"Your Highness!"
Ye Lingling looked up at him while holding onto his waist, her eyes shimmering with fragmented light.
"That year when you single-handedly fought eight prodigies, that battle was so dazzling—everyone was cheering for you."
The girl's tone carried a childlike devotion, as if the radiance of that day still flickered before her eyes:
"I was only waist-high to my mother back then, hiding behind her, barely catching glimpses of your silhouette standing against the sunset through the crowd."
"Your gold-patterned white robe fluttered fiercely in the wind, the halo surrounding you more brilliant than the sun."
"From that moment, I vowed that in this lifetime, I would follow in your footsteps!"
She paused, her eyelashes trembling slightly as if tracing the contours of her memory:
"But just that one glance—your figure became imprinted like a seal, deeply branded in my heart."
"From then on, I was determined to follow your path in this life."
"I trained desperately, believing that one day my support abilities could assist you!"
Her voice softened here, tinged with grievance and disappointment.
"But all these years, news of you seemed buried by wind and snow."
"No matter how I inquired, I couldn't find any information about you."
Before her words faded, she suddenly lifted her head, the disappointment in her eyes replaced by sudden ecstasy:
"I never imagined I'd meet you here today! Your Highness, it's really you... isn't it?"
The girl's gaze was too fervent. He observed the undisguised admiration and joy in her eyes, remained silent for a moment, then nodded gently:
"It's me."
Just two words, yet they instantly reddened Ye Lingling's eyes. Bean-sized tears fell without warning, staining his lapel with small damp patches.
She didn't cry aloud, merely wiped her face vigorously and grinned brightly, like a child who'd finally gotten her wish:
"So wonderful... truly wonderful..."
Ye Lingling carefully wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, struggling to suppress her surging emotions, her eyes still slightly red.
Releasing her arms from Su Yu's waist, she stepped back half a pace and bowed deeply to him, her posture devout and solemn:
"Your Highness, please allow me to become your follower!"
Her voice carried a slight hoarseness from recent tears, yet each word was clear, radiating unwavering determination:
"All these years I've never slackened in my training. Though I'm merely a support Soul Master, my Martial Soul is the Nine Heart Begonia!"
"Your Highness, please let me follow you! As long as I'm here, you will never be harmed!"
Su Yu looked at Ye Lingling before him, momentarily at a loss for words.
Hearing no response from Su Yu, Ye Lingling lowered her head in disappointment.
Su Yu watched as the girl hung her head, her once-sparkling eyes now clouded with gloom.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, like a small animal drenched by rain, exuding a heartbreaking despondency.
After a moment of silence, he finally sighed softly and raised his hand to ruffle her hair.
"Alright, if you wish, you may follow me from now on."
Ye Lingling jerked her head up, her dim eyes instantly reigniting like kindled sparks as she stared at Su Yu in disbelief:
"R-really?"
After receiving Su Yu's affirmative nod, her cheeks flushed bright red in an instant. The previous disappointment vanished completely, replaced by overflowing excitement.
She nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with barely suppressed enthusiasm:
"Yes! Thank you, Holy Son! I will work hard and won't cause you any trouble!"
Watching her radiant expression return, a faint smile flickered in Su Yu's eyes.
Meanwhile, Ye Lingling followed Su Yu back to Shrek Academy's square.
The battle between Xue Na and Shimo had already concluded. Although Shimo possessed astonishing defensive capabilities, his offensive power was lacking, ultimately leading to Xue Na's victory.
Currently sparring on the field were Tang San and Zhi Yin.
Both were Control-type Soul Masters with plant-based Martial Souls, making them seemingly evenly matched.
However, Zhi Yin's combat experience was clearly inferior to Tang San's, and ultimately Tang San emerged victorious.
After three rounds of sparring between both sides, the matches came to an end.
Qin Ming planned to catch up with Flender and Zhao Wuji, leaving the youngsters to arrange their own activities.
While Yu Tianheng's group's plans remained unknown, Ning Rongrong and the others decided to visit Soto City.
Su Yu brought Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Xue Na, and Ye Lingling to Soto City. Along the way, Su Yu introduced Ye Lingling to the others.
The girls, being similar in age, quickly struck up conversations and became acquainted.
The group wandered through Soto City, and before long, evening descended.
As Su Yu led them back toward Shrek Academy, the glow from street lanterns cast swaying shadows on the ground.
"Brother Husband, something terrible has happened! Lingling has disappeared!"
Ning Rongrong tugged at Su Yu's hand, her face filled with panic. Just moments ago, she had been laughing with Ye Lingling while looking at street trinkets.
But in the brief moment she turned to buy a candied hawthorn skewer, Ye Lingling had vanished from her side.
Xue Na's eyes reddened with anxiety as she scanned their surroundings: "Lingling was right beside me just now. How could she disappear so suddenly?"
Su Yu gestured for everyone to stay calm and immediately activated his Kagura Mind's Eye to search for Ye Lingling.
Meanwhile, in a nearby alley—
A lecherous voice, accompanied by strange collision sounds, echoed through the air:
"Little girl, uncle isn't a bad person! Don't be scared!"
The voice dripped with nauseating lust, reverberating eerily through the empty streets.
"No! Who are you? Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!"
"Hehe, little girl, no need to be afraid. Uncle Bu Le isn't a bad person either. Uncle just wants to give you a physical examination!"
Bu Le's utterly repulsive words hung in the air, his face twisted in a disgusting grin.
"No! Get away from me! If you dare touch me, the Holy Son won't let you get away with this!"
Ye Lingling threw everything within reach at Bu Le while scrambling backward.
Bu Le batted away the objects Ye Lingling threw, rubbed his hands together, swallowed hard, and slowly advanced:
"Little girl, whether your Holy Son lets uncle off or not, uncle doesn't know. But uncle here—won't be letting you go!"
E Kao, watching Bu Le's behavior from the side, sighed in exasperation.
"Hey, Bu Le, hurry up and stop wasting time. I really don't know what's so good about this withered appearance. I'm truly baffled by your taste."
Bu Le shot E Kao a glare, rubbed his palms together, and licked his lips:
"Old Goose, you don't understand. It's precisely this kind of young girl that's the most fresh and lively to play with!"
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