Douluo: One Man Returns, Heaven-Defying Seal Smashes Tang San

Though she was still young, her figure had already begun to take shape.

Especially those emerald-green eyes, which carried a faint, almost imperceptible bewitching air, giving her a subtle sense of allure.

The most eye-catching feature was her slender waist, slim enough to be grasped in one hand. With every movement, her waist twisted as though boneless, displaying astonishing flexibility.

At that moment, the girl's cheeks and the arms exposed beyond her short-sleeved combat outfit were covered in a thin layer of bluish-green scales. Two yellow soul rings circled around her.

A two-ring Great Soul Master!

And judging from the girl's speed and Soul Power fluctuations, her Soul Power cultivation had likely already reached level thirty!

She had presumably come to the Star Dou Great Forest this time to hunt for a soul ring as well.

Lu Yu, hidden nearby, narrowed his eyes slightly. Reaching level thirty at such an age was already enough to call her a genius.

Lu Yu had reached level twenty at the age of eight because he possessed the insights and inheritance from his past life. He would never use his own fortune to judge another person's talent.

Just as Lu Yu was observing the girl, a bluish-green shadow suddenly shot out of the forest. It moved as fast as lightning, charging straight at her.

"Hiss..."

Only after reaching the girl did the shadow reveal its form. It was surprisingly a tiny snake no more than five inches long.

The little snake was entirely emerald green, its body crystal-clear like a gemstone. Nine bamboo-joint-like bands ran across its body, and faintly visible beneath its skin, bluish-green light flowed continuously. It looked rather tiny and adorable.

But its pair of tiny crimson eyes was filled with bloodlust and coldness!

Clearly, this was the culprit that had been chasing the girl!

"This is..."

Lu Yu frowned. This type of soul beast had not been mentioned in the soul beast classes at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

Even so, he still recognized the snake!

A Nine-Section Jade Viper!

This type of snake was extremely rare. It possessed the bloodline of a top-grade Bamboo Green Snake and could be considered the king among Bamboo Green Snakes. Its body was tough as steel, and its defense was astonishing.

Most importantly...

The Nine-Section Jade Viper's venom was extraordinarily vicious. So long as one was poisoned by it, even by the slightest amount, whether human or soul beast, they would turn into a puddle of foul liquid within a short while!

Yet this type of snake had almost vanished from the Douluo Continent. Lu Yu remembered that Poison Douluo had one, but later lost it to Tang San in a wager at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Wait!

Lu Yu's pupils suddenly contracted as he carefully examined the girl again.

A Nine-Section Jade Viper? A purple-haired, green-eyed girl?

And this girl seemed to possess a snake-type Martial Soul...

Could she be Dugu Yan, Poison Douluo's only granddaughter?

The more Lu Yu thought about it, the more certain he became that his guess was correct.

First of all, in the original story, Tang San and Dugu Yan first met four years later.

At that time, Dugu Yan was nineteen. By that calculation, this girl was about the same age as Dugu Yan.

Then there was the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul, which possessed extremely potent poison but also caused the soul master who possessed it to be eroded by its toxins.

Dugu Yan's purple hair and green eyes had come from exactly that.

Finally, there was this Nine-Section Jade Viper. This snake-type soul beast was simply too rare; it would be difficult to find a second one in the entire Douluo Continent. Thus, Lu Yu had reason to suspect that this Nine-Section Jade Viper was the one Dugu Bo had kept as a pet in the original story.

Dugu Bo doted greatly on Dugu Yan, his only granddaughter. How could he possibly let her come to the Star Dou Great Forest alone to obtain a soul ring?

In Lu Yu's view, this had to be Dugu Bo's training for Dugu Yan. That Poison Douluo was likely hiding in the shadows right now, watching everything unfold.

It was probably because Dugu Yan had been pursued by the Nine-Section Jade Viper in the Star Dou Great Forest this time that Dugu Bo intervened at the critical moment and subdued it.

This chain of deductions fit together perfectly, making Lu Yu completely certain that the girl was Dugu Yan.

After confirming the girl's identity, Lu Yu frowned.

Dugu Bo was eccentric and domineering, and his granddaughter Dugu Yan was no saint either. Lu Yu had not wanted anything to do with them.

But the key was...

Dugu Bo possessed a treasured place!

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!

A supreme treasure ground that nurtured countless heavenly treasures!

If he had the chance, Lu Yu naturally wanted to get a share of the benefits from that treasure ground.

Seeing Dugu Yan steadily forced back by the Nine-Section Jade Viper's attacks and about to fall into danger, Lu Yu's gaze sharpened slightly as he made his decision.

Save her!

Not only to seek benefits from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but also to protect himself!

