Douluo Dalu: Volume 34: Tang San’s Eight Spirit Rings

by Tang Jia San Shao

  Oscar grinned.

  “I really lost weight, I really lost weight? Heavens! Earth! I’m not dreaming! Wahaha…….”

  Fatty shouted extremely exaggeratedly, excitement showing in his speech, proudly laughing out loud.

  Bai Chenxiang couldn’t help being dumbfounded looking at him. This fellow really had thinned down, but his character was still the same as before, without the slightest change.

  Looking at Ma Hongjun, Tang San’s eyes also equally revealed excitement. Fatty had succeeded. He had also finally stepped into the Spirit Sage realm. In this one year and more, Fatty had obtained the best reward for his effort, and at the same time the ten headed fierce yang serpent neidan had also found its best home. Tang San couldn’t help secretly feeling gratified.

  “Third brother.”

  Fatty shouted, fiercely dashing towards Tang San and forcefully giving him a bearhug.

  Tang San somewhat helplessly let him hug him,

  “Pay attention to your state of mind, don’t let out flames. Fatty, you owe me a new set of clothes.”

  Ma Hongjun raised his head, looking at Tang San’s polished head, speechless for a moment,

  “Third brother, your hair and eyebrows……”

  Dai Mubai grinned from the side, speaking in a low voice:

  “Not just that, I expect even the down[1]……”

  The rims of Ma Hongjun’s eyes clearly reddened. He of course clearly knew about Tang San supporting him from behind, and now seeing Tang San’s bald head naturally brought to mind what happened before. Biting his lip, he resisted speaking any words of thanks, only forcefully hugging Tang San again.

  Ning Rongrong patted her forehead, speaking in a low voice,

  “If Xiao Wu saw this, there might be a misunderstanding. Fatty, I’ll take responsibility to inform you that third brother doesn’t swing that way.”

  Ma Hongjun raised his head to look at her,

  “Rongrong, don’t call me Fatty again in the future. Your fourth brother is no longer fat. I’m a standardized handsome guy. Ah. My Xiangxiang?”

  Releasing Tang San, his gaze very quickly found Bai Chenxiang standing to the side, and he immediately ran towards her with arms spread wide,

  “Xiangxiang, did you see, I’m thin. This time I can suit you. We can date.”

  Bai Chenxiang snapped:

  “It’s easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter your character. Who would date you.”

  While speaking, she quickly retreated two steps, dodging Ma Hongjun’s bearhug.

  Ma Hongjun didn’t force it either, losing weight had filled him with confidence. Laughing loudly, he said,

  “Doesn’t matter, I can wait. I’ll tell you every day, Chenxiang, go out with me.”

  Bai Chenxiang looked at him speechless, but a stubborn warmth lingered in her heart. She rolled her eyes at him,

  “Cultivate properly first. Once you’ve passed all the trials, I’ll consider giving you a chance.”

  Ma Hongjun stared wide eyed,

  “Really?”

  This was the first time he had directly heard Bai Chenxiang say she was willing to go out with him. For a moment, he was immediately overjoyed, turning his head to everyone behind him:

  “Let’s go, let’s go, we’ll break through the trial. Let’s go now.”

  “Come, little Fatty, big sister will properly look after you.”

  Xiao Bai said maliciously to Fatty. Fatty’s phoenix flame that made her restless simultaneously also woke her competitive spirit.

  Tang San said:

  “Xiao Bai, then I’ll trouble you to carefully look after Fatty for a while.”

  Ma Hongjun still didn’t have any experience of training in the water, and really needed Xiao Bai’s “consideration” to increase his marine fighting abilities better.

  “Let’s go, we’ll enter the water.”

  Dai Mubai roared, pulling Zhu Zhuqing, calling out to everyone and directly charging into the ring sea. With Fatty promoted to Spirit Sage level, he was immediately more confident.

  Red light flashed, and Xiao Wu’s soul returned to her body. Led by Tang San, seven people turned into seven silhouettes, practically simultaneously throwing themselves into the ring sea. And Xiao Bai also smiled delicately at them starting to act simultaneously, then flipped into the ring sea, instantly resuming her Devil Spirit Great White Shark King form and brazenly charging up to meet everyone.

