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

How shameful! Utterly shameful! It was shameful enough that he started off with such foul language, but now he's shouting out the names of his soul skills so loudly during a fight—it's ridiculously stupid. How come he never noticed before that he had this kind of trash under his command? He's not even a food-type soul master, what's with all the shouting!

Upon hearing the other party shout to unleash their soul skill again, Tang Shan immediately became alert, secretly realizing that something was amiss.

No one would intentionally reveal their soul skill twice in a row, right? The first time might be to deliberately act naive and lower one's guard, while the second time is most likely to mislead oneself.

His mind raced, and Tang Shan pushed off the ground with both legs, instinctively backing away to increase the distance between himself and Gang Lie. Regardless of the effect of that soul skill, as long as he was far enough away, he could most likely avoid it.

The next second, several meters long earth spikes suddenly pierced out from where Tang Shan had just been standing. He stared at them for a long time, but the earth spikes all stuck in empty space and didn't touch him at all.

"Are there really people who shout out when they unleash their soul skills?"

When Tang Shan's words reached the ears of the surrounding soldiers, they looked at each other, unsure of what expression to make.

Gang Lie completely ignored Tang Shan's taunts. The two spirit rings under his feet lit up at the same time, and the yellow light enveloped his fat body again. At the same time, more earth spikes came from all directions to stab at Tang Shan, obviously trying to block his movement range.

Although Ganglie seems unreliable in some ways, he does have some ideas when it comes to fighting.

Using the second soul skill to block the opponent's movement and forcing them to take the first soul skill head-on, at least there's some idea behind using soul skills in combination.

But that was all; this move was completely useless against Tang Shan. Seeing Gang Lie charging towards him again, Tang Shan's aura suddenly changed, and at the same time, the spirit ring he had kept hidden was finally revealed to all the soldiers.

Faced with such a reckless, brainless opponent who spewed nonsense everywhere, Tang Shan had no interest in dragging it out any longer and decided to use his soul skill to end the battle as soon as possible and establish his authority.

You're tough and resilient, so getting a little hurt shouldn't be a big deal.

A purple spirit ring emerged from the foot of Tangshan, rhythmically moving up and down his body.

The moment that purple halo came into view, everyone instinctively held their breath.

Most of them had seen thousand-year spirit rings before, so they weren't particularly rare. But what if a spirit master only had one thousand-year spirit ring? The shock that would be was absolutely unparalleled.

"The first ring in a thousand years..."

Hong Zhen's hand trembled violently, completely stunned by the sight before him. Someone actually managed to achieve the first ring in a thousand years—this talent was simply astonishing! No wonder the First Prince kept Tang Shan by his side and nurtured him so carefully; if it were him, he would definitely do the same.

"General Hong, Tang Shan's talent isn't bad, is it?"

Xue Qinghe smiled as he looked at Hong Zhen beside him.

"I never expected Your Highness to be so discerning, able to unearth such a top genius. Those people who lost before deserved their fate."

A bitter smile appeared on Hong Zhen's face; he was completely uncertain. A single thousand-year soul ring was enough to make up for the difference in the number of soul skills, and Tang Shan currently held an even greater advantage. It was truly hard to say whether he could win his bet with Xue Qinghe.

"What...what is this?"

Among the onlookers, one soldier could not contain his shock and stammered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"It looks like a thousand-year spirit ring, doesn't it?"

Some people hesitated before responding.

"Then why does he only have one spirit ring at his feet? Where did the two hundred-year spirit rings in front go?"

"Perhaps Tang Shan only had this one spirit ring to begin with, and it was even a thousand-year spirit ring. After all, the First Prince said that he is only level nineteen now. The First Prince wouldn't lie to us, and there's no need for him to send a Spirit Master to challenge one or two-ring spirit masters in our army, right?"

Soon, some people in the army figured out the key point and reluctantly accepted Tangshan's absurd first ring in a thousand years. But after accepting it, everyone couldn't help but doubt life: how could the difference in talent between people be so great?

Gang Lie, who was charging forward, hadn't even had time to react when he saw a purple soul ring light up around Tang Shan. Before he could even process what was happening, he was suddenly thrown away by a tremendous force, then surrounded by countless fists and slammed heavily to the ground, a piercing pain shooting through his body.

……

Seeing Gang Lie charging towards him again, Tang Shan's purple spirit ring suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, and his spirit skill, Self-Control, was activated instantly.

I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget.

Having made up his mind, Tang Shan's arms suddenly swelled rapidly, instantly becoming as thick as a normal person's thighs. Dark, thick veins wrapped around his two iron-like arms, and a fierce and savage aura suddenly emanated from his body.

He strode forward, heading straight towards the yellow orb of light.

With his palm, as big as a fan, open wide and his fingers as thick as carrots, he easily and precisely deflected all the force of the fierce impact with a simple grab and push.

