Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot.
The two Immortal Herbs possessed opposing attributes, yet consuming them together produced miraculous effects. However, the lake water within the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was needed to aid their refinement.
Xu Xiao had coveted these two Immortal Herbs for a long time.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Xiao swallowed both Immortal Herbs at once before immediately jumping in.
Water splashed up before quickly settling again. Xu Xiao floated at the center of the lake, red on one side and blue on the other!
The energies of the two Immortal Herbs surged violently into Xu Xiao's body, accompanied by a ceaseless influx of energy from the lake water.
Xu Xiao's entire body split into two halves. One half glowed blue, while the other shone red.
Two beams of light enveloped Xu Xiao.
As the energy continuously battered him, a dragon's roar erupted from within Xu Xiao's body.
The dragon's roar howled through the air. The three people still refining their Immortal Herbs opened their eyes at the same time, their gazes involuntarily turning toward Xu Xiao in the lake.
A giant dragon spiraled out of Xu Xiao's body, constantly absorbing the two streams of energy. Xu Xiao's eyes remained tightly shut, unaware of what was happening outside.
The three were shocked, but as they were all refining Immortal Herbs, they could not speak to ask about it and could only watch.
They were all curious about where that dragon had come from and why a dragon had appeared inside their eldest brother's body!
Xu Xiao was still refining the energy of the two Immortal Herbs.
That dragon's roar had been caused by Xu Xiao's second Martial Soul.
His second Martial Soul was not a conventional Martial Soul. It was a Body Martial Soul, something rarely seen on the Douluo Continent.
At this point in time, the concept of Body Martial Souls did not yet exist. If Xu Xiao had not transmigrated here, he likely would not have understood it either.
Still, calling it a Body Martial Soul was not entirely accurate.
His Martial Soul was rather special. It was not an ordinary body-type Martial Soul, but a Body Martial Soul containing a dragon.
Xu Xiao's Martial Soul was his entire body, but because it contained a dragon, it was called the Dragon Body!
It was like the Coiling Dragon Staff of the Qianggu family during the third Douluo era, its staff entwined with the Break Evil Dragon. The difference was that Xu Xiao's Body Martial Soul contained a dragon.
And this dragon had a flaw!
It was precisely because of that flaw that Xu Xiao had only possessed Rank 6 Innate Soul Power when his Martial Soul awakened. Otherwise, with his Twin Martial Souls—one Spirit Pagoda and one Dragon Body—
how could he possibly have had only Rank 6 Innate Soul Power!
The Dragon Body's flaw was also obvious: the dragon was half-dead. Its dragon might did not manifest, and its dragon spirit was absent.
To put it even more simply, this dragon had only the form of a dragon. It possessed almost nothing else and still needed to be completed!
Without this dragon, the power of the Body Martial Soul alone might have raised his Innate Soul Power somewhat.
But no one could say for certain, not even Xu Xiao himself.
Now, the dragon within Xu Xiao's Martial Soul had appeared. Under the impact of the two Immortal Herbs' energies, the dragon awakened. Stimulated by that massive energy, it seemed to be recovering.
The lake water forged its might, while the Immortal Herbs forged its spirit!
The Immortal Herbs' energy brought the half-dead dragon back to life.
The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had formed after the deaths of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings. It naturally contained a trace of dragonly essence.
The dragon in Xu Xiao's Martial Soul seemed to sense this and greedily sucked in the energy within the lake water.
Xu Xiao's Martial Soul began evolving with the aid of that terrifying, immense energy!
The Body Martial Soul manifested upon Xu Xiao. As energy poured into it, the dragon's originally white body turned red and blue, constantly swimming through Xu Xiao's Martial Soul.
The dragon's form had appeared, its dragon might had revived, and its dragon spirit had returned!
From this day onward, the Dragon Body was complete!!
Its flaw had been repaired, and the Martial Soul had recovered!
The dragon's roar gradually faded. Xu Xiao's Martial Soul returned to his body, and the Red and Blue Little Dragon appeared on his chest, transforming into a dragon tattoo that rested there quietly.
Xu Xiao's cultivation was not over yet. The energy of the two Immortal Herbs still remained within his body.
Ice and fire had not merely repaired his Martial Soul—they could also temper his body!
