Contracting Mo Jiao, Another External Soul Bone!

Gu Ci encouraged her from the side. "Just like I did earlier, communicate with it."

Dugu Yan took a deep breath, trying hard not to look so nervous.

"C-can you understand what I'm saying?" she asked timidly.

The Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon stared at her with cold vertical pupils, showing no reaction.

"I... I'm Dugu Yan. I'm six years old this year," Dugu Yan continued.

"My Martial Soul is the Jade Scale Snake. Like you, it uses poison."

"I... I have a lot of poison in my body. If it isn't treated, I'll die someday."

As she spoke, she released her Martial Soul.

A small green snake appeared behind her, giving off a faint jade glow.

The Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon's gaze shifted.

From that phantom, it sensed the aura of its own kind.

Moreover, there was indeed a toxin within the little girl's body that interested it.

"I want to form a contract with you and have you become my Soul Spirit."

Dugu Yan repeated the words Gu Ci had taught her.

"You won't need to sacrifice your life, and you won't lose your mind."

"You'll still be yourself, just existing in another way. In the future, we'll cultivate together and grow stronger together."

A complicated look flashed through the Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon's eyes.

It looked at Dugu Bo, then at Gu Ci, before finally fixing its gaze on Dugu Yan.

Silence.

A long silence.

Just as Dugu Yan thought she had failed, the Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon suddenly lowered its head.

"Hiss..."

A low cry carried a hint of submission.

Dugu Yan froze, then a brilliant smile blossomed across her face. "Thank you!"

She turned to Gu Ci excitedly. "Brother Gu Ci, it agreed!"

Gu Ci smiled and nodded, beginning to set up the formation.

The contract process went far more smoothly than Gu Ci's had.

The Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon seemed to have accepted its fate, or perhaps it had truly been moved by Dugu Yan's sincerity. It did not resist in the slightest throughout the process.

When the formation's light faded, a purple Spirit Ring rose beneath Dugu Yan's feet.

A two-thousand-year First Spirit Ring.

In theory, a two-thousand-year soul beast could provide two Spirit Rings. However, Dugu Yan's body was not as strong as Gu Ci's, so she could only absorb one for now. The remaining cultivation would transform into Soul Power for her to refine gradually later.

But she likewise would not have Mo Jiao form a second Spirit Ring. Before long, she would be able to absorb all of it.

As the light dispersed, a black phantom appeared beside Dugu Yan.

The Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon—no, it should now be called Mo Jiao.

She coiled around Dugu Yan, looking far gentler than before. When she looked at Dugu Yan, there was now an added trace of affection in her eyes.

Dugu Yan excitedly wrapped her arms around Mo Jiao's neck. Though Mo Jiao was only a phantom, she could clearly feel the warmth of their bloodline connection.

"Thank you for being willing to stay with me," she whispered.

Mo Jiao gave a low cry and rubbed her head against Dugu Yan.

At that moment, Dugu Yan suddenly felt something stirring within her body.

She lowered her head and saw black scale-like markings slowly emerge on the back of her right hand.

The markings moved like living things, spreading up her wrist before stopping at her elbow, forming a circle of black scales like a bracer.

"This is..."

Dugu Bo's pupils constricted.

An External Soul Bone—another External Soul Bone.

Although it was only on one arm and could not compare to Gu Ci's pair of wings in value, it was still a genuine External Soul Bone.

If contracting Soul Spirits could guarantee a Soul Bone one hundred percent of the time, it would be an absolute shock to the soul master world!

If the Blood River Treasure could be obtained with absolute certainty, what faction could resist trying to seize this secret method?

Especially after Dugu Bo had personally witnessed the power of the Soul Spirit Method. Although Mo Jiao now possessed only a hundred years of cultivation, she still was not something any soul master below the Soul Grandmaster rank could contend with.

Such an effect was far, far greater than the benefits of simply absorbing a Spirit Ring.

