DOULUO : Rise Of The Heavens

Chapter 1: I Want the Purple Energy!

The story begins on the familiar Douluo Continent, south of Notting City in Fasno Province. There lies Holy Soul Village, a place neither too big nor too small but renowned in its way. The village owes its name to the legend of a mighty Soul Saint-level warrior who once emerged from there. Village Elder Jack takes great pride in this legacy.

In his words, "Holy Soul Village is awesome."

As the sun began to rise, its glow painted the sky in a hazy golden hue. On a hundred-meter-high hill near the village, a thin boy of five or six sat cross-legged, facing the dawn. His wheat-colored skin and simple but tidy clothes gave him an unassuming appearance. His steady breathing and focused gaze hinted at his dedication, like a young martial arts master.

Suddenly, his eyes widened. On the horizon, a faint streak of purple appeared.

"If I can absorb this purple energy from the east, my Purple Demon Eye will reach a new level!" the boy thought, his face brimming with confidence. For six years, he had practiced his eye techniques without fail, and today was no exception.

But just as quickly as the purple energy appeared, it vanished, as if it had never been there. Something felt off.

"In broad daylight? What's going on?" he muttered, frowning.

This had never happened before. Could it be that he was unable to absorb the purple energy? Or was there another master at work, someone who had intercepted it before him? Try as he might, the boy couldn't figure it out.

---

Meanwhile, beside Grandpa Jack's wooden house, a young man lay lazily on a recliner, eyes closed. He was Shen Lang, a self-proclaimed "salted fish" who had spent the last six years doing little more than lounging around.

"When will this aimless life end? Doing nothing all day is making me rusty," Shen Lang thought to himself. Just then, his eyes snapped open, startled by a voice in his mind.

"Congratulations, host, for capturing a ray of purple energy from the east!

"You can exchange it for: Heaven Devouring Demon Art, Thunder Breathing Technique, Three Thousand Thunders, or Return You the Pretty Fist..."

Hearing this, Shen Lang's heart raced. He looked at the fading purple streak in the sky and smiled.

"Tang San, I'm sorry, but I'm taking the purple energy!"

Shen Lang had been observing Tang San's relentless six-year practice, even while he himself remained idle. But now, the system had chosen him. From today on, Shen Lang vowed to change his fate.

"Exchange it for me! Heaven Devouring Demon Art!" he shouted excitedly, almost mixing up the words.

This art, created by the ruthless Emperor Zhatian, promised the ultimate physique—the Chaos Body—if mastered. However, its terrifying power came at a cost. The Heaven Devouring Demon Art could absorb everything: the essence of blood, martial insights, and even heavenly treasures. Practicing it meant becoming the world's enemy.

But Shen Lang didn't care.

"The whole world as my enemy? So what? They'll have to deal with me!" Shen Lang muttered with a determined glint in his eyes.

---

Not far away, Elder Jack opened the door to his house and called out to Shen Lang.

"Lang'er, the martial soul awakening ceremony is in a few days. Are you ready?"

Shen Lang leaped up. "Grandpa Jack, don't worry. I won't slack off this time!" he declared, running off toward the hills.

"Good boy, but becoming a Spirit Master isn't easy," Jack said to himself, watching Shen Lang disappear into the distance. "Even if he awakens something like a sickle or hoe spirit, Holy Soul Village will always be his home."

---

On the other side of the village, Tang San, the boy who had tried to absorb the purple energy earlier, practiced Xuantian Gong. Though he missed the purple streak, his internal strength grew steadily.

"I need to get back. Father's aging, and I have to take over some of the work. I'll also need to learn blacksmithing soon for the hidden weapons I plan to craft."

As Tang San sped down the rugged mountain paths, his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track technique made the journey effortless. Each step seemed to cover ten feet, leaving him as swift as the wind.

Watching from afar, Shen Lang sighed. "As expected of Tang San. Xuantian Gong and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track make him formidable even now. But soon, he'll just be a little brother to me."

The two crossed paths briefly, with Tang San barely sparing him a glance. Shen Lang called out:

"Thank you, Tang San!"

Tang San paused, confused but polite. "You're welcome!" He remembered Shen Lang as the quiet child who once admired his training but had grown distant over the years. "Looks like Shen Lang's back to normal," Tang San mused, smiling.

Shen Lang, meanwhile, smirked. "He's a good guy, but he has no idea what's coming!"

---

Determined to prepare for the Spirit Hall deacon Su Yuntao's arrival, Shen Lang climbed back up the hill. Sitting cross-legged on a large rock, he began practicing the Heaven Devouring Demon Art. The moment he activated it, a storm of spiritual energy gathered around him, cleansing his body and clearing his meridians.

Dark impurities seeped from his skin, and his body felt lighter, stronger. Yet this was just the beginning. Shen Lang pushed forward, circulating the art faster and faster, until his surroundings trembled with the force of his cultivation.

Suddenly, a thunderous boom echoed as a surge of energy erupted from his body.

Shen Lang opened his eyes, his face calm yet exhilarated. "If the world wants to fight me, let them try."

(End of Chapter 1)