Hearing Gu Xuan's plea for help, Dugu Yan couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. The family atmosphere in Gu Xuan's household was truly harmonious; even the grandson dared to play such bold pranks on his grandfather.
However, Dugu Yan didn't have the heart to see Gu Xuan beaten into a pulp, so she called out to Gu Rong. "Grandpa Bone, please calm down! I'll discipline him for you!"
Only then did Gu Rong release his grip on Gu Xuan's head, grumbling indignantly. "You brat! If you ever dare to sneak attack your grandfather again, I'll beat you so hard you won't be able to get out of bed for three days."
Gu Xuan rubbed the back of his head with a grin. "Grandpa, I just wanted to test the power of my new soul skill. If I used it right in front of you, the surprise element would be gone, wouldn't it?"
Gu Rong rolled his eyes but eventually sighed. "That being said, the power of that skill is truly terrifying. Even if you faced a Soul Saint head-on, that strike would be enough to heavily injure or even annihilate them, even if they had their Martial Soul Avatar active."
Gu Xuan smiled. "You're right, Grandpa. But keep in mind that one strike consumes nearly eighty percent of my soul power. It only works that well because of the boosts from my first and second soul skills. Still, I finally have the capital to trade blows with a Soul Saint."
Gu Rong was satisfied, but even Dugu Yan—who had also absorbed a ring beyond her level—felt a gap. Her soul power had reached Rank 53, only two ranks lower than Gu Xuan's, yet her explosive combat power was still far behind his.
However, she could now hold her own against a Soul Saint through restriction and poisoning, even if she couldn't achieve an instant kill like Gu Xuan. In a team battle, Dugu Yan was actually more lethal; her Ancestor's Poison was something even a Soul Emperor dared not touch. Only a Soul Saint with a Martial Soul Avatar could barely resist it. At her level, her deterrent force was already far beyond that of the original Dugu Yan.
The harvest from this trip was immense. Dugu Yan gained the Titan Python's fifth soul ring, boosting her strength significantly. Gu Xuan reached Rank 55 at less than fifteen years old, with combat strength comparable to a top-tier Soul Saint. Beyond that, the Evil God Bead remained—a treasure Gu Xuan valued even more than a soul bone, as he already had a perfect plan for it.
The trio returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan without further encounters with Qian Renxue. When Ning Fengzhi learned that both had successfully obtained their fifth rings, he was so happy he nearly fainted. One was a nineteen-year-old Rank 53 genius with a top-tier evolved Martial Soul; the other was a fourteen-year-old Rank 55 monster destined for godhood.
Since it wasn't time to go public yet, the Clan Leader suppressed his excitement and threw a lavish celebratory feast. Dugu Bo even rushed back from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to join them. His granddaughter had not only cured her poison but had also improved her talent, making the old man's heart swell with joy.
Furthermore, because Dugu Bo had resolved his internal poison, he had naturally broken through to Rank 92, then Rank 92 peak via a Soul Ascension Pill, and finally hit Rank 93 after two years of bitter cultivation. He had even managed to give Yue Guan a taste of defeat during their last clash. Without Tang San's weapons, he instead used toxins refined by Yang Wudi—poison so potent it forced the Rank 95 Chrysanthemum Douluo to flee in embarrassment.
Dugu Bo's long-standing grudge against Yue Guan stemmed from the death of his son. Years ago, Yue Guan had intercepted Dugu Bo on the orders of Qian Xunji, delaying his return by three days. Those three days were the difference between life and death for Dugu Yan's father. While he knew his son's death was inevitable, those extra months would have mattered. Now, seeing his granddaughter's talent, he knew that even if he couldn't kill Yue Guan himself, Dugu Yan eventually would.
After spending a week at the Clan, Gu Xuan and Dugu Yan fled back to their respective academies to escape the pressure from the two grandfathers, who were already badgering them for a great-grandchild.
Back at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Gu Xuan shared his progress with Ye Lingling. When she heard his fifth ring was a 60,000-year-old one, she sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. In three months, she had reached Rank 49, but compared to Gu Xuan and the Rank 53 Dugu Yan, she felt a strong competitive fire. She didn't want to be a mere "vase," so she doubled her efforts.
The rest of the team—Yu Tianheng, the Shi brothers, Osler, and Yu Feng—had each gained a rank. Under the pressure of having two monsters like Gu Xuan and Ye Lingling around, they worked tirelessly. Yu Tianheng was now Rank 48 and hoped to hit Rank 50 before the tournament.
A week after his return, Xue Qinghe summoned Gu Xuan to a garden. Gu Xuan, knowing she was a Soul Saint, felt a bit awkward. He hadn't sought her out recently, yet she had initiated contact several times.
Xue Qinghe sipped fruit tea, her eyes sharp as she scrutinized Gu Xuan. She was stunned; in two years, he had gone from Rank 33 to a Soul King. Even with his soul power restrained, she could feel his aura was on par with her own Rank 71 cultivation. She felt as though her own Rank 20 innate soul power had been wasted compared to his.
'Gaining eight ranks a year... what kind of freakish cultivation speed is this?' she thought. She knew he had an external soul bone, the Sword Dragon Eight Wings, which allowed him to solo the Emperor Team without even using his Martial Soul.
Gu Xuan coughed. "Big brother, if you have something to ask, just say it. Watching me like that is awkward. I'm a straight man; I don't have those... 'Long Yang' preferences."
Xue Qinghe kicked him. "Be serious! I heard you got your fifth ring. How did you cultivate so fast? You didn't use some evil method, did you?"
Gu Xuan rolled with her acting. "Big brother, what are you saying? Even if such a method existed, I wouldn't stoop to it. I'm just naturally talented!"
"Naturally talented? Who cultivates like they're on a rocket?" she retorted. "Even the Angel successor with Rank 20 innate soul power didn't have your speed."
Gu Xuan bit back a comment about her praising herself and made up a story. "Big brother has sharp eyes. I told you a Clan elder became a Titled Douluo, right? His ninth ring was 90,000 years and dropped an external soul bone, which I absorbed. Combined with the Mixed Yuan Pill, that's why I'm so fast. But that won't happen again; I just have a good foundation now."
Xue Qinghe felt a bit better, thinking the burst of speed was a one-time thing. Then, Gu Xuan leaned in close to her ear, whispering with a mysterious look. "Big brother, let me tell you a secret."
His sudden proximity and the warmth of his breath made Xue Qinghe's ear turn visibly red. In twenty-two years, no man had ever been this close. As Gu Xuan had matured into a handsome youth, her feelings had shifted from "sibling" affection to something much more restless.
Deep in the garden, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupine Fish Douluo watched from the shadows, their gossip-loving hearts burning. "Snake Lance, I told you the Young Lord likes this kid! Whispering in his ear? That's not how brothers act!" Porcupine Fish whispered.
"I saw it long ago," Snake Lance replied. "The kid's talent is insane, but he's already engaged to two girls—Dugu Bo's granddaughter and the Nine-Hearted Begonia heir. If the Young Lord is interested, we should notify the Grand Worship to strike first. Our Saintess cannot be second to anyone!"
"You're right! I'll write the letter immediately!" Porcupine Fish agreed.
Gu Xuan, unaware of these two "wingmen" plotting a grand marriage for him, leaned closer to Xue Qinghe's ear. "Big brother... I think I've fallen in love again..."
(End of Chapter)
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