A Great Victory Over Dugu Yan, Meeting Ye Lingling Again

It was only when he heard the name of the soul skill that Mo Li realized the purple-haired girl before him was none other than Dugu Yan.

Mo Li had been fretting over how to make a connection with Dugu Bo, so it seemed this opportunity had truly fallen into his lap without any effort at all.

Watching the aggressive Dugu Yan, even her somewhat fierce expression now appeared adorable in Mo Li's eyes.

The misunderstanding was easy enough to explain, especially with so many people watching nearby.

However, Dugu Yan didn't give him a chance to explain at all.

Based on his deductions, Dugu Yan was about the same age as Ye Lingling and Jiang Zhu, and her soul power cultivation should be stronger than Jiang Zhu's, likely having already reached level twenty-five or higher.

He had yet to obtain his second soul ring, though his soul power had reached the threshold of a Great Soul Master.

Mo Li was eager to see what level his current combat strength was at, and a flicker of excitement crossed his eyes as he looked at the aggressive Dugu Yan.

"Sister Jiang Zhu, please step back a bit further."

After handing the Whale Glue and Dugu Yan's parcel to Jiang Zhu, a bright yellow soul ring rose beneath Mo Li's feet.

"First Soul Skill: Nether Flame."

As his first soul ring shone brilliantly, black flames erupted from his body. The viscous black fire rose like smoke, drawing gasps from the surrounding crowd.

"Such eerie black flames, and he's only a Soul Master?"

Seeing the strange black flames emerging from Mo Li, Dugu Yan was momentarily stunned.

However, seeing the faint smile on Mo Li's face, she grew furious, interpreting it as a provocation, and her temper flared up.

Their gazes met in the air, sparks seemingly flying between them.

Mo Li's guess had been correct; Dugu Yan's soul power was exactly at level twenty-eight.

With the boost of her second soul skill and an absolute advantage in soul power, Dugu Yan chose to press the attack, surging soul power into her palm and striking toward Mo Li's chest.

Mo Li did not underestimate her; he extended his own palm, covered in black flames, and met hers with force.

As their palms collided, Dugu Yan immediately felt a scorching heat traveling up from her hand.

"How is he so difficult to deal with!"

A look of shock appeared on her small face.

However, the surprise on Dugu Yan's face lasted only an instant before a strange, mocking smile appeared on her alluring, exotic features.

It seemed this boy was truly a fool; didn't he know that her Jade Phosphor Snake martial soul was famous for its poison?

She only intended to teach this petty thief a lesson and had no intention of using a lethal dose; it would merely leave Mo Li weak and limp for a while.

A mist of poison hidden within her soul power slowly began to spread.

Dugu Yan looked at Mo Li with a playful gaze; once he was tainted by her poison, this boy, who was merely a Soul Master, would likely collapse to the ground, powerless, before long.

She was only giving this little thief a small lesson; it wasn't excessive at all.

The sudden appearance of the poisonous mist did not panic Mo Li. His expression remained calm; he had been on guard ever since he identified Dugu Yan.

He relied on his Nine Nether Fire. Although Dugu Yan's soul power was currently stronger than his, his Nine Nether Fire was the bane of her toxins. Once she lost the advantage of her poison, Dugu Yan's strength was nothing to fear.

Mo Li's arm was completely covered in black flames. He channeled his soul power toward his arm, causing the black fire to intensify suddenly, burning the poison mist released by Dugu Yan into nothingness as if it had never existed.

"What!"

Dugu Yan's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but gasp. Her pride and joy, the poison mist, had been easily incinerated by a mere Soul Master?

While Dugu Yan was distracted, Mo Li focused on the fight. Seizing the gap in her concentration, he exerted force through his palm and instantly forced Dugu Yan back several steps.

As soon as Dugu Yan scrambled to steady herself, Mo Li lunged forward. In two or three strides, he was right in front of her, his flame-wreathed palm reaching for her face without mercy.

He gave Dugu Yan no chance to catch her breath, leaving the onlookers in an uproar.

No one had expected that in such a brief encounter, the outcome would already be decided.

And who had won was plain to see.

His palm, covered in black flames, stopped right in front of Dugu Yan. She could already feel the scorching heat of the fire on his hand, yet he did not press the attack further.

