Douluo Continent: From Internal Martial Arts to the Law of Heaven and Earth

"However, it seems that they were too complacent. They couldn't even beat Tang Shan without using his soul skills."

Tang Shan's lips twitched slightly. He felt that Xue Qinghe's requirements were a bit too high. In his opinion, the students of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy were already quite good, especially in terms of overall teamwork. If there was any regret, it was that the number of Soul Masters could be increased. Maybe they could actually gather three Soul Masters before the finals.

As for the claim that even when seven people joined forces, they couldn't defeat him without using his soul skills, Tang Shan stated that only he himself knows how extraordinary his normal combat power is, even without using his soul rings.

First of all, Tang Shan had already prepared himself from the beginning. He said he wouldn't use spirit rings or spirit skills, but he didn't say he wouldn't use spirit bones or spirit skills. Whether it was the Great Power of the Titan's left palm bone or the Behemoth Claws of the Behemoth's right palm bone, once they were used, they would definitely have the ability to deliver a decisive blow.

With the Soul Bone Skill as a backup, even if it's a bit shameless, Tangshan Xiantian is still invincible.

Secondly, there was the obvious backup plan: Tang Shan's self-created soul skill, the Heaven-Opening Seal. The seemingly insignificant requirement had essentially sealed the fate of these students' defeat.

The Heaven-Opening Seal is a self-created soul skill that perfectly integrates blood, soul power, and spiritual power. Its core elements are the perfect fusion of blood, soul power, and spiritual power, and the ability to consume all three energies in the body before unleashing a full-force attack.

Leaving aside the latter, the effect of the perfect fusion of the three energies in the former alone is already quite outrageous. You should know that the most famous self-created soul skill "Reigning Supreme" of Mu En, the master of the Sea God Pavilion ten thousand years later, was nothing more than a perfect fusion of soul power and spiritual power.

In other words, the students in this group of formal teams are actually on par with the self-created soul skill "Reign Over the World" of a Limit Douluo who has undergone a complete overhaul and has reached the pinnacle of mastery. Its power even surpasses that of Dragon God Douluo Mu En.

Putting aside the self-created soul skill that he didn't use at the end, Tang Shan's normalized Dan Jin technique itself also brought a significant boost to his strength.

Douluo Continent itself does not emphasize the development of skills or techniques. For example, in the Douluo I era, the most famous skill practitioner was Sword Douluo Chen Xin. However, according to Tang Shan's estimation, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's swordsmanship had only reached the master level at most, and was still quite a distance from the grandmaster level. But Tang Shan's Dan Jin had definitely reached the grandmaster level, which naturally provided extraordinary normal combat power.

As for those who say that the systems are different and how to compare them, Tang Shan said that in reality there is not much difference. Sword Douluo's swordsmanship can be seen as the application of soul power combined with skills, while Tang Shan's internal martial arts can be seen as the application of qi and blood combined with skills. The two seem to be different, but in fact they cannot escape the category of the three energies of qi and blood, soul power and spiritual power in the soul master's body.

Getting back to the point, their normal strength surpasses that of Sword Douluo after his rebirth as a Soul Master, their self-created Soul Skill surpasses Mu En's "Reign of the World" ten thousand years later, and they even have two Soul Bone Skills that surpass those of Super Soul Beasts to finish them off. Tang Shan said that it's normal for these students to lose; it would be truly abnormal if they didn't lose.

Why haven't they woken up yet?

Seeing the three Hei brothers still unconscious, the other formal trainees couldn't help but feel worried and whispered among themselves.

"Let me help you."

As soon as Bi Ji finished speaking, she quietly appeared beside the three brothers, Hei Hu, Hei Xiong, and Hei She, and a rich life force surged from her hand, flowing directly into their bodies.

Ning Fengzhi's expression was somewhat solemn. He hadn't expected that the mysterious woman in front of him was not only a Title Douluo whose strength surpassed that of Sword Douluo Chen Xin, but also a healing-type Title Douluo. You must know that before this, there hadn't been a support-type Title Douluo on the continent for hundreds of years.

Xue Qinghe narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent. Bone Douluo, on the other hand, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After all, healing-type soul masters are generally considered to have little combat power, even if the opponent is suspected to be a level 97 titled Douluo. With his strength, protecting Ning Fengzhi should not be a big problem.

