Ascension to Soul Saint, Traveling the Continent!

On the vast sea, upon a wide, desolate island.

Dugu Chen sat cross-legged on the ground. Beside him lay an Evil Demon Orca over thirty meters long, while a blood-red soul ring floated above his body.

Drawn by Dugu Chen's aura, the blood-red soul ring slowly merged into his body. Endless ferocious soul power surged wildly through his meridians before being firmly suppressed by him.

Not far away, Dugu Bo also sat cross-legged, standing guard for him.

Watching Dugu Chen's aura gradually stabilize, Dugu Bo's face revealed a look of excitement. A seventeen-year-old Soul Saint—across the entire continent, Dugu Chen was the only one!

At that moment, he could not help recalling the day Chen'er had awakened his martial soul at the age of six. Twin dragons had coiled through the sky, one of light and one of darkness. The two dragons stood side by side, their might shaking the universe.

Such a heavenly phenomenon was something he had never heard of in all his life. No one's martial soul awakening had ever possessed such terrifying majesty.

And that was not even Chen'er's most terrifying trait.

He could speak at three months, walk at four months, and compose poetry and prose by the age of one. He was exceptionally intelligent and extraordinarily gifted.

Even someone like him, who had barely been exposed to literature, could appreciate the wonders within those poems and songs. It was clear just how formidable Chen'er's talent was.

Thinking of this, a trace of pride rose in Dugu Bo's heart.

My son has the potential to become a god!

As time passed, two days and two nights flew by.

Dugu Bo remained by Dugu Chen's side almost without leaving for a moment. Absorbing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring was no trivial matter; a powerful expert had to stand watch.

If he truly suffered a backlash from the soul ring, external help could stabilize his rampaging soul power.

Second by second, the absorption of the soul ring neared its end. Six soul rings—yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—pulsed around Dugu Chen at an astonishing speed, making him appear as though he were wrapped inside a massive purple-black cocoon.

A blood-red torrent continuously poured from the Evil Demon Orca and was absorbed by Dugu Chen. The radiance of his six soul rings gradually dimmed, replaced by a deep, terrifying scarlet glow.

As the final wisp of red light was drawn into Dugu Chen's mouth, the red glow on the Evil Demon Orca completely faded. All its light had gathered upon him.

Dugu Bo hurried over to inspect him. Once he sensed that Dugu Chen's aura had fully stabilized, the worry hanging over his heart finally eased.

He sat beside him and quietly waited for him to awaken.

After fully absorbing it, one still needed time to stabilize the abruptly increased power within one's body. This was a necessary process after anyone absorbed a soul ring.

After a long while, Dugu Chen slowly opened his eyes, a dazzling golden light shooting from them like lightning.

"Father, I succeeded!"

His voice was somewhat hoarse. Having gone days without a drop of water had long since left his throat parched.

"Good, wonderful! As expected of my son!"

Dugu Bo's palm trembled slightly. In the next instant, he spread his arms and fiercely pulled Dugu Chen into his embrace, tears glimmering constantly in his eyes.

A smile also appeared on Dugu Chen's face. Seventeen years after transmigrating into this world, his cultivation had finally broken through to Soul Saint. He now possessed the foundation to establish himself upon this continent!

The two embraced tightly for a while before slowly separating.

The morning sun was gradually rising. Dugu Bo hurriedly lit a fire and prepared breakfast for Dugu Chen, who had not eaten for days.

However, when Dugu Chen looked at the bowl of slightly purplish-black rice paste placed before him, the corner of his mouth could not help twitching. Could this thing really be eaten?

Dugu Bo seemed well aware of his own cooking skills. He was good at fighting, but asking him to cook truly was making things difficult for him!

An embarrassed expression appeared on Dugu Bo's face.

"Chen'er, just make do with this meal. Once we return, I'll take you to the best hotel in Heaven Dou City for a proper feast."

Dugu Chen nodded with a bitter smile, then began gulping it down.

The flavor was rather strange, but at least it filled his stomach. After forcibly suppressing the urge to vomit, he slowly stood and stretched toward the rising sun.

His bones erupted with a series of dense crackling pops. Rich light energy continuously burst from his seven orifices, and against the dawn, he looked like a god descended upon the mortal world.

Dugu Bo was also affected by the blinding power of light emanating from Dugu Chen. He could not help raising a hand before his eyes and narrowing them slightly.

"Chen'er, what level has your strength reached now?"

Dugu Bo's expression was somewhat grave. Even he could no longer see through his own son. This leap in strength was simply inconceivable.

Hearing this, Dugu Chen chuckled. "If I go all out, so long as a Title Douluo does not appear, no one can defeat me."

Dugu Bo's eyes were filled with gratification. The two quietly gazed into the distance, and only after a long while did he slowly ask, "Chen'er, what are your plans from here on?"

Dugu Chen nodded slightly, then turned and smiled at him.

"Father, I plan to travel across the continent and gain experience in the world. With my current strength, I have few rivals on the continent. Even if I encounter a Title Douluo, I can still retreat unscathed."

"Right now, the entire continent speaks of Father's name as the Poison Douluo. It is time for me to carve out a name of my own!"

Dugu Bo smiled approvingly, looking at him with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Naturally, I won't object if you wish to leave. But when you return next time, you'd better bring me a daughter-in-law!"

Dugu Chen nearly stumbled upon hearing that. He stared at Dugu Bo in disbelief. "You're not joking, are you? I'm only seventeen, and you're already urging me to get married?"

Dugu Bo said irritably, "What's wrong with seventeen? At your age, back in the day, you'd already be a confirmed old bachelor. You're not getting any younger. It's time to bring home a wife."

"Not long ago, your older brother gave me a big, chubby granddaughter. I named her Yanyan. What do you think? Sounds nice, doesn't it?"

Dugu Chen's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. "How did I not know about this?"

"Right, are my brother and sister-in-law all right? Did the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison in their bodies spread to Yanyan?" he asked anxiously.

Dugu Bo waved a hand and reassured him, "Don't worry. You were at a crucial point in your breakthrough, and I didn't want to disturb you, so I never told you the news."

"After your warning, we had long since taken precautions and kept the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison from spreading. Your brother and sister-in-law are both safe and sound."

"It's just that Ling Ling was somewhat weak after giving birth to Yanyan. But after the remaining Jade Phosphor Snake Poison in her body was expelled, her complexion improved as well."

"That's good!"

Dugu Chen let out a great sigh of relief. In order to change the tragedy of Dugu Bo's Household in the original story, he had begun early on to use his light energy to stabilize the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison in his older brother's body.

After consuming an immortal herb and absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul bone, he forced all the poison into the soul bone. That was why the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison in his body had not erupted and caused him to die prematurely.

"Father, I think it is time for me to leave!"

As the sun gradually climbed higher in the east, Dugu Chen exhaled a breath of stale air. He turned to face Dugu Bo, his gaze finally firm with resolve.

"So soon?"

Dugu Bo reached out his hand, but it suddenly froze in midair. His voice carried reluctance.

"Yes!"

A mist gradually clouded Dugu Chen's eyes. He closed them, his voice heavy. "Father, after this parting, it may be several years before we meet again. Your son is leaving!"

With that, Dugu Chen transformed into a streak of white light and fled toward the distant rising sun.

Dugu Bo's raised hand gradually fell. His gaze remained fixed on the direction Dugu Chen had departed, as though time itself had stopped there, unmoving for a long, long while.