Gu Feng was caught off guard by her sudden tight embrace, momentarily stunned and unsure of how to react. However, he quickly regained his composure and softly reassured her, "I'm fine, see?"
As he spoke, he deliberately patted his chest, as if trying to prove to Dugu Yan that he was indeed unharmed. However, the obvious height difference between them made his gesture look like a child trying to act mature, which was quite comical.
Dugu Yan, who had been on the verge of tears and filled with worry, was momentarily taken aback by his antics. Then, she couldn't help but burst into laughter, and the gloom on her face instantly dissipated.
"Alright, I'll believe you this time," Dugu Yan said with a smile, her tone full of affection.
Feeling the warmth of the young boy in her arms, Dugu Yan's heart was filled with a unique sense of comfort.
Perhaps having such a mischievous little brother wasn't so bad after all!
At that moment, a dry cough interrupted the scene: "Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Dugu Bo stared at the two with a resentful look, as if saying, "Do you two really not see me here?"
Hearing the sound, Dugu Yan's cheeks flushed slightly, but this time, she didn't let go. Instead, she turned her head and asked, "Grandpa, is your throat bothering you?"
Dugu Bo: "..."
It's over, it's over!
My little cotton-padded jacket has sprung a leak!
The once considerate little granddaughter was now being so affectionate with someone else right in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
To avoid the situation becoming even more awkward, Dugu Bo had no choice but to remind her, "Yan Yan, isn't this a bit inappropriate? Look at Gu Feng, he's almost suffocating from your hug."
Dugu Yan retorted nonchalantly, "Grandpa, what are you talking about? Gu Feng is perfectly fine. Besides, I've always treated him like a little brother, so don't overthink it."
As she spoke, she gently patted Gu Feng's back, as if emphasizing the innocence of their relationship to her grandfather.
After a while.
Dugu Yan reluctantly let go of Gu Feng, her face filled with excitement. "Little brother Gu Feng, the Immortal Herb you gave me has had such an amazing effect! I've reached level 20 now!"
To assert her authority as an older sister, she deliberately emphasized the word "little brother."
Gu Feng's lips curled into a faint, somewhat helpless smile as he replied, "As long as you're happy."
Compared to Dugu Yan's affectionate demeanor, his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
After all, what could be better than food?
At that moment, he touched his empty stomach, which had completely shrunk after three days without eating.
Right now, Gu Feng felt like he could devour an entire pig in three bites.
Just then, a loud "gurgling" sound came from his stomach, clearly breaking the brief awkward silence.
Seeing Gu Feng in this state, Dugu Bo couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Hahaha, let's go. I'll take you two to get something to eat."
After the three of them had a simple meal of roasted meat in the bamboo house.
"Gu Feng, now that you've absorbed the Immortal Herb and had your meal, I'll take you to hunt for a Soul Beast. Once you absorb the Soul Ring, I'll send you back," Dugu Bo said as he wiped the corner of his mouth.
In the end, he was still worried that the two of them couldn't handle the environment here. After all, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was indeed not a suitable place to stay for long periods.
"I don't have any objections. What about you, Gu Feng?"
Dugu Yan looked at Gu Feng, her eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.
Gu Feng thought for a moment and casually found an excuse: "I think I'll pass. I need to go back and consult my grandfather about my Soul Ring."
"Alright."
Hearing that Gu Feng wouldn't be joining, Dugu Yan lowered her head slightly, her tone carrying a touch of disappointment.
At this moment, Dugu Bo seemed to suddenly remember something important and hurriedly asked, "By the way, Gu Feng, I remember you have a deep understanding of Martial Souls. Could you take a look at Yan Yan's Martial Soul? It feels a bit off."
Gu Feng was somewhat surprised and turned to look at Dugu Yan: "Sister YanYan, could you release your Martial Soul for me to see?"
"Sure."
With that, Dugu Yan closed her eyes, focused her energy, and released her Martial Soul.
A flash of emerald light appeared. Compared to the previous appearance of the Jade Scale Serpent, Dugu Yan's Martial Soul now had a crystal-clear quality. The serpent's body was jade-like, emitting a soft luster, and a pair of small protrusions had appeared on its back.
They vaguely resembled the shape of wings, though they hadn't fully developed yet.
Seeing this, Gu Feng was slightly stunned, a hint of surprise rising in his heart.
Wings on its back? Isn't this the Soaring Serpent?
The Soaring Serpent, known for its gentle nature but venomous bite, could soar through clouds and mist. It was a divine beast not inferior to dragons.
"Senior Dugu, did you give Sister YanYan any other powerful supplements before?"
In Gu Feng's view, relying solely on the medicinal power of the Three-Leaf Green Bamboo, Dugu Yan's Martial Soul couldn't have undergone such a significant evolution.
After all, the Jade Scale Serpent Spirit Soul had a subsequent form, the Serpent Emperor, and the gap between them wasn't something that could be easily bridged by a single Immortal Herb.
Dugu Bo thought for a moment and said, "I once gave Yan Yan an Inner Core from an 80,000-year-old Medusa."
"That explains it. Medusa is a mythical beast, and an 80,000-year-old Inner Core is no ordinary item."
It was likely that the Three-Leaf Green Bamboo had activated the Medusa's Inner Core, which had been lying dormant in Dugu Yan's body, resulting in a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts.
Dugu Bo asked nervously, "So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Of course, it's a good thing. Sister YanYan's Martial Soul can now rival top-tier Martial Souls like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and it hasn't even fully evolved yet. It's still in its juvenile stage."
"Really?"
Dugu Yan's eyes widened, her face filled with astonishment. She hadn't expected such an enormous surprise to come her way so unexpectedly.
In just a few days, her Martial Soul had become comparable to a dragon?
"Of course, Sister YanYan, congratulations!"
"Ahhh! Thank you so much, Gu Feng!"
Overwhelmed with excitement, Dugu Yan pulled Gu Feng into a tight hug, cupping his face in her hands and planting a firm kiss on his cheek.
As a faint fragrance wafted over, Gu Feng wore a helpless expression, looking utterly resigned.
"Ahem! Ahem! Ahem!" Dugu Bo let out a series of hoarse coughs from the side, trying to remind Dugu Yan to maintain some decorum.
However, Dugu Bo's throat was almost hoarse from coughing, yet it had no effect at all.
Dugu Yan continued to play with Gu Feng's face on her own.
The smile on her face grew even brighter.
Who among family members understands, who understands the joy of ruffling a child's face?
Especially one with a bit of baby fat, the feeling is simply wonderful!
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