Douluo: I become stronger when I take in disciples!

Chapter 259 Courage

the other side.

Night fell, seeping through the bamboo windows of Qingfeng Valley. Ren Yaoyao curled up in the brocade quilt, tears staining the pillowcase with dark marks. She stared at the flickering candlelight outside the gauze curtains, her throat tightening—it was clearly something to celebrate that Mo Lingyun had obtained two 100,000-year soul rings, but the bitterness surging in her chest tightened around her heart like vines, making even breathing painful.

"Creak—" The wooden door opened slightly, and the cool moonlight, carrying the scent of pine and bamboo, flooded into the room. Ren Yaoyao hurriedly wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, but the person who entered still caught the tearful look in her eyes.

"Master?" Her voice was so hoarse that it startled even herself.

Ye Yunshu, dressed in a plain white robe, stood at the doorway, the jade hairpin at her temple reflecting a faint light. The usually composed Valley Master of Qingfeng frowned slightly, her gaze sweeping over the disheveled bed and Ren Yaoyao's red-rimmed eyes: "When you were reporting to me about Mo Lingyun's situation, I sensed something was wrong with you. Tell your master, what else happened?"

Ren Yaoyao bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palms. The candlelight flickered suddenly, casting their shadows on the mottled bamboo wall. As she recounted the harrowing rescue in the Weeping Flower Abyss, Ye Yunshu listened quietly, only her fingers tightening slightly within her sleeve.

"So, you like him? You don't want to give him up like this?" Ye Yunshu's voice was like a clear spring in the mountains, yet it precisely struck the softest corner of Ren Yaoyao's heart.

The girl looked up abruptly, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. "Yes, Master, but he seems to have no feelings for me at all. He's still as indifferent as ever." Her voice nearly choked with sobs as she finished speaking.

Ye Yunshu raised her hand and touched her forehead, the warmth of her palm dispelling some of the chill: "Silly child." She gazed at the bright moon hanging high outside the window, her tone carrying a gentleness mellowed by time, "Happiness sometimes has to be fought for. You can't let him be so cold that you don't even try to get closer. If he really can't soften, at least you won't have any regrets."

Ren Yaoyao stared blankly at her master. The night breeze lifted the gauze curtains, gently carrying Ye Yunshu's words to her ears. A flame that had been dying out in her heart suddenly flared up, making her eyes shine again. Perhaps, just as this long night will eventually give way to dawn, some answers must be sought out personally to avoid disappointment.

The Divine Pavilion stands atop the Sky Dome Mountains in the center of the continent, a hub where spiritual energy is most abundant. The towering peaks are perpetually shrouded in mist, isolating it from the mortal world. The staircase leading to the pavilion is paved with mystical crystal, gleaming mysteriously in the sunlight. Each step is engraved with ancient runes, silently testifying to the weight of time.

All the forces from across the continent have gathered here, drawn by the countless rare treasures and ancient cultivation techniques housed within the Divine Spirit Pavilion. The iconic, colossal Soul-Fighting Arena floats atop the main peak, its surface forged from extraterrestrial meteorite iron, its surface shimmering with strange light patterns that flicker with the fluctuations of spiritual energy. The surrounding spiritual mist barrier not only protects the arena but also projects the battle scene clearly into the air for all to witness. The main hall's eaves and brackets, its glazed tiles gleaming in the sunlight, are adorned with nine rainbow beams that soar from the roof, piercing the clouds and becoming a landmark visible throughout the entire continent.

As the morning mist receded like the tide, the colossal Soul-Fighting Arena atop the main peak of the Divine Spirit Pavilion was revealed in the sunlight. The arena, forged from black iron, shimmered with a dark purple aura, and the spiritual mist barrier swirling around its edges suddenly surged violently, transforming into thirty-six pillars of light that shot straight into the sky. As the last wisp of mist dissipated, nine elders of the Divine Spirit Pavilion descended slowly on glazed lotus platforms, stardust falling from their robes coalescing in mid-air into the gilded seal script characters for "Nine Heavens Soul-Fighting Gathering."

