"A Martial Soul evolution?" Gu Xuan asked in astonishment.
Dugu Yan nodded, her face beaming with joy. "Unexpected, right? I didn't expect it myself. It's not just the evolution—I feel like my physical fitness, Spiritual Power, and even every single cell in my body has undergone a massive leap forward."
"Xiao Xuan, this Yearning Heartbroken Red truly lives up to its name as the Emperor of Immortal Herbs."
Gu Xuan smiled faintly. "This is your fortuitous encounter. Tell me, what kind of changes happened to your Martial Soul after it evolved?"
Dugu Yan's smile blossomed like a flower. "Look!"
As she spoke, she took several steps back, maintaining a five-meter distance from Gu Xuan. Three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—rose around her. Her fair, jade-like legs transformed into a swaying serpent tail. However, the original green color had shifted toward a hue that leaned closer to blue—a color situated somewhere between emerald green and azure.
Gu Xuan didn't quite know how to describe it, but it was beautiful, giving him an irrepressible urge to reach out and admire it.
Beyond the transformation of her legs into a tail, a diamond-shaped crystal appeared on Dugu Yan's forehead, sharing the same color as her tail. Her pupils had likewise changed to match.
There weren't massive changes elsewhere, though if one were to be pedantic, her waist seemed even more supple and her curves more pronounced. The moment this version of Dugu Yan appeared, Gu Xuan couldn't help but swallow hard.
From a sensory perspective, Dugu Yan was indeed far stronger than she had been before consuming the Yearning Heartbroken Red. However, the physical changes to the Martial Soul seemed minor on the surface, appearing mostly as a shift in color.
Dugu Yan seemed to read his thoughts and spoke slowly. "It's not just a color change. After consuming the herb, my Jade Phosphor Serpent evolved. Its name should now be called: Ancestor."
"Ancestor?" Gu Xuan was stunned. What kind of name was that? The evolution path seemed off. Isn't it common knowledge that serpents carry the bloodline of the Dragon Clan? Usually, evolution leads toward becoming a Dragon. What did "Ancestor" mean? The progenitor of all serpents?
Seeing Gu Xuan's confusion, Dugu Yan gently raised her hand. As her soul power surged, a cluster of poisonous mist appeared in her palm, shimmering with a blend of emerald and azure. To Gu Xuan, it looked similar to cyan, so he mentally settled on calling it a cyan mist.
This cyan mist was distinctly different from her previous poison; it actually contained a dense, rich aura of life.
Gu Xuan was even more bewildered now. Isn't the Jade Phosphor Serpent a venomous snake? What was the meaning of such a thick life force? It was one thing for the Martial Soul to evolve, but even the attribute had changed?
He quickly realized that Dugu Yan's gains were far greater than he had imagined. The mere fact that the name was "Ancestor" proved its weight.
Looking at the cyan mist in her hand, Dugu Yan explained. "Because of the evolution, my three soul skills have changed as well. Consider this a weakened version of my first soul skill."
Gu Xuan watched intently, waiting for her explanation.
"After the evolution, my first soul skill, Red Jaded Scale Poison, became Serpent Spirit Source. The effect of this skill is quite unique. For instance, if you are injured, I can use this skill to extract the origin or life force of others to heal you."
"Alternatively, I can convert my own soul power or poison into an energy similar to origin power to treat your wounds."
Gu Xuan was amazed. This skill sounded incredibly powerful, albeit a bit morally questionable—extracting the origin of others? But it was undeniably impressive. Was the Ancestor Martial Soul really this strong?
Dugu Yan continued her introduction. "My second soul skill, Blue Jaded Scale Poison, has become Spirit Serpent's Breath."
"I'm actually a bit puzzled by this one myself. My second soul skill now possesses dual attributes of Water and Poison. Because of this, it's extremely difficult for strong winds or ordinary flames to disperse or incinerate it. Its toxicity is no weaker than my previous third soul skill."
"And my third soul skill, Jade Phosphor Violet Poison, has become Poison Origin. This skill has no offensive capability; instead, it instantly boosts my toxicity by 100%. It is an amplification skill. The power of the serpent venom after this boost is immense. Although I haven't tested it in a real fight yet..."
"I am certain that if I use my second skill while under the state of my third skill, even without a fourth soul ring, I would be invincible among Soul Ancestors."
"It is basically impossible for a Soul Master at the Soul Ancestor level to withstand my poison."
"Most importantly, my Martial Soul now possesses an absolute suppression effect against any serpent-type Martial Soul, and it is no longer afraid of Dragon-type pressure."
Listening to her, Gu Xuan felt as though he were in a dream. Her skills had completely changed, and their utility was far beyond what they were before.
The most crucial point was that her evolution path was different from his guess! This wasn't just evolution; it was more like "Atavism"—a return to ancestral roots. While most snakes aim to become Dragons, there are supreme existences within the serpent race that do not lose to the Dragon Clan, such as the legendary Soaring Serpent or the Serpent of the Five Elements.
Dugu Yan's Ancestor Martial Soul was likely a manifestation of this primeval power, evolving toward the pinnacle of the serpent race based on her own unique constitution.
Her Martial Soul was still a snake, but it was no longer the same kind of snake. The previous Jade Phosphor Serpent was powerful but prone to backlash, a "double-edged sword" style of combat. Now, her poison was more domineering and violent, yet she was immune to its ill effects. She could even convert poison into life energy for healing. Once she fully matured, she would undoubtedly be the Emperor of Serpents.
Both Gu Xuan and Dugu Yan were incredibly excited. This evolution meant her foundation had surged, allowing her to truly become Gu Xuan's aide rather than someone relegated to the sidelines.
After finishing her explanation, Dugu Yan gazed at Gu Xuan, her mind drifting. She knew this opportunity was entirely because of him—whether it was the herb he chose or the man himself. Without him, her poison would never have been cured, let alone her Martial Soul evolving.
"Xiao Xuan..." Dugu Yan retracted her Martial Soul and approached him, her eyes overflowing with tenderness.
(End of Chapter)
---
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.