Chapter 105

After the dust settled.

Ice Emperor chuckled and patted Shu Yan's shoulder, then said: "Not bad, killing a Soul Douluo so easily; once you break through to Soul Saint and possess your martial soul true body, you might be able to directly face a Title Douluo."

Shu Yan let out a dry laugh, he shrugged, and said softly: "This guy wasn't in peak condition, plus his focus wasn't all that concentrated, that's why I managed to heavily injure him with one strike; otherwise, I'd probably have to put in some effort."

"It's already quite good; there's no need to belittle yourself."

Snow Emperor also praised from the side.

Shu Yan blinked, wondering if that counted as belittling himself? At most it's just a bit of modesty, right?

Xu Jiu Jiu slowly landed beside Shu Yan, her tone carrying some surprise, yet also some delight.

"Ah Yan, I feel my combat power has increased a lot, especially the power of my soul skills, which has increased manyfold."

Shu Yan nodded, and he said softly:

"The enhancement from the gorgeous champaka fragrance still has much for you; feel it gradually later, you won't uncover much in a short time, but judging from your performance just now, you are indeed far stronger than an ordinary Soul King."

After a few sentences of conversation, they shifted their gaze to the dark-green-haired girl beside them.

Are you a descendant of Dugu Bo?

Shu Yan directly asked.

The girl slowly lifted her eyes, which could be said to carry a hint of deathly stillness, nodded, and then said: "My name is Dugu Yan."

Is your martial soul the Azure Phosphor Snake Emperor?

Shu Yan nodded and then asked.

Dugu Yan continued to lightly nod, not denying it.

Yes.

Shu Yan also didn't know what to say; it really was a coincidence—he never expected to meet Dugu Bo's descendant here.

Come with us; the toxin has entered your bone marrow, and if not controlled, you won't have many years left to live.

Shu Yan's words made Dugu Yan slightly stunned, but then she continued to lower her head and softly replied: "Okay."

The girl's obedience and sensibility surprised the four of them, but after regaining their composure, Shu Yan couldn't help but lightly praise: "You're quite smart…"

Dugu Yan nodded and then softly said: "Thank you…"

Shu Yan: "……"

……

The recent battle did not spread much to this forest hut; upon entering, the furnishings were very simple and plain—a bed, a wooden table, a chair, with many medicinal herbs piled in the corner, and besides that, there wasn't even an extra chair.

Although the furnishings were simple, the whole room was still quite clean and tidy; although it was a bit too plain, it didn't look desolate, just somewhat……

Dugu Yan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "May I ask what plans you have for me in the future?"

That remark was quite direct; it was clear she had a lucid grasp of her situation. Earlier, when those evil soul masters tried to recruit her into the Holy Spirit Cult, she had actually been tempted, but now those evil soul masters have been destroyed, and just a moment ago she discovered the secrets on Shu Yan and Xu Jiu Jiu's persons; their willingness to let her follow is already enough, but if they were any more ruthless, she would likely end up like those evil soul masters, not even leaving a whole corpse.

Shu Yan glanced at the furnishings in the room, heard Dugu Yan's question, and then chuckled as he said:

"Stay by Xu Jiu Jiu's side as a maid, Xu Jiu Jiu, what do you say?" Maid……

Dugu Yan whispered softly, then still lightly clenched her fist.

Seeing her like that, Shu Yan also lost the mood to tease, and then spoke again:

"We just came out of the Ice Fire Yin-Yang Well; you staying on the outskirts of the Sunset Forest probably know quite a bit, just as that old man said, the strategic significance of an Azure Phosphor Snake Emperor soul master is too great—if you were allowed to grow, even an army of hundreds of thousands might not be enough to kill you…"

Upon hearing the words Ice Fire Yin-Yang Well, Dugu Yan abruptly lifted her head, a flicker of shock appearing in her eyes, but soon she lowered her head again and softly said: "I want to live."

