Self-Cultivation Furnace Complete, Dugu Yan Arrives

Boom—

The Self-Cultivation Furnace's opening burst open, and Liu Huang stepped out. Soul power surged around him like a tidal wave; he seemed utterly transformed, his aura several times stronger than before.

"Young Master! I broke through! Level thirty! I've become a Soul Elder!"

He clenched his fists, his voice trembling with overwhelming excitement as hot tears streamed down his cheeks.

The difference between level thirty and level twenty-nine was merely one level, yet it was a chasm on the path of a soul master, barring countless mediocre talents. Now, he had finally crossed it.

Lin Ya watched the weeping Liu Huang, a faint smile curling his lips as he nodded lightly. "Not bad. Next."

The moment he spoke, the people beside him erupted into a frenzy.

Xiao Shi stepped forward, eagerly raising his hand. "Me! Young Master, pick me!"

Mu Tan hurried after him, his tone carrying a hint of eager self-promotion. "Young Master, let me go! Your subordinate is your most loyal man!"

Bai Tang simply hooked her arm around Lin Ya's and gently shook it, pleading in a soft voice, "Young Master~ Pick me first, okay~?"

"Don't rush. One at a time." Lin Ya laughed helplessly and raised a hand to quell their squabbling. "Once everyone has broken through, I'll have Old Yan take you to hunt your third soul rings."

"Long live Young Master!"

The three cheered in unison, immediately lining up obediently, their eyes filled with impatient anticipation.

Watching this scene, Lin Ya quietly calculated to himself.

Back then, this four-person demolition squad had possessed only level nineteen soul power, yet with their seamless coordination and bizarre methods, they had blasted a Soul King-level soul master into a miserable state;

Now that all of them had broken through level thirty and become Soul Elders, coupled with their perfect four-in-one coordination, even a Soul Emperor would likely be wary if they faced them head-on.

Meanwhile, outside Biyou Village.

Dugu Bo arrived at a leisurely pace, leading a purple-clad young girl by the hand.

The girl had neat, ear-length purple hair and exquisite features as picturesque as a painting. Though her figure had only just begun to develop, it already possessed the delicate, charming curves of a young maiden. Her slender, supple waist swayed gently with each step, adding a touch of liveliness and allure. At a glance, she was clearly a rare beauty in the making.

She was Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan.

She curiously examined the unremarkable village before her and tilted her head. "Grandpa, why did we come to such a remote little place?"

"Naturally, to treat your illness." Dugu Bo raised a hand and affectionately rubbed the top of his granddaughter's head, his tone gradually turning heavy. "Yanyan, Grandpa won't hide it from you. Our Jade Phosphor lineage's poison arts are unmatched across Douluo Continent, but this deadly poison, in the end... sigh..."

"It will eventually backlash on us, won't it?" Dugu Yan's eyes immediately dimmed, her voice as soft as a feather.

"Y-you already knew?" Dugu Bo froze.

"Father died because of it. How could I not know?" Dugu Yan lowered her head, her fingertips clenching slightly. "In the dead of night, bone-piercing cold always erupts within me. It hurts so badly that I can't sleep... I just didn't want Grandpa to worry, so I never said anything."

As a Jade Phosphor Serpent soul master, she understood better than anyone the erosion caused by the toxins within her body. She simply did not wish to add to the worries of the grandfather who loved her, so she endured it alone.

"Good child... Grandpa has wronged you, and wronged your father..." Dugu Bo's eyes reddened, his voice hoarse. It was as though this curse had been carved into the Dugu family bloodline, leaving him powerless to change it.

But the next moment, hope reignited in Dugu Bo's eyes, and his tone became incomparably firm. "But don't worry, Yanyan. Grandpa has found someone who can completely eradicate the toxins in our bodies! From now on, our Dugu family will defy fate and change our destiny!"

"Really?!" Dugu Yan abruptly raised her head, brilliant light bursting from her purple eyes. "If it can truly be cured, then from now on, my life will be ruled neither by myself nor by heaven!"

"Then by whom?" Dugu Bo asked with a laugh.

"Of course, by the divine physician! Grandpa, let's go find him quickly!" Dugu Yan excitedly tugged Dugu Bo's hand, her voice full of urgency. "The poison in your body is far worse than mine. You must be suffering even more. We have to let the divine physician treat you first!"

