Chapter 32: The Indestructible Body
The dreamlike immortal herb lay before him—brilliant and flawless.
Naturally, Li Chang'an wasn't about to give up so easily. He began to reason with Dugu Yan, patiently explaining the risks and the rationale, assuring her that everything was under control. He emphasized that he would choose a neutral herb, one best suited for his constitution, and that there was no chance of conflict with his martial soul.
Even Dugu Bo eventually stepped in to support him. "If anything goes wrong," he said calmly, "I'll act immediately to purge the effects. With my cultivation and medical expertise, I can keep the damage to a minimum."
After much convincing, Dugu Yan reluctantly relented. Though still worried, she trusted them—especially her grandfather—and allowed Li Chang'an to proceed with the trial.
Dugu Bo reached into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and retrieved a massive chrysanthemum.
The flower was a rich, regal purple. Each petal was soft and velvety, oddly puffed up in a way that made the entire blossom look almost... adorable. It gave off no fragrance, yet it radiated vitality. The golden-tipped stamen protruded a full half-foot from the center, shimmering faintly with light.
This was the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum, a legendary neutral-type immortal herb.
Unlike most of the herbs surrounding the well, which existed only in obscure ancient texts, this one had been seen before—known to be the martial soul of a powerful Titled Douluo. Its effects were real, and its temperament was steady. Most importantly, its medicinal properties were ideal for body tempering and carried no risk of backlash when taken by someone with a poison-aligned martial soul.
Li Chang'an accepted the herb with both hands, suppressing the excitement bubbling in his chest. He sat down cross-legged at the edge of the cave, took a deep breath, and began the process. Following the traditional order described in the ancient texts, he first consumed the stamen, then the petals one by one. He discarded the root and stem—those held impurities.
The moment he finished, he closed his eyes and began meditating, guiding the medicinal power into his meridians.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan sat nearby, watching closely with grave expressions. They constantly monitored his pulse, his aura, and the rhythm of his soul power fluctuations.
Then—it began.
A faint golden light emerged from Li Chang'an's skin, spreading across his body like dawn breaking through a fog. His expression was calm, his breathing steady. Yet from within, there came a strange cracking sound—not violent, but rhythmic, like something ancient being reforged.
Dugu Bo's eyes sharpened. His spiritual senses picked up every subtle change occurring in the boy's body. At first, he thought it was bone fracturing—but no. There was no pain, no instability. Rather, it was a sound born of transformation. The boy's bones, muscles, and meridians were all being fortified under the effect of the chrysanthemum's power.
"The legends weren't wrong," Dugu Bo murmured, awe creeping into his voice. "This is the Indestructible Vajra Body..."
The aura around Li Chang'an grew more serene with every passing moment. His soul power, which once had some turbulence due to rapid cultivation, now flowed with mellow consistency. It was as if his foundation had been recast in gold.
Dugu Bo finally relaxed. There were no adverse reactions—no hidden dangers. All signs pointed to one thing: the herb was real, and its effects profound.
A wave of regret accompanied his satisfaction.
So many herbs still grew in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—exotic, ancient, and powerful—but he knew the details of only a handful. Everything Li Chang'an had told him came from memory. The rest of that ancient tome the boy had studied had been too deteriorated to preserve.
If only I had the full record, Dugu Bo thought, wistful. Among the known herbs, none seem capable of resolving my own poison. But if I'd seen the complete text... perhaps the cure was there.
Far away, deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, within a hidden cavern—
The Jade Phosphor Snake Emperor clone lay coiled, shrouded in darkness. But just as golden light flared across Li Chang'an's body, the same light began to glow from the clone's massive serpentine form. The connection between the main body and the clone had always been mysterious. Now, it was growing stronger.
After all, if the clone could share Li Chang'an's soul power and some physical traits, wasn't it reasonable for it to benefit from the body's improvements too?
Moments later, the light faded.
The Bilin Snake Emperor opened its dark golden eyes, eyes now shining with clarity. It stretched slightly, feeling its newly fortified form. Its muscles were stronger, its body denser, and its presence more refined.
"My strength has improved by at least one whole level," the clone murmured, its voice deep and resonant. "More than that—this herb laid the foundation for smoother future growth. Still, it's a pity... it didn't affect my bloodline."
Despite the immense benefits, the Bilin Snake Emperor was keenly aware of its limitations.
In the world of soul beasts, bloodline determined everything. It was both their greatest advantage and their most crushing ceiling. With powerful bloodlines, cultivation was effortless. Eat, sleep, breathe—and strength came naturally. But a weak bloodline meant a hard limit, no matter how hard one worked.
"I'm no match for someone like Di Tian," it admitted. "He's a pure-blood dragon from the era of the Dragon God—his ceiling is near godhood. Me? At most I'm on par with the Titan Giant Ape or the Azure Bull Python. Even with miracles, I might top out at a third-level god."
It was an honest assessment.
Di Tian, with his divine bloodline, had the potential to become a first-level god—a true apex existence. Yet even he had been shackled by the laws of the Douluo Continent, altered long ago by the God Realm. For hundreds of thousands of years, he had been trapped under an invisible ceiling.
For soul beasts like the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, the cap was even lower. Unless some heaven-defying opportunity came along—perhaps a fusion with a divine artifact, or a change to the laws themselves—there was simply no way to break past their bloodline ceiling.
Success by bloodline. Defeat by bloodline.
That was the curse of the soul beast race.
In contrast, humans, though burdened by bottlenecks at every stage, had no such absolute limitations. Through talent, hard work, and luck, they could reach heights even beyond their expectations. For soul beasts, the path upward was fixed. For humans, the sky—at least in theory—was limitless.
Back at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—
Li Chang'an slowly opened his eyes.
His body still glowed faintly gold, and his complexion was radiant. He stood, taller than before, his limbs strong and lean. The lines of his muscles were visible now—dense, compact, perfectly proportioned. His soul power was richer, steadier.
"Chang'an-ge!" Dugu Yan rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms. The moment she embraced him, she could feel the change—his heartbeat was like a steady drum, his warmth comforting. Just being held by him brought her a deep sense of security.
"I'm fine, Yanzi," Li Chang'an said, gently stroking her back. "Better than fine. I've never felt so good."
"Come here," Dugu Bo beckoned. "Let me give you a full checkup. Even if everything looks fine, I want to be absolutely certain."
He didn't need to say why.
He already saw Li Chang'an as part of the family—and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to this boy under his watch.
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