Dugu Yan's Martial Soul Evolution

For the next two days, Ye Guchen spent his time accompanying Zhu Zhuqing and his various friends from Dou II.

Mu En also visited once, personally checking Ye Guchen's body, and the result was, of course, that everything was normal.

As for Ye Guyi, once she was certain that Ye Guchen was completely fine, she only stayed for two days before preparing to head out to take on more missions to hunt down Evil Soul Masters.

Ye Guchen knew he couldn't talk Ye Guyi out of it, but to ensure his sister's safety, he decided to have her take Big Eye along.

Previously, Big Eye's strength hadn't surpassed Ye Guyi's, making it of little use, but now that Big Eye had reached the fifty-thousand-year level, its combat power was no weaker than a Soul Douluo. Coupled with the keen detection abilities of a mental-type soul beast, it would be well-suited for avoiding trouble.

Outside Shrek City, Ye Guchen saw his sister off and summoned Big Eye.

He handed it to Ye Guyi.

"Sister Guyi, take it with you. That way, I can rest a little easier."

Ye Guyi glanced at the tentacled, giant-eyed soul beast in Ye Guchen's hand, her mouth twitching as she teased, "Sigh, having a little girlfriend really makes a difference. You give others cute things like white tigers, but for me..."

Before she could finish, she hurriedly cut herself off. She had almost forgotten that this little thing had its own consciousness.

Saying that might hurt its self-esteem.

Hearing this, how could Ye Guchen not understand? His sister was jealous.

He immediately took Ye Guyi's hand and placed Big Eye, which had shrunk to the size of a normal eyeball, into her palm.

"Practicality is best. Even if Big Eye looks a bit strange, its scouting and battlefield control abilities are top-notch. Besides, I'm your brother; you wouldn't blame me for this, would you?"

Big Eye extended a tentacle, propped up its eye to look at Ye Guchen, and waved its other tentacles wildly in protest, transmitting its voice through soul power:

"Master, you two! Enough! Even as a pet, I have my pride! Besides, back in the Evil Eye Tyrant clan, I was considered quite the handsome fellow. Master, you really have no taste..."

This remark immediately sent both of them into fits of laughter.

Ye Guyi took Big Eye and poked it with her finger.

"Hey, little thing, you've got quite the temper!"

Big Eye, helpless, could only extend a tentacle to firmly push against the finger Ye Guyi was poking it with.

"Master, do something about her..."

The voice was full of resentment, but paired with the milky tone it had just learned to use, it sounded unexpectedly comical, causing Ye Guyi to cover her mouth and giggle.

Seeing the atmosphere lighten, Ye Guchen gave one final instruction.

"Big Eye, your detection ability is the most outstanding. I'm entrusting my sister's safety to you. If there is any danger, prioritize bringing my sister into your private space to hide. Do not take risks. Also..."

Seeing Ye Guchen acting so fussy, Ye Guyi felt a warmth in her heart.

Without waiting for Ye Guchen to continue, she pulled him into a hug and ruffled his hair.

"Since when did a grown man become such a nag? Just focus on your cultivation. When you become strong enough, that will be the time we completely eradicate the Evil Soul Masters!"

Ye Guchen felt a wave of softness, but he dared not—and could not—have any improper thoughts.

The person before him was his own sister!

But being treated like a child and ruffled like this at his age made Ye Guchen feel somewhat embarrassed.

He quickly broke free from her embrace.

"Alright, Sister, I'm not a child anymore. Your teammates are watching!"

Seeing this, the other team members traveling with Ye Guyi immediately looked away.

"We didn't see anything... carry on."

The more Ye Guchen acted this way, the cuter Ye Guyi found him.

"Hey! There's nothing about you I haven't seen. No matter how much you grow up, I'm still your sister!"

She then gave his hair a few more vigorous rubs.

"Go back now. I'm taking Big Eye with me. Cultivate well. When you reach level seventy and are able to go out, we'll hunt Evil Soul Masters together!"

With that, she took Big Eye and followed her team as they departed.

Watching Ye Guyi's receding figure and feeling his messy hair, Ye Guchen could only offer a helpless smile, transmitting a final thought to Big Eye:

"No matter what happens, prioritize my sister's safety above all else!"

Afterward, Ye Guchen's life returned to its usual rhythm.

He had recently reached a cooperation agreement with Xian Lin'er, the dean of the Soul Guidance Department, to purchase all soul tools of level five and below crafted by the students during this period.

