Soul," she stated, the simple phrase loaded with complexity.
"My Martial Soul is the Nine Heart Begonia," she revealed.
Arthev's eyes widened momentarily a sign of genuine surprise. It was a name known across the Spirit Master continent, a legendary existence.
"As you know, the Nine Heart Begonia is a top-tier Support-type Martial Soul," Ye Lingling explained. "My abilities focus entirely on healing and purification. When I activate my Soul Rings, I can simultaneously heal every ally within my Spirit Power range. I am an absolute necessity for any large Spirit Master conflict or extended journey."
She paused, letting the significance of that sink in.
"But my unparalleled healing comes with an equally devastating restriction, we call it the One Line Inheritance."
She let out a slow breath. "Only one direct descendant can inherit the Nine Heart Begonia at a time. One. Because of that, our clan never grows. We do not have the numbers or the raw talent pool that big families like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan have."
Her eyes dropped. "And the spirit itself is only support. Other support Spirit Masters can at least train for basic offense or defense. They pick up skills, learn to use weapons, do something. The Nine Heart Begonia gives none of that. No shield. No attack. Nothing."
She tapped her chest lightly. "Every ring I have is healing. I get no protection, no way to strike back, not even a boost to move faster." A thin, bitter smile touched her lips. "In a real fight, I am weaker than someone with no spirit rank at all. If a Spirit Beast comes for me, I cannot fight it. I can only hope I run fast enough."
"So your clan keeps you locked away like a treasure," Arthev concluded, his voice flat. "And sending them would be to risk the clan's future on a single hunt. I understand the logic, but it's a poor way to live."
"It is the only way we survive," she countered, a flicker of steel in her voice. "But it means I cannot rely on them for this. I need to be stronger. This third ring is crucial."
"My clan members, while loyal, are necessary to protect the clan's core. And every mercenary team I've interviewed wants to bring their own three to four people to soak up the gold. I need one person who is capable of doing the work of an entire team someone who can eliminate a powerful, targeted threat before it gets within striking distance of me."
She looked directly at him, her gaze intense.
"I need a fortress. I saw that fortress yesterday when you didn't even bother to activate your Soul."
"So,"she finished, her voice dropping to a serious tone. "Do we have a deal?"
"Almost," Arthev said, holding up a finger. "One final condition. On this hunt, my word is the law. If I say we run, we run. If I say we abandon the hunt, we abandon it. You do not hesitate, you do not question my judgment in the moment. Your safety, and by extension my payment, depends on your absolute obedience in the face of danger. Agree to that, and we have a deal."
Ye Lingling studied him for a long moment, weighing the demand. It was a surrender of control, something her position seldom allowed. But it was also the mark of a true professional. Finally, she nodded. "You are the expert in combat. I would be a fool not to defer to your expertise in its domain. I agree."
Arthev pushed off the wall, his posture settling into something steady and assured. The earlier tension in the air softened, though a thin thread of caution still hung between them.
"A fortress," he repeated, the word a low rumble. "An interesting choice of words."
He nodded once. "Very well, Miss Ye Lingling. We have a deal."
He glanced up at the sky, where the deep indigo of evening was rapidly swallowing the last streaks of sunset. "But not tonight. The forest is a bad place for a hunt after dark, especially with a client who cannot fight back. We leave at first light."
He gestured with his chin toward the glowing lanterns of the city interior. "Find you an inn. Somewhere quiet, with solid walls. I'll gather supplies. Food, water skins, a decent map of the Star Dou Great Forest's outer regions. Meet me at the southern gate at dawn."
A hint of relief softened Ye Lingling's posture. Her hands unclenched. "That is acceptable. I will secure lodging at the 'Silent Wanderer's Rest.' It is known for its discretion and sturdy doors."
"Good." Arthev gave a short, final nod. "Then get some rest. You'll need it. Tomorrow, you'll get your fortress."
Without another word, he turned and melted back into the shadows of the alley, leaving Ye Lingling standing alone under the rising starlight. The city's noise seemed to swell around her, but for the first time since beginning her search, a tense knot of anxiety in her chest began to loosen. She had found her guardian. Now, she just had to survive the hunt.
To be continued....