Thank you to our new Patrons: Joshua Desouza, Mohanad Tamimi, ar4ngel, Savagesmiley, w1212m, Raingori, DTShadow, nicholas berenguer, Noah Thomas, Brian Ramsey, Duoc, Chimera, Josh Wells, Orion Chung, Braydon Delgado, Gary Manus and [GLD]Guto! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 435: Jiang Nannan on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called Douluo: Divine Dragon Pattern Staff. As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The young girl's figure was slender, her golden curls resembling the legendary Golden Fleece from Greek mythology.
"Master, did you call me for something?"
Her crisp voice echoed in the dimly lit chamber as Ye Wen, who had been busy, raised his head.
Looking at Qianqian, who at just twelve years old already carried herself with grace and elegance, Ye Wen couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia. Five years had passed in the blink of an eye, and he had transformed from running a small rural academy into leading one of the most prestigious advanced academies on the Douluo Continent.
"Sit down, Qianqian. Let me explain why I called you here."
Without suspicion, Qianqian sat upright across from Ye Wen.
Ye Wen then took out a jade bottle, its contents shimmering with a mix of gold and red hues.
In recent days, all of Qianqian's senior brothers and sisters had experienced a qualitative leap in their strength, and their complexions appeared much healthier than usual. Seeing the jade bottle, Qianqian had an inkling of what it might contain.
"This is the essence extracted from the immortal herb, the Crested Phoenix Sunflower. It offers immense benefits to soul masters with fire-attribute avian martial souls," Ye Wen explained.
Over the years, Ye Wen had compiled information about various immortal herbs that were scattered throughout the continent. He had documented this knowledge and passed it on to his core disciples. Although Qianqian and Lanlan weren't direct disciples, Ye Wen always treated them as part of his family.
A flicker of astonishment passed through Qianqian's eyes. Though her cultivation level wasn't high, she had made efforts in other ways.
"Master, this is far too precious. Please save it for younger disciples with better aptitude."
Seeing how considerate and selfless Qianqian was, Ye Wen felt a pang of helplessness in his heart.
The trauma of childhood truly followed a person throughout their life, lingering like a haunting inner demon.
For Qianqian, Ye Wen spoke gently and kindly.
"This is specifically prepared for you—don't decline it. More of this essence will be available in the future. Besides, your cultivation speed has been far too slow—slower even than Lanlan, that lazy girl. If word got out, it would embarrass me as your master.
Hurry up and absorb it—I'll guard you while you do so."
After much hesitation, Qianqian accepted the immortal herb essence, which would drive any avian soul master on the continent wild with desire.
Under Ye Wen's warm and earnest gaze, Qianqian mustered her courage, uncorked the jade bottle, and drank the essence in one gulp.
Though the Crested Phoenix Sunflower essence smelled fragrant, its taste was abysmal. The moment it touched her lips, Qianqian's brows furrowed tightly—the essence burned like scorching flames in her throat.
"Drink it all down quickly—don't dwell on the taste!" Ye Wen urged hastily.
Enduring the excruciating pain, Qianqian swallowed the entire essence in one go. Her body rapidly turned from pink to crimson, resembling a boiled shrimp.
"Focus your energy in your dantian and fully refine the medicinal power! Your transformation begins today!"
With those final words of encouragement, Qianqian poured all her focus into refining the medicinal energy.
Ye Wen didn't remain idle either. Placing his hands on Qianqian's slender back, he channeled his own soul power to assist her in refining the medicinal energy.
This kind of operation was typically performed by soul masters of the same attribute.
Alternatively, it required a soul master with exceptional control over their soul power or one whose soul power was neutral enough to avoid causing harm. Otherwise, incompatible soul power coursing through a soul master's body could easily result in severe damage to their meridians.
Recalling the original story's Soul Master Tournament, Tang San had used a seven-in-one combination technique to absorb the soul power of the Shrek Seven Monsters, forcibly raising his soul power level to 70. That move had left Ye Wen utterly bewildered.
Later, however, Ye Wen realized that Tang San dared to attempt such a feat because he possessed the supreme internal cultivation technique, the Xuan Tian Gong, and his Blue Silver Grass had an extraordinary capacity for absorption. If an ordinary soul master tried the same, even one wielding the Hao Tian Hammer, they would likely suffer severe injuries at best.
Tang San hadn't been ruined by Yu Xiaogang's schemes only because of the powerful "cheat codes" he carried.
This particular Crested Phoenix Sunflower essence had been specially enhanced by Ye Wen.
Its potency was double that of a normal dose of Crested Phoenix Sunflower essence. The reason Ye Wen hadn't administered it last year was that Qianqian hadn't yet reached the age of twelve, her body hadn't fully developed, and she hadn't acquired her first soul ring for reinforcement. Administering it prematurely would have been unwise.
Qianqian had named her martial soul the "Wings of Light," though Ye Wen thought "Broken-Winged Angel" would have been more fitting.
After all, Qianqian's martial soul consisted of nothing more than a single wing.
Still, her martial soul's aptitude wasn't bad. After Ye Wen hunted a three-hundred-year-old Radiant Butterfly for her, her first soul skill became "Prayer of Light," an auxiliary ability that not only helped others calm their minds but also restored minor injuries. Its cost was low, and when used during meditation sessions, it significantly improved efficiency for the other disciples.
As the medicinal energy refined within her, Qianqian's skin began to turn pitch black, and a foul stench filled the chamber.
"Trouble!"
In his excitement over the immortal herb's ability to enhance aptitude, Ye Wen had forgotten that it also had the effect of purging impurities from the body—a process commonly referred to as "remodeling the meridians and marrow."
But at this critical moment, Ye Wen couldn't leave. He had no choice but to hold his breath and focus entirely on helping Qianqian refine the overwhelming medicinal energy within her.
The influence of innate aptitude in the world of Douluo was immense. Qianqian's meridians were extremely delicate, forcing Ye Wen to proceed with utmost care.
Two hours passed. Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted in the previously dim chamber. Flames surged around Qianqian's body, and the black grime on her skin solidified into chunks before falling to the ground.
Behind Qianqian, a pair of wings composed of radiant flame soul power unfurled.
With a gentle flutter, the two wings suddenly multiplied into four.
"The compensation for innate aptitude is complete, and her martial soul has evolved. Though I knew Qianqian's martial soul contained traces of light and faint fire attributes, I never expected such a dramatic transformation after being nourished by double the essence of the Crested Phoenix Sunflower."
Because Ye Wen's soul power had been flowing through Qianqian's body, her current soul power level was no secret to him. With the boost from the double dose of essence, Qianqian, who had been destined to remain perpetually stuck at level 29 like Yu Xiaogang in the original story, now skyrocketed to approximately level 27. However, without acquiring her second soul ring, her surface level remained at 20.
Yet Qianqian's transformation wasn't over. The four golden flame wings detached from her body, and a noble angel hovered in midair, her eyes radiating compassion and benevolence.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow