While Dugu Bo sat cross-legged, absorbing the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, Lan Yu led Tang Shan to a crevice in the ground beside the spring, not far away.
"Brother, what are you crouching here for?" Tang Shan bent at the waist and leaned her little head toward Lan Yu, her voice soft and sweet.
"Earth Dragon Golden Melon."
Lan Yu mimicked her tone without missing a beat.
"Brother, don't imitate me~"
She had only glanced at it earlier and still didn't know whether the Earth Dragon Golden Melon had matured to immortal-herb quality.
Now he put some strength into his hand and pulled the whole melon, roots and all, from the soil. It was nearly as big as a baby's head, its skin covered in fine, spiral patterns like dragon scales.
Delight shone even brighter in Lan Yu's eyes. This was one of the Immortal Herbs he had specially prepared for Tang Shan. It would strengthen her foundations, purify her bloodline, and help her comprehend the power of the earth.
"Xiao Shan, it's time to evolve your Haotian Flood Dragon!"
"Really, brother~?"
Tang Shan's eyes sparkled. She unconsciously leaned closer, resting both hands lightly on Lan Yu's shoulders as she pressed her whole body against his back. The two soft mounds against her chest were tightly squeezed against the back of his head, and her sweet voice carried a hint of anticipation.
Feeling the warmth and softness against the back of his head, Lan Yu couldn't help a ripple of excitement stirring in his heart.
It wasn't until Tang Shan called "Brother" again, this time with a hint of confusion, that he suddenly came to his senses. He hurriedly stood up, cleared his throat, and said solemnly, "Of course it's true."
As he spoke, he hefted the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in his hand, turned, and offered it to Tang Shan. "Xiao Shan, take it. Just chew the melon directly."
Suppressing her excitement, Tang Shan sat cross-legged in front of him as instructed and began to chew the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in small bites.
Feeling the weighty energy spreading through her dantian, she slowly closed her eyes, summoned her Soul Power, and began using it to aid the absorption of the medicinal power.
For a time, silence fell over the entire Yin-Yang Eyes.
After an unknown stretch of time, Dugu Bo was the first to open his eyes in the distance. Feeling the comfort spreading through his body, he eagerly stood and stretched his limbs before walking over to Lan Yu, who was protecting Tang Shan as she cultivated.
"Little Monster, this Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma really is remarkable. Why do I feel like it not only made up for the flaws in my Martial Soul, but even raised my Soul Power by a level?"
"That's normal. The Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma isn't an Immortal Herb, but its medicinal power still far surpasses that of ordinary ten-thousand-year-old herbs."
Lan Yu glanced back at him, his tone even. "Old Poison, you're a Title Douluo, after all. Your Martial Soul is much stronger than those of other Soul Masters, so it naturally consumes more of the medicinal power. Otherwise, your Soul Power could've risen by at least a few more levels."
Dugu Bo nodded at that, then shifted his gaze to Tang Shan, still sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed. "How much longer until the little girl wakes up?"
"Hard to say. You can head back first. Remember to bring Dugu Yan tomorrow," Lan Yu said.
"Fine. There's a wooden cabin I built over there. If you get tired, go rest inside."
Dugu Bo didn't linger. After tossing out those words, he sprang away in a flash, and his figure soon vanished from Lan Yu's sight.
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. The quiet was suddenly broken by a dragon's roar from Tang Shan.
Soul Power surged around Tang Shan as she sat cross-legged, its fluctuations heavy and profound.
A long, imposing dragon silhouette suddenly flashed behind her, then vanished into her body in an instant.
A moment later, Tang Shan slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Lan Yu's concerned gaze.
"Brother, did my Martial Soul evolve from the Haotian Flood Dragon into the Haotian Azure Dragon?" Tang Shan stood up and hugged Lan Yu tightly, her voice brimming with excitement.
Haotian Azure Dragon? Shouldn't it be the Clear Sky Divine Dragon?