Shu Yan nodded satisfactorily and then said:

"Swear allegiance on your martial soul and soul, we will help you resolve the problem of the Azure Phosphor Snake toxin invading your body, and from now on you will stay by Xu Jiu Jiu's side to work."

Dugu Yan hesitated not, directly fulfilling Shu Yan's conditions one by one, then slowly came behind Xu Jiu Jiu, hesitated a moment, and still softly called:

"Master…"

Xu Jiu Jiu glared at Shu Yan, frankly speaking, she even suspected this was Shu Yan's bad taste; the title 'master' is even more embarrassing than what he had previously made her call……

"Your name is Dugu Yan, right?"

Xu Jiu Jiu's voice softened; she sensed that Dugu Yan's aura bore some resemblance to the Azure Phosphor toxin formation, but she didn't mind, for the splendid heart on her person meant little toxin could harm her in this situation.

Dugu Yan lightly nodded, Xu Jiu Jiu paused, then continued: "Don't call me master; first don't listen to that bastard's nonsense—he just likes to tease people. I am the Star Luo Princess, you… well, just call me princess."

Dugu Yan raised her head in surprise, seemingly not expecting Xu Jiu Jiu to actually have this identity.

However, how did a Star Luo Princess end up near the capital of the Tian Dou Empire? … Looking again at the Ice Snow Dual Emperors beside her, Dugu Yan once again slowly lowered her head; reason told her that as long as they didn't speak, she would never proactively ask, otherwise she'd be asking for trouble.

"Your Highness the Princess…"

Feeling Xu Jiu Jiu's goodwill, Dugu Yan still changed her form of address; she could sense that the relationship between Shu Yan and Xu Jiu Jiu was absolutely not simple, after all, Xu Jiu Jiu's person carried quite a bit of Shu Yan's aura…

Snakes are innately extremely sensitive to aura, and Dugu Yan is especially gifted in this regard; the aura of Shu Yan she sensed on Xu Jiu Jiu's person is more residual than superficial…

Well, she dared not think further…

……

Night fell quickly; bearing the identity of a maid, Dugu Yan silently began to cook, while Shu Yan and the four others went to the side of that small stream.

Xu Jiu Jiu looked at the gently flowing stream and the fish swimming within, and softly said: "The Azure Phosphor Snake Emperor martial soul, sigh… Ten thousand years ago, that Toxic Douluo Dugu Bo's Azure Phosphor Snake toxin slaughtered who knows how many civilians and soul masters; this act provoked heavenly wrath, giving rise to a tremendous tragedy in continental history…"

"Such martial souls have been passed down through the ages, but they have gradually drifted from the former Tang Sect, losing their foundation and protection, and their own reputation is not good… Nowadays, almost every inheritor of the Azure Phosphor Snake Emperor martial soul is much like Dugu Yan, merely scraping by…"

Shu Yan kicked down a pebble, watched it slowly sink to the bottom, and only after a long while did he chuckle and say:

"The evil seeds sown by Tang San, but the final karmic consequences and infamy are borne by Dugu Bo and his descendants."

"The Ice Fire Yin-Yang Well originally belonged to Dugu Bo as a treasure ground; if not for the selfishness and domineering nature of the Tang Sect and Tang San, the Dugu clan could still have used the Ice Fire Yin-Yang Well to suppress the toxins in their bodies, their lineage wouldn't have declined so severely, and their people wouldn't have suffered from toxin invasion, let alone how people view them now."

"Dugu Yan's inner emotions are extreme, but she hides them well—or rather, she is someone who excels at controlling emotions… The treasure ground that originally belonged to the Dugu clan, yet none of her ancestors could enter it, and they might even have become nourishment for that Azure Phosphor toxin formation…… Her staying here is hardly not an attempt at self-preservation, even revenge."

"People like her have clear goals and desires; wanting to control it isn't hard to say, but it depends on how much control she can achieve—after all, if she mishandles it, this double-edged sword will immediately turn on its master."

(End of Chapter)