"Your spirit rings... why are they all thousand-year spirit rings?!"
Dugu Yan just stared, completely stunned.
Yin Xuan shrugged. "When I first started, I only wanted to become a Spirit Master. Then, I stumbled across a dying thousand-year Spirit Beast. I took a deep breath, got up the guts to kill it, and absorbed its ring. Barely made it out alive, but I pulled it off."
Dugu Yan shook her head in awe. "You're honestly lucky. Usually, if someone tries to absorb a spirit ring above their limit, they die. Simple as that. Yet, you did it—and twice, too. That's pretty much unheard of."
She paused, thinking, "I guess I might not actually be able to beat you…"
That doubt flashed across her mind, then disappeared. Her spirit rings glowed.
"First Soul Skill: Bilin Red Poison."
"Second Soul Skill: Bilin Blue Poison."
The two yellow rings at Dugu Yan's feet began to shine, and suddenly, red and blue clouds of poison wrapped around her, merging into her body. Her aura shot up, probably by thirty percent.
A weird shimmer—half red, half blue—sparkled in her green eyes. Strands of her long hair now floated with red and blue mist. Even the emerald scales on her snake tail were tinged with crimson and icy blue.
A faint, sweet-fishy scent drifted from her mouth with the colored mist swirling at her lips. Her excitement was obvious—her eyes now held a dangerous edge.
"I'm coming for you," she said with a smile. "Careful now. If you get hurt, this Bilin Snake Poison is nasty stuff. It takes even me a while to clean it up."
She flashed a beautiful smile, then darted through the forest like lightning. Honestly, she moved as fast as any agility-type Spirit Master.
Yin Xuan kept his eyes locked on her movements, ready.
"Buzz!"
His first spirit ring glowed, sending dark golden light down his right arm. It grew into a three-meter spear.
Dark Blue Silver Overlord Spear.
This skill was made for single-target attacks: fast and sharp, able to pierce almost anything. Basically, it's a weapon skill—you could actually wield it as a spear. Only, Yin Xuan wasn't great with spears. So, during combat, he just used it for quick, straight attacks. If he wanted to keep it active long, it drained a ton of spirit power. But for dealing with Dugu Yan, it was good enough.
The golden light faded and left Yin Xuan gripping a dark golden spear.
Dugu Yan noticed its power right away—she recognized it as a Spirit Ability through her rings.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—"
She weaved between trees and went for Yin Xuan with full force. Her five fingers gleamed with toxic green. Even without attack-type Spirit Abilities, her strikes carried poison.
The Bilin Snake Spirit's own toxins packed a punch.
"Clang!"
Yin Xuan blocked with the spear. Metal rang out.
"Ha!" Dugu Yan tried something new—a swift kick with her jade-like leg.
"Smack!" Yin Xuan caught her fair calf with his left hand.
"Dugu Yan, I'm going all out now."
His second spirit ring lit up. Dugu Yan sensed trouble, tried to pull away—but her leg was locked in his grip. No chance.
She couldn't believe it. "My skills should boost me, but I still can't break free?!"
Yin Xuan smiled. He'd absorbed the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone. His body was way stronger now.
"If you won't let go," she teased, then wrapped her other leg and snake tail around him, twining herself like a real Bilin Snake.
They tangled, tighter than before. She bared her sharp silver teeth and bit down toward Yin Xuan's arm.
"Puff, puff, puff!"
Suddenly, strands of Dark Blue Silver Emperor shot from the ground, wrapping Dugu Yan tightly.
"Ngh~"
Her bite left two red marks, but the Blue Silver Emperor held her fast. The two ended up in a ridiculous knot—Dugu Yan wrapped around Yin Xuan, stuck in Blue Silver Emperor coils. A matryoshka situation.
Yin Xuan could only chuckle. This was just sparring, getting closer to Dugu Yan. If things were serious, he would've stopped her from biting, or simply decked her.
"Mm~"
Dugu Yan let out a soft moan. She felt lighter all of a sudden, like something bad inside her was being sucked out. She realized the source was the Blue Silver Emperor holding her.
She looked closer. Sure enough, there was a faint purple glow threading through the Blue Silver Emperor.
"Yin Xuan, I surrender~ Can you let me go now?" she said in a coy voice.
"Just remember to detoxify me. You bit me."
Yin Xuan grinned.
The strands loosened and slid back underground. The spear vanished too.
Dugu Yan sat on the forest floor, cheeks bright red, lips trembling with embarrassment. "I only bit you. Didn't actually release any poison."
"Is that so…" Yin Xuan inspected his arm. It looked fine, smooth—nothing strange.
The Blue Silver Emperor's Spirit Bone had a self-healing skill. It worked passively, healing every injury. If he got poisoned, he'd show symptoms, but he felt totally normal.
So Dugu Yan was telling the truth: just a bite, no toxins.
Yin Xuan leaned in, meeting her shy gaze. "Hey, what's up?"
"It's nothing, really," she said with a beautiful smile. "I'm just excited—I think I might finally have a boyfriend."
Yin Xuan couldn't help but feel speechless.
He helped her up. "Are you alright?"
She shook her head, smiling. "I'm fine. Just a little drained, not much strength left. But when your Spirit Ability worked on me, I felt amazing. Honestly, it was the most comfortable I've ever felt. Like you pulled something bad out of me."
Yin Xuan's eyes widened.
He remembered her history—Dugu Yan was poisoned in the womb, so her spirit power carried toxins. Just now, when his Blue Silver Emperor bound her, he must've absorbed not only some of her spirit power, but her Bilin Snake Poison too.
That explained everything.