Chapter 11 Talent Domain: Ice, Fire, Poisonous Miasma.
When they looked at the academy where they had lived for three years again, their gazes had completely changed, filled with awe and curiosity.
This Beidou Academy, nestled deep within the Sunset Forest, surrounded by poisonous miasma and ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, seemed to be having its veil of mystery lifted slightly by the announcement of the Heavenly Canopy Ranking.
Dugu Yan stood a little further away, taking in the conversation and reactions of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
Although she didn't think as deeply as the two women, she vaguely sensed the extraordinary nature of this academy. Could the Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul really make the list?
For the first time, she felt a trace of uncertainty about her once-proud Martial Soul.
Meanwhile, on the rocking chair, Lu Xiao, seemingly asleep, had a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
A moment's wait felt longer than a month for the soul masters of Douluo Continent.
The golden canopy in the sky hung like the Sword of Damocles over everyone's hearts, bringing both a yearning for opportunity and a fear and curiosity about the unknown rankings.
When that familiar buzzing sound resounded through the heavens and earth once more, the entire continent held its breath.
Golden light converged, and the solemn voice of the Heavenly Dao rang out:
[Martial Soul Ranking, 14th Place: Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor (Mutated Version)]
[Holder: Dugu Yan (Beidou Academy)]
[Rating: Top-tier Control/Power Attack Beast Martial Soul, tempered and transformed by extreme cold and heat, possessing both ice and fire attributes, its toxicity has mutated, doubling its power.]
[Reward: Soul Power level increased by three levels, all Soul Rings' age increased by 3,500 years, gained Talent Domain: Ice and Fire Poisonous Miasma]
"Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor? Dugu Yan? Who's that?"
"Never heard of it! Isn't the Azure Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul from the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's lineage? Although troublesome, it's ranked fourteenth? Higher than the Seven Kill Sword?"
"Wait! The description says it was tempered by extreme cold and heat? Dual attributes of ice and fire? Is this... is this still the Azure Phosphorous Serpent?"
"Dugu Yan... could she be the granddaughter of Poison Douluo? Her martial soul has evolved?!"
"The reward is a three-level increase in soul power? And a domain! This... this opportunity is too heaven-defying!"
Huge discussions erupted once again across the continent.
Compared to the martial souls of those well-known powerhouses, this "Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor" and its wielder "Dugu Yan" were completely unfamiliar to most people.
But its high ranking and generous rewards instantly attracted the attention and investigation of countless forces.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong looked at the sky, their faces showing astonishment.
"Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor? The granddaughter of that old monster Dugu Bo?"
Gu Rong looked puzzled.
"Although the old poisoner's Azure Phosphorus Serpent King is troublesome, in terms of quality, it's far inferior to your Seven Kill Sword and my Bone Dragon, right? How come it's ranked fourteenth? And just one place ahead of you, Old Chen?"
Chen Xin frowned slightly, his eyes flashing with sword intent, and said in a deep voice, "The description of the Heavenly Curtain mentions 'tempered by extreme cold and heat,' and 'dual attributes of ice and fire.'"
"It seems that this girl's martial soul has undergone an extraordinary evolution."
"Moreover, its toxicity has mutated, and its power has multiplied. Perhaps, this is the key to its high ranking."
Ning Fengzhi pondered, "Dugu Yan, I remember there was news three years ago that the Poison Douluo's granddaughter also entered the depths of the Sunset Forest, and then disappeared without a trace. Could it be..."
He had a vague guess in his heart, but he couldn't confirm it.
He only felt that the forest shrouded in poisonous miasma was becoming more and more mysterious.
Beidou Academy, the square.
"It's me! It's me! Fourteenth place!"
"Hahaha!"
Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment when she saw her name and martial soul appear.
Then she jumped up excitedly, her pretty face full of excitement and joy.
She never expected that her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul could not only be on the list, but also rank so high, even surpassing Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword!
After all, when she saw the ranking of the Seven Kill Sword martial soul, she thought she probably wouldn't even make it into the top twenty.
However, thinking of the hardships she endured during the evolution of her martial soul, she felt that all the effort was worthwhile.
She knew that she used the power of ice and fire from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well every day to temper her martial soul.
This was a method taught to her by Teacher Li Bai.
Moreover, Teacher Li Bai would assist her from the side, otherwise, with her current small body, the power of ice and fire was so terrifying that even a little bit of it would probably cause serious injury.
Fortunately, after a year of trying, the power of ice and fire had indeed been integrated into her martial soul.
Moreover, her own toxicity had undergone other changes due to the power of ice and fire.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a huge golden pillar of light descended on her.
Dugu Yan could clearly feel a pure and gentle energy, ignoring spatial barriers, quietly merging into her body, propelling her soul power level to break through three levels in a row.
Simultaneously, it nourished and transformed her soul rings and martial soul origin!
A completely new understanding of the power of ice and fire, along with a blurry image of a poisonous miasma domain, appeared in her mind.
"Dean! Did you see that? My Azure Phosphorous Serpent King is ranked fourteenth!"
Dugu Yan excitedly ran to Lu Xiao's rocking chair and exclaimed.
Lu Xiao lazily opened one eye, glanced at the sky, and yawned, saying, "Hmm, I saw it, so-so."
The two springs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye possessed the power of extreme ice and extreme fire respectively.
Imbuing a serpent martial soul with these two attributes was easy for him.
"So-so?"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but interject, her little face full of disbelief.
"Sister Yan's martial soul is ranked fourteenth! Even higher than Grandpa Jian's Seven Kill Sword! And you call that 'so-so'?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Lu Xiao, her cold, beautiful face filled with inquiry, and a hint of envy flashing in her eyes.
Although her Netherworld Cat martial soul was a top-tier agility-type martial soul, and she had previously consumed immortal herbs, greatly enhancing her strength, in terms of martial soul level, it was indeed inferior to Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong.
Seeing that the other had received a reward, Zhu Zhuqing made up her mind that she must cultivate as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if this continued, she would definitely fall far behind the two of them.
Lu Xiao stretched and said slowly, "Based on the original potential of the Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, making it into the top twenty would be a miracle. However…"
He glanced at Dugu Yan, "You little girl are quite lucky, or rather, your grandfather was wise back then. This martial soul was immersed in the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire for so long, and nourished by some resources from the academy, resulting in a positive mutation."
"The Azure Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's martial soul possesses both ice and fire attributes, and its toxicity has also undergone a transformation, indeed increasing its potential considerably."
"Ranking it fourteenth is quite reasonable."
He spoke casually, but the information in his words shocked Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing once again.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan felt even more grateful to Lu Xiao and the academy.
She knew that without her grandfather's "wiseness" back then, and without the resources and environment provided by the academy, she would never have achieved what she has today.
(End of Chapter)