"Not good!"
Ignaz glanced at Dugu Yan, who was in the middle of absorbing the torso bone of the Sky Dragon Centipede, his expression turning grim.
In an instant, he summoned the Blood Thunder War Spear. At his command, the blood dragon phantom coiled around its shaft detached and hovered above Dugu Yan's head. The aura of slaughter it radiated spread downward, clinging to the Scaled Dragon around her. Instead of overwhelming force, the energy seeped in gently, mending the cracks inside and out.
"This is all I can do for you, little sister. You have to hold on."
Ever since the ordeal in Slaughter City, Ignaz's Blood Thunder Spear had changed. No longer did it just devour blood and the remnants of spirit beasts—it now allowed the sealed blood dragon within to provide support to other Spirit Masters. The drawback, however, was steep: each use consumed the innate killing intent his spirit weapon had accumulated.
Meanwhile, within her sea of consciousness, Dugu Yan was already collapsing under the unrelenting assault of the Sky Dragon Centipede. She lay weakly on the blue surface of the mind-sea when, just as the beast prepared to strike the final blow and claim her body, a surge of blazing red energy burst forth, blasting it away.
Relief washed through her entire body as a warm current knit her injuries back together. She clenched her fists and rose, rallying the natural advantage of her inner spirit sea to press the attack.
"A dead centipede dares to try and kill me in my own territory? You must have a death wish."
Her speed and strength suddenly multiplied several times over. In that moment, she became a human embodiment of her Scaled Dragon, and her fist hammered down on the centipede's seventh joint.
"Let's see you bully me now!"
Her punches came faster and faster, until only afterimages remained.
"Bang!"
Her fist pierced straight through the centipede's body. With a shriek, it toppled, dissolving into countless streams of pale red energy that surged into her body.
From the inside out, the red torso bone fused into her. Around her, the horns of her Scaled Dragon spirit grew thicker, its brown-gold scales gleaming brighter. The long, bull-shaped dragon form loomed tall at her back, claws pressing to the ground as its head lifted.
"Roar!"
Its bellow shook the dormitory, startling every student awake.
When the fusion finally completed, Dugu Yan leapt into the air with excitement.
"My spirit has finally evolved, just like Grandfather's—it completed the final step!"
"Don't get too worked up, little sister. This was bound to happen. A jiao (a half-dragon) is only a step away from becoming a true dragon. With such a powerful sub-dragon torso bone, your spirit's evolution was inevitable."
Ignaz pointed curiously at her chest. "So, what ability did this torso bone give you? It must be powerful, right?"
Hands on her hips, Dugu Yan put on a mysterious, confident smile.
"Powerful doesn't even begin to cover it. It's a perfect match for me. As for the details… you'll have to wait and see. I'm keeping that secret for now."
"Unbelievable. I work so hard to get you this torso bone, and now you're keeping secrets from me? Women grow up, and suddenly they don't tell their future husband anything. Breaks my heart."
The moment those words left his mouth, Dugu Yan's face flushed bright red, her heart thundering.
Did he just say… husband? Does that mean he's planning to propose? Then marriage? Could it be—
The more her imagination ran ahead, the shyer she grew.
"W-what nonsense are you saying? As if I'd ever marry you."
Right then, Ye Lingling's Nine-Heart Begonia spirit appeared above her. Pale blue petals began to wither, replaced by nine vibrant blossoms glowing red and white. The golden stamen shifted, transforming into a new form with a white stem and crimson tip.
Boom!
A red wave of spirit power blasted outward, rattling the closed windows and whipping the curtains until, at last, the power dissipated and the dormitory calmed.
"I feel like a shackle inside me has been completely broken. Does this mean the family curse on my spirit is gone? That my relatives can finally live out their full lives?"
Overwhelmed, Lingling hurled herself into Ignaz's arms, holding him tightly.
"Hey, Ling, that's crossing a line!"
Dugu Yan shot her a murderous look. Sure, Lingling was her best friend, but wasn't this a little much? One girl was already enough—two might be tolerable—but she herself had barely hugged Ignaz a handful of times, while Lingling just dove right in.
"Don't be stingy, Dugu Yan. There's nothing hidden between us. Everything of yours is mine, and everything of mine is yours."
Ignaz nearly choked. What on earth had these two been doing while he was gone? He quickly pulled Lingling off him and laid out his deduction.
"Lingling, from what I can tell, your spirit has already evolved. It's no longer the Nine-Heart Begonia, which means its curse is gone."
"That's good enough for me. At least my mother won't have to die for my future children anymore."
Relief flooded her. For years, that burden had weighed on her heart—now it was gone.
Seeing she wasn't disheartened, Ignaz pressed on.
"Since your spirit has evolved, the name Nine-Heart Begonia doesn't fit anymore. How about calling it the Lovesick Immortal Blossom? It symbolizes eternal life."
"Yearning… Everlasting Bloom. I love it."
In front of Dugu Yan, Lingling didn't hesitate to hook her arm through Ignaz's.
Not to be outdone, Dugu Yan immediately latched onto his other arm. The two girls exchanged knowing smiles.
Ignaz sighed, about to pull free, when both their glares froze him in place.
"You dare?"
Their sharp looks left him helpless, though secretly, he was more than a little pleased.
"Lingling, now that your spirit's evolved, have your spirit skills changed? You're Rank 40 now. Have you chosen your next spirit ring?"
"Um…" She thought it over, then shook her head. "My first three skills are still healing. They haven't changed. The only difference is, if I heal a seriously injured Spirit Master now, the time and spirit power required are cut in half."
"As for the next spirit ring… I'm still not sure. Probably from a beast with healing or life attributes."