Douluo Dalu: I have a Soul Beast Clone

The long-desired immortal herbs were within reach.

Naturally, Li Changan was unwilling to give up easily. He began to reason passionately, expressing his confidence that nothing would go wrong. In the end, even Dugu Bo joined in to help persuade.

Dugu Bo assured that if anything went wrong after Li Changan consumed the herb, he could immediately help expel the herb's effects from his body, minimizing any harm.

After much persuasion, Dugu Yan finally relented and agreed to let Li Changan try consuming one of the immortal herbs.

From the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo retrieved a large chrysanthemum.

The chrysanthemum was a splendid shade of purple. Uniquely, its fuzzy petals looked soft and inviting. The flower was perfectly intact, with no scent emanating from it. The golden glow of the flower's stamen extended a half-foot above the petals.

This was none other than the neutral immortal herb, Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum!

Compared to other immortal herbs that had never been heard of, this one had at least been associated with a known soul master possessing such a martial soul. If anything were to go wrong, there was always the possibility of consulting that person for help.

Moreover, the herb's properties perfectly suited Li Changan's condition and would not conflict with his martial soul.

Receiving the herb, Li Changan suppressed his excitement, sat cross-legged, and began consuming the chrysanthemum. He first ate the stamen before carefully consuming the petals one by one. The remaining stem and roots were discarded.

Closing his eyes, he began to cultivate and absorb the herb's medicinal power.

Nearby, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan watched him intently, their eyes filled with tension.

Golden light began to glow faintly!

Li Changan, seated with his legs crossed, appeared calm and serene. A faint golden radiance spread across his skin. From within his body came faint crackling sounds, as though his bones were being broken and reforged.

Dugu Bo kept his eyes firmly on Li Changan, growing increasingly astonished. He noticed that as time passed, Li Changan's aura became more stable, his soul power more refined. The crackling sound was not from his bones breaking but from the strengthening and transformation of his skeleton, muscles, and meridians under the herb's effects.

The so-called "indestructible body" indeed seemed impressive. After this enhancement, perhaps it truly would allow the absorption of soul rings far beyond normal limits.

Seeing this, Dugu Bo finally relaxed. Up to this point, Li Changan showed no signs of adverse effects, only improvements. This was clear proof of the herb's efficacy.

While feeling a sense of relief, Dugu Bo couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well harbored many rare herbs, but the information Li Changan had shared was only about a small portion of them. The majority remained a mystery.

Perhaps the now-degraded ancient book might have once documented the properties of those other herbs. Alas, he would never know.

Meanwhile, in the distant forest where the soul beast clone resided…

Within a vast underground lair, a massive Serpent Emperor lay coiled. Its body also began to emit faint golden light, synchronized with the effects on Li Changan's main body. Clearly, the benefits of the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum extended to the clone as well.

This demonstrated the profound connection between the main body and the clone—far closer than Li Changan had anticipated.

Upon reflection, it made sense. If the clone could share soul power and physical attributes with the main body, then why couldn't the reverse occur?

As time passed, the golden light on the Bilin Serpent Emperor faded. Its massive body stirred, and its dark-golden eyes opened, revealing a glimmer of enlightenment.

"This body's durability has reached a new level! The hidden benefits will also make my future growth smoother… But alas, the herb only strengthened my physical form and did nothing to elevate my bloodline. Compared to pureblood dragon descendants like Di Tian, I can only reach the level of guardians like the Titan Giant Ape or Sky Blue Bull Python. My potential is limited."

For soul beasts, bloodline was of paramount importance.

Bloodline dictated their growth, eliminating bottlenecks, allowing them to grow stronger with minimal effort. But it also shackled their potential, setting an unbreakable limit.

Take Di Tian, for example. As a pureblood dragon from the era of the Dragon God, his bloodline ceiling was extremely high, theoretically allowing him to reach the level of a first-rank god. However, due to the Douluo Continent's altered rules, he had stagnated for hundreds of thousands of years, unable to break into godhood.

In contrast, the Serpent Emperor's bloodline, even with exceptional luck, would cap at the level of a third-rank god. Without extraordinary opportunities, breaking through that limit was virtually impossible.

This was the paradox of soul beast bloodlines—both their strength and their greatest restraint.

In comparison, humans, though lacking in bloodline advantages and plagued by bottlenecks at every stage, were not limited by such restraints. They had a greater chance of breaking past their limits.

For soul beasts, breaking free from their bloodline constraints was no easy feat. Without heaven-defying opportunities, it was nearly impossible.

Back to Li Chang'an's main body…

After some time, Li Chang'an finally finished absorbing the herb's medicinal power. His body underwent a tremendous transformation.

Slowly opening his eyes, he looked completely rejuvenated, his complexion radiant and his eyes gleaming with vitality.

Standing up, his physique now appeared stronger yet well-proportioned, with subtle yet defined muscle lines. He had grown slightly taller, exuding a newfound sense of security.

"Brother Chang'an, how do you feel?" Dugu Yan, acting like a little bird clinging to him, nestled into his embrace. She immediately noticed how firm his chest felt and how his heartbeats sounded more robust and steady, giving her an inexplicable sense of peace.

"Yan'er, I feel amazing."

Li Chang'an wrapped his arms around the girl, gently stroking her back. "I feel better than ever! This herb is truly effective."

"Come here, Chang'an. Let this old man examine you thoroughly," Dugu Bo called out. Though his observations suggested no problems, he insisted on using his soul power and spiritual energy for a more detailed check, just to be safe.

After all, Dugu Bo had already fully accepted Li Chang'an as one of his own and could not bear for him to suffer any mishap.