Ch.14: Old Man

Dugu Xin and Meng Shu had just stepped off the competition stage, joining Ma Jun and others who were eager to celebrate. They were on the cusp of heading out when an elderly man, seemingly out of nowhere, blocked their path. He wore a cryptic smile as he spoke, "Hollow Beast Academy isn't what it used to be. This level of competition can barely be called a fight, more like young beasts playing with each other. But you, green-haired kid, show some promise. Not bad."

Dugu Xin and the others exchanged uneasy glances, their frowns deepening. But it was Yao Chen who couldn't let the old man's comment slide. He barked, "What do you mean, old man? You think we're just young beasts fooling around? How powerful do you think you are?"

Ma Jun, never one to back down from a confrontation, chimed in, "Yeah, old timer, what makes you so powerful?"

While Yao Chen and Ma Jun challenged the old man, Dugu Xin's eyes remained fixed on him. He could sense something off, especially when he saw the Black-Purple Flame Lion and the old man's cultivation level, an impressive level 89 Spirit Douluo. The old man, however, remained unruffled by their heated exchange.

He chuckled and said, "Old, huh? Well, how powerful can an old man like me be? It's amusing to see even youngsters like you laughing at me. But I suppose that's a lesson you need."

Before Dugu Xin could warn his companions, he suddenly felt a disturbing change in the old man. What had seemed like a harmless presence now exuded a strong aura of bloodlust. The old man transformed before his eyes, becoming an intimidating figure, akin to a peerless fierce beast. Dugu Xin responded instinctively, releasing his own killing intent, though it paled in comparison to the old man's. He assumed a fighting stance. Meng Shu, standing beside him, sensed the shift as well, clutching his dragon staff tightly. Ma Jun and Yao Chen, no longer taunting the old man, prepared for what was to come.

The old man seemed unfazed, remarking, "Your teacher clearly didn't teach you to respect those who are far beyond your league. But I like your spirit. Let me give you a lesson you won't forget." The old man, however, internally marveled at Dugu Xin's ability to withstand his killing intent. As he approached, each step triggered the appearance of a soul ring—one, two, three, until eight gleaming rings encircled him: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black. It became evident that the old man was an eight-ring Spirit Douluo. Chao Tianxiang, Ma Jun, and the others found it increasingly difficult to stand under the weight of the old man's overwhelming aura. Only Meng Shu and Yao Chen managed to remain upright, his soul power surging to its limits. Dugu Xin, however, stood firm, confronting the old man with his martial soul possession and his first spirit ring activated.

The old man, after witnessing Dugu Xin's resolve, smiled and remarked, "Impressive that you can stand your ground." With that, a Black-Purple Flame Lion materialized behind him, unleashing a resounding roar.

Ma Jun and the others were instantly forced to the ground, unable to rise. Meng Shu and Yao Chen struggled to remain upright, fueled by sheer willpower. Feeling the pressure intensify, Dugu Xin readied himself to unleash his spirit bone. A teacher from the academy, observing from a distance, realized that the old man wasn't just causing a commotion. This was a Spirit Douluo-level powerhouse. He hurriedly thought, 'This is bad. A Spirit Douluo-level powerhouse! I must inform the dean.'

The old man smiled approvingly, 'Seems like we have a couple of talented young beasts here. But the green-haired one appears particularly promising.' Suddenly, the Black-Purple Flame Lion burst into flames, and the old man appeared before Dugu Xin and Meng Shu in an instant, the lion's claws aimed at their throats. Meng Shu, startled by the speed, thought, 'I need to create some distance.' But Dugu Xin reacted swiftly, countering with his own clawed strike. Their attacks clashed, but the old man's strength blocked Dugu Xin's advance. Dugu Xin's soul power surged, his purple soul ring glowing brightly as he unleashed his third Spirit Skill, "Dragon Resentment Poison." A blood-red poison, resembling a dragon, oozed from his palm, emitting a chilling dragon's howl.

The old man's expression shifted, and he instantly activated his martial soul. He transformed from a frail figure into a formidable, muscular veteran. With both hands raised, he invoked his third spirit skill, creating a flame wall in front of him. The old man noted, "This kid's third skill is dangerous. Without my flame wall, that poison might have affected even me."

With a roar, the old man released a powerful gust of wind that dispersed the poison dragon, knocking Dugu Xin aside.  Dugu Xin felt his head spinning and his insides churning. The old man attacked again, and Dugu Xin, despite his condition, summoned his second spirit skill, "Red Demon Poison Mist," as a last resort. The old man simply roared, and a mighty burst of wind eradicated the poisonous mist. At the same time, it sent Dugu Xin tumbling. But it was too late; the poison was already working its insidious magic. Dugu Xin felt his vision blur as the ground beneath him shattered from the old man's assault. The old man's eyes held a hint of surprise, then he delivered a swift kick to Dugu Xin's stomach, sending him sprawling. Dugu Xin rolled helplessly across the ground until he finally lost consciousness.

Suddenly, a resounding voice thundered, "Who dares cause trouble at our Hollow Beast Academy!"

