Oh? Interesting. It's quite intelligent. Is that because it's a dragon? Dugu Bo pondered as he watched the Thorn Dragon dart to his flank.
"But that won't do you any good." As his words fell, Dugu Bo moved.
Dugu Bo grabbed the Thorn Dragon by the head and swung hard, smashing its enormous body straight into the ground.
The impact instantly blasted a huge crater into the ground, yet the Thorn Dragon remained completely unscathed.
"Hmm? Pretty tough, aren't you?" Dugu Bo was somewhat surprised. No wonder dragon soul beasts were so sought after. They could really take a beating.
"But this is as far as you go." As he spoke, a cloud of poisonous mist appeared in Dugu Bo's hand, and he tossed it onto the Thorn Dragon.
Before long, the poison Dugu Bo had released corroded the Thorn Dragon until it was barely clinging to life.
"Yanyan, come over. It's almost dead. I've already corroded this area clean. The poison will reach its brain any moment."
"Coming!"
The Thorn Dragon no longer had the strength to resist. Once Dugu Yan approached, she activated Dragon Transformation and pierced its brain.
Black poisonous blood, red dragon blood, and yellow and white brain matter all splattered out. Unfortunately, the Thorn Dragon could not even wail.
After the Thorn Dragon died, a purple Soul Ring emerged. Dugu Yan sat down to regulate her breathing, then began absorbing it.
"I wonder what Soul Skill Yanyan will get." A thoughtful look flickered through Dugu Bo's eyes. Although Bone Douluo had gained a spatial ability from absorbing a Thorn Dragon, he was not sure what Dugu Yan would receive. After all, this soul beast was far too rare.
Lin Changgeng, standing nearby, was also curious about what Soul Skill Dugu Yan would obtain.
"What sort of Soul Skill does a Thorn Dragon usually give?" Lin Changgeng asked Wang Qiu'er.
"An enhancement skill, probably." Wang Qiu'er thought for a moment. "Dragons have always had powerful bodies. It could also be a spatial ability like teleportation. Thorn Dragons have spatial powers too."
The Soul Skill any soul beast would grant a martial soul was uncertain, and only one could be obtained. After all, compatibility varied. Obtaining a particular Soul Skill required generations of experimentation, as with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and the Star Luo Imperial Family. If a martial soul absorbed a different type of soul beast for the first time, the resulting Soul Skill could not be controlled. Still, it would draw on the strengths of both the martial soul and the Soul Ring to form a skill, such as Blue Silver Entanglement.
The next day, Dugu Yan woke after finishing the refinement of her Soul Ring and saw her grandfather keeping watch beside her.
Dugu Yan checked her condition, her face lighting up with delight, then told Dugu Bo what she had gained.
"Grandpa! After absorbing this Soul Ring, my soul power reached rank thirty-three. My third Soul Skill uses the spatial attribute for short-range teleportation, letting me dodge enemy attacks or quickly approach a target. Its range increases with my soul power level. Right now, it's a hundred meters, and every rank I gain will add another ten meters."
Before absorbing the immortal herb, Dugu Yan's soul power had only been at rank twenty-five. After absorbing it, she had reached her bottleneck directly, and absorbing the Soul Ring had brought her cultivation straight to rank thirty-three.
"Really? My Yanyan is that lucky? That's a Thorn Dragon's innate ability." Hearing Dugu Yan's words, Dugu Bo praised her.
"Of course! Just who do you think I am?" Dugu Yan declared, proudly lifting her chin.
"Yes, yes, yes. My Yanyan is the best." Seeing how happy Dugu Yan was, Dugu Bo went along with her.
Hearing Dugu Bo's praise, Dugu Yan could not resist showing off her third Soul Skill. She was a girl, after all; it was understandable that she would like a skill like this.
"Tsk, not bad. Teleportation is a rare prize." Lin Changgeng clicked his tongue. Teleportation Soul Skills were scarce to begin with, and those with the cultivation to teleport were generally Titled Douluos who had no need for such a skill. In the original story, one of the few people with a teleportation Soul Skill was Xiao Wu, a Soft Bone Rabbit who had taken human form.