Gu Ci opened his Heavenly Eye and looked over, immediately understanding.

It had formed from Mo Jiao's scales. Its attached ability was likely poison-attribute enhancement or some form of poison resistance.

"Yanyan, congratulations," he said with a smile.

Dugu Yan looked at the scale markings on the back of her hand and jumped excitedly in place.

"I have an External Soul Bone! Brother Gu Ci, look! I have an External Soul Bone too!"

Mo Jiao watched her excited little master from the side, a humanlike fondness flashing through her eyes.

Dugu Bo stood nearby, watching the gains the two children had made. At last, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The problem of the Jade Phosphor Snake Venom finally had a solution.

Two six-year-old children: one with a five-thousand-year First Spirit Ring and an External Soul Bone, the other with a two-thousand-year First Spirit Ring and an External Soul Bone.

With such a starting point, their futures were limitless.

"Let's go. We're returning to the manor."

He said, "Yanyan's poison hasn't been completely resolved yet. Next, we'll still need your Soul Spirit Method, Ci'er."

Dugu Bo led the two children as they sped toward Heaven Dou City.

By the time they returned to the Marquis Manor, dusk was approaching.

Gu Xiao and Li Wanyue had been waiting at the entrance for some time. Only when they saw the three return safely did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Gu Xiao immediately noticed the purple phantom following beside Gu Ci, and his pupils shrank slightly. "This is...?"

"Father, this is my Soul Spirit. His name is Zi Dian."

Gu Ci smiled. "A five-thousand-year Purple-Winged Thunder-Scaled Tiger."

Gu Xiao sucked in a sharp breath. A five-thousand-year First Spirit Ring—there was likely not a second one like it in the entire Douluo Continent.

Li Wanyue, meanwhile, looked at the black phantom beside Dugu Yan, as well as the faint scale markings emerging on the back of her hand.

"Yanyan succeeded too?"

Dugu Yan nodded vigorously, her little face full of pride.

"Aunt Wanyue, I have a Soul Spirit too! A two-thousand-year Black-Scaled Poison Flood Dragon, and an External Soul Bone!"

Li Wanyue smiled and stroked her head. "That's amazing."

The group entered the manor and arrived at Gu Ci's courtyard.

Gu Ci did not rest. Instead, he looked directly at Dugu Yan. "Yanyan, let's deal with the poison now."

Dugu Yan was stunned. "Now?"

"Yes."

Gu Ci opened his Heavenly Eye, golden light flickering between his brows.

"The toxins in your body have accumulated for years. Although they're temporarily suppressed, every additional day they remain is a hidden danger."

"Now that Mo Jiao has just formed a contract with you, this is the best time to transfer the toxins."

Dugu Bo's expression tightened at once. "Ci'er, are you certain?"

Gu Ci nodded. "In theory, it's possible."

"A Soul Spirit and its host are symbiotic by nature. Energy can be transmitted through their contract."

"Toxins are essentially a type of energy as well. As long as they're guided properly, they can be completely transferred into Mo Jiao's body."

He paused before continuing, "And Mo Jiao herself is a poison-attribute soul beast. Not only will the toxins not harm her, they'll be a great tonic."

"Once all the toxins are transferred over, Mo Jiao's cultivation might even rise by a considerable amount."

Dugu Bo took a deep breath and looked at Dugu Yan. "Yanyan, what do you think?"

Dugu Yan looked at Mo Jiao beside her, then at Gu Ci, and nodded firmly. "I trust Brother Gu Ci."

Mo Jiao also let out a low cry, seemingly expressing her agreement.

She was a poison-attribute soul beast to begin with and had a natural affinity for toxins.

Obtaining those toxins from her little master's body was indeed a good thing for her.

"Good."

Gu Ci gestured for Dugu Yan to sit down. "Relax your body and don't resist."

"I'll use my Heavenly Eye to observe the flow of toxins inside your body. You only need to follow my guidance and use your Soul Power to force the toxins out."