Lan Yu suppressed his doubts and gently stroked Tang Shan's hair. "My Xiao Shan is the best."
"Not at all~"
Tang Shan's cheeks flushed. She gave a coy little protest, then seemed to remember something and grabbed Lan Yu's hand, pulling him toward the black-and-white springs. "Brother, I remember what those two Immortal Herbs are!"
After stopping beside the spring, Tang Shan pointed her slender finger toward the white pool. There grew an Immortal Herb shaped like a white peony, its petal tips stained a blood-red hue, its stem clinging tightly to a dark stone.
"This is Lovesick Heartbreak Red."
Before Lan Yu could speak, she shifted her finger toward the black pool. There stood an Immortal Herb that was nearly black with a deep purple sheen, its stalk twisted like a jointed, withered bone, and a single, pinprick-sized dark red bud at its tip.
"This is Resentment Burning Heart Profound."
"They each represent the extremes of love and hate."
Listening to the young girl speak softly beside him, Lan Yu fell silent.
Had the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well become the Love-Hate Yin-Yang Well?
Besides, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had formed because this was where the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings had fallen.
Then where had Lovesick Heartbreak Red and Resentment Burning Heart Profound come from? Could the dragon race have had Love and Hate Dragon Kings?!
As Lan Yu pondered, the black-and-white spring suddenly began to boil. The water churned without end, as if something deep within the Yin-Yang Eyes were about to awaken.
Deep within the Love and Hate Yin-Yang Well
A slender, sexless consciousness suddenly awoke. It slowly opened its eyes, their depths a blur of chaos. "If I hadn't been roused by the faint divine power carried by the souls of these two dragons, once God Kings in life, who knows how much longer I would've slept."
Thinking this, it drifted upward along the spring. The moment it touched the surface, it shuddered as if struck by lightning, then found itself back where it had just awakened.
Hmm...
Only then did it remember: it was merely a fragment of a divine soul left behind before its true body fell, unable to leave the inheritance site.
Sigh...
After a sigh, it began carefully sensing everything outside. When it noticed Lan Yu and Tang Shan, it couldn't help but pause.
A man and a woman?
Never mind. You'll do! It swept both hands outward, sending a streak of red light from its chest. The light broke through the surface and shot straight into Tang Shan's body.
It had originally wanted to choose Lan Yu. After all, it had found several threads of love on him. But for some reason, it sensed a faint unease. With only a fragment of its divine soul left, it simply didn't dare take the risk, and had no choice but to give up and choose Tang Shan instead.
After placing the inheritance within her, it could no longer maintain its form and sank back into a deep slumber.
And just as that streak of red light shot through the surface and entered Tang Shan's body,
far above, in the Divine Realm,
"This is the aura of the God of Love?!"
The God King of Evil and the God King of Goodness exclaimed at the same time.
Meanwhile, in the Forest of Life within the Divine Realm, endless emerald light flowed and swirled.
The God King of Life stood beneath the Ancient Tree of Life, her clear gaze fixed on the tiny figure on Douluo Continent. She murmured softly, "Is she the descendant of that Soul Beast that took human form ten thousand years ago...?"
Beside her, purple-black light of destruction swirled around the God King of Destruction. His voice held barely contained excitement. "Xiao Lu, we've waited so long. Our chance has finally come."
The God King of Life furrowed her brow. "Hadn't Asura set his sights on her long ago?"
"Just thinking about that old bastard makes my blood boil."
The God King of Destruction's voice sank. "To escape, he actually seized a living soul from another plane without permission, intending to place it in a baby boy and make him his successor.
"But then he listened to that rotten idea from the God King of Evil about reversing the baby's sex. It was simply absurd.
"In the end, something went wrong. That soul was scattered by the child's original soul. Yet now, seeing this little girl's extraordinary talent, he's come to claim her as his successor."
When he finished speaking, a look of resolve flashed through his eyes.
"He may be Asura, the Divine Realm Enforcer, but even he breaks the law. Why shouldn't I, the God King of Destruction?!"