Martial Soul Evolution: Seven-Colored Little Serpent

"We shall discuss this matter later," Dugu Bo said, suppressing the multitude of surging speculations in his heart. "For now, let Yanyan take the Seven-Colored Rainbowglow Ginseng."

Ye Renxin gave a slight nod, turned and stepped outside, carefully harvesting that stalk of Seven-Colored Rainbowglow Ginseng. He handed it into Dugu Yan's hands and gently instructed, "Yanyan, consume this Immortal Herb, and your martial soul will have hope of evolution."

"Mn, thank you, Grandpa Ye," Dugu Yan nodded obediently. Taking the Immortal Herb, she swallowed it in a single bite.

Just as Dugu Yan sat quietly in place, peacefully refining the surging medicinal power within her body, Ye Renxin had already turned to check the physical states of both Lu Xuan and Ye Lingling.

"Xiao Xuan, your second soul ring can bear a soul beast of around thirteen hundred years. Although Lingling's first soul ring still cannot reach a thousand years, a soul ring within seven hundred years can be safely absorbed," Ye Renxin made a brief investigation and quickly arrived at a judgment.

"The Emerald Jade Cicada at home was originally an exceptional soul ring candidate, but it is a pity that its age is now slightly insufficient. Fortunately, medicinal herbs are everywhere here; feeding it a few stalks of Immortal Herbs casually will quickly raise its cultivation."

Though Ye Renxin spoke thus, he still harbored a trace of regret in his heart.

The Seven-Heart Begonia and the Nine Treasured Glazed Tile Pagoda were similar, inherently carrying a congenital shackle that allowed them to bear at most seven soul rings in this lifetime.

Fortunately, Lingling had awakened Twin Martial Souls.

She could entirely rely on the Seven-Heart Begonia to cultivate all the way, breaking through to the Soul Sage Realm before turning around to absorb a soul ring for that water-attribute Phoenix Crying Spear.

In this way, she would still be able to steadily step into the ranks of Titled Douluo.

With the solid foundation laid during the Soul Sage stage, when adding a soul ring to the Phoenix Crying Spear in the future, the starting point would be sufficient to bear a soul ring of fifty thousand years of cultivation.

This Phoenix Crying Spear was a martial soul passed down through generations in the Zhao Family, its grade slightly inferior to the Clear Sky Hammer, yet on the same level as the Yang Family's Soul-Breaking Spear.

It was just that the Phoenix Crying Spear was not purely inclined toward fierce offensive slaughter like the Soul-Breaking Spear; it could derive different elemental attributes.

The one Zhao Yan awakened was the fire attribute, while Ye Lingling's had transformed into the water attribute.

Zhao Yan had already returned to fetch the Emerald Jade Cicada, while Lu Xuan and his party remained at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, quietly waiting for Dugu Yan to refine the medicinal power of the Seven-Colored Rainbowglow Ginseng.

Time flowed slowly, and several hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Yan, who had been meditating in seclusion, finally slowly opened her eyes. The sharp light within her eyes was restrained, and the aura around her entire body had already taken on a completely new look.

Without waiting for her elders to inquire, she moved her mind and actively summoned her own martial soul.

Martial Soul Possession!

Faint multicolored light rose from within Dugu Yan's body, flowing out along her limbs and bones.

The martial soul possession complete, a petite and exquisite snake-like phantom coiled around her shoulder. That was not the gloomy dark green of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent of the past, but a palm-long, seven-colored little poisonous snake.

The scales of the snake's body intersected layer upon layer, with seven colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—interweaving and shining brilliantly, glistening with fluid light as if shattered sky-full rainbow rays had been condensed into a single body.

The snake's pupils were clear and translucent, lacking the original sinister hostility and ferocity of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, instead possessing a few extra points of gorgeous and alluring charm, while wisps of faint colored mist slowly drifted out along the snake's body.

"Grandpa! My martial soul has evolved!" Dugu Yan's eyes were filled with pleasant surprise, and she praised softly, "It's really so pretty."