"This Soul Battle Tournament is a testament to martial prowess!" The leading elder swept his whisk across the void, and the six-pointed star array in the center of the Soul Battle Arena erupted with a deafening roar as crimson flames clashed violently at the array's core, bathing the entire sky in an eerie purple-gold hue. The crowd below erupted in cheers, the soul rings of disciples from various sects flashing and shimmering like a galaxy cascading across the mountains.

Just then, a sharp whooshing sound tore through the air. The Starfall Pavilion's void ship pierced through the clouds, and the star core at the bow burst forth with dazzling light.

Soul tools are also highly advanced.

The bone dragon phantom of the Blood Fiend Palace followed closely behind, distorting the air into a ferocious vortex wherever it passed.

"This Soul Battle," the white-haired elder's whisk traced an arc in the air, its silver threads shimmering in the sunlight, "will be a 1v1 contest, and the ultimate winner will receive a ten-thousand-year head soul bone as a reward!"

Before the words had even finished, the entire spectator area erupted in a deafening roar. The bone blades at the waists of the Blood Fiend Hall disciples clashed together, producing an excited clang; the elders of the Starfall Pavilion stroked their beards and nodded, their eyes gleaming with greed; even the usually reserved cultivators of the Clear Breeze Valley couldn't help but whisper among themselves. Mo Lingyun felt the scorching sun tremble slightly within her body, and the spirit beast's yearning for a top-tier soul bone traveled along the thread of their contract.

"Bravo!" A deafening cheer soared into the sky, causing the Xuan Tie Soul Battle Platform to tremble slightly. A disciple shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Divine Spirit Pavilion is so generous! A ten-thousand-year-old soul bone is a priceless treasure!" Another stomped his foot in agreement, "As expected of the Alliance Leader of the Continent! Who dares to disagree with such a gesture?" Amidst the rising and falling waves of flattery, several sect leaders exchanged glances and unanimously pushed their most elite disciples forward.

Feng Yang and Mo Lingyun also chose to sit in the upper spectator seats.
The two chatted idly about these sects.

"Feng Yang!!" A clear shout pierced the noise. Ren Yaoyao, lifting the hem of her skirt embroidered with flowing cloud patterns, her lily-of-the-valley hair ornament jingling as she ran, waved towards them from afar. Her cheeks were flushed, and her chest heaved, clearly indicating that she had run all the way here.

"Yaoyao, you're joining too?" Mo Lingyun said.

Ren Yaoyao blinked and playfully stuck out her tongue: "I'm just watching. After all, with you here, I can't possibly win the championship." Her gaze remained fixed on Feng Yang, and before Mo Lingyun could reply, she squeezed into the empty seat on the other side of Feng Yang. The black jade floor of the spectator stands trembled slightly from her movement, startling a few circling butterflies.

"Feng Yang, how have you been these past two days?" Ren Yaoyao's voice was sickeningly sweet, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt. "This is morning dew from the spiritual spring behind Qingfeng Valley. Try some." As she spoke, she took out a crystal-clear jade bottle, with a faint mist still swirling around its mouth.

Mo Lingyun opened her mouth, then silently closed it again. She gazed at Feng Yang's indifferent profile, then at the burning expectation in Ren Yaoyao's eyes, and suddenly felt the temperature in the air become subtly tense. Zhuo Ri trembled uneasily on her shoulder, sparks from its flapping wings landing on her skirt, while Feng Yang merely glanced down at the jade bottle and uttered two words: "No need."

Ren Yaoyao's smile froze for a moment, but then immediately brightened again: "It's okay, I'll put it here, you can take it anytime you want to drink!" She gently pushed the jade bottle to Feng Yang's side, the silver bell on her wrist making a soft tinkling sound with the movement, which was particularly clear in the quiet spectator stands.

