Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Mysterious Heavy Ruler

Chapter 52 Departure

Meanwhile, after Dugu Yan finished absorbing the spirit ring, the three of them prepared to return to Heaven Dou City.

This Soul Hunt, including the journey there and back, took about a week. It will probably take three or four days to get back.

However, Xiao Yi was unaware that Qian Daoliu was waiting for him in Tiandou City.

……

Three days later, Dugu Bo and his two companions returned to Tiandou City.

Prince's Mansion.

Qian Renxue knew about Xiao Yi's return the moment she heard about it, so she ordered the Serpent Spear Douluo to bring Xiao Yi over.

"Uncle She, call Xiao Yi over."

"Yes, young master," Serpent Spear Douluo replied.

Qian Renxue went into the secret room to inform Qian Daoliu.

"Grandpa, Xiao Yi is back. Don't scare him later."

"Don't worry, you know what Grandpa is like."

The Dugu Mansion.

"Who is it?"

As soon as Dugu Bo and his two companions returned to the Dugu residence, they sensed a fluctuation of soul power from a Title Douluo emanating from outside.

Dugu Bo sensed the aura of the Title Douluo almost instantly as he left the room.

Xiao Yi and Dugu Yan also went out the door together.

"Snake Spear, what are you doing here?" Dugu Bo was also surprised when he saw the person who came.

"Hmph, old poisoner, why can't it be me?" Serpent Spear Douluo replied.

Both Dugu Bo and Serpent Spear Douluo possessed snake-type martial souls, but Dugu Bo's talent was slightly better than Serpent Spear Douluo's. In their early years, before Serpent Spear Douluo entered the Spirit Hall, they were companions. Later, Serpent Spear Douluo entered the Spirit Hall, and Dugu Bo, not wanting to be bound by constraints, parted ways with him.

"What are you doing here?" Dugu Bo asked.

"Grandpa, Senior Serpent Spear must have come to see me. There's probably something he needs to discuss," Xiao Yi said.

"Young Master requests your presence," said Serpent Spear Douluo.

"Okay, I'll go there this afternoon."

After speaking, Serpent Spear Douluo turned and left. He had only come to deliver the message, not to take it back personally, since there were still many spies in the palace.

After Serpent Spear Douluo left, Dugu Bo asked, "Xiao Yi, what happened? Why did Serpent Spear Douluo come looking for you?"

"Grandpa, do you remember when I said that the Crown Prince was the young master of the Spirit Hall? He was the one in charge of the safety of the young master of the Spirit Hall. Before you returned from your travels, I went to the Crown Prince's residence to talk about going to the Slaughter City. I guess this time he called me to be someone from the Spirit Hall to send me to the Slaughter City."

"Slaughter City? You're asking for it, kid. Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"I am well aware of the dangers inside. I will not do anything I am not sure of. Besides, I will gain a domain after coming out of there."

As a titled Douluo, Dugu Bo naturally knew about the City of Slaughter, but he had never heard that coming out of the City of Slaughter would grant him a domain.

Domains are extremely rare on the continent. Only a handful of Soul Masters possess domains; some only have the innate domain of their Soul Master's Martial Soul. For example, the Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Domain reduces an opponent's attack, defense, and speed, putting them at a disadvantage within its range. Furthermore, the sword energy within the domain is incredibly powerful. Then there's the Angel Domain of the Angel Martial Soul; angelic soul power is pure holy energy with an evolutionary dissolving effect. The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul comes with its innate domain, "Angel Domain," whose purification ability can purify an opponent's soul power in battle, restricting them and amplifying its own. This makes it difficult for opponents to defend against. Furthermore, there are domain skills acquired through absorbing Soul Rings. In battles of the same level, having a domain significantly increases one's chances of victory.

Prince's Mansion.

"Your Highness, Sect Leader Ning has come to visit."

Our Master Xue is handling official business when the guards outside bring news of Ning Fengzhi's arrival.

"I understand, please let the teacher in."

Qian Renxue had a maid brew a pot of tea, and the maid left after brewing the tea.

"Yes!" the guard outside replied.

Not long after, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo arrived at the room.

"Teacher, what brings you here today?" Qian Renxue asked, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"Qinghe, I've told you so many times, we're master and disciple, you don't need to be so reserved in front of me," Ning Fengzhi said gently.

"You are my teacher, and I am your student. We must not disregard etiquette," Qian Renxue said.

At this moment, only Qian Renxue and the other two were in the room, while Qian Daoliu was in a secret chamber. This secret chamber was originally built with materials that could shield soul power, so Sword Douluo did not sense Qian Daoliu's aura. Meanwhile, Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupine Douluo were swimming around in the fish tank in the Crown Prince's mansion, pretending to be small fish.

Afterwards, the two began chatting about all sorts of things, with Ning Fengzhi asking questions and Qian Renxue answering.

