Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

Time slowly slipped by, second by second, and before they knew it, night had fallen. With the effects of the celestial herbs taking hold, both Yue Guan and Dugu Yan underwent noticeable transformations.

After consuming the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Yue Guan's body began to emit a faint golden glow, resembling the radiance of his Spirit, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. Initially seated in a meditative posture, his entire body now shone with gold, the brilliance expanding and retracting in a rhythm.

His nine spirit rings flickered with dazzling light at an alarming speed. Occasionally, low growls, reminiscent of distant thunder, rumbled from his throat, while his body trembled in a unique rhythm.

In contrast, Dugu Yan's absorption process was calm. She sat quietly, yet her body exuded a faint, radiant gleam.

Cheng Xiao and Dugu Bo sat together, feeling somewhat bored as they watched the two in deep absorption, still unconscious.

After another hour passed, Dugu Yan quietly opened her eyes. The changes in her Spirit caused her to brim with excitement.

"Grandfather, I did it!" Dugu Yan's eyes sparkled with joy as she rushed to Dugu Bo's side. Her face was full of disbelief and happiness, her excitement growing with each passing second.

"My Jade Phosphor Serpent Spirit evolved into the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor! Grandfather, my Spirit has truly evolved!" She hugged Dugu Bo tightly, overjoyed. After all, when Dugu Bo's Spirit evolved, it was only when he reached the rank of Titled Douluo.

But now, she had achieved this evolution while still at the Soul Ancestor level!

"Hahaha! So that old Chrysanthemum Douluo didn't lie to me! Yan Yan, I'm so happy for you!" Dugu Bo's eyes reddened slightly as he gently stroked Dugu Yan's hair. His joy was something only he could fully understand.

After her initial excitement, Dugu Yan gradually calmed down. She smiled at Cheng Xiao and said, "Cheng Xiao, it's all thanks to you. Thank you."

"Sister Yan, there's no need to thank me. You deserve this," Cheng Xiao replied with a soft smile and shook his head slightly.

"You're right, Yan Yan. You don't need to thank this rascal," Dugu Bo laughed heartily. "Although I didn't know exactly what these herbs could do, it's clear that without them, not even Chrysanthemum Douluo could have made this possible."

"By the way, did your spirit power increase as well? If your Spirit evolved, it should have boosted your power significantly."

Hearing this, Dugu Yan hesitated slightly. She carefully felt the flow of spirit power within her and, after a brief pause, said, "My spirit power increased by at least five levels. But I'll need to absorb my fourth spirit ring to confirm my exact level."

"Good, good, good!" Dugu Bo exclaimed three times in a row, his excitement evident. "Let's go get your fourth spirit ring right away! This is the perfect chance to test your new Spirit's abilities."

Just as Dugu Bo finished speaking, an extremely soft yet sinister voice echoed through the air, accompanied by the eruption of a powerful aura. This aura belonged to none other than Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan, who had just completed absorbing the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

Stretching lazily as if waking from a long nap, Yue Guan opened his eyes. "At last! I've finally achieved the Indestructible Vajra Body!"

The next moment, nine spirit rings spiraled up from beneath Yue Guan's feet, and his body glimmered with golden light. Dugu Bo could distinctly feel that Yue Guan's spirit power had broken through to rank 96. No longer would he be a Douluo reliant on Ghost Douluo—he now stood as a mighty force on his own.

"Rank 96... so this is what it feels like," Yue Guan murmured with a look of pure satisfaction. For years, he had been stuck at the bottleneck of rank 95. Now, having broken through, his heart swelled with joy.

Of course, Yue Guan hadn't forgotten the reason for his breakthrough. Opening his eyes, he immediately approached Dugu Bo and, without hesitation, pulled him into a tight embrace in front of Dugu Yan and Cheng Xiao.

Caught off guard, Dugu Bo's face darkened. To his disgust, Yue Guan's body exuded a faint, feminine fragrance, making Dugu Bo feel a wave of revulsion.