  Five minutes later…...

  Peng—— A red silhouette smashed heavily onto the beach. Oscar was finally no longer the first to be thrown out. In a daze, Fatty vomited out big mouthfuls of seawater, with an appearance more miserable than miserable.

  Indeed, right now Fatty’s strength had made a qualitative leap, but he still couldn’t really fight the Devil Spirit Great White Shark King Xiao Bai in the ring sea. Suddenly entering underwater combat, it’d be a strange if he could adapt. This was the ring sea, not the spirit arena he could evaporate by half. Unable to adapt to underwater combat, he was practically instantly sent out by Xiao Bai’s “meticulous” consideration.

  Fatty’s overwhelming excitement cooled off. He understood that in order to pass this second trial, he still needed some time to learn. However, no matter what, the current he was also considered having stepped into the ranks of experts. He believed that, relying on the burst power of his phoenix spirit, as long as he familiarized himself with marine combat, he could definitely break through this trial together with everyone.

  Five months later…...

  The Shrek Seven Devils quietly stood below the Seagod Mountain before the ring sea, the roiling water seemed to be calling out for them. Through that azure seawater, they could could clearly see that, within that two hundred meter wide stretch of seawater, headed by the giant Devil Spirit Great White Shark King Xiao Bai, close to a thousand sea spirit beasts floating in the water, quietly watching in their direction.

  Another year had passed quickly. Even the youngest Zhu Zhuqing had already passed her twenty second birthday. Indeed, in this second year, the Shrek Seven Devils’ spirit power promotion speed wasn’t as fast as in the first year, but in this year their combat strength had undergone an enormous test in the ring sea. Constantly wearing in, making those five years of separation a non issue. At this moment, even if the seven devils didn’t look, they could still clearly grasp the teamwork.

  They had undergone their final seawater training three days ago. Since then, the seven devils had cultivated for three days, specially notifying Xiao Bai that, today, was the moment they attacked the second trial.

  The Shrek Seven Devils’ current spirit power ranks was:

  Evil Eye White Tiger Dai Mubai, seventy fourth rank power attack type battle Spirit Sage.

  Big Sausage Uncle Oscar, seventy second rank food system tool Spirit Sage.

  Thousand Hands Asura Tang San, seventy eighth rank control type Battle Spirit Master.

  Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun, seventy second rank power attack type Battle Spirit Master.

  Soft Bones Demon Rabbit Xiao Wu, spirit power unknown, physical endurance increased, water combat capability substantially increased.

  Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Ning Rongrong, seventy second rank support system tool Spirit Sage.

  Hell Civet Zhu Zhuqing, seventy third rank agility attack type Battle Spirit Master.

  In terms of spirit power level, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun and Oscar had all risen two ranks. Ning Rongrong had improved one rank. Since the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda broke through the seventieth rank, the cultivation difficulty had clearly increased, that’s why she only advanced one and a bit ranks. Even so, Ning Rongrong was still very satisfied. She could deeply remember how difficult it had been for her father to break through each rank after seventy. Moreover, according to the circumstances of last trial, passing the second trial should possible increase spirit power by one rank. To higher rank Spirit Masters, this was already quite a generous reward.

>   Tang San spoke in a low voice:

  “Everyone get ready.”

  Amidst a flash of red light, Xiao Wu’s soul floated out from his body, returning to her own. However, ever since Xiao Wu’s sacrifice, her body had no longer manifested spirit rings, only her previous abilities could still be used.

  Their spirit released practically simultaneously. Advancing two hundred meters through seawater, to the present swimming ability of the Shrek Seven Devils, was quite simple, but the opponents they had to face was anything but. Even if the ring sea didn’t seam wide, this constrained area actually limited their movement space. Confronting several hundred sea spirit beasts of all sorts of levels, their path forward would be practically completely sealed. And the greatest challenge blocking their way in this second trial was naturally the Devil Spirit Great White Shark King Xiao Bai. If they couldn’t pass Xiao Bai’s blockade, they wouldn’t be able to reach the other shore. Even though Xiao Bai wouldn’t attack them all out, she would still stop them from completing their trial with all her strength. With her in control, the sea spirit beasts in the ring sea was like an iron wall. In their previous eleven months of training, none of them had ever reached more than a hundred meters across the sea.

