Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48

by Tang Jia San Shao

  The competition ended, undoubtedly with another impassioned boost and encouragement for emperor Xue Ye. Next, the finals would start very soon. That was the true battle to decide which academy was the most powerful on the Continent.

  As regent, emperor Xue Ye naturally couldn’t leave Heaven Dou City unattended. After the end of his speech, emperor Xue Ye declared that crown prince Xue Qinghe would represent him as Heaven Dou Empire’s envoy, to take the task of judging the tournament. And Heaven Dou Empire’s fifteen teams would accompany him personally on the way to a city on the common border of the two great empires where the finals would take place. The finals would be arranged by Spirit Hall.

  There would only be three days for all the teams to rest. After three days, the altogether fifteen teams plus teachers and an escort of five hundred imperial household knights, a party of more than a thousand people, would leave for where the finals would be held. Spirit City.

  Originally the finals weren’t at all arranged by Spirit Hall, but for some reason, Spirit Hall suddenly issued an alteration. This tournament’s ultimate finals would be held in the main city of Spirit Hall. This city practically entirely belonged to Spirit Hall. Situated on the border of the two great empires, the empires had no authority over it. Most importantly, one of the two great palaces that symbolized Spirit Hall, Supreme Pontiff Palace, was located in Spirit City.

  This recently constructed Supreme Pontiff Palace was reputed to be the grandest building in all the Douluo Continent. Spirit City had also become the holy land of all Spirit Masters due to the construction of this Supreme Pontiff Palace, making it like a capital city Spirit Hall had established for itself.

  From Heaven Dou City to Spirit City was almost twenty days on the road. The finals wouldn’t last for very long, as it was a knock-out competition. Altogether thirty three teams could settle the outcome in less than ten days.

  Spirit Hall attached extreme importance to the finals this time. While the ranking competition was ongoing, Spirit Hall had already started to set up the site for this Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament finals. At the same time, Spirit City had decreed that non-Spirit Masters couldn’t enter to see the competition. Not even nobles. Like this, they increased the mystery of the finals somewhat.

  Ordinary people wouldn’t feel particularly satisfied with Spirit Hall’s decree. After all, to ordinary people, Spirit Hall was a remote and exalted existence. Spirit Hall was the shrine, the holy land in their hearts. If the lord Supreme Pontiff had personally decreed it, who would dare say anything?

  A crowd of more than a thousand people set off grandiosely. Even if the academies all had their own arrangements, they still all represented Heaven Dou Empire, compared to the previous qualifiers and ranking competition, the taste of gunpowder was somewhat fainter. Especially the academies with better relationships even travelled together.

  Shrek Academy still drew the most attention, but those academies whose strength was lacking didn’t want to get close to them. And the four elemental academies also kept a much lower profile, perhaps because of their defeats in the ranking competition.

  In order to let the competing team members rest even better, Heaven Dou Empire had arranged altogether fifteen enormous luxurious carriages, specially for the team members to ride in and rest.

  These carriages even used some spirit tool technology as foundation, giving them extraordinary shock absorption. Riding them was unusually steady. Of course, the entire Douluo Continent’s spirit tool technology circulation was only clear here.

  From the day they set out, Shrek Academy was one person less. One very important person. Grandmaster.

  Even the Shrek Seven Devils didn’t know where Grandmaster had gone. Grandmaster didn’t even tell Tang San, only quietly leaving by himself the day after the end of the ranking competition. He also didn’t bring Liu Erlong. It made emperor Xue Ye who planned to invite him very disappointed.

  “Xiao Wu, your adopted mother doesn’t seem to have been in a very good mood over these days! What’s going on?”

  Sitting in the carriage, Ning Rongrong leaned forward to whisper a question next to Xiao Wu’s ear.

  Xiao Wu helplessly shook her head, saying:

  “I also don’t know. Only my mom’s character was bad from the start. Everyone better be a bit careful for a while. Don’t provoke her anger by any means, otherwise you’ll only be out of luck.”

  Ma Hongjun said to the side:

  “Who would dare provoke the tyrant dragon, and a flame breathing one at that?”

