The next day, after Chen Jieqi finished meditating and praying and had eaten breakfast,
he looked at Dugu Yan, who was helping Dugu Bo sort medicinal herbs not far away, his eyes filled with tender concern.
If Yanyan's Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul keeps following the path of poison-based control, its limit will be Dugu Bo's level at best.
And if her Martial Soul can't evolve into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, she won't even come close to Dugu Bo's level.
Even if she's lucky enough to evolve into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor and follows Dugu Bo's path of the Poison Sac, she'll have to endure decades of backlash before it forms.
Just thinking about it makes my heart ache...
Chen Jieqi murmured softly as he looked at the Immortal Herbs not far away.
No. I can't let her take that path. Even if Dugu Yan herself can endure it, I don't want her to suffer.
So we'll have to switch tracks and take the path of transforming a snake into a dragon.
Then the choice is you—Earth Dragon Golden Melon.
The Earth Dragon Golden Melon was a top-grade earth-attribute plant-type Immortal Herb. It looked like a golden, fist-sized melon, its skin patterned with fine dragon scales.
It contained pure earth-element energy and the bloodline of the dragon-kin Earth Dragon. Nurtured by a natural spiritual vein, it was a top-tier plant.
It was highly compatible with earth- and dragon-type Martial Souls. It could strengthen one's control over Earth Power and was especially suited to earth-type Martial Souls, Earth Dragons, and lesser dragons, greatly increasing the power of earth-type skills.
More importantly, it could purify a Martial Soul's bloodline and help non-dragon Martial Souls, such as the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, evolve into dragon-type Martial Souls with an earth attribute. It could also clear toxins and impurities from the body.
That was what gave Chen Jieqi the confidence to choose the path of transforming a snake into a dragon for Dugu Yan.
Once he had made up his mind, Chen Jieqi stood up, walked over to Dugu Yan, and took her hand.
"Yanyan, your little brother has thought of a new path for you.
"Instead of following the poison-based control path, how about we take the path of transforming a snake into a dragon?"
Dugu Yan was slightly taken aback.
"Transforming a snake into a dragon? What's that?"
Chen Jieqi crouched in the herb garden, gently brushing the dragon-scale patterns on the Earth Dragon Golden Melon. Turning to Dugu Yan beside him, he said,
"Yanyan, look at this melon. It can infuse you with the Earth Dragon's bloodline.
"It can also cleanse all the toxins from your body, so you'll never have to suffer backlash again."
Dugu Yan crouched down and looked at the golden melon, her voice trembling slightly.
"Can I really... get rid of them completely?"
"Mm."
Chen Jieqi nodded firmly.
"Your Jade Phosphorous Serpent will absorb its earth-element energy and gradually transform into an Earth Dragon. After that, your Martial Soul will be an earth-type dragon.
"Once it transforms, your body will become much stronger, and the poison attribute—the hidden danger—will be gone. It'll be replaced by the steady, even-tempered earth attribute.
"Besides the usual choices of offense or defense, the earth attribute can also be used for control through its versatility and terrain restrictions.
"If you still want to follow the control path, that's completely fine. And if you later get another opportunity to evolve into Earth Power, its potential and foundation won't be inferior to an Ultimate Attribute. But that's for later."
Dugu Yan looked at the serious expression in Chen Jieqi's eyes, then at the Immortal Herb that gleamed with dragon-scale patterns.
The unease in her eyes gradually gave way to anticipation.
"All right. Big Sister will follow your plan!"
"Yanyan, the Earth Dragon Golden Melon is best suited to earth- or dragon-type Martial Souls, allowing it to bring out Earth Vein Power or Earth Power.
"So the way to take it is to draw blood, then use Soul Power to guide it, wrapping the melon and slowly merging it into your body until your bloodlines resonate.
"But in your case, it's meant to purify your bloodline, help you evolve, and remove the toxins. So you can just eat it directly.
"It'll probably take a few days. During that time, you'll have to endure the process as your body neutralizes the melon's violent earth energy and prevents backlash."
Chen Jieqi spoke to Dugu Yan solemnly.
"Thank you, little brother Xiao Qi."
Dugu Yan smiled as she took the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, then sat cross-legged and began to eat.
