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

Before he could even turn around and push open the door, it opened automatically.

Xue Qinghe stepped forward first. Upon seeing the old man, the joy on his face vanished in an instant. Then, he turned to the soldiers on both sides and said, "This is a distinguished guest of my Crown Prince's residence. In the future, you can simply let him pass."

The soldier was puzzled. It seemed that the Crown Prince knew the old man in front of him, but the old man had said earlier that he wanted to join the Crown Prince's ranks without mentioning that he knew the Crown Prince. This was really puzzling.

However, since Xue Qinghe has made this arrangement, they will follow it.

Xue Qinghe was extremely kind to people, so there was no need to worry about him executing soldiers for the slightest offense. In the eyes of these soldiers, Xue Qinghe had a very good reputation.

Golden Crocodile Douluo followed Xue Qinghe into the hall. After Xue Qinghe dismissed the maids, she eagerly grabbed Golden Crocodile Douluo's arm, her voice instantly reverting to its original gentle, feminine tone, her eyes filled with joy as she affectionately shook the old man's arm: "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, what brings you here?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo sat in his seat, his large, wrinkled hand gently patting Xue Qinghe's hand, his eyes full of kindness and gentleness: "I haven't seen Xiao Xue for a long time, and I was thinking of her, so I came out for a walk. By the way, I also wanted to see that Tang Shan you mentioned. We can't let that kid run away with our Spirit Hall's little angel."

Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe removed her disguise, rolled her eyes speechlessly, and pouted coquettishly: "Grandpa, what are you thinking? I'm not a three-year-old child, how could I be so easily kidnapped?"

She spoke casually, leaning her head on the old man's shoulder: "He is the master's disciple, not the master himself. I just see his extraordinary talent and want to take care of him a little more. Such a talent is indeed worth nurturing."

Upon hearing this, Golden Crocodile Douluo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As the highest-ranking elder in the Spirit Hall, he was aware of Bibi Dong's past deeds and feared that his grown-up child might repeat the same mistake. Now, hearing Xue Qinghe's words, it was clear that his worries were unfounded.

"Grandpa was overthinking it. I apologize to Xiaoxue."

Golden Crocodile Douluo smiled and stretched out his withered hand to affectionately rub Xue Qinghe's head.

Xue Qinghe's eyes darted around, as if she suddenly remembered something. She moved closer and asked in a coquettish tone, "By the way, Grandpa, how's that soul bone? Has no one in the Spirit Hall been able to absorb it yet? Have you been carrying it with you all this time?"

"Which soul bone?"

After a moment's thought, Jin Crocodile Douluo understood the purpose of Xue Qinghe's inquiry.

"You're asking about that soul bone that was unearthed along with that beast in the Death Canyon, left behind by the unknown soul beast, right? No one has absorbed it yet. Many people have tried, including all the Title Douluos, but none of them can absorb it. It's not that the energy is raging, but it seems to have special requirements for absorption. If you try to absorb it without meeting those requirements, it will probably shatter and be destroyed."

Golden Crocodile Douluo said with some regret, "According to our deduction, the owner of the soul bone must have fought a great battle with that beast. The two sides were evenly matched, and in the end, the owner of the soul bone was seriously injured and died. The beast, after being seriously injured, chose to sleep to heal its wounds, and was only later discovered by us. A being that could be evenly matched with that beast is definitely not simple."

Ignoring the soul beast forced to cower in the Death Canyon, Xue Qinghe hesitated for a moment before deciding to state his purpose directly.

“Grandpa, why don’t we let Tang Shan try that soul bone? He’s a native martial soul, so maybe it will enhance his absorption of this soul bone. After all, when we first discovered this soul bone, its original owner’s remains were also in human form.”

Golden Crocodile Douluo was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Alright, if his talent is indeed amazing enough, what's wrong with letting him try? Anyway, it's just sitting there. Although it's an external soul bone, it can only play a role after it's used."

