"Yanyan, don't go too hard on the little guy."
Ye Lingling still looked a bit concerned.
First, she warned Dugu Yan not to take things too seriously with a child. Then she glanced at Lin Xiao — he looked adorable, sure, but he just had to go and provoke Yanyan.
Of all things to mock, why would he mock someone's martial soul?
In the world of soul masters, that was a serious taboo.
Oh well. She'd just stay nearby and be ready to heal him when things went south.
Lin Xiao took a deep breath.
He hadn't wanted to provoke anyone like this, but since they weren't taking him seriously at all, he had no choice. He had to prove himself.
Dugu Yan was thirteen, with spirit power probably around level 28 or 29. Her two spirit abilities were Jade Phosphor Violet Poison and Grieving Venom — both poison-based techniques.
For most regular soul masters, poison-style combat was absolutely terrifying. Many fell before they even landed a hit — status effects alone could half their strength or outright kill them.
So whether it was one person or ten facing a poison-user didn't make much difference — the damage was area-based anyway. And this was Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison — a toxin with a fearsome reputation.
But Lin Xiao had a very good reason for daring to challenge her despite the gap in levels.
He countered her.
His Ultimate Fire wasn't just for show — it granted full immunity to poison.
Had he been facing a power-type soul master, he would've had a much harder time.
But Dugu Yan…
"Let's just hope I don't shatter her confidence too badly," Lin Xiao thought to himself.
After all, he was the one who picked this fight — and truth be told, he and Dugu Yan weren't enemies. If anything, they were potential allies with shared interests.
"Lin Xiao. 12th-level soul master. Martial soul: Evil Fire Phoenix."
Evil Fire Phoenix?
Both Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan looked surprised. Phoenix martial souls were rare — and anything with the word Phoenix in it was almost guaranteed to be top-tier.
But only level 12?
Ye Lingling gave a soft, unsurprised smile.
"Confidence is a good thing, little guy — but too much confidence can hurt~"
"Don't worry, though. Big sister will heal you afterward!"
Dugu Yan crossed her arms and spoke coldly:
"Dugu Yan. Level 28 Soul Grandmaster. Martial soul: Jade Phosphor Serpent."
Exchanging spirit power levels and martial soul names was standard etiquette before a duel. Attacking someone without that could mean you were in the wrong, even if you died.
With the introductions complete, the fight officially began.
"Evil Fire Phoenix — Possession!"
"Jade Phosphor Serpent — Possession!"
"First soul skill — Phoenix Feather Array!"
Lin Xiao's expression turned focused as he raised his palm. A blazing fire phoenix erupted from it, soaring into the sky before raining down countless crimson feathers of evil flame.
The sky was ablaze — each fiery feather streaking down toward Dugu Yan like meteors.
Dugu Yan was stunned.
That attack was powerful — on par with a Soul Grandmaster's!
Just how many years had that first spirit ring of his been?
Dugu Yan quickly retreated, quietly activating both her spirit skills:
"First soul skill — Jade Phosphor Violet Poison!"
"Second soul skill — Grieving Venom!"
These were her pride — poison-based abilities that inflicted debilitating status effects and drained the enemy's strength.
With them, she had beaten soul masters more powerful than herself!
Her combat style was simple:
Poison. Then wait.
Her opponent would fall on their own.
Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison was legendary across the continent. Her grandfather, Dugu Bo, had even earned the title "Poison" Douluo thanks to its unique and terrifying trait:
The more spirit power an opponent used, the more potent the poison became.
The more fiercely an enemy fought, the faster they died.
"Should I say — truly worthy of a Phoenix martial soul?" she muttered.
"Still standing, even now?"
Dugu Yan darted between the flaming feathers, watching closely for Lin Xiao to stumble — waiting for him to drop like a stunned bug.
By all logic, a mere level-12 soul master shouldn't have lasted more than three seconds.
Meanwhile.
Lin Xiao checked in with his body.
Still totally fine.
As expected, snake venom — for all its forms and terrifying neurotoxins — was ultimately just protein.
And what destroyed protein?
Heat.
Or absolute cold.
Even if the poisons of Douluo Continent had high heat resistance, Ultimate Fire turned them to dust.
He was now completely certain — Dugu Yan's poison had no effect on him whatsoever.
Which meant…
This battle was already over.
While Dugu Yan's eyes were still puzzled — and a little panicked — Lin Xiao calmly raised his right hand.
He made a grasping gesture in the air.
The scattered flames from earlier suddenly stirred, writhing like serpents, and reformed themselves into fiery crimson chains — each link pulsing with ominous evil fire.
They closed in, sealing off Dugu Yan's entire area.
"You have a second stage to your spirit skill?!"
Dugu Yan's eyes widened in disbelief.
Lin Xiao replied calmly:
"It always had one. I just didn't know if I could win — and if I lost, I'd definitely get smacked for hurting you, so I held back."
Dugu Yan: "…"
Ye Lingling: "…"
What a sly little brat!
So young, yet already playing the game of social wisdom like a master.
The chains continued tightening, closing in from all sides.
Dugu Yan instinctively backed away, heart pounding.
Her martial soul — the Jade Phosphor Serpent — began to tremble. In fear.
Was she… Dugu Yan… really going to lose to a child?
She bit her lip, unwilling.
Her gaze locked onto the fire chains — ready to force her way out.
But then—
Snap.
Lin Xiao snapped his fingers.
The chains vanished.
Gone in an instant.
Dugu Yan looked down and saw the scorched ground — where the chains had passed, even the stone tiles were corroded and crumbling.
Had she tried to break through…
She would've been seriously injured.
Dugu Yan looked at Lin Xiao, a mixture of emotions in her eyes.
"…Why did you cancel your attack?"
Lin Xiao let out a soft breath.
"My goal was already achieved. That's why."
"Besides… I didn't want to hurt you."
(Not to mention your grandpa would probably kill me if I did…)
But that last part, he wisely kept to himself.
From the side, Ye Lingling burst into bright, crisp laughter.
"Silly Yanyan! Even he knows it's wrong to hit your wife!"
"How could he possibly bear to hurt you?"
Dugu Yan's face instantly turned bright red.
Without a word, she lunged at Ye Lingling.
"Lingling! Where's that cool, cold personality you have at school, huh?!"
"Sometimes I swear I want to rip that cheeky mouth off your face!"
Ye Lingling took off running.
"Wait, wait, wait! I was wrong! I admit it, okay?!"
"Have mercy, Yanyan!"
But how could a support-type soul master possibly outrun an assault-type one?
It didn't take long for Dugu Yan to catch her.
She grabbed her friend's delicate mouth and gave it a playful tug.