"This is... an evolution?" Tuoba Xuan laughed in astonishment.
That was right. After absorbing that drop of blood essence, Dugu Bo's Martial Soul had truly evolved.
His Martial Soul had evolved from the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor into the Jade Scale Flood Dragon Emperor.
As the saying went, a serpent after a hundred years became a flood dragon after a thousand. If it evolved again, it would probably be called the Jade Scale Dragon Emperor.
After his excitement faded, Dugu Bo said, "Xuan, we've been here quite a while. This old man plans to go to Heaven Dou City. Want to come with me?"
Tuoba Xuan froze for a second. At this point in time, Dugu Bo's departure from Sunset Forest was probably when he'd driven Shrek Academy away in the original story.
"Sure, I'll come!" Tuoba Xuan agreed. He needed to go to Heaven Dou City anyway.
"Hahaha, come on. Let this old man see just how strong you've become."
Dugu Bo laughed heartily. Just as he had when he arrived, he used the mighty Soul Power of a Titled Douluo to fly through the air toward Heaven Dou City.
Tuoba Xuan chuckled. "What a mischievous old man."
With that, Tuoba Xuan gave a low shout.
The gravity throughout the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well dropped, and the spring water began to boil.
At that moment, icy and fiery patterns appeared on the dragon wings of Tuoba Xuan's Mountain Dragon King Martial Soul, one side radiating scorching heat, the other bone-chilling cold.
Tuoba Xuan spread his broad, dazzling dragon wings and hurried after Dugu Bo.
Just like that, the two friends, despite their great difference in age, soon arrived in Heaven Dou City.
Dugu Bo had returned this time mainly because he was worried about Dugu Yan and wanted to check on his granddaughter.
"You little brat, you're pretty fast." Dugu Bo smacked his lips. Tuoba Xuan's flying speed had exceeded his expectations.
Though Dugu Bo hadn't flown at full speed, it still shouldn't have been possible for a Soul Elder like Tuoba Xuan to keep up. And yet Tuoba Xuan had arrived only one stick of incense after him.
"Thank you for the praise, Your Excellency!" Tuoba Xuan chuckled.
"Little brat, want to come back to the manor with me?" Dugu Bo asked.
A sly grin appeared at the corner of Dugu Bo's mouth. Tuoba Xuan's talent was unprecedented in his experience—so astonishing that it was almost hard to accept.
Dugu Bo had already set Tuoba Xuan's future as high as it could go: a Limit Douluo.
So Dugu Bo had to bind Tuoba Xuan to his family.
If he could pull it off, marrying his granddaughter to Tuoba Xuan wouldn't be a bad idea.
As for Yu Tianheng, he was only her boyfriend for now. They could simply break up.
"No." Tuoba Xuan shook his head. "I still have things to do, so I won't impose on you any longer."
Tuoba Xuan had just started to leave when Dugu Bo grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Don't go. I haven't even properly thanked you yet. Besides, you should take a look at Yanyan's condition."
Dugu Bo gave Tuoba Xuan no chance to refuse and whisked him straight toward Dugu Manor.
Tuoba Xuan rubbed his forehead helplessly. "Fine, fine. I can walk by myself."
Only then did Dugu Bo set Tuoba Xuan down.
Dugu Manor.
As soon as he got home, Dugu Bo started shouting.
"Yanyan! Yanyan! Grandpa's back!"
Hearing his voice, Dugu Yan came out at once.
But when she saw Tuoba Xuan beside Dugu Bo, the joy that had lit up her face at her grandfather's return instantly vanished.
"It's you, Mystic Dragon Tiger. What are you doing here?" Dugu Yan furrowed her delicate brows.
"Long time no see, Dugu Yan. Your grandfather invited me." Tuoba Xuan replied casually.
Dugu Yan clearly didn't believe him. She was just about to speak when Dugu Bo cut her off.
"Hahaha, Yanyan, this kid really was invited by me. You're about the same age, so you two should have plenty to talk about."
Tuoba Xuan and Dugu Yan both felt their vision go dark.
"Grandpa, what are you talking about? He already has a girlfriend."
Tuoba Xuan chimed in. "Exactly. How is that any different from NTR?"
Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo tilted their heads at the same time. Clearly, neither of them knew what NTR meant.
"Alright, I'm just joking. Let's go inside and talk." Dugu Bo ushered Tuoba Xuan into the manor.
In the reception hall of Dugu Manor, Dugu Bo sat in the seat of honor while Tuoba Xuan and Dugu Yan sat on either side.
Their gazes collided from time to time, and an almost imperceptible smell of gunpowder hung in the air.
Dugu Yan had been beaten by Tuoba Xuan without even getting a chance to fight back, so she was naturally very dissatisfied.
Tuoba Xuan, on the other hand, simply couldn't stand Dugu Yan's haughty, cutesy attitude.
Noticing the awkwardness between them, Dugu Bo coughed twice. "Alright, Yanyan. Grandpa came back this time because there's something important I need to tell you."
Dugu Yan froze. "What important thing? Could it have something to do with him?"
Tuoba Xuan spoke up before she could say anything else:
"First, I'm not 'him.'"
"Second, my name isn't Mystic Dragon Tiger."
"Third, my name is Tuoba Xuan."
"Fourth, your grandfather considers me a close friend, so we're of the same generation."
"Fifth, what should you call me?"
Dugu Bo's mouth twitched a few times. This kid really did love taking advantage of things.
"You..." Dugu Yan's red lips parted, but she was so choked up she couldn't get the words out.
"Alright, enough, you two. Let's talk about the important matter first." Dugu Bo interrupted their bickering.
"Yanyan, I've kept this from you for a long time. Grandpa should tell you some secrets now."
Dugu Bo slowly began, laying out the flaw in their family's Martial Soul in full.
Tuoba Xuan sat there bored out of his mind, while Dugu Yan grew more and more shocked as she listened.
"I had no idea Dad died because of the flaw in his Martial Soul."
Dugu Yan's heart began to pound violently, as if she could already see her own fate.
"But don't worry, Yanyan. The flaw in Grandpa's Martial Soul has been resolved, and I've already found a way to fix it."
Dugu Bo turned his hopeful gaze toward Tuoba Xuan.
"You?"
Following her grandfather's gaze, Dugu Yan looked at Tuoba Xuan too, her expression full of disbelief.
"That's right. I solved your grandfather's problem," Tuoba Xuan said.
"That's right, Yanyan. Xuan helped Grandpa resolve the flaw in my Martial Soul," Dugu Bo confirmed.
With her grandfather's confirmation, Dugu Yan's expression suddenly turned solemn.
She stood up, bent at the waist, clasped her hands together, and bowed respectfully to Tuoba Xuan.
"I was wrong before. Thank you, benefactor, for saving my grandfather's life."
Dugu Yan knew how to distinguish what mattered.
Although Tuoba Xuan had beaten her and her boyfriend badly, she couldn't forget his kindness in saving her grandfather.
Like Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan valued loyalty and understood that kindness had to be repaid.
Dugu Bo said nothing, simply watching the two make peace with a beaming smile.
"There's no need for that. His Excellency Dugu has helped me a great deal too." Tuoba Xuan turned solemn as well and hurried to help Dugu Yan back up.
After all, he and Dugu Yan hadn't really had much of a conflict. They had merely been competing with each other.
"Hahaha, you two might not end up together, but you can still become great friends." Dugu Bo patted them both on the shoulders and said happily.
In an instant, the hall was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. The three exchanged glances, smiles appearing at the corners of their mouths.
"I came this time mainly to learn about your current condition so I can resolve the flaw in your Martial Soul."
Tuoba Xuan got down to business. He still had other things to do and couldn't keep his grandfather waiting too long.
Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo's expressions turned solemn at the same time.
The three began discussing the details of how to resolve the flaw in Dugu Yan's Martial Soul, one point at a time.