"Thank you, Grandpa." A genuine smile appeared on Xue Qinghe's face; he had fulfilled his promise to Tangshan.

……

At this moment, Tangshan and the Serpent Spear Douluo were on their way.

……

Inside the imperial study, Ning Fengzhi looked at Emperor Xueye and said, "Your Majesty, this is the general situation in Tangshan."

Emperor Xueye closed his eyes slightly, and after a brief moment of contemplation, slowly spoke: "Sect Leader Ning, Tang Shan is indeed worth winning over and investing in, but there is one problem that has not yet been resolved, and that is about his father. His father is currently still a member of the Spirit Hall."

“Your Majesty, I think we should just let things take their course. In the end, he’s just the head of the Spirit Hall in a small city, with no real status. Even though he’s moved up a bit in position after coming to Heaven Dou City, he’s still quite a distance from the true core. As long as we can bring Tang Shan and Su Yuntao to our side, his father will definitely see the situation clearly and won’t try to pull them back to the Spirit Hall. After all, no one is stupid enough to become the head of the Spirit Hall in a small city.”

Ning Fengzhi's answer was calm and unhurried, yet full of confidence. In his view, no matter how great the influence of the Spirit Hall was, it was still somewhat beyond its reach due to the distance. On the other hand, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Heaven Dou Royal Family were right under his nose, and the investment was so generous. Tang Shan would not hesitate at all in choosing between them.

“That makes sense. Then we’ll focus on winning over the two brothers from Tangshan in the future.”

Emperor Xueye acknowledged Ning Fengzhi's analysis and decided to work with him to increase investment in Tangshan.

"By the way, Your Majesty, I have another request to make today."

Seeing that both sides had basically reached a consensus on the handling of Tangshan, Ning Fengzhi was overjoyed and also revealed another purpose of his visit to the palace.

"If there's anything I can do to help, I certainly won't refuse."

Emperor Xueye raised his eyebrows slightly, picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. He then picked up the teapot, refilled his teacup, and began to speak.

"I am very pleased with the Crown Prince because he is polite, humble, and organized. I hope I can become his teacher."

"Sect Leader Ning wants to take Qinghe as his disciple?"

Emperor Xueye was somewhat surprised, knowing that Xue Qinghe's talent for cultivation was not particularly outstanding, and he was not a top choice as a disciple.

"It's not a master-disciple relationship, but a teacher-student relationship. After all, I've been the sect leader for so many years, and I can still teach the Crown Prince a lot about etiquette and interpersonal skills. Moreover, with Qinghe as a link, perhaps our esteemed sect and the Empire can engage in deeper cooperation."

Emperor Xueye understood the meaning behind Ning Fengzhi's words. He was optimistic about Xue Qinghe's future and planned to invest in him. Furthermore, if Xue Qinghe could really make it to the end, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School might be able to form a deeper alliance with the Heavenly Dou Empire.

To be honest, when Emperor Xueye learned that Ning Fengzhi wanted to interfere in the struggle for the throne, he was somewhat displeased. In his view, the struggle for the throne was ultimately his family matter, and he could control everything if his subordinates participated. However, if the powerful Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School were to intervene, the nature of everything would change. It was a force capable of shifting the balance and turning the tide.

However, Emperor Xueye later reconsidered. Even if Ning Fengzhi didn't interfere, the final position would most likely still go to Xue Qinghe. Putting aside the legitimacy of her being the eldest prince as crown prince, Xue Qinghe was superior to Xue Linsen in terms of ability in all aspects.

As for the Second Prince Xueshan, when he displayed that unparalleled desire for control in his memorial, it was basically destined that he would never get the last position.

This is the Heavenly Battleground, not the Star Luo Empire. A strong desire for control might be a good trait for a Star Luo prince, but in the Heavenly Battleground, it's a disaster.

