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

He gripped the hammer handle tightly with his right hand, slowly raised the hammer high, and used pliers in his left hand to hold the red-hot raw material firmly. Then, he suddenly unleashed his power and slammed it down! The power traveled from his left leg, left hip, waist, and right shoulder, layer by layer, and finally converged in his right hand. Explosive muscles bulged on his body, and his whole person exuded an extremely vigorous vitality.

"Bang!" The hammer slammed down with a deafening roar, the violent recoil sending it soaring high into the air once more. Tang Shan's body followed the momentum, drawing out a wide arc, like a fully drawn bow, perfectly absorbing the recoil before swinging the hammer down again.

"The core of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique lies in the technique of exerting force. Once you have a certain understanding of how to use force, it is not difficult to imitate."

Feeling the recoil force transform into part of his own power, thus aiding in the forging process, Tang Shan remained completely calm.

This was ultimately a self-created soul skill centered on exerting force, unlike the Exploding Rings or the Nine Secrets of Haotian which contained profound soul power operation or rule application. After a period of exploration, he quickly grasped the general idea.

While his hammer technique appears quite different from the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, their core principles are identical. The reason he can't yet stack up to eighty-one strikes is simply because his physical abilities haven't reached the required level. If his physical abilities were strong enough, let alone eighty-one strikes, given his exquisite control over power, stacking up to the very limit of his physical capabilities wouldn't be impossible.

The surging blood and qi flowed through the body, providing a continuous source of power; the soul power also circulated in the meridians, nourishing every part of the body and relieving muscle fatigue.

The power was perfectly absorbed, and then it slammed down again. Thirty hammer blows, thirty-one blows... Tang Shan felt the control he had over the power in his hand and continued to swing the hammer methodically.

"Clang! Clang!" Under the overwhelming shadow of hammers, the volume of the raw material shrank rapidly, quickly reducing to half of its original size.

Achieving the effect of a hundred forgings with just a few dozen hammer blows is already quite impressive.

In a flash, the purple spirit ring at Tang Shan's feet suddenly shone brightly. The muscles in his waist and calves rapidly expanded, and the bluish-black veins on his forearms bulged. The speed of his movements increased instantly, and the hammer became a blur in the eyes of ordinary people, as if it were simultaneously striking various parts of the raw material.

A crisp metallic clang rang out, as if capturing some special rhythm. Even though the force applied was immense, each hammer blow produced a clear, resonant sound, rather than the previous dull rumble.

"Crack!" In a split second, cracks appeared on the raw material, which then shattered completely on the forging table.

Tang Shan stopped what he was doing, closed his eyes slightly, and quietly savored the special feeling of resonating with the metal: Is this the method for further refining metal?

He seemed to have found a direction to further improve his forging skills, but unfortunately he had just used the chaotic hammering technique. Even though he knew how much force to use and which part to hammer, the force was already out of control in the end, which ultimately caused the raw material to break.

Tang Shan was not discouraged by this setback. He believed that since he could get into that state the first time, he could definitely do it again.

Feeling his weakened qi and blood, Tang Shan sat cross-legged on the ground, took out the soul beast meat from his storage ring, and swallowed it. His stomach and intestines moved rapidly like a millstone, crushing and digesting the meat, which was then transformed into qi and blood to replenish his energy.

Just then, a warm current surged through my body, and a new meridian was discovered.

"Another meridian has been discovered. Let me see... This is the sixth meridian. According to the meridian circulation sequence, it should be the Small Intestine Meridian."

Feeling his soul power flowing along his complex meridians, Tang Shan was overjoyed, as it meant his cultivation speed would accelerate further.

He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and drew the omnipresent soul power in the world into his body, where it was then refined and transformed into a part of his cultivation.

For some time prior, driven by the circulation of Qi and blood, Tangshan's soul power had "found its own way out," successively opening up six of the twelve regular meridians of the human body: the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming, the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming, the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin, the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin, and the newly discovered Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang.

With six meridians in total, although it cannot compare to the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians covered by the Xuan Tian Gong, it can still be considered a top-tier cultivation method in the Douluo Continent.

