Ch.26: Going Back

Dugu Xin reflected on the events he had just experienced. "To think something like this happened in the past. I suppose I should visit the ocean eventually. If the memories of the Deep-Sea Demon Octopus are any indication, there might be a clan graveyard similar to the Dragon Graveyard. While their legacies are as different as heaven and earth, it could prove to be quite useful for the Dugu Family and the Hall of Souls."

As he concluded his thoughts, he retracted his Domain. To his surprise, even though he had deployed it for only a short time, it had significantly drained the vitality from the surrounding area, causing damage to the environment. Examining the black dragon head tattoo between his eyebrows, he mused aloud, "This feels akin to the residual Divine Consciousness of the Metal God, but the energy resembles that of the Deep-Sea Demon Octopus. Could it be that the Ancient Deep-Sea Demon Octopus King was on the verge of a breakthrough to 1,000,000 years, similar to the Deep-Sea Demonic Whale King? Yet, in the series, Poseidon didn't kill the Deep-Sea Demon Whale King when it attacked Tang San, his inheritor. He merely repelled it. This suggests that the Ancient Demon Spirit Great White Shark King was Poseidon's inheritor at that time, undergoing his trials."

Dugu Xin's brows furrowed as he pondered this. If his theory held true, it meant that even if the Gods in the upper realm couldn't directly descend upon the Douluo Continent, they could still send their Divine Consciousness to interfere with the world for a brief period. "This could foil many of my plans if it's the case. It seems that after the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, I'll need to firmly establish the position of Hall of Soul and then visit Slaughter City."

Meanwhile, Xiao Cai detected the essence of powerful spirit beasts emanating from the body of the Dragon Armored Giant Crocodile King. She swiftly flew out from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse and assessed her surroundings before making a beeline for the Dragon Armored Giant Crocodile King's corpse. With ravenous intent, she began devouring the creature's remains. Dugu Xin, realizing the time constraints, gently pulled Xiao Cai away from her meal. The little snake glanced up at him with a plaintive expression. "We don't have enough time to wait for you to finish eating the Dragon Armored Giant Crocodile King's corpse," he explained.

Consequently, he stored the body within the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse. The snake hissed contentedly before returning to the purse to conclude her feast. "Very well, let's proceed, kid," Luo Tian said.

Upon reaching Soutuo City, they found the city even more heavily guarded than when they had arrived. Security measures had intensified, with increased scrutiny on Spirit Masters. Additionally, soldiers from the Heaven Dou Empire continued to pour into the city. This tension had escalated as they repeatedly encountered spies from the Star Luo Empire. It was clear that the situation was growing more volatile. Finally, they arrived back at the Hollow Beasts Academy just one day before they were scheduled to depart.

The next day, Dugu Xin and his companions adorned themselves in the distinctive uniform of the Hollow Beast Academy. The attire was a regal shade of purple, embellished with intricate golden accents, accompanied by lightweight armor for added protection. On the back of their uniforms, the emblem of the Earth Dragon King proudly displayed. They were preparing to embark on their journey to the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, and as they exited the academy grounds, they couldn't help but overhear the hushed conversations among their fellow junior students.

"Everyone knows our Hollow Beast Academy has hit rock bottom in the rankings several times," whispered one student.

Another chimed in, "Looks like this time won't be any different."

"Who can blame them?" someone sneered. "In my opinion, they shouldn't even bother going. It's just embarrassing."

Most of those casting doubts hailed from noble backgrounds, but not everyone shared their pessimism. A few students stood up for their academy. "Quit talking nonsense. Our gang leader, Dugu Xin, is incredibly strong. I have confidence in our academy."

"Exactly," another retorted. "Don't underestimate us. We have faith in our academy."

As tensions flared, some exchanged heated words. A few individuals mocked, "Look who's talking, just a bunch of commoner soul masters. Of course, you'd side with Dugu Xin; he pampers you."

The civilian soul masters weren't about to let that slide. They rolled up their sleeves, ready to confront the insult. "Who are you calling 'commoners'?" one of them challenged angrily.

"If you want to fight, bring it on," the noble soul masters taunted. "Without Dugu Xin to shield you, do you dare?"

Just as the situation was spiraling into chaos, Dugu Xin unleashed his soul power. His cold, snake-like eyes swept over the crowd, and his aura carried a potent mix of chilling poison and latent menace. It felt as if a venomous serpent were coiled and ready to strike. The hostile voices fell silent, and some students even collapsed from the effects of his soul power.

Dugu Xin retracted his soul power and turned to Meng Shu. The two of them exchanged a knowing look. Without a word, Dugu Xin summoned his Martial Monochrome Phosphor Serpent Emperor, and the five spirit rings beneath him radiated yellow, purple, purple, black, and black. The dragon staff in Meng Shu's hand transformed into a silver-armored dragon, encircling his body. Three spirit rings, glowing in yellow, yellow, and purple, shimmered beneath his feet.

Chao Tianxiang and others followed suit, releasing their own soul power. Dugu Xin and his companions proceeded forward, and as they approached the academy's exit, Dugu Xin raised his hand, forming a clenched fist. His soul power surged, and he declared, "Victory will undoubtedly belong to Hollow Beast Academy!"

Meng Shu and the others raised their fists, their soul power bursting forth as they echoed, "Victory will undoubtedly belong to Hollow Beast Academy!"

The students of Hollow Beast Academy erupted into enthusiastic cheers, shouting slogans like, "Victory belongs to Hollow Beast Academy!" and "Long live Hollow Beast Academy!" Those who had mocked the academy earlier had no choice but to join in, their faces red with embarrassment.

