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

Tang Shan shook his head and denied it, saying, "It's unlikely. I thought so at first, but in the end, soul power is a kind of energy, while dark force is a kind of force. They are not from the same system at all. With my current strength, I can't integrate them together."

Indeed, Tang Shan had tried to combine the two before, but as he said, the essence of hidden strength is a technique, not real energy. It is quite difficult to make soul power achieve the same effect as hidden strength.

"That's such a pity."

Su Yuntao sighed with regret, then immediately challenged Tangshan again.

During this period, he passed through several cities, but unfortunately none of them were very big. Only one of them had a large fighting arena. Su Yuntao, who was bored out of his mind, dragged Tang Shan to spar almost every day.

Tang Shan naturally wouldn't refuse Su Yuntao's invitation, especially since he discovered that his tendons, which originally needed several more days of tempering, had been thoroughly honed to perfection after the battle with the evil soul master, and he was now ready to fight any challenge.

He had been wondering before that, given his god-level control over mobilizing his qi and blood to temper his body, the speed should have reached its limit, so how could the tempering have been completed so suddenly?

Later, through repeated exchanges with Su Yuntao, Tang Shan gradually figured out the tricks of the trade.

The phrase "blood boiling" is generally of little use to those who have seen the Divine Warrior, because they can already precisely control every bit of their own blood and qi, and their mental state is like that of a god or a demon, so they will not easily enter this state.

But Tang Shan is different. He can only be considered a "pseudo-divine" martial artist. His control over his qi and blood is not yet 100%. Therefore, he will still enter a state of boiling blood during battle, and the speed of qi and blood flow will accelerate. Under these circumstances, coupled with his original divine-level control, the tempering speed will naturally be much faster.

Bang bang bang!

The dark blue arms, like iron pillars, enveloped Su Yuntao. Su Yuntao had already activated his Martial Soul Fusion state, maximizing his perception and improving his control over his power. Facing Tang Shan's relentless, pile-driving punches, he maximized his reaction speed, rapidly crossing his hands to form barriers and desperately resisting Tang Shan's blows.

Tang Shan's fist contained immense power; Su Yuntao only received two or three punches before his palms began to feel numb.

"Brother, Ming Jin can be used not only for attack, but also for defense."

Seeing that Su Yuntao was clearly at a disadvantage, Tang Shan couldn't help but speak up to remind him.

Su Yuntao took a deep breath, channeling his soul power into his hands while simultaneously unleashing his inner strength.

With a series of cracking sounds, Su Yuntao also swung his palm to meet Tang Shan's attack, engaging in a head-on clash.

This slightly reduced the tingling sensation in my hands.

Ten moves, a hundred moves...

Each head-on clash was extremely taxing on their stamina, yet both remained silent, their faces grave as they controlled their punches and palm strikes.

Rolling heat emanated from their bodies, which were now flushed red, making it easy to imagine the astonishing amount of heat contained within them.

Su Yuntao was the first to give in. After all, he did not possess a true martial soul. Even though he was a Great Soul Master, the enhancement that a martial soul could provide to the body was not as great as that of Tang Shan, who possessed a true martial soul.

He abruptly stepped back, exhaled a long breath, a white stream of air shooting out of his mouth, his pores opening wide, and sweat instantly soaking through his clothes.

Seeing that Su Yuntao had stopped and admitted defeat, Tang Shan did not rest immediately. Instead, he slowly started practicing his punches to calm the surging blood and qi in his body.

Once his skin returned to its normal color, he relaxed his control over his pores, letting the sweat slowly seep out.

Compared to Su Yuntao, Tang Shan sweats much less. After all, excessive sweating leads to the depletion of vital energy, which not only lowers overall condition but also significantly weakens immunity. He tries to control his sweating, mainly expelling metabolic waste from his body.

The two of them took out water from their storage soul tools, rinsed themselves off quickly, changed into clean clothes, and ran towards the carriage not far away.

"You two, are you done practicing?"

Su Haichao was sitting cross-legged on the ground, engrossed in reading a book. When he saw Tang Shan and the other person return, he looked up and asked.

"Yeah, that was really fun!"

Recalling his exchange of blows with Tang Shan, Su Yuntao's face was full of excitement. Although his physical strength and soul power were almost exhausted, he could clearly feel that his understanding of Ming Jin had deepened, and this feeling was simply wonderful.

Tang Shan picked up a skewer of soul beast meat that was being grilled, blew on it to cool it down a bit, and took a big bite. While chewing, he mumbled, "After passing that city tomorrow, we'll be at Heaven Dou City, right?"