Transparent soul power flowed slowly through his meridians, increasing bit by bit, its quality and quantity improving at an extremely slow but steady pace. Suddenly, the soul power reached a critical point, and the invisible calm was quietly broken. Tang Shan's aura fluctuated briefly, but quickly returned to stability under the operation of his cultivation technique.

"Level nineteen!" Tang Shan opened his eyes, his eyes filled with joy. Counting the time spent hunting spirit beasts and traveling, several months had passed, and he had finally reached level nineteen, only one level away from the level twenty required to absorb his second spirit ring.

"I need to get in touch with Xue Qinghe as soon as possible," Tang Shan thought to himself. "After all, finding a soul beast will take quite a while, and it would be best to complete the training of my internal strength before absorbing my second soul ring. Time is not plentiful."

Chapter 55 Xue Qinghe's Plan, Hearing Su Yuntao's Request for Subscription

After calming his mind and cultivating his soul power again, Tang Shan slowly stood up once he confirmed that his soul power had returned to a stable state.

He picked up a new piece of raw material, tightened the bellows, and prepared to continue the forging process.

There's no need to interrupt your cultivation plan because of this, even if you encounter a bottleneck in your cultivation.

Tang Shan just felt that it would be best to train his internal strength to a state of complete harmony between his strength and body before the second soul ring was formed, but this did not mean that he could not continue to break through in martial arts before reaching the second ring.

If it takes longer than expected to seek refuge with Xue Qinghe or search for a soul beast, he can continue his physical cultivation at the Transformation Realm—Marrow Cleansing. At that time, his physical attributes will improve further, and the time he can absorb soul rings can be extended even further.

This is a spacious room, very simple in style, with a huge map hanging on the wall, covered with dense arrows and text.

Behind the large desk sat a burly man, who looked to be about forty or fifty years old. His black hair was streaked with a few silver strands, and his face was dignified, exuding a calm and dignified aura.

Bang bang bang!

A knock came from outside the door. The man put down the documents in his hand and said only one word: "Come in."

A soldier entered the room, bowed, and reported, "Reporting to the general, the eldest prince has arrived."

The burly man raised an eyebrow, stood up, and strode outside, saying in a deep voice, "Come with me to welcome the Crown Prince."

……

"I am grateful to General Hong for personally welcoming me. I have been entrusted by my father to personally express my condolences to the hardworking and meritorious soldiers of our Tiandou Empire." Xue Qinghe smiled, and although he was young, he already exuded a calm and composed demeanor.

This man, who was in his forties or fifties, was named Hong Zhen. He was the commander-in-chief of the military stronghold of Iron Wall City and was also very strong. He was a peak Soul Saint of level seventy-nine.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. We soldiers dare not slacken our efforts in the slightest and will do our utmost to protect the safety of the capital."

Hong Zhen stepped forward and, seeing that he was still some distance from Xue Qinghe, simply released his soul power and gently supported Xue Qinghe, who was about to bow.

In the shadows, a terrifying aura was about to erupt, but it was firmly suppressed by another aura of equal strength, and no one noticed it.

"Piglet, calm down, that person means no harm."

"Hmph! If she dares to harm the young master, I'll raze this Ironwall City to the ground!"

A chill flashed by, but Hong Zhen, whose attention was entirely focused on Xue Qinghe, dismissed it as his imagination and didn't think much of it. He then began to exchange pleasantries with Xue Qinghe.

The two entered the military camp and took their seats as host and guest. After briefly inquiring about the living conditions of the soldiers in Iron Wall City, Xue Qinghe got straight to the point and said the purpose of his trip: "General Hong, to be honest, my father sent me and two other brothers to different cities to investigate the people's conditions. Actually, he also wanted to test us. General, you can tell me what you need. I will report to my father when I get back."

Hong Zhen didn't pay much attention to Xue Qinghe's later words, but instead asked with some curiosity, "May I ask, Your Highness, which prince has won His Majesty's favor and been kept by his side?"