"Alright, alright. Grandpa will take you there now." Warmth surged through Dugu Bo's heart as he led his granddaughter swiftly into Biyou Village.

But just as the two stepped into the village entrance, a deafening boom suddenly exploded, shooting into the heavens!

Terrifying energy fluctuations swept in every direction, making even the ground tremble faintly.

"Oh no!" Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically. "Something happened to that brat Lin!"

His heart tightened. Lin Ya was the only hope for curing the deadly poison in the Dugu family's bloodline. Nothing could happen to him!

Soul power erupted from Dugu Bo. He swept Dugu Yan into his arms and shot toward the residence within the village like a phantom.

"Lin Ya! If you dare let anything happen to yourself, this old man will make everyone in Biyou Village pay with their lives!"

A savage aura swept in as Dugu Bo burst through the door. The pressure of a Soul Emperor spread through the area, but the instant he saw the scene in the courtyard, his entire body froze and his pupils contracted sharply.

Liu Huang, Xiao Shi, Mu Tan, and Bai Tang stood shoulder to shoulder. Their level-thirty Soul Elder soul powers intertwined, while their four martial souls actually merged in midair, condensing into a colossal, strangely shaped yet majestic entity—

Wide at the front and narrow at the rear, with sharp wings extending from its tail. Explosive soul power fluctuations swirled around it, radiating a terrifying pressure.

Dugu Bo sucked in a cold breath and cried out in shock, "This is... a martial soul fusion skill? And a four-person fusion?!"

Beside him, Dugu Yan's cherry lips fell open in disbelief. "A four-person martial soul fusion skill? I've only ever seen even a three-person fusion in ancient texts. How is this possible?!"

"That's right." Dugu Bo slowly nodded, his eyes filled with shock. "Douluo Continent is vast beyond measure. Even finding two soul masters whose martial souls are compatible enough is a one-in-ten-thousand chance. Yet this brat managed to find four people with such tacit understanding and perfectly compatible martial souls... Whether in talent or fortune, he truly defies the heavens!"

Lin Ya had also noticed their arrival. He turned toward Dugu Bo, who was still visibly shaken, waved a hand, and casually said, "Old Poison, you're back?"

Seeing that Lin Ya was safe and sound, Dugu Bo's suspended heart finally settled. He heaved a sigh of relief, both amused and exasperated. "You brat, you gave this old man such a fright the moment I returned. I thought something had happened to you. Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is my granddaughter, Dugu Yan. Yanyan, this is the divine physician I told you about, Lin Ya."

Dugu Yan came back to her senses and looked Lin Ya over from head to toe. Seeing that he appeared to be no more than eight or nine years old, she frowned and immediately tugged at Dugu Bo's sleeve, lowering her voice.

"Grandpa, have you been deceived? He looks even younger than I am. How could he possibly treat your illness?"

"Great ambition does not depend on age." Dugu Bo laughed heartily. "Don't let his age fool you. He's two years younger than you, yet he's the most heaven-defying genius this old man has ever seen. He's far stronger than you. You two should spend more time together in the future."

"Two years younger than me? Then he's only nine? And he's better than me?" Dugu Yan immediately lifted her chin in indignation. She had been called a genius since childhood and had always been proud. "Grandpa always says I'm one of the continent's top geniuses. No matter how impressive he is, he can't possibly be that much better than me, right?"

Dugu Yan pursed her lips and guessed with absolute confidence, "I was already level fourteen when I was nine. He can't be more than level sixteen now, right?"

She had already estimated Lin Ya's talent as highly as possible, yet in Dugu Bo's eyes, the difference was still like heaven and earth.

"Haha, Yan Yan, you still underestimate him." Dugu Bo looked at Lin Ya, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Lin, why not exchange a few moves with my granddaughter, who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth? Let her see what real strength looks like."

Lin Ya shot Dugu Bo a helpless glance. The old poisoner clearly just wanted to watch some excitement.

Still, it would not hurt to loosen up a little. After all, Dugu Yan would be one of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's main forces in the future.

He gave a slight nod, his gaze settling on Dugu Yan. His tone was calm. "Sure. Want to give it a try?"

"Of course!" Dugu Yan thrust out her chest, competitive fire blazing in her eyes, her voice carrying a touch of spoiled confidence.

"Be careful. My Jade Phosphor Poison doesn't have eyes!"