However, the two had known each other for decades, and Dugu Bo was willing to tolerate such superficial gestures.

"Ahem! Chrysanthemum Douluo, release me this instant!" Dugu Bo said sternly, clearly uncomfortable.

"Ah, my apologies. I got carried away." Yue Guan quickly let go, laughing as he spoke. "Old Poison, I owe you a great debt for the celestial herbs. I am truly grateful."

"Save the nonsense. Just don't come causing trouble for me now that you've broken through," Dugu Bo snorted.

"Relax, relax. You of all people should know I'm not that kind of person," Yue Guan said with a grin.

"Hmmph. How would I know?" Dugu Bo gave him a side glance, but the hostility in his eyes had notably diminished.

Seizing the opportunity as the tension between the two elders eased, Cheng Xiao shared his ambition of establishing his own faction.

"You're crazy!" Yue Guan exclaimed, stunned by Cheng Xiao's idea. "Do you know how vast the Spirit Hall's influence is? The elders of the Worship Hall alone are all rank 95 or higher, and the Grand Worshipper is a peerless Douluo at rank 99! You can't just casually replace Spirit Hall."

"Besides, the Elder Hall is fully aligned with the Supreme Pontiff. Apart from Ghost Douluo and myself, there are other powerful Titled Douluo like Ghost Leopard Douluo, Demon Bear Douluo, and Spirit Kite Douluo."

"Both Ghost Leopard Douluo and Demon Bear Douluo are rank 95, and though Spirit Kite Douluo and the Saint Dragon Sect leader haven't reached that level yet, you're still considering going against the Spirit Hall?"

Yue Guan's concerns were valid. As a member of Spirit Hall, he was well aware of the changes that had occurred after Bibi Dong's rise to power. Previously constrained by his own lack of strength, he had been forced to follow her orders.

But now, things were different. Having broken through rank 95 and attained the Indestructible Vajra Body, Yue Guan could sense that, with time, he might even reach rank 97. At that point, not even Bibi Dong could treat him as a mere pawn.

His earlier compliance had stemmed from weakness. Now, with his newfound strength, Yue Guan harbored a growing desire for freedom.

No one is born a slave, and no one willingly remains one. It's only the harshness of reality that forces submission.

"Teacher, I understand your concerns. But isn't it possible for us to dismantle Spirit Hall from within—starting with the Supreme Pontiff's faction?" Cheng Xiao asked with a smile.

"The Supreme Pontiff's faction?" Yue Guan's pupils contracted as he looked at Cheng Xiao in shock. "You're planning to join forces with the Grand Worshipper to reshuffle the power structure within Spirit Hall?"

"Perhaps. I'm not entirely sure of her intentions yet, but with her on our side, the Worship Hall shouldn't pose a problem," Cheng Xiao replied thoughtfully.

"My goodness..." Yue Guan gasped, astonished. It all made sense now—no wonder Qian Renxue had been with Cheng Xiao in the Star Dou Forest. The two had clearly been working together from the start.

It wasn't just about creating a new faction—this was part of Qian Renxue's grand scheme. Yue Guan's desire to break free from Bibi Dong's control now burned even brighter. He knew all too well how ruthless Bibi Dong could be—far more terrifying than the previous Supreme Pontiff.

But Yue Guan was ready to take the gamble. Spirit Hall was no longer the institution it once was. From top to bottom, it reeked of corruption. Only the lower-ranking members remained relatively untainted; the upper echelons were rotten to the core.

Taking a deep breath, Yue Guan made up his mind. He had tasted power and wealth—but now, what he craved was freedom. Absolute freedom, beyond anyone's control.

"Cheng Xiao, I've seen the fickleness of the world during my years in Spirit Hall. Thanks to you, I now have a chance to grow even further. If that's the case, then I'll go all in with you—let's do this!"