  Dai Mubai unhappily gave him a glare,

  “Be quiet, do you want to kill us? If my guess is correct, then teacher Erlong’s bad temper recently is related to Grandmaster leaving. However, since she still hasn’t flipped out, she should know where Grandmaster went. Really strange, little San, how come even you don’t know where Grandmaster is?”

  Tang San smiled faintly, saying:

  “I wouldn’t know what Teacher has to do. Boss Dai, recuperate properly. Otherwise you won’t be able to go on stage in the finals, wouldn’t that be painful?”

  Dai Mubai snorted,

  “Even if it’s just three or four days, my wounds have already closed. No matter what you say, defeating Yu Tian-Xin’s Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit this time was more important than anything. Alright, everyone don’t waste time. This carriage really is good, cultivating isn’t a problem. All of your spirit power has almost broken through. Cultivate quickly. Fight to gain a rank before the competition. Like this we can also increase our chances.”

  Tang San nodded, his gaze sweeping across everyone,

  “The true threat to us is still Spirit Hall’s hand picked team. Only by defeating them will we obtain ultimate victory. That is our greatest test since the forming of the Shrek Seven Devils.”

  On mention of that team, everyone’s expressions dropped. They’d already heard from Tang San about the strength of their future opponents. Especially those three who had obtained Spirit Hall’s Purple Record Medal, opponents who had broken through the fiftieth rank before the age of twenty five. Even if the Shrek Seven Devils all had the potential to do this after taking the immortal treasure herbs Tang San had given them, right now they still hadn’t reached that kind of level.

  Confronting that kind of opponents in the tournament was no doubt exceptionally difficult with their current strength. But the opponents already existed, so they couldn’t back down.

  How to defeat their opponents had already become a subject they’d constantly considered over these few several days. But Grandmaster wasn’t here, and nobody provided them with any tactics, they could only drill with Tang San as center.

  Tang San saw everyone’s heavy gazes and sighed lightly, saying:

  “What I’m most worried about isn’t those three fiftieth ranked opponents. If they’d only assembled three fiftieth ranked Spirit Masters and four fortieth ranked Spirit Masters, then we wouldn’t have been without chance. My Eight Spider Lances and twin spirits should be able to withstand one. Boss Dai and Zhuqing’s spirit fusion ability should also be able to persevere against two. With Rongrong and little Ao’s assistance, we might not be without the strength to fight. What worries me the most right now is whether they possess spirit bones or spirit fusion abilities. If they still possess these abilities, then it hardly seems possible for us to win.”

  Oscar said:

  “Little San, didn’t you say before that Spirit Hall brought out three spirit bones as rewards for the champions this time? Since the rewards are spirit bones, it should be in order to encourage those Spirit Hall team members. This way it seems that the chance that they possess spirit bones is close to none. After all, spirit bones can’t just be seen everywhere. That Spirit Hall can bring out three is already very generous.”

  Tang San nodded:

  “You’re right. Therefore, what we need to pay attention to right now is the possibility that they can use a spirit fusion ability. In our tactics,
we have to make sure to control this aspect.”

  Faint light flickered, Tang San’s face revealing a trace of ice cold radiance, his hands folding across his chest. With each flicker of light in his eyes, the atmosphere would distort slightly. Faint purple gold color made the gazes of the other six Shrek Seven Devils focus on him, but nobody interrupted him. Everyone knew that Tang San had certainly thought of something.

  ……

  “Blazing Academy brothers, can I come in?”

  Feng Xiaotian followed alongside the Blazing Academy wagon, yelling inside.

  After his match with Tang San that day, even though he had suffered heavy injuries, what Tang San said had undoubtedly also given him a bit of hope. In fact, as soon as his body could endure it a bit, he had run over to find the figure of his heart.

  “Brother Feng, what’s the matter?”

  The carriage curtains stirred, revealing Huo Wushuang’s face.

  Feng Xiaotian smiled somewhat awkwardly,

  “It’s nothing, is little sister Huo Wu here? I came to apologize to her.”

  Huo Wu’s beautiful face appeared next to Huo Wushuang,

  “What do you have to apologize to me for? You did nothing wrong.”

