Taking the Immortal Herb, Jade Scale Flood Dragon

"With this Soul Core, I'm confident I can break through to rank ninety-five within five years."

Five years, from rank ninety-two to rank ninety-five—something he would not have even dared dream of before.

"Grandpa, how do you feel now?" Dugu Yan tugged on his sleeve and looked up at him.

Dugu Bo smiled and rubbed her head. "I feel great. Better than ever before."

"The toxins in my body have already been completely suppressed by the Soul Core. They won't backlash anymore, and..."

He paused and looked at the pair of conjoined Sweet Potato Golden Dragons in the distance. "Now, I can consume that Immortal Herb."

Gu Ci nodded. "Grandpa Dugu, your Soul Core has formed and your foundation is stable. This is the best time for you to take the Immortal Herb."

"Once you absorb the Sweet Potato Golden Dragon, your Martial Soul should completely evolve into the Jade Scale Flood Dragon. Your strength will improve even further then."

Dugu Bo took a deep breath and strode toward the two Immortal Herbs.

He took the larger one.

The moment the Immortal Herb entered his mouth, a warm current of energy surged into his body and resonated with his Soul Core.

At the same time, he could clearly sense the smaller Sweet Potato Golden Dragon within Dugu Yan's body responding to him from afar.

Grandfather and granddaughter were connected by blood, and the two conjoined Immortal Herbs echoed each other.

Dugu Bo sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Gu Ci pulled Dugu Yan back several steps and stood guard over her.

At the same time, he opened his Heavenly Eye and carefully observed Dugu Bo's changes.

From his perspective, the energy within Dugu Bo's body was undergoing an earth-shattering transformation.

Under the combined effects of the Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul, the Immortal Herb, and the Soul Core, his Martial Soul began evolving toward a higher level.

Its serpent body became more slender, the horns atop its head grew increasingly distinct, and the claws beneath its belly gradually solidified from phantom images.

The most obvious change was in its scales. Their originally pure jade-green color now began to shimmer with a faint golden radiance.

Time slowly passed.

One hour, two hours, three hours...

Not until night fell did Dugu Bo suddenly open his eyes.

Two sharp beams shot from his eyes, accompanied by a dragon's roar that shook the heavens.

No, it was the cry of a flood dragon.

Behind him, a jade-green flood dragon phantom with golden-tinged scales soared into the sky. It circled through the night air for more than a dozen breaths before slowly fading away.

Jade Scale Flood Dragon.

Dugu Bo rose to his feet, his aura surging like a rainbow. Rank ninety-four Titled Douluo!

He raised a hand, and a mass of dark green light gathered in his palm. Within it, the shadow of a flood dragon could vaguely be seen swimming.

"So this is... the power of the Jade Scale Flood Dragon?"

He muttered, his voice trembling slightly.

For ninety-three years, ever since the day his Martial Soul awakened at the age of six, he had been plagued by the curse of the Jade Scale Snake all his life.

His son had died. His daughter-in-law had died. He had thought that one day, he too would die from a toxin backlash.

He had never expected there to be a day like this.

He turned to Gu Ci and opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Gu Ci interrupted him with a smile.

"Grandpa Dugu, don't say anything. We're family."

Dugu Bo fell silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

"Good. Family."

Dugu Yan threw herself into his arms and asked with her little face tilted up, "Grandpa, are you super powerful now?"

Dugu Bo burst into laughter. "Of course. Grandpa is now the Jade Scale Flood Dragon Douluo."

"After Grandpa cultivates for a few more years, I'll go settle accounts with those people who bullied us back then."

Dugu Yan nodded vigorously. "Mm! When the time comes, I'll help Grandpa beat them up too!"

Gu Ci smiled from the side. "Grandpa Dugu, how do you feel now? Can you withstand the combined power of the Soul Core and the Immortal Herb?"

Dugu Bo nodded, feeling the surging power within his body.

"No problem."

"The Soul Core is stable, and the medicinal power of the Immortal Herb has been fully refined."

