Douluo Continent: From Internal Martial Arts to the Law of Heaven and Earth

Clang!

The dagger fell to the ground, and the person who had been given a minor punishment by Tangshan realized he had met his match. He didn't even have time to pick up the weapon he used in the crime before turning tail and running away.

"It's a child." Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered as she watched the small figure quickly disappear into the crowd.

"Every pitiful person has something hateful about them, and every hateful person has something pitiful about them. Some things are none of our business; this is just his way of surviving," Tang Shan said calmly, noticing the subtle change in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.

Fortunately, the thief was a child; if it had been an adult, Tangshan's punishment might have been much more severe.

Don't say the other party had no choice but to do something difficult. What if the thief stole someone's life-saving money?

In this chaotic town, Tangshan's code of conduct is simple: regardless of your background, I only care whether you have any ill intentions towards me.

"Teacher, I understand." Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, her eyes regained their calm, and she quickened her pace to follow her sister.

This unexpected little incident did not affect the group's mood. After a short pause, the four of them continued to stroll around the town. Since it was still early, they were not in a hurry to find a place to stay.

Although the town near the Starry Sky Forest is not large, it has everything you need, with no shortage of places to eat, drink, and have fun. In addition, it is close to a resource-rich area, making it quite prosperous.

While prosperous, it was also very chaotic. In just two hours of wandering around, they witnessed ten conflicts, seven of which involved ordinary people and three of which involved soul masters.

It must be admitted that ordinary people who dare to venture here are all warriors. After all, the danger level of the Star Dou Great Forest is no joke. If they encounter even a slightly stronger ten-year soul beast, it will be a catastrophic disaster for them.

Chapter 368 Re-entering the Stars

However, although the mortality rate for ordinary people adventuring on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest is extremely high, the profits are also extremely high. The starting income is gold soul coins. As long as they know when to stop and quit while they are ahead, they should be able to live a worry-free life for the rest of their lives with this money.

The bright moon hung in the sky, its gentle light bathing the entire town. The hustle and bustle of the daytime had all dissipated, and there were few pedestrians on the streets. Only a few brothels and alleys still emitted a dim light, while the rest of the houses disappeared into the deep night. The whole town gradually fell into silence.

"Alright, let's find a hotel to rest. We'll set off for the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow," Tang Shan said to the three people beside him.

The three women nodded in agreement. They quickly found a clean and tidy hotel, booked two rooms, and went upstairs to rest.

Golden Crocodile Douluo sat cross-legged on a rooftop, looking at the four people from Tangshan in the distance, feeling a little sentimental: They've all grown up, it seems that my retirement and enjoyment of my old age are not far away!

……

The morning sun pierced through the thin mist and gently awakened the sleeping town. First, a few scattered shouts and the sound of doors opening and closing rang out. Then, all sorts of sounds intertwined and converged, passing straight through the poorly soundproofed wooden planks and waking up the sleeping travelers.

The four people from Tangshan had already finished washing up and were having breakfast on the first floor of the hotel.

Gu Yue took a bite of the thin-skinned, generously filled bun, her eyes slightly narrowed, clearly very satisfied with the taste.

"Teacher, the soundproofing in this hotel is terrible! The shouts early in the morning can wake you up completely," Zhu Zhuyun complained, fiddling with the hot porridge in her bowl.

While quickly finishing the pile of steamed buns in front of him, Tang Shan casually replied, "After all, we're near the Star Dou Great Forest. Who knows if a beast tide will suddenly come one day and swallow this town up? There won't be anyone to pay for it then."

The beast tides in the Star Dou Great Forest are not always dominated by ferocious beasts. In other words, beast tides dominated by ferocious beasts are few and far between. The vast majority of beast tides are formed by soul beasts spontaneously gathering together.

Most of the time, it's because some high-level soul beasts go crazy or wander around aimlessly. For example, the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python wander around without controlling their aura. When a large number of soul beasts sense such terrifying beings, they will naturally flee on instinct. Then, under the butterfly effect, the fleeing soul beasts affect even more soul beasts, and thus a beast tide is formed.

Before the age of ten thousand years, although soul beasts possessed some intelligence, they were still quite few. In most cases, they acted on instinct, so it was not surprising that they would flee with the tide when they saw a large number of soul beasts fleeing.

After a quick breakfast, the four of them tidied up and set off, passing through bustling streets and alleys, heading towards another gate of the town. That was the closest entrance to the Star Dou Great Forest and also the place where the Soul Hunters were most concentrated.

