Heavenly Evolution City

Chao Tianxiang's breathing quickened as she stared at her granddaughter in disbelief.

"Continuous weakening without an upper limit, until it can completely seal off every enhancement..."

"From now on, in any team battle, any support Soul Master facing you will practically be crippled outright!"

There was no denying that today's visit to the Mysterious Shop had truly opened all three of their eyes!

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing, who had stood silently beside Lin Yue ever since Meng Shu, Chao Tianxiang, and Meng Yiran entered the shop, had witnessed everything.

Watching Meng Yiran obtain a heaven-defying Thousand-Year Soul Ring from the Prize Machine, one that overwhelmed others of its level and countered every type of support, a flicker of wonder and longing quietly surfaced in her cool eyes.

With such a heaven-defying opportunity within easy reach right before her, how could she remain unmoved?

After a brief hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing stepped half a pace forward, looked at Lin Yue, and said softly:

"Boss, I... I'd like to try a single draw too."

Lin Yue nodded slightly, his expression calm. "Sure. One hundred Gold Soul Coins per draw."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate. She took out the hundred Gold Soul Coins she had saved for so long, deposited them into the Prize Machine's coin slot, and gently pressed the start button.

Beep, beep, beep.

The icons on the light screen spun rapidly for a brief moment before settling firmly into place.

The next instant!

Dazzling purple-gold divine light erupted from the Prize Machine's entire screen once again!

The Prize Machine's built-in electronic announcement followed:

Congratulations, customer! You have obtained one Martial Soul Limit-Breaking Scroll! (Purple quality)

The light slowly faded, and the outlet beneath the Prize Machine popped open.

Zhu Zhuqing reached into the small opening and likewise retrieved a rectangular scroll covered in mysterious patterns, its surface a deep purple throughout.

Then, with a little bewilderment and confusion in her beautiful eyes, she looked up at Lin Yue:

"Boss Lin, can this Martial Soul Limit-Breaking Scroll raise the upper limit of a Martial Soul's talent?"

Lin Yue shook his head and explained:

"The effect of this Martial Soul Limit Breakthrough Voucher is to allow someone who originally possesses only one Martial Soul to possess a second."

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu, Chao Tianxiang, Meng Yiran, and even Zhu Zhuqing herself instantly understood.

They already knew that the shop's Game Pods could easily grant people Twin Martial Souls.

In that case, this Martial Soul Limit-Breaking Scroll could hardly be considered precious, so none of them looked particularly shocked.

Taking in every subtle change in their expressions, Lin Yue naturally saw through their thoughts. He could not help smiling faintly as he continued to explain:

"For example, suppose you've already obtained Twin Martial Souls after entering a Game Pod. Once you leave the pod, you then use this Martial Soul Limit Breakthrough Voucher."

"That would give you Triple Martial Souls."

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the shop abruptly froze.

Yet, as though he felt that was not enough, Lin Yue casually added:

"And so on. If you have a second and a third Martial Soul Limit Breakthrough Voucher, that would mean four Martial Souls, then five. There is no upper limit."

Silence.

The entire little shop was so quiet that not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu's breathing grew noticeably heavier. Chao Tianxiang's eyes widened, her lips moving for a long while without a single word emerging.

No upper limit.

Those words left Zhu Zhuqing staring blankly down at the purple rectangular scroll in her hands, even her fingertips trembling slightly.

Only now did she finally realize that the reward she had won from a single draw carried far more weight than she had initially imagined.

Meng Shu was the first to recover. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Zhu Zhuqing with a touch more heartfelt admiration:

"Little lady, I truly bow to your luck."

Chao Tianxiang nodded along, exclaiming repeatedly:

"To win something like this in a single draw-your good fortune far surpasses that of the three of us."

Meng Yiran stood quietly beside her grandparents. Upon hearing this, when her gaze met Zhu Zhuqing's across the room, she nodded gently to her, sincere congratulations and goodwill in her eyes.

Zhu Zhuqing then nodded in return, a rare trace of softness appearing in her cool eyes.

Once their emotions had settled somewhat, Lin Yue braced both hands against the edge of the counter, turned his gaze toward Dragon Duke, Snake Granny, and Meng Yiran, and asked casually:

"Since you're here, would the three of you like to try the game as well?"

Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang exchanged a glance, then both laughed heartily.

"Hahaha, my young friend, what a question."

Meng Shu stroked his beard and laughed. "With the chance to obtain Twin Martial Souls right before us, how could we let it slip away?"

Chao Tianxiang also smiled and nodded, her expression full of eagerness:

"That was precisely our intention. Sorry to trouble you further, young friend."

Meng Yiran's eyes shone even brighter as she looked eagerly toward the Game Pods, clearly unable to hold back any longer.

