Rise in Douluo Continent with the help of bean buns

As the carriage drove out of Blackstone Town, the rising sun was just climbing over the distant hills.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and dewdrops clung to the wild grass on both sides of the official road. As the wheels of the carriages rolled over them, they splashed up tiny droplets of water.

Old Li sat on the carriage shaft, controlling the horse, while Old Chen leaned against the side of the carriage, keeping watch. The two took turns on guard duty, their cooperation seamless. Inside the carriage, Lin Chen leaned against the cushioned wall, a copy of "The Records of Tian Dou" lying open on his lap. The pages were yellowed; it was an old book he had bought from a bookstore in town before his departure.

There was no rush to get there.

According to the plan, the whole trip will take about fifteen days. We will travel at a leisurely pace, which will ensure safety and allow us to observe the local customs and culture along the way.

Lin Chen turned a page of the book, his gaze falling on the words, but at the same time, Doubao's voice echoed in his mind.

[Analyzing the plant communities along the route... 17 herbaceous plants and 8 woody plants have been identified, of which 3 have medicinal value and have been entered into the plant database.]

Current completion rate of plant encyclopedias: 78.2%, an increase of 1.7% compared to before departure.

The completion rate of the 100-year-old Soul Beast Encyclopedia is 95.8%. No new Soul Beasts have been found yet.

Lin Chen's fingertips lightly traced the pages of the book without making a sound.

This is the third day since we set off.

Aside from his four fixed hours of cultivation each day, he spent most of his time reading or observing the scenery outside through the carriage curtain. Meanwhile, Doubao scanned the plants along the way and the occasional low-level soul beasts, gradually expanding the database's coverage.

Blackstone Town is located on the frontier, so the variety of plant species is limited. The further you go towards Tiandou City, the milder the climate becomes, and the richer the vegetation becomes, with new species being added every day.

Little by little, it adds up.

This seemingly useless knowledge might come in handy someday.

The carriage headed east.

The scenery is subtly changing.

When we first left Blackstone Town, the route was mostly low hills and dry land, with sparse villages and towns. It would take half a day to encounter a small village. The further inland we went, the flatter the terrain became, and fields gradually increased. Vast fields of wheat undulated in the wind, and villages became more densely packed. Occasionally, we would also encounter other caravans and travelers on their way.

The official road became lively.

There were peddlers pushing wheelbarrows, farmers leading livestock, caravans escorting goods, and travelers wearing Soul Master badges.

Lin Chen would occasionally lift a corner of the carriage curtain to quietly glance at the scenery outside.

Unlike the ruggedness of Blackrock Town, the closer you get to the heart of the empire, the more vibrant the atmosphere of daily life becomes, and the more stable the order. The villages and towns along the road are all surrounded by walls and patrolled by local militia, and few spirit beasts dare to approach the official road.

This is the source of confidence surrounding the imperial capital.

"Master, there's a town ahead called Willow Town," Old Li's voice came from outside. "It's almost noon, would you like to go in for a rest and feed the horses?"

"Mm," Lin Chen replied.

The carriage slowly drove into the town.

The town is small, but much more lively than the villages under Blackstone Town. There are many restaurants, teahouses and inns on both sides of the street, and many travelers come and go.

Old Chen found a clean restaurant and asked for a seat by the window.

"Boss, this place looks alright. Please have a seat, I'll go order," Old Chen said.

  

"Anything will do," Lin Chen said casually.

After he sat down, his gaze subtly swept across the store.

There were several tables of customers in the shop, two of which were occupied by Soul Masters. Their Soul Power fluctuations were not strong, and most of them were Great Soul Masters of the teens or so, probably guards from a passing caravan.

Everyone spoke in hushed tones, and the topics mostly revolved around Heaven Dou City, the Soul Master Academy, and the recent market conditions on trade routes.

"Have you heard? Heaven Dou City is hosting the Junior Soul Master Academy Competition next month, and geniuses from all over are flocking there."

"Absolutely! I heard there are even members of the royal family participating; it's going to be very exciting."

"We're just here for the fun of it; real geniuses are none of our business."

Scattered conversations drifted into my ears.

Lin Chen lowered his eyes and drank his tea, his expression unchanged.