The four had only been there a short time when they were spotted. It wasn't that someone saw through their appearance, but rather that they suspected they were exceptionally strong.

After all, this young group exudes composure, dignified bearing, and unhurried demeanor; the four of them are by no means simple.

"Hello, may I ask your strength? Are you looking to go on a Soul Hunt? Our Golden Lion Soul Hunting Team has three Soul Masters and six Soul Venerables. They have excellent teamwork and rich experience, so it might be a good choice."

Blocking Tangshan's path was a burly man with a thick beard that covered most of his face, and a hideous scar on his bald head.

This burly man, with his menacing face, spoke with unusual enthusiasm, trying to invite the four from Tangshan to join his Soul Hunting Team.

"No need, we have a team, thank you." Tang Shan smiled slightly, easily pushed the burly man aside, and walked out the door.

The burly man didn't even have time to react. He only felt a gentle yet unstoppable force coming from his shoulder, and then he was forcefully pushed aside, making way for him. It was absolutely terrifying.

You must understand, he is a power-type Soul Master. Even if his Martial Soul is not activated, he could not possibly be easily moved by someone. The fact that the other party could do this can only mean that his power far surpasses his.

What a pity, I was hoping to take this opportunity to get to know them.

The burly man watched the four men from Tangshan depart, feeling a pang of regret. However, when he saw Tangshan meet up with an old man outside the door, his regret turned into awe.

He had lived in this small town for over ten years, and the ability to read people and be cautious was ingrained in him. His ability to see through the unusual nature of the Tangshan group at a glance speaks volumes.

He has many rules of conduct, one of which is not to provoke the elderly, especially the elderly who frequent the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, because they must all be powerful Soul Masters with extraordinary cultivation, and ordinary elderly people would never appear in this area.

In particular, one should not provoke older men, because their ability to maintain their physical condition through soul power is limited. For those with weaker cultivation, a normal life is fine, but a long journey is tantamount to courting death.

Those beings capable of enduring such a long journey to the Star Dou Great Forest are likely ancient monsters who have lived for countless years. If you were to accidentally offend one, you might not even know how you died.

What he had just seen was an old man with layers upon layers of wrinkles on his face, the number of which was probably greater than the man's age, yet he could still walk, sit, and lie down as usual. What level of powerhouse was this? It was simply unimaginable.

When the burly man saw the old man, cold sweat poured down his back. Luckily, he meant no harm; he just felt that the Tangshan group was not simple and wanted to befriend them. If he had harbored ill intentions, who knows what might happen to him in the future?

……

Tang Shan had no idea how much shock the four of them had caused the burly man who had blocked their way after they joined forces with Golden Crocodile Douluo. If he had known, he would probably have sighed: Even small people have their own survival wisdom. They were able to see through the special nature of these people and the extraordinary nature of Golden Crocodile Douluo. Their ability to read people's expressions was truly impressive.

After meeting up with Golden Crocodile Douluo, the group did not delay and went straight into the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. They had only gone in for a short while when Xiong Jun and Bi Ji came rushing from the depths of the dense forest and successfully joined the group.

Now that three top-tier combatants are all in place, Tangshan wants to ask, who else is there? Who else is there?

The dense ancient trees blocked out the sun, their layers of branches and leaves intertwined like a giant umbrella, cutting the blazing sunlight into tiny, dappled spots of light that swayed gently in the wind. A light mist hung in the air, and the occasional chirping of insects and roars of animals could be heard. The deep silence and the scattered spots of light on the ground made the forest seem even darker.

Tang Shan took the lead, with Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing following behind him. Gu Yue held his hand and looked around curiously.

As for formations and such, that's unnecessary. Their purpose in coming to the Star Dou Great Forest is simple: to obtain spirit rings, not to hone their skills. With three Limit Douluos protecting them, if anything still happens, Tang Shan would probably start to doubt the true nature of Golden Crocodile Douluo and the two ferocious beasts.

After all, the Supreme Leader of the Holy Spirit Cult only got into trouble after leaving the team. Yet, even with three Limit Douluos protecting him closely, he still got into trouble. This record is even more "glorious" than the opponent's. If you say there's nothing wrong with it, Tang Shan would never believe it even if you beat him to death.

"Shall we go find the Twin Cyclopes first?" Golden Crocodile Douluo turned his gaze to Xiong Jun and Bi Ji, clearly asking for the two beasts' opinions.