The reason why the Tiandou Empire has been able to maintain a balance with the Xingluo Empire is because it has maintained a good balance with all the forces. If Xue Shan's ambitions are discovered by all parties and he ascends to the position of Crown Prince, the Tiandou Empire may collapse within three days, the Xingluo army will attack within seven days, and the empire will be destroyed within a month.

After figuring out exactly how much of an advantage Xue Qinghe held, Emperor Xueye felt somewhat relieved. In other words, if Ning Fengzhi wanted to participate in the struggle for the crown prince or even the throne, he would have no power to stop him. If he chose to support another prince at that time, it would not be good. Supporting Xue Qinghe would at most just bring the matter to a close a little earlier, and it would not count as truly controlling the change of imperial power.

Thoughts flowed so quickly that what seemed like a long period of contemplation for Emperor Xueye was merely a slight pause in reality. After hearing Ning Fengzhi's intention to take Xue Qinghe as his student, Emperor Xueye raised his teacup and said, "Then Qinghe will be under the care of Sect Master Ning from now on."

P.S.: The first external soul bone

Chapter 115 The Value of Dugu Bo, the Enchanted Golden Crocodile Douluo

"It's alright, Your Majesty. Rest assured, I will certainly fulfill the responsibilities of a teacher."

Ning Fengzhi and Emperor Xueye exchanged a knowing smile. In truth, both knew that the so-called imparting of knowledge and acting as a teacher was merely a pretext for Ning Fengzhi to openly interfere in the struggle for the crown prince and even the throne. Although the Heavenly Dou Empire was inferior to the Star Luo Empire in overall strength, its sheer size meant it could easily find a teacher anywhere. This so-called title of teacher was simply a pretext for siding with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

……

A powerful surge of soul energy enveloped Tang Shan as he slowly descended into a secluded forest not far from Heaven Dou City. After Serpent Spear Douluo sat cross-legged to restore his soul energy to its full potential, he and Tang Shan embarked on the official road, heading towards Heaven Dou City in the distance.

With Serpent Spear Douluo's profound cultivation, it would normally take him only a few hours to travel from the Star Dou Great Forest back to Heaven Dou City. Of course, that would require him to become a flying machine that either flies or recovers soul power, which is quite difficult.

When Tang Shan and the other left the Star Dou Great Forest, it was already close to nightfall. So, after flying a distance with him, Serpent Spear Douluo found a small town to live in, and only started their journey back to the city the next day.

After flying around and stopping frequently, the two finally arrived near Tiandou City at noon the next day.

On the official road, Tang Shan and the Serpent Spear Fighter blended in with the crowd and were inconspicuous.

The commotion behind him caught Tang Shan's attention.

Subconsciously turning around, I saw a carriage slowly heading towards Tiandou City, driven by a short servant.

Wherever they went, even if the carriage drivers didn't drive them away, many people instinctively gave them a wide berth. Some ignorant people were pulled away by those who knew the situation while being explained to them.

"Senior, which family do you belong to?"

Tangshan and the Serpent Spear Fighting Demon mingled in the big brother's room and asked with some curiosity.

Before the Serpent Spear Douluo could speak, the conversation among the people around him answered Tangshan's question.

"Brother, why did you drag me away? Even a nobleman shouldn't be this arrogant. Besides, I didn't see any noble or royal insignia."

"Hey, you're new to Tiandou City, aren't you? You don't even know this much? Don't you recognize the emerald scale emblem on that carriage?"

"Please enlighten me, brother. I've only been in Tiandou City for a short time and don't really know much about this force."

"The people sitting in that car are members of the Bilin family. You should know about the Dugu family of the Bilin family, right?"

"I know that. Could it be the Dugu family, with Poison Douluo in charge? No wonder they're so arrogant and domineering."

As he spoke, he subconsciously lowered his voice.