……

"Grandpa, can you tell me about the City of Slaughter?" Dugu Yan asked.

"The Killing City... it's a very special place. I heard it's a prison, and most people who go in never come out. Moreover, the people inside are all vicious criminals." Dugu Bo told Dugu Yan about the dangers of the Killing City.

"Xiao Yi, please don't go, okay? I'm afraid you won't be able to come out once you go in." Dugu Yan burst into tears upon hearing Dugu Bo's explanation, and then clung tightly to Xiao Yi's arm.

"Alright, Yan Yan, I promise you I will come out." Xiao Yi felt very sorry for Dugu Yan when he saw her crying, so he could only hug her back and gently comfort her.

"You can't lie to me, you have to come out," Dugu Yan said, her voice choked with emotion, as she heard Xiao Yi's words of comfort.

"I'm not lying to you, I will definitely come out." Xiao Yi coaxed Dugu Yan while gently patting her back.

After crying for a while, Dugu Yan gradually stopped. Just then, Xiao Yi took out a flower.

It was an ordinary-looking white flower, about the size of a palm, shaped like a peony, without any leaves. Its stem was connected to a large stone, which was jet black and incredibly heavy. On the white flower were several striking red petals, as red as blood, giving it a somewhat breathtaking appearance.

"Xiao Yi, what is this?" Dugu Yan asked after seeing the flower.

"This flower is called the 'Heartbreak Red of Longing.' It has a story: Long ago, there was a young man, gentle by nature, who loved tending to flowers and trees. His garden was filled with lotus blossoms and lotus roots, a riot of colors. He often recited poems to the flowers and raised his cup to the moon. But whenever a flower fell and its petals withered, he would be filled with endless sorrow, gathering the petals and burying them in the ground, weeping repeatedly. As the saying goes, true love moves heaven and earth; his noble love for flowers touched a celestial flower fairy, who secretly descended to the mortal realm to marry him. Their blissful union was naturally boundless. However, their happiness was short-lived. The gods learned of their affair and were greatly angered. They decreed that a celestial being and a mortal were not meant to be together, and ordered the flower fairy to be banished to the divine realm. Since losing his beloved, the young man had spent his days sighing and lamenting, neglecting his gardening. As a result, the walls collapsed, the fences crumbled, the flowers withered, and the garden became a desolate wasteland." One day, an old man with white hair came and told him that the white peony he loved in the garden was the incarnation of his beloved wife. He only needed to destroy the flower, and the flower fairy would lose her fairy body and be banished to the mortal world to remarry him. But he must not destroy the flower. After saying this, he turned into a breeze and left. The young man suddenly realized that he had neglected the flowers. He took good care of the flowers and plants. Although he loved his wife, he could not bear to burn the peony. So he cherished it even more. He wept over the flower day and night. When his tears dried up and his heart broke, he died of lovesickness. At the end of his life, he shed his blood on the petals.[1] At the end of his life, he shed his blood on the petals. The peony immediately turned into grass. The white petals were stained with the red threads formed by the young man's blood. Therefore, it was named "Red of Lovesickness".

"When picking flowers, one must think of one's beloved, be sincere and devoted, and sprinkle a drop of one's heart's blood on the petals. If one is even slightly distracted, one may die of vomiting blood but will never be able to pick the flower."

"Once the flower is picked, it will never wither as long as it stays with its master. The stone beneath the flower is named Wu Jue. If it is forcibly destroyed, this Acacia Heartbreak Red will also lose all its medicinal power. It can only have one master in its lifetime, and once it recognizes its master, it will never change. To others, it will also be an incredibly resilient existence. Even a Title Douluo-level soul power cannot destroy it."

"Yanyan, would you like to give it a try?"

Dugu Yan stared at the flower, slightly lost in thought, as scenes from their first meeting to the present flashed through her mind.

"Grandpa, is this the genius you were going to introduce to me? He doesn't seem that great to me!"

"Hey! What's your name? How come you're cultivating so fast?"

"I'm not called 'Hey,' I'm called Xiao Yi. As for my fast cultivation, I can only say that I'm just very hardworking."

.........

"The night is beautiful tonight."

"What?"

I said I like you.

"Pfft!" Suddenly, Dugu Yan spat out a mouthful of her heart's blood and placed it on the Acacia Heartbreak Red flower. After the heart's blood landed on the flower, it successfully fell off the Black Stone.

"Xiao Yi, I did it." Dugu Yan's eyes were filled with tears after she saw the Heartbreak Red petals fall, and she gave Xiao Yi a hug.

"Yes, I saw it," Xiao Yi said after catching Dugu Yan.

Women are emotional. Dugu Yan took off the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red in front of Xiao Yi to prove that she loved him, and Xiao Yi was also very attentive to Dugu Yan in his daily life.

"Besides, after removing the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red, I can sense your condition at any time," Dugu Yan said.