Lu Yu knew very well that his Evasion Talisman and Breath Concealment Talisman could fool Dugu Yan and the Nine-Section Jade Viper, but they could never fool Dugu Bo, a nine-ring Title Douluo!

If he stood by and did nothing, Dugu Bo would certainly step in to save Dugu Yan at the critical moment. With that old fellow's eccentric temperament, combined with the irritable bloodthirstiness caused by the toxins affecting him, if he got upset, he might very well kill Lu Yu.

Even if Lu Yu had countless trump cards, there was no way he could possibly be a match for a Title Douluo!

But as long as he saved Dugu Yan, even if Dugu Bo disliked the sight of him, he would not make a move against him.

The dignified Poison Douluo would not kill his own granddaughter's savior just because he was in a bad mood, right?

As his thoughts raced, Lu Yu instantly dispelled the power of the Breath Concealment Talisman and Evasion Talisman, revealing himself.

At the same time, the small Heaven-Defying Seal appeared in his palm, encircled by a dark yellow soul ring.

The soul ring lit up, and the Heaven-Defying Seal flew from his hand, swelling against the wind. In an instant, it became a massive golden seal.

Lu Yu gripped the Heaven-Defying Seal in one hand, golden light winding around his body. He stomped hard and shot toward where Dugu Yan and the Nine-Section Jade Viper were fighting.

By then, Dugu Yan's Soul Power had nearly run dry. She was already at the end of her strength and could only desperately dodge the Nine-Section Jade Viper's attacks.

As her Soul Power and stamina gradually drained away, her movements grew slower and slower.

Just as the Nine-Section Jade Viper lunged before her once more, opening its jaws to strike while she had no time to evade...

A nimble figure leaped high into the air behind the Nine-Section Jade Viper.

His entire body blazed with golden light, and he held a massive golden seal in his hand, like a celestial god descending upon the world!

"Clang!"

The golden seal smashed viciously into the Nine-Section Jade Viper, producing a sharp metallic ring. The little snake was sent directly crashing to the ground.

Dugu Yan stood frozen in place, blankly staring at the Nine-Section Jade Viper as it writhed and struggled on the ground, unable to move due to its injuries. Then she looked at that slightly childish yet already handsome face, unable to process what had happened for a moment.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

While Dugu Yan was lost in thought, Lu Yu's movements did not pause in the slightest.

He swung the Heaven-Defying Seal in his hand, smashing it down onto the Nine-Section Jade Viper on the ground again and again.

Only after striking it three more times, until the Nine-Section Jade Viper had gone completely limp and motionless, did Lu Yu disperse the golden light around his body and put away his martial soul and soul ring.

It was as though the golden light on his body had been a soul ring skill.

"It really is tough..."

Looking at the Nine-Section Jade Viper, which was still clinging to life, Lu Yu clicked his tongue in amazement.

He had deliberately held back just now. He had not used Thunder Arts, talismans, or the Golden Mane Lion-Mastiff Right Palm Bone. He had merely relied on the Golden Light Spell and his physical strength, wielding the Heaven-Defying Seal as a weapon.

But one must not forget that the first stage of Reverse Birth Triple was focused on strengthening the body!

With Lu Yu's current physique, even without obtaining his Second Soul Ring, he was no weaker than an ordinary Soul Elder!

And with the Golden Light Spell's enhancement, he was even stronger!

Yet the Nine-Section Jade Viper had endured four blows before losing its combat ability. No wonder it was said to have a body as tough as steel.

Of course, if Lu Yu went all out, a single strike would be enough to render this Nine-Section Jade Viper unable to fight.

But Dugu Bo was watching from somewhere. If that old fellow learned that he possessed an External Soul Bone, who knew whether he might kill him for his treasure?

Moreover, neither Thunder Arts nor talismans could be explained at all. They would likely be mistaken for soul bone skills as well.

Standing beside the Nine-Section Jade Viper, Lu Yu looked toward Dugu Yan in the distance. The girl was staring at him too.

One wore magnificent fitted clothes, while the other wore coarse cloth garments covered in patches, forming a stark contrast.

Lu Yu blinked, disguising his gaze with the innocence and liveliness a child should possess, then asked, "Are you alright?"

Hearing his words, Dugu Yan finally came back to herself. No one knew what she had been thinking about, but her little face actually reddened slightly as she stammered, "I... I'm fine... You... thank you!"

Lu Yu waved a hand. "It was nothing. This soul beast isn't dead yet. If you want its soul ring, you should make your move quickly!"

For an eight-year-old child to speak such experienced words in a childish voice was rather strange.

Seeing Dugu Yan's shy, bashful expression, Lu Yu could not help feeling a chill run down his back.