"I feel that even if I encountered a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo now, I would have the strength to fight."

He paused and looked at Gu Ci. "Ci'er, next comes you and Yanyan. What age Spirit Rings do you want for your Second Spirit Rings?"

Gu Ci pondered for a moment. "With my current physique, plus the enhancement of Ultimate Thunder, absorbing a ten-thousand-year Second Spirit Ring shouldn't be a problem."

"As for Yanyan..."

He looked at Dugu Yan. Under the Heavenly Eye, the little girl's condition was clear at a glance.

With the Ice Fire Flood Dragon Martial Soul, along with the Whale Rubber and Immortal Herb she had absorbed before, her physique was far stronger than those of her peers.

"For Yanyan, around seven thousand years should work. To be safe, six thousand years would also be fine."

Dugu Yan immediately said, "I want a six-thousand-year one! Brother Gu Ci can absorb a ten-thousand-year ring. How can I be that much worse than him?"

Gu Ci laughed. "This isn't the time to compete. You have to act within your limits."

But Dugu Bo said, "Yanyan is right. How can the granddaughter of Dugu Bo lack spirit?"

"Six thousand years it is. With me here, nothing will go wrong."

He looked at Gu Ci. "As for you, a ten-thousand-year Second Spirit Ring... Ci'er, are you sure?"

Gu Ci nodded. The Heavenly Eye in the center of his brow opened, its golden light flickering.

"With the Heavenly Eye, I can clearly see the limits of a Spirit Ring and my own capacity to withstand it. If it exceeds the limit, I'll stop immediately."

Dugu Bo was silent for a moment before finally nodding. "Good. Then we'll set out at dawn tomorrow."

The night deepened.

Beside the Ice and Fire Dual Pools, the campfire flickered.

Zi Dian and Mo Jiao lay off to one side, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Dugu Yan had already fallen asleep against her grandfather's chest, a smile still lingering on her little face.

Gu Ci sat nearby, examining the metals in his hands.

Thunder Pattern Steel, Meteorite Silver, Dark Iron... He had analyzed the properties of every metal with the Heavenly Eye in meticulous detail.

Once he obtained his Second Spirit Ring, he could begin researching soul tools.

"Ci'er." Dugu Bo's voice came from nearby.

Gu Ci looked up. "Grandpa Dugu, what is it?"

Dugu Bo looked at him with a complicated expression.

"I've always wanted to ask you—those things... the Soul Core Method, the Soul Spirit Art, and your knowledge of those Immortal Herbs. Where exactly did you get them?"

Gu Ci was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Would you believe me if I said it was a Divine Inheritance?"

Dugu Bo stared at him for a long time before finally nodding. "I believe you."

He turned his head and looked toward the night sky. "I've lived for ninety-three years and seen far too many unbelievable things."

"But someone like you is still a first for me."

"No matter who you are or where you came from, I acknowledge only one thing—you are Gu Ci, the child I watched grow up."

"That is enough."

Warmth rose in Gu Ci's heart. He said softly, "Thank you, Grandpa Dugu."

The campfire flickered, and the night breeze brushed past.

The night passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, morning arrived.

Dugu Yan woke up groggily, while Gu Ci was already waiting in high spirits.

They had to prepare for a long search for Spirit Beasts.

After all, Sunset Forest truly was not very large. Whether in quantity or quality, its Spirit Beasts over ten thousand years old could not compare to those of the Star Dou Great Forest.

In particular, the ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast Gu Ci had chosen needed to possess the Thunder Attribute and be a top-tier predator. There were only a few that met those conditions in Sunset Forest.

The six-thousand-year flood dragon-type Spirit Beast Dugu Yan needed also had to possess both ice and fire attributes, making it even rarer.

If they could not find them in Sunset Forest, they would have to go to the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Since you're both awake, eat something first. Then tell me what kind of Spirit Beasts you ideally want."

"I know most of the high-level Spirit Beasts in Sunset Forest. Let's see if there are any suitable ones."

PS: During the trial period, please support me, Foster Fathers!