A massive, sharp-horned, scaled armored dragon descended from the skies above the academy. It radiated power, with eight glowing soul rings, a Spirit Douluo. It charged at the old man. The old man found himself smashed to the ground by the beast's colossal claw. Black flames enveloped him as he roared, "Seventh Soul Technique: Martial Soul True Body!" Instantly, a colossal black flame lion emerged and charged toward the sharp-horned scaled beast.

The sharp-horned scaled armored beast, now panicked, recognized the aura and stammered, "T-Teacher Luo Tian!"

The Black Flame Lion, unimpressed, retorted, "Don't call me teacher. I have no students like you. The Hollow Beast Academy is turning into a mess under your watch. It's already at the bottom of the rankings. Let's see how much you've improved over the years."

With that, the Black Flame Lion engaged the sharp-horned scaled beast in a fierce battle, and the academy principal, Lin Mo, finally arrived on the scene, sporting a bruised and swollen face.The old man emerged victorious in their battle. Lin Mo, with a defeated demeanor, accepted the situation. The old man pointed at Dugu Xin, Meng Shu and Yao Chen on the ground, declaring, "I'll be taking these three with me. Train the rest well. Next time I come; I want to see Hollow Beast Academy dominating the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament."

Lin Mo nodded hastily, and the old man, with Dugu Xin, Meng Shu and Yao Chen in tow, departed, leaving behind a shaken academy. As he was leaving the old man felt like spitting blood which shocked him to the core 'That kid's poison actually affected me!? Still, I will be able to expel it quite easily, but to be able to affect a Spirit Douluo with the poison of a Spirit Ancestor, this Dugu kid is truly frightening.'

Dugu Xin regained consciousness in a daze, surrounded by a surreal landscape. The wind howled, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had somehow ended up in the Abyss Plane. Uncertainty clouded his thoughts until he realized he wasn't alone. He noticed the old man standing behind him, hands resting casually on his back. Dugu Xin's instincts kicked in, and he rolled away from the old man, ready to defend himself. The old man chuckled, his demeanor strangely amiable. "I won't let a promising cub like you die so easily, but I can't make any promises about what comes next."

Still wary, Dugu Xin asked, "Where is this place, and who are you?"

The old man offered a faint smile. "This is Yama Canyon, at the far edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. It's a place steeped in malevolence and bloodlust, which will affect your mind and reduce your control. As for me, I am Luo Tian, the former dean of Hollow Beast Academy and an 89th-ranked Spirit Douluo."

Dugu Xin, despite his initial skepticism, was lifted by a surge of soul force and realized that the old man was not lying. But he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Luo Tian waved away any pleasantries. "No need for formalities or gratitude. It's not too late to thank me if you survive this ordeal."

As Luo Tian turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something. "I almost forgot; I scattered some beast lure powder on you when I treated you. The soul beasts in Storm Canyon are exceptionally fast and mostly over 10,000 years old. I'll check on you in two days, so try not to die."

With that, Luo Tian vanished in a burst of soul power. Dugu Xin was left alone in this eerie place, surrounded by the suffocating presence of malevolence. Dugu Xin contemplated his surroundings. "This killing intent might help me improve my domain. But why is this place so filled with evil intent?" Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, the roars of approaching beasts echoed around him.

He scanned the desolate landscape for shelter. Unfortunately, the relentless winds and sand erosion had left no refuge. And just as he was about to prepare for a battle, a horde of soul beasts emerged from the surroundings. Dugu Xin was surprised to see that they were all 1,000-year-level soul beasts. Their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

Knowing that escape was impossible, Dugu Xin's soul power surged, and the four spirit rings beneath his feet gleamed. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor roared as Dugu Xin roared defiantly, "Come at me!"

In an instant, he activated his martial soul possession. The surrounding soul beasts charged toward him eagerly. Dugu Xin summoned his external soul bone and unleashed his new ability, "Soul Devourment": His eyes transformed into two golden vortices capable of devouring the souls of his opponents. Their bodies turned to ash, vanishing completely. Within moments, he had devoured the souls of a hundred spirit beasts within a 100-meter radius. As the last soul beast fell, Dugu Xin felt his own level surge from 44 to 45. He couldn't help but marvel, "This ability is can even enhance my cultivation. Although it seems to be quite inefficient as I devoured the souls of 130 spirit beasts ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 years, not only that, but the energy feels impure. I'll need time to refine it completely."

......

In the icy Nordic land, Yao Chen roared with furiously, his 2nd spirit skill, Shadow Vajra Enhancement, coursing through his veins. The frigid air around him seemed to intensify as his physical strength, attack, and defense skyrocketed by a staggering 100%. Muscles contorted and compressed, and the surrounding smoke effects shifted from gray to a foreboding blackish-blue. A regal character appeared on his forehead, symbolizing his mastery over the enhancement. Yao Chen found himself amidst a chaotic battlefield, surrounded by a motley crew of soul beasts. His situation was slightly better than Dugu Xin's but far worse than Meng Shu's. Here, the adversaries included 900-year-old soul beasts and even some that had reached the formidable 1000-level.

