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

The vast majority were second-ring Soul Masters, with only two who should be the captains having reached the level of third-ring Soul Venerables.

While observing, Tang Shan and Gu Yue did not stop walking and headed straight for the gate of the mansion.

"Who goes there? This is the residence of the Crown Prince of Tiandou. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted to enter." A burly soldier stepped forward and asked in a deep voice as Tang Shan and Gu Yue approached the entrance.

Before Tang Shan could speak, another soldier's pupils contracted, and he whispered a few words in the ear of the person who appeared to be the captain.

The captain's expression changed. He strode over, pulled the questioning soldier aside, and bowed slightly: "Are you a Tangshan retainer?"

Tang Shanping's calm expression was slightly disturbed. He had no idea when he had acquired the title of "official." This matter was most likely related to Xue Qinghe. He would ask him later.

With his mind racing, Tang Shan nodded slightly and said, "Yes."

"Open the gate and let them through." The captain of the soldiers did not delay any longer and waved his hand, signaling his men to open the gate.

Crunch!

The heavy gates of the mansion opened with a thud, and Tang Shan and Gu Yue walked straight in.

boom!

The gates closed with a dull thud. The soldier who had been pulled away by the captain couldn't contain his curiosity and doubt: "Captain, is that Tang Shan? He doesn't look like him. He's so fair-skinned, almost like a pretty boy."

Clang!

The captain slapped his soldier's steel helmet and said with exasperation, "Can't you use your brain? I let him through because he's definitely real. Why are you asking him?"

"What if it's someone in disguise? Isn't Tang Shan supposed to be a strength-type Soul Master? He doesn't look like one."

"This is indeed what the Tangshan deity looks like, Brother Wang. Remember it well. As for his appearance, it's rumored to be due to a special cultivation method."

The soldier who had reminded the captain to open the door earlier also came over and said mysteriously, "It is said that even ordinary people can cultivate this kind of cultivation method. If one cultivates it to a certain level, one's combat power is no less than that of an ordinary first or second ring Soul Master."

"Really? You're not kidding me!" The soldier called Brother Wang was somewhat surprised. It was truly unbelievable that a mortal could rival a Soul Master.

Chapter 394 Xue Qinghe is acting strangely

The Crown Prince's residence in Tiandou has not changed much. The pavilions and towers are scattered about, the rockery is built on green rocks, the stream winds around the corridor, and the blue stone path meanders through the grass and trees. The flowers and trees along the way are lush and green, and it still looks as gentle and elegant as it did back then.

"Tangshan, you're back." On the steps not far away, a man stood quietly. His features were handsome and gentle, his skin was fair and delicate, and he possessed the dignified and noble air that royalty was born with. There was just the right amount of gentleness in his eyes, and a refined smile that never changed on his lips. The imposing aura he had accumulated from years of handling state affairs was completely restrained. His figure was elegant and upright, and his demeanor was leisurely. Just like when we first met, he was a distinguished young nobleman with outstanding demeanor.

This person was none other than Xue Qinghe, the master of the Heavenly Dou Crown Prince's Mansion. Golden Crocodile Douluo had already sensed Tang Shan and Gu Yue's return. After informing Xue Qinghe, she did not rush over, but instead leisurely came out to greet them, and happened to meet Tang Shan on the way.

It wasn't without its benefits that Emperor Xueye had Xue Qinghe review the memorials. After years of honing his skills, Xue Qinghe had developed the composure and temperament to remain calm even when faced with a collapsing mountain.

"Your Highness." Tang Shan was not surprised by Xue Qinghe's appearance. With the strength of Golden Crocodile Douluo, he and Gu Yue had already been detected when they entered a certain area of ​​the Crown Prince's residence.

"Let's go. In two years, the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament will begin. I'm still a bit unsure about the participants from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. I'd like to hear your advice."

Xue Qinghe smiled slightly and took the initiative to lead the way, with Tang Shan holding Gu Yue's hand and following closely behind, walking all the way inside.

Golden Crocodile Douluo, basking in the sun under the banyan tree, opened his slightly narrowed eyes and fell into deep thought: "Xiao Xue has been acting strangely these past few years. She's lost her usual impulsiveness. Could it be related to the will she has comprehended?"

As for the speculation that Qian Renxue had let go of her feelings for Tang Shan, it was never within the scope of Golden Crocodile Douluo's consideration.

If she had truly let go, she wouldn't have mobilized the Spirit Hall's resources every month to secretly investigate Tangshan's current situation.

The familiar pavilion, the familiar table, the familiar teapot...

Xue Qinghe's tea-brewing movements were gentle and fluid. He lightly pinched the tea buds with his fingertips as he poured water, his movements smooth and effortless. The tender tea leaves slowly unfurled in the boiling water, releasing a sweet aroma that filled the pavilion and filled the air with a refreshing and invigorating fragrance.