It can only be said that Gu Rong was too optimistic. You can underestimate the combat power of healing and life-related types, but you also cannot underestimate the terrifying physical body of a ferocious beast that has been nurtured by soul power for more than 500,000 years.

"Ok?"

The three Hei brothers quickly awoke from their coma, their eyes still somewhat dazed, clearly not yet aware of their surroundings.

Seeing that the three had awakened, Biji withdrew her life force, ignored several ambiguous gazes, and returned to Gu Yue's side.

Where am I?

Hei Xiong was a bit confused. Han Qi, who was standing to the side, briefly explained the whole story to the three brothers. Finally, Hei She summarized: "So, in the end, our team still lost, right?"

The seven remained silent, but the answer was already clear.

Monkey Spirit's eyes darted around, and he was about to speak up to smooth things over when Tang Shan's cheerful voice floated over: "I've been itching to try it out lately. I haven't tested the effects of my third soul skill yet. How about I take some time to come and give it a shot before the competition starts?"

A threat! A strong threat! This guy is testing his soul skills, he's clearly here to beat them up!

Monkey Spirit's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately put on a serious face, speaking rapidly: "Boss, this is absolutely not allowed! We're trying to make the most of every moment to cultivate, preparing for the competition is of utmost urgency, how can we delay your efforts!"

As soon as he said this, the other students instantly snapped out of their defeat and nodded vigorously, their faces full of determination, as if they could dive into the training room and never come out again.

Old Master Jun, looking like an old man, was even more solemn, his eyes fixed earnestly on Qin Ming, the pleading in his eyes was all too clear - compared to sparring with Tang Shan, he would rather suffer the torment of actual combat and training.

Tang Shan feigned confusion, raising an eyebrow at them: "Ah, didn't you say you wouldn't cultivate? The training is indeed quite tough, so taking a break for a while won't hurt?"

"That was all just talk in anger! Just talk in anger!" Monkey Spirit shook his head like a rattle drum. "Boss, Teacher Qin Ming has already arranged the next stage of training for us. It's packed from morning till night, with absolutely no rest time. You can ask Teacher Qin Ming if you don't believe me."

All the students turned their gazes to Qin Ming, their eyes filled with anticipation, waiting for him to nod in confirmation.

Facing Tang Shan's gaze, Qin Ming nodded with a smile. Although the beginning and development of the whole matter were beyond his expectations, the final result still achieved his initial goal of inviting Tang Shan over.

"Then, Mr. Qin Ming, we'll leave this place to you. We'll be going now."

Xue Qinghe smiled gently and asked Qin Ming if he needed anything else from training the students before taking his leave. Tang Shan naturally left with the group without lingering.

The group walked towards the outer edge of the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena. Xue Qinghe casually asked Tang Shan, "Tang Shan, what do you think of those people's strength?"

"Very good, the teamwork is excellent, but the soul power level is a bit low. Your Highness, you can apply to His Majesty for some resources from the national treasury to help Elder Jun and Monkey Spirit break through to the Soul Master level before the finals. That way, the team will have three Soul Masters. We might not be able to take first place from the Spirit Hall, but we should be able to put up a good fight against the Star Luo Royal Academy."

Xue Qinghe sighed softly: "In fact, the Empire has already allocated resources to them, but it's still a bit uncertain whether they can break through before the finals."

Tang Shan thought for a moment and asked, "Your Highness, have you considered using some medications with side effects?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe frowned: "These medicines will damage their potential and affect their future cultivation. It's really not worth it for the sake of that one level of soul power."

Tang Shan gestured towards the direction of the Great Soul Arena and asked, "Does Your Highness think they might seriously train in the future?"

Xue Qinghe was speechless when Tang Shan asked him this question.

"In fact, Your Highness could have consulted with them and the forces behind their families, and offered them some benefits in exchange for the drugs. Of course, it would not have been forced, but rather they and the forces behind them would have made their own choice."

These students weren't particularly talented to begin with. If they don't give it their all in the competition, they'll just be relatively outstanding graduates of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

“Qinghe, Tang Shan is right. Instead of forcing them, we should present the benefits and let them choose for themselves,” Ning Fengzhi added, looking at Tang Shan with a hint of surprise. He hadn’t expected the kid to see things so clearly. “I think those students aren’t really interested in cultivation. Instead of wasting energy urging them to cultivate, it’s better to go along with their wishes and achieve it all at once. They can gain benefits, and two Soul Masters can be born in the team. Isn’t that a win-win situation?”