Body tempering was far more painful. Most of the earlier energy had gone toward repairing his Martial Soul, so the pain now was somewhat lighter.
By the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Yue Guan and Dugu Bo had already finished refining their herbs, their Soul Power successfully breaking through to Rank 20.
Yue Guan's Martial Soul was still the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. However, after consuming the Immortal Herb, his Martial Soul had become even more transcendent. He had attained an indestructible vajra body, and his Martial Soul had successfully acquired the ultimate gold attribute!
It could be said that the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum suited Yue Guan best. By consuming it, he had brought the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's potential to its fullest.
As for Dugu Bo, after consuming the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, his Martial Soul successfully evolved. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul evolved into the Jade Phosphorous Poison Dragon Martial Soul.
His serpent had evolved into a dragon. Dugu Bo had truly struck it rich.
After Gui Mei consumed the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, his origin recovered. He was still refining the new Immortal Herb Yue Guan had found for him!
"Old Poison Dragon, what exactly is going on with that dragon of Eldest Brother's?"
After Dugu Bo's Martial Soul evolved, even Yue Guan's way of addressing him had changed.
"Old Chrysanthemum, it's not as though we don't know about Eldest Brother's Martial Soul. Perhaps this is Eldest Brother's secret. Once he's finished, he'll tell us."
Although Dugu Bo was curious as well, he would not take the initiative to ask.
Yue Guan nodded. He had reached Rank 20 now. Once Eldest Brother emerged, they could go obtain their second Soul Rings again.
When that time came, his second Soul Ring would once again be unprecedented.
In the lake, Xu Xiao suddenly opened his eyes. His aura withdrew, and everything returned to calm as Xu Xiao leaped out of the lake.
"Eldest Brother, catch your clothes!" Yue Guan threw over a set of clothes, and Xu Xiao swiftly put them on.
"Thank you, my two brothers!"
"It seems the two of you gained quite a bit!" Xu Xiao looked the two of them up and down.
The effects of the Immortal Herbs were simply too great for them, especially for Dugu Bo. One Immortal Herb had instantly resolved the problem that had plagued his family for generations.
Dugu Bo was the most excited. "Eldest Brother, if not for you, I would still be suffering from my Martial Soul's poison."
"Now that my Martial Soul has evolved, it has become a dragon. Instead, poison has become my strongest means of attack."
Dugu Bo now possessed the ultimate poison attribute as well. Aside from his first Soul Ring being inferior to Yue Guan's and Gui Mei's, he was nearly equal to them in every other respect!
"I naturally must fulfill what I promised you. Besides, you are our fourth brother!"
Xu Xiao chuckled, paying Dugu Bo's gratitude no mind. They were family, so there was no need for such courtesy.
"Oh, right. Since Second Brother hasn't finished yet, I'll consume another Immortal Herb."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot had restored his second Martial Soul and even taken it a step further. But he still had another Martial Soul: the Spirit Pagoda!
He just did not know whether this Martial Soul would evolve again after consuming an Immortal Herb.
It was the perfect chance to consume one together. The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot had not provided him with much Soul Power earlier, raising him by only two ranks.
He was now Rank 16. Most of the energy had been used to restore his Martial Soul and temper his body, so naturally his Soul Power had not increased much.
Yue Guan and Dugu Bo said, "Go ahead, Eldest Brother. We'll stand guard for you."
Xu Xiao nodded lightly and slowly walked over to the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
This Immortal Herb was highly effective for tower-type Martial Souls and was the most suitable one at present.
The age settings in this book only, to better advance the plot: Xu Xiao, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei: 9 years old.
Dugu Bo: 13 years old.
Chen Xin: 19 years old.
Qian Xunji is currently 6 years old. His Martial Soul has just awakened, and he will be mentioned later in the story.
In this book, Tang Hao is tentatively set to be 10 years younger than the protagonist, meaning Tang Hao will not be born until ten years later!
Tang San's arrival is still around 50 years away. Slowly laying traps for Tang San.
Tang San will be given a new background, taking inspiration from this little author's other book, Mask.
If any esteemed readers have ideas, feel free to mention them in the comments!
If anything is unreasonable, this little author will promptly correct it. Thank you all, esteemed readers!!