Su Haichao nodded: "Tomorrow we will arrive at Iron Wall City. This name is not for nothing. It can be considered an impregnable fortress in front of Tiandou City. Whether in terms of economic or military strength, it ranks among the top cities in the Tiandou Empire."

"So, that place also has a large arena, right?"

Su Yuntao's eyes instantly turned fiery, and his bones crackled with excitement.

Tang Shan was somewhat helpless. Ever since his brother went to the Great Soul Arena, it seemed as if some extraordinary attribute had been awakened in him. He had become a complete battle maniac, burning with fierce fighting spirit.

P.S.: Thank you so much, Hunyuan Ruyi, for the generous donation. I, the humble author, am deeply grateful. Please subscribe, vote for monthly tickets, recommend, favorite, and comment—I'm asking for everything!

Chapter 48 The Prince Descends the City, Ning Fengzhi and Emperor Xueye's Doubts

The magnificent palace exudes majesty and solemnity, and its carved beams and painted rafters are imbued with a profound historical atmosphere.

Emperor Xueye sat naturally on the wide dragon throne. His plump figure could not conceal his imperial majesty, and every gesture exuded the elegance of royalty.

Dressed in a yellow robe with dragon patterns and wearing a golden and jade crown, with a large sapphire set on the crown, he exuded an air of nobility.

He handled the memorials submitted by the ministers with remarkable vigor and composure.

After a while, once all the matters of the court meeting were settled, he raised his head and slowly said, "I plan to send the princes to major cities throughout the country to observe the people's conditions. What do you all think?"

The ministers below the stage looked at each other for a moment, then responded in unison, "Excellent!"

On this snowy night, the Emperor was greatly pleased and waved his hand, saying, "Summon all the princes to the palace."

He was clearly prepared; not long after the guards left, four princes entered.

Leading the group was the eldest prince, Xue Qinghe. He was gentle and noble, and his every move exuded an elegant and refined air. At only ten years old, he already bore a resemblance to his father.

The Second Prince Xue Shan is steady and composed. Although he is only a few months younger than Xue Qinghe, he looks like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy. He is mature beyond his years and has a calm demeanor. Whether he is walking or standing, he has a calming power.

As soon as the Third Prince Xue Linsen entered the palace, his eyes darted around curiously. He was only eight years old, but already displayed a shrewdness about him.

The fourth prince, Xue Beng, was only six years old. He walked in with his hands in his pockets, completely unconcerned, his face showing a carefree and nonchalant attitude.

The ministers remained silent, carefully observing the four princes—perhaps the future new emperor of the Heavenly Dou Empire would be born from among them.

Their gaze lingered on the Third Prince for a moment before settling on Xue Beng, and they couldn't help but frown.

How can someone so "unconventional" be expected to shoulder great responsibilities in the future? Subconsciously, the ministers eliminated Xue Beng from the race for the crown prince position.

"Father!"

The four princes bowed in unison.

"Get up."

Emperor Xueye smiled, and he was extremely satisfied with his three sons, except for the youngest, Xue Beng.

The eldest prince is practically the perfect model of a crown prince; he is humble and polite in his dealings with others, and his every move exudes imperial demeanor.

The second prince is calm and experienced, handles things meticulously, and has an aura that brings peace of mind.

The third prince was intelligent and quick-witted from a young age. Although he was not cut out to be emperor, he could certainly become the future emperor's right-hand man, just like Prince Xuexin.

Unfortunately, there can only be one throne, and a choice must be made; it's a difficult situation.

Despite his inner turmoil, Emperor Xueye's smile only deepened. With such outstanding sons, how could the Heavenly Dou Empire not prosper?

"I've called you here because I have a test for you. The end of the year is approaching, and I require each of you to go to a major town in Tiandou to observe the people's conditions and then write down what you've learned from this trip and submit it to me."

Aside from the avalanche, the other three princes felt a chill run down their spines. They knew this was a test from their father, who wanted to see who would ultimately become the crown prince.

"Qinghe, you go to Tiebi City, the neighboring city of Tiandou City; Second Brother, you go to Bafang City; Third Brother, go to Hanhai City, the closest city to the ocean; as for Fourth Brother..."

Emperor Xueye was somewhat troubled, unsure of where to send his rather arrogant youngest son.

"Father, why don't I just stay in the palace?"

Xue Beng obviously didn't think much of it. Seeing that Emperor Xue Ye hesitated, he, who wanted to slack off, simply bowed and asked.

Emperor Xueye frowned: "Fourth brother, you'd better think this through, or you'll regret it later."

"Don't worry, I'm quite comfortable in the palace," Xue Beng said nonchalantly.