  “Let’s go.”

  Tang San shouted deeply, and the seven launched simultaneously, diving into the sea like seven swimming fish.

  In the ring sea, Xiao Bai had long since made her preparations. She understood from the imposing manner with which the Shrek Seven Devils courageously advanced that today’s battle wouldn’t be as simple as before, these inland humans would truly assault her second trial barrier.

  The instant the seven devils leapt out, Ma Hongjun’s entire body erupted with golden red light, and his standard sized body instantly expanded, transforming into a seven headed phoenix with dazzlingly beautiful tail flames, diving straight into the ring sea.

  At the same time, Tang San gripped Xiao Wu’s slender waist, while the other four ate a mushroom shaped sausage, their figures transforming in midair, instantly gathering behind Ma Hongjun and forming a straight line with Ma Hongjun charging furthest ahead.

  Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda light sparkled, and spirit power, attribute and defense boosts all landed simultaneously on Ma Hongjun, making his phoenix flame even more resplendent.

  Even though that ring sea water was filled with a kind of magic force, the instant Ma Hongjun incarnated as the seven headed phoenix broke into it, the seawater around him instantly vaporized, and moreover dispersed to either side by the tremendous energy erupting from his body.

  The position Ma Hongjun chose was close under that restricting light barrier, and consequently, after the seawater was pushed away, there would be no water pushing down from above, actually creating a space free of water. The seawater vaporized as he hurriedly flew forward, leaving a channel behind him.

  And the other six rushed into it in this instant. Tang San held Xiao Wu to fly, while behind the other four appeared translucent wings, they followed closely behind while sticking close to the surface of the light barrier.

  Xiao Bai watching from the depths of the ring sea couldn’t help being distracted a moment. Due to inertia of thought, she originally thought the Shrek Seven Devils would dive into the sea as usual, and directly confront her and the other sea spirit beasts in combat while looking for a chance to break through. But she never thought the seven devils would actually use a clever plan like this.

  Indeed, the Shrek Seven Devils were quite good at swimming now, but no matter how good they were in the water, it was still impossible to directly challenge sea spirit beasts. Even faster movement wouldn’t be faster than flying. And right now, through the flying mushroom sausage as well as Fatty’s red hot phoenix flame opening the way, once the Devil Spirit Great White Shark King Xiao Bai reacted, they had already penetrated sixty meters into the ring sea, and moreover because of the sea spirit beast formation being spread out all around in the seawater, they actually hadn’t met any hindrance.

  White light erupted from Tang San, turning into an oval halo of light, just in time to shroud all seven on their side, while the light furthest ahead formed a point that increased Ma Hongjun’s forward charge yet again, it was the Deathgod Domain’s evolved ability, Deathgod Assault.

  At the same time, intense killing intent abruptly spread out through the Deathgod Domain, making those spirit beasts closest to them and first to react delay from alarm, not daring to get too close.

  Soon, the Shrek Seven Devils’ straight line formation would break through the seventy meter line. In fact, with the atmosphere from Ning Rongrong now boosting Ma Hongjun, they wouldn’t be influenced by the seawater at all, and Fatty whose burst power was originally incomparable could naturally charge with even more flourishing force.

  Xiao Bai was a bit angry, thinking, these humans really are sly, they actually want to use a method like this to pass the trial?

  * * *

  [1] Down - A sort-of-pun, Dai Mubai uses the word (鸟毛) which should reasonably translate to “bird feathers”, referring to the previous pages of plumage descriptions, but the latter character can equally refer to hair or fur, while “bird” is also slang for penis.

  Chapter 233: Phoenix Domain

  Intense blue gray light suddenly erupted from its body, and the surrounding seawater churned in practically an instant, the immense light blending into the entire ring sea. The momentum of Ma Hongjun’s charge was immediately slowed by the light in the water in that moment.

