Gu Yuena's Moved!

The waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well churned, as if doomsday had arrived.

The extreme chill of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the extreme heat of the Infernal Delicate Apricot became two raging torrents inside Ling Xuqing's body, crashing wildly against his every limb and bone.

At the same time, the vast and ancient origin power of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King was like two towering mountains, smashing into every part of his body.

"Ughhhh—!!!"

Ling Xuqing threw his head back and let out a pained roar, suppressing it with all his might.

Countless tiny cuts split open across his skin. Blood had barely begun to seep out when the extreme cold froze it into ice crystals, only for the extreme heat to evaporate it into a bloody mist.

"Xiao Wu, protect his heart!"

"Ah Yin, channel your life force into him!"

Gu Yuena anxiously directed them from the shore.

"Understood!"

Xiao Wu cried out and brought her hands together before her chest.

In an instant, dazzling dark-golden light burst from her petite body!

"Invincible Golden Body, activate!"

This had originally been Xiao Wu's Self-Created Soul Skill. But with her now a Soul Spirit connected to Ling Xuqing at their core, its power was directed straight to the most vulnerable parts of his body—his heart and meridians.

An indestructible dark-golden shield wrapped tightly around Ling Xuqing's heart meridians, forcibly blocking the ice-and-fire onslaught that would have torn an ordinary person apart in an instant.

With Xiao Wu's absolute defense in place, Ah Yin acted without hesitation.

She formed a seal with her hands, and a soft, sacred blue-green radiance blossomed around her.

It was the life-origin power of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor!

This gentle vitality poured into Ling Xuqing's body without end, like a timely rain.

Each time the ice-and-fire power tore his body apart, Ah Yin's life force quickly repaired it.

Destruction and rebirth formed a perfect cycle!

With Xiao Wu and Ah Yin doing everything they could to protect him, Ling Xuqing finally steadied his mind.

He hovered cross-legged at the center of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, allowing the world-destroying power to wash over his body.

"Boom—!"

A muffled thud rang out from within him. Under the impact of that terrifying force, the barrier holding back Ling Xuqing's Soul Power at level twenty-nine instantly crumbled!

Level thirty!

A powerful suction force erupted from Ling Xuqing's body, greedily devouring the surrounding ice-and-fire origin power.

Yet the moment his Soul Power reached level thirty, it was as if he had hit an invisible wall of sighs. He could not advance a single step further.

"What's going on?" Ling Xuqing frowned slightly.

"Xuqing, your physical body and Soul Power reserves are already strong enough to break through to level forty or even higher!"

Ah Yin's gentle voice rang in Ling Xuqing's mind. "But you haven't absorbed your third Soul Ring yet. The rules of Douluo Continent are holding you back. Without a Soul Ring, your Soul Power can't rise any further."

"I see." Ling Xuqing suddenly understood.

Since he couldn't raise his Soul Power any further, he stopped forcing it and focused all his attention on tempering his body and Martial Soul instead.

Time passed, second by second.

Gradually, the violent aura around Ling Xuqing began to subside.

The wounds on his body healed completely, and his skin turned translucent, like the finest white jade.

Behind him, the phantom of a long, dark-golden spear slowly appeared.

It was his Martial Soul—the Golden Overlord Spear!

The Golden Overlord Spear had undergone a complete transformation.

A deep-blue chill flowed across one half of the shaft, while blazing-red flames coiled around the other.

He now had dual resistance to ice and fire, making him immune to all damage from those elements!

And that wasn't all. After absorbing the origin power of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings and the essence of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, all four of Ling Xuqing's basic skills gained destructive damage imbued with both ice and fire!

"Phew—"

Ling Xuqing slowly opened his eyes. A glint of dark gold and ice blue mingled in their depths.

He leapt lightly and landed steadily on the bluestone shore.

"Xuqing!"

"Master!"

"Big brother!"

The girls hurried over, their faces filled with concern and delight.

Not far away, Dugu Bo was still pinned to the ground by Zi Ji's draconic might. By now, he had turned completely to stone.

His dark-green eyes were wide, his eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets.

He stared at Ling Xuqing, whose aura was steady and whose whole body radiated overwhelming pressure. His voice trembled uncontrollably:

"S-six years old?! Level thirty?!"

"W-what kind of monster is this?!"

Dugu Bo's mind was in chaos.

His own granddaughter, Dugu Yan, was twelve years old and had only just managed to reach level twenty-six.

And this little monster who looked barely six had already broken through to level thirty?!

Was anyone else supposed to get a chance at life?!

"Y-you... who are you people?!"

Dugu Bo finally couldn't hold back and let out a despairing cry.

But Zi Ji's draconic might crushed his voice. Aside from Gu Yuena and Ling Xuqing, no one paid him any attention.

Ling Xuqing turned and glanced at the Immortal Herbs along the shore, each glowing with a strange light.

He passed over the herbs that were no longer of any use to him and went straight to an Immortal Herb resembling a white peony, its delicate fragrance wafting through the air. Then he picked up another, one that looked as if it had been carved from crystal.

"Na'er, come here."

Ling Xuqing turned and beckoned to Gu Yuena.

Gu Yuena obediently stepped forward.

"Big brother, what... what are you doing?"

Ling Xuqing placed the Immortal Herb resembling a white peony and the crystal-like one in Gu Yuena's hands, then said gently:

"Xiao Wu and Ah Yin are my Soul Spirits now. When I grow stronger, they'll grow stronger too, so they don't need Immortal Herbs. But you're different."

Ling Xuqing looked at Gu Yuena, his eyes full of concern. "You're injured, and you need to grow stronger, too. This Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone can clear the extraordinary meridians throughout your body, purge impurities from your flesh, greatly enhance your speed, flexibility, and nerve response, and reshape your body into a lighter form."

"And this Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew can nourish your spiritual power and divine soul. It will greatly help your injuries heal."

"These are exactly what you need most right now."

Hearing Ling Xuqing's words, Gu Yuena clasped the two Immortal Herbs tightly in her hands. Tears instantly welled in her violet eyes.

She looked at his earnest face, and a warmth beyond words surged through her heart.

Ever since the Dragon God had split apart, she had borne the wounds of the Divine Realm's rebellion alone, wandering Douluo Continent for tens of thousands of years. No one had ever treated her so kindly.

"Big brother..."

Gu Yuena's voice caught in her throat, and tears slid down her cheeks.

Watching from nearby, Zi Ji's eyes also flashed with longing and envy.

Though she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, she had never experienced this kind of warmth from family.

Ling Xuqing raised his hand and gently wiped the tears from Gu Yuena's cheek with his fingertip. He chuckled softly.

"Come on, you're the Silver Dragon King, the ruler of all Soul Beasts. What are you crying for?"

He pointed to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well behind him.

"Go refine them in the spring. I'll protect you!"