Xue Qinghe was somewhat puzzled, not understanding why Hong Zhen would ask such an unrelated question, but still answered truthfully: "My younger brother Xue Beng is lazy by nature. At that time, Father was still thinking about where to send him, but he took the initiative to refuse and wanted to stay in the palace. Alas, in the end, it is because I, as the eldest brother, am incompetent and have failed to properly discipline my younger brother and sister."

As he spoke, a look of guilt appeared on his face.

Hong Zhen's eyes flickered as he pondered the situation in the court while also paying close attention to Xue Qinghe. The two chatted very congenially and later shared a lunch together.

After the banquet, Xue Qinghe returned to the residence specially arranged by Hong Zhen.

"Boss, what exactly does His Majesty mean by sending the eldest prince to our Ironwall City? Does he intend to make the eldest prince the crown prince? What about the second prince then?"

Several of Hong Zhen's generals gathered in the room where he handled official business, discussing the matter animatedly.

As soldiers and subjects, they did not have any ill feelings towards Xue Qinghe, but overall they felt closer to the Second Prince, Xue Shan.

Because Xue Shan's behavior was remarkably in line with the temperament of soldiers. It was foreseeable that if the Second Prince ascended the throne in the future, they would certainly reap considerable benefits.

"Listen to me," Hong Zhen said in a deep voice, silencing his subordinates' murmurs with just three simple words.

"Remember, we are subjects of the empire. No matter who ascends the throne in the future, we must submit to him. Don't have any improper thoughts."

"General, please rest assured, we are just..."

"Don't forget, His Majesty's younger brother, Prince Xuexin, knows that Title Douluo! If we really anger His Majesty, how many of our troops will be left once that Douluo arrives?"

Hong Zhen interrupted his subordinates again, and his subsequent reminder was like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, bringing all the generals to their senses.

After all, even if that Title Douluo was the weakest among them, in terms of sheer power, probably few Title Douluos across the entire continent could match him. Especially since they had the privilege of witnessing that Douluo's power firsthand: what was originally just a small area of ​​poisonous mist, after killing enemies, could continuously replicate and multiply, wiping out a well-equipped army of the Star Luo Empire in a short time—he was practically a walking natural disaster.

"Moreover, His Majesty is also acquainted with Sect Leader Ning, so we must be clear about our position and not think that just because we have made great contributions in guarding Iron Wall City, we are qualified to influence the Crown Prince or even the throne."

"Yes, General!"

Seeing that his subordinates had finally adjusted their mindset, Hong Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since he discovered that the prince who came to Ironwall City was the eldest prince, he had noticed that his subordinates' mentality had clearly become problematic.

Even if the Second Prince had made an excellent first impression, he shouldn't have harbored such inappropriate thoughts. Fortunately, I discovered it early and nipped their evil intentions in the bud; otherwise, I don't know what serious consequences might have ensued.

The eldest prince came to Ironwall City, and the second prince went to Bafang City. Does His Majesty intend for them to compete fairly for the position of crown prince? As for the third prince, he has probably been tacitly abandoned by His Majesty unless he can make some outstanding contributions in Hanhai City. As for the fourth prince, Xue Beng, he seems to be truly incompetent; otherwise, he wouldn't have voluntarily applied to stay in the royal palace.

The throne has never been about age. Even a young person can participate in the struggle for that position; age has never been a limit.

Hong Zhen's mind raced as he carefully pondered the emperor's deeper meaning. As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. Even though he was a Soul Saint and his strength seemed to surpass that of Emperor Xue Ye, he had absolutely no ability to resist the true power of the Heavenly Dou Empire.

Whether he can break through to the Title Douluo level in his lifetime is still uncertain. His remaining wish is that his old brothers and nephews, whom he has worked so hard to cultivate, can have a good outcome.

From now on, no matter who is the crown prince, I will obey their orders.

After making up his mind, Hong Zhen felt a great sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He stopped thinking about it and threw himself back into his official duties.

……

In the residence that Hong Zhen arranged for Xue Qinghe, the "First Prince of Tiandou" had long lost his refined demeanor and instead wore a frosty expression.