"That's right, it's the Dugu family. But they're not arrogant and domineering. It's just that many years ago, an accident happened. The Douluo's son lost control of the poison gas and died. It's said that when his body was exposed, many people who approached it were poisoned. That's why we instinctively backed away when we saw the Dugu family's carriage."

"So it's the Dugu family," Tang Shan realized. "No wonder these people are so afraid of them; they must have suffered a loss before."

As for that incident many years ago, according to the original text, it's less about the poison gas going out of control and more about the poison gas killing him, then leaking out uncontrollably.

The Serpent Spear Douluo's subsequent reply confirmed Tang Shan's guess: "Inside is the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and his granddaughter. In recent years, this Poison Douluo has been frequently wandering around major cities, but no one knows what he's doing."

Tang Shan seemed to be deep in thought. Presumably, Dugu Bo had already discovered that his granddaughter was suffering from the same severe poison as him, or even more seriously, and that she had been carrying the poison since birth. Her wanderings around various cities were probably in search of an antidote.

Speaking of which, judging from age, Dugu Yan should be about the same age as me, and she has also awakened her martial soul for a little over a year.

"Alright, their carriage is gone, let's continue on. But Tangshan, we should stay away from the Dugu family in the future. This family is a bit sinister. The death of Poison Douluo's son was also suspicious. The reason for the poison gas going out of control seems a bit far-fetched. There might be some hidden story behind it."

The Serpent Spear Douluo instructed Tangshan.

"Okay, senior, I will pay attention in the future."

Tang Shan agreed, but in his heart he thought that contact with the Dugu family was definitely necessary. Putting aside the fact that Dugu Bo controlled a treasure trove like the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye, Dugu Bo himself was a treasure.

Although I have a general idea of ​​how to condense the soul core based on the descriptions in the trilogy, it is still somewhat abstract. Dugu Bo, who condensed the dan pearl in his own body, is a good reference and someone to consult. I just don't know how to build a good relationship with him.

While they were pondering, the two quickly entered Tiandou City.

In that instant, the overwhelming noise and prosperity felt like a warm torrent, instantly washing over Tangshan.

In the perilous and brutal world of the Star Dou Great Forest, where the strong prey on the weak, he was constantly on edge.

At this moment, surrounded by the bustling crowd, smelling the cries of street vendors and the aroma of food, his wary heart gradually calmed down.

This overwhelming popularity is not only a symbol of civilization, but also an invisible protection that gradually washes away the blood and wildness that stained him, allowing him to regain his sense of belonging as a "human being".

Led by Serpent Spear Douluo, the two quickly found the Crown Prince's residence. With the soldiers on both sides bowing in greeting, the two entered the spacious palace.

Is His Highness at home?

Serpent Spear Douluo looked at the guards at the door.

"His Highness did not go out today."

The captain of the guard answered respectfully.

Serpent Spear Douluo nodded, then looked at Tang Shan: "Let's first report to His Highness on the gains of this trip, as well as the existence of the Gu Yue family."

"it is good."

Tang Shan felt a little strange. He hoped that the enshrined members of the Spirit Hall wouldn't overthink it. He thought that Gu Yue would be more well-behaved while Gu Yue was still in the God Realm and would most likely not have a significant impact on the human world.

Following the cobblestone path deeper and making several turns, we came across the Xueqing River before even reaching the core area.

The other person was sitting in the pavilion where he had previously spoken with Tang Shan, flipping through an ancient book.

Seemingly sensing the gaze upon her, she subconsciously looked up and met Tang Shan's eyes.

"You're back. Did the soul hunt go smoothly?"

With a smile, she stood up and stepped out of the pavilion to greet the two.

"As Your Highness has entrusted, Tang Shan has successfully absorbed the soul ring of that 4900-year-old diamond raptor and obtained a rather powerful soul skill."

Snake Spear Doro answered with his hands clasped.

"That's good. Please sit down. I'm quite curious about your experiences along the way. Tell me about them in detail."