  Seeing Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian’s eyes first brightened, then his face immediately turned regretful,

  “Little sister Huo Wu, I let you down! I couldn’t complete the task you entrusted me with.. I still lost to Tang San. I……”

  “No need to say anything, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Huo Wu interrupted Feng Xiaotian,

  “I didn’t expect that Tang San to still be hiding strength. He really was too strong. Only, since he’s a Clear Sky School descendant, a lot is explained. A loss is a loss. Right now I only want to see whether he can defeat the other opponents in the finals, what ranking he can obtain.”

  Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)

  On mention of Tang San, Huo Wu’s eyes revealed a somewhat peculiar luster. Her attachment to pursuing strength was in no way inferior to any male Spirit Master. Tang San’s strength no doubt held a great attractive force to her. Of course, it wasn’t the kind of attraction between opposite sex. The only thought in Huo Wu’s heart was how to surpass Tang San, defeat Tang San. Even if Tang San saved her life that day, she was still unable to expel that kind of thought from her mind.

  Feng Xiaotian probed:

  “Then, little sister Huo Wu, that matter between us……”

  Huo Wu frowned, replying:

  “What matter between us?”

  “Eh…… This. I was talking about, the matter of us associating.”

  Suddenly, Huo Wu’s eyes brightened, her gaze at Feng Xiaotian changing somewhat,

  “Get on the carriage.”

  “Ah?”

  Feng Xiaotian was already prepared to be rejected, but he hadn’t expected Huo Wu’s sudden change in mood. He hastily leapt on the carriage.

  As he saw the charming Huo Wu sitting in the carriage, he couldn’t keep his pulse from speeding up.

  Huo Wu said to Huo Wushuang:

  “Ge, take everyone off for the moment. I have something to talk to Feng Xiaotian about.”

  Huo Wushuang looked at his little sister, a questioning light in his eyes.

  Huo Wu signaled him with her eyes.

  When Feng Xiaotian heard Huo Wu wanted to talk to him alone, his pulse accelerated continuously. He who was always jocular, when he was sealed into this space with Huo Wu alone, he on the contrary felt cramped. Rubbing his hands, he didn’t know what he should say.

  “Big brother Feng. I know you’ve always liked me.”

  The first to speak up was nevertheless Huo Wu.

  Feng Xiaotian feeble-mindedly looked at her, muttering:

  “Your next line wouldn’t be, big brother Feng, you’re a good person, but we don’t suit each other. If it’s really a rejection, then don’t say anything. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

  Looking at Feng Xiaotian’s feeble-minded appearance, Huo Wu couldn’t hold back a laugh,

  “I give you some color and you start to paint the road. That wasn’t my intention.”

  Feng Xiaotian pleasantly surprised said:

  “Then you’re saying, you’ll agree to go out with me?”

  “Pah, in your dreams. I asked you in to consult with you about something.”

  Huo Wu snapped.

  Feng Xiaotian grinned, his past appearance returning,

  “Well said! Anything is fine. Speak.”

  Huo Wu muttered:

  “Big brother Feng, do you feel that the finals still have any meaning to us?”

  Feng Xiaotian looked distracted a moment,

  “What do you mean?”

  Huo Wu said:

  “Do you believe we can defeat Shrek Academy? Or the two teams from the two great empire academies, or those abnormals from Spirit Hall?”

  Feng Xiaotian laughed bitterly,

  “Want me to tell the truth? I’m afraid it’d be very difficult.”

  Huo Wu snorted,

  “Is it very difficult? Rather basically impossible. Shrek Academy’s depths are very deep. I think you also noticed that in the qualifiers, they basically didn’t use their full formation. Finally in the ranking competition, their number of fortieth rank Spirit Masters increased to four. And moreover it increased by that powerful fatty. Fire Phoenix Spirit is one of the highest level spirits.”

  Feng Xiaotian sighed,

  “After losing to Tang San, I didn’t consider these questions. Even as a team we still might not have much of a chance to defeat Shrek Academy. Their full strength is too powerful. Moreover the control capability Tang San revealed in the qualifiers as well as their teamwork, they basically won’t give us a chance. As far as I’m concerned, the finals might only be for experience.”

