After Keynes left, Lin Yang learned the basic details of the four girls.
The oldest was already twelve, the youngest only nine.
However, this was the Douluo Continent, where children matured early mentally, so Lin Yang did not treat them as little kids.
He himself had not yet turned nine—though only two or three months remained.
With these four children joining, they could only handle odd jobs and assist for now, but it genuinely lightened Kathleen's burden.
In their free time, Kathleen also took on the task of teaching them basic medical knowledge.
Tsk, looking at it this way... it didn't seem much different from before!
If they had talent and were willing to study seriously, Lin Yang would naturally be happy to train a few more physicians.
If not, Butterfly House would still not let them go hungry.
Besides that, over these three months, the relationship between Lin Yang and Dugu Yan had not been earth-shattering, but it had grown warmer day by day, like soup simmering over a small fire.
Dugu Yan also knew that Lin Yang had a "good" friend named Xiao Wu.
Although the other girl lived in the countryside and they had never stopped corresponding, she could barely be considered a childhood sweetheart.
But Dugu Yan did not think a little girl who hadn't even grown all her feathers posed any threat to her.
She planned to wait until Lin Yang was a bit older and let him properly experience what it meant to be charmed by an older sister.
As for Lin Yang?
He had some experience handling such situations.
If one wanted to benefit as the bystander while two parties competed, the most crucial rule was: balance the water!
If you couldn't even keep the water level balanced, how could you dream of stepping on two boats?
In the end, you would probably drown along with both boats.
After careful consideration, Lin Yang chose an appropriate time to teach Dugu Yan the Water Breathing Method.
Among the five basic breathing methods, Water Breathing had the lowest threshold, emphasizing foundation and control.
Because of this, it was also the easiest to evolve into other derivative styles.
He did not teach her Sun Breathing because he had a feeling that Sun Breathing might be exclusive to him—others simply could not cultivate it.
Besides, Sun Breathing did not suit Dugu Yan at all!
Just like with Xiao Wu, Lin Yang only taught the breathing method itself, not the sword forms.
In actual combat, he constantly pushed Dugu Yan to create a breathing method suited to herself.
Dugu Yan's talent was not as good as Xiao Wu's, and Water Breathing was not very compatible with her Jade Phosphorus Poison Jiao martial soul.
However, she had a Title Douluo grandfather!
Dugu Bo, as a Title Douluo, possessed far greater knowledge and experience than Dugu Yan.
Lin Yang only gave a few hints, and Dugu Bo had already envisioned more possibilities for Water Breathing.
In the end, Dugu Bo truly used Water Breathing as a foundation and developed a Jiao Breathing Method tailored for Dugu Yan.
Jiao Breathing differed in focus from Xiao Wu's Soft Breathing.
If Soft Breathing emphasized bursts, damage, and technique,
then Jiao Breathing focused on precision, control, and endurance.
Simply put, if Xiao Wu was a warrior, then Dugu Yan was a mage standing in the rear.
Jiao Breathing allowed Dugu Yan to reduce soul power consumption and cooldown times when using skills, while also accelerating soul power recovery.
The techniques paired with Jiao Breathing were mostly "arts" centered on intense poison.
Although Dugu Yan's Jiao Breathing had not yet reached the "proficient" stage, her combat strength had visibly risen to a new level.
She no longer relied solely on soul skills for output but had become more comprehensive, more flexible, and... more cunning!
Qin Ming noticed all these changes.
He could guess with his toes that they were inextricably linked to Lin Yang.
Honestly, he had already grown numb to it.
An ordinary person would thank the heavens for creating even one self-invented soul skill.
But Lin Yang was churning them out like wholesale goods—one after another, without any duplicates.
So when Dugu Yan used a self-invented soul skill from the same lineage, he simply felt a sense of "as expected" relief.
Although he had graduated from the Monster Academy...
there was still a gap between a monster and a freak.
Regarding self-invented soul skills, Qin Ming naturally understood the taboos of the soul master world: don't ask, don't mention, don't investigate deeply.
Moreover, the young couple had the Poison Douluo standing behind them.
Even if he envied them, there was nothing he could do.
If anyone felt the worst about it, it was probably Yu Tianheng.
It was one thing to lose to Lin Yang—that guy was a monster.
But Dugu Yan?
For now, he could still trade a few moves with her using his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul.
What about later?
Dugu Yan's strength kept growing, while he was still stuck at level 29, a step away from level 30.
He feared that even if he obtained his third soul ring in the future, he would no longer be her match.
Just thinking about that scene made his chest feel stifled.
On the training field, poisonous mist swirled.
Occasional bursts of lightning flashed within the thick toxic fog.
At this moment, Yu Tianheng was covered in sweat, his face an unnatural gray-green. His breathing grew heavier, and his movements had slowed by half a beat.
That half-beat was exactly the opening Dugu Yan seized.
Her figure shot out like a snake. With a wave of her hands, two streams of water wrapped in emerald-green poisonous mist transformed into two Jade Phosphorus Poison Jiaos with gaping maws, biting fiercely toward Yu Tianheng.
Jiao Breathing · First Art · Twin Jiao Venom Fangs!
Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth and raised his arm. His second soul ring suddenly lit up.
Second Soul Skill · Thunderous Might!
In an instant, the electric snakes coiling around him expanded dramatically, turning into countless arrows of lightning that shot outward.
Blinding thunderlight instantly filled the entire training field, stinging the eyes.
Bang!
The lightning arrows collided violently with the two poison jiaos. The emerald poisonous mist exploded, spreading into a toxic cloud.
Yu Tianheng's face turned even paler. The poison he had been afflicted with earlier was clearly eroding his body.
From within the toxic mist, a figure shot out like a Demon.
Jiao Breathing · Fourth Form · Scale Shadow · Maze Trace!
This was the only movement technique in Jiao Breathing.
It used poisonous mist to disrupt the opponent's vision, then launched a rapid advance like a real venomous snake.
Eerie, chaotic, and unpredictable!
Dugu Yan suddenly appeared at Yu Tianheng's side. Green light gathered in her palms as she slapped toward his ribs.
Yu Tianheng had no time to dodge and could only take it head-on.
Bang!
The palm struck solidly. Poison surged into his body along with the force.
Yu Tianheng groaned, but a triumphant smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He grabbed Dugu Yan's wrist in return. "Got you!"
He grinned. As a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, carrying the family's glory, how could he lose here?
His first soul ring lit up brightly.
First Soul Skill · Thunder Dragon Claw!
His other arm rose fiercely. Lightning power converged madly, forming a massive dragon claw that slammed toward Dugu Yan.
If this strike landed solidly, with Dugu Yan's physique, she would likely suffer severe injuries on the spot.
There was no panic in Dugu Yan's eyes—only a flash of ruthlessness.
You want to injure me heavily? Then you lie down first!
Emerald-green poisonous mist swirled around her mouth and nose. She took a deep breath and sprayed it directly at the nearby Yu Tianheng.
Jiao Breathing · Fifth Art · Poison Breath!