The Soul Master Academy Grand Competition, the royal children... none of these are relevant to him for the time being.

His first priority in going to Tiandou City was to expand Qinghetang's business, and his second priority was to find resources for cultivation. He would avoid joining in on other exciting events if possible.

Conceal your strengths and remain humble; develop your abilities quietly.

This is an eternal principle.

After a midday rest, the carriage continued its journey.

After walking for about two hours, the official road turned into a mountain forest.

The trees gradually grew denser, the sunlight was dappled by the branches and leaves, and the wind carried the scent of pine resin.

Old Chen sat up straight, placed his hand on the martial spirit at his waist, and scanned the woods on both sides with a wary look.

"Old Li, slow down. This forest isn't safe. I've heard there are bandits around here before," Old Chen whispered.

"Don't worry, Brother Chen, I'm keeping an eye on things." Old Li nodded and slowed down the horse.

Inside the carriage, Lin Chen also closed his book.

[Scanning the area within 300 meters ahead... 12 human life signals detected, all hidden in the woods on both sides of the road, armed with weapons, with the highest soul power level being level 19 (Great Soul Master), the rest being Soul Warriors and ordinary people.]

Judgment: Bandits robbed the road.

Threat level: Extremely low. Old Chen and Old Li can handle it easily.

Doubao's prompt was completed instantly.

Lin Chen remained calm and didn't even lift the carriage curtain.

There were only twelve bandits, the strongest of whom was only level nineteen.

Old Chen and Old Li are both Soul Masters at level 30-something; dealing with this number of people is more than enough for them.

He didn't need to take action.

Sure enough, they hadn't gone far when several thick logs suddenly appeared across the road ahead, blocking their path.

"stop!"

With a loud shout, a dozen or so bandits wielding knives and clubs rushed out of the woods. The leader was a burly man with a face full of scars, his chest bare, and a fierce look on his face.

"This mountain is mine, these trees are mine! If you want to pass, leave your toll!"

The bandits swarmed around them, their knives and clubs clanging loudly, making a very intimidating appearance.

Old Li reined in the horse, stopped the carriage, and gave a cold laugh.

Old Chen pushed open the carriage door, jumped off, and stood in front of the carriage, staring expressionlessly at the group of bandits.

"What, you want to die?" Old Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the unique pressure of a Soul Venerable.

The scarred man at the head of the group paused for a moment, looked Old Chen up and down, and seeing that he was dressed plainly and didn't seem like any important person, he immediately became arrogant again.

"Where did this old codger come from, talking big!" Scarface spat. "If you know what's good for you, leave your money and goods behind, and hand over the people in the car. I might just let you live!"

He had just vaguely glimpsed a boy in the car, who he figured was probably a rich kid from some wealthy family. He figured he could just kidnap him and extort a ransom from him.

Old Chen shook his head, too lazy to waste words.

"Third Soul Skill: Stone Shield Strike!"

Yellow, yellow, and purple—three spirit rings rose from beneath his feet, the third spirit ring flashing with purple light.

A heavy stone shield appeared out of thin air, whistling through the air, and hurled towards the bandits.

Soul Master!

Scarface's face turned deathly pale instantly.

He never dreamed that an ordinary-looking carriage would have guards at the Soul Venerable level!

"run!"

He screamed and turned to run away.

But it was too late.

"boom--"

The stone shield crashed to the ground, causing the ground to tremble.

The first few bandits were sent flying, crashing to the ground and groaning, unable to get up. Scarface was a little faster, but Old Li swayed and circled behind him.

"Second Soul Skill - Gale Slash!"

Two cyan wind blades swept past, and Scarface felt a numbness in his legs, causing him to collapse to his knees with a thud.

It took no more than ten seconds.

The twelve bandits were either killed or fell, and the entire army was wiped out.

"With such meager skills, you dare to rob people?" Old Li clapped his hands, looking disdainful.

Old Chen frowned: "How should we handle this?"

"Just throw him by the roadside. It'll only ruin his soul power. Don't let anyone get killed." Lin Chen's voice came from inside the carriage, calm and even. "Don't delay our journey."

"Yes."