Dean Lin Mo observed the scene with a smile and commented, "These youngsters sure love to put on a show."

Teacher Luo Tian chuckled in agreement. "Back in our day, we weren't much different."

Lin Mo blushed slightly. "Well, I was young and naive back then."

Luo Tian grinned. "That's what makes them lively. It's better than having a bunch of young beasts who lack spirit." The two mentors watched Dugu Xin and his companions with pride.

As Dugu Xin and his group boarded their carriage, Dean Lin Mo, unable to accompany them, entrusted the responsibility to Teacher Luo Tian. "I'm leaving everything in your capable hands, Teacher Luo Tian."

Luo Tian patted Lin Mo's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, I've taken these kids out before. I'll keep them safe." With that, the carriage set off.

Three days later, they arrived at Nobius City, a border city jointly governed by the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. The city had been established primarily for the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, and it was currently teeming with spectators from all corners of the world who had come to witness the battles. Teams from various academies had also arrived at the competition venue, adorning the city with a colorful array of costumes. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, and Dugu Xin could sense the abundance of soul power in the city, emanating from countless spirit masters.

Amidst the crowd, Dugu Xin spotted Yu Tianxiang, the captain of the Thunderclap Academy team. She noticed him and flashed a sly smile, even winking at him. Dugu Xin felt momentarily perplexed but chose to ignore the gesture. Suddenly, a tremendous surge of soul power caught Dugu Xin's attention. It emanated from the southwest, and it wasn't just him; everyone in the vicinity turned their gaze in that direction. Even escorting teachers from other academies and unknown powerhouses fixed their eyes on the source of the disturbance.

A deafening tiger's roar resounded, and a colossal Evil-Eyed White Tiger materialized before them. It bore nine spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and black—a Titled Douluo. The tiger landed at the center of the arena and let out a thunderous roar, its overwhelming presence pressing down upon the students from the Heaven Dou Empire Academies. The sheer force of it drained the color from their faces, nearly causing them to collapse under its weight. Spirit Grandmasters like Li Jingying were left nearly kneeling.

Dugu Xin, meanwhile was also feeling the pressure but he was able to keep his calm, and eyed the spectacle and mumbled, "Seems like a display of power. Maybe they're trying to provoke Heaven Dou Empire into conflict. These reckless idiots. We're on the brink of war; why interfere with this competition?"

At that moment, Teacher Luo Tian released his soul power to shield Dugu Xin and the others from the oppressive force. The same happened with other academies as their escorting teachers countered the coercion on behalf of their students. As the tension eased, Dugu Xin turned to look at the surrounding academy escorting teachers. Most were Spirit Saints, but a select few, like Teacher Luo Tian, were Spirit Douluos.

The tiger's roar subsided, and the White Tiger vanished, making way for the appearance of a middle-aged man who chuckled and said, "I didn't expect the Heaven Dou Empire cubs to be so easily frightened. My apologies. I'll be more considerate next time." His words held an air of mockery.

…

Over at the Star Luo Imperial Academy team's area, snow began to fall from the sky, causing the temperature to plummet instantly. A gigantic Ice Swan, adorned with yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and black spirit rings, descended upon the scene. The students of Star Luo Academy were ill-prepared for the sudden chill, and many shivered as they froze. The glacier swan vanished, replaced by a middle-aged man in Heaven Dou royal attire who smiled and remarked, "Hahaha, Dai Tianxing, your Star Luo students can't even handle a slight drop in temperature. My apologies as well. We're even now, right?"

Dai Tianxing seethed with anger. "Xue Qingyun, you..." He took a step forward, but Xue Qingyun stepped up too, a sly grin on his face. "We're in the same boat, my friend."

Their soul power clashed, and the entire audience felt the pressure of their confrontation. In the middle of the two Titled Douluos' confrontation, an enormous golden crocodile appeared in the sky. Its massive tail struck the ground, but before anyone could react, it transformed into an elderly man who laughed heartily. "White Tiger, Ice Swan, you two Titled Douluo, show some respect to your elders. Enough for today."

Dugu Xin saw the new arrival and couldn't help but be surprised. 'What on earth? Sending the 2nd Elder, Golden Crocodile Douluo, to this gathering? Spirit Hall must be trying to prevent the two empires from making any moves, or are trying to provoke the two Empires.'

The two Titled Douluo agreed, and the three of them jointly announced the start of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. The audience erupted in applause.

As the crowd dispersed, Dugu Xin contemplated the situation. "My Hall of Souls has two Titled Douluos, and my father is likely to become one soon, if he isn't already." He wondered how the Hall of Souls could establish itself in such a precarious scenario.

Luo Tian noticed Dugu Xin's pensive expression and assumed he was still thinking about the events of the day. He offered some advice, "Today, those three Titled Douluo are Star Luo's White Tiger Douluo Dai Tianxing, Heaven Dou's Ice Swan Douluo Xue Qingyun, and Jin Yang from the Spirit Hall. Don't let it bother you, kid. Use it as motivation to work hard. When you become a Titled Douluo, you'll have your chance for revenge."

Then he remembered something and gave a stern warning to Dugu Xin and his companions. "In previous years, they only sent Spirit Douluos to oversee the competition. This year, they've dispatched Titled Douluo, even the rulers of the two empires. It seems relations between the empires have soured, and war may be imminent. Be cautious during the competition. If the Star Luo Empire falls, and you have the opportunity to eliminate their forces, don't hesitate."

Dugu Xin and his companions nodded solemnly, and they each went their separate ways to prepare for the upcoming matches.