The ministers below exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether the fourth prince was genuinely lazy or simply foolish. Refusing this inspection would, in a sense, be tantamount to withdrawing from the competition for the highest position.

"Whatever you want!"

Emperor Xueye was very dissatisfied with the avalanche's negligent attitude. He angrily waved his hand, then took a deep breath and calmed down again.

"Go and prepare. Each of you will lead a Royal Squadron. Qinghe, you're closer, so set off tomorrow; Second Brother and Third Brother, you must depart within a week; as for Fourth Brother, do as you please."

"Yes, Father."

The four princes bowed and accepted the order, then left the hall.

"Alright, that concludes today's court session. Court adjourned."

On a snowy night, the emperor stood up and left first. Only after the emperor had departed did the ministers murmur amongst themselves and slowly retreat.

There are so many things worth talking about today. Whether it's Emperor Xueye's test of the princes or Xue Beng's decision to give up the test, both will have a profound impact on the entire Tiandou Empire.

……

The aroma of tea wafts through the study, mingling with the rich scent of books. Stepping into this space, one's mind and spirit naturally find peace.

"Sect Leader Ning, what do you think of my three sons?"

Emperor Xueye had lost his imposing demeanor from when he held court; instead, his face was filled with gentleness and approachability.

Ning Fengzhi picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and gently put it down: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, all four princes are pillars of the state."

Emperor Xueye's smile grew even brighter, but he still humbly said, "Sect Leader Ning, you flatter me. The fourth prince is hardly a pillar of the state, but I am quite satisfied with the other princes."

Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly: "It's mainly because His Majesty is good at educating his sons. Just look at the tests he gave the princes today, and you can see His Majesty's wisdom—sending the eldest prince to Iron Wall City, where there are many military generals, his advantage of humility cannot be fully utilized; sending the second prince to Bafang City, the empire's economic and transportation hub, he is mature and steady, and although he is good at socializing, he is not as proficient as the eldest prince; sending the third prince to Hanhai City, which is near the sea, the situation in coastal cities is complex, and what he can achieve depends on his shrewdness."

Emperor Xueye was very pleased with Ning Fengzhi's praise: "That's right. The younger they are, the more their future potential can be seen. It's perfect to test them when they are young. Someone, prepare a banquet. I want to have a good drink with Sect Leader Ning tonight."

"Your Majesty's hospitality is too kind of me to refuse," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile as he accepted the invitation.

"By the way, Sect Master Ning, what are your thoughts on this newly appointed female pope?" Emperor Xueye changed the subject, his expression becoming more serious.

"Ruthless in his methods, but not particularly popular," Ning Fengzhi commented simply, clearly not taking the newly appointed Pope of the Spirit Hall seriously.

"As far as I know, this pope has not been recognized by the Temple of the Pope. Although I don't know why she can still sit firmly in the position of pope, she is ultimately not a threat."

Emperor Xueye narrowed his eyes slightly: "That's hard to say. After this pope took the throne, he informed me and that tiger from the Star Luo Empire that the proportion of gold soul coins distributed by the Spirit Hall as a subsidy for soul masters would be reduced, and the two empires would each fill half of the gap."

"After all, he just took over, so he has to do something to show his authority. He won't cause much of a stir." Ning Fengzhi's face still showed no concern.

"As far as I know, this Pope had a sweetheart when she was young, who was in Your Majesty's Heaven Dou Empire. Although it is unknown how much influence that person can still have on the Pope now, Your Majesty can try to win her over secretly and make her have more goodwill towards the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Is there such a talent in my empire? I wonder what makes him so special that he has won the favor of the current Pope?" Emperor Xueye was curious about what kind of man could make the female Pope of the Spirit Hall fall in love with him.

Ning Fengzhi recalled the intelligence at hand, his expression somewhat strange: "Your Majesty should have heard of that person as well. He is the wise one of the 'Golden Iron Triangle' that made quite a name for itself on the continent a few years ago, and also the son of the current Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan Chief, who possesses half-level innate soul power—Yu Xiaogang."

"It's him?" Emperor Xueye was clearly taken aback.

As the ruler of a nation, he would naturally know something about the descendants of the three great sect leaders, who might very well be the future leaders of their respective sects. He had certainly heard of Yu Xiaogang, the son of a sect leader, who was given ample resources, yet he only possessed half-level innate soul power. When this news spread back then, it caused quite a stir.

"Could it be that he later broke through and became a Soul Master?"

Later, seeing that Yu Xiaogang's aptitude was not good, Emperor Xueye stopped paying attention and knew nothing about his current situation. He could only look at Ning Fengzhi with curiosity and make guesses.