Douluo Continent: I had just reached my limit when the sky exposed me.

Chapter 41 Sign-in Task: 100,000-Year-Old External Soul Bone
"Ugh!"

The old man took a deep breath, a resolute glint flashing in his cloudy eyes. He suddenly looked in a certain direction, towards the Sunset Forest.

"Beidou Academy!"

The old man said it with absolute certainty.

"Beidou Academy?"

Ye Lingling was stunned.

"That's right!"

The old man analyzed the situation in a hurried tone.

"According to the news circulating on the mainland, the Beidou Academy is mysterious and unpredictable. They can cultivate geniuses like Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong who have made it onto the Martial Soul Ranking. Even the evolution of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul is related to it. Its foundation is unfathomable!"

He looked intently at Ye Lingling: "Most importantly, they don't seem to be afraid of the Spirit Hall. Now that your Nine Heart Begonia has completed its ultimate transformation, in terms of support capabilities, especially in the field of healing, it is almost unmatched in the world."

"Perhaps... perhaps this mysterious academy will be interested in you and willing to offer you protection. This is our only and best option at the moment."

"We have to take this gamble, no matter what!"

Looking at the desperate glint in her grandfather's eyes, and sensing the transformation of her own martial soul, Ye Lingling's usually cold eyes gradually revealed a resolute look.

She did not want to become a puppet of any power.

She longed for freedom and to truly control her own destiny.

"Okay! Grandpa, I'll do as you say, let's go to Beidou Academy!"

Ye Lingling nodded vigorously.

The decision has been made and there is no time to lose.

A hint of reluctance flashed in Grandpa Ye's cloudy eyes. He held Ye Lingling's hand tightly and said in a low voice, "Lingling, listen to Grandpa, I can't go with you."

Ye Lingling was taken aback: "Grandpa?"

"The Spirit Hall's target is you. If I travel with you, we'll become too conspicuous, and neither of us will be able to escape!"

Grandpa Ye spoke very quickly, with an undeniable decisiveness, “You must go alone. I will have Ye Zhong escort you secretly. He is an 83rd-level Soul Douluo, enough to ensure your safe arrival at the outer edge of Sunset Forest.”

He paused, a bitter yet resolute look on his face: "As for me, I must stay. I am the head of the Ye family. As long as I remain in charge of the family, the Spirit Hall will be hesitant to act rashly and may not immediately take drastic measures against the rest of the family, thus buying you time."

"If I were to leave as well, the entire Ye family would be in imminent danger of being destroyed! As long as you are safe, join the Beidou Academy, and receive protection, our Ye family will still have hope!"

Ye Lingling instantly understood her grandfather's good intentions, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She knew how heavy the burden on her shoulders was.

This is not only about her personal freedom, but also about the survival of her entire family.

Grandpa...you must take care of yourself!

All those words could be summed up in this one tearful plea.

"Come on!"

Grandpa Ye pushed her hard, turned around, and his long shadow stretched out in the setting sun, full of tragic grandeur.

Ye Lingling gritted her teeth, took one last look at her grandfather and the family behind her, and resolutely turned around.

Under the cover of Ye Zhong, the family's most loyal guard, they quietly left Tiandou City.

They hurried toward Sunset Forest.

However, less than half an hour after Ye Lingling left.

"boom!"

A powerful pressure, carrying a rich floral fragrance, descended upon the Ye family mansion like a storm!

Yue Guan appeared in the courtyard, his face grim, his sharp gaze sweeping over the ready-to-fight Old Master Ye.

"Patriarch Ye, where is your granddaughter, Ye Lingling?"

Yue Guan cut to the chase, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority: "His Holiness the Pope requests your presence. Please have her come out for a meeting."

Old Master Ye felt a chill in his heart, but he forced himself to remain calm and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Excellency Chrysanthemum Douluo, it is an honor to have you here. I have failed to greet you properly."