"Ahem, do you two think I'm not here?" Dugu Bo coughed twice as he watched Xiao Yi and his wife showing affection.

Only then did the two realize that Dugu Bo was still watching from the side, so Dugu Yan blushed and got off Xiao Yi.

"No, Grandpa, I'm just too touched," Dugu Yan said shyly.

"Hmph, as expected, you've forgotten your grandfather now that you have a lover. Xiao Yi, let me tell you, don't betray Yan Yan's feelings," Dugu Bo said.

"Don't worry, Grandpa, I will definitely not let Yanzi down," Xiao Yi replied firmly.

"Alright, let's go eat," Dugu Bo said.

The three then went out for dinner.

……

It was already afternoon after lunch, and Xiao Yi went to the Crown Prince's residence after finishing his meal.

Upon arriving at the Crown Prince's residence, Xiao Yi took the token and went straight in. Because Xiao Yi had been coming here frequently over the past six months, he had become very familiar with the guards, so they didn't stop him.

After entering the Crown Prince's residence, Xiao Yi went straight to Xue Qinghe's room. Upon opening the door, he happened to see Ning Fengzhi and Qian Renxue chatting.

At this moment, Ning Fengzhi and Xiao Yi's conversation was coming to an end. Ning Fengzhi looked up and saw that it was Xiao Yi, so he said to Qian Renxue, "Since we have guests, I won't disturb you any longer. Uncle Jian, let's go back."

"Teacher, I'll have someone take you home," Qian Renxue said.

"It's alright, we can walk by ourselves," Ning Fengzhi said.

"Alright then, teacher." Qian Renxue didn't pay attention to Ning Fengzhi's words and still had someone send Ning Fengzhi out.

After Ning Fengzhi left, Xiao Yi asked, "Why did you call me here?"

"Come with me." Qian Renxue transformed back into her original appearance and walked towards the corner.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi followed. Then Qian Renxue walked to the corner and touched the bookshelf. A stone door next to the bookshelf slowly opened, revealing a passage.

Then Qian Renxue went inside.

Xiao Yi followed Qian Renxue inside.

After walking through the passage for a while, the space suddenly opened up into a 100-square-meter secret room. Inside, there was a simple dressing table and a bed, and ventilation openings on the walls. Most importantly, a person was standing in the middle of the secret room.

The man appeared to be only in his thirties or forties, with handsome features and a faint smile on his face. His calm and serene demeanor was incredibly comforting. He was tall but not muscular, wearing a simple grey robe, his long black hair flowing down his back, neatly combed. Despite his simple attire, just standing there inspired a sense of reverence.

"You must be Xiao Yi. Xiao Xue keeps mentioning you to me," the man said as he saw Xiao Yi enter.

"May I ask who you are, senior?" Xiao Yi looked at the person's appearance and had some guesses in his mind, but he was not sure.

"I am a man of a thousand schools of thought."

Well, Qian Daoliu, the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall, the High Priest of the Angel God, one of the two peaks of the Soul Master world, one of the three peerless Douluo of this era, invincible in the sky, the previous generation's Angel Douluo, Xiao Yi instantly realized Qian Daoliu's identity. He knew that someone from the Spirit Hall would send him to the City of Slaughter, but he didn't expect it to be Qian Daoliu.

"Greetings, High Priest." Xiao Yi bowed respectfully.

"Your demeanor is quite impressive, and your strength is also commendable. I, at your age, am only a beginner Soul King." As the Grand Priest of the Angel God, Qian Daoliu could naturally see Xiao Yi's cultivation level.

"Not at all, senior, you flatter me. I just happened to encounter some fortuitous opportunities during my cultivation journey," Xiao Yi said, rubbing his nose.

"Luck is still a part of strength."

"Xiaoxue said you're going to the Killing City? That's a very dangerous place. Aren't you afraid you won't be able to get out?"

"I wonder if you've ever heard the saying that danger and opportunity go hand in hand? Besides, although it's dangerous there, there are still benefits, aren't there? Moreover, I wouldn't have told Miss Qian if I wasn't afraid I wouldn't be able to get out."

"Your courage is commendable. I hope you won't let us down," Qian Daoliu said.

"Then I thank you, senior," Xiao Yi said respectfully.

After speaking, Xiao Yi left the Crown Prince's residence. After returning home, he went to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and obtained some healing herbs such as Dragon Mushroom Leaves. He then left the immortal herbs with Dugu Yan for safekeeping and rested.

The next day, Xiao Yi and Dugu Yan spent some time together before Xiao Yi left.

Before leaving, Dugu Yan looked at Xiao Yi with concern and said, "You must come back safely, understand?"

After hearing Dugu Yan's words, Xiao Yi waved his hand to indicate that he understood, and then walked towards the outside of Tiandou City.

Upon arriving outside Tian Dou City, Xiao Yi found Qian Daoliu waiting for him. He greeted Qian Daoliu and the two set off.

(End of this chapter)