Tang Shan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, recalling Xue Qinghe's earlier words, and asked, "What are Your Highness's plans regarding this year's Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies?"

The teapot landed lightly on the table without making a sound. Xue Qinghe looked up at Tang Shan: "With you involved, the outcome of this competition was already decided. Nowadays, many noble families in Tian Dou want to take this opportunity to get involved, and Father has entrusted me with the entire responsibility for this matter."

Tang Shan understood Xue Qinghe's unspoken meaning: with him in charge, the championship was already a sure thing. Emperor Xue Ye simply let go, allowing Xue Qinghe to take full charge, and also using this opportunity to do favors for the various noble families.

It's important to understand that winning a title could lead to meritorious service in the competition, and the hidden benefits involved are self-evident.

By offering such a significant benefit, the Great Emperor Xueye is clearly gradually relinquishing power.

After sorting through his thoughts and clarifying the current situation in the Heavenly Dou Empire, Tang Shan quickly replied: "Your Highness, do you think these noble families are worth winning over? With me here, the support of Sect Master Ning, and His Majesty Dugu, our apparent strength is already enough to solidify your position."

“Then we won’t try to win them over. You and Gu Yue will take two spots, Zhu Yun, as my Crown Princess, will take one, and then there’s Zhu Qing and His Majesty Dugu’s granddaughter. Five of the seven official team spots are already set.” Xue Qinghe pondered for a moment, calculating the strength of the Tian Dou Royal Academy team.

Tang Shan did not interrupt Xue Qinghe's plans. Just as she said, the outcome of this competition was already predetermined. The Star Luo Empire's team was not worth mentioning; even the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall would only have a slight chance to compete with her if Bibi Dong persuaded the entire Hall of Worship to provide them with a complete set of ten-thousand-year soul bones and raise their soul power to the Soul Saint realm.

"Your Highness, the soldiers at the gate just now called me 'official,' what's going on?" Seeing Xue Qinghe's relaxed expression, Tang Shan asked about his previous doubts.

“You have already grown into a top expert, and it would be inappropriate for you to continue acting as a genius I recruited. So I have given you a nominal position as a retainer, with no extra duties. You can just focus on cultivating and improving your strength.”

"Then thank you very much, Your Highness." Tang Shan did not refuse. For many years, he had relied on the Crown Prince's residence for food and lodging and had received much care from the other party. It was only right that he should help in any way he could.

However, it seems that Xue Qinghe doesn't need another Soul Douluo with near-title level combat power. After all, she has the Spirit Hall backing her, and as long as she's not affected by the protagonist's halo, the Spirit Hall's strength alone is enough to sweep across the continent.

"Tangshan, what have you gained from your travels over the years?" After finishing the business, Xue Qinghe changed the subject and asked curiously about Tangshan's experiences over the years. She had people collect information about Tangshan's whereabouts every month, but written words could never compare to the authenticity of firsthand accounts.

Tang Shan opened his mouth, wanting to elaborate, but then swallowed his words: "Your Highness, I've seen too many people and sights to know where to begin. If you have the chance, you should go and see for yourself. If I had to say, this continent is far more magnificent and spectacular than I imagined."

During Tang Shan and Gu Yue's later travels, although they frequently visited various advanced soul master academies, they never missed the wonders of the world. Having grown accustomed to the cities and towers built by the human race, appreciating natural scenery offered a unique charm. It was a fusion and collision of order and nature, a mutual reflection of human determination to conquer nature and following one's own heart.

Blessed by this experience, Gu Yue's willpower cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. With her current willpower strength, after breaking through to the Title Douluo level, her cultivation will directly reach level ninety-five.

"Should I go and see for myself?" Xue Qinghe murmured softly, recalling her experiences from childhood to adulthood, a deep weariness and sorrow quietly welling up in her heart. But the moment she thought of the person sitting on the throne of the Spirit Hall Pope, all the slackness and weakness in her heart vanished instantly.

"Let's talk about it later." Xue Qinghe suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said no more.

She looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting late, you should get some rest."

"Alright, Your Highness, please take care." Tang Shan stood up, watched Xue Qinghe's figure gradually disappear into the distance, and then turned back into the pavilion.

"When are we going to hunt for spirit rings?" Gu Yue asked softly, toying with the celadon teacup in her hand.

"About a month from now, I should be able to break through to level 60 by then," Tang Shan said, feeling the soul power accumulating within him.

"Don't you think Xue Qinghe is a bit strange?" Gu Yue placed the teacup on the table, her silver eyes blinking as she asked pointedly.

Tang Shan was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I was just asking casually." Gu Yue said casually, then snuggled into Tang Shan's arms, closed her eyes slightly, and said matter-of-factly, "Carry me back."

