"Generally speaking, most people would be tortured to death by the snake toxin before the age of forty. But you're clearly an exception—not only did you cultivate all the way to a Titled Douluo, your lifespan is also among the longest of all the Jade Phosphor Serpent soul masters."
What Xiao Yan said was something Dugu Bo understood better than anyone.
This was the history of his clan.
And Xiao Yan was actually being conservative. In the entire Dugu lineage, only he and Yanyan remained.
"What did you discover?" Dugu Bo asked.
Xiao Yan replied, "I mentioned it earlier—the appearance of the inner pellet is one of the reasons you survived. Judging from your granddaughter's strength, I can confidently infer that this pellet is a byproduct formed after your strength increased and your martial soul evolved."
Dugu Bo nodded. "You're right. The inner pellet was condensed when my Jade Phosphor Serpent evolved into the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. I don't mind telling you—this pellet contains half of my total strength. If you had dared to touch it just now, you wouldn't have escaped unscathed."
Then he sighed. "But even so, what difference does it make? After forming the inner pellet, aside from increased strength, I haven't felt any real change."
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "You used a very good word just now."
Seeing Dugu Bo's confusion, Xiao Yan spelled it out clearly: "Evolution."
This touched upon some of his recent theoretical ideas. He hadn't expected that someone had already partially achieved them.
The Blue Silver King once said that with another ten thousand years of cultivation, it could evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor.
Given the premise that soul masters are descendants of transformed soul beasts, if a martial soul were cultivated to a certain level, it should also possess the ability to evolve.
Or, considering that soul masters cultivate far faster than soul beasts, this logic made even more sense.
Soul masters are capable of evolving their martial souls.
At the very least, Xiao Yan himself—a half-beast existence—was living proof that martial souls could undergo secondary evolution.
As for the Blue Silver King's claim that humans could never fully awaken the Blue Silver Emperor martial soul—that was nothing more than a frog-at-the-bottom-of-the-well mindset.
If soul beasts were truly as noble and powerful as it claimed, would they really be hiding in three scattered forests?
The more reasonable explanation was simple: soul masters didn't understand how martial soul evolution or secondary awakening worked.
With a lifespan of barely a hundred years, and a rigid cultivation mindset centered entirely on meditation and soul rings, how could they possibly research something as complex as martial soul evolution?
To truly study it, one needed time—and experimentation.
And right now, there was a perfect test subject.
"Evolution?" Dugu Bo frowned. "Didn't I just say that?"
Xiao Yan nodded. "Your inner pellet likely replaced the venom sac. But in its current state, the evolution is incomplete. If your strength increases further, it might undergo another qualitative change."
"Increase further?" Dugu Bo exploded. "Do you think becoming a Titled Douluo is as easy as picking cabbage? Reaching rank ninety-one already cost me a lifetime of effort!"
Watching the old man fume, Xiao Yan calmly advised, "Relax. Getting this angry at your age isn't great for your cardiovascular health."
"I'm only in my seventies!" Dugu Bo retorted. "That's young among Titled Douluo!"
…So men do care about age.Xiao Yan rolled his eyes, suddenly remembering how Meng Yiran once forced him to call her 'big sister' just to get strawberries.
Yeah… maybe he cared too. He was clearly the big brother.
"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean I can't help you do it," Xiao Yan said as he waved his hand, putting away the tea set. "Based on my strength alone, you should know I'm not lying."
If it weren't for that strength, would we really be sitting here drinking tea so peacefully?Dugu Bo's voice turned solemn. "State your conditions."
Xiao Yan smiled. "Let me first tell you what you'll gain.First, I can help you and your granddaughter completely eliminate the snake toxin.Second, I can help you break through to a level of strength beyond your imagination.Third, I can ensure your granddaughter reaches Titled Douluo before the age of thirty."
If anyone else had said this, Dugu Bo would've thought them insane. But recalling Xiao Yan's terrifying power—and his age—Dugu Bo had no doubt about the truth of his words.
Still… why would Xiao Yan help him so much?
For his strength?With those two massive vine beasts of his, each comparable to a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, Xiao Yan already possessed power equivalent to two Titled Douluo.
For his beautiful granddaughter?Xiao Yan was practically surrounded by beauties—he clearly wasn't short on women.
After thinking it through, realization struck Dugu Bo.
"You brat… you're not trying to become my grandson-in-law, are you?" he asked suspiciously.
If that were the case, they'd be family.
His own strength—and his granddaughter—would both be tied to Xiao Yan.
"Huh?" Even Xiao Yan, proud owner of an overactive imagination, was caught off guard. "Old poison, are you trying to take advantage of me?"
He quickly clarified, "I only have two conditions.First, you must cooperate with my research on martial soul evolution.Second, you must join my faction—either the Tianfu Alliance or the Soul Hall.
"If you're still affiliated with the imperial family, then join the Tianfu Alliance. It's a coalition that integrates various forces.If you're a free soul master, I recommend the Soul Hall instead.
"The Soul Hall is a force I founded. Its purpose is to develop a new type of soul master centered on soul power, combining martial arts with soul skills—completely different from the Spirit Hall's ideology of absolute martial soul supremacy."
Without the Tianfu Alliance and the Soul Hall, Dugu Bo would've seen Xiao Yan as merely a monstrously talented youth.
Now, however, it was clear—this young man had grand ambitions.
"I don't like being constrained by major powers," Dugu Bo said. "My role as a guest elder of the imperial family is only because they once did me a favor."
After a brief pause, he continued, "I agree to both conditions. With my strength, if I join the Soul Hall, I should at least qualify as an elder."
"Of course," Xiao Yan replied easily. "The Soul Hall prioritizes cultivation. Unless something major happens, you won't be assigned any troublesome tasks."
"Looks like I'll be retiring in the Soul Hall," Dugu Bo said with a self-deprecating chuckle.
He had come tonight intending to torture Xiao Yan for answers—yet somehow, he'd ended up selling himself instead.
As the topic turned to power struggles, Xiao Yan frowned slightly."Old Poison, you've been in the capital for a long time, and you're close to the prince. How much do you know about the current competition among the imperial heirs?"
........
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" Douluo: The System Arrived Ten Thousand Years Early — I Crush Tang San "
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(End of Chapter)