Currently, on the Dou I side, he had acquired a significant amount of metal materials, various medicinal herbs, and Whale Rubber.

However, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion on the Dou I timeline, unlike the one here in Dou II, lacked the support of the Treasure Pavilion and was struggling to get by.

Now, it was in urgent need of an auction to make a name for itself.

During the time Ye Guchen was away and in a coma, Zhu Zhuqing had managed the Hundred Treasures Pavilion surprisingly well, far exceeding Ye Guchen's expectations.

This was to make up for the toll her health had taken from worrying about him for nothing.

Ye Guchen stayed by Zhu Zhuqing's side throughout their time in Dou I.

She seemed to enjoy the feeling of business management, and even while strolling through the streets, she never forgot to scout for a new location for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

From time to time, she would even categorize and rank the goods in the market based on their popularity.

Seeing her talent for management, Ye Guchen simply increased her liquid capital and let her take the reins.

After spending two days with Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Guchen returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and dug up the Earth Dragon Golden Melon.

Looking at the sweet potato-like fruit in his hand, Ye Guchen did not hesitate to hand it over to Dugu Bo, who was standing nearby.

"Your Excellency Dugu, this is the Earth Dragon Golden Melon. If a Spirit Master with a snake-type martial soul consumes it, there is a high probability that their martial soul will evolve into a dragon-type."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo was filled with disbelief. A medicinal herb capable of inducing Martial Soul Evolution in a Spirit Master was simply unheard of.

"This..."

Seeing Dugu Bo still hesitating, Ye Guchen waved his hand with a smile.

"Senior, you're being too formal. This was originally your treasure; I'm merely borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha."

Hearing this, Dugu Bo burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, well said. In that case, this old man will not decline."

He reached out to take the two Earth Dragon Golden Melons, then, as if thinking of something, looked at Ye Guchen.

"And stop calling me Senior. If you don't mind, let us treat each other as peers. You can call me Old Poison, just like the others do."

Seeing this, Ye Guchen didn't stand on ceremony.

"Hahaha, fine. Then, Old Poison, let's not delay. You should start consuming the immortal herb."

"I will stand guard for you."

However, Dugu Yan, who was standing nearby, grew anxious and stomped her feet in frustration.

"Grandfather!"

"If you treat him as a peer, then what about me?!"

Dugu Yan puffed out her cheeks, looking quite angry.

Dugu Bo's expression stiffened. He had clearly noticed the change in his granddaughter's feelings toward Ye Guchen recently.

"This..."

"You two can just maintain your own forms of address. He can call me Old Poison, and he can call you Miss Dugu."

When Dugu Yan heard this, her cheeks puffed out even further, and her emerald eyes widened: "Maintain our own forms of address? Grandfather, you're dreaming!"

She stomped her foot and turned to look at Ye Guchen, her eyes filled with a hint of reproach: "Then what will you call me from now on? Miss Dugu?"

Ye Guchen spread his hands, looking innocent:

"What else? Call you Yan Yan? I'm afraid your grandfather would turn around and poison me on the spot."

"Pfft—" Dugu Bo nearly choked on his own saliva. He coughed twice, turned away as if nothing had happened, but muttered to himself: This brat, he certainly has a silver tongue.

Dugu Yan's face flushed slightly, and she huffed: "Who told you to call me Yan Yan! Just... just call me by my name."

After saying that, she realized how strange it sounded, so she simply flicked her sleeves, took an Earth Dragon Golden Melon from Dugu Bo's hand, and turned to walk to the other side of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well: "I'm going over there to consume the immortal herb!"

Watching her retreating figure, the corners of Ye Guchen's mouth curled up slightly. He turned to Dugu Bo and said, "Old Poison, Miss Yan Yan has quite a temper."

Dugu Bo stroked his beard and smiled meaningfully: "That's because you haven't seen her when she's truly angry. Alright, enough of that. It's time for me to consume this Earth Dragon Golden Melon."

The two arrived at the flat bluestone beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Dugu Bo sat cross-legged, holding the golden, sweet potato-shaped fruit in his hands, and took a deep breath.

Even with his state of mind as a Titled Douluo, he could not help but feel a surge of emotion.

Martial Soul Evolution—for any Spirit Master, this was a life-altering event that defied the heavens.

His Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor was poisonous enough to rule the world, but it was ultimately a snake-type martial soul. If it could truly evolve into a dragon...