After all, they are strong individuals of equal strength, and we must maintain due respect for them.

“We have no objections, you can make the arrangements.” Bi Ji said with a smile. She and Xiong Jun’s main purpose was to protect Gu Yue, and they were just making a side trip back to the Star Dou Great Forest. They had no other plans.

“Alright, let’s continue deeper.” Golden Crocodile Douluo glanced at the Zhu sisters, then turned his gaze to Tang Shan. “Would you like your two little disciples to take them for a while? The road ahead is rugged and might be difficult to travel.”

Tang Shan looked at the Zhu sisters: "Zhu Yun, Zhu Qing, would you like me to give you a ride?"

"Teacher, let's try it out together first, and then you can lead us when we're exhausted." Zhu Zhuyun shook her head and refused, while Zhu Zhuqing nodded, clearly agreeing with her sister.

"Alright then." Tang Shan didn't ask any more questions, and Golden Crocodile Douluo noticeably quickened his pace, swiftly traversing the dense forest.

With a light tap of his toes, Tang Shan, relying on the level of his internal martial arts, focused his power into a single point, and with a burst of energy, covered dozens of meters in one step; Gu Yue summoned a gust of wind to support her body and easily followed beside Tang Shan.

The Zhu sisters are in a more troublesome situation. Even though they are agility-type Soul Masters, their strength lies only in short bursts of speed. Long-term high-speed movement is a very severe test for them. Trying to keep up with the others requires a huge consumption of their Soul Power.

Xiong Jun followed the group leisurely, but most of his attention was still focused on Tang Shan.

"Hey, Brigitte, don't you think this kid's use of qi and blood is extraordinary? Such exquisite control is simply unprecedented."

Xiong Jun's powerful and domineering voice rang in Bi Ji's ears.

Brigitte's emerald wings unfurled gently, each flap propelling her forward a considerable distance. Hearing Xiong Jun's telepathic message, she smiled and replied, "Xiong Jun, if you wish to learn, simply tell the Master, and Tang Shan will teach you."

"How could that be? It's just a self-created soul skill, nothing special." Xiong Jun retorted subconsciously, but after a moment of silence, he asked hesitantly, "Won't Master be unhappy?"

Brigitte shook her head helplessly: "Haven't you figured out the relationship between Tang Shan and the Lord yet? She might be the future mistress, so what's there to hesitate about?"

"What if something unexpected happens? After all, our master is a beast god, while Tang Shan is just a human. Their lifespans are not even the same, not to mention their races." Xiong Jun was obviously not as straightforward as he appeared, and he saw the possible conflict between Gu Yue and Tang Shan.

"Do you think Tang Shan, with his talent, won't become a god in the future? Even if he can't create his own godhood, I believe those guys in the god realm definitely won't let go of this promising talent."

As for racial differences, if neither of them cares, why should we worry about it?

"That seems to be the case?" Listening to Bi Ji's analysis, Xiong Jun couldn't help but scratch his head thoughtfully.

Over here, the two ferocious beasts were chatting about random things, while the Zhu sisters were doing their best to catch up with the people ahead. Looking at Tang Shan and Gu Yue, who seemed relaxed and carefree, Zhu Zhuyun thought to herself: They are truly monsters. As expected, our teacher and Gu Yue are simply incomparable to us.

As for why Zhu Zhuyun never calls Gu Yue "Teacher's Wife," she doesn't know either; she just subconsciously feels a bit averse to the title.

Chapter 369 Yu Xiaogang Suffers Another Injury

After traveling for about another half hour, the Zhu sisters, who were running at full speed, were nearing the exhaustion of their soul power. Tang Shan keenly noticed their condition and slowed down his pace slightly.

Golden Crocodile Douluo unleashed his powerful soul force, enveloping the two women. At the same time, his voice transmission rang in Tang Shan's ears: "Kid, I'll take care of the two of them. You maintain your condition. You'll deal with the twin cyclops later."

Tang Shan nodded, quickened his pace, and the group sped toward the location of the twin Cyclopes.

This is a solitary little hill, no more than a hundred meters high. The entire hill is barren, with exposed yellowish-brown soil and rocks, rough and cracked by years of wind and sand. It is deathly silent all around, exuding an air of desolation and bleakness.

