Today marked a historic moment for the Dugu Clan—one that had not happened in over six years. For the first time, female masters were officially recognized within the clan. Whispers of excitement rippled through the estate like a breeze through autumn leaves. The servants, most of whom had only ever served stern men and distant elders, now found themselves bustling about with barely restrained enthusiasm.
Among the new arrivals, the small girl who had spoken so bravely to Dugu Xin in the main hall was now known by her new name: Dugu Mei, the Second Miss. Petite for her age and naturally timid, Dugu Mei was an introvert by nature, her curious mind often hidden behind a shy demeanor. She clung closely to the familiar, yet her wide black eyes constantly betrayed her fascination with the vast, unknown world around her.
The First Miss, Dugu Xue, could not have been more different. Dugu Xue was a whirlwind—a tomboy whose explosive personality and endless energy seemed to defy her frail, malnourished body. Even after everything she had suffered, she carried herself with the raw spirit of someone destined to leave her mark on the world. Like Dugu Mei, she had black eyes and hair, but where Mei was a gentle river, Xue was a crashing storm.
In the women's bathhouse, the servants began their careful work. They first helped the girls remove their tattered rags, then placed them gently into two small wooden tubs filled with warm, fragrant water. As they scrubbed away the dirt and grime, the water darkened almost to black, evidence of the hardship the girls had endured. But beneath the layers of filth, two remarkably beautiful little girls were revealed—skin like polished jade, hair gleaming once more under the careful hands of the attendants.
Across the courtyard, in the men's bathhouse, the three boys underwent the same process.
Dugu Alix, ranked second behind Dugu Xin, bore the closest resemblance to Dugu Bo—green hair that shimmered in the light and sky-blue eyes, a curious mix of fire and calm.
Dugu Gho, the third-ranked boy, was a small, frail child with dull, listless black eyes. His poor eyesight made him seem even more detached from the world around him, but Xin noted the stubborn set of his jaw with interest.
Finally, there was Dugu Hoi, the fourth-ranked boy. Though the youngest among them, Hoi was by far the largest, his frame hinting at considerable strength hidden beneath the remnants of malnutrition.
As the children were being bathed and dressed in clean robes, Xin retreated once again into his Spirit Sea, preparing for the next step.
Inside the boundless blue expanse, he found his two companions waiting.
"I have something I need your help with," Xin said. His spirit form—the mighty Winged Glacial Phosphor Serpent Emperor—coiled gracefully in the background. "My father left behind some of his bloodline essence before he departed. I intend to infuse it into the new family members."
Lan Ushi exhaled a cloud of smoke lazily. "To be honest, if it's about stabilizing bloodline infusions, Liu is the expert here."
Hong Liu tapped her chin thoughtfully, her crimson eyes glittering. "Modifying human bloodlines is possible," she said, "but the Jade Phosphor Hydra's essence is... overwhelmingly potent. I can use my power to stabilize them—but even so, the risk of death will be very real."
"I can reinforce their life essence during the process," Lan Ushi added, his voice disinterested but dependable. "It should significantly lower the risk of rejection."
Xin bowed his head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, both of you."
When he opened his eyes once more, the transformation was complete. Before him stood five newly cleaned and dressed young heirs of the Dugu Clan, their eyes wide and bright, their robes embroidered with the subtle silver thread that marked their new noble status.
Xin's expression hardened into one of solemn authority.
"What I'm about to show you," he said, voice low and powerful, "must be kept secret. As members of the Dugu Clan, it is now your responsibility to carry not only our successes—but also our failures. Our secrets are your secrets, and protecting them is your sacred duty."
The five children nodded with such ferocity that their heads looked ready to snap off their necks.
Acknowledging their resolve, Xin gave a slight gesture to an attendant standing nearby.
From the side stepped a plump, gray-haired man in formal robes—one of Dugu Bo's most trusted assistants. With a bow, he unfurled a scroll and began reading in a clear, ceremonial tone.
