A Surprise for You

Centered on Liu Erlong, a fiery domain with a diameter of 100 meters suddenly unfolded! The temperature within the domain soared, the air distorted, and the golden-red Earthcore Dragon Flame rose and roamed as if it had a life of its own.

The front courtyard of the Strength Clan's residence was instantly transformed into a fiery inferno! Except for Yan Zu and their own area, who were intentionally protected by Dugu Bo's aura, the rest of the Strength Clan members screamed and retreated, with some of the lower-level members even suffering burns.

Tai Tan was at the center of the domain, enduring the greatest pressure and burning. He felt his Soul Power being rapidly depleted, his skin burning with pain, and even breathing became difficult. The dragon's might pressed down on his soul, causing it to tremble.

"Roar!" Behind Liu Erlong, the phantom of the Scarlet Flame Dragon King let out a deafening roar, its dragon might fiercely impacting Tai Tan's spirit.

"It's over." A fierce glint flashed in Liu Erlong's eyes as he raised his hand and made a grasping motion. Within his domain, three enormous Fire Dragon phantoms, entirely composed of pure dragon flame, materialized and emitted a deafening roar, simultaneously attacking the already exhausted Tai Tan from three directions!

"No!!!" Tai Tan roared in despair, using up his last bit of Soul Power to unleash his strongest defensive Soul Skill, transforming into a giant steel gorilla phantom that enveloped himself.

Three Fire Dragon slammed into the phantom of the Iron Gorilla!

"Crack—Boom!!!"

The illusory Iron Gorilla only lasted a few breaths before shattering! The three Fire Dragon, their momentum undiminished, slammed heavily into the Tai Tan's true form!

"Ah-!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the sky. Tai Tan, charred black, was blasted away like a rag doll, crashing into several houses before being buried in the ruins. He was barely breathing, his Soul Power fluctuations were extremely weak, and his cultivation level showed signs of regression!

This attack not only severely injured him to the brink of death, but also damaged the Martial Soul Origin. His cultivation will likely never recover, and he will never be able to return to the Soul Douluo realm.

The fiery domain slowly receded. Liu Erlong stood there, slightly out of breath, but her eyes were clear and joyful. The pent-up frustration of the past few days had finally dissipated!

The members of the Strength Clan looked at their clan leader, whose fate was unknown in the ruins, and then at Liu Erlong, whose murderous aura had not subsided, and Dugu Bo, who was watching coldly from the side. Their faces turned ashen, and they were all silent as cicadas in winter. Not one of them dared to step forward.

"Today, this is merely a small punishment to serve as a warning." Liu Erlong Lengleng swept his gaze over the members of the Strength Clan. "From this day forward, if the Strength Clan dares to offend my Blue Tyrant Academy again, or harm my disciples, I, Liu Erlong, will annihilate your entire clan! You must have all witnessed the poison of Senior Dugu."

Dugu Bo gave a timely cold snort, and the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Poison Dragon Emperor flashed away, its terrifying poisonous power sending chills down everyone's spines.

"Take your clan leader and get out of here." Liu Erlong turned away from them and said to Yan Zu and Dugu Bo, "Let's go."

The three of them drifted away, leaving behind a mess and a group of distraught members of the Strength Clan.

This battle severely damaged the Strength Clan. Clan Chief Tai Tan's cultivation level regressed, and he suffered serious injuries that were difficult to heal. Many of the clan's elite members also perished.

The injury left him devastated, and he never dared to provoke Blue Tyrant Academy again.

Liu Erlong's fearsome reputation began to quietly spread among the upper echelons of Heaven Dou City.

Back at the academy, Liu Erlong felt at peace, and her cultivation became even more stable. Yan Zu, on the other hand, began to focus his attention back on the academy, especially on Ye Lingling's situation.

After observing Ye Lingling for some time, he was completely relieved by her behavior. This girl was worthy of his full support.

One evening, after training, Yan Zu called out to Ye Lingling, who was about to return to her dormitory.

"Sister Lingling, wait a minute."

Ye Lingling stopped and turned around, her cool eyes looking at Yan Zu with a hint of doubt. "Yan Zu, is there something you need?"

Under the moonlight, the girl was dressed in black, with a slender figure and a beautiful face. However, the faint weariness and vague anxiety in her eyes could not escape Yan Zu's notice.

"It's nothing serious, it's just that you've been too engrossed in your cultivation lately, almost neglecting to eat and sleep." Yan Zu walked up to her, his tone gentle. "The way of cultivation is about balance. A string stretched too tight will easily break. Everyone sees your efforts, but you must also pay attention to the balance between work and rest. Taking care of your health is the most important thing."

Ye Lingling was slightly taken aback, not expecting Yan Zu to specifically bring this up. A warmth filled her heart, and she lowered her head, softly saying, "Thank you for your concern. I—I just hope to improve as quickly as possible so as not to hold everyone back." Looking at Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, and the others...

"You've progressed so fast, I—"

Her words carried a subtle hint of bitterness and stubbornness.

Looking at the aloof yet strong girl before him, Yan Zu felt a surge of pity. She never complained, never asked for anything, but silently endured the pressure and did her best to catch up.

"Sister Lingling," Yan Zu's voice softened, yet carried a reassuring strength, "Everyone in the team understands your hard work and dedication, and no one has ever felt that you are a burden. On the contrary, your Nine Heart Begonia is our strongest support. Without you, there are many adventures we wouldn't dare to attempt."