"That's Hong Zhen for you. He gave me a hard time the moment we met." Recalling Hong Zhen's seemingly cheerful smile, the strange atmosphere among his subordinates, and their barely concealed resentment, Xue Qinghe felt a surge of anger about to erupt.

The generals' aversion, in particular, gave her a sense of déjà vu, as if it were the same undisguised disgust in that woman's eyes when she looked at her.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. Only by maintaining a clear mind could she make more effective decisions.

It was obvious that I was not welcomed by the generals of Ironwall City. I remember Snow Mountain also came to Ironwall City last year, and considering his personality, the answer was clear: these generals were more supportive of the Second Prince.

Now that the Second Prince has gone to Bafang City, as long as he can gain the support of the rulers there, I have already fallen behind in the competition for the crown prince position.

Since the righteous path is blocked, why not try the crooked one? If only one person remains qualified to be the crown prince, will Emperor Xueye have any other options?

Even if he suspects that I did it, he will surely understand that a capable crown prince is far superior to that good-for-nothing Xue Beng.

A plan quietly took shape in Xue Qinghe's mind. No one noticed that her eyes, which were flashing with golden flames of anger, were faintly tinged with an eerie black aura.

"Young Master, a subordinate from the Prince's Palace has sent word that a Soul Master has been discovered who can verify the Grandmaster's theories. He possesses the second Soul Ring of a thousand years."

Serpent Spear Douluo gently knocked on the door, and the sound came from outside.

"A verifier of the master's theory?" Qian Renxue frowned.

Over the years, she had tried searching in this direction, but in the end, she either found nothing or only found the direct descendants of geniuses cultivated by various powerful forces.

She had initially thought that someone who could reach the second ring of a thousand-year cycle might be a disciple of the master. However, she hadn't expected the master's theories to be so brilliant, and various factions also had numerous methods for improving physical fitness, ultimately leading to her being disappointed every time she found a result.

"That person also said that the Soul Master has a self-created Soul Skill, which is quite powerful," Serpent Spear Douluo continued to report.

"A self-created soul skill?" Xue Qinghe immediately became interested and asked, "What is that person's martial soul?"

"It's a beast spirit wolf, and judging from its age, it's about eighteen years old this year."

"She's already eighteen..." Xue Qinghe's face showed a hint of disappointment. She couldn't believe that a powerful figure like Grandmaster, who at least possessed the strength of a Super Douluo, would take a Soul Master with mediocre talent as his disciple.

She was about to say not to worry about it, that perhaps the other person had just gotten some kind of lucky break, which improved their physical abilities and allowed them to absorb the thousand-year soul ring. But thinking of the series of unfortunate events that had befallen her today, Xue Qinghe sighed helplessly.

"I'll go check. Where is that person now?"

Regardless of whether this matter has anything to do with the master or not, taking a trip out is a way to clear one's mind.

"That person was always in the Great Soul Arena, basically participating in soul battles all the time. After his soul power was exhausted, he would rest for a while and then go back into the arena. He seemed to be a complete battle maniac."

PS: Let me clarify here. The angel's lack of splitting isn't due to a mastermind, but simply a hint of corruption. Also, these chapters aren't filler; the author aims to tell a more realistic Douluo Continent story, including why Xue Qinghe would assassinate the eldest prince, and some of the reasons why the Heaven Dou Empire has remained standing. Don't worry, the so-called hidden strength won't appear in the end; it will be eliminated by two Title Douluos. The author also doesn't want the pacing to be too fast; otherwise, a typical fast-paced novel could easily cover several months, followed by a cultivation bottleneck, hunting soul beasts, breaking through, and interspersed with some mindless heroine collecting and flirting. The author's goal for this book is to be as reasonable as possible: reasonable cultivation, reasonable heroine collecting, and ultimately, everything else.

Chapter 56 Watching the Battle of Souls, Finally Meeting

On the massive arena, the soul rings beneath the feet of the two soul masters flickered, radiating impressive soul power fluctuations. Brilliant soul skills were unleashed one after another, pushing the atmosphere of the entire battle arena to its peak time and time again.

Xue Qinghe walked out of the passage, accompanied by several royal guards, with a man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face leading the way.