His arms, imbued with soul power, unleashed a tremendous force, and with a sudden flick, his massive, fierce body was hurled high into the air.

As Gang Lie fell from the sky, Tang Shan brought his fists to his sides and then suddenly threw a punch.

With a blur of motion, his arms flew, one fist became two, two fists became four, four fists became eight, and in the blink of an eye, they transformed into an overwhelming barrage of fist shadows, densely slamming into his fierce and muscular body, each punch creating a wave of flesh.

A series of powerful forces shot into Gang Lie's body through his fist, but Tang Shan ultimately held back, using only overt force and not the more damaging hidden force.

Even so, a series of cracking sounds came from Ganglie's body in the air. When he crashed heavily to the ground, many of his bones had been shattered.

Crimson blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his body was covered in bruises, clearly indicating that he had suffered severe injuries and was unable to move at all.

"Quickly, send someone up to treat him!"

Hong Zhen's face darkened, and he hurriedly summoned a healing-type Soul Master to the stage. However, the Soul Master was only a Soul Venerable after all, with limited abilities. He could only barely stabilize the fierce aura and was unable to cure his injuries.

"Your Highness, isn't Tang Shan going a bit too far?"

Looking at Gang Lie, whose breath was weak and fluctuating, Hong Zhen turned to Xue Qinghe beside him, who always had a smile on his face, and questioned him with a hint of dissatisfaction.

As he spoke, an aura of pressure originating from a peak Soul Saint unconsciously emanated from him, enveloping Xue Qinghe.

"Humph!"

A cold snort suddenly exploded in Hong Zhen's ears. The sound was not loud, but it was like a thunderclap that made his eardrums hurt. What was even stranger was that it seemed that he was the only one in the entire training ground who heard the cold snort.

The immense soul power contained within the cold snort made Hong Zhen's face turn pale, and a tightness gripped his chest; he had clearly suffered a significant loss. He was startled: Where did this powerful expert come from? His cultivation was at least that of a Soul Douluo, and definitely a top-tier Soul Douluo!

He subconsciously looked around but found nothing unusual. Then he looked at Xue Qinghe, who was still smiling, and a chill rose from the bottom of his heart: the young man in front of him seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist, and he could not see through him at all.

Has His Majesty already chosen an heir, someone specifically to protect the eldest prince, who will become the future crown prince?

With his mind racing, Hong Zhen quickly suppressed the oppressive aura he was exuding and forced an awkward yet polite smile: "Your Highness, I lost my composure just now and got a little too excited."

"It's normal to be excited, after all, the general loves the people like his own children. However, General Hong's words are a bit biased. The general has seen Tang Shan's previous battle. Even if there were injuries, they were all minor. With the physique of a Soul Master, they can recover to about 70-80% within a week. It's not considered serious. Tang Shan went a bit too far just now. Isn't that his own fault for being so reckless?"

Xue Qinghe spoke calmly, but his rebuttals were all reasonable and flawless.

"It's wrong for Gang Lie to have a foul mouth, but does he deserve to end up like this? Tang Shan's ruthless move will probably mean Gang Lie will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair."

Hong Zhen frowned, clearly disagreeing with Xue Qinghe's statement.

"What if Tangshan had lost just now?"

Xue Qinghe's question startled Hong Zhen: "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

"If Tang Shan hadn't beaten Gang Lie, given Gang Lie's temperament, how do you think he would have treated Tang Shan? Should Tang Shan have just taken all those insults for nothing?"

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Chapter 76 discusses the relationship between Dan Jin (internal energy), Qi, Blood, and Soul Core. (Su Yuntao's Peeping Tom - please add to your favorites and subscribe.)

"Gang Lie must really dislike Tang Shan, right? General, can you guarantee he won't go too far with Tang Shan? Knowing him as you do, you should already have the answer in your heart."

Upon hearing this, Hong Zhen was speechless for a moment, unable to find any words to refute it.

"Moreover, in my opinion, Tangshan's counterattack was perfectly fine. A good start prevents a hundred blows. If it had been too mild or too polite, it would have made them seem easy to bully, wouldn't it, General Hong?"

Xue Qinghe maintained a warm, gentle smile. Seeing her refined and humble demeanor, Hong Zhen's heart skipped a beat, instantly understanding the deeper meaning behind her words: Just a few days ago, he, like Tang Shan on the field, had only used force, never going all out. But what did he get in return at Iron Wall City? Cold-faced soldiers and a group of commoners siding with the Second Prince. "I'm always easy to talk to, but don't mistake this gentleness and humility for weakness." However, he wouldn't engage in direct confrontation; he would only send people to sabotage the operation from the shadows. Clearly, this revenge was quite successful.

