Not long after, the group flying through the sky returned to Heaven Dou City.
Under Dugu Bo's guidance, they arrived at an exquisite private courtyard. Though it wasn't very large, the layout was refined, with elegant pavilions and rare flowers and herbs adorning the garden.
It was clear that despite Dugu Bo spending most of his time secluded at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he was quite wealthy.
Once inside, everyone took their seats, and Dugu Bo instructed a middle-aged maid, "Bring the young miss here."
Moments later, a little girl with slightly green-tinted hair was led in. Though she was still young, her features were well-proportioned, and her eyes sparkled with a smile—clearly a budding beauty.
When the girl saw Dugu Bo, she flew into his arms like a tired bird returning to its nest and asked softly, "Grandpa, why did you take so long to come back?"
Dugu Bo picked up Dugu Yan and replied with a doting smile, "From now on, we'll live together with this grandpa here. That way, Grandpa can stay with Yan Yan every day."
The joy on both their faces made it clear how deep their bond was.
Yu Yuanzhen interrupted their warm moment in order to confirm her identity. "Little girl, can Grandpa take a look at your martial soul?"
Dugu Yan looked toward Dugu Bo. After receiving his nod, she immediately activated her martial soul. Like Ah Zhu, her legs fused into a green snake tail.
On the Douluo Continent, the best way to confirm familial ties was by comparing martial souls. Though the Green Phosphor Snake lacked the regal presence of a soul beast king, it closely resembled Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. Just like Blue Silver Grass and Blue Silver Emperor, one look was enough to confirm their relation.
Seeing the similarities in their martial souls, Yu Yuanzhen nodded and said to Dugu Bo, "If there's anything else to handle, finish it now. We're leaving shortly."
A short while later, Dugu Bo dismissed his servants, shut the courtyard gate, and carried Dugu Yan as he followed the two toward Blue Lightning Academy.
Blue Lightning Academy was a prestigious school in Heaven Dou City. Anyone with insight would know instantly which faction it belonged to, so Yu Yuanzhen didn't need to be wary of Dugu Bo here.
At this time, Dugu Yan had only just awakened her martial soul, and her hair had taken on a faint green hue.
As they walked, Yu Tianming noticed it and asked, "Her hair didn't used to be green, right?"
Dugu Bo replied, "It didn't."
He had long had a nagging suspicion about the change in her hair color but never dared to face it.
Yu Tianming, however, directly pointed out the truth: "Then your granddaughter may have also been affected by the martial soul's poison."
Though he had feared it, hearing it confirmed still caused Dugu Bo's heart to skip a beat. After a moment of silence, the old Soul Douluo choked up and said:
"This martial soul poison has tortured me for half my life. It cost me my son and daughter-in-law. I never imagined it would be passed down to my granddaughter as well."
Though she understood that she was poisoned, Dugu Yan still wiped the corner of her grandfather's eye and said gently, "It's okay. I don't blame Grandpa."
Seeing their emotions run high, on the verge of a tearful scene, Yu Tianming quickly consoled them:
"Dugu Yan's martial soul, the Green Phosphor Snake, carries only a mild toxin. She's still young and was only recently affected. There's still time to treat it."
Yu Yuanzhen also added, "Now that you've joined the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, we'll spare no effort in curing your granddaughter."
Though he had wanted to kill Dugu Bo multiple times, Yu Yuanzhen still believed in the principle of recognizing true talent and virtue. He hoped that by curing Dugu Yan, he could earn Dugu Bo's genuine allegiance.
Hearing their firm promises, Dugu Bo responded sincerely, "If Yan Yan can be cured, I, Dugu Bo, will gladly serve."
A lifelong loner, he had never wanted to join any faction, but he knew that if anyone could cure Dugu Yan, it would be one of the three great sects—especially the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
As the three conversed, they arrived at Blue Lightning Academy without even realizing it.
Yu Yuanzhen first instructed Yu Luomian, "I have matters to attend to in the coming days. Tomorrow, you'll head to the imperial palace and escort the caravan back to the sect."
Then, turning to Yu Tianming, he said, "Ah Zhu, Ah Zhi, and you have all reached rank 20. Have a match with them—I want to see your strength."
With all the herbs they had just collected from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the sect was flush with resources. If the two maids proved themselves capable, he'd consider allocating them some cultivation resources.
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At a newly built arena in Blue Lightning Academy, Yu Tianming stood ten meters opposite Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi.
To test Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi's combat ability, Yu Tianming still wasn't allowed to use his flight ability.
Liu Erlong, acting as the referee, shouted, "Begin!"
The moment the word fell, both sides activated their martial souls.
The red-haired Ah Zhu grew two crimson horns and a snake tail.
The blue-haired Ah Zhi sprouted a bluish-purple horn. The two of them together looked like a perfect match—like Gold-Horned and Silver-Horned Generals.
Ah Zhi could transform her legs into a fish tail, but on land, that hindered mobility, so she kept her legs.
Ah Zhi stepped forward and stood before Ah Zhu, shouting, "Second Soul Skill—Blue Crystal Armor!"
As her second soul ring flashed, a set of full-body armor materialized on her. The armor gleamed like the hide of the Blue Crystal Dragon Lizard, with beast head designs on the shoulders and waist.
This skill doubled her defense. If the armor became fully charged with electricity, it would gain an extra 50% defense boost. That electric charge could also be released offensively.
The Thunder Eel soul beast, which her martial soul was based on, had thick fat layers for insulation, making it highly resistant to electric shocks and blunt force.
So, with her martial soul activated, Ah Zhi already had strong resistance to blunt impacts. Now clad in armor that could also block sharp weapons, she had instantly become a formidable defense-type soul master.
After casting her second soul skill, she shouted again, "First Soul Skill—Charge!"
At once, a blue-purple glow enveloped her.
Her first soul skill charged her with electricity, increasing lightning damage and movement speed by 30% before releasing.
Although the Thunder Eel's defense, speed, and power didn't match the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, it had one distinct advantage—burst damage.
On Earth, electric eels could release 300 to 800 volts. Ah Zhi's Thunder Eel martial soul could easily release over a thousand volts.
Now, stacked with two electricity-based skills, her defense and burst potential were both terrifying.
Yu Tianming noticed that the brightness of Ah Zhi's armor hadn't peaked yet. If he used lightning breath, it might just be absorbed, causing minimal damage.
Using flame breath was an option. If Ah Zhu activated her first soul skill, she'd be immune to fire and could use Fire Spirit Flash to slash through him, enhancing her attack with soul-burning flames.
But using wind breath would be too weak.
The two girls had deliberately positioned themselves close together, leaving him no chance to circle behind them.
Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi's tactic was simple yet effective: force a close-range battle. If Yu Tianming wasn't instantly paralyzed by Ah Zhi's electric burst, Ah Zhu would be ready to strike from the side and add her Soul-Corroding Flame.
Any ordinary melee Soul Master at this level would lose.
Unfortunately for them—they weren't facing an ordinary Soul Master.
They were facing Yu Tianming.
(End of Chapter)
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