After saying that, Ning Fengzhi began to analyze the pros and cons for Xue Qinghe in detail.

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Chapter 215 Crowded Crowds, Tangshan Narrowly Defeats Flanders

"Alright, I'll go back and report this to my father. There shouldn't be any major problems."

Xue Qinghe could naturally distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages. Previously, she was somewhat blinded by her true identity as a Soul Master genius. Now, with the guidance of Tang Shan and Ning Fengzhi, she could understand many things easily.

Throughout, Gu Yue quietly followed beside Tang Shan without saying a word, while Bi Ji followed behind her with a smile on her face.

After walking for a while, the group soon arrived at the outer edge of the Soul Arena, at which point a commotion reached their ears.

Xue Qinghe frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing through her mind. Recently, many Soul Masters had flooded into Tiandou City, and fights frequently broke out in the city. They not only damaged public property but also often attracted onlookers from the surrounding residents, causing her a lot of trouble.

As the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, she has been forced to devote most of her energy to maintaining order in the city recently, and she has hardly had a day of peace. She is very familiar with the noise in front of her, which is caused by a large number of people watching.

Tang Shan looked ahead curiously, only to see a dense crowd blocking the road, making it impossible for him to move forward.

Tang Shan glanced at Xue Qinghe, who was traveling discreetly today without any guards, and felt somewhat helpless. Without soldiers clearing the way, it would probably be troublesome for him to leave.

However, he also knew that the reason Xue Qinghe did not bring guards was most likely because she was traveling with Ning Fengzhi. Before Xue Qinghe transformed into Qian Renxue, the titled Douluo accompanying Ning Fengzhi was also the best protection for her.

Rather than traveling with guards, which would not only attract attention but also be a burden during the retreat, it would be more convenient to travel light and simply follow Ning Fengzhi.

However, it's easier to talk about things when it's dangerous, but now that there are so many people, it's not so easy to get out and be rescued.

"Your Highness, I'll walk ahead, please keep up."

Tang Shan said something to Xue Qinghe, then took the initiative to stand in front of him and walk into the crowd.

Xue Qinghe felt a sudden warmth in his heart, and the frustration he had been experiencing dealing with city affairs for the past few days dissipated somewhat.

She did not refuse, and followed Tang Shan with light steps, her gaze falling on his tall and straight back, which was full of gentleness.

But this warmth lasted only a moment before Xue Qinghe's face suddenly darkened—Gu Yue had somehow silently slipped between her and Tang Shan, following closely behind Tang Shan without leaving his side, which was utterly despicable.

Tang Shan was naturally unaware of the angelic lady's emotional fluctuations behind him. After plunging into the crowd, he quietly channeled his inner energy into his palm. Whenever he encountered someone blocking his way, he would simply flick his finger lightly on the other person's shoulder or arm, causing them to instantly lose their balance. By the time they regained their footing, a clear path had opened up in front of them.

Because it was a crowded scene, the person who was bumped just thought it was someone pushing them, and had no idea that it was Tang Shan's seemingly casual move.

As Tangshan advanced, a smooth route was quickly opened up. At the same time, the conversations of the people in the inner circle could be faintly heard in Tangshan's ears, causing him to subconsciously slow down his movements.

While curiously looking around, Gu Yue accidentally bumped into Tang Shan's back. Tang Shan reacted quickly, reaching back with his wrist to firmly grab Gu Yue's arm and steady her body.

Why did you stop?

Even in the noisy environment, Gu Yue's bewildered and confused voice still reached Tang Shan's ears very clearly.

"Let me hear what's going on."

Tang Shan replied telepathically, then looked at Xue Qinghe and said, "Your Highness, it seems there is a Soul Saint inside who wants to register for the Soul Battle."

Xue Qinghe, who was initially impatient due to the crowd, was surprised and his irritation lessened after hearing Tang Shan's telepathic message. He exchanged a few words with Ning Fengzhi behind him in a low voice. A moment later, Gu Rong's telepathic message appeared in Tang Shan's ears: "Kid, squeeze in and see what's going on?"