Dugu Yan was filled with wholehearted joy toward this metamorphosed martial soul, clearly perceiving that the lethal poison attribute inherent to her martial soul had not waned in the slightest.

Both beauty and strength obtained together, such a result left her extremely satisfied.

"It has indeed evolved, but it is still not a true Seven-Colored Rainbow Phosphorus Serpent." Dugu Bo had dealt with snake-type martial souls his entire life and saw the gap within it at a single glance.

This was not to say that an Immortal Herb could not fully evolve Dugu Yan; mainly, the greater function of that Immortal Herb was to clear away the hereditary flaws of Dugu Yan's martial soul.

He turned his gaze toward Ye Renxin and Lu Xuan, speaking, "Brother Ye, come and investigate to see if Yanyan's body can withstand the soul ring of that Seven-Colored Rainbow Phosphorus Serpent."

Ye Renxin nodded slowly, a wisp of gentle soul power quietly reaching out, slowly pouring into Dugu Yan's body to carefully inspect her meridians and physical endurance limit.

A moment later, Ye Renxin withdrew the soul power he had sent in and slowly spoke, "The evolution effect is very good. Absorbing a nine-hundred-year soul ring should present no problem. That snake is already over nine hundred years old, almost just past the absorption limit."

"Xiao Xuan," Ye Renxin said, "It seems we must try the effect of the Whale Rubber in advance!"

It was only a difference of a few decades; if the Whale Rubber was useful, it should be able to make up for it!

"Yanyan, congratulations!" Lu Xuan looked at Dugu Yan and said with a smile, "You're going to have the prettiest snake-type martial soul!"

"Heehee~" Dugu Yan gave a chuckle and spoke, "Lu Xuan, thank you."

"It's not my merit." Lu Xuan shook his head. "Master, Grandpa Dugu, Uncle Zhao—anyone's merit is greater than mine."

The next day, Zhao Yan returned as scheduled, not only bringing back the Emerald Jade Cicada, but also taking the Whale Rubber along with it.

The Ye Family Medical Hall originally stocked a portion of Whale Rubber, and this time he not only brought all of the family's inventory, but also swept clean almost all Whale Rubber over a thousand years old on the open market in Heaven Dou City.

Ye Renxin briefly explained the origin and efficacy of the Whale Rubber to Zhao Yan. Hearing this, Zhao Yan immediately took the initiative to volunteer: "Dad, let me be the one to do this test."

Previously, consuming the Immortal Herb had allowed his talent to undergo a metamorphosis, and he had always kept in mind how to repay the human favor of the Dugu Family.

The previous act of capturing three soul beasts was merely a matter of raising a hand, but testing the actual effect of the Whale Rubber in person could be considered a solid repayment.

Ye Renxin lowered his head to inspect the pile of Whale Rubber brought back by Zhao Yan, picked out an eight-hundred-year-old piece from among them, and handed it over: "You consume this eight-hundred-year-old piece first, and personally experience the change in medicinal power."

Zhao Yan did not decline either, urging his soul power to heat and soften the Whale Rubber before swallowing it down in large gulps.

Not long after, a feeling of dry heat rose within his body. Daring not to delay in the slightest, he immediately sat cross-legged, circulated his soul power, and went all out to refine the medicinal power surging into his limbs and bones.

Half an hour later, the medicinal power of the Whale Rubber was thoroughly absorbed by Zhao Yan.

Ye Renxin sent out his soul power to carefully investigate, then slowly spoke, "There is indeed an effect, but the enhancement is very weak. I do not know if the portion is insufficient or if your soul power is inherently a bit too high; this eight-hundred-year-old piece of Whale Rubber played a negligible role for you."

"Having an effect is enough," Lu Xuan said with a smile. "All Yanyan needs to make up for is merely a short span of a few decades in tolerance limit."

"That is true." Ye Renxin nodded, then took out another piece of Whale Rubber that had just passed a hundred years and handed it toward Zhao Yan. "You go heat it up."

Zhao Yan immediately urged his soul power to warm it, and Dugu Bo at the side also instructed his granddaughter to let her make preparations.