Chapter 395 The Angel Whose Identity Was Revealed

A cool night breeze rustled softly through the leaves. A tall, slender woman walked slowly into the night, quietly approaching her side and slowing her steps.

The bright moonlight cast a clear, silvery glow across the sky, its soft light spreading across the courtyard's plants. Xue Qinghe stood quietly deep within the garden, nestled among the blooming flowers, gazing up at the round, bright silver moon in the night sky, silent and lost in thought.

"Your Highness, what are you thinking about?" Zhu Zhuyun stopped and looked at the handsome man in front of her with some curiosity. After many years of getting along, she had long been used to his presence.

"It's nothing." Xue Qinghe lowered his head and glanced at Zhu Zhuyun indifferently. "What, is your evil aura about to erupt again, and you need to suppress it?"

"Yes, I feel that the accumulation of evil energy is accelerating. Compared to the previous month when it was fully accumulated, it feels like it will be fully accumulated in just half a month now."

Zhu Zhuyun confirmed Xue Qinghe's guess, a complex light flashing deep in her eyes. For some reason, as time went by, she felt that she was getting closer and closer to Xue Qinghe, and this closeness came very suddenly. She still had no feelings for him, but her body seemed to always want to get closer to him against her will.

"Alright, I'll find that Holy Soul Master to come and help you evolve tomorrow. Your situation is nothing special. As your strength increases, the rate at which your evil energy grows will naturally be a little faster. Everything is under control."

Xue Qinghe, oblivious to the slight ripples in Zhu Zhuyun's heart, walked past the girl and headed straight for the study: "It's getting late, get some rest. Also, Tang Shan is back, go see him tomorrow morning."

Zhu Zhuyun did not answer, but just stared at the figure disappearing into the dim night: Your Highness, should I call you Xue Qinghe or Qian Renxue?

Having spent a considerable amount of time with Xue Qinghe, Zhu Zhuyun naturally noticed some unusual things—firstly, the Divine Attribute Soul Master named Qian Renxue almost never appeared with Xue Qinghe, which was quite strange.

It should be noted that, counting from the initial outbreak of evil energy until now, the Holy Soul Master named Qian Renxue has suppressed it at least twenty times, but Xue Qinghe has never appeared during these twenty-odd times.

The second point is the similarity and resemblance of the movements. First of all, it should be clear that Qian Renxue does not intend to live with two identities, and does not need to specially study two different sets of movement habits. It is enough to maintain Xue Qinghe's unique behavior for a long time.

By maintaining Xue Qinghe's behavior for a long time, it gradually became a part of Qian Renxue's very being. Even though she subconsciously changed it a little each time she suppressed Zhu Zhuyun's evil energy, short-term corrections were far less effective than long-standing habits. Occasionally, she would reveal some flaws, and with Zhu Zhuyun's keen observation skills, she would naturally notice something was amiss.

Thirdly, there is the instinctive affinity in terms of martial soul – Zhu Zhuyun found herself subconsciously drawn to Xue Qinghe. After carefully analyzing her inner thoughts and discovering that her "ill-intentioned heart" remained unchanged, she naturally focused her attention on her own martial soul, since her martial soul was indeed not a proper thing.

Once the source of the intimacy is identified, the fact that both Xue Qinghe and Qian Renxue possess this special connection inevitably sparks speculation.

If we consider Xue Qinghe's initial reluctance to choose a crown princess, and the fact that he hadn't taken a single bite of her despite having such a beautiful woman by his side for so many years, the answer, or rather the truth, naturally emerged in Zhu Zhuyun's mind—this Heavenly Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, might have two identities, and his true gender might also be that of a woman. As for his origins, Zhu Zhuyun wasn't quite sure, but she was certain that this Heavenly Dou Crown Prince was absolutely not related to the current Xue Ye Emperor by blood.

Emperor Xueye couldn't possibly be unaware of his child's true gender. If Xue Qinghe were truly a pawn in his game, Emperor Xueye wouldn't have gone to such lengths to select a consort for Xue Qinghe, as the risk of exposure would have been far too great.

Eliminating all impossibilities, no matter how outrageous the final answer may seem, it can only be one thing: the real Crown Prince of Tiandou, Xue Qinghe, has long since disappeared, and the current Crown Prince of Tiandou is a fake.

To be honest, when Zhu Zhuyun came to this conclusion, her first reaction was to run away with her sister. After all, who knows what kind of terrifying power was hidden behind someone who could silently replace the crown prince of a country? This was a mess that a small Soul Sect member like her could not get involved in.

However, after calming down, Zhu Zhuyun gave up the idea of ​​running away with her sister. Now that no one knew she had noticed something was wrong with Xue Qinghe, there would be no danger in staying in the Crown Prince's residence. If she took the initiative to leave, not to mention the reaction of the Crown Prince's residence, the assassins of the Star Luo Empire alone would be enough to give her a hard time.