Seeing this, the corners of Lin Yue's lips lifted slightly. After collecting their payment, he stepped aside and gestured toward the Game Pods in invitation:

"Please, help yourselves."

Afterward, they selected three adjacent Game Pods and lay down inside them one after another.

The Game Pod doors slowly closed, and the Martial Soul selection interface of the heavily modified Douluo World unfolded before each of them.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu was the first to make his choice.

His innate Martial Soul was the Dragon Staff. Having cultivated the path of the dragon for most of his life while always relying on a tool Martial Soul, he could not help harboring some regret.

Looking at the dazzling array of Martial Souls on the list, he scarcely hesitated before directly selecting the most domineering, noble, and powerful dragon-type Beast Martial Soul: the Azure Profound Coiling Dragon.

Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang followed close behind.

After a moment's thought, likewise because her own Martial Soul was the Serpent Cane, a tool Martial Soul, she ultimately selected an extraordinary Beast Martial Soul: the Frost-glazed Snow Serpent.

Only Meng Yiran remained.

Her gaze swept back and forth across the countless Martial Souls, unable to reach a decision for a long time, unsure what sort of Martial Soul she should choose.

Until, at one point, her eyes happened to pass over the icon of a butterfly-type Martial Soul in a corner.

The Illusory Rainbow Spirit Butterfly.

Its wings seemed to shimmer with flowing, multicolored radiance, its entire body appearing to have been formed from colored glass and stars, so beautiful that one could not look away.

With a young girl's disposition, she already favored such exquisitely beautiful and lively things.

Meng Yiran hesitated no longer. She immediately tapped the interface and confirmed her choice!

Then, after a brief spell of dizziness, the scene before them changed, and their vision gradually cleared.

Before the three of them stood an extraordinarily prosperous city, its streets broad and clean, shops lining both sides like the teeth of a comb, tavern banners fluttering, and vendors' cries rising one after another.

Meng Yiran looked around curiously, her gaze soon drawn to a towering building rising from the very center of the city.

The building stood a full seven or eight stories tall. Amid the surrounding low buildings, it loomed like a giant, especially eye-catching.

Following his granddaughter's gaze, Meng Shu narrowed his eyes and studied it for a moment before saying gravely:

"That building is no ordinary place. It's probably the heart of this city. There's no hurry. Let's walk around and learn the lay of the land first."

The three strolled along the main street, observing their surroundings as they approached the tall building.

As they passed a stall, Meng Shu suddenly stopped.

Dozens of thread-bound booklets were neatly stacked on the stall, their titles written in orderly lettering on their covers.

"Basic Soul Power Circulation Method: Volume Two," "Meridian Guidance Technique: Introduction," "Martial Soul Analysis: Basics"...

Meng Shu casually picked one up and leafed through it. At first, he merely skimmed it without much attention, but after just a few lines, his pupils abruptly contracted.

The cultivation method recorded in the book was exquisitely ingenious, its structure clear and its guidance routes meticulously devised.

In their own world, a Soul Power cultivation method of this quality could never be found at a street stall. Only lineages on the level of the Upper Three Sects would be qualified to preserve and pass it down in secret.

Chao Tianxiang also picked up a booklet and read it. Moments later, her expression grew equally solemn. She exchanged a glance with Meng Shu, and both saw immense shock in the other's eyes.

"This basic cultivation method..."

Meng Shu spoke quietly, his voice a little dry:

"If this were in our world, the major sects would probably fight until their heads split to get it."

Seeing this, Meng Yiran blinked beside them and curiously picked up a booklet to browse, though she could not quite understand its intricacies.

Meng Shu took a deep breath and looked at the stallholder. "Boss, how much are these books?"

Without even raising his head, the stallholder casually gestured. "One Gold Soul Coin each. Twenty percent off if you buy more than three."

Meng Shu immediately reached for his money, only for his hand to freeze halfway.

His fingers found nothing.

The three exchanged glances. After entering the game world, aside from their clothes and accessories, the Soul Tools they carried had not come with them.

Meng Shu's expression shifted several times. In the end, he gently put the book back. Chao Tianxiang reluctantly set down her booklet as well, and they exchanged helpless, wry smiles.

"Let's remember this place," Meng Shu said quietly. "We'll come back once we figure out how to earn money in this world."

The three continued onward, but before long, they stopped in front of another shop.

Dozens of small, crystal-clear glass bottles stood on this shop's display counter, each containing a round, plump pill.

Meng Shu picked up a bottle and examined it for a moment before he could not help asking:

"Shopkeeper, what is this...?"

The shopkeeper was a stubbled middle-aged man. Hearing the question, he raised his eyelids and glanced at the three, his tone casual, as though the answer were obvious:

"A Spirit-Gathering Pill for increasing Soul Power, of course. You're here in Starlight City, yet you don't know that?"

