Chapter 56: The Martial Soul's New Transformation & Dugu Bo's Realization
"You… What? You just walked out like that?"
Dugu Bo was the first to speak, clicking his tongue twice as he scrutinized Han Li like some kind of rare specimen. Not a single part of his clothing was wet or damaged.
"Oh, you mean this? I gained quite a bit from this experience, so it's not surprising that I can do something like this. Right, Master?" Han Li turned to Guang Ling with a smile.
However, he noticed that Guang Ling didn't respond. Instead, his bright eyes were fixed on the Ice Fire Bow in Han Li's right hand.
No perhaps it could no longer be called the Ice Fire Bow. It had undergone a complete transformation.
The original red and blue color scheme had changed entirely. The blue hue had faded into a milky white, the same color as the extreme cold pool of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well. Meanwhile, the red had deepened into a brilliant vermilion. The contrast of milky white and vermilion made it look less dazzling but far more menacing.
The most striking change was in the bow's structure. The once sharp, blade like edges of the limbs had transformed into two intertwined dragon bodies one white, one red. The bow handle was now clutched between two intricately carved dragon heads, and the bowstring, which previously required soul power to manifest, had become a permanent faint red energy strand.
"Just as we expected, my martial soul has evolved."
Seeing his master so intrigued, Han Li extended the bow toward him. Since he never felt an overly intimate connection to his martial soul like others did, he didn't mind letting Guang Ling examine it.
Guang Ling swallowed, wiped his palms on his robe, and carefully reached out with both hands
But in that instant, something unexpected happened.
The newly evolved Ice Fire Bow emitted a deafening dragon's roar and released a powerful shockwave, instantly repelling Guang Ling. Even Dugu Bo, who was standing nearby, was blasted away.
Fortunately, both were Title Douluo and reacted quickly, activating their soul power in time to shield themselves from injury. But even so, they looked a little disheveled, their hair slightly ruffled from the impact.
"Master? Senior? Are you two alright?"
Han Li was just as shocked as they were. The sudden burst of energy had startled him, but strangely, it had only spread outward in a circular wave, leaving him unaffected.
"What the hell was that?"
The two Title Douluo exchanged glances, ignoring their messy appearances, and quickly gathered around Han Li again, this time more cautious.
Han Li lowered his gaze to examine the Ice Fire Bow in his hand. The red and white hues shimmered, and the dragon engravings seemed almost alive, exuding an aura of majesty.
After a moment, Guang Ling finally spoke. "Maybe… your martial soul has gained sentience after evolving and no longer allows anyone but its master to touch it."
Dugu Bo chimed in, "That's possible. And I can confirm that your martial soul now carries an extremely high level draconic presence. Even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's martial souls wouldn't compare."
Guang Ling's eyes lit up. "That might be it. It's similar to your Martial Uncle Jiang Mo and Martial Uncle Qian Jun's cases."
"Maybe… I'm not sure. I'll have to study it later." Han Li smiled, avoiding a direct response.
"But my Ice Fire Blades have been enhanced too."
As Dugu Bo watched in confusion, the Ice Fire Bow split apart in Han Li's hands, transforming into a pair of crimson white blades.
Dugu Bo's expression twisted in disbelief. "Didn't you say he wasn't a Twin Martial Soul user?!"
He turned to Guang Ling with indignation.
How could a master not even know whether their disciple had a Twin Martial Soul?
Guang Ling merely cast him a look of disdain, crossing his arms as if he couldn't be bothered to respond.
Han Li chuckled and explained, "Senior, my master didn't lie to you. I'm not a Twin Martial Soul user. My martial soul just has two forms."
He raised his hands slightly, showing his soul rings one black, one purple hanging from his now pendant like weapon. The first black soul ring was faintly tinged with a red glow.
"Huh? Han Li, your first soul ring?"
Guang Ling's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes, maybe because this evolution was so perfectly compatible with my martial soul, my first soul ring evolved along with it. It's currently about fifteen thousand years old, and its lifespan will continue increasing as I grow stronger. I suppose you could call it a Life Bound Soul Ring. Its base enhancement has now reached 100%."
Han Li's excitement was evident, but then he frowned slightly.
"But… the exclusivity of my elemental attributes has intensified. My martial soul now completely rejects any elements other than ice and fire. Even my soul power has been altered it's now a pale red. In the future, I probably won't be able to transfer soul power to others."
He retracted his martial soul and gathered a ball of pinkish red soul power in his hand.
"There's something unusual about the density and elemental concentration of your soul power."
As someone who frequently sparred with Han Li, Guang Ling noticed the abnormality right away.
Curious, he conjured his own soul power and slowly moved it toward Han Li's.
Then, to his astonishment, Han Li's pale red soul power began to corrode his own.
Even though the process was slow, the fact that a mere Rank 23 Soul Grandmaster's energy could erode a Rank 97 Title Douluo's was utterly absurd.
Guang Ling, now intrigued, ran several tests with Han Li.
After much experimentation, he concluded that Han Li's soul power density was already on par with that of a Soul King. And in terms of raw elemental power, even he a Super Douluo was at a disadvantage in ice elemental strength.
Guang Ling was incredibly envious.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo stood there like a child discovering the world for the first time. His understanding of soul power was repeatedly shattered, leaving him questioning his entire life.
He had once considered himself a genius, yet now he realized the gap between geniuses was wider than the gap between a man and a dog. Compared to this kid, he was no genius at all.
As he watched the master and disciple excitedly analyzing Han Li's changes, something inside Dugu Bo snapped.
SMACK!
A crisp sound echoed as he slapped himself across the face.
Guang Ling and Han Li turned, only to see Dugu Bo's face now sporting a bright red handprint his own doing.
Clearly, the shock had been too much for him.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Dugu Bo forced an awkward smile but said nothing.
Instead, he moved closer and joined their discussion.
This kid is a future powerhouse I need to secure my place beside him. Forget dignity; what matters is making sure my granddaughter ends up with him!
From now on, I, Dugu Bo, am Han Li's most loyal supporter!
Anyone who threatens him will face my wrath. I'll wipe out their entire lineage if necessary. One way or another, I'll make sure Han Li starts calling me "Grandfather."
First, I'll be his loyal follower… then I'll be his grandfather. That's the ultimate strategy.
At that thought, Dugu Bo couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
Guang Ling and Han Li, witnessing his creepy laugh, shuddered in discomfort.
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