Fighting Sister Yan

Qian Daoliu sensed Qian Renxue's aura growing increasingly powerful.

He turned to Lin Huai.

"Xiao Huai, go practice your blade techniques on your own for now. Get familiar with your surging Soul Power."

"After refining part of that Primordial Immortal Herb, you should be at Soul Power Level eighteen, nearly nineteen."

Lin Huai felt the Soul Power Level he had built up over just a few days—what would take others years to accumulate.

He nodded to Qian Daoliu, then turned and headed to an open area to begin practicing basic blade techniques.

During his breaks from training, Lin Huai summoned Malenia's Martial Soul again.

He had her spar with him.

Dugu Yan had also finished absorbing the Immortal Herb by then. When she opened her eyes, she saw a huge ball of light before her.

Seeing that she had finished absorbing it, Dugu Bo scooped Dugu Yan up and carried her out of the area affected by the strange phenomenon caused by Qian Renxue.

"Grandpa, what's going on? Why is there a little sun here?"

Dugu Bo gazed at the strange sight.

"The Grand Elder's granddaughter is absorbing an Immortal Herb."

"She hasn't been revealed to the world yet. If you see her in the future, pretend you don't know her. Understand?"

Dugu Yan agreed without hesitation.

Well, I don't know her anyway.

She stopped paying attention to the strange phenomenon Qian Renxue had caused.

Dugu Yan excitedly tugged at Dugu Bo's sleeve.

"Grandpa, do you know what I gained from absorbing the Immortal Herb?"

"You'll never guess!"

Seeing his granddaughter's expression, Dugu Bo was happy to play along.

"Looks like it didn't just eliminate your Martial Soul's flaws. You gained other benefits, too."

Dugu Yan lifted her little chin. "Mm-hmm!"

"Could it be that Yan Yan's already reached level thirty?"

Noticing the Soul Power fluctuations radiating from Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo was genuinely surprised.

"Not just that. There's more."

Yue Guan floated over as well, wanting to see the effects of the Immortal Herb.

He happened to hear the grandfather and granddaughter talking.

"Yan girl, your Martial Soul must have mutated, right?"

When Dugu Yan saw Yue Guan arrive and directly identify her greatest gain, she stopped hiding it and immediately released her Martial Soul.

A single-horned flood dragon covered in green scales appeared around Dugu Yan.

It looked like a snake, but had four legs and a green horn on its head.

"My Martial Soul is now called the Jade Scale Tiger Dragon!"

"Every aspect of its attributes has improved, and all the poison is stored in the horn on my Martial Soul's head, so it won't affect me anymore!"

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Dugu Yan gave a sharp cry.

A layer of fine green scales appeared on her cheeks, and a small horn sprouted from her forehead.

Scales covered both her hands as well, turning them into dragon claws.

A dragon tail emerged from the base of her spine.

Two Yellow Soul Rings stirred faintly around her.

"My first two Soul Skills have changed, too. One now strengthens me, and the other has become an offensive Soul Skill."

"Also, after Martial Soul Possession, every attack I make carries the Jade Scale poison!"

Dugu Bo excitedly released his Soul Power and sensed Dugu Yan's condition.

With tears glimmering in the corners of his eyes, he murmured, "Heaven hasn't forsaken me, Dugu Bo!"

Yue Guan nodded slightly.

"Looks like the Jade Scale Nine Nether Lotus was a perfect match for Yan girl. Otherwise, her Martial Soul wouldn't have changed so completely."

After speaking, Yue Guan floated back to the Immortal Herbs and continued gazing at them with an entranced expression.

Dugu Bo steadied himself, then asked Dugu Yan:

"Yan Yan, since you've reached level thirty, Grandpa will take you to hunt for a Soul Ring."

Dugu Yan shook her head, looking eager as she glanced at Lin Huai, who was sparring against his Martial Soul.

"No rush, Grandpa."

"I'll fight Lin Huai first!"

Seeing Dugu Yan walk toward him, Lin Huai stopped sparring with his Martial Soul.

"Lin Huai, we can fight now, right?"

Lin Huai wanted to test his own skill, too, so he nodded.

"Come on. Let me try out my blade!"

Seeing Lin Huai put away the beautiful woman that was his Martial Soul, Dugu Yan looked confused.

"Aren't you going to summon your Martial Soul to fight with you?"