Mo Lingyun stroked her chin thoughtfully, her gaze drifting unconsciously to her side as she looked at the Soul Arena—this silent undercurrent seemed more anticipated than the battle itself.

really.

next second.

Ren Yaoyao's arms were already wrapped around Feng Yang's arms, and her hair, which smelled of the spiritual spring, rested on his shoulder. The lily of the valley pendant in her hair swayed gently with the movement, casting shimmering light spots on the black jade floor.

This overly familiar manner completely stunned Mo Lingyun.

Unexpectedly, Ren Yaoyao suddenly became so bold!
In particular, Feng Yang only glanced at Ren Yaoyao slightly, without saying anything or stopping her.

Ren Yaoyao felt a surge of joy. She thought to herself, "My master said that if a boy dislikes a girl, he will never have physical contact with her, but Feng Yang doesn't seem to mind at all."

"Alright! Now I'm about to begin the duel."

"The first match drawn is between Fran, level 45, with the martial spirit Thunder Eagle, and Ma Hongshuai, level 41, with the martial spirit Fire Crane."

Amidst the rising dust, shouts were heard.

Two young men also landed on the arena.
Two figures shot towards the arena like arrows released from a bow.

Franger's silver hair flew wildly, and behind him, the phantom of a thunder eagle unfurled its ten-meter wings, the purple lightning crackling around its claws, leaving a burnt smell in the air wherever it passed; Ma Hongshuai's crimson outfit fluttered in the wind, and feathers of his Fire Crane Martial Soul grew from his hair, the trail of its tail flames dyeing the entire spiritual mist crimson. The moment the two landed, the black iron patterns on the surface of the Soul Arena twisted and deformed due to the intense fluctuations of soul power.

"Boom!" The moment the two landed simultaneously, the ancient runes on the Xuan Iron surface of the Soul Arena twisted violently, bursting forth with spiderweb-like cracks. Frang launched the first attack, his Thunder Eagle phantom flapping its wings, sending dozens of purple lightning bolts flying like arrows; Ma Hongshuai spun around and flung out a Fire Crane tail feather, the burning feather colliding with the lightning, the explosion making the eardrums of the spectators ache. Sparks and lightning intertwined to form a dazzling net of light, enveloping the entire arena.

Ma Hongshuai leaped into the air, his Fire Crane Martial Soul transforming into a shower of fiery feathers, sweeping towards Frang like a crimson meteor shower. Frang snorted coldly, and the phantom of the Thunder Eagle instantly solidified, its beak flashing with dazzling purple light, as it charged towards the shower of fiery feathers. The two powerful forces collided violently, causing the entire Soul Arena to tremble violently. The cracks on the surface of the Xuan Iron became even more dense, and even small fragments of metal were blasted away.

"Second Soul Skill! Thunderous Claw!" Frang roared, the purple lightning on the Thunder Eagle's claws surged threefold, tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for Ma Hongshuai's face. Ma Hongshuai's pupils contracted sharply, and the wings of his Fire Crane Martial Soul flapped rapidly in front of him, forming a sturdy fire shield of blazing flames. The instant the lightning collided with the flames, the dazzling light blinded everyone, and a powerful shockwave spread outwards from the arena, tearing a gap in the sea of ​​clouds below.

"Want to beat me? Not so easy!" Ma Hongshuai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes growing even more fierce. "Firecrane Manifest!" With a clear, long cry, a gigantic phantom of a firecracker fully materialized behind him, its body engulfed in flames, the temperature soaring rapidly, and everyone in the stands felt the heatwave. The firecracker flapped its wings, sending countless flaming feathers shooting towards Frang like arrows.

Frang dared not be careless. His body blazed with lightning, forming a protective shield. Feathered arrows struck the shield, crackling and exploding, but failed to breach its defenses. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Frang controlled his Thunder Eagle, charging towards the Firecracker at incredible speed. "Thunder Eagle Dive!" The Thunder Eagle, like a purple lightning bolt, aimed its sharp talons straight for the Firecracker's throat.