"Before today, all of you underwent your spirit awakening ceremonies, and your results were as follows:
Dugu Alix: Tool Spirit—Ebony Shield. Spirit Power: 0.
Dugu Xue: Tool Spirit—Angelic Halo. Spirit Power: 0.
Dugu Mei: Tool Spirit—Passion Flower. Spirit Power: 0.
Dugu Gho: Beast Spirit—Lucifer. Spirit Power: 0.
Dugu Hoi: Beast Spirit—Ice Cheetah. Spirit Power: 0."
Rolling the scroll neatly, the man bowed deeply once more and stepped back.
Xin nodded with grim satisfaction. "Very good," he said.
Without warning, he released his spirit power.
The courtyard shuddered under the sudden pressure. Behind him, two blood-red spirit rings materialized silently—both from Spirit Beasts that had lived over one hundred thousand years. The sheer oppressive weight of the aura rolled out in all directions like a thunderclap.
The plump man staggered backward instinctively, wide-eyed. His own spirit power surged defensively—six spirit rings appearing behind him in a brilliant array—but it was clear to everyone present:
The source of the immense, suffocating pressure…
…was their Young Master.
"This aura—" the old man gasped, his mouth hanging open. "Multiple 100,000-year-old spirit rings? From the Young Master?!"
The children clutched their robes tightly, awe-struck. Even Dugu Xue, usually bold and brash, found herself rooted to the spot.
Xin gazed at them, his golden and platinum eyes gleaming with cold fire.
"This is the future you have chosen," he said softly, voice carrying on the still, heavy air. "Follow me—and I will show you a new path. One beyond anything the world has ever seen."
And thus, the rebirth of the Dugu Clan truly began—not with fanfare or parades, but with the quiet, unbreakable oath shared by six young souls under the weight of ancient, terrifying power.
With a ripple of spiritual energy, Hong Liu and Lan Ushi materialized within the main hall, standing silently across from the assembled children. Their forms were faintly ethereal yet exuded overwhelming presence, their expressions appraising as they observed the small, fragile figures lined up before them.
Hong Liu crossed her arms, her crimson eyes flashing with sharp interest. "So these are the little brats," she said casually, voice carrying a melodic lilt that belied the gravity of what was about to happen. "Where's Lord Bo's bloodline essence?"
Without a word, Dugu Xin reached into the wide sleeves of his robe and withdrew a heavy bottle made of dark crystal. The liquid within shimmered faintly, even through the glass, its glow deep and golden like molten sunlight.
He handed it to Hong Liu carefully.
Popping the cork with a sharp pop, Hong Liu unleashed her spirit power, and immediately the thick, syrupy essence turned into a dense golden mist. It coiled around her fingers, alive and potent, buzzing with ancestral power. With a wave of her hand, she directed the mist toward the five children, forcing it into their bodies through their pores, their nostrils, their very mouths.
The reaction was immediate—and brutal.
The children collapsed as if struck, writhing on the cold white stone floor. Their skin turned an alarming shade of bright red as their bodies screamed in protest. Agonized cries tore from their throats, echoing throughout the massive hall.
Tears, blood, saliva, snot, and thick impurities poured from them in grotesque rivers. The once-pristine floor was quickly coated in a black-brown sludge—a physical manifestation of the toxins and impurities being violently expelled from their bodies.
Hong Liu moved with precision and focus, manipulating the bloodline essence even as the children thrashed and screamed. Lan Ushi, standing nearby, remained calm and detached, streams of invisible energy extending from his hands to the children's cores. His task was vital: maintaining the stability of their life essence, ensuring that their souls did not slip away under the intense pressure of the transformation.
Minutes dragged by in harrowing silence, broken only by the sounds of agony and the steady hum of spirit power.
After ten brutal minutes, a shift occurred.
One by one, the children instinctively summoned their spirits—an act that, under normal circumstances, would have been impossible without conscious effort.
