Yanzi, I'm really angry right now!

Ye Qing handed the Earth Dragon Golden Melon to Dugu Yan.

"The Earth Dragon Golden Melon, a supreme treasure of the earth attribute among Immortal Grade herbs."

"The root cause of why Yanzi's Jade Phosphorus Snake Martial Soul backlashes against her own body is the lack of a counterbalancing force for the toxins."

"Snake venom is yin in nature, and the Jade Phosphorus Snake is a purely toxic Martial Soul with no other power to neutralize it."

"If we can introduce a powerful earth element to neutralize and suppress the toxic attribute, the problem of toxin backlash might be solved at its core."

He paused, then added another sentence.

"Of course, this is a plan I've calculated; I cannot guarantee a one hundred percent success rate."

This statement was the truth.

To be precise, this was a plan mentioned in various Douluo Continent fan fictions he had read in his past life.

In many of those works, Dugu Yan was given the Earth Dragon Golden Melon to evolve her Martial Soul.

This was the method used to resolve the issue of toxin backlash.

Bringing it out now, he was also holding a mindset of experimentation.

After all, theory is just theory; no one had ever seen the actual operation performed.

Dugu Yan looked at the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in Ye Qing's hand, ripples of light swirling in her emerald eyes.

She still remembered not long ago.

When Ye Qing brought out the Lovesick Heartbroken Red.

That Immortal Grade herb, hailed as the "King of Flowers," required one to nourish it with heart blood and move it with true feelings for it to bloom.

She had full expectations as she sprayed her heart blood to try, but that Immortal Grade herb did not bloom.

It did not acknowledge her feelings for Ye Qing.

At that time, she did indeed feel a bit dejected.

But she also understood that they had only confirmed their relationship for about a week.

Although their feelings were passionate, they hadn't reached that bone-deep, life-and-death commitment level yet.

It was normal for the Lovesick Heartbroken Red not to bloom.

Ye Qing had said at the time, "Feelings will grow with time."

She had scolded him for being indecent, but she had kept those words in her heart for a long time.

And now, he had brought out another immortal herb for her.

No testing, no conditions.

He just brought it out so casually.

"Yanzi?"

Ye Qing saw her dazed.

He waved the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in front of her, his face wearing that punchable, mischievous smirk again.

"Don't tell me you're so moved by my affectionate gesture that you can't speak?"

"Do you want me to hand you a handkerchief to wipe your tears?"

"..."

Dugu Yan snapped back to reality.

She rolled her eyes at him and snatched the Earth Dragon Golden Melon.

"Moved, my foot!"

Her tone returned to her usual tsundere manner.

But the slight redness at the tips of her ears betrayed her true emotions.

"I was just wondering, what if it fails?"

"Wouldn't that be a waste of an Immortal Grade herb for you?"

"If it fails, it fails; just consider it a health supplement."

Ye Qing shrugged, looking indifferent.

"The Earth Dragon Golden Melon is closely related to dragons, so it's inherently beneficial to your Jade Phosphorus Snake Martial Soul anyway."

"Besides," he grinned, "Immortal herbs are meant to be eaten by our own people. You are more important than any herb, Yanzi. I'm not heartbroken over it, so why are you?"

"Hmph, that was plucked from my Medicine Garden, of course you wouldn't be heartbroken."

Dugu Bo glared at Ye Qing with annoyance.

He then urged, "Yanzi, since this brat says so, just eat it."

He only wanted to resolve the toxins within Yanzi's body as quickly as possible.

This had been his greatest worry for decades.

He trusted that Ye Qing would not harm Yanzi.

Although this kid was flippant with his words, his mind was more meticulous than anyone else's.

Since he said there were benefits, then there must be.

"I understand."

Seeing that both Ye Qing and Dugu Bo insisted, Dugu Yan no longer declined.

She took a deep breath and placed the Earth Dragon Golden Melon into her mouth.

The melon flesh melted the moment it touched her tongue.

A warm current slid down her throat and straight into her abdomen.

Golden light exploded!

A dense concentration of earth elements surged out from her body, transforming into a thick, earth-yellow pillar of light that shot into the sky!

The entire Medicine Garden of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well trembled slightly.

The dew drops condensed on the leaves of those rare medicinal herbs were shaken off by the fluctuations of this elemental energy.

Within the pillar of light, Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorus Snake Martial Soul manifested automatically.

The emerald-green snake shadow coiled and hissed in the air, its body flickering with a ghostly green toxic light.

The transformation began.

Earth elements poured frantically into the phantom of the Jade Phosphorus Snake.

The emerald-green snake body began to change at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The snake's head became more ferocious, and a small bump began to bulge on its forehead.

The snake's body grew thicker, and every scale expanded.

The color of the scales shifted from pure emerald green to dark green, with dark golden luster appearing on the edges.

Most astonishingly, Beneath the snake's body, the rudimentary forms of four sharp claws were faintly emerging!

"This is the sign of a Martial Soul evolving from a snake into a flood dragon!"

