"Senior Dugu, the medicinal herbs in this Medicine Garden of yours really are excellent."
Yu Xiaogang swept his gaze over the garden full of exotic flowers and rare plants, his tone somewhat casual. "Would you mind letting me take some away later?"
"Hahahaha!"
At that, Dugu Bo waved his hand.
"What are you saying? If you want them, take them all. I don't recognize most of these herbs anyway, so they'd be useless to me. You, on the other hand-only you can bring out their full potential."
Yu Xiaogang raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh? So generous? Do you know how precious these herbs are? You're just giving them away?"
Dugu Bo waved a hand, becoming more serious for once. "Heh, how could anything that evolves a Martial Soul be ordinary? But if you don't know how to use it, it's useless. You've done the Dugu Family a great kindness, and I don't have much to give you. This Medicine Garden... from now on, it's yours."
Yu Xiaogang smiled and shook his head. After a moment's consideration, he cupped his hands. "All right. Given the value of the herbs in this Medicine Garden, I really can't bring myself to refuse. But if you ever need anything, come and take whatever you like."
"Hahahaha, good!"
Dugu Bo laughed heartily and patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder.
Yu Xiaogang dispensed with the formalities, too.
The immortal materials at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were simply too valuable. Of course, he did not consume them himself. To him, giving these immortal herbs to his disciples to consume was the optimal choice.
He turned and began gathering them, taking the immortal herbs one by one and packing them into jade boxes.
His movements were extremely careful, lest he damage them.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo slipped a jade-green bracelet off his wrist and handed it over. "Use this. It's called the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch, a Storage Soul Tool I acquired in my younger years. It can store living things, so it's just right for holding these herbs."
Yu Xiaogang accepted the jade bracelet, nodded slightly in thanks, and went back to gathering.
With the convenience of the jade bracelet, he became even more efficient, placing the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Aromatic Silk Beauty, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, and all sorts of other immortal herbs inside one after another. He even took some rare supplementary herbs that he had no immediate use for.
A short while later, he finished gathering.
Standing to one side, Dugu Bo watched with his mouth twitching and could not help saying, "You really do make yourself at home... You practically plowed the ground over."
Yu Xiaogang brushed the dirt off his hands and smiled. "I took everything dangerous and everything with good effects, but I left seeds behind. In this environment, they'll grow back before long. At least you can touch all the remaining herbs freely now without worrying about accidentally dropping dead."
"Hehe, all right. I said I'd give it to you, and I won't go back on my word."
As the two spoke, the surrounding temperature suddenly began rising higher and higher.
Yu Xiaogang and Dugu Bo turned their heads at the same time. An extraordinary phenomenon had abruptly appeared around Liu Erlong.
The air around her faintly distorted, and a layer of crimson light shone out from within her, enveloping her entire body.
The light grew brighter and brighter before finally bursting apart with a boom, transforming into the phantom of a fire dragon that soared into the sky!
A dragon's roar echoed through the valley, and the scorching waves of air baked the ground until it was slightly charred.
The fire dragon phantom circled three times before slowly drawing inward and sinking back into Liu Erlong's body.
Her eyes snapped open, a fierce golden-red light flashing deep within her pupils.
"Haha! Xiaogang!"
Liu Erlong sprang up and threw herself at Yu Xiaogang, her face full of delighted surprise.
"I broke through!"
Yu Xiaogang spread his arms to catch her, the impact making him retreat a small half-step. Then he smiled, lifted her off the ground, and spun her around once. "Well? Didn't I tell you the effects would be good?"
Liu Erlong wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling until her eyes curved into crescents. "Mm-hmm! They're amazing! I went up two whole levels! I'm level seventy-nine now! Maybe in another two years, I'll break through to level eighty and become a Soul Douluo!"
"Hehe, it won't take that long."
Yu Xiaogang set her down and smoothed the loose strands of hair on her forehead.
"The true effect of an immortal herb isn't as simple as increasing Soul Power. Its real purpose is to improve a Soul Master's innate talent. So your cultivation speed now is nothing like it used to be. I'm afraid breaking through to level eighty won't take as long as you think."
"Really?"
Liu Erlong's eyes shone even brighter.
Yu Xiaogang turned toward Dugu Bo and smiled. "When the time comes, we may have to trouble you to help us acquire a Soul Ring, Senior Dugu."
"Hahahaha! Not a problem!"
Dugu Bo waved his hand, his generous spirit soaring to the clouds.
"Just say the word when you need me. I'll be there whenever you call!"
While they were chatting and laughing, Dugu Yan suddenly let out a clear, ringing cry beside them.
Her small, cross-legged body slowly rose half an inch into the air, and the light surrounding her abruptly contracted, sinking entirely into her body.
A moment later, she opened her eyes. Her purple pupils had become clearer and brighter, and she looked completely revitalized. Even her skin had become a little fairer and clearer.
"Grandpa!"
Dugu Yan stood up and bounced excitedly twice.
"My whole body feels so light and relaxed! That stifled feeling I used to have is completely gone!"
Dugu Bo hurried over, looking her over from every angle before squeezing her hand and checking her pulse. Only after confirming that his granddaughter was indeed safe and sound did he let out a long breath of relief, smiling so broadly that his eyes disappeared. "Good, good, good! As long as you're all right! Come, Yanyan, summon your Martial Soul and let Grandpa see."
Dugu Yan nodded and raised her little hand.
Jade-green light flashed, and an entirely jade-green serpentine phantom appeared behind her. The Martial Soul bore a strong resemblance to Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, but there were also clear differences.
Aside from the pale golden sheen on some of its scales, there were actually two little bumps on its forehead, like horn buds that had yet to fully develop.
There were also two slight protrusions beneath its belly, in which the beginnings of clawed limbs could faintly be discerned.
"Horn buds and claw buds?"
Dugu Bo's eyes widened, and he was utterly dumbfounded.
"Is this... a dragon?"
Yu Xiaogang walked over for a look and nodded in satisfaction. "That's right. Yanyan's is closer to dragon-kind now than your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor. And since she's still young, the immortal herb's transformation of her was naturally more thorough. If she keeps cultivating, there's a very good chance her Martial Soul will evolve into a true Flood Dragon, or even something higher."
Dugu Bo was both astonished and delighted.
"Good! Good! Our Dugu Family finally has hope!"
If the Martial Soul evolved in the future and was then passed down, wouldn't that mean there would be no more worries hanging over them?
Dugu Bo rubbed his hands together in delight. Watching her grandfather act this way, Dugu Yan grinned along with him.
The instant Dugu Yan finished absorbing the immortal herb, that electronic voice Yu Xiaogang had not heard in so long finally sounded in his mind again.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on taking Dugu Yan as your disciple.] [Dugu Yan's potential: god-level. Meets the system's disciple acceptance criteria.] [Congratulations, host, on receiving one Apprentice-Taking Gift Pack. It has been opened automatically!] [Congratulations, host, on receiving: Martial Soul Bloodline Evolution Liquid ×1, Soul Spirit Method ×1, adaptive evolvable soul ring ×1.]
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