Lin Changgeng could not understand why a rabbit had nothing but Soul Skills built around special mechanics. Void and Invincible Golden Body did not seem like anything that could come from a rabbit. Teleportation was one thing-rabbits were fast, so finding a path toward that was fairly reasonable-but the other two had nothing to do with rabbits.
"Stop showing off," Wang Qiu'er said. "This Soul Skill offers you more than an escape route. You need to think about how to incorporate it into your fighting style."
Dugu Yan immediately stopped. Turning Wang Qiu'er's words over in her mind, she felt that Wang Qiu'er was right. She had only been absorbed in the speed of teleportation and had never considered using it in combat.
"I understand." Dugu Yan nodded. "I'll learn how to become stronger."
Dugu Yan was not stupid. On this continent, strength ultimately reigned supreme. Indulging in amusement would only harm her. Although she had her grandfather Dugu Bo to protect her, she could not remain a deadweight forever. Besides, wouldn't it be better to have the strength to do whatever she wanted?
Lin Changgeng held the same outlook. A strong fist was the ultimate argument. Otherwise, he would not have asked Wang Qiu'er to take him to obtain the Blue Silver Emperor's Soul Bone, then come to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for immortal herbs and bring Dugu Bo under his command along the way.
"All right, let's head back and cultivate." Wang Qiu'er waved a hand. "I should get some rest too. All this running around has worn me out."
Ever since meeting Lin Changgeng, Wang Qiu'er had not had a moment to herself. Soul hunting, fighting, and coming to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had left her somewhat exhausted. Even a Titled Douluo could not keep pushing herself like this.
The group then headed toward Heaven Dou City.
On the way back, Dugu Bo began entertaining a little scheme. Could he bring Dugu Yan and Lin Changgeng together?
He thought very highly of Lin Changgeng. Whether it was having twin martial souls or becoming a Soul Grandmaster at six, either one would make someone a top powerhouse in the future. Yet Lin Changgeng possessed both, so he was certain to reach the pinnacle someday. Someone like him would also have countless admirers around him. Under such circumstances, Dugu Bo naturally had to consider his granddaughter's future.
If his expectations proved correct, Lin Changgeng would not leave Heaven Dou City for the next few years. More precisely, he would not leave the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Could Dugu Yan use that time to become the pavilion nearest the water, the first to catch the moon?
He did not have any great ambitions for Dugu Yan. Growing up safe and sound with a little cultivation would be enough. Now that his poison had been cured and his strength was rising, he could protect her as long as Spirit Hall did not send anyone after them. In a few more years, he would not fear Spirit Hall either. But he did intend to choose her future husband with great care. The man needed either genuine affection or strength, and Lin Changgeng happened to fit his requirements perfectly.
He was talented and polite. Even with a powerhouse protecting him, he did not resort to intimidation, choosing to negotiate first and only taking direct action when negotiations truly failed-provided that you had something to offer.
As for whether Lin Changgeng might perish midway through his rise, Dugu Bo thought that impossible. Wang Qiu'er was there, after all. Anyone who wanted to touch Lin Changgeng would have to ask whether she agreed. Besides, he himself was one of Lin Changgeng's people, meaning anyone who wanted to act would have to get past both him and Wang Qiu'er.
Of course, that still depended on whether Dugu Yan and Lin Changgeng were willing. His own thoughts did not represent those of the two young people. He would have to see whether affection developed as they spent time together. Lin Changgeng was simply too outstanding. If Dugu Yan missed this chance, she might never meet anyone like him again.
"Forget it. Children and grandchildren have fortunes of their own." Dugu Bo shook his head, deciding that he should not interfere. He believed the two would slowly grow closer as time passed. Just how close they would become, however, he did not know.
Of course, it was not because he was afraid of Wang Qiu'er.
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