He hesitated no longer and swallowed the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in a few quick bites.

The next second, Dugu Bo's body shuddered violently.

A violent wave of golden energy exploded from within him, blowing the surrounding medicinal herbs flat.

Fine golden scales began to emerge on his skin—not the dark, murky green of the Jade Phosphor Serpent, but a metallic, dark gold!

"Roar—"

A low, guttural roar erupted from the depths of Dugu Bo's throat. The sound no longer resembled the hissing of a snake, but carried the imposing pressure of a dragon's cry.

His body began to tremble violently, and the veins on his forehead bulged; he was clearly enduring immense pain.

Ye Guchen's gaze sharpened, and he channeled his spirit power, ready to intervene at any moment.

Martial Soul Evolution was no simple task. The medicinal power of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon was overbearing; it was fundamentally rewriting his original snake-type martial soul, effectively shattering and restructuring the bones, meridians, and bloodlines of the serpent.

Although the immortal herb had no side effects and generally posed no threat to life, the martial soul was connected to the body, and the pain during the transformation would not be diminished in the slightest.

Time ticked by, second by second.

The golden light on Dugu Bo's body grew increasingly intense, those golden scales beginning to spread to his arms, neck, and even his cheeks.

Previously, Dugu Bo had needed to constantly suppress the toxins within his body, which had kept his spirit power stuck at level ninety-one.

After Ye Guchen resolved the issue of his martial soul's toxic backlash, Dugu Bo no longer needed to maintain the suppression of his spirit power that he had kept up for years, allowing his spirit power to break through to level ninety-two.

Now, as his martial soul evolved, his aura was climbing steadily, though it had only just barely reached the threshold of level ninety-three.

One must understand that spirit power during the Title Douluo stage is extremely difficult to break through; increasing by a single level often requires years of accumulation, yet in the span of a mere incense stick's time, his spirit power had actually increased by a full level!

But an even more astonishing change was occurring within his martial soul.

A phantom of a dark green giant python emerged from behind Dugu Bo; it was his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor.

Yet at this moment, the giant python's body was twisting and expanding frantically; its snake head gradually grew wider, barbs sprouted from its lower jaw, dark golden patterns appeared on the surface of its scales, and four limbs slowly extended from its abdomen—the snake was becoming a flood dragon, and the flood dragon was becoming a dragon.

At this moment, Dugu Bo's martial soul had officially transformed into a top-tier martial soul comparable to the Blue Lightning Overlord Dragon—the Jade Phosphor Poison Dragon.

Although it was not a true dragon in the literal sense, when that pair of dark golden dragon horns broke through the top of its head, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor had completely changed its appearance.

It was a four-clawed dragon with a body of dark gold and an abdomen shimmering with a dark green luster, over ten meters in length, exuding a suffocating and terrifying pressure.

It coiled behind Dugu Bo, its vertical pupils scanning the surroundings coldly, as if it were a king looking down upon all living things.

Dugu Bo suddenly opened his eyes!

Two beams of golden light shot from his eyes, scorching two charred marks into the air.

He slowly stood up, feeling the surging power within his body, and let out a long roar toward the sky.

The roar was full of vigor and carried the momentum of a dragon's cry, causing the surface of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to ripple in layers.

After a long while, the roar finally ceased.

Dugu Bo looked down at his hands; the backs of his hands were covered in fine, dark golden scales, and his fingernails had become as sharp as hooks.

He clenched his fists, feeling that unprecedented power, and his eyes turned slightly red.

"This old man... this life has been worth it."

His voice was somewhat choked with emotion.

Back then, he had stumbled into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, relying on the dense spirit power here to barely break through to Title Douluo, and it was also with the help of this place that he was able to suppress the rampaging toxins in his body.

Later, he met Ye Guchen, who helped him solve the problem of the toxins, but the limit of his martial soul was set; with the quality of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, even after solving the issue of the martial soul's toxic backlash, reaching the threshold of level ninety-five would have been his absolute limit for this lifetime.

But now, even level ninety-six or ninety-seven was not impossible to attempt!

"Old Poison, how does it feel?" Ye Guchen asked with a smile.

Dugu Bo took a deep breath and retracted his martial soul; those golden scales slowly faded beneath his skin. He turned around, his face beaming: "Better than ever!"

Seeing Dugu Bo's beaming expression, the battle intent that had been building up in Ye Guchen ever since his new realization of sword intent suddenly erupted.

"Old Poison, how about we spar!"