Ice and Fire Golden Body, Level 50! Golden Crocodile: 58,000-Year Lava Poison Earth Dragon!

On the fourth day, the crimson and icy blue began to merge.

On the fifth day, a dark golden luster emerged on the surface of Dugu Ce's body, as if he had been plated with a thin film of gold.

On the sixth, seventh, and eighth days...

Dugu Xuan remained by the spring, never taking a single step away; when hungry, he ate a few wild fruits from the bank, and when tired, he dozed off against a bluestone.

On the ninth day, the radiance within the spring began to converge.

On the morning of the tenth day, Dugu Ce snapped his eyes open.

His left eye was crimson like fire, and his right eye was icy blue like frost.

A moment later, the dual-colored phenomena faded, returning to his original jade-gold hue.

Dugu Ce let out a long breath and stood up from the spring.

His skin shimmered with a faint dark golden luster, and his muscle lines were fluid yet brimming with power.

The water of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well slid off his body, not leaving a single drop behind.

"Ce'er!"

Dugu Xuan rushed to the edge of the spring in two strides, looking his grandson up and down.

"Did it succeed?"

"It succeeded."

Dugu Ce leaped out of the spring and landed steadily on the bank.

Dugu Ce raised his right hand, and the phantom of the Calamity Sacred Dragon manifested behind him.

The sacred dragon, with its dark golden body wreathed in poisonous fire, looked several times more solid than it had ten days ago.

Dugu Ce closed his eyes to sense the soul power within him, the corners of his mouth curling upward:

"Level fifty.

My soul power jumped directly from level forty-five to level fifty."

"Fi... fifty?!"

Dugu Xuan's eyes widened, his voice cracking in disbelief.

"You were only level forty-five ten days ago; you gained five levels in ten days?

You little brat, do you have any idea how long it took this old man to go from level forty-five to fifty?"

"How long?"

"Two years!"

Dugu Xuan held up three fingers, his face full of indignation.

"And you, you just took a ten-day bath and caught up.

Have the last few decades of my life been lived in vain?"

Dugu Ce smiled and did not respond.

He raised both hands, and the Calamity Sacred Dragon and the Radiant Sacred Dragon appeared simultaneously, one on the left and one on the right, their dark gold and brilliant gold radiance reflecting off each other.

The two dragon auras collided above the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, causing the spring water to ripple in layers.

"Grandfather, I can absorb my fifth soul ring at any time now."

Dugu Ce retracted his martial soul and put on his outer robe.

"Teacher should have prepared a suitable soul beast on his end as well.

Let's go, back to True Dragon Mountain, and prepare for Martial Soul Hall."

Dugu Xuan nodded, taking one more look at the dark golden dragon mark on his grandson's chest before muttering under his breath:

"Ice and Fire tempering the golden body... I've lived for more than half a lifetime, and this is the first time I've seen someone cultivate like this."

"Once you see it more often, it won't seem so strange."

Dugu Ce tied the Wishful Treasure Pouch back to his waist and took one last look at the spring of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

The immortal herbs had all been harvested, leaving only a pool of alternating hot and cold water and a few scattered, ordinary medicinal herbs on the bank.

"Let's go, Grandfather.

Over at Martial Soul Hall, there are still people waiting to see our Dragon-Serpent Sect make a fool of itself."

Dugu Xuan laughed heartily and leaped into the air:

"Let them wait!

I want to see who dares to say a twelve-year-old level fifty soul king isn't worthy of the title of an Upper Three Sect!"

The grandfather and grandson transformed into two streaks of light, sweeping out of the Sunset Forest and heading straight for True Dragon Mountain.

True Dragon Mountain, at the summit.

Two streaks of light descended from the horizon, landing steadily on the stone terrace in front of the Dragon Lair.

Dugu Bo was squatting on the stone steps fiddling with a poisonous herb; hearing the commotion, he looked up, his eyes brightening.

"You're back?"

Dugu Bo stood up and looked Dugu Xuan up and down.

"Big brother, the aura on you is wrong... did you break through again?"

"Level ninety-four."

Dugu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his tone indifferent, though he could not hide the pride in his eyes.