  Devil Shark Domain, the domain of the Devil Spirit Great White Shark King Xiao Bai. If it was launched, the seawater within its range could be controlled like a part of her body. And the immensity of the energy it contained, plus the mutual restraint of fire and water, naturally slowed Fatty’s forward momentum.

  Even though the phoenix flame’s intensity was more pure than Xiao Bai’s energy, the gap in strength between them was enough to offset the attribute difference between fire and water. Even under Ning Rongrong’s boost, Fatty still couldn’t change the circumstances.

  At the same time as the domain erupted, Xiao Bai’s enormous body swayed in the water, conducting all the spirit beasts to charge towards the Shrek Seven Devils from below, and at the same time used the domain to control the seawater to squeeze in close. She absolutely didn’t believe Ma Hongjun could contend with the ocean her domain controlled with his strength alone.

  Indeed, it was of course impossible for Ma Hongjun alone to contend with the hundred thousand year power Devil Spirit Great White Shark King, but he wasn’t alone!

  Golden light erupted, and the last among the seven devils suddenly accelerated, sweeping past the leading people and reaching Ma Hongjun’s side, equally exploding with golden red light, equally transforming into a giant phoenix. Even if his luster couldn’t compare to Fatty, and also only had one phoenix head, the instant rise in phoenix flame still helped Fatty withstand the immense pressure coming through the seawater, and the originally delayed speed increased once again, opening up the water forward. They had already passed the eighty meter mark of the ring sea.

  This was…… Xiao Bai’s eyes grew wide. She discovered that she had once again made the mistake of inertial thinking.

  The one suddenly releasing phoenix flames was exactly Oscar. In the past he had always used clone mirror sausages made from Dai Mubai’s blood, but this time he nevertheless chose to eat one made from Ma Hongjun’s blood. Before entering the water, he had already eaten his seventh spirit ability, Erect Gold Fly. Now further relying on the effect of the Clone Mirror Sausage, the phoenix flame he released wasn’t any weaker than Ma Hongjun’s, only its attribute was a bit inferior due to only having one head.

  At the same time as Oscar charged, Ning Rongrong’s three boosts equally shot out through her heart separation control, falling on Oscar. Relying on the two’s explosive phoenix flames, they stubbornly blocked the erupting energy of Xiao Bai’s domain. Even if their speed forward still wasn’t as fa
st as at the beginning, they also didn’t stop.

  And at the same moment, Ma Hongjun did something that made Xiao Bai extremely angry, and also extremely astonished. Transformed into Spirit Avatar, his seven phoenix heads rose simultaneously, and seven golden red rings of light were released into the air and fused together, suddenly spreading out.

  This fused golden red ring of light didn’t completely change the seawater below him, but it still turned the water in range golden red, just like lava close beneath. This scene had just appeared when the seven devils’ speed forward increased once again, and in practically a moment they had approached the hundred meter mark they had never reached before.

  Domain, this was the power of a domain. The pupils of Xiao Bai’s eyes suddenly contracted. This fellow actually dares use a domain to fight me in my own domain? And moreover, he never used this domain before!

  Indeed, the ring of light Ma Hongjun’s seven headed phoenix released was his domain. Ordinary Spirit Masters could only awaken domains when they reached the Title Douluo level. This was the greatest benefit the ten headed fierce yang serpent gave him, called Seven Headed Fire Phoenix. The domain fully unfolded. Within range, any non-living matter was assimilated by the phoenix flame. When Ma Hongjun used the domain in Spirit Avatar state, within the domain, his phoenix flame’s fire attribute rose by fifty percent, and unless the domain was broken, he possessed an undying body within its range, and could be reborn from the rest of the phoenix flame at any time.

  That he possessed the domain was something Ma Hongjun had only secretly informed Tang San after he obtained the seventh spirit ring, he hadn’t even told his other companions. He looked straightforward on the surface, but was actually inwardly extremely meticulous. The trials they experienced were so difficult, and revealing his newly obtained ability could let them win through by a surprise move. It was exactly because of this that Tang San had formulated the current strategy over the last three days.

  The Seven Headed Fire Phoenix Domain appeared, and its first effect was to completely block those sea spirit beasts outside, the terrifying flame aura forcing them to stay away, not daring to charge.