  Huo Wu fiercely shook her head,

  “No. Not necessarily. We still have a chance. This is also the reason why I asked to consult you. I want to let Blazing Academy give up on the qualifications for the finals.”

  “Ah? Why?”

  Feng Xiaotian was shocked,

  “Being able to reach the finals after so much effort, and you’re giving it up?”

  Huo Wu indifferently said:

  “Of course I’m not casually giving up. I want to let Blazing Academy and your Godwind Academy form an alliance. We’ll form a joint team for the finals.”

  Listening to Huo Wu, the dream in Feng Xiaotian’s heart now disappeared completely, frowning,

  “This seems inappropriate. We represent different elements. First let alone which academy everyone would compete under, I’m afraid it’d be very difficult to get it past the tournament organizational committee.”

  Huo Wu smiled calmly, saying:

  “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m only asking you, are you willing?”

  Feng Xiaotian nodded without the slightest hesitation,

  “Of course I’m willing. If out two teams could truly fuse together, then we could have a team with all members over fortieth rank. Moreover, our available formations would increase a lot. We could absolutely go at it with those powerful teams.”

  Huo Wu nodded, saying:

  “Since it’s like that, leave the rest to me. I’ll trouble you to return to convince your companions and teachers. Our Blazing Academy will renounce the glory for this and fight under Godwind Academy’s name. As for how to join, that’s also very simple. We’ll temporarily transfer to your Godwind Academy. I can make decisions for Blazing Academy’s side. The dean is my grandfather.”

  Even though Huo Wu spoke very flatly, Feng Xiaotian could clearly grasp the wildness in her words. How much would a heart thirst for victory to make a decision like this?

  Huo Wu looked at Feng XIaotian, saying:

  “We don’t have a lot of time to practice. Only the remaining ten something days on the road. Talk it over with the people from your academy as soon as possible. If there are no issues, we’ll beg
in practicing our teamwork. Since you could create a spirit ability, then perhaps we can create a second.”

  Feng Xiaotian’s eyes brightened,

  “Like what you used in the competition before? A teamwork fusion ability?”

  Huo Wu nodded,

  “Even if it’s not a true spirit fusion ability, as long as our teamwork is good, our strength will shock everyone.”

  Feng Xiaotian smiled wryly:

  “My only concern is that the tournament committee would cause trouble.”

  Huo Wu snorted disdainfully,

  “What should they care about us transferring? As for the question about quota, I’ll handle it. It’s not difficult to speak to Spirit Hall. As long as we express to that platinum bishop that we’ll join Spirit Hall after the end of the tournament, what could they still object to?”

  Feng Xiaotian suddenly calmed down, looking Huo Wu in the eyes.

  “What are you looking at?”

  Huo Wu somewhat discontentedly said.

  Feng Xiaotian sighed,

  “Huo Wu, are you really that thirsty for victory? To win, do you know how much you would pay?”

  Huo Wu calmly said:

  “I’m not only thirsty for victory, I’m also thirsty to become even stronger. If I don’t have even a chance, I’ll lose confidence, then how will I cultivate later? I will only ask you, are you willing to walk this road with me?”

  Feng Xiaotian nodded forcefully,

  “I am. No matter what you decide, I’m willing to follow at your side. But, I’ll declare one thing. I can only represent myself. After the tournament I can enter Spirit Hall together with you, but I can’t control my comrades.”

  Huo Wu looked at Feng Xiaotian, something suddenly in her eyes. She of course knew about Feng Xiaotian’s place in the minds of the other Godwind Academy members. With his influence, he could completely convince his comrades to enter Spirit Hall. But he wouldn’t do it. Huo Wu suddenly discovered that Feng Xiaotian unexpectedly had a lot of good points she’d never noticed before. Even though he wasn’t equal to Tang San in strength, he was more handsome. For a moment, she couldn’t help being somewhat stupid.

  Hurrying on, Godwind Academy and Blazing Academy quickly reached a cooperation agreement. Of course, this news was kept confidential to the other teams. They wouldn’t reveal it before the start of the finals.