"Grandpa's out of seclusion!"
Hearing the hearty laughter coming from the mountain stream, Dugu Yan exclaimed with delight.
The two of them had just been about to dig in. At the sound, they immediately set down their food and ran toward the noise.
"Whoosh—"
The wind whistled, and an old man with grizzled hair and beard appeared in front of them. Dugu Yan, who was running toward him, collided straight into his arms.
The old man was Dugu Bo, who had just finished condensing his Soul Core. Smiling, he steadied his granddaughter as she threw herself into his arms, his voice full of affection.
"Yanyan, slow down. Don't fall."
"Grandpa, you're finally out of seclusion! For the past six months, I've gone to check on you meditating every day. Otherwise, I would've thought something had happened to you!"
Standing to one side, Chen Jieqi felt the terrifying pressure radiating from Dugu Bo, enough to suppress everything around him. The Naaru Brand between his brows flickered with golden light.
He was secretly shaken. So this was the power of a Titled Douluo: the Soul Power core had taken shape, bringing a qualitative leap!
With delight on his face, he smiled at Dugu Bo.
"Congratulations, Grandpa, on condensing your Soul Core and mastering your art!"
Before Dugu Bo could reply,
Dugu Yan tightened her grip around his arm, and tears streamed from her eyes, falling in glistening drops.
It was only natural for Dugu Yan to have been worried. She had never been apart from Dugu Bo for so long, not since she was little.
On top of that, after her Martial Soul evolved, Chen Jieqi had filled her head with the concept of the Dao of Caution. She might not have been constantly on edge, but deep down, she had been afraid something would happen to Dugu Bo.
Although Chen Jieqi was far more mature than his age suggested, in Dugu Yan's eyes he was still a little kid, and he couldn't make her feel secure enough.
Now that Dugu Bo had safely come out of seclusion and resolved the flaws in his Martial Soul, Dugu Yan wept with relief and joy.
Seeing Dugu Yan cry nonstop, Dugu Bo assumed she had been wronged while he was away and hurried to comfort her.
"Yanyan, has someone been bullying you?
Grandpa will see to it right now.
I'll make whoever hurt you experience the agony of Ten Thousand Poisons Devouring the Heart."
At that, Dugu Yan couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"With your reputation, Grandpa, who would dare bully me at the academy or anywhere else?
I'm the one who bullies other people."
Before Dugu Bo could ask anything else,
Dugu Yan told him everything that had happened to her during this time: how her Martial Soul had evolved from a Jade Phosphor Snake into a Single-Horned Golden Flood Dragon, how its attribute had changed from poison to earth, and how the hidden danger posed by its poison had been completely eliminated.
She also recounted Chen Jieqi's advice, leaving out no detail.
As Dugu Yan spoke through her tears, Dugu Bo's expression kept changing.
At first, his eyes widened in anger. Then he looked worried, relieved, and afraid in turn...
Finally, his expression transformed into unbridled delight, and an even louder laugh than before burst from his lips.
"Ha ha ha...!!!
My granddaughter has the potential to become a Titled Douluo too!"
Dugu Yan was a little embarrassed by Dugu Bo's praise and muttered softly,
"A Titled Douluo?
Grandpa, you think too highly of me..."
"Grandpa, why don't you take a break first? We can eat."
Seeing that Dugu Bo was still laughing loudly, Chen Jieqi held his forehead and couldn't help interrupting him.
"You little rascal!"
Dugu Bo abruptly stopped laughing and waved a hand, his voice full of cheer.
"Let's eat first. Then Grandpa will give you both a thorough examination before we go hunting for Soul Rings.
After that, I'll accompany Yanyan back to the academy. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll spend most of our time in Heaven Dou City from now on."
As soon as Dugu Bo finished speaking, the aroma drifting from nearby reached his nose.
It was the roasted meat the two of them hadn't gotten around to eating earlier, infused with the distinctive fragrance of Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up. She instantly forgot her tears and tugged Dugu Bo by the arm, hurrying toward the campfire.
