Liquid Slime

"Yan Yan, what's wrong?"

Dugu Bo's expression changed sharply, and he hurried forward in alarm.

Through the gaps between Dugu Yan's fingers, Gu Ping'an saw earthy-gold dragon scales emerging on the right hand she was clutching, entirely different from the jade-gold scales on her left hand under Martial Soul Possession.

An external soul bone! The thought flashed through his mind.

Gu Ping'an couldn't help looking a little envious.

An external soul bone!

It could rival a hundred-thousand-year soul bone.

If its owner's talent was sufficient, it could even grow far beyond the hundred-thousand-year level.

Hadn't Tang San's two-thousand-year Eight Spider Lances eventually evolved into the Sea God's Eight Wings in the original story?

"Your Eminence Poison Douluo, I don't think you need to worry.

Unless I'm mistaken, this is an external soul bone worth a hundred-thousand-year soul bone.

Some pain during fusion is perfectly normal."

"An external soul bone?" Dugu Bo froze for a moment.

He had heard of external soul bones, but he had never imagined absorbing one would be so painful.

Seeing Dugu Yan's agonized expression, he wished he could bear the pain for her.

"Enough! Did you expect to absorb a soul bone that rivals a hundred-thousand-year one without suffering any pain?"

Dugu Bo's worried expression made Gu Ping'an want to kick him.

He was making a wonderful stroke of fortune look like some terrible calamity.

"What do you know? Can't you see my granddaughter is in pain?"

"..."

Gu Ping'an was speechless. She was already a soul master, yet she couldn't endure even a little pain to gain strength?

"By the way, once Yan Yan finishes absorbing her soul bone, come with me to the Star Dou Great Forest.

I need to absorb my third soul ring," Gu Ping'an said after some thought.

With the boosts from the Blue Silver Emperor's soul bone, the Earth Dragon golden melon, and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he had reached rank thirty immediately after absorbing his second soul ring.

For his third soul ring, he wanted one from a ten-thousand-year Liquid Slime.

With the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew strengthening his Spiritual Power, along with his soul that had lived two lives, soul shock shouldn't pose much of a problem.

The problem was that ten-thousand-year Liquid Slimes were rare. He could only search for one in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Sure! Yan Yan and I will go with you."

Dugu Bo casually waved a hand and nodded.

Gu Ping'an had helped his granddaughter find a suitable second soul ring, and it had even yielded an external soul bone rivaling a hundred-thousand-year one.

Accompanying him on a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was a trivial matter.

"It's... finally... over."

A dozen or so minutes later, Dugu Yan collapsed onto the ground, no longer caring about appearances.

She had heard everything Gu Ping'an and her grandfather had said.

During the soul bone fusion, it had felt as though the flesh and bones of her entire hand were being reassembled inch by inch. The pain had risen from within and spread outward, almost impossible to endure.

Fortunately, she had held on through it all.

"Yan Yan, how are you feeling?"

Dugu Bo stepped forward and helped Dugu Yan up with concern.

"Grandpa, I'm fine!"

Though the torment of absorbing the soul bone had left her somewhat weak, Dugu Yan still wore a smile.

She rested briefly.

After steadying herself, Dugu Yan looked at the right palm that had absorbed the external soul bone.

"Grandpa, I feel stronger than ever before."

She gently curled the five fingers of her right hand.

Strength!

Nothing but strength!

It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

When her martial soul had been the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, her physique had been ordinary, and she could only rely on poison against her enemies.

Now that her martial soul had transformed into a dragon, her physique had improved in every respect. She felt she could kill her former self with a single punch.

"Yan Yan, what's your third soul ring's skill? And what ability does the external soul bone give you?"

Seeing Dugu Yan's confident expression, Dugu Bo asked curiously.

"Grandpa, watch closely!"

"First Soul Skill: Azure Dragon's Roar!"

A dragon's silhouette emerged around Dugu Yan and threw back its head with a wild roar.

"Second Soul Skill: Azure Dragon's Unharmed Body!"

A faint jade-gold radiance flashed.

"Third Soul Skill: Earth Dragon's Might!"

A faint, earthy-gold membrane of light enveloped Dugu Yan.

"Grandpa, take my punch!"

Dugu Yan's small figure stamped several footprints into the ground as she shot toward Dugu Bo like a cannonball.

Earthy-gold dragon scales emerged over her right fist.

Bang!

Confident in his status as a Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo neither dodged nor defended, taking Dugu Yan's punch head-on.

"Grandpa, you stepped back!"

Dugu Yan cried out happily.

In the past, her soul skills had barely affected Dugu Bo. Making him retreat a single step now delighted her.

"Yan Yan, did all your soul skills change after your martial soul evolved?"

Dugu Bo discreetly rubbed his waist as he asked.

"Yes. After my martial soul evolved, my First Soul Skill became an all-around thirty-percent boost to my speed, strength, and defense.

My second soul skill increases my defense by forty percent.

My third soul skill increases my defense by two hundred percent, my strength by one hundred and seventy percent, and my speed by one hundred and forty percent.

Also, as long as I'm standing on the ground, I can draw strength from the earth continuously. If I'm strong enough, I can keep it active indefinitely.

And the soul bone..."

Dugu Yan raised the right hand that had absorbed the external soul bone. "The soul bone boosts my strength by another fifty percent.

