Chapter 66: Dugu Yan Acknowledges a Younger Brother — Changes in the External Soul Bone

"Sister Yan, it's your turn now. Yours is more precious than theirs. This is the result of my careful cultivation over the past six months." Tian Lin took out a fruit emanating an icy and fiery aura from his spirit tool. "This is the Ice-Fire Serpent Scale Fruit, evolved from the Serpent Scale Fruit. Originally, the Serpent Scale Fruit only purified the bloodline of serpentine soul beasts, but with the addition of ice and fire energy, it has become a rare celestial treasure, even more precious than most other immortal herbs." "I originally intended to give this to Senior Dugu, but he insisted it be left for you, as he cares deeply for his granddaughter." Tian Lin handed the fruit to Dugu Yan. As she held the Ice-Fire Serpent Scale Fruit, a wave of emotion surged in her heart. Not long ago, her grandfather, Dugu Bo, had confided in her about his severe poisoning. She had been terrified upon learning this. She also learned the truth about her father's early death. The memory of her father's excruciating pain before his passing almost drove her to despair. Fortunately, Dugu Bo assured her that Tian Lin had already found a cure for their poison, rekindling her hope for life. Tian Lin had not only saved her and her grandfather's lives but was now gifting her such a precious immortal fruit. She didn't even know how to express her gratitude. "Sister Yan, why do you look like that? Don't tell me you've fallen for me? If so, Brother Tian Heng is going to lose his mind," Tian Lin teased. Yu Tianheng, being notoriously jealous, immediately retorted, "Xiao Tian, how dare you joke around with Yan! I haven't had a proper opponent since mastering my dragon transformation. Come to the Battle Arena—I'll teach you a good lesson today." "Yu Tianheng, don't you dare!" Dugu Yan protectively stood in front of Tian Lin like a mother hen shielding her chick. "Since my grandfather has joined the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, I naturally belong to Tian Lin's sect as well. Tian Lin is now my younger brother—my family. If you lay a finger on him, don't expect me to talk to you again!" Dugu Yan had decided her way of repaying Tian Lin was to protect him like a big sister would her little brother. Tian Lin peeked out from behind Dugu Yan and grinned. "Well said, Sister Yan. Come on, Brother Tianheng, hit me if you dare—I promise I won't fight back." Yu Tianheng suddenly felt utterly helpless. With a girlfriend like Dugu Yan, who was so protective, he realized he might end up being bullied by Tian Lin in the future. "Fine, I admit it. Even if we fought, I might not be able to beat this guy anyway. Yan must be worried about me," Yu Tianheng consoled himself bitterly. "Alright, Brother Tianheng, don't be mad. Look at the gift I prepared for you—you'll love it." Tian Lin stopped teasing him and pulled out a carefully prepared immortal herb: a chrysanthemum flower. "This is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. Eating it will invigorate your limbs, open your meridians, and grant you an indestructible body." Since Yu Tianheng's power was similar to Dai Mubai's, this immortal herb was perfect for him. "An indestructible body? What a treasure!" Sure enough, Yu Tianheng's attention was instantly drawn to it. His family's dragon transformation required a strong physical foundation, and this herb's body-strengthening properties were exactly what he needed. "Tian Lin, since Yan has recognized you as her younger brother, you're now my younger brother too. If anyone dares bully you, just say my name!" Under the allure of the immortal herb, Yu Tianheng's jealousy vanished, and he practically transformed into a sycophant. Tian Lin made a face. "No thanks. I only want to have pretty girls as my older sisters—not a bunch of big, rough guys as brothers. Besides, if I can't beat someone, what good would you be?" His blunt words nearly made Yu Tianheng explode with anger. Unfortunately, he couldn't retaliate since he had just been given such a precious herb. Plus, Tian Lin wasn't wrong. In the end, Yu Tianheng could only grumble to himself about Tian Lin's favoritism toward Yan before retreating to train with Dugu Yan. "Hey, boss, it's my turn now, right?" Gu Ran asked eagerly. Although he was impatient, he wasn't worried. He knew Tian Lin always prioritized family first and friends second. Since he considered himself truly close to Tian Lin, he was confident he wouldn't be forgotten. "Of course, I've got something for you." Tian Lin took out a peony flower—his final gift of the day. "This is the Iron Armored Peony, another Immortal herb. It strengthens the tendons, fortifies the bones, and refines soul power. Once you consume it, your Skeletal Warhorse's bones will become tougher, making it both indestructible and resistant to water and fire. Its offensive and defensive capabilities will improve dramatically." "Boss, this is amazing! I love you!" Gu Ran almost pounced on Tian Lin in excitement. Tian Lin shuddered. "Stop that. Just eat it. This flower is tricky to consume—pluck the petals and swallow them whole without chewing." Gu Ran nodded. The Iron Armored Peony was so tough that chewing might break his teeth. Though swallowing it whole was unpleasant, as a Soul Master, he wasn't going to shy away from a little discomfort. Thinking about the herb's incredible effects made him all the more willing to endure the hardship. After distributing the herbs and pills, the members of the Emperor Team and Qin Ming began meditating to absorb their effects. Tian Lin stood guard nearby. He still had several powerful immortal herbs, including the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower and the Yearning Heartbroken Red. However, no one around him was currently suitable to consume these herbs. As for himself, he had already consumed three celestial herbs—Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, and Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. His body was saturated with medicinal energy, and consuming any more would be excessive and counterproductive. Instead, his external soul bone, the Flaming Golden Eyes, had undergone significant evolution after consuming the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. Tian Lin needed time to adapt to the surge in spiritual power caused by this evolution. "The fire in the Flaming Golden Eyes has become Ultimate Fire, and its soul skills seem to have changed." Tian Lin focused on his external soul bone. Under his concentrated mental perception, he could now see up to ten kilometers away with incredible clarity. The external soul bone also enhanced his mental defenses, granting strong resistance to illusions and spiritual attacks. Moreover, its soul skill, Golden Flame Soul Burn, which was originally a continuous spiritual attack that burned the opponent's soul like fire, had evolved. Now, he could trigger the flames to explode instantly, obliterating the opponent's soul in one go. Perhaps this skill deserved a new name: Golden Flame Soul Annihilation. Time passed slowly. After three hours, the medicinal effects began to take hold, and changes became evident in everyone. Some people's auras became purer, while others developed stronger bones. The one thing they all had in common was that their spirit energy had grown significantly. Tian Lin calculated the time. Someone should be waking up soon.