As for reporting directly to Emperor Xueye, setting aside how to gain his trust, Zhu Zhuyun, who suffers from a bit of paranoia, would never believe them, simply from the perspective of her own safety.

So what if Xue Qinghe is a fake? The sisters will definitely not have a good ending. Think about it carefully. The core members of the Xingluo Zhu family are twins. One of them was once the Xingluo Crown Princess and the Tiandou Crown Princess. In addition, she has the most beautiful face in the Douluo world and a hot body that makes people fall in love. Zhu Zhuyun is basically certain that at best, she and her sister will become the playthings of some noble family or even the emperor. At worst, they may be defiled and become the playthings of various noble families, never to rise again.

As for Tangshan, Zhu Zhuyun admitted that her teacher was indeed a genius, but unfortunately, he had not yet grown up. Perhaps one or two Soul Douluos were no match for her teacher, but what about three, four, or five? Moreover, no one could be sure whether the Heaven Dou Empire had any hidden Title Douluos. Zhu Zhuyun could not afford to gamble, nor dared to gamble. Her life was nothing, but the lives of her teacher and sister did not allow her to engage in such a dangerous gamble.

After a night of deep thought, Zhu Zhuyun made an important decision: to stay by Xue Qinghe's side and tell her teacher about it when he returned, hoping he would make the decision.

call!

Zhu Zhuyun let out a long sigh of relief, as if the heavy pressure in her heart had been lifted a little. She walked lightly towards the kitchen to prepare tea and snacks for Xue Qinghe: "I hope my method will work, Your Highness. I hope that if something unexpected really happens, you can give me a break in consideration of my careful service during this time."

Tang Shan was naturally unaware that his "good disciple" had deduced Xue Qinghe's true gender by collecting various information, and even less aware that his disciple had already given him this great gift. At this moment, he was concentrating on his cultivation, accumulating soul power bit by bit, gradually approaching level sixty.

P.S.: I'll be a little late tonight. I'm tearfully finishing this post; I've already dug too many holes. Also, I'll be taking leave tomorrow and the day after at the beginning of the month to try and adjust my mindset. Hopefully, I can get back to my January form.

Chapter 396 Tangshan is numb

A stream of rich and pure primordial energy, drawn by an unseen force, continuously flowed into Tang Shan's body. Liquid soul power, carrying the pure primordial energy, circulated endlessly through his meridians, steadily accumulating soul power drop by drop.

The flesh and blood were nourished by the warm soul power, undergoing subtle transformations without a sound. The powerful and keen senses penetrated into all the major tissues of the body, deeply exploring the extraordinary potential hidden deep within the physical body.

As his potential continues to be unleashed, his physical abilities are steadily improving at a visible rate.

Now, Tang Shan's cultivation has long been on the right track. Except for the eight extraordinary meridians, all the pathways for the circulation of soul power are unobstructed. His spiritual power is improving in sync with his physical body and soul power, and his physical training and potential exploration have never stopped. With the accumulation of time and energy, his strength is changing every moment.

call!

Slowly withdrawing from the deep state of cultivation, a bright and clear light flashed in his eyes. He looked up at the sky, where the light was bright and clear; it was already the next morning.

"I'm almost there, I've found a way to increase the lifespan of external soul bones." Before Tang Shan could take a good look at his surroundings, a soft, clear, and sweet voice gently lingered in his ears.

Looking up at the sound, Gu Yue was already lounging lazily by the stone table in the courtyard, her chin resting gently on her hand, her bright eyes fixed on Tang Shan, a glimmer of light hidden in them.

Tang Shan stood up, walked slowly to her side, and sat down: "Really?"

Gu Yue has been painting this picture for him for quite some time now, and Tang Shan was prepared to get nothing, but now it seems there's a twist?

Thinking of Tang Shan's target this time, the Titan Giant Ape, Gu Yue nodded seriously. She wasn't deliberately delaying; mainly, she hadn't fully understood the rules of the Soul Master system before. Relying on her meticulous observations over the past few years, combined with Tang Shan's personal insights when absorbing Soul Rings, Gu Yue had gained a relatively thorough and accurate understanding of Soul Rings and Soul Bones.

The creature Tangshan is about to hunt is the Titan Giant Ape, a 100,000-year-old soul beast that will surely produce a 100,000-year-old soul bone. By observing the entire process of the soul bone's birth and formation, Gu Yue can complete the last key piece of the puzzle and thoroughly understand the secrets of soul bone formation.

"Alright, then feel free to do as you please. I trust you." Seeing Gu Yue's seriousness, Tang Shan also gave her his full trust. He believed in the Silver Dragon King's understanding of the rules of heaven and earth.

Bang bang bang!