Tang Shan was somewhat puzzled, wondering why Gu Rong didn't directly use his mental power to investigate. However, after glancing at Bi Ji next to Gu Yue out of the corner of his eye, he understood. Ultimately, there was a powerful figure standing here, and he dared not make any rash moves.

Tang Shan did not refuse the message from the ancient banyan tree. It is human nature to be a gossip, and Tang Shan was no exception. Since Xue Qinghe was not in a hurry to leave, he also wanted to see what was going on here.

He continued to use his internal energy to sense the center of gravity of the people in front of him. He lightly touched them with his fingertips and exerted a little force to disrupt their balance. Then he took the opportunity to slip in sideways. In no time, he was not far from the innermost group of people.

With only one person left to stand in front of him, Tang Shan casually placed his hand on the other person's shoulder, his fingertips about to subtly channel his inner energy to disrupt their balance, but unexpectedly, the person instinctively launched a counterattack.

With a sudden jerk and a sharp movement, Tang Shan's hand was knocked off his shoulder. Immediately afterward, the opponent's fingers tightened abruptly, the knuckles protruding like eagle claws, and grabbed Tang Shan's wrist at a tricky angle.

The change came suddenly, but Tang Shan sensed no fluctuation of soul power in the other party's hand, so he did not get angry. He slightly lowered his wrist and turned his shoulder slightly to avoid the grab. At the same time, he raised his index and middle fingers together and pointed directly at the palm of the other party's grabbing hand.

puff!

The faint sound of fingers touching was barely audible in the noisy crowd and went unnoticed by anyone.

The opponent's claw-like hand suddenly retracted, and a tingling sensation ran through his fingertips. Clearly, he had suffered a hidden loss in this clash.

Whoosh!

Before Tang Shan could finish his move, the opponent suddenly bent three fingers into hooks, moving with lightning speed, and hooked towards Tang Shan's two fingers, trying to grab his knuckles and counterattack.

Tang Shan remained calm and collected, abruptly retracting his outstretched two fingers and clenching his knuckles into a fist, letting the other's fingers brush against his fist and grab.

Gu Yue curiously peeked out from Tang Shan's side, her eyes fixed on the two's lightning-fast, close-range exchange, her eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

Bang bang bang!

The sounds of fingertips, knuckles, and wrists colliding rang out one after another, subtle yet rapid. The two engaged in close combat between the crowd, dozens of rounds passing in the blink of an eye. They did not use a single bit of soul power throughout, but rather it was a contest of close-range skills and the ability to deflect force. Every move was aimed at the opponent's vital points, yet they stopped short of striking.

Finally, Tang Shan flipped his wrist, brought his five fingers together, and formed a cone with his fingertips. Taking advantage of a gap in the opponent's clawing motion, he suddenly snapped downwards, accurately striking the opponent's wrist.

The other person's wrist went numb, the grip instantly disengaged, and without any further retaliatory movement, they turned around decisively. At the same time, a slightly surprised voice followed: "Impressive technique..."

After Flander urged Zhao Wuji to sign up, he mingled in the crowd, ready to be a professional straight man at any time. Unexpectedly, a hand suddenly reached out from behind him, trying to disrupt his balance.

Although he didn't know what the other person intended to do, he was a seasoned veteran of the martial world and reacted very quickly. He immediately chose to fight back. However, he was afraid that the other person was just an ordinary person and that it was just a coincidence that he hit his center of gravity. Therefore, he just grabbed him casually, intending to punish him and teach him a lesson.

Unexpectedly, the opponent was able to easily dodge his first attack, and even counterattacked, causing him to suffer a hidden injury to his palm.

Since the opponent didn't use their soul power, he simply withdrew all his soul power and engaged in a covert battle with them.

The more they fought, the more surprised Flander became. His opponent's techniques were unpredictable and unlike anything he had ever seen before. If it weren't for his own high agility and rich combat experience, he would probably have been defeated long ago. Even so, after dozens of rounds, he was still one move behind and his wrist was struck by his opponent, leaving him slightly behind.

He turned around to see who had defeated him, only to find a handsome young man with an extraordinary and unusual demeanor.

Flander had considered countless possibilities, but he never imagined that his opponent, whom he had just secretly fought, would be so young. He was so shocked that he could only utter the words "good skills" and couldn't say a single word after that.

Flanders was stunned; Tangshan was no different.