"Grandpa, hurry!
Xiao Qi and I grilled meat, and there's snake soup too—your favorite!"
Following behind them, Chen Jieqi watched the grandfather and granddaughter, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
After they had eaten their fill.
Dugu Bo first gave Dugu Yan a thorough examination. Her Soul Power was incredibly solid, with no sign of instability.
The poison attribute in her body had completely changed to the earth attribute, and even the hidden damage to her meridians caused by the poison had been fully cleared.
Her physical strength, meridian capacity, and vitality were all several times greater than before. Her physique was even a little stronger than his own had been at that age.
Dugu Bo considered it carefully. Soul Beasts between three and four thousand years old would be the safer choice. If they found one that suited her even better, they could be a little more flexible with the age.
"Xiao Qi, do you have anything to add about the Soul Beasts?"
Dugu Bo turned to Chen Jieqi.
By now, Dugu Bo had complete faith in Chen Jieqi's knowledge. After all, who could be better informed than a "successor to a deity"?
"Grandpa, I've already thought about Yanyan's options. Her Soul Rings should primarily come from earth-attribute Soul Beasts or Sub-Dragon Species.
An earth-attribute Sub-Dragon Species would suit her best."
[Thorn Earth Dragon]
A pure earth-attribute Sub-Dragon Species, its body covered in thick grayish-yellow scales with backward-facing spikes. Its long tail was like a spiked club.
It could draw on Earth Power to form a stone armor, allowing it to attack and defend at once.
Its Soul Ring could easily grant an innate Martial Soul enhancement or a basic earth-attribute enhancement. It would be the perfect first choice for Yanyan's Single-Horned Golden Flood Dragon Martial Soul.
It could make her earth manipulation more precise and her attacks and defenses even more formidable.
[Tyrant Dragon]
An earth-attribute Sub-Dragon Species with Golden Dragon King Bloodline. It was as massive as a mountain, with thick, heavy gray-black scales and an enormous head.
Its physical offense and defense were at their peak, making it one of the greatest of the earth dragons.
Its Soul Ring would most likely grant an innate enhancement or a status-type Soul Skill. It also had tremendous potential for growth.
[Single-Horned Dragon]
Another pure earth-attribute Sub-Dragon Species. It had a sturdy body covered in thick, metallic-looking scales, with a sharp horn on its head.
It was incredibly strong and specialized in charging. It lacked long-range abilities, but could crush others of the same rank in close combat.
Its Soul Ring could potentially grant an innate Martial Soul enhancement, an earth-attribute enhancement, or a Soul Skill for charging and repositioning.
It was an excellent choice that balanced strength and mobility.
"Based on Yanyan's plans for her development, the Thorn Earth Dragon is still my top recommendation, followed by the Single-Horned Dragon or Tyrant Dragon.
First and foremost, we should consider attribute enhancements, then innate Martial Soul enhancements."
Chen Jieqi explained each option carefully.
"Mm, all of those would suit Yanyan very well. We should be able to find them in Sunset Forest. If not, we can go to the Star Dou Great Forest."
Dugu Bo stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes overflowing with approval.
"What about your own Soul Rings, Xiao Qi? Have you made any plans?
You're already at level 20, after all."
"Grandpa, my plan is the same as before. I chose the Sacred Scarab for my First Soul Ring, so for my Second Soul Ring, either the Light Bird or Sacred Radiance Pegasus would do."
Chen Jieqi looked up at Dugu Bo, then tilted his head.
"As for the age, a little over a thousand years should be fine. Better to play it safe."
"Mm. Given your physique and your Martial Soul's traits, there's no need to take risks.
The ideal range would be 1,200 to 1,800 years, and as long as it's under 2,000, you should be able to handle it without damaging your foundation."
Dugu Bo nodded to himself, quite pleased with Chen Jieqi's caution.
"Get a good night's rest and make sure you're well rested.
Tomorrow, Grandpa will take you both to obtain Soul Rings."
As his voice faded,
the crackling campfire bathed the faces of the three of them in warm light...