"Her combat instincts are too strong. She can easily defeat opponents above her level."

"You can't beat her right now."

Lin Huai gripped the Prosthetic Blade formed from his Soul Power and casually explained to Dugu Yan.

His only Purple Soul Ring lit up. With his speed enhanced by a hundred percent, even the wind stirring the leaves around them seemed to slow.

Seeing Lin Huai's thousand-year First Soul Ring, Dugu Yan's expression turned serious.

"Although Grandpa already told me you were strong, I didn't expect you to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring as your First Soul Ring!"

Her two Yellow Soul Rings flashed in succession.

Feeling the effect of her strengthening Soul Skill, Dugu Yan shouted, "Second Soul Skill, Flood Dragon Strike!"

Lin Huai really didn't want to complain about why offensive Soul Skills always had to be shouted aloud.

He twisted aside, narrowly dodging the attack of the phantom flood dragon.

Dugu Yan appeared behind the phantom and lunged for Lin Huai's face.

He hadn't expected the Soul Skill to let her move along with it. Lin Huai hurriedly crossed his arms to block.

Using the impact, he pulled away.

His right arm was protected by an Arm Guard and had only gone a little numb, but the dragon claws had cut open his left hand.

Seeing that she had hurt Lin Huai, Dugu Yan planted her hands on her hips.

"You're done for! Once you've been wounded by my attack, the poison will take effect any second!"

Lin Huai circulated his Soul Power to stop the wound from bleeding.

Dugu Bo promptly warned her, "Yan Yan, don't get careless. That kid Lin Huai is immune to all poisons!"

Hearing her grandfather's reminder, Dugu Yan saw Lin Huai charge at her again with his blade.

As soon as he got close, he brought the blade down toward her face.

Dugu Yan quickly circulated her Soul Power to strengthen the scales on her hands, then caught the blade barehanded.

Lin Huai took the opportunity to dispel the blade formed from his Soul Power.

He ducked, bent low, and formed another blade in his right hand.

With Dugu Yan's guard wide open, he struck straight toward her unprotected waist and abdomen.

Dugu Yan hurriedly raised her arm to shield her side.

Lin Huai darted past her, and a deep wound appeared on her arm.

Dugu Yan's face crumpled, and she bared her teeth.

"How could that blade you formed from Soul Power cut through my scales?"

Lin Huai raised his blade again and took the opening stance of the Flowing Water Sword Style.

"It must be something inherent to my Martial Soul. The blade is incredibly powerful, so even the one formed from Soul Power is formidable."

"If I'd used the blade in Malenia's hand, you'd have been cut in half just now."

Lin Huai looked at the Soul Power imitation in his hand, which was just like a real blade, and couldn't help marveling at it.

No wonder this is a fantasy world. Even Soul Power, something as basic as bricks and tiles, is beyond comprehension.

Dugu Yan also stopped her wound from bleeding and looked completely serious.

"Again! I can't lose to a Soul Master more than ten levels below me, can I?"

Lin Huai silently increased the Soul Power he used for his First Soul Skill.

When the speed boost reached its limit, Lin Huai charged forward with his blade.

His figure seemed to teleport, appearing right in front of Dugu Yan.

A green Soul Power barrier blocked the blade in his hand just before it reached Dugu Yan's neck.

Dugu Bo handed them both some medicine and said helplessly:

"Yan Yan, you lost."

"But weren't you two taking this a little too seriously? Every move was aimed at a vital spot. It was just a spar."

Lin Huai sheepishly scratched his head.

"Isn't Sister Yan just too strong? I'd definitely lose if I didn't go all out."

Dugu Yan snapped out of her daze, her eyes sparkling.

"Lin Huai, you're amazing! Once I get my Third Soul Ring, let's fight again!"

Lin Huai stared at the blade in his hand, recalling that swift strike, then shook his head.

"Not yet. With the full speed boost from my First Soul Skill, I can barely control my movements."

"Let's fight again after I've learned to control it."

Yue Guan noticed the two of them fighting and floated over again.

"That doesn't seem right. Soul Masters can usually control their Soul Skills as soon as they acquire them."

"Take the Speed Clan, for example. They're pure speed-type Soul Masters. Even after stacking their skills, they can still just barely control their movements."

Yue Guan looked thoughtful as he studied Lin Huai.

"Xiao Huai, could it be that your Martial Soul isn't an external-type Martial Soul?"