Meanwhile, under the shade of a large tree not far away, Golden Crocodile Douluo, lying on a recliner, twitched his ears and muttered to himself, "A second soul ring after 4,900 years, truly a genius. The age of his second soul ring has already surpassed that of Xiaoxue. Let me see what's going on, and just how peculiar is the strange blood and qi that the pufferfish mentioned."

He sat up from the recliner, looked in the direction of the three people, and the next moment, two dazzling golden beams shot out from Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes.

Under the golden light, Tang Shan's body seemed to become a transparent container, and in Golden Crocodile Douluo's perception, the scene inside Tang Shan's body completely overturned his understanding of Soul Masters.

It was no longer a simple flow of qi and blood, but a life force surging like a vast river, its activity level in no way inferior to the soul power fluctuations of the same level.

What shocked him even more was that Tang Shan's original spirit did not require him to deliberately activate his spirit power to possess the body like ordinary spirit masters. Instead, it seemed to be completely integrated with his body, bones, and meridians, in a state of eternal fusion.

In this state, Qi and blood and soul power are no longer two independent systems, but have a common core.

Both blood and qi and soul power can be used to activate the martial soul.

Moreover, every inch of Tangshan's muscles contained explosive power, and every cell was breathing joyfully. The whole person gave Golden Crocodile Douluo a mysterious feeling of harmony, simplicity, and returning to nature.

It was as if he himself was a martial soul, and in terms of perception, he was like a walking humanoid beast. This physical quality and energy combination had already surpassed the understanding of ordinary soul masters.

Golden Crocodile Douluo's body trembled slightly. The armrest of the recliner had quietly turned to dust at some point. He clenched his fists, and as his soul power trembled, the space around his fists let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain. Faintly, tiny spatial cracks appeared around his fists.

"The limit, I saw the limit. Even without the combat instincts and experience of a soul beast, I saw the opportunity for my martial soul to sublimate again and break through the limit. Perhaps this is my opportunity. Internal martial arts, what a fine internal martial arts. When Xiaoxue showed it to me before, it felt not much different from the soul skills I created when I was young. Now it seems that I was arrogant."

"If I can control and activate my vital energy to half the level of Tang Shan, I will definitely be able to break through, reach the limit of a Soul Master, and become an unparalleled figure in the mortal world."

Forcibly calming his somewhat agitated heart, Golden Crocodile Douluo recalled Xue Qinghe's request earlier and couldn't help but chuckle.

"We originally thought that if we gave this kid the opportunity to absorb the external soul bone, he would owe us a huge favor if he could absorb it. But now we realize that we are the ones who owe him a favor. We originally wanted to test him, but now it seems that it was obviously unnecessary."

Is it his own spirit? Given his physical attributes and growth, reaching the third ring in ten thousand years shouldn't be a problem. However, that beast's choice seems better, but his physical attributes are much worse. According to my estimation, it would take at least fifty thousand years of endurance to have a chance to absorb his spirit ring. It seems we need to use more methods to help him strengthen it.

Let me think... What rare and precious materials in the Spirit Hall's treasury can enhance physical attributes? The ten-thousand-year-old Dragon Manifestation Fruit, and the Body Tempering Purple Ganoderma... Let me think some more..."

Tang Shan was unaware that because of his internal martial arts, a certain peak Douluo had already planned to assign him his third soul ring. At this moment, he was in the pavilion reporting on his journey to the Star Dou Great Forest with the Serpent Spear Douluo.

Overall, their soul-hunting operation went quite smoothly.

Although the Diamond Beast migrated, it also allowed Tang Shan to comprehend the Will by chance. Without the Will, Tang Shan would not have been able to enter the Soul Ring and Soul Skill Space. Therefore, the Diamond Beast's escape was perfectly timed.

The search for various soul beasts went very smoothly afterward. By referring to the resonance frequency of their bodies, they created a resonance method that greatly saved Tangshan's cultivation time.