A Soul Master defeated all of your first-ring Soul Masters and severely injured a second-ring Soul Master. That's a real slap in the face.

"Your Highness, this bet was a sham from the start, wasn't it? Even if we really did defeat Tangshan, when you went back to report to His Majesty, you would still report the truth, wouldn't you?"

Hong Zhen seemed to have his spine removed; his back slumped instantly, and his tone carried a hint of desolation.

"No!"

Xue Qinghe stopped watching the battle on the field and instead looked up at the blazing sun in the sky.

"The sun treats everyone equally. Some people rely on it for health, while others are scorched to death by it, but the sun never cares."

Those who dare to stare angrily at the sun will naturally be punished by the sun;

The sun never hesitates to bestow warmth upon those who are willing to close their eyes, bow their heads, and submit.

What ambition! Hong Zhen suddenly looked up at the gentle young man in the sunlight, and for a moment he seemed to see a future emperor who would surely rule the continent.

To compare himself to the great sun—what a magnificent spirit and magnanimous mind! He also fully understood Xue Qinghe's unspoken meaning: I have already given you the opportunity; it is your failure to defeat Tangshan that is to blame.

At this moment, the fluctuations from the collision of soul power were still spreading from the core area of ​​the battle, but Xue Qinghe and Hong Zhen had no time to pay attention to them.

One man was silently contemplating the future of the empire, while the other had his eyes slightly closed, his expression serene, as if he had grasped something. Fortunately, the angelic armor possessed extremely strong camouflage capabilities, providing formidable concealment, and thus did not attract Hong Zhen's attention.

……

Battle after battle ensued, with all sorts of martial spirits and soul skills constantly unfolding before Tang Shan's eyes.

Victory, victory, and more victory.

Tang Shan finally understood why his elder brother Su Yuntao was so obsessed with the Great Soul Arena. The sense of conquest and accomplishment from winning consecutive victories was indeed wonderful and irreplaceable.

Soul power surges within the body, replenishing itself after each depletion. Each replenishment brings the soul power to a more refined and concentrated state.

Unbeknownst to us, a brand new meridian was quietly opened up, namely the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, which is also the ninth of the twelve regular meridians opened up in Tangshan.

Qi and blood surge and churn within the body like boiling water, constantly cleansing the bones and internal organs, refining impurities, and elevating the body's essence.

If the breakthrough in the soul power meridians was an unexpected surprise, then the progress of Tangshan's self-developed martial arts seemed like a matter of course.

The original purpose of Chinese martial arts was to strengthen the nation and its people, and to fight enemies and defend the country. It inherently requires honing and improving in actual combat. Even with the support of his first soul skill, Tang Shan could make rapid progress in his realm. However, once he encountered a bottleneck at the mental level, the soul skill might not be able to help him.

In these battles, his soul underwent a complete purification. The intense mental strain of life-or-death struggles gave him a glimpse into the breakthrough method beyond the Transformation Realm. He only needed to verify this with the Serpent Spear Douluo to fully clarify his understanding.

According to Tang Shan's speculation, if he can really break through to the Core Formation stage, his martial spirit will likely undergo a dramatic change, and he may even awaken a second time.

After all, the core of Chinese martial arts is to strengthen the country and the race, and its essence is to develop the potential of the human body, which is a perfect match with the original martial soul.

Moreover, Tang Shan even suspects that if his blood and qi become strong enough in the future, he might actually be able to condense a blood pill within his body.

The human body may have had its limits in its previous life, but in this Douluo Continent where soul power exists, the limits still exist, but they have been raised many times over.

The theory of condensing blood pills is not unfounded, but based on solid evidence.

In Tangshan's view, the essence of Dan Jin is not actually the condensation of a physical pill in the body—if it were to condense into a physical form, it would most likely be gallstones.

The core of Dan Jin is to condense one's essence, qi, and spirit into a single point, ultimately reaching a state of perfection. The spirit is perfectly integrated, and the qi and blood are purified and transformed. It is both a way of bursting forth and a special state and level.

During the third era of the Battle of Douluo Continent, the Qi and Blood Soul Core that Tang Wulin condensed was not in a state similar to Dan Jin, but a real energy core.

This made Tang Shan wonder: Could there be some special connection between the two? Or, if the Qi and blood are condensed to a sufficient degree, could the method of condensing Dan Jin be used to condense the Qi and blood soul core? After all, the breakthrough methods of the two are quite similar in the early stages, both involving mobilizing the Qi and blood of the whole body to gather at one point.

……

As the sun gradually set, this long-lasting challenge finally came to an end. The figure in the arena, clearly exhausted yet still standing tall, undoubtedly announced the identity of the ultimate victor.

At this moment, all the soldiers looking at the boy in the center of the field had long lost their initial contempt and disdain, and were now filled with respect and admiration.