Dugu Yan's pretty face turned pale, her body stiffening; she didn't dare move an inch, completely devoid of her earlier aggressive demeanor.

"Little Brother Mo Li!"

"Show mercy!"

Two voices rang out almost simultaneously, one from behind Mo Li and the other from behind Dugu Yan. One was clearly Jiang Zhu's voice, while the other sounded quite familiar.

Mo Li slowly withdrew his hand. Dugu Yan stepped back as if drained of strength, her face shifting between pale and flushed.

Behind Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, dressed in a black gown, walked out of the crowd with a look of concern.

Mo Li looked toward her. Ye Lingling's face was still covered by a black veil, but her figure had grown much taller over the past two years, and her light blue eyes looked at him with a mix of surprise and delight.

"Sister Lingling?"

Seeing Mo Li stop, Jiang Zhu, who had been on edge the entire time, immediately rushed over. She had been ready to intervene the moment Dugu Yan revealed her two soul rings, but Mo Li had signaled her that it was fine.

Still, she couldn't help but worry; after all, the purple-haired girl was a two-ring Great Soul Master, and while Little Brother Mo Li had top-tier talent, he hadn't obtained his second soul ring yet.

But the fight had ended so quickly—Little Brother Mo Li was truly formidable!

Jiang Zhu scrutinized Mo Li from head to toe, chirping away with questions like a little bird.

"Little Brother Mo Li, are you hurt anywhere?"

"Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

"Are you feeling dizzy?"

Mo Li watched as Jiang Zhu summoned her martial soul, shaking his head with a smile, yet he still allowed her to channel her soul power to heal him.

On the other side, Ye Lingling was also treating Dugu Yan, though Dugu Yan's look of utter defiance made the scene feel rather awkward.

In the end, it was Mo Li who spoke first, smiling at Ye Lingling.

"Sister Lingling, long time no see."

Ye Lingling's pale blue eyes shimmered with a faint light as she looked at Mo Li, a slight smile forming beneath her veil as she replied softly:

"Long time no see."

Her voice still sounded as cold and ethereal as ever, though to Mo Li, there seemed to be a hint of vivid emotion in it—though he couldn't tell if it was just his imagination.

"Lingling, you two actually know each other?"

Dugu Yan's eyes widened as she looked at Ye Lingling.

"Yes."

"This is Dugu Yan, she is my friend. Was there some kind of misunderstanding between you two?"

Ye Lingling first responded to Dugu Yan, then immediately turned her gaze toward Mo Li.

Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan pursed her lips and lowered her head slightly, seemingly still dwelling on their earlier clash.

Mo Li shrugged helplessly, looking at the slightly embarrassed Dugu Yan as he said with a smile:

"I think this senior must have misunderstood me; she attacked me right away, so I had no choice but to defend myself."

Seeing Dugu Yan's face turn increasingly red as she ducked her head behind Ye Lingling, Mo Li chuckled but didn't say anything more.

Changing the subject, he briefly recounted what had just happened and found a few passersby to verify his story, and the misunderstanding was naturally resolved.

As for defeating Dugu Yan, Mo Li had no intention of making an issue of it, so he naturally steered the conversation elsewhere.

Hearing that Mo Li didn't continue to tease her, Dugu Yan, standing beside Ye Lingling, glanced sideways with a strange look on her face, observing Mo Li as he chatted warmly with Ye Lingling.

The young man was handsome, his smile gentle, and his manner of speaking relaxed and measured, making it impossible to dislike him. He even looked younger than her and Lingling.

Furthermore, despite only being at the Spirit Master level, he had managed to defeat her so cleanly and decisively in their previous exchange.

Thinking of this, Dugu Yan couldn't help but show a look of shame and annoyance.

Regardless of anything else, she was a level 28 Great Spirit Master; to lose so quickly was truly inexcusable—it was absolutely humiliating!

Mo Li noticed Dugu Yan's gaze and immediately offered her a friendly smile; after all, he would likely need her help to mediate things when dealing with Dugu Bo in the future.

However, in response to his goodwill, Dugu Yan deliberately gave him only a fleeting glance, leaving Mo Li with nothing but a view of her slightly flushed profile.