"My martial soul has also evolved; the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor has become the Jade Phosphorous Dragon Emperor."

Dugu Bo was stunned; he leaned in to take a closer look, then suddenly slapped Dugu Xuan on the shoulder.

"You old dog!

I've been stuck at level ninety-one for so many years, and it was a struggle just to reach ninety-three.

You, on the other hand, go out for one trip and surpass me!"

"It was the immortal herb Ce'er gave me, the Earth Dragon Golden Melon.

And the method for condensing a Soul Core."

Dugu Xuan chuckled.

"If you want it, I'll tell you right now."

Dugu Bo was curious; what was a Soul Core?

Dugu Xuan, full of enthusiasm, repeated the explanation Dugu Ce had given him earlier to Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo was instantly ecstatic.

He hurried off to go into seclusion, eager to attempt condensing a Soul Core.

Dugu Ce asked:

"Grand-uncle, how has it been on the mountain these past two days?"

Dugu Bo said with a serious expression:

"Yu Chengzhi's group has settled in; they are staying on the West Peak and have been well-behaved.

Yu Chengsi's group is staying on the East Peak, and they've had no shortage of friction with Yu Chengzhi's clansmen these past few days."

"What kind of friction?"

"Fighting over the water source."

Dugu Bo sneered.

"True Dragon Mountain only has two springs, one on the West Peak and one on the East Peak.

Yu Chengsi's side has more people and complained that the spring water wasn't enough, so they wanted to seize the water on the West Peak.

Yu Chengzhi wouldn't allow it, and the two sides nearly came to blows."

Dugu Yan's voice drifted up from the mountain path:

"Little Ce!"

She walked quickly to the mountaintop, followed by Yu Yin.

"Mother."

Dugu Ce stepped forward to support Yu Yin's arm.

"You've worked hard these past few days."

"What hard work? The mountain is quiet; it's much better than at the foot of the mountain."

Yu Yin took Dugu Ce's hand and looked him up and down.

"You've lost weight.

I haven't seen you for ten days, and you've lost weight again."

"I haven't lost weight, I've just gotten leaner."

Dugu Ce smiled, let go of his mother's hand, and looked at Dugu Yan.

"Sister, besides fighting over water, has Yu Chengsi made any other moves?"

Dugu Yan shook her head:

"Not for now. But I feel like he's waiting for something."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for an opportunity."

Dugu Yan lowered her voice.

"These past few days, he has frequently sent people to wander the mountain paths, as if they are scouting the terrain.

Little Ce, we can't keep this man around."

Dugu Ce pondered for a moment before looking at Dugu Bo:

"Great-uncle, how is the progress on the Myriad Poison Array?"

"The core area was completed ten days ago."

Dugu Bo pointed toward the mountainside.

"That area on East Peak happens to be right at the edge of the core zone.

As long as this old man activates the formation, not a single one of Yu Chengsi's group will be able to escape."

"Wait two more days."

Dugu Ce gazed toward East Peak, his eyes cold.

"I will obtain my fifth spirit ring first, then deal with him when I return."

"Fifth spirit ring?"

Dugu Yan was stunned.

"Little Ce, you've broken through to level fifty?"

"Just broke through."

Dugu Ce raised his right hand, the dark golden flames of the Calamity Sacred Dragon dancing in his palm.

"Teacher said he would help me find a suitable spirit beast; there should be news by now."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a streak of golden light swept across the horizon.

Golden Crocodile Douluo landed on the peak, swept his gaze over the group, and let his eyes rest on Dugu Ce, a flash of astonishment crossing his face:

"Level fifty?

Ten days apart, and you brat have broken through again?"

"I refined two immortal herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, it was just luck."

Dugu Ce stepped forward and bowed.

"Teacher, is there any lead on the spirit beast?"

"There is."

Golden Crocodile Douluo took a piece of animal skin map from his robes and spread it out on the stone platform.

"Deep within the Sunset Forest, there is a volcanic crater inhabited by a 58,000-year-old Lava Poison Earth Dragon.

It is a sub-dragon species with dual fire and poison attributes, possessing a trace of true dragon bloodline in its body.

The spirit ring is a perfect match for your Calamity Sacred Dragon."