The hillside is straight and steep, with smooth and not jagged rock walls. Halfway up the hill, there is a huge and deep cave. A cold wind blows from the cave entrance, and layers of white bones are scattered around, making it look even more ferocious and terrifying.

"This is it." Golden Crocodile Douluo looked around, then took out a map to compare it, and said with certainty.

Tang Shan released his spiritual energy and probed directly into the cave. After a while, he withdrew his spiritual energy and shook his head: "It's not inside, but there are traces of life there, and the traces are very fresh. It must have just left not long ago, probably to go out and forage for food."

"Then let's find a place nearby to rest and wait for it to return," Golden Crocodile Douluo said in a deep voice. The others had no objections, and soon they set up camp by a nearby stream.

"Tang Shan, which of the Twin Cyclopes' soul skills are you interested in?" Golden Crocodile Douluo sat cross-legged by the newly lit campfire, looking at the young man beside him.

"I wish I could have the multi-faceted thinking ability of the Gemini Cyclops." Tang Shan, while handling a large fish he had scooped up from the nearby stream, answered Golden Crocodile Douluo's question without hesitation.

A hint of surprise flashed in Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes: "Isn't that effect similar to distraction control? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School should also have a cultivation method, wouldn't it be useless to obtain another soul skill similar to that?"

After skewering the fish through its tail and mouth, and roasting it over the campfire, Tang Shan finally answered Golden Crocodile Douluo's question: "This is different. Whether it's multitasking or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's distraction control, in essence it's just a redistribution of mental energy, like dividing a large bottle of water equally between two small bottles; but this Twin Cyclops is different. Its dual thinking is equivalent to having two brains, which are connected at the level of thought, but in reality they are two different individuals."

Golden Crocodile Douluo was, after all, a Limit Douluo. Tang Shan only needed to give him a slight reminder before he understood the difference between the two. However, he still hesitated: "But the Twin Cyclops possess such abilities because of its two heads. It shouldn't be that simple to achieve such an effect through soul skills alone, right?"

Tang Shan flipped the wooden stick in his hand to make the fish heat up more evenly, his tone full of determination: "This kind of soul skill is special. How can you obtain it without taking some risks?"

Seeing Tang Shan's unwavering resolve, Golden Crocodile Douluo refrained from further persuasion. He knew perfectly well that the young man before him had long surpassed the realm of ordinary juniors. Putting aside everything else, in terms of mere mastery of martial soul theory, no one on the entire continent could rival him. Tang Shan's insistence must have its reasons; a gentle reminder was sufficient. As for pointing fingers, no one was currently qualified.

Tang Shan naturally wouldn't take unnecessary risks. What he said earlier was merely to answer Golden Crocodile Douluo's questions. After all, he genuinely wanted to choose a soul skill. If he found that he couldn't gain multi-line thinking ability, or if the soul skill's effect didn't satisfy him, he could simply turn around and choose a more overpowered soul skill instead, and he definitely wouldn't suffer a loss.

The campfire cast a rosy glow on the young man's face as he focused intently on his work, his gaze serene. The aroma gradually filled the air, spreading outwards. A black-haired girl sat beside him, her star-like eyes darting between the grilled fish and the young man, a faint smile playing on her lips.

……

"This is Black Poison Bamboo, with excellent toughness and toxicity. It's a pity it's too young, and it doesn't fit the route I planned for your plant-type martial soul to absorb animal soul rings." Yu Xiaogang touched a dark green bamboo pole beside him, his voice calm and serene, with a hint of disdain.

Tang San followed silently behind him, without uttering a word.

Yu Tianheng glanced around, seemingly unintentionally observing Yu Xiaogang with a somewhat enigmatic look in his eyes.

Yu Xiaogang was clearly unaware of the somewhat strange atmosphere. After briefly showing off his knowledge, he continued to lead the way at the front of the group, while his martial spirit, Luo Sanpao, walked ahead of him, ready to deal with any surprise attacks.

After suffering heavy losses in the Soul Hunter Forest, Yu Xiaogang did become slightly more vigilant, but not by much. After all, true vigilance should have meant protecting Yu Tianheng in front of him, rather than charging ahead as a Great Soul Master.

As the three of them approached a patch of dense grass, a sudden gust of wind arose, and a murderous intent appeared!

Whoosh whoosh!

Three long, gleaming snakes suddenly burst forth from the grass, their bodies arching and lunging towards Yu Xiaogang's vital points. Their sharp, pointed fangs gleamed with a ghostly green light, clearly containing deadly venom.