He paused, looking at Ye Lingling's slightly trembling eyelashes, and continued, "I know what you're worried about. The limitations of the Nine Heart Begonia's inheritance, the fragility of Healing System Soul Master —these things may not be insurmountable."

Ye Lingling suddenly raised her head, her clear eyes flashing with disbelief as she stared intently at Yan Zu: "You----"

What did you say? The flaw of the Nine Heart Begonia —is there a way to fix it?

Her voice trembled with excitement, and her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her dress.

Yan Zu nodded, but his tone remained calm. "I need your cooperation. First, starting tomorrow, stop all cultivation for three days. Completely relax, regulate your mind and body, and get into peak condition. During these three days, you can go to the city for a stroll, read a book, or simply rest. Can you do that?"

Stopping cultivation for three days? This was a strange request for Ye Lingling. But she trusted Yan Zu completely and nodded vigorously without hesitation. "I can do it!"

"Alright." Yan Zu smiled slightly. "Three days from now, at the same time, come find me here. I will give you a----"

"Surprise"."

"Surprise—" Ye Lingling murmured, repeating the two words, her eyes filled with anticipation, trepidation, and a glimmer of unbelievable hope. Looking at Yan Zu's gentle yet resolute gaze, she suddenly felt as if a crack had been torn open in the gloom weighing on her heart, letting in a ray of light.

"I—I will adjust my state!" Ye Lingling solemnly promised again, a faint expectation appearing on her usually aloof face.

For the next three days, Ye Lingling indeed did not engage in any cultivation as instructed.

She followed Yan Zu's advice, strolling through Heaven Dou City, listening to storytelling in teahouses, reading quietly in the academy's garden, and resting early in the evening.

At first, she felt a little uncomfortable, but gradually, she felt a long-lost sense of relaxation, and her mind became much clearer. She was filled with anticipation for the "surprise" three days later.

During these three days, Yan Zu was not idle. He prepared all the necessary pills and informed Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Oscar and others about Ye Lingling's upcoming advancement.

Everyone was happy for Ye Lingling and expressed their determination to support and cheer her on at the event.

The care shown by everyone warmed Yan Zu's heart. He placed the sachet containing Ah Yin on a sunny shelf in the quiet room, slightly shaded by curtains. Ah Yin's thoughts emanated a gentle fluctuation, as if Ping was also looking forward to what was about to happen.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The atmosphere in Yan Zu's private meditation room was solemn. Yan Zu, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Oscar, and Liu Erlong were all in the center of the room. Ye Lingling sat cross-legged on a soft futon, her expression a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Looking at the familiar and warm faces around her, and at Yan Zu's calm and composed demeanor, she was filled with emotion and courage. She took a deep breath and nodded to Yan Zu.

Yan Zu walked up to her, took out the first jade bottle, and solemnly said, "Sister Lingling, the first step is to take the Ice and Fire Body-Tempering Pill." This pill has the most potent medicinal properties, designed to temper the meridians, strengthen the body, and eliminate deep-seated impurities. The process will be extremely painful, like being tormented by alternating ice and fire, but it is a crucial step in solidifying your foundation and improving your constitution. You must remain conscious and fully circulate your Soul Power to guide the medicinal effects. I will assist you, and Little Jade will also protect your heart meridian with auspicious energy. Are you ready?"

Ye Lingling gazed at the pill within the jade bottle, which faintly emitted a red and blue halo. Her eyes held no fear, only unwavering resolve. "I'm ready."

She took the pill, swallowed it without hesitation, and then sat down cross-legged.

The pill entered the stomach and instantly transformed into two extreme forces! One was extremely cold, as if freezing the blood and bone marrow; the other was extremely hot, like magma surging through the meridians! The interplay of ice and fire brought indescribable pain.

Ye Lingling's delicate body trembled violently, her face instantly turning deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down her forehead, her teeth clenching her lower lip so tightly it almost drew blood. But she didn't utter a single groan of pain, following the method Yan Zu had instructed her to do beforehand, she fully activated her Soul Power, guiding the two violent medicinal energies to circulate in her meridians.

Yan Zu immediately placed his palm lightly on her back, and pure, gentle Soul Power and Nine Yin True Qi flowed in to help her regulate and balance the effects of the medicine. Little Jade also jumped in front of Ye Lingling, and a jade-colored auspicious halo enveloped her, stabilizing her mind and reducing the impact of the pain on her spirit.

Time passed slowly. Frost would sometimes form on Ye Lingling's body, and steam would sometimes rise from it. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and then dried by her body heat. Her breathing was uneven, but she showed no signs of breaking down. Her tenacious willpower moved everyone who watched.

"Elder Sister Lingling, you can do it!" Ning Rongrong clenched her little fist and prayed softly.

Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing watched intently, their eyes filled with concern.

Dugu Yan leaned gently against Oscar and whispered, "Lingling can definitely do it."

Oscar nodded vigorously, already holding a "Recovery Sausage" ready to hand it over at any moment.

Liu Erlong nodded secretly; Ye Lingling's willpower was indeed outstanding.

The entire process of tempering the body with ice and fire took a whole day to complete. As the last trace of the violent medicinal power was absorbed, Ye Lingling's aura surged suddenly, then slowly calmed down.

Her aura became noticeably more solid, and her skin faintly glowed with a warm luster. Although she was exhausted, her eyes were brighter and clearer. Most notably, her originally somewhat delicate temperament, which had been due to her long-term cultivation of Healing System Martial Soul, had gained a more resilient foundation.