Old Chen responded, took a few steps forward, and casually destroyed the soul meridians of the leaders. He ignored the remaining henchmen, simply throwing them into the roadside bushes to keep them out of the way.

The roadblocks were removed, and the carriage resumed its journey.

Lin Chen did not show up at all.

Even the carriage curtains were never lifted.

It's as if this matter has nothing to do with him.

The mountains and forests gradually left behind, and a wide plain appeared ahead.

Inside the carriage, Lin Chen reopened his book, as if nothing had happened.

The bandit incident has been dealt with, and there is no risk of exposure.

The road ahead is safe; we expect to reach Qinghe County tomorrow.

The beeping sound from Doubao ended.

Lin Chen gave a soft "hmm" and looked back at the pages of the book.

It's nothing.

It's not worth getting distracted by.

They traveled for several more days.

The journey became increasingly prosperous, and the cities we passed through grew larger and larger.

On this day, they were traveling along the official road when a group of people caught up with them from behind.

Three carriages, with a dozen or so guards surrounding a finely decorated carriage in the middle, looked like the carriages belonging to noblemen.

After catching up with Lin Chen and his group's carriage, the group slowed down and rode alongside them.

Soon, a boy's head popped out of the carriage next to them. He was about eleven or twelve years old, wearing a brocade robe, and had an arrogant look on his face.

"Hey, are you guys going to Tiandou City too?" the boy asked, raising his chin.

Old Chen glanced back and nodded calmly, "Yes."

"Perfect timing! We're also heading to Heaven Dou City." The boy's eyes lit up. "It's safer with more people, let's go together! I'm Li Hu from the Li family of Qinghe County, and I'm going to Heaven Dou City to take the entrance exam for the Junior Soul Master Academy!"

He spoke with an air of pride, as if getting into college was some kind of immense honor.

Old Chen looked towards the carriage, waiting for Lin Chen's signal.

"Okay." Lin Chen's voice came from inside, indifferent and devoid of emotion.

"Okay, sure!" Li Hu replied happily.

The two teams then joined together and traveled together.

Along the way, Li Hu kept chattering, sometimes talking about how high his soul power was, sometimes about how powerful his family was, and sometimes about how prosperous Tiandou City was.

Old Chen occasionally offered a few words of response, Old Li focused on driving, and Lin Chen in the car remained silent throughout the entire journey.

Li Hu talked for a long time, but seeing that the boy in the car still didn't show himself or say anything, he became a little curious.

"Hey, is that your young master in the car?" Li Hu leaned closer to Old Chen and whispered, "Why hasn't he come out yet?"

"Our young master prefers quiet," Old Chen said casually. "He's not feeling well and needs to rest in the car."

"Oh..." Li Hu suddenly realized and nodded. "No wonder."

He thought it was some important person, but it turned out to be a weak rich young master.

He immediately lost interest in chatting and retreated back into his carriage.

Old Chen glanced back at the carriage and secretly admired it.

The owner is being far too low-key.

He was clearly a Soul Master under 7 years old, whose talent was many times greater than Li Hu's, yet he didn't even show his face.

Such a mindset is truly rare.

After traveling together for two days, they reached a fork in the road. Li Hu and his companions decided to visit relatives first and then parted ways.

Before leaving, Li Hu waved and said, "Hey, come find me when you get to Tiandou City! I'll show you around!"

Old Chen nodded politely, not taking it seriously.

The carriage continued on its way.

Lin Chen did not appear in the carriage at all.

Avoid unnecessary interactions.

Heading east, time passed day by day.

On the tenth day, the number of travelers on the road increased significantly, most of them heading towards Tiandou City. There were merchants doing business, students taking the imperial examinations, soul masters undergoing training, and ordinary people moving with their families.

The closer to the capital, the more popular it becomes.

Lin Chen's cultivation did not slacken.

He circulated the Azure Seed Technique at the fixed time every day, and his soul power steadily increased. His level 12 cultivation had long been solidified, and he was slowly advancing towards level 13. The speed wasn't fast, but every step he took was extremely firm.

The knowledge base is also continuously expanding.

[Completion rate of plant encyclopedia: 82.5%]

The completion rate of the Hundred-Year Soul Beast Encyclopedia is 96.4%.

Basic geographical features and landscapes completion rate: 71%.

