No wonder her poison had erupted ahead of time.
Her martial soul had evolved.
But how?
How could the Jade Phosphorus Snake evolve?
Under Ye Qiu's searching gaze, Dugu Yan's transformation continued.
Her two long, slender legs slowly fused together, transforming into a powerful emerald snake tail. Her slim waist swayed slightly to maintain balance.
A diamond-shaped emerald scale appeared between her brows. Her pupils narrowed into vertical slits, cold and devoid of human warmth.
Her voice was icy.
"Lingling told me your soul skills were strange… but it seems she still underestimated you."
Before Ye Qiu could respond—
She attacked.
A flash of purple light burst from her eyes as the purple soul ring beneath her feet flared brilliantly.
Her snake tail became wrapped in dense violet mist.
"The Third Soul Skill — Jade Phosphorus Purple Poison!"
Thick purple venom poured from her mouth, spreading instantly.
Wherever it passed, the ground and walls blackened and corroded.
Inside Ye Qiu's eyes, hexagonal patterns bloomed like flowers.
Divine power activated.
The purple mist passed straight through his body.
He was now completely isolated from this space.
The toxin could not touch him.
The poisonous fog thickened rapidly, filling the room until visibility nearly vanished.
Outside—
Ye Lingling noticed purple smoke leaking through the cracks of the door.
She immediately stood and knocked urgently.
"Yanzi!"
"Don't come in!" Dugu Yan's cold voice sounded from within. "We're just sparring!"
Yu Tianheng also sensed the disturbance. A flicker of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
'So the talk collapsed. Good.'
"Yanzi! Call me if you need help!"
He shouted toward the lounge but deliberately stepped back, distancing himself from the poison.
"Hmph. Hypocrite." Ye Lingling snorted coldly and remained by the door.
Inside the Poisonous Mist
The fog was suffocatingly thick.
Yet Ye Qiu stood unmoved.
After the initial surprise, he had already calmed down.
"Miss Dugu," he said steadily, "I believe we can talk properly."
But Dugu Yan ignored him.
Instead, she drew a dagger from her soul tool and began slashing at him repeatedly.
The blade passed through him as if cutting through mist.
A sneer curved her lips.
"So this is the strange soul skill Lingling mentioned? Interesting… But every soul skill has its weakness."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I wonder how long yours can last."
Ye Qiu's heart tightened.
As expected of someone personally guided by a Titled Douluo.
His divine power did indeed have a time limit — currently three minutes. Each ring improvement extended it by one minute.
But no one had ever forced him to maintain it for so long before.
Of course, the reason he stood here calmly was deliberate.
"Miss Dugu," he continued, "I'm here to make a deal. With you… or with Poison Douluo."
She chuckled softly.
"Are you finally afraid?"
"Afraid?" Ye Qiu shook his head. "Not quite. It's not that I can't deal with you. I simply don't want things to escalate."
He paused, then added lightly:
"Besides… the one who should be anxious is you."
Dugu Yan lazily lifted her eyes.
"Oh? And why is that?"
Ye Qiu suddenly stepped forward.
"Stop—!"
She swung the dagger instinctively.
It passed through him again.
In the next instant—
He moved faster.
His figure passed directly through her body, appearing behind her.
His calm voice sounded from her back.
"Because if you can't control the toxin… you won't be far from death."
He smiled faintly.
"And you don't want your grandfather to continue suffering, do you?"
The playful smile finally disappeared from Dugu Yan's face.
She understood.
He had endured her attack deliberately — to show her that her soul skills meant nothing to him.
He could leave at any time.
She slowly turned around.
Her gaze became serious.
"Why should I believe you?" she asked coldly. "You claim you can save me, yet you show no proof."
Ye Qiu had prepared for this.
"When Poison Douluo encounters cloudy or rainy weather, his ribs go numb. Around midnight, his head and the soles of his feet feel as if pierced by needles. His entire body convulses for at least half an hour."
He looked directly at her.
"You've experienced the same symptoms, haven't you?"
Shock flashed across Dugu Yan's face.
He described their condition perfectly.
No one outside the Dugu clan should know this.
Her breathing slowed.
Who wanted to die if they could live?
"What deal?" she asked quietly.
Ye Qiu did not hesitate.
"I will detoxify you and your grandfather."
"In exchange, I need Senior Dugu to promise me one thing."
Dugu Yan frowned.
"I cannot decide for my grandfather."
"That's fine. You can pass the message on. Or better yet—bring me to see Poison Douluo in person."
Her eyes widened slightly.
He dared to meet her grandfather directly?
This made his confidence far more convincing.
"You want to see him?"
"Yes."
After a brief silence, she nodded.
"Very well. You can meet my grandfather."
Coincidentally, Dugu Bo was currently staying at his residence in Tiandou City.
"When?"
Ye Qiu suppressed the excitement rising in his chest.
He was one step closer to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
"We can go now," Dugu Yan said lightly, examining her emerald nails. "If you're brave enough."
She glanced at him coldly.
"You'd better truly have a way to detoxify us. Otherwise… you might leave missing something."
The purple poison mist slowly retracted into her body.
Ye Qiu glanced around.
His divine power was nearly at its limit.
"Then I'll wait outside," he said.
Without waiting for her reply—
He stepped straight through the wall.
Dugu Yan stared at the spot where he disappeared.
Perhaps Lingling was right.
This man truly had the strength.
And Yu Tianheng…
was becoming more and more annoying.
Outside the Lounge
"Ah—!"
The moment Ye Qiu emerged, he nearly collided with Ye Lingling.
"Ye Qiu! Where's Yanzi? Why did you come out?" she asked, suppressing the shock in her eyes.
Ye Qiu inhaled the fresh air deeply and smiled.
"Don't worry. Miss Dugu will be out soon."
Yu Tianheng immediately stepped forward, his expression dark.
"Boy! Where is Yanzi? What did you do to her?!"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-