Ye Qing's eyes lit up, his tone revealing undisguised excitement.

"Senior Dugu Bo, we must wait patiently and observe."

"Tsk, she is my granddaughter; I know that without you telling me."

Dugu Bo sounded impatient, but his gaze was firmly fixed on his granddaughter.

His old, emerald-green eyes were filled with nervousness and anticipation.

An hour passed.

Dugu Yan's Martial Soul evolution finally concluded.

The pillar of light slowly receded, revealing her figure.

Her aura had clearly increased by a significant margin.

Her soul power had now reached level 40.

A faint layer of golden halo shimmered across her skin, reflecting and complementing her original emerald-green soul power.

And behind her, A brand-new Martial Soul coiled and hissed.

It had a single horn on its head.

It had two claws on its abdomen.

Its entire body was dark green with golden edges.

It possessed both the agility of a snake and the majesty of a flood dragon.

It could no longer be called a snake; it should be called a flood dragon—the Jade Phosphorus Flood Dragon Martial Soul!

Dugu Yan slowly opened her eyes.

In her emerald-green pupils, there was now a hint of earth-gold light.

The light was not blinding, but it carried a sense of steady, grounded power.

She raised her right hand, and the Jade Phosphorus Flood Dragon Martial Soul automatically coiled and hissed in her palm.

Her body simultaneously radiated the chilling cold of toxins and the heavy, solid nature of earth elements.

"Yan-yan, let me quickly check if your body is still affected by the poison!"

Dugu Bo stepped in front of her in a single stride.

A moment later.

After the examination.

Dugu Bo confirmed that the toxins in Dugu Yan's body no longer posed a threat.

Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorus Flood Dragon Martial Soul possessed both earth and poison attributes.

The heaviness of the earth element neutralized the tyranny of the poison element.

The sharpness of the poison element, in turn, granted the earth element even greater corrosive power.

The two attributes achieved a perfect balance within the dragon's body, complementing each other.

Dugu Bo's hands began to tremble slightly.

Out of sheer excitement.

"Hahaha!!!"

"Heaven has not forsaken my Dugu Family!!!"

He threw his head back and laughed toward the sky.

The laughter echoed throughout the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

He laughed wantonly and unrestrainedly.

He laughed until the corners of his eyes glistened with moisture.

How many years had it been?

Starting from his son's generation.

The Jade Phosphorus Snake poison had been an inescapable curse for the Dugu Family.

He had watched helplessly as his son died from the poison, unable to do a thing.

He had also watched as his granddaughter faced the same fate, destined to have her life stolen by the toxins.

He had already prepared himself for the tragedy of a white-haired man burying a black-haired one, or even the end of his bloodline.

Now, this curse had finally been completely broken!

And his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, even possessed a more powerful, evolved Martial Soul.

It was a double blessing!

Old Poison felt he had never been this happy in his entire life.

"Kid."

Dugu Bo reined in his laughter and turned to look at Ye Qing.

His emerald-green eyes held a solemnity never seen before.

"In this life, I have never truly been grateful to anyone; you are the first."

"Senior..."

Ye Qing was about to say something.

Dugu Bo raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Don't give me any of that 'no need for formalities between family' nonsense; I don't want to hear it."

"I have noted your favor."

His tone was resolute and ironclad.

"From now on, whoever dares to touch you, Ye Qing, is going against me, Dugu Bo."

"No matter who they are, I will make them taste what it truly means to wish they were dead."

The promise of a Title Douluo.

Few people in the entire Douluo Continent could offer such weight.

Ye Qing was silent for a moment, then bowed deeply.

He did not decline, nor did he offer polite platitudes.

Because he knew, For a man like Dugu Bo, owing a favor was more uncomfortable than killing someone.

Allowing him to acknowledge the debt was, in fact, the greatest form of respect.

Night fell.

The waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well reflected the stars filling the sky.

The chaotic glimmer swayed gently in the ripples, shrouding the entire valley in a dreamlike silver glow.

Ye Qing was sitting in meditation inside the bamboo house.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

Without knocking, Dugu Yan walked straight in.

She had clearly just finished bathing.

Her long, emerald-green hair was still damp with mist, draped wetly over her shoulders.

She wore only a thin silk nightgown.

Moonlight spilled in from behind her, outlining the girl's slender and graceful curves.

"Yanzi? It's so late—"

Ye Qing had just opened his eyes to look at her.

Before he could finish his sentence, Dugu Yan had already thrown herself into his arms.

Her warm, soft body pressed tightly against him.

Her arms wrapped around his neck.

A surge of emotions churned in her emerald eyes—gratitude, shyness, attachment, and impulse.

"Ye Qing, thank you."

"For detoxifying Grandfather, for helping me evolve my martial soul..."

"From the moment we met until now, you've been helping me, always, always helping me."

"I never even had the chance to properly thank you."

"Just for this?"

Ye Qing chuckled, raising a hand to ruffle her wet hair, and said in a deliberately teasing tone, "Don't you know that gratitude requires showing some sincerity?"

He only meant to tease her.

Unexpectedly, Dugu Yan suddenly tilted her head up and kissed him.

Her breathing was rapid, her fingers clutching his collar tightly, her entire body practically hanging off him.

One strap of her nightgown slipped, revealing a rounded shoulder that glowed with a pearly luster in the moonlight.

Ye Qing's breathing soon grew ragged as well.

His hands tightened involuntarily, pulling her firmly into his embrace.

The temperature was rising.

Both of their rational minds were being eroded by a more primal impulse.

Then, Ye Qing stopped abruptly.

His body stiffened for a moment, as if he were using immense willpower to restrain himself.

"Yanzi."

His voice was low, still carrying a lingering huskiness.

But his tone had regained its clarity.

"Not here."

Dugu Yan's movements paused.

She looked up, Her emerald eyes filled with confusion.

And a hint of faint grievance at being rejected.

"Why?"

Her voice trembled slightly, her fingers gripping the lapels of his chest.

"Do you not like me anymore? Are you tired of me?"

"How could I ever be tired of you?"

Ye Qing gave a wry smile.

He leaned close to her ear, lowered his voice, and whispered something only the two of them could hear.

"Your grandfather is a Title Douluo; do you really think he wouldn't hear every sound we make in here?"

"!"

Dugu Yan's body went rigid instantly.

It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe, leaving her completely petrified.

She turned her head with extreme stiffness.

Through the bamboo window, she cast a glance toward the direction of Dugu Bo's bamboo hut.

The blush on her face rapidly shifted from "passion" to "terror."

"Grandpa, he... he shouldn't be that perverted, right?"

Dugu Yan's voice was as soft as a mosquito's, clearly lacking conviction.

"What do you think?"

Ye Qing countered.

Dugu Yan fell silent.

She thought of Ye Qing's beastly performance.

Then she thought of the completely uncontrollable noises she had made while being tossed about.

She then superimposed these images with the fact that "Grandpa is eavesdropping nearby."

Dugu Yan's face turned red enough to boil an egg.

The image was too beautiful; she didn't even dare to imagine it!

Just picturing the look in Grandpa's eyes the next day made her want to dig a hole and bury herself on the spot.

"But..."

"We haven't... for such a long time..."

Her voice was muffled against Ye Qing's chest, carrying a hint of reluctance.

Her fingers traced circles on his lapel unconsciously.

"Hiss..."

Ye Qing took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

To be honest, he wasn't having an easy time either.

Holding such a beauty wearing only a thin nightgown in his arms.

The young girl's body still carried the faint fragrance of a fresh bath, pressing softly against him.

What normal man could withstand this?

But he had to withstand it!

To avoid social death in front of the old man, he had to hold out.

Suddenly, A flash of inspiration struck his mind!

A wicked smirk curled the corners of his mouth.

"Yanzi, let's head back to Heaven Dou City after you hunt your fourth soul ring."

"Huh?"

Dugu Yan was stunned, looking at him in surprise.

"Everything here is pretty much taken care of anyway."

"The senior already knows the method to force out the poison; we can't help with anything else here, and staying any longer would just be a waste of time."

Ye Qing analyzed with a straight face.

His expression was so serious it was as if he were discussing a grave tactical issue.

"It will be different once we reach Heaven Dou City."

"Just think about it,"

He leaned close to her ear, lowering his voice.

"There won't be an old man watching us there."

Dugu Yan froze for a moment.

Then, her eyes lit up.

Heaven Dou City.

No Grandpa!

Just her and Ye Qing!

Wouldn't that mean they could do whatever they wanted?

Do it whenever they wanted?

Do it however—

Stop.

Can't think about it anymore!

"I'll listen to whatever you say."

Dugu Yan lowered her head to rest against his chest, her voice so soft it was completely unlike her usual proud demeanor.

The sheer contrast was doubly lethal.

"Hiss!!!"

A fresh wave of heat surged in Ye Qing's heart.

His gaze drifted involuntarily to her red lips.

Another clever idea struck him.

He leaned close to her ear and whispered something in an extremely low voice.

"We could do this and that..."

Dugu Yan's face instantly turned from pink to deep crimson.

She widened her eyes in shock: "The mouth is for eating and talking!"

Ye Qing chuckled.

That grin was so cheeky it made one want to punch him.

"Who made that rule?"

"Yanzi, I'm feeling quite fired up right now."

As he spoke, his hand had already reached the top of Dugu Yan's head, pressing down gently.

Dugu Yan: "..."

She blushed and punched him.

But the blow was limp, lacking enough force to even kill a mosquito.

It was as good as consent.

Outside the bamboo house, the moonlight was like water.

The pool reflected the stars, its faint light shimmering.

Inside the bamboo house, a young man stared up at the ceiling, a triumphant smile hanging on his lips.

That old Title Douluo shouldn't be able to hear us, right? he thought.

Hmm... hopefully.