New content is entered every day.

These seemingly insignificant accumulations are gradually solidifying his foundation.

Lin Chen knew very well that the path of a Soul Master was not just about Soul Power level.

Vision, knowledge, experience, mindset... each one is important.

On the evening of the fourteenth day after departure.

Old Li suddenly pulled on the reins, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Master! Heaven Dou City is just ahead!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen lifted the carriage curtain.

Looking in the direction Old Li pointed.

On the distant horizon, a majestic city wall stretches across the sky and earth, like a sleeping dragon, extending as far as the eye can see.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the bluish-gray city walls, gilding them with a layer of gold, making them appear heavy, majestic, and imposing, with a suffocating sense of oppression.

The city wall was extremely high, at least several dozen feet high, and patrolling guards could be vaguely seen on it, their armor gleaming and their figures upright.

With the city gates wide open, people and vehicles surged in and out like a tide, densely packed, looking from a distance like a moving swarm of ants.

Even from a great distance, you can feel the vibrant atmosphere that's right in front of you.

Lin Chen's pupils contracted slightly.

Even with his calm and composed nature, he couldn't help but feel a little moved at this moment.

This is Tiandou City.

Once the capital of the Heavenly Dou Empire, and the largest city on the continent.

Compared to it, Blackrock Town is like a pebble at the foot of the mountain, insignificant and not worth mentioning.

"It's huge..." Old Chen murmured. "I've been here once before, and I'm always amazed when I see it."

Old Li nodded in agreement: "That's right, such a big city, how many people would it have to hold?"

The carriage continued forward, and the closer it got, the taller and more imposing the city walls appeared.

Only when I reached the city gate did I truly feel the awe.

The city gate was wide enough to allow eight carriages to pass side by side. Two squads of armored guards stood at the entrance, each exuding a calm and collected aura, indicating they were at least at the Great Soul Master level. The officer leading the squad possessed even more profound soul power, estimated to be at the Soul Venerable level.

Such a configuration of guards was used for a single city gate.

The profound heritage of Tiandou City is evident.

The queue to enter the city was long, but orderly. Everyone and every vehicle had to have their identity checked and pay the city entry tax.

"Boss, I'm going to line up to register," Old Chen said.

"Hmm." Lin Chen lowered the carriage curtain and sat back in the carriage.

He tapped his knee lightly with his fingertips.

Tian Dou City.

He finally arrived.

A bigger stage, more opportunities, but also more challenges and risks.

The period of dormancy in Blackrock Town has ended.

From today onwards, everything is a new beginning.

After paying taxes and verifying their identities, the carriage slowly drove into the city gate.

Upon entering the city, a bustling atmosphere immediately hits you.

The wide street could accommodate ten carriages side by side, and shops lined both sides: restaurants, inns, pharmacies, weapon shops, soul master shops... one after another, with a dazzling array of signs.

The streets were teeming with people, men, women, young and old, dressed in all sorts of ways. There were nobles in fine clothes, weary caravans, Soul Masters wearing badges, and ordinary commoners.

The sounds of hawking, laughter, and carriages blended together into a lively cacophony.

It's a completely different world from the desolation of Blackrock Town.

Old Chen and Old Li were dazzled by what they saw, clicking their tongues in amazement.

Lin Chen, inside the carriage, also silently observed the street scene through the gap in the curtain.

bustling.

It was even more prosperous than he had imagined.

But beneath the surface of prosperity, many more undercurrents lurk.

The larger the city, the more distinct the class distinctions and the more complex the rules.

It won't be easy to gain a foothold here.

But it's okay.

He is patient.

First, find a place to settle down, then gradually make arrangements.

Take steady and cautious steps, proceeding cautiously and methodically.

"Old Chen, let's find an inn to stay in first," Lin Chen said. "Find one that's quiet and not too noisy."

"Okay, boss!"

Old Chen responded and directed Old Li to drive towards a relatively quiet neighborhood.

The carriage passed through the bustling main street and turned into a relatively quiet alley.

The last rays of the setting sun fell on the green tiles and flying eaves.

The first day in Tiandou City has begun.

The boy sat calmly in the carriage, but a sharp glint was hidden in his eyes.

A new journey has begun.