First was Dugu Alix. His Ebony Shield manifested above him, a towering structure nearly two meters tall and 1.5 meters wide. Once plain and unadorned, the shield now bore a majestic emblem: a sprawling nine-headed hydra, each head snarling outward in different directions. The symbol pulsed with power, a testament to the bloodline's infusion.
Next came Dugu Xue. Her Angelic Halo, once simple and bright, had evolved into something far more complex. Two halos now floated above her head—one tilting at a sharp twenty-five-degree angle, interlocking at two delicate points to form a throne-like formation. Light shimmered through them, producing an aura of awe and authority.
Floating above Dugu Mei's chest was her Passionflower spirit. Once a singular shade of purple, it had transformed magnificently—each delicate petal now shimmered in a different vibrant color, forming a radiant wheel of hues.
Dugu Gho's spirit was perhaps the most startling. His spirit, Lucifer, had always been conceptual rather than tangible. Previously, it had only manifested as two tiny horns. Now, the horns had thickened and curved upward like those of a ram, with a small, fiery crown blazing between them—a sinister, regal symbol of potential.
Finally, Dugu Hoi's Ice Cheetah appeared. But it, too, had changed drastically. One half of the spirit retained its royal blue sheen, while the other half had turned a dark, forest green—an unusual chimera-like transformation that hinted at the merging of elemental attributes.
All the while, Dugu Xin watched, his heart hammering with excitement.
He could feel it—the surge of spirit power within each child, rapidly climbing. Higher and higher it soared until, at last, it hit the critical bottleneck: Spirit Power Rank 10.
Without hesitation, fresh marks bloomed on the back of each child's left hand—a vivid, jade-green image of a Jade Phosphor Serpent, coiling protectively within a circle. The new Spirit Marks were living proof of their transformation—and solidified their blood ties to the Dugu Clan.
An evil smile curled across Xin's lips as he turned his head toward Xiong Bu, the old assistant who still stood frozen in awe.
Their eyes met—and Xiong Bu instinctively felt it: the hunter staring down his prey.
"You understand what this means, right?" Xin asked softly, dangerously.
Xiong Bu's mouth went dry. His voice cracked as he spoke.
"Our Clan... can now create Spirit Masters at will…" he breathed in disbelief.
Xiong Bu was no fool. The implications were staggering. In a world where the birth of a Spirit Master was often left to chance and rare talent, the Dugu Clan now had the means to forcefully elevate commoners into Spirit Masters. Their future was no longer dictated by fate—it was theirs to control.
Xin's voice cut into his thoughts like a blade.
"Correct, Old Man Bu," he said coldly. "I need you to compile a list of the most loyal servants and members of the subsidiary clans—those without spirit power."
He gestured casually as more attendants rushed into the room.
"Let's see if this method works on adults as well."
The servants carefully lifted the unconscious young masters and misses of the Dugu Clan, cradling their small bodies like precious treasures. Without a word, they retreated from the hall, leaving Xin standing alone on the once-white, now soiled floor.
The heir of the Dugu Clan watched them go, his hands clasped behind his back, his golden and platinum eyes shining with an ambition too large for the walls of any hall to contain.
This was only the beginning.
After Xiong Bu had excused himself, bowing low and retreating swiftly to carry out his orders, Dugu Xin was left alone in the main hall with only the low murmur of servants hard at work, scrubbing the black sludge from the once-pristine stone floor.
Seated on the Seat of Power, Xin rested his elbow on the chair's arm and tapped his index finger thoughtfully against the carved wood. His golden and platinum eyes seemed distant, lost in the churning tides of his own thoughts.
Tool Spirits... Beast Spirits... Body Spirits…
Xin closed his eyes, reviewing everything he knew.