Ma Hongshuai hurriedly maneuvered his fire crane to the side to dodge, simultaneously spewing out a mouthful of flame mixed with sparks. Franger neither dodged nor evaded; the purple lightning on Thunder Eagle collided with the flames, instantly triggering a violent explosion. Amidst the billowing smoke, the two figures clashed once more, their soul power fluctuations constantly rising. Neither was willing to reveal the slightest weakness, and the intense battle made the entire Soul Arena seem as if it could collapse at any moment.

Before the smoke had even cleared, Franger's silver hair was already soaked with sweat, but it couldn't hide the increasingly burning fighting spirit in his eyes. He raised his hand to summon back the illusory Thunder Eagle hovering in mid-air, and purple lightning danced on his fingertips like living things: "It's time to end this!" With a final, fierce shout, the lightning around the Thunder Eagle surged to a blinding level, dyeing the entire arena a purple light.

Ma Hongshuai maneuvered his Firecracker form backward, its fiery feathers drawing a scorching defensive barrier in the air. However, the Thunder Eagle's swooping speed far exceeded his expectations. With a piercing shriek as its claws tore through the air, Franger's third soul skill, "Thunderous Might," was unleashed! Thousands of purple lightning bolts poured down like a torrential rain, and the Firecracker's flames instantly dimmed amidst this earth-shattering lightning.

"No!" Ma Hongshuai roared, channeling all his soul power as the fire crane forcibly unleashed its natal flame in an attempt to defend itself. But the purple lightning mercilessly pierced through the sea of ​​fire, striking the core of the fire crane's phantom directly. The enormous fire crane let out a mournful cry, crumbling inch by inch amidst the lightning, dissipating into countless sparks.

The impact sent Ma Hongshuai flying, crashing heavily onto the edge of the fighting arena. He struggled to get up, but was suppressed by Frang's lightning strike that arrived in an instant—the Thunder Eagle's claws hovered half an inch above his throat, crackling with purple lightning; with just a thought from Frang, he could take a life.

"I concede!" Ma Hongshuai said hoarsely, tears of resentment mingling with sweat as they dripped down his face. The referee elder's bell rang at the opportune moment, and Frang recalled his Thunder Eagle, the lightning around him slowly dissipating. When he turned to look at the cheering crowd of his sect, stray arcs of electricity still flickered in his hair, and the arena beneath his feet was already covered with charred lines from the lightning.

"Let us congratulate Frang on his successful advancement! He's one step closer to our head soul bone." Before the elder finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted around the Soul Arena. Frang raised his blood-stained arm, the phantom of a thunder eagle behind him shrieking, the purple lightning crackling on its claws, making his figure appear even more stern.

"Next up is Tang Xiaosi, whose martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, facing off against Mo Lingyun, whose special martial soul is Spirit Control Technique."

When the name "Tang Xiaosi" was announced, the spectator area erupted in a commotion. The young man who stepped onto the stage had his spirit rings light up one after another—two yellow, one purple, and one black. In particular, the jet-black ten-thousand-year spirit ring gleamed with an eerie purple light under the sunlight, causing everyone's pupils to shrink sharply.

"The fourth ring is a ten-thousand-year-old black spirit ring?"

"This is just too genius!"

Amidst gasps of amazement, Mo Lingyun slowly stepped onto the arena. Her white dress swept across the black iron ground, and the spirit beast contract pattern at her waist shimmered faintly.

The soul ring pulsed forth.

The first one is yellow.

The second one is yellow.

The third one is red.

The fourth one is red.

boom--! !

It was as if the entire world was being impacted by the soul ring on her body.

"The fourth ring is the ten-thousand-year-old black spirit ring?"

"How can it be?!"

(End of this chapter)