The Yellow Soul Ring on Dugu Yan suddenly lit up. Her green eyes turned red, and a faint reddish glow spread across the jade-green scales on her snake tail.
Dugu Yan opened her mouth and spat out a thick cloud of red mist, which surged toward Xing Tian.
This was Dugu Yan's first Soul Skill, Jade Phosphorous Red Poison, also known as Excitement Poison. Besides its lethal toxicity, it also had auxiliary and control effects.
By controlling it with mental power, she could send her teammates into an excited state, boosting their attack power and speed, or make her opponents die from mental exhaustion.
However, Dugu Yan was still a little too confident. She simply released her Soul Skill without mixing in any Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison.
"Sister Yan, you're underestimating me a little too much."
Xing Tian held his hand like a blade as his Thousand-Year Soul Ring lit up. His hand turned black, and the black light on the twin scythes of the Dark Evil Spirit Mantis Martial Soul behind him grew even more intense, while the surrounding light dimmed.
The next moment, Xing Tian swept his blade-hand sideways. A crescent of black light shot out, splitting the red mist cleanly in two. The cut was smooth and even, and the texture looked nothing like mist.
The cut surface was no longer red, but black. The darkness rapidly consumed the poison mist until it had all turned to black smoke and vanished.
Xing Tian smiled faintly. "Sister Yan, my first Soul Skill perfectly inherited the Dark Night Fierce Mantis's innate Soul Skill, Night Fierce Light. Its cutting and corrosive power is unmatched. Poison mist of this strength will only be consumed by darkness."
Dugu Yan was hopping mad. Xing Tian had used just two fingers to unleash his Soul Skill. That light, casual gesture was a tremendous insult to her.
Ye Lingling and Ye Renxin could only marvel. As expected of a top-tier Martial Soul and a thousand-year Soul Skill—their power was terrifying.
But the most astonished of all was Dugu Bo. Once again, he couldn't help marveling at Xing Tian's talent. "That boy has already adapted to fighting with Martial Soul Semi-Mimicry! And he's only just acquired his Soul Skill, yet he's already using it so skillfully."
"Even more incredible, unlike other Soul Masters using Martial Soul Semi-Mimicry, he isn't joining his own power with his Martial Soul's to create a single Soul Skill. Instead, he and his Martial Soul are synchronizing to unleash the same Soul Skill."
"It's like making the original Soul Skill nearly twice as powerful. How is he doing that? Achieving this level of control takes years of training, as well as great cultivation. Could he really have been born with extraordinary insight, able to learn anything the moment he thinks of it?"
While Dugu Bo was still marveling, Dugu Yan flew into a rage. "You little brat, don't get cocky. Take this—Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison!"
This time, Dugu Yan used Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison with her first Soul Skill, creating a mixed poison several times more potent.
Dugu Yan unleashed her first Soul Skill again, but this time the mist wasn't red. It was a mixture of red and green.
Unlike the faintly fragrant red poison from before, this mist reeked so badly it made one want to retch. It left the mind reeling.
Feeling the might of the poison mist, Xing Tian was impressed. What fearsome Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison. Its greatest strength isn't its own toxicity, but its ability to combine with all kinds of poisons, creating a mixed poison whose potency multiplies several times over. I'll have to take this seriously.
Xing Tian unleashed his first Soul Skill once more, but this time he wasn't just playing around.
His entire right arm turned black, as did the right scythe of the Dark Evil Spirit Mantis. The two seemed to share an unspoken understanding, answering each other from afar.
A sharp whistle split the air, and another crescent of black light shot out, this time vertically.
The poison mist began splitting in two before the black light even touched it.
By the time the black light had passed completely through the mist, the poison had vanished without a trace, leaving only a few red and green specks floating in the air.
The black light had barely weakened. It continued straight toward Dugu Yan, and a suffocating pressure crashed over her. She felt as if she were about to be swallowed by endless darkness.
When the black light was about three feet from Dugu Yan, it suddenly turned and slashed into the sky, shrinking to a black speck before disappearing.
Dugu Yan's eyes went blank, and her Martial Soul Possession ended. The back of her clothes was soaked through. Her legs gave way, and she dropped to her knees, gasping for breath as if she'd just escaped death.
A sudden pain struck the back of Xing Tian's head. His feet tangled, and he nearly fell over. When he turned around, he saw that Dugu Bo had flicked him with a finger.
A faint ink-green glow appeared where Dugu Bo had struck him. He cursed furiously, "You little brat, repaying kindness with ingratitude! Who told you to hit so hard? Do you want to taste this old man's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor poison?"
Xing Tian felt like he couldn't catch a break. No matter how talented he was, his body was still only six years old. Controlling his strength this well was already no easy feat.
Seeing Xing Tian's expression, Dugu Bo realized he might have gone a little too far. Still, he snorted and glared at him before helping Dugu Yan up. He sent her gentle Soul Power and checked on her with concern.
"Yanyan, are you hurt?"
Dugu Yan finally came around and swayed to her feet. All the arrogance had vanished from her face. "I'm fine, Grandpa. Don't blame Xiao Tian. I was simply outmatched. You were right—I brought this on myself."
"You're very strong, but that doesn't mean my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison lost. Its most terrifying quality is that the more different poisons it contains, the more potent it becomes. Next time, I'll definitely beat you!"
Dugu Yan spoke tough, but her tone wasn't forceful. More importantly, the look she gave Xing Tian was unusual, almost flirtatious, and her little face had turned pink.
Xing Tian didn't pay much attention to Dugu Yan's odd behavior. He simply said, "Then we'll have another match when the time comes!"
But the other three had all witnessed the scene.
Could Yanyan have fallen for this boy? Damn that little brat—he's so calm and hasn't even noticed! It's infuriating!
At first, Dugu Bo was seething inwardly, but little by little, he talked himself around.
If Yanyan really likes him, there may not be much I can do about it. The boy is indeed remarkable. I only hope he doesn't let Yanyan down. Otherwise, I'll make sure he learns just how fearsome the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor poison is!
But then Dugu Bo reconsidered, still hesitant. Yet Brother Ye clearly wants him to become his granddaughter's husband. Wouldn't that mean repaying kindness with ingratitude...? Ah, never mind. The younger generation will make its own way. I won't interfere!
Ye Renxin's thoughts were simpler and calmer than Dugu Bo's. It was perfectly normal for a girl to fall for a strong, handsome boy. Besides, Xing Tian was young and had endured inhuman suffering, which could easily stir a girl's compassion.
He didn't mind Xing Tian having Dugu Yan in his life. He only worried that his granddaughter, Ye Lingling, might not be able to accept it.
Ye Lingling appeared aloof and solitary, but she was sensitive and perceptive at heart. As a Healing Type Soul Master without any combat ability, she had understood long ago that she would need a partner who could protect her. When her grandfather, Ye Renxin, brought Xing Tian back to Ye Mansion, she had already understood what he had in mind.
But she didn't want that—not because she disliked Xing Tian. Just like Dugu Yan, she had a good impression of him. On top of that, she had saved him, preventing him from dying in front of her. That meant far too much to her.
So her feelings for Xing Tian were complicated and intense—far stronger than Dugu Yan's.
She didn't want it simply because she thought she shouldn't feel that way.
"It'd be nice if Sister Yan and Xiao Tian ended up together..."
That was the only way she could talk herself into it, but her downturned lips and disappointed gaze made it clear she was lying.
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