Douluo Dalu 3 - Qiang Ming's Journey

It would still take another week or two before the ships reached Star Luo proper. During this time, Qiang Ming rarely left his room—so rarely, in fact, that most assumed he had vanished altogether. He only emerged for brief moments to collect food before retreating once more, disappearing like a ghost into his quarters.

So what exactly was Qiang Ming doing in his room?

Well…

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, shirtless and surrounded by a low mist of destruction energy, Qiang Ming calmly cycled through the Three Eyed Abyss cultivation method his master had tailored specifically for him. His eyes were closed, expression serene, as energy slowly flowed into his body like water trickling down the grooves of an ancient sculpture.

There was a lot of energy to take care of.

After the chaos against the oceanic soul beasts, Jin Shi had made a rather curious discovery—he could consume the spirit rings of defeated beasts. The problem? He couldn't properly digest them. Or rather, the process was agonizingly slow. So the energy sat there, building up in dangerous levels… until it became Qiang Ming's problem to deal with.

He couldn't use it to advance his own cultivation—it would ruin his foundation—but he could use it to strengthen his Spirit Souls. So, that's what he did.

"You know," Qiang Ming muttered aloud, voice dry with irony, "if the Spirit Pagoda ever finds out about this, they might just kidnap me and dissect me in some lab."

"Unless you start going on genocidal rampages against soul beasts, I don't think they'll care much. It's not like large-scale beast battles are common these days." Jin Shi responded in his usual growling tone.

"I'm just surprised your promise came through so fast," said a new voice—feminine, smooth, and thoughtful. Xiao Tei, the newly ascended Abyssal Demon Whale King who had become Qiang Ming's second Spirit Soul.

"I never imagined I'd reach a Hundred Thousand Years so soon…" Her voice still held traces of awe.

"You were lucky," Qiang Ming replied calmly. "You were already on the verge of a breakthrough. Most of the energy I'd gathered was low-grade anyway. Just converting it to a higher quality nearly drained the entire reservoir."

"Still," Jin Shi added with a huff of amusement, "your ability to accelerate a Spirit Soul's evolution through external energy is terrifying… Especially when you stack it with Xiao Tei's new ability."

He wasn't wrong. The fusion of Qiang Ming's destructive nature, his rare bloodline, and Xiao Tei's unique capabilities had given rise to a powerful fifth spirit ability:

Fifth Spirit Ring Ability – Abyss Cloak

A passive cloaking skill that shrouds Qiang Ming's identity in a veil of dense destruction energy. It masks all discernible traits—cultivation rank, soul ring age, Martial Soul type, physical appearance, and more. Initially an active skill that drew suspicion due to its obviousness, it evolved into a seamless passive ability after Xiao Tei reached the Hundred Thousand Year level. Now, it was nearly impossible to detect when active.

"This'll make things easier," Qiang Ming mused. "I can finally use my second Martial Soul more freely in public without revealing everything. Of course, Mu Ye knows now… but what's done is done."

He leaned back slightly, letting the energy swirl around him.

"Next up is you, Jin Shi," he added. "I don't think I'll be taking on another Spirit Soul for the Three Eyed Golden Lion King. You and I are too compatible. I'll raise you to Fierce Beast level myself."

"Heh… tall order, kid. But I like your ambition."

Silence returned to his mind. With the residual ring energy fully refined into his Spirit Souls, Qiang Ming resumed his personal cultivation—his soul power continuing to compress, deepen, and settle.

The night passed quietly. Morning came with a faint chime from the ship's intercom.

"As announced at yesterday's farewell banquet, we will be reaching the port of Star Luo in approximately thirty minutes. Please gather your belongings and meet with your delegation leaders."

Qiang Ming cracked one eye open, blinking slowly.

"So soon?" he muttered to himself, before rising from bed.

He quickly showered, dressed in his Shrek uniform, and slipped on his spatial ring. Within moments, he exited his cabin and made his way toward the main deck.

There, he found Elder Cai and Wu Zhangkong already waiting, along with the other members of the Douluo Delegation. He casually walked up to Elder Cai's side and folded his arms, his golden-purple eyes surveying the horizon as the ship closed in on port.

"Finally got yourself out of your room, boy?" Elder Cai said dryly, without turning. "I genuinely thought you were going to go the distance with the Star Luo girls and cause an international scandal. But instead you turned into a hermit?"

"They were only a distraction," Qiang Ming replied smoothly. "My heart is meant for only one woman… I just haven't met her yet. Until then, they're nothing more than temporary amusements."

Elder Cai exhaled slowly through her nose, shaking her head, choosing not to indulge in his dramatics.

Soon, the ship docked. Both delegations disembarked together, greeted with fanfare and led to a luxurious hotel for a formal welcoming party. Qiang Ming danced with a few of the local girls, but mostly kept to himself. After the event, the Star Luo delegation was disbanded and given vacation time. The real work of diplomacy had only just begun.

The following morning, the Douluo Delegation boarded a Soul Train headed directly for Star Luo City.