Douluo Continent: Starting with the Tiger Emperor Template

The heavy metal door of the training room closed behind us, isolating us from all outside noise.

Under the dim light of the soul-guiding lamp, the dark gray walls seemed to blend into the darkness.

The coolness in the air seeped into his body through his pores, invigorating him.

The energy of heaven and earth, three times the concentration, flowed slowly like a gentle stream to every part of the body, creating a subtle resonance with the internal energy of the incantation.

Lu Ren leaned against the wall and muttered to himself:

"You've really gone all out... Thanks, Jing Hongchen."

He was just a lone wolf, without a family to back him up or any powerful force to rely on.

The fact that he has now demonstrated his value and attracted investment from the owner of Mingde Hall shows that the other party has indeed treated him well.

He remembered this kindness.

If there is an opportunity in the future to save the Hongchen family and change their original fate, it is not impossible.

Lu Ren has never been an ungrateful person.

The ending of the Hongchen family in the original work was indeed tragic.

Despite being the most prestigious family in the Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu was destroyed, Mingde Hall was destroyed, and Jing Hongchen was exiled to the frontier by Xu Tianran, where he could only await his death in that desolate land.

To be honest, the blame originally fell on Huo Yuhao, but in the end, the Hongchen family took the whole fall.

"I don't lack soul power now, but I still lack spell power." Lu Ren shook his head, his gaze passing through the narrow air vent of the training room as he looked at the bustling outline of Mingdu in the distance.

The academy is full of youthful vigor and energy; the concentration of magical energy is far lower than in big cities.

When I have the chance, I should go out and explore, going deep into the heart of the Ming capital.

Big cities have no shortage of resentment in people's hearts; you can find more by just taking a stroll around.

Unfortunately, the Shrek team hasn't arrived yet, so he can't leave.

If he leaves the academy without resolving this matter, no one will protect him.

Lu Ren sighed inwardly and found a corner to sit cross-legged.

"Shrek...when are you coming? And who will you send?"

He paused, then muttered to himself:

"It would be best if it were Xuanzi; if it were him, then we'd be all set."

With his eyes closed, Lu Ren immersed himself in cultivation.

……

For the next seven days, Lu Ren experienced the long-awaited campus life.

During the day, he sparred and exchanged techniques with Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, testing the limits of their moves.

In the evening, I return to the cultivation room to absorb the energy of heaven and earth and strengthen my foundation.

Thanks to these two battle maniacs, he could use spells without restraint and hone his skills in actual combat.

The intensity is increasing every day, and the growth in strength is visible to the naked eye.

Meng Hongchen was always by his side, this granddaughter of the hall master, under the guise of "learning practical skills," and was almost inseparable from him.

Lu Ren wasn't bothered at all. When instructing her on cultivation and sparring, he was serious and didn't do it perfunctorily.

The girl improved rapidly, from being defeated by him in one move at the beginning to being able to last three to five rounds now.

The daily meals were of an outrageously high standard, with the cost of ingredients reaching astronomical figures.

Soul beast meat, spirit herb soup, and rare fruits—each item is carefully prepared to replenish the energy of high-intensity cultivators.

Lu Ren ate with great satisfaction.

Compared to the past year spent eating dry rations and drinking stream water in the Starry Sky Forest, it's like heaven and earth.

Back then, he lived much like a caveman.

It wasn't until the morning of the eighth day, when the sunlight had just climbed onto the windowsill of the cafeteria, that the sun began to rise.

After Lu Ren and Meng Hongchen finished breakfast, they were about to go to the training ground to practice their skills when they saw Wang Shaojie standing not far away as soon as they stepped out of the cafeteria.

His complexion was terrible; the bruises had mostly subsided, but the medical soul guide patch on his nose was still there, and he exuded a long-suppressed aura of hostility.

The moment he saw Lu Ren, he suddenly raised his hand, his fingertips pointing straight in this direction.

"That's him!"

The shout was particularly jarring in the early morning air of the college.

Standing next to Wang Shaojie were seven men, all in their thirties or forties, wearing standard military armor with the Royal Guard badge engraved on their chests.

Seven people simultaneously released their martial spirits, and the light from their spirit rings shimmered and intertwined in the morning light.

Two Soul Emperors, four Soul Kings, and one Soul Saint!

The auras of the Sixth and Seventh Ring Roads mingled together, forming an invisible wall that pressed down on Lu Ren.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group was burly, with a square face and a cold, hard look in his eyes, typical of a soldier.

He strode up to Lu Ren, took out a golden token from his pocket, and waved it in front of him.

"Royal Guard, you must be Lu Ren?"

"Who are you people?!" Meng Hongchen stepped forward, blocking Lu Ren's path, and looked up at the middle-aged man, her light blue eyes showing no sign of backing down.

The middle-aged man lowered his head, his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then looked away and locked onto Lu Ren again.

"You are suspected of assaulting and injuring a member of the royal family. Come with us to assist with the investigation."

He took out a pair of handcuffs from his waist, and his soul power surged around him, becoming increasingly stronger.

The six people behind them also adjusted their positions at the same time, spreading out in a fan shape, blocking all escape routes.

If Lu Ren dares to resist, he will immediately be attacked by everyone.

Meng Hongchen's expression darkened, and her soul power suddenly surged. Four soul rings, two yellow and two purple, rose from beneath her feet, while the phantom of Zhu Qingbing Toad appeared and disappeared behind her.

"You dare to make a move on campus?"

"This is official business." The middle-aged man's tone left no room for negotiation. "The Royal Inspectorate is carrying out official duties, and no one is allowed to obstruct them."

"Official business?" Meng Hongchen sneered. "I think it's settling a personal score. Wang Shaojie provoked us first, and he was injured because he was outmatched. Now you're coming to interrogate us? If word gets out, where will the royal family's reputation be?"

The middle-aged man's eyes flickered, but he didn't reply.

Wang Shaojie rushed up from behind, pointing to his nose, which hadn't fully healed, his voice shrill:

"She's talking nonsense! Lu Ren attacked me for no reason! So many people saw it!"

"Shut up." The middle-aged man raised his hand to stop him, his gaze returning to Lu Ren, his tone becoming more forceful, "Come with us, don't force us to use force."

Before Meng Hongchen could say anything more, a hand pressed down on her shoulder.

She turned her head and saw that Lu Ren had already stood next to her at some point.

He patted her on the shoulder, signaling her to step back, and then stepped forward to face the seven disciplinary officers.

"Lu Ren!" Meng Hongchen cried out anxiously.

"fine."

Lu Ren's voice was calm as his gaze swept across the faces of the seven people, finally settling on the middle-aged man at the head of the group.

"I can cooperate with the investigation," he said calmly, "but there needs to be an explanation. Are you here representing the Royal Inspectorate, or are you standing up for certain individuals?"

The middle-aged man frowned slightly: "Of course, I represent the disciplinary team."

"That's good." Lu Ren nodded. "I thought you guys just wanted to stand up for some clown."

Wang Shaojie's face turned bright red, and his lips trembled as he tried to say something, but a glare from the middle-aged man silenced him.

"We're just asking you to go back and investigate." The middle-aged man's tone softened slightly, but remained firm. "Cooperating with the investigation is the duty of every citizen of the Empire."

"Click."

The moment the golden handcuffs gripped Lu Ren's wrists, a powerful restraining force spread from the metal surface, like countless invisible chains binding his meridians.

The flow of soul power was forcibly cut off, as if a dam had been built across the middle of the surging river of soul power.

Lu Ren looked down at the shackles on his wrists and did not struggle.