That's only its basic effect. Once the soul bone grows stronger, the boost can increase too."

"..."

She's the protagonist, isn't she?!

Gu Ping'an stared blankly at Dugu Yan's moving lips, automatically tuning out everything she said afterward.

Her first soul ring needed no further comment.

Her second soul skill was impressive too.

Her third soul ring's effects were almost on par with soul rings obtained from certain super soul beasts.

With her third soul ring, very few people would be a match for Dugu Yan in a head-on clash.

Once her external soul bone continued to grow...

Gu Ping'an felt that the Dugu Yan of the future might send a Clear Sky Hammer flying with a single punch.

This soul beast...

Gu Ping'an turned toward the lifeless Earth Tyrannosaur on the ground. Had it been allowed to grow, it would definitely have become a super soul beast. What a pity.

"Since you've obtained your soul ring, let's go! This isn't a place to linger."

Gu Ping'an interrupted Dugu Yan, who was still chattering excitedly.

"Right! Let's go!"

Having said her fill, Dugu Yan turned, took Gu Ping'an's hand, and headed out.

A chill immediately rose behind him.

Don't look back!

Don't look back!

Don't look back!

Gu Ping'an forced himself not to look at Dugu Bo's expression behind him.

It was probably very ugly.

Half a month later.

The Star Dou Great Forest.

Dugu Bo led Gu Ping'an and Dugu Yan slowly through the primeval forest filled with towering trees.

“Gu brat, I'm afraid you'll have to find that ten-thousand-year Liquid Slime yourself.”

Dugu Bo spoke as they walked.

Liquid Slime, a variant of Slime, possessed more perfect transformation abilities than other Slimes. It could even use some of the basic abilities of whatever it transformed into.

Were it not for their combat strength failing to match their assumed forms, hardly anyone could see through their transformations.

Their ability was powerful, but few people encountered them even in the Star Dou Great Forest—or rather, people might not recognize them even if they did.

"Yes! I know."

Ever since entering the Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Ping'an had been searching through the surrounding blue silver grass.

He had found plenty of Slimes, but not a single Liquid Slime.

He had even found Tang San's fated soul beast—the Man Faced Demon Spider.

Seven days later.

Dugu Yan trailed listlessly behind Gu Ping'an and Dugu Bo.

They had spent seven whole days searching without success. It had certainly worn her down.

"Wait!"

Walking ahead, Gu Ping'an suddenly stopped, staring toward the front left in shock.

The blue silver grass in that direction had just transmitted an image.

A Soft Bone Rabbit had flowed like liquid and transformed into a Man Faced Demon Spider.

"Found it!"

"I found it!"

"Your Eminence Poison Douluo, it's roughly a kilometer ahead to the left. Sorry for the trouble, but could you clear a path?"

If they wanted to move quickly with Dugu Yan in tow, having Dugu Bo clear the way was best.

Dugu Bo didn't waste any time. He swept up Gu Ping'an and Dugu Yan with his soul power and rushed toward the front left.

Before long, Dugu Bo brought them to their destination.

“Gu brat, where's this Liquid Slime you mentioned?”

Dugu Bo scanned the surroundings.

A Soft Bone Rabbit!

Blue silver grass!

A Man Faced Demon Spider!

An ordinary spider!

But he couldn't find a Liquid Slime anywhere.

"It's that Man Faced Demon Spider."

Gu Ping'an pointed at the Man Faced Demon Spider hanging from a towering tree in the distance.

"Are you sure?"

Dugu Bo's expression shifted with doubt.

No matter how he looked at it, the creature before them was a ten-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider.

"Your Eminence Poison Douluo, even you can't tell?"

Gu Ping'an was once again astonished by the Liquid Slime's ability.

Dugu Bo was somewhat blind to these things; even face-to-face, he couldn't recognize Xiao Wu as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.

But Gu Ping'an had already pointed it out, and Dugu Bo still couldn't tell. That was rather absurd.

In other words, unless they witnessed a Liquid Slime changing shape, ninety-nine percent of soul masters would be unable to see through its transformation.

"Your Eminence Poison Douluo, sorry for the trouble, but please capture it."

Whether he could see through it was one thing.

Liquid Slimes were poor fighters. No matter how convincing their transformations were, they couldn't fight like other soul beasts.

"All right! I'll capture it and see."

Dugu Bo still hadn't seen through the Liquid Slime's transformation, so he decided to test it by attacking.

"Third Soul Skill: Jade Phosphor Purple Poison!"

A thick cloud of purple poison mist surged toward the Man Faced Demon Spider.

"Hiss—hiss—"

The Man Faced Demon Spider's eight legs twitched restlessly.

As the poisonous mist drifted closer, the Man Faced Demon Spider abruptly pressed its eight legs down, then sprang high into the air, sending its entire body flying backward.

"Trying to run?"

Dugu Bo unleashed the aura of a Titled Douluo. With a single step, he appeared above the Man Faced Demon Spider in an instant.

Bang!

Dugu Bo drove a heavy kick into the Man Faced Demon Spider's back.

With a smack, the Man Faced Demon Spider hit the ground and splattered into a puddle, but it did not die.

Its body writhed like liquid, gathering itself back together.

“It really is a Liquid Slime!”