......

In the volcanic flame land, Meng Shu's fierce combat continued. He twirled his dragon staff with a controlled chaos, soul techniques flowing like a river. Despite the challenging circumstances, his battle prowess shone through. Amongst the foes, there were 100-years soul beasts, and he handled them with a mix of tactics and raw power. Fire and lightning danced around him, illuminating the battlefield with every strike and evocation.

Watching the chaos unfold, Luo Tian couldn't help but laugh manically. "This is how it's done! Fight, grow stronger, break free from the pack, and become a true beast!"

Meanwhile, Dugu Xin was locked in a fierce battle, bearing numerous wounds from clashes with five 10,000-year-old Devil Tigers led by a 20,000-year-old Devil Tiger King. However, the beasts too were marred by injuries and poison, with two Devil Tigers already lying lifeless. Dugu Xin's Bonelash was stained crimson from the blood of the soul beasts. As the battle raged on, Dugu Xin found himself adapting gradually. Each strike and maneuver became more precise, and his unpredictability began to outwit his foes. However, the surrounding environment, a malevolent and chaotic storm, offered no respite. Dugu Xin's focus remained solely on the relentless battle. Finally, with three Devil Tigers and the Devil Tiger King left, Dugu Xin decided to take the initiative. He summoned his 'Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit', which struck down one of the Devil Tigers. Simultaneously, the 'Spirit' employed Medusa Gaze, an ability to turn living beings to stone upon contact, killing the other two Devil Tigers.

But the Devil Tiger King remained a formidable adversary, launching relentless attacks. Dugu Xin's soul power surged, and he activated his third spirit skill, "Dragon Resentment Poison." The blood-red poison took hold, causing the Devil Tiger King to pause, coughing up dark, poisonous blood. Seizing the opportunity, Dugu Xin rushed forward. The serrated bone tip of his external spirit bone penetrated the Devil Tiger King's skull, ending its life.

Exhausted and covered in the blood of spirit beasts, Dugu Xin panted heavily. "That was... intense. I have about 40% of my soul power remaining. Encountering another pack of 10,000-year-old spirit beasts before I recover will be extremely problematic."

Over the past few days, he had managed to refine the soul power he had absorbed from the group of 1,000-year-old spirit beasts, and solidify his foundation, and made a sigh to the 'Spirit' "Dvour their bodies, and let's get out of here quickly." 'The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit' eagerly obliged, consuming the remains of the fallen beasts.

As Dugu Xin began tending to his injuries, he suddenly sensed a presence nearby. It was Luo Tian. He clapped his hands, his voice tinged with amusement. "Not bad at all, you're like a piece of uncut jade." Luo Tian then sprayed a healing powder toward Dugu Xin. "It's not beast lure powder, but a potent healing substance. It will mend your wounds without leaving any hidden injuries."

Dugu Xin took a whiff and realized that Luo Tian was telling the truth. He nodded gratefully, thankful for the aid. Luo Tian chuckled, "Hurry and recover. Yama Canyon is even more dangerous at night. I'm sure you've already experienced that firsthand."

Luo Tian's eyes glinted with fascination as saw the 'Spirit' devouring and refining the corpses of those 10.000-years spirit beasts, he couldn't help but be intrigued. "Kid, what kind of technique is that, creating a second independent martial soul of the same type as the first one?"

Dugu Xin hesitated for a moment, momentarily forgetting the proximity of the old man. He replied with a hint of uncertainty, "I developed it myself. It's one of my trump cards. But calling it a martial soul isn't right because I can't attach spirit rings to it."

Luo Tian's eyes widened with surprise and admiration. It was not every day that he encountered a young talent capable of creating their own unique spirit technique. His thoughts raced as he marveled at the ingenuity of the young Spirit Master before him. 'This kid is indeed a true genius. It seems my Hollow Beast Academy has managed to recruit a great talent once again.'

Though the harsh trials of Yama Canyon were designed to push young disciples to their limits, it was in moments like this that true potential shone through. Dugu Xin's ability to innovate and adapt hinted at a bright future as a Spirit Master. Luo Tian couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his role as the former dean of the Hollow Beast Academy, knowing that he had played a part in nurturing such promising talents. As he silently watched Dugu Xin, he hoped to see how this newfound genius would continue to grow and evolve in the challenging world of Spirit Masters. He left behind some medicinal supplies but no food and departed, leaving Dugu Xin to focus on his recovery.

In Yama Canyon, where lighting a fire was impossible, Dugu Xin had no choice but to consume raw animal meat to regain his strength. It tasted unpleasantly gamey, but it was a necessity. He powered through it, frowning all the while, and then seized the opportunity to rest. As he ate, the spirit beside him suddenly spit a shining bone. Dugu Xin exclaimed in delight, "This is the spirit bone of the Devil Tiger King! It's not suitable for me, but it could be perfect for Yao Chen. Well done!" He carefully stored the spirit ring in his ring and continued his meal, the spirit returning to his spiritual sea, content.