Tool Spirit Masters often faced the steepest cultivation path. Their spirits—manifested as weapons, tools, or objects—lacked the inherent vitality of beasts or the organic adaptability of body spirits. To truly ascend to higher ranks, a Tool Spirit Master had to form a deep, spiritual connection with their tool—understanding its essence, its soul. Only by harmonizing completely with their Spirit could they unlock its true potential.
The quality and synergy of Spirit Rings were even more crucial for Tool Spirit Masters. Each ring needed to strengthen and refine the tool's innate abilities; otherwise, progress would stagnate, and advancement would become nearly impossible.
Beast Spirits, in contrast, drew from the feral power of the natural world. Whether land-dwelling, aquatic, or airborne, Beast Spirits granted their wielders enhanced combat abilities, physical transformations, and elemental traits. When activating their spirits, Beast Spirit Masters often partially took on the appearance of their bonded beast—a wolf spirit might manifest claws and fangs; a bird spirit might sprout wings.
Their Spirit Rings needed to enhance their physical prowess and elemental affinities, and the compatibility of the ring with their Spirit was paramount. A mismatch between the ring and the Beast Spirit could lead to disastrous rejection—or even death.
Body Spirits were the rarest of the three. Manifesting in specific parts of the Spirit Master's own body, they offered unparalleled direct enhancement—strengthening limbs, eyes, skin, even internal organs.
They were classified by the strength of the spirit manifestation: iron, bronze, silver, or gold—each marking a step closer to transcendence.
Everyone knows these basic truths, Xin mused, tapping the seat again thoughtfully. But what I witnessed today—their Spirits materialized ethereally, no matter if they were tool or beast types. It's the effect of Father's bloodline essence.
He thought back to his father, Dugu Bo whose seventh Spirit Ability allowed his Jade Phosphor Hydra to materialize fully into the physical world. Dugu Bo no longer fought personally; he let the manifestation of his spirit dominate his battles.
And now, Xin realized, we have begun to emulate that. Even without reaching such high realms, our Dugu Clan heirs will wield a new kind of strength.
Shifting topics mentally, Xin's thoughts turned toward their future plans.
The reason Spirit Hall is so powerful isn't just numbers—it's precision.
Spirit Hall didn't just cultivate Spirit Masters. They nurtured them, selected the right Spirit Beasts for their rings, tailored every step of their growth. They turned promising talent into unstoppable forces by ensuring perfect synergy at every advancement stage.
We must do better, Xin thought fiercely. We must surpass them.
He mentally reviewed the current "optimal" spirit ring distribution:
Two yellow rings for early foundational strength.
Two purple rings for mid-stage explosive growth.
Five black rings for high-level power consolidation.
It was considered an outstanding ring configuration.
But it was no longer enough for the future he envisioned.
In the silent hall, Xin leaned forward, the light from the torches casting flickering shadows across his youthful yet hardened face.
The Dugu Clan will promise something greater:
Only Black Spirit Rings.
From the very first ring, their future Spirit Masters would leap over the traditional limitations. There would be no slow build-up through yellow and purple; only the mighty black—representing Spirit Beasts over 10,000 years old—would mark the power of Dugu Clan members.
It was a path filled with danger.
The strength and wildness of high-aged spirit beasts were not easily tamed, and forcing a first spirit ring to come from such creatures would carry monstrous risks.
But the rewards... oh, the rewards would be unimaginable.
Their Spirit Masters would be unmatched from the very beginning. Their foundation would be unshakable, their prestige unparalleled.
Of course, to achieve this, new methods would have to be developed.
Strengthen the body before the first Spirit Ring.
Enhance the spiritual sea to withstand the baptism of spirit energy.
Use bloodline power to stabilize and harmonize incompatible traits.
Xin closed his eyes, already envisioning the training programs, the resources required, the spirit beasts they would need to raise or hunt. It was an overwhelming task—but for the survival and rise of the Dugu Clan, it was necessary.
Opening his eyes again, he stood up slowly, his small figure somehow filling the massive hall with presence.