Chen Jieqi stayed by Dugu Yan's side, watching as she took small bites of the melon. Its golden flesh melted between her lips and teeth, releasing a rich earth-element aura.
"Hang in there, Yanyan. This energy's going to hit pretty hard."
He reminded her softly.
Before long, Dugu Yan's brow furrowed sharply, and tiny beads of sweat appeared at her temples.
"It's so heavy...
"It feels like I'm being crushed by a boulder..."
Dugu Yan felt her meridians swell slightly as the violent earth energy surged through them. The pain made her clench her fists.
But then a tingling sensation spread from deep within her bones—the sign that her bloodline was being purified and her bones strengthened.
Seeing this, Chen Jieqi immediately reminded her,
"Don't resist. Let the energy flow along your meridians. It's helping you clear the toxins and change your bloodline!"
Gradually, an earth-yellow glow welled up from within Dugu Yan, enveloping her in a cocoon of light.
Fine dragon scales began to appear on her exposed forearms, and earth-yellow mist streamed from her pores.
It swirled around her, forming a small vortex of energy. Even the ground beneath her feet began to tremble.
"It worked..."
Looking at the dense, profound earth energy, Chen Jieqi finally let out a sigh of relief.
The Dugu Family's curse had finally begun to be rewritten for good.
The mountain stream returned to its usual quiet. Only birdsong, insect chirps, and a faint smell of sulfur lingered in the air.
Chen Jieqi sat cross-legged where he was, feeling the energy of heaven and earth slowly flow into his body.
He knew that even the greatest talent was meaningless without diligent cultivation.
Without strength to back it up, any sense of security was nothing but an illusion.
So even as he watched Dugu Yan transform, Chen Jieqi didn't dare slack off for a moment. He maintained his meditative state, quietly consolidating the Soul Power he had just raised to level 18.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Chen Jieqi slowly opened his eyes and looked at Dugu Yan. The earth-yellow glow that had enveloped her had completely disappeared.
The energy, violent as magma, had finally been fully absorbed. Her brow, once tightly furrowed in pain, had now relaxed into a smooth, gentle expression.
What delighted him most was that Dugu Yan's trademark short purple hair had quietly changed, as the earth element filled it and the toxins were completely cleansed.
It had become a deep, dark orange. The strands fell to her shoulders, giving her a mature, steady charm that her former cool beauty had lacked.
Then Dugu Yan slowly opened her eyes as well.
The jade-green eyes that had belonged to her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul had quietly turned a rich earth-yellow.
They were as deep as the earth, profound and inscrutable.
"It worked."
Chen Jieqi was overjoyed. He hurried over, his voice full of relief.
"Yanyan, how do you feel?"
Dugu Yan flexed her fingers, feeling the weighty power flowing through her meridians. Without the toxins plaguing her as before, she felt completely at ease.
She raised a hand and touched her short hair. Looking at the dark-orange strands and earth-yellow eyes in the mirror, she smiled with confidence.
"I feel steady. The Dugu Family's curse has finally ended with my generation!"
Dugu Yan sprang to her feet and swept Chen Jieqi into her arms, her voice brimming with uncontainable excitement.
"I've finished absorbing it! It's exactly as you said!"
Her face lit up as she eagerly chattered about the changes.
"All the toxins are gone, my body's several times sturdier than before, and I'm much stronger!
"My Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul evolved into a lesser dragon called the Single-Horned Golden Flood Dragon. It's not only tough and resilient, but it can also control earth-element energy..."
Dugu Yan hugged him tighter and tighter. Chen Jieqi's cheek pressed against the soft fabric of her clothes, and the scent of a young woman filled his breath.
He could feel how excited Dugu Yan was. Even though the pressure against his chest made it a little hard to breathe,
he simply patted her back gently, a tender smile on his lips as he patiently listened to her finish.
Gradually, Dugu Yan's voice grew quieter. Only then did she realize how carried away she had gotten.
She looked down at the little Chen Jieqi in her arms, held against her chest. He was gazing up at her with a smile, his eyes curved like crescents.
"Ah..."
Dugu Yan let go abruptly, her cheeks turning bright red. She took a step back.
Chen Jieqi could only accept his helpless situation. The sight of the girl blushing said more than words ever could, so he simply pretended nothing was amiss and asked,
"Yanyan, have your Soul Skills changed at all?"