Behind Dugu Yan, a golden phantom dragon manifested....her martial soul, the Golden Earth Dragon King.
Though technically still categorized as a "地龙" (earth dragon), after years of effort from Dugu Bo, every ring she absorbed was from a dragon-type spirit beast.
Two of them were over ten thousand years old.....the fiery Crimson Earth Dragon King and the radiant Light Earth Dragon.
Her martial soul had long surpassed the path of venomous evolution like her grandfather's.
Under the influence of the Golden Earth Dragon Ginseng she consumed, her spirit continuously evolved toward a true golden dragon.
Her aura, at this moment, was completely overwhelming....
utterly suppressing Yu Tianheng's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Step by step, her footsteps faded toward the exit.
"Yan, won't you reconsider?" Qin Ming finally asked.
Dugu Yan didn't look back.
"I joined only to pass the time. That's all. Take care, Leader Qin."
When she finally left, everyone exhaled.....only then realizing how tense they'd been.
"What do we do…? The captain is gone…"
"Deputy captain… maybe… maybe you should go persuade her?"
Yu Feng scratched his head, but Yu Tianheng kept staring at the ground, refusing to speak.
Ye Lingling lowered her gaze, watching the path Dugu Yan left behind. Sadness flickered in her eyes.
Meanwhile — Tianshui Team Waiting Room
Yuan Longxuan lay lazily on a sofa, enjoying a massage.
Behind him, Princess Xue Ke stood diligently, her soft hands pressing rhythmically into his shoulders.
Three months had passed since she was "pawned" to him by her royal father, and she had already become Yuan Longxuan's exclusive little masseuse.
The other Tianshui Team members had gone out for their match, leaving only the two of them in the lounge.
"Brother Yuan Longxuan, the massage technique you taught me… I've been practicing. Look! I'm getting much better now!"
"Mhm. Not bad. But you can use a bit more strength."
Before meeting Yuan Longxuan, Xue Ke lived a pampered princess life.....proficient in music, calligraphy, etiquette, and all the noblewoman arts.
Her cultivation talent was low, so the royal family discouraged her from training at all.
She remembered her father's words clearly:
"A princess with poor talent should maintain grace and beauty, then marry well."
In other words....
She was meant to be a bargaining chip.
But in Yuan Longxuan's place?
She trained daily alongside the Tianshui Team.
She practiced her martial soul—Swan, the exclusive spirit of the imperial line.
Her spirit power rose from level 15 to nearly level 18 in just three months.
Yuan Longxuan planned to personally improve her talent soon.
Suddenly—
Knock knock knock.
A steady knock came from the door.
"Come in," Yuan Longxuan said casually.
The door of the waiting chamber slowly swung open just as Yuan Longxuan was reclining comfortably, eyes closed, enjoying Princess Xueke's delicate massage like a lazy sovereign awaiting tribute.
"My dear husband, it's been more than ten years. Must I really come find you myself?"
A crisp yet cold female voice drifted to his ear. Yuan Longxuan didn't even need to look. Aside from that little troublemaker Dugu Yan, who else dared talk to him like this?
To be fair, this was indeed his fault. He should've brought Dugu Yan over long ago, yet one delay after another… he somehow forgot.
Yesterday, when he casually strolled out for some air, he got caught by her on the spot.
"Oh? Isn't this Sister Xueke? Hm, no wonder you've been missing for months.
Turns out this rascal abducted you."
Dugu Yan's footsteps approached. Xueke, finally snapping back to awareness, brightened.
"Yan-zi Sister!"
Her dark-brown eyes lit with starlight. Xueke knew Dugu Yan well.....they had even toured Heaven Dou Academy together in the past.
But while seeing a familiar face should've made Xueke purely happy, now her heart was tinged with gloom...
after all, she had been sold by her former father, the Emperor, for five hundred million gold soul coins.
She was no longer the pampered little princess of old.
"It's been a long time, Xueke," Dugu Yan said gently.
She had heard from her grandfather about the Emperor selling the princess, but royal affairs were not something she could interfere with.
Now, seeing Xueke here, massaging this "faithless man," Dugu Yan guessed the girl wasn't doing too badly.
"And you're still pretending to sleep? Do you know how many years I've been waiting? You come back and still don't visit me. Do you know how sad I was?"
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