Battle of the Golden List! Martial Soul Evolution! Gu Nian's Divine Means!

"Make the first move."

Qian Renxue spoke, her voice passing through her Martial Soul Avatar with a vast, ethereal echo.

"This is what I owe Heaven Dou. I'll give you a fair chance."

Xue Ke, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity in the others' eyes.

Even with only her Martial Soul Avatar unleashed, the pressure rolling toward them nearly left them unable to breathe.

"Lingling!"

Dugu Yan shouted low.

Ye Lingling understood at once. Without the slightest hesitation, the sixth spirit ring beneath her feet suddenly lit up!

"Nine Heart Begonia, nine petals bloom, light shines upon the Nine Provinces!"

The pink begonia flower in her palm grew with the wind, instantly transforming into an Immortal Flower several meters tall.

Nine crystal-clear petals of different colors slowly bloomed. Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, black, and white—nine streams of light shot into the sky, weaving into a dazzling rainbow pillar that enveloped Xue Ke and Dugu Yan.

This was no longer merely healing light.

Xue Ke felt a warm current surge through her entire body. The circulation of her Soul Power sped up by thirty percent out of nowhere, her Sea of Consciousness became crystal clear, and even her Martial Soul let out a joyful cry.

Dugu Yan felt it even more deeply. Not only were her Soul Power, spiritual power, attack, defense, and speed enhanced across the board, but even her poison became more condensed and more spirited beneath the radiance of the nine-colored divine light!

How was this still a Support-type Martial Soul?

It was practically a mobile domain, an all-purpose Battle Formation!

At the same time, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Inside the Council Hall, Ning Fengzhi shot to his feet from the Sect Master's seat. The teacup in his hand slipped free and shattered with a crack.

He stared fixedly at the nine-colored pillar of light on the Sky Screen, his pupils contracting sharply.

"This... this is Nine Heart Begonia?"

His voice carried a trace of tremor.

"Sect Master, that's right."

Bone Douluo Gu Rong beside him spoke in an equally grave tone.

"But it is no longer the Nine Heart Begonia we knew."

"An all-attribute enhancement... an area-wide effect... and judging by the intensity of that light, the enhancement is likely no less than eighty percent!"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze as sharp as a sword, as though he intended to pierce through the Sky Screen.

"Not just that."

Chen Xin spoke slowly.

"Look closely. Within that nine-colored radiance, every color represents an extreme attribute enhancement. It can even optimize itself according to the Martial Soul traits of the one receiving support."

"It has already... far surpassed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

Chen Xin spoke those final six words slowly and heavily.

The entire hall fell deathly silent.

Ning Fengzhi slowly sat back down, all color draining from his face.

The title of the world's number one Support-type Martial Soul had changed hands as of today.

He recalled that figure in white clothes like snow upon the Sky Screen.

Gu Nian.

Who else but him could possess such a Turn Stone into Gold method?

In the forest clearing.

Gu Nian watched the scene quietly, his expression unchanged.

In his eyes, Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia had indeed made tremendous progress.

Nine was the ultimate number. When he had guided Ye Lingling, he had told her to break free from the confines of "healing" and instead pursue the state of "perfection."

Now, it seemed the foundation had been laid.

However, her use of power was still too immature, too superficial.

But against the current Qian Renxue...

It was barely enough.

"Next."

Gu Nian's gaze fell upon Dugu Yan.

With Ye Lingling's powerful enhancement, Dugu Yan's aura surged. Her emerald-green hair transformed into countless tiny venomous snakes that danced wildly through the air.

"Qian Renxue, take this!"

"Seventh Spirit Ability, Medusa True Body!"

Dugu Yan threw back her head and let out a long cry, her form changing dramatically within the glow of Soul Power.

She was no longer human in form. Her lower body transformed into a thick yet elegant purple snake tail covered in fine scales.

Her upper body remained humanoid, but mysterious demonic patterns emerged across her skin. Her emerald-green eyes turned into soul-gripping Golden Vertical Pupils!

Behind her, an enormous phantom of the Medusa Queen appeared, holding a Snake Lance and wearing a golden crown as she looked down upon the world!

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor had long since returned to its ancestral origin under Gu Nian's guidance, evolving into the legendary Mythical Creature—Medusa!

"Petrifying Magic Light!"

Dugu Yan uttered the cold words, and her Golden Vertical Pupils flared brightly. Two gray, lifeless Death Rays tore through the air and shot straight toward Qian Renxue's Seraph Phantom!

This was no longer a simple poison attack, but a Petrification Curse infused with the Power of Rules!

Outside Heaven Dou City, within a hidden valley.

An Old Man in green robes stared at the sky in utter shock.

It was Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

"Yanyan... her Martial Soul..."

He stretched out his hand and looked at the illusory Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor in his palm, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

As a Titled Douluo, he understood better than anyone how terrifying Dugu Yan's move was.

That was no longer a spirit ability. It was a Bloodline Divine Ability!

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison he had always taken pride in was nothing more than a child's toy before that Petrifying Magic Light!

"My path has already reached its end."

Dugu Bo muttered to himself, his eyes filled with bitterness.

"But Yanyan's path has only just begun."

He suddenly raised his head, his burning gaze turning toward the calm and collected Gu Nian in the scene.

An unprecedented impulse welled up within him.

Perhaps...

This old man should... should also seek guidance from Mister Gu Nian?

Once the thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed.

On the battlefield, facing those two gray, lifeless beams of magic light, Qian Renxue merely calmly raised the Bright Holy Sword in her hand.

"Holy light, purify!"

Dazzling golden flames ignited along the blade. The Seraph Phantom spread its wings, gathering endless Power of Light at the sword tip before slashing toward the Petrifying Magic Light.

"Hiss—"

Light and gray decay collided. There was no earth-shattering explosion, only the sound of annihilation like ice and snow melting away.

The Petrifying Magic Light was burned completely away by the flames of holy light.

Dugu Yan let out a muffled groan and took a step back, her face turning slightly pale.

The gap was still too great.

Just then, a clear, resounding cry echoed through the heavens!

Xue Ke moved.

She did not choose to attack. Instead, she raised the Imperial Sword in her hand above her head.

"In the name of the Heaven Dou Empress, I issue a Decree—Retreat of All Laws!"

Her Martial Soul behind her seemed to don an invisible crown at that moment.

A noble, majestic, irresistible will spread outward from her in every direction!

It was the Way of the Emperor, where words became law!

Under the impact of that will, the light flames surrounding Qian Renxue's Seraph Phantom froze, as though they were being suppressed by some kind of Rules.

Heaven Dou Imperial City.

All the Civil and Military Officials and Imperial Guard Soldiers gazing up at the Sky Screen involuntarily dropped to their knees the instant they heard that "Decree"!

It was submission born from the depths of the soul!