"Unfortunately, Lingling went out to visit friends a few days ago and has not returned yet. I do not know her whereabouts."

Yue Guan's eyes turned cold, and his powerful mental energy swept across the entire Ye family mansion like mercury spilling onto the ground.

As expected, Ye Lingling was nowhere to be found.

He had just arrived at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy only to find it empty, and now, having received confirmation, he was still a step too late!
"Patriarch Ye, I advise you not to make a mistake!" Yue Guan's voice was tinged with coldness.

"The lifting of the restrictions on the Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul is of paramount importance, and His Holiness the Pope is determined to obtain it. If you conceal this fact and fail to report it, you will be making an enemy of the entire Spirit Hall!"

"Can your Ye family bear the consequences?"

Old Master Ye straightened his back and met Yue Guan's gaze without flinching: "Your Majesty is wise. I truly do not know Lingling's whereabouts. If she returns, I will inform the Spirit Hall immediately."

"Stubborn!"

Yue Guan completely lost his patience, a hint of ferocity flashing across his face.

His repeated failures fueled his anger.

"Since you refuse to listen to reason and are forced to drink the penalty cup, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Somebody come!"

"Bring the entire Ye family back to the Spirit Hall for safekeeping. I want to see if Ye Lingling can truly abandon her entire family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several powerful figures emerged from all around. They were all cardinals of the Spirit Hall, exuding formidable auras.

Old Master Ye's expression changed drastically, but he was powerless to resist. He could only watch helplessly as his family members were subdued by the experts from the Spirit Hall, his heart filled with grief and indignation.

I just hope my granddaughter can arrive at Beidou Academy smoothly.

……

Beidou Academy.

Lu Xiao was instructing the newcomer Ao Yin on some techniques for controlling the elements. Seeing the amazing comprehension of this dragon youth, he felt quite gratified.

Just then, that familiar notification sound rang in my mind again:

[Ding! Detected that you meet the conditions for a special sign-in task. Sign-in task issued: Recruit Ye Lingling (Nine-Heart Begonia Soul Master) to join Beidou Academy.]

[Mission Reward: 100,000-Year External Soul Bone - Void Wings!]

A glint flashed in Lu Xiao's eyes. He had triggered the system twice in one day, especially the sign-in task, for which the reward was such a generous 100,000-year-old external soul bone!
This system certainly doesn't speak without reason.

"Ye Lingling... the Nine-Heart Begonia whose curse has been lifted..."

Lu Xiao's lips curled up slightly.

"Such top-tier support-type Soul Masters are indeed worth recruiting. However, the Spirit Hall's actions are probably faster than expected."

With a thought, he slightly expanded his spiritual power.

They sensed that a group of two people were anxiously searching the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

The girl among them possessed a pure and vibrant aura, undoubtedly the transformed Nine-Heart Begonia.

"Wenji".

Lu Xiao spoke calmly.

A graceful green figure appeared in the room like a gentle breeze; it was Cai Wenji, holding a zither.

"Dean, are you looking for me?"

"Go to the outskirts of Sunset Forest and bring back a girl named Ye Lingling. She is a Nine-Heart Begonia Soul Master and is being hunted by the Spirit Hall. Her family may have already met with disaster."

Lu Xiao gave the instructions, while simultaneously transmitting Ye Lingling's location information to her.

Cai Wenji was exceptionally intelligent and immediately understood the urgency and importance of the matter. She bowed and said, "Wenji obeys."

With a flicker, he vanished from the spot.

……

The outskirts of the Sunset Forest.

Ye Lingling and her guard Ye Zhong traversed through a dense forest, both of them looking anxious and exhausted.

They have been searching this area for a long time, but have been unable to find any trace of Beidou Academy.

It was as if that academy didn't exist in the world at all.

"Miss, is the Beidou Academy... really located here?"

Ye Zhong couldn't help but ask in a low voice, his face full of doubt.

He used his spiritual power to investigate, but could only sense the aura of a primeval forest.

(End of this chapter)