About the time it took two incense sticks to burn passed.
Dugu Yan pushed open the door.
She had traded her tight, alluring dark green leather battle armor for a comfortable, close-fitting light purple silk robe.
Her shoulder-length dark purple hair was slightly damp, with a few crystal-clear droplets still clinging to the ends, making her heroic features look even fairer and more radiant.
More striking still was the complexion she now displayed.
The faint, chilling air that had lingered between her brows had vanished without a trace, replaced by the rosy glow of healthy blood and Qi.
All trace of the deadly beauty was swept away, replaced by a bright, captivating, and valiant bearing.
Ye Lingling stared at her, dumbfounded.
Was this really Dugu Yan?
"Little Brother Xiao Xuan, your Whale Rubber secret technique is truly a wonder beyond belief!"
Dugu Yan walked over to the sofa and clenched her fair fist, her emerald-green phoenix eyes full of delight.
"Not only have my meridians widened, but the bones throughout my body are much stronger than before!"
Having felt the exhilaration of her body being reborn, Dugu Yan looked at Xiao Xuan with undisguised trust.
Xiao Xuan smiled faintly and looked Dugu Yan over.
"Sister Yanyan, you should believe me now, right?"
Dugu Yan nodded with a charming laugh, then sat down close beside Xiao Xuan and linked her arm through his. "Little Brother Xiao Xuan~ So next... can you remove more of the poison for me?"
"Of course."
"Sister Yanyan, sit properly. I'll try again, but this time I'll be sending in some Soul Power. If the pain becomes unbearable, just cry out, and I'll stop."
Dugu Yan nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed. As instructed, she sat cross-legged on the cushioned chair and half-closed her eyes.
Xiao Xuan placed his hand on Dugu Yan's wrist once more.
With a slight movement of his thoughts, a rich, pure life presence entered Dugu Yan's body through her pulse.
This time, it felt completely different.
The meridians that had once been thin and fragile were now several degrees tougher and wider after their baptism with thousand-year Whale Rubber. Xiao Xuan no longer needed to control his Soul Power so carefully.
Dugu Yan did feel a stabbing pain during the process, but she gritted her teeth and endured it. She didn't make a sound until Xiao Xuan stopped.
Half an hour later.
Xiao Xuan withdrew his fingers.
"All right, Sister Yanyan. How do you feel?"
Dugu Yan opened her eyes, her gaze filled with the joy of someone granted a new life.
"There's less..."
Dugu Yan sprang up from the cushioned chair and looked at Ye Lingling and Xiao Xuan excitedly.
"More than half of it is really gone!"
"Little Brother Xiao Xuan! You really are my lucky star!"
Xiao Xuan smiled.
"Sister Yanyan, you've only completed one round of body tempering, so your meridians haven't expanded all that much. That's why some of the poison couldn't be completely removed. After the next round, we should be able to clear it all out."
At his words, wild joy instantly appeared on Dugu Yan's face, and she seized Xiao Xuan.
Caught off guard, Xiao Xuan felt everything go dark before his entire face slammed once again into a soft, warm, fragrant embrace.
Her silk robe was thin and close-fitting, and the warm, delicate sensation, mixed with the faint scent of plants from her bath, rushed into his nostrils. Pressed against her, Xiao Xuan's breath caught, and his ears burned hot.
"Mmph... Sister Yanyan! Let go... hurry, let go!"
Xiao Xuan hastily threw out his arms and braced them against Dugu Yan's shoulders, finally managing to escape the soft embrace.
Seeing Xiao Xuan's face flushed red as he awkwardly cleared his throat and straightened his collar, Dugu Yan couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Mischief danced in her eyes and brows. She found this junior schoolmate of hers, whose abilities reached the heavens, utterly adorable.
After calming her excitement, Dugu Yan slowly reined in her smile and gently caught Xiao Xuan by the sleeve. "Little Brother Xiao Xuan, when my grandfather returns to the city in a few days, will you come home with me and meet him?" she asked earnestly.
Dugu Yan lowered her head, her fingers tightening slightly.
"Grandpa never mentions it in front of me, but whenever the poison in his body flares up, he quietly leaves home. I know he must be hiding from me on purpose so I won't see him, but I've known all along..."
Her eyes reddened slightly as she spoke.
"I've always known how much Grandpa suffers, but I could only pretend I didn't, because there was nothing I could do..."
"But now you can clear the snake venom from my body, Little Brother Xiao Xuan, so you must be able to help my grandfather too!
"I'm begging you. When the time comes, please take a look at my grandfather too. Even if you can only ease a little of his pain, that would be enough!"
Hearing Dugu Yan speak so sincerely, Xiao Xuan was touched.
"Sister Yanyan, you're making too much of it. It's no trouble at all."
"Really?! That's wonderful!"
The next day.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy officially welcomed the first day of the new term.
Its standard of teaching and its facilities were far beyond anything Notting Junior Academy in the remote borderlands could compare with.
The veteran instructor at the lectern taught the structure of Martial Souls, the essentials of mimicry cultivation, and the distribution and habits of Soul Beasts. His explanations were clear and his insights profound, and Xiao Xuan listened with great interest.
But more than the regular classroom lectures, it was the academy's library that drew Xiao Xuan's attention.
At noon, Xiao Xuan ate a simple lunch, then went straight to the academy library.
The entire library was five stories high, with carved beams and painted rafters. It was quiet and solemn.
With his badge as an official student, Xiao Xuan passed through unhindered and went straight to the side hall on the third floor, where all kinds of combat techniques and methods of exerting force were stored.
As far as he could see, dozens of towering rosewood bookshelves stood in orderly rows, holding numerous books and records.
Many manuals that would cost tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins on the open market could be freely taken out and read here by students.
This was one of the benefits of attending a top academy.
Xiao Xuan slowly surveyed the weapons shelves, his gaze darting over the various catalogues.
Saber arts, sword arts, staff arts, heavy axes...
After passing several bookshelves, Xiao Xuan paused before an old, long cabinet by the window at the very back. Two books caught his eye.
The system scanned them.
Two intermediate spear art manuals!
But the real surprise was still to come.
In a compartment behind the two manuals lay a thick tome with the sheen of animal hide.
"Nine Revolutions Rushing Thunder Spear Art"!
[One advanced spear art manual!]
Looking at the system feedback before him, Xiao Xuan's lips curved slightly upward.
Two intermediate spear arts, plus a genuine advanced spear art!
He could finally fuse and improve his spear art.
Xiao Xuan took all three spear art manuals down, found a seat nearby, and read them carefully.
Two hours later.
[Congratulations, host has learned intermediate spear art manual one (not initiated)] [Congratulations, host has learned intermediate spear art manual two (not initiated)] [Congratulations, host has learned advanced spear art "Nine Revolutions Rushing Thunder Spear Art" (not initiated)]
After recording the two intermediate spear arts, Xiao Xuan decisively initiated the fusion.
[Ding! Three-in-One Fusion of All Things activated...] [Main materials: intermediate spear art ×3.] [Supplementary materials: none] [Fusion in progress...] [Fusion complete! Congratulations, host has obtained an advanced spear art (Perfection Realm) and Embryonic Spear Intent!]