He paused, looking the three of them over, then suddenly frowned slightly and muttered:

"How strange..."

"I can clearly sense the aura of Martial Souls on all three of you, yet there isn't the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power."

Meng Shu hurriedly cupped his hands with a smile, his tone courteous:

"You have a keen eye, shopkeeper. The three of us have only just arrived and aren't yet familiar with this city. Might we ask you to tell us a little about it?"

The middle-aged man looked them up and down a few times. Perhaps because their attitude was respectful, he was willing to speak. Stroking his goatee, he said slowly:

"This city is called Heavenly Evolution City."

"They say that during the prosperous era established by the founding ancestor of the Heavenly Radiance Empire, a young genius named Dugu Yuan burst onto the scene. He was gifted, intelligent, diligent, and hardworking, but he insisted on taking an unconventional path."

"While others devoted themselves to cultivating Soul Power, he plunged headfirst into researching the foundations of Martial Souls, the manufacture of Soul Tools, and the mysteries of Soul Bones."

"Countless people mocked him back then for neglecting proper pursuits and indulging in wild fantasies. Yet he never gave up, studying, experimenting, and working through his theories day after day. Gradually, like-minded people were drawn to him, coming from every direction to gather around him and explore the possibilities the world had overlooked."

"In the end, Heaven did not fail those who persevered. They truly accomplished something, and many Soul Masters across the world benefited as a result. As their followers grew ever more numerous, this place gradually developed from a small settlement into a city of its present size."

"That was how Heavenly Evolution City came to be, a city that stands alongside the Heavenly Radiance Empire and the Netherworld Empire as one of the Douluo Continent's foremost powers."

At this point, the middle-aged man looked at the three, his tone carrying a sense of shared honor as he said proudly:

"And one of my ancestors was among the very first to follow that young genius."

"Everything you see today-the basic cultivation methods at street stalls, the roadside pill shops, the city's Pill Tower, the research workshops large and small... every single one is part of the legacy they left behind."

Meng Shu's gaze shifted slightly after hearing this.

As for the name Dugu Yuan, he did not know whether the man's surname was Du or Dugu.

But either way, the surname was exceedingly rare. Across the entire Douluo Continent, the only powerful figure he knew with such a surname was Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.

Could Du Chenyuan, the peerless genius who founded Heavenly Evolution City, have some connection to Dugu Bo?

The thought flashed through his mind. Meng Shu suppressed his surprise and uncertainty without asking further, then pointed toward the tower soaring into the clouds and asked:

"Might I ask, shopkeeper, what is the story behind that tower?"

The middle-aged man followed his gaze, the respect in his eyes deepening:

"That tower is called Heavenly Evolution Tower. It was where our predecessors first gathered all those years ago, and where generations of researchers have passed on their knowledge and taught their students."

"After all these years, Heavenly Evolution City has never stopped moving forward. The roads those predecessors did not finish exploring are still being traveled by their successors. Pills, cultivation methods, Soul Tools, Soul Bones, Martial Souls... on this continent, perhaps many undiscovered miracles and mysteries still lie hidden in corners unknown to anyone."

He withdrew his gaze and said solemnly:

"And Heavenly Evolution Tower is where all researchers gather today. Countless manuscripts and insights left by our predecessors are stored inside. If you're interested, you might as well go and take a look."

Meng Shu cupped his hands in thanks:

"Thank you for telling us, shopkeeper."

With that, he was about to turn and leave when the middle-aged man suddenly called them back. Casually taking a palm-sized porcelain bottle from beneath the stall, he held it out.

"Take this. A bottle of low-grade Body-Refining Pills isn't worth much. Consider it a welcome gift for your arrival."

Meng Shu was slightly taken aback. Seeing the middle-aged man's sincere expression, he did not refuse. He accepted the porcelain bottle with both hands and said earnestly:

"I will remember your generosity, shopkeeper."

After carefully putting the porcelain bottle away, the three turned and left. They had only taken a few steps when Chao Tianxiang turned toward Meng Shu and said softly:

"Let's leave that bottle of pills for Yiran. She can try refining them first."

Meng Shu smiled at her words and, without the slightest reluctance, handed the porcelain bottle he had tucked into his robes to Meng Yiran beside him.

Meng Yiran's eyes brightened slightly. She quickly reached out to take the little porcelain bottle, a cheerful smile lifting the corners of her lips as she looked up at them:

"Thank you, Grandpa, and thank you too, Grandma!"

Holding the porcelain bottle with great care, she tilted her head curiously to examine the pills inside as the three continued slowly toward Heavenly Evolution Tower.

Behind them, the middle-aged man watched their retreating figures, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from lifting as he muttered softly.

"What an interesting family."