Lin Xiao was still curious.
Why, after Dugu Bo's martial soul evolved, did it only grow a single golden horn and not dragon claws?
Maybe they were hidden beneath the serpent's body?
He reached out cautiously, intending to test whether he could touch it. If he could, he might even lift it for a look.
However—
Smack!
"Ow!" Lin Xiao clutched his head in pain. "Senior Dugu, what was that for?!"
Dugu Bo glared.
"What were you trying to do to my martial soul?"
Lin Xiao chuckled awkwardly.
"I was just curious… why your Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor didn't develop dragon claws. Oh wait, I guess it shouldn't be called that anymore."
Dugu Bo thought for a moment.
"After the evolution, let's call it the Golden-Horned Jade Flood Serpent."
"This transformation into a flood dragon has greatly enhanced its physical toughness. My body has been strengthened significantly. An unexpected bonus."
"Even if I don't use poison anymore, I'm far from defenseless."
Lin Xiao caught the implication in Dugu Bo's words.
"So that was just a bonus. Then what was the biggest gain?"
Dugu Bo grinned proudly.
"My greatest strength, of course—poison!"
"Lin Xiao, brat—before, you were immune to my Jade Phosphor Serpent poison. But now, with the evolved poison of my Golden-Horned Jade Flood Serpent… care to give it a try?"
Lin Xiao shook his head so fast it was almost a blur.
"No thanks."
Dugu Bo looked disappointed. Still, he asked again with feigned enthusiasm:
"Really? You sure you won't try? I think you can handle it."
Lin Xiao deadpanned.
"No. I can't."
Clearly, Dugu Bo still held a grudge. His ego had taken a hit when Lin Xiao had resisted his poison before, and now he wanted payback.
Ye Qingxian changed the subject.
"Senior Poison Douluo, how much did your soul power increase?"
"Just a bit over one level," Dugu Bo replied.
For a Title Douluo, that was the equivalent of a full ten levels for lower-ranked soul masters.
Not a small gain by any measure.
Ye Qingxian nodded. "I was at level 65. I rose by five levels—now I'm a Soul Sage. Once I acquire my next spirit ring, the breakthrough will be complete."
She turned to Lin Xiao.
"Although Dugu Bo's martial soul evolved into the Golden-Horned Jade Flood Serpent, the lack of dragon claws likely has to do with the direction and depth of the evolution. Nothing to worry about."
"Now it's your turn to consume your immortal herbs."
Lin Xiao nodded and took out the Primordial Chaos Herb and the Obsidian Jade Bamboo, swallowing both whole.
BOOM!
The moment the herbs entered his body, the Evil Fire within him surged violently. His phoenix form automatically transformed into its dark, destructive aspect—black flames erupted around him.
Compared to the calm, controlled transformations of Ye Qingxian and Dugu Bo, Lin Xiao's process was chaotic.
Ye Qingxian didn't hesitate—she summoned the Nine-Heart Begonia and unleashed wave after wave of healing soul techniques, drowning him in a shower of pink and white light.
But… her worries proved unnecessary.
This time, Lin Xiao felt no pain.
Instead, a warm sensation spread through his entire body. The Primordial Chaos Herb dissolved into energy, flowing through his meridians. The previously incompatible dark and destruction auras fused together—perfectly.
Meanwhile, the Obsidian Jade Bamboo had its own role to play.
Lin Xiao's phoenix, once split between red and black, had now become entirely black. But the transformation wasn't over.
That black gradually changed—taking on the glossy, crystalline texture of obsidian jade.
At last—
A phoenix appeared before Ye Qingxian and Dugu Bo, as if carved from black jade, flawless and luminous, radiating a noble and regal aura.
And Lin Xiao's own body had changed as well.
His crimson hair had turned to inky black. His once-bright eyes had become cool and sharp, exuding a quiet chill. No longer red, his irises were now deep and mysterious, pulling in anyone who dared to look.
Most shocking of all—
He'd grown.
So much so that he now stood eye to eye with Ye Qingxian.
Ye Qingxian and Dugu Bo exchanged stunned glances—neither had expected such a dramatic transformation.
Lin Xiao opened his eyes.
His voice was calm and cold, but melodious—like jade striking jade.
"With the help of the Primordial Chaos Herb, the darkness and destruction within me have fused completely. I am now a true Destruction Phoenix."
"But the evolution didn't stop there. The remaining primordial energy combined with the spirit of the Obsidian Jade Bamboo… and my phoenix began to transform again."
"Beyond darkness and destruction, it now carries the traits of unbreakable defense and absolute resistance to corruption."
"It's no longer a Destruction Phoenix, but something greater—perhaps… an Obsidian Jade Divine Phoenix?"
Suddenly—
The sky above split open.
Clouds tore apart to reveal a vast rift, as if an enormous, indifferent eye had opened in the heavens, peering down at the mortal world.
But no results came from its search.
Far away—somewhere at the edge of the stars—a distant phoenix cry echoed across the cosmos.
And the rift closed.
As if it had never existed.
No one in the lower world noticed this celestial shift.
Except…
In a few places where divine inheritances slumbered, certain beings felt a faint disturbance.
Sea God Island
High Priestess Bo Saixi stood in her sacred robes, silver-white hair pinned simply yet elegantly. Though over a hundred years old, her skin remained smooth and youthful, her beauty otherworldly.
Eyes closed, she whispered prayers:
"May the benevolent Sea God shelter His children, and may His boundless love protect the tribes of the sea."
Suddenly, her eyes opened.
In her normally serene and compassionate gaze, a flicker of astonishment appeared.
"The Sea God has issued a divine order…"
"To watch for a noble soul who surpasses even darkness and destruction—Heaven's chosen?"
But she, as High Priestess, was forbidden from leaving the island.
Bo Saixi lifted her scepter and waved it gently.
A ripple of divine power spread across the sea.
The Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians received the summons and gathered.
She looked at them solemnly and spoke:
"By the will of the Sea God—seek out the one who has mastered darkness and destruction. Bring him before me. Whoever finds him shall receive divine favor."
The guardians exchanged stunned glances.
To be noticed by the Sea God Himself—what kind of heaven-defying genius could that be?
"By your will, High Priestess! The sea is vast, but the Sea God's light guides His people!"
And so, the seas stirred.
The myriad races of the ocean boiled into motion.
They would scour the world to find the one who commanded the power of darkness… and destruction.