Dugu Yan immediately began counting on her fingers. "Sister Erlong, Sister Yuehua, Sister Xue, me, Xivia, Shenghua, Shui Ruoyan, Yao Yuerou, Shui Bing'er, Shui Yue'er, Yao Zi, Sheng Minglan."
With every name she said, she curled down one finger. After both hands were fully occupied, she casually grabbed Ye Lingling's hand and folded down two of her fingers as well. Only then did she tell Ye Lingling, "Twelve in total."
Ye Lingling looked at Dugu Yan and asked curiously, "Why are you all willing to follow him? Does he have some special ability?"
Rather than answering directly, Dugu Yan asked Ye Lingling, "Ling Ling, what level are you now?"
Ye Lingling did not know why Dugu Yan was asking, but she still stated her level. "I'm already a level fifty-five Soul King. Why?"
Dugu Yan did not answer. Instead, she summoned her Jade Scale Flood Dragon Martial Soul. Six Spirit Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black—appeared beneath her feet, and an immense pressure instantly spread outward, suppressing Ye Lingling so thoroughly that she could not move.
Ye Lingling only felt a pressure far beyond that of a Soul King descend upon her. She had never imagined that, after only a year, the gap between herself and Dugu Yan would have grown so vast. She also understood what Dugu Yan meant: following Xiao Yun had led to incredibly rapid strength increase.
Dugu Yan's Martial Soul flashed away, and she smiled. "See? I'm already a level sixty-nine Soul Emperor. In less than a month, I'll become a Soul Saint. That's the benefit of following Brother Xiao."
Having received Dugu Yan's confirmation, Ye Lingling still asked calmly, "You're a Battle Soul Master, so of course you level up quickly. I'm a Support Soul Master. How could I possibly improve that fast?"
Dugu Yan