After giving Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong a proper beating, Ye Yu brought Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing back to Heaven Dou City in a flash of thunder.
That very night, within the Dugu Residence, Ye Yu began refining the purified Spirit Power and life essence fed back by the External Spirit Bone: Demon Willow Fluff, which had absorbed the essence from the Sun Fusang Tree and other spirit beasts.
Of course, there was also the refined bloodline essence.
After fully refining the Spirit Power and life force absorbed from the Sun Fusang Tree, Ye Yu's cultivation broke through from Rank 68 Spirit Emperor, post-core condensation, to Rank 69.
As for the Sun Fusang Tree's bloodline essence, it was absorbed directly into his Blue Silver Jade Tree Martial Soul.
The bloodline granted by the Sun Fusang Tree further enhanced its life and fire attributes—and even awakened a new light attribute.
Simultaneously, the Blue Silver Jade Tree's form evolved once more.
Within its trunk, in addition to the starlike specks and crescent-shaped glimmers, new golden light clusters resembling miniature suns began to appear—symbolizing sun, moon, and stars in full.
Its leaves also began radiating a golden glow and gained the ability to absorb sunlight directly.
The Second Spirit Ability: Starlight Absorption, after integrating the spirit ring of the Immortal Moon Laurel and absorbing the bloodline essence of the Sun Fusang Tree, saw a significant boost in both moonlight and sunlight absorption.
Next, Ye Yu began refining the purified Spirit Power, life essence, and bloodline of the Illusory Star Dragon.
But as he refined the Illusory Star Dragon's essence, something unexpected happened: the fragmented External Spirit Bone: True Dragon Nine Crowns embedded in his skull reacted.
It began to absorb some of the refined energy—Spirit Power, life essence, and bloodline—from the Illusory Star Dragon.
The nine shattered bone fragments comprising the spirit bone showed faint signs of fusion.
This left Ye Yu both astonished and thrilled.
He hadn't anticipated that the Demon Willow Fluff's harvested bloodline energy from a dragon-type spirit beast could actually contribute to the restoration of the True Dragon Nine-Crowns!
Then again, it made sense.
Spirit Bones were formed from the Spirit Power, life force, and bloodline essence of spirit beasts.
And this particular Spirit Bone originated from a Dragon King-level ancient beast, a peak existence among the True Dragons.
Most of the dragon-type spirit beasts in the current era were descendants of ancient dragon bloodlines. Perhaps the Illusory Star Dragon shared ancestral ties with that Dragon King beast.
If so, then the essence refined and fed back via the Demon Willow Fluff could indeed aid in mending the True Dragon Nine-Crowns.
Just thinking about how powerful the True Dragon Nine-Crowns was, even in its broken state, Ye Yu was filled with anticipation at the thought of fully restoring it.
But it appeared that the spirit bone required a specific ratio of Spirit Power, life essence, and bloodline essence to advance its restoration—so it had only absorbed a portion of the refined energy. The rest remained with Ye Yu, absorbed into his cultivation.
Afterward, Ye Yu began refining the feedback from the Golden-Winged Thunder Dragon.
Surprisingly, the True Dragon Nine-Crowns also began absorbing the Spirit Power, life force, and bloodline from the Golden-Winged Thunder Dragon.
This puzzled Ye Yu.
Both the Illusory Star Dragon and the Golden-Winged Thunder Dragon could aid in repairing the True Dragon Nine-Crowns?
These two species weren't even remotely related—so what kind of Dragon King beast could serve as a common ancestor to both?
Or perhaps it wasn't a direct ancestral connection, but rather, the Dragon King's innate powers happened to align with both of their lineages?
Meanwhile, having heard that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been annihilated—and that she and the Spirit Hall were now considered prime suspects—Bibi Dong felt utterly wronged and frustrated.
She certainly had the power.
And yes, she had often considered whether she should eradicate the clan that had rejected and ostracized her beloved Xiaogang—wiping them out for the pain they had caused.
But she had never actually issued such an order.
Now, she was being labeled the culprit for something she hadn't done.
In an effort to clear her name, Bibi Dong dispatched agents to investigate the massacre of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and search for the real perpetrator.
Unfortunately, Ye Yu had prepared meticulously before his departure.
All electromagnetic cannon shells had been retrieved.
The entire mountain that housed the clan had been blasted into rubble and collapsed into a crater.
Even the surrounding Blue Silver Jade Trees—planted to disguise his Blue Silver Domain—had been withdrawn after he dispelled his Martial Soul. He even used converted Spirit Power to stimulate plant growth and patch up the terrain, smoothing over the devastation.
In short, Ye Yu had covered his tracks flawlessly.
In a different world, perhaps a brilliant detective might have uncovered some clue.
But this was Douluo Continent, a place where even looting food carts could be hailed as military genius.
Expecting them to see through Ye Yu's carefully concealed tracks?
Impossible.
Even after more than half a year of intense investigation, Bibi Dong had found nothing.
Left with no other option, and fearing she might be forever regarded by her beloved Xiaogang as the one who exterminated his clan, she resolved to visit him herself—to explain everything.
To prove her innocence.
Upon learning that Yu Xiaogang had returned from the Star Dou Great Forest, Bibi Dong immediately traveled in secret to Heaven Dou City.
Cloaked in black robes, she crept into the forested area outside his dormitory.
When night fell and silence blanketed the academy, Bibi Dong quietly slipped into his room.
Seeing the man she loved, battered, bruised, and lying on the bed, her heart clenched.
Yu Xiaogang, startled awake, caught sight of a hooded stranger in his room and immediately panicked.
After all he'd been through with those wretched perverts from the "Groper Trio," the sight of a hooded figure made his whole body tense—his rear defense especially.
He bolted upright in alarm, his voice raspy with dread.
"Who are you?!"
"It's me, Xiaogang!"
The cloaked figure pulled down her hood, revealing long curls of soft, lilac-tinted hair.
Her beautiful face, cold yet noble, with crescent brows, high nose, and red lips—was unmistakable.
Her amber eyes were filled with sorrow and deep emotion.
"It's you… Bibi Dong!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression instantly twisted into rage.
"You still dare show yourself in front of me?!"
His voice shook with fury and heartbreak, fists clenched, his pale, stiff features burning with hatred.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin