Ch.17: Heaven Dou Imperial City

Dugu Xin's arrival at the Heaven Dou Imperial City marked a new chapter in his journey. After two days of much-needed rest, his body and spirits had fully recovered. The prolonged battles and intense training he had endured had not only honed his skills but also managed to refined his soul power and reach the level of a 50th-ranked Soul Ancestor. With Luo Tian's letter in hand, Dugu Xin made his way to the Tianyu Fighting Soul Arena, the largest and most prestigious arena in Heaven Dou Imperial City. There, he was warmly greeted by two young ladies who opened the doors for him and extended a courteous welcome. "Welcome sir to the Tianyu Fighting Soul Arena."

Dugu Xin simply nodded in acknowledgment and proceeded to the front desk, where he handed over the letter. The staff immediately recognized the emblem on the letter as that of the former dean of the Hollow Beast Academy, the black lion, and they promptly delivered it to the person in charge. In the opulent office of the arena's manager, an elegant old man adorned in a splendid costume with intricate swan embroidery sat comfortably. He carefully examined the letter and couldn't help but smile. "I didn't expect the old lion to take on a new apprentice. It seems this young man must be quite exceptional."

He instructed his subordinates to escort Dugu Xin to his office. As Dugu Xin entered the office, he was struck by its grandeur. The room was lavishly decorated, befitting its high-ranking occupant. The old man, whose back was initially turned to Dugu Xin, spoke lightly, inviting him in. As Dugu Xin entered the place, he immediately sensed a formidable soul power fluctuation, one that was not much inferior to Teacher Luo Tian's. "Level 88 Spirit Emperor, martial soul Heavenly Swan," he thought to himself. He couldn't help but wonder how he kept encountering such powerful individuals at the Spirit Douluo level. In the original series, they were as rare as Titled Douluo.  In the blink of an eye, the elderly man appeared right behind Dugu Xin. Anticipating the attack, Dugu Xin already knew what was coming in the next two seconds. He instinctively launched a roundhouse kick aimed at his opponent's rear, but to his surprise, the elderly man effortlessly intercepted and blocked the attack.

The old man, Xue Rongxing, smiled and commented, "Impressive, you've actually mastered the [Beast Intent]."

His aura suddenly became incredibly formidable, and eight soul rings appeared under his feet, glowing in yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black. A majestic golden swan materialized behind the old man, and the air around them condensed. This was a manifestation of the Heaven Dou royal family's inheritance. Under the immense pressure, Dugu Xin had no choice but to employ his soul power to resist, but the pressure he felt wasn't enough to force his spirit rings and martial soul to manifest. Inside, Xue Rongxing was astonished.

Inside, Xue Rongxing was deeply astonished. "Impossible," he thought, "this kid is at most 15 years old, and his soul power has already reached level 50! Once he obtains his fifth spirit ring, he'll become the youngest Spirit King. His talent might even surpass that of the newly appointed Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong."

After a moment, the imposing aura faded, and Xue Rongxing said in a casual tone, "Young man, I'll arrange a place for you to stay. Get some rest, and tomorrow I'll set up a competition for you."

Dugu Xin nodded, and as Xue Rongxing was about to escort him to his accommodations, the old man had a thought and turned back. "By the way, boy, my name is Xue Rongxing. If you ever need anything, you can come to me."

The following day, a steward arrived to inform Dugu Xin that the competition was about to begin. He couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the competition. "It's not like I will chose not to participate," he thought, "but shouldn't at least know who my opponent is?"

The steward grinned and replied, "Elder Luo specifically arranged this for your training."

Dugu Xin sighed inwardly and contemplated, "At the beginning, it might be okay, but as I progress, my opponent wills get to know me better and better, while I know nothing about them. I'll be at a disadvantage from the beginning. No wonder Teacher Luo Tian gave me three months. He's truly ruthless. But it doesn't matter. Participating in the fights that allow the competitors to kill each other means that I can fully unleash my poisons."

Soon, the Tianyu Arena was filled with enthusiastic cheers. The Tianyu Arena was packed with spectators, and a charismatic man who was the host appeared, announcing loudly, "Today, we have the long-awaited life-and-death battle. Our first fighter is someone famous in this Arena, the renowned Flame Wolf Lord, Ti Kesuo!"

As the audience erupted in cheers, a robust man with a long scar on his face, donned with four soul rings glowing beneath his feet, appeared. Two were yellow, two were purple, and a Blue Flame Jackal materialized behind him. His mere presence ignited the crowd's excitement. The beautiful host continued her introduction, "And now, our challenger, Viper! Let's not waste any more time and dive right into the fight."

Dugu Xin donned his mask and entered the arena. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor appeared behind him, and the 4 spirit rings under his feet shone, yellow, purple, purple and black.

Ti Kesuo, his opponent, looked at the young Dugu Xin and was mentally shaken together with the entire crowd. "What on earth? This kid has a 10,000-year-old spirit ring as his fourth spirit ring."

Dugu Xin spoke calmly, "Let's get this started."

In a nearby office, Elder Xue browsed through the account book as a concerned steward voiced his worry. "Boss, even though the kid has a 10,000-year-old spirit ring, his opponent is an established fighter with extensive combat experience. If something happens to that kid, you know that crazy lion won't just let it slide."

Elder Xue wore a faint smile, gazing out the window as he responded, "I understand better than you. I know the capabilities of that old man. But I also believe in his judgment. That kid won't get into trouble so easily. After all, a true War Beast isn't someone anyone can mess with."

The soul fighting match officially commenced. Tikoso, now possessed by his martial soul, transformed his hands into wolf claws wreathed in blue flames. Wolf-like ears sprouted on his head, and his teeth sharpened. He launched his first spirit skill, "Flame Claws," and the blue flames on his hands intensified as he lunged at Dugu Xin.

However, Dugu Xin merely smiled, without using martial soul possession, he easily evaded Tikoso's attacks, one after another. Tikoso, frustrated and angered, roared, "If you have the guts, don't dodge like a coward!"

Dugu Xin smiled slightly, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he responded, "As you wish." He used hi venomous claws that oozed corrosive toxins to intercept and counter Tikoso's attacks, pushing him back and leaving scratch marks with each strike, until he eventually kicked him away.Dugu Xin remarked, "It's over."

He released his soul power, causing his 2nd spirit ring to activate and enveloping the arena in a red fog. Tikoso, struggling to rise, bore numerous corrosive claw wounds on his body. He witnessed the approaching red fog with dread. Tikoso's eyes widened in fear as he invoked his 4th spirit skill, "Fierce Wolf Howl." A massive blue flame wolf head formed from his soul power and clashed with the incoming red mist. The arena quaked as the two forces battled, but it was clear that the red mist was inexorably corroding and eventually consumed the blue flame wolf. Tikoso, was gravely injured and weakened, collapsed to the ground, his muscles wracked with pain. Breathing became a torturous endeavor as he watched his vision blur. In a final act of desperation, Tikoso summoned every ounce of his remaining strength to lunge at Dugu Xin. However, Dugu Xin swiftly pierced Tikoso's chest with his right hand, destroying his heart in an instant.

The light of madness faded from Tikoso's eyes as his life ebbed away. With his last breath, he muttered, "Damn brat..."

Dugu Xin withdrew his hand from Tikoso's lifeless body and turned to leave the arena, leaving behind a raucous crowd in his wake. Instead of returning to his lodgings, he wandered the streets of Heaven Dou Imperial City. Ever since he entered the canyon, he had felt an overwhelming sense of detachment from life, and it had left him feeling adrift. As he meandered through the city, his feet led him to a music workshop. The enchanting melodies that wafted from within drew him closer. "Could it be the Moon Pavilion? I wonder if Tang Yuehua is here."

The music was beautiful, and he couldn't help but be captivated. Dugu Xin stepped inside to find a young girl skillfully playing the harp, accompanied by two teenagers wielding violins. Entranced by the music, he waited until the song concluded before asking, "What was that piece you just played?"

Two of the young musicians burst into laughter. "You don't even recognize the Swan Song? Truly a country bumpkin," one of them taunted.

"Yeah, who brought this bumpkin in here," another chimed in, motioning to a guard to escort Dugu Xin out. The guard laid a hand on Dugu Xin's shoulder, but before he could react, Dugu Xin swiftly overpowered him. The guard, a Spirit Elder, was left bewildered as he was subdued by someone who appeared to be as young as the musicians themselves.

Meanwhile, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor spirit behind Dugu Xin fixated its gaze on the two musicians who had mocked him earlier. A palpable wave of murderous intent emanated from the spirit, causing the young boys to tremble in fear. Inexperienced in combat and utterly unprepared for this turn of events, the two teenagers were struck dumb with terror, unable to utter a word.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a noble aura, and Dugu Xin's murderous intent was swiftly erased. It was the girl from earlier who managed to subdue his violent aura. As this happened, numerous guards converged around Dugu Xin, with their chief guard sternly inquiring, "Who dares to cause a disturbance within the Moon Pavilion?"

The boy and girl who had previously taunted Dugu Xin eagerly chimed in, "It was him! He's the troublemaker."

Dugu Xin had been considered fighting his way out, but the girl's gentle voice intervened, saying, "There's no need for a commotion; it was just a minor skirmish."

The girl appeared to hold a noble status, and this compelled the chief guard to relent. He reluctantly allowed Dugu Xin to depart. Approaching Dugu Xin, the girl addressed him coolly, "You should be grateful to me for helping you this time. But I advise you not to stir up trouble at the Moon Pavilion again."

Dugu Xin nodded in acknowledgment. As the girl began to take her leave, Dugu Xin's questioned her, "What's your name?" Even if he was certain about her identity, he couldn't call her suddenly by her name without her giving it to him.

The girl paused, mildly surprised by the question, before replying in a composed tone, "Perhaps we can discuss names after you've learned to behave yourself." Leaving Dugu Xin standing there, clueless. "???"

..............................…

Over the following two months, Dugu Xin managed to secure twenty-eight consecutive victories within the Tianyu Soul Fighting Arena, leaving him just two victories away from attaining his Silver Fighter Spirit Master status. During this time, he also had the opportunity to meet with Tang Yuehua again. Despite her congenitally malignant martial soul, which meant she could never progress beyond level 9; her domain was truly remarkable. It possessed the unique ability to soothe minds and dispel killing intent, something that gradually helped diminish the lingering traces of murderous intent within Dugu Xin.

As the crowd cheered within the Tianyu Soul Fighting Arena, a middle-aged soul master unleashed his spirit skill. A massive horn materialized above his head, charging toward Dugu Xin at a thunderous speed. Dugu Xin, however, remained composed, flashing to dodge the attack. Simultaneously, he activated his second Spirit Ring, Red Demon Poison Mist, shrouding the arena in a crimson poisonous fog. Before the bewildered soul master could comprehend the situation, Dugu Xin closed in, using his first spirit skill, Cursed Shroud, to assault his opponent.

In response, the soul master activated his fourth Spirit Skill, Barbarian Bull Defense, causing his muscles to bulge and further enlarge. Despite Dugu Xin's corrosive claw attacks, they barely pierced the skin and muscle layers. The soul master laughed triumphantly, "Hahaha! Is that all you've got, kid? You won't pierce through this grandfather's defenses so easily!"

Dugu Xin didn't show anger; instead, he smiled lightly and responded, "Is that so?" Swiftly evading the soul master's attack, he sneered and unleashed his third Spirit Skill, Dragon Resentment Poison. The blood-red poison dragon-like manifestation howled and lunged towards the soul master's chest, ending his life as it pierced through him. The soul master's chest was stained with blood, and with his final breath, he whispered, "Dragon... poison."

Seeing the soul master's fate, Dugu Xin couldn't help but sneer, "You idiot, inhaling so much of my poison while attempting to block my Dragon Resentment Poison. Your death was sealed the moment you chose to challenge me."

Approaching the fallen soul master, Dugu Xin kicked him out of the ring. The beautiful host promptly announced his victory, celebrating his twenty-ninth consecutive triumph in the Tianyu Soul Arena. The audience cheered for Viper, and even the beautiful host couldn't help but send subtle flirtatious glances toward Dugu Xin.

With a faint smile, Dugu Xin left the ring and headed to the Moon Pavilion. Tang Yuehua was playing the harp under the moonlight, and Dugu Xin joined in, playing the dizi, a Chinese transverse flute. The two musicians gazed at each other, smiles on their faces, as they began to create a harmonious melody. Their music resonated beautifully in the moonlit night, creating an enchanting scene that captivated the audience, and the song eventually concluded.

Tang Yuehua wore a warm smile and remarked, "You've made quite a lot of progress, Dugu Xin." Dugu Xin smiled back and replied, "Well, Yuehua, you're the one who taught me well."

Blushing slightly, Tang Yuehua continued, "Oh, stop it, Dugu Xin. Are you on the verge of reaching Silver Fighter Spirit Master status?"

Dugu Xin nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Yes, just one more match."

Tang Yuehua's eyes grew a bit somber as she asked, "So, does this mean you'll be leaving Heaven Dou Imperial City?"

Dugu Xin paused for a moment, then replied resolutely, "I can return here whenever I want."

Hearing his words, Tang Yuehua put on a brave smile and said, "Who needs you to come and find me?"

As they continued chatting, Dugu Xin realized he needed to leave for his last match in the Heaven Dou Imperial City. Tang Yuehua suddenly called out to him, "Dugu Xin!"

He turned around, curious, and asked, "What's wrong, Yuehua?"

Tang Yuehua seemed conflicted for a moment and then blurted out, "Don't forget to come to me, or I'll have my brother beat you up."

Dugu Xin was taken aback for a moment but quickly responded with a warm smile, "Yuehua, Don't worry, I will return."

As she blushed and ran away, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Sigh, it seems Yuehua has developed feelings for me in these past two months."

Despite his desensitized emotions due to fighting and killing, he wasn't oblivious to Tang Yuehua's growing affection. He sighed, realizing it was becoming a complicated matter.