Everyone Was Shocked

Yu Tianheng was the first to speak, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Yan Yan, are you... Dugu Yan?"

Dugu Yan nodded, a trace of a smile flashing through her jade-green dragon eyes. "What, don't you recognize me anymore?"

The corner of Yu Tianheng's mouth twitched. "You... have changed too much, haven't you?"

Three months unseen, Dugu Yan seemed like a completely different person.

The original Dugu Yan had been pretty, but an aura of gloom permeated her entire being, and her dark-green eyes had always carried a hint of sickly exhaustion.

The present Dugu Yan had jade-green long hair cascading like a waterfall, her jade-green dragon eyes were clear and bright, her complexion was ruddy, and she radiated vibrant vitality all over.

Yu Feng's gaze landed on the soul rings revolving around Dugu Yan, and then his pupils abruptly contracted. "Level forty-five? Your fourth soul ring... is ten-thousand-year?"

Everyone's gaze concentrated on Dugu Yan's soul rings.

Yellow, yellow, purple, black.

A ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring!

A dead silence filled the training ground.

A level-forty-five Soul Ancestor, a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring.

With this configuration, let alone Heaven Dou Royal Academy, even placed among the youth Soul Masters of the entire continent, it was a top-tier existence.

Osler couldn't help speaking out. "Sister Yan, what on earth did you experience these past three months?"

Dugu Yan did not conceal it, telling the set of pretexts her grandfather had taught her word for word.

An experience in the Star Dou Great Forest, a chance encounter with fortune, her grandfather helping to hunt a ten-thousand-year plant-type soul beast, and fortuitously absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring.

As for her martial soul changing from a Jade Python Snake to a Jade Scale Dragon, she didn't actively bring it up, nor did she deliberately conceal it.

The shock of the soul rings had not yet passed, and new shock arrived.

The eldest of the Shi Brothers stared with wide eyes. "Your martial soul... no, your martial soul is wrong."

Dugu Yan knew she couldn't hide it, so she quite simply and openly released her martial soul.

The phantom of a Jade Scale Dragon materialized behind her, its jade-green dragon body, four dragon claws, and a pair of short horns atop its head noble and agile.

Everyone fell silent once more.

The Jade Python Snake turned into a dragon?

This was already something the two words 'fortune' could not explain.

Ye Lingling walked over from the corner, speaking softly. "Yan Yan, your martial soul..."

Dugu Yan turned to look at her close friend, a trace of warmth flashing through her jade-green dragon eyes. "Lingling, when there's time, I'll tell you slowly."

Ye Lingling nodded and asked no further.

Yu Tianheng took a deep breath, suppressing the shock within his heart, and recovered his captain's composure. "No matter what, you've grown stronger, and that's a good thing."

Yu Feng also nodded. "Dugu Yan's progress is a tremendous boost for our Imperial Dou Team. With the new semester starting, our goal remains the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

Dugu Yan stood amidst her teammates, a wave of warmth surging in her heart.

Although everyone was extremely shocked, no one pried relentlessly, nor did anyone display hostility or jealousy.

This was the Imperial Dou Team, these were her teammates, and these were her friends.

After training ended, Ye Lingling pulled Dugu Yan to the garden outside the training ground.

The two sat beneath a large tree, and Ye Lingling removed the veil from her face, revealing a strikingly pure and refined visage.

"Yan Yan, tell me honestly." Ye Lingling's voice was very soft. "Your martial soul evolution, does it have something to do with your grandfather?"

Dugu Yan hesitated for a moment and nodded.

She didn't want to deceive Lingling, because Lingling was her best friend.

Ye Lingling was silent for a moment, then asked, "Did your grandfather... find a way to resolve the martial soul's flaw?"

Dugu Yan's heartbeat skipped a beat.

The martial soul flaw Lingling spoke of was not referring to the flaw of the Jade Python Snake, but rather the flaw of the Nine Heart Begonia.

That curse where there could only be one in an era, passed down from mother to daughter, resulting in death from generation to generation.

Dugu Yan grasped her best friend's hand, looking earnestly into her eyes. "Lingling, Grandfather perhaps truly has a way. After the weekend holiday begins, I'll take you to see my grandfather."

"Mm, okay."

The corners of Ye Lingling's eyes were slightly red, and she said nothing, merely nodding forcefully.

Right at that moment.

Qin Ming walked over.

He was the instructor of the Imperial Dou Team, a level-sixty-two Soul Emperor, with the Blazing Gray Wolf martial soul.

At just past thirty years of age, he was considered young and promising among the teachers at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Originally he had just been watching the students train from the edge of the training ground, but the moment Dugu Yan released her martial soul, his gaze had been drawn over.

A Jade Scale Dragon.

That wasn't a snake; it was a dragon.

Qin Ming's pupils slightly contracted, and he strode in front of Dugu Yan, looking her up and down.

Soul rings yellow, yellow, purple, black, a level-forty-five Soul Ancestor.

Her martial soul had changed from a Jade Python Snake to a Jade Scale Dragon, a true-dragon-type martial soul, with a quality at least above the top tier.

"Dugu Yan, your martial soul..."

"Teacher, Grandfather helped me evolve it."

Dugu Yan did not conceal it, repeating the set of pretexts her grandfather had taught her once more.

An experience in the Star Dou Great Forest, a chance encounter with fortune, her grandfather helping to hunt a ten-thousand-year plant-type soul beast, and fortuitously absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring.

As for why the Jade Python Snake could evolve into a Jade Scale Dragon, she didn't elaborate.

Qin Ming did not pursue the matter either.

He was a smart person, knowing that some things should not be asked.

Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, and the methods of a Titled Douluo were not something he could fathom.

"Your talent is far stronger than I anticipated." Qin Ming took a deep breath. "This matter, I need to report it to the three education committee members."

Dugu Yan was slightly stunned. "Report it?"

"Right."

Qin Ming nodded, his tone earnest. "Your martial soul has evolved, and its quality is at least above the top tier. Your fourth soul ring is ten-thousand-year black, which is extremely rare among Soul Ancestors. You are now level forty-five, a level-forty-five Soul Ancestor. With such talent, the academy should provide you with more resources."

Dugu Yan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately didn't speak it out.

Seeing that she didn't object, Qin Ming turned and left the training ground, walking toward the Education Committee Office Building.

Inside the training ground, the remaining people fell silent for a long time.

Yu Tianheng was the first to speak, his voice carrying a trace of complex emotion. "Level forty-five, a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring, a true-dragon-type martial soul... Yan Yan, you're really going to leave all of us in the dust, aren't you?"

Dugu Yan turned to look at Yu Tianheng, a hint of a smile flashing through her jade-green dragon eyes. "Captain, you couldn't possibly have been hit hard by this, could you?"

The corner of Yu Tianheng's mouth twitched.

Hit hard?

Indeed somewhat.

Three months ago, Dugu Yan was still a level-thirty-four Soul Elder, and he was a level-thirty-five Soul Elder, about to break through to level thirty-six.

Three months later, Dugu Yan had directly jumped to a level-forty-five Soul Ancestor, and her fourth soul ring was even ten-thousand-year.

He, this captain, had instead been surpassed by his teammate.

Yet he wasn't the kind of person to be beaten into despondency by such a blow.

"No."

Yu Tianheng shook his head, the lightning power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon circulating around his body, purple electric arcs crackling and snapping in the air:

"You've grown stronger, and I'll only work harder."