Douluo Dalu: Transforming Soul Rings into Soul Veins

In Spirit City, before a dilapidated thatched hut.

Tang Hao's figure appeared exceptionally decadent, as if deeply eroded by the years and endless regret. His eyes were empty and distant, as if piercing through the toppled wine jars before him, seeing the past he was unwilling to look back on.

Dressed in ragged clothes, with a scruffy beard, his whole body reeking of alcohol and the stench of not having bathed for years, this former Clear Sky Douluo was now like a traveler forgotten by the world. Occasionally, a gust of wind would blow past, rolling up a few withered leaves, making a rustling sound, adding a few more points of desolation.

Around him was a scene of overgrown weeds, broken walls, and ruins; in the distance were the bustling streets, forming a sharp contrast with this dilapidated place.

The bustling streets of Spirit City were a clamor of voices, its lights brilliant, like another world. On both sides of the street, shops stood in great numbers, with a dazzling array of all kinds of goods. From rare medicinal herbs to exquisite soul tools, all demonstrated the prosperity and power of this city of soul masters.

Occasionally, teams of soul masters in magnificent armor would patrol by. Their steps were firm and powerful, their eyes revealing a desire for and confidence in their strength. To be a guard of Spirit Hall was something the soul masters of Spirit City now longed for and envied.

However, amidst this prosperity and clamor, Tang Hao's figure appeared exceptionally lonely and out of place. His existence was like a crack deliberately left here by time, reminding people of the past glory and present desolation of this Clear Sky Douluo.

A gentle breeze blew past, bringing with it the fragrance of wine and food drifting from the restaurants in the distance. It also gently brushed past Tang Hao's weathered face. He moved the corners of his mouth slightly, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, it was just a bitter smile.

He shook the empty wine jar in his hand. A complex emotion flashed in his hazy eyes, a mixture of nostalgia for the past and confusion for the future.

He slowly stood up, reaching out to brush away the green leaves falling on his head. But in the end, there was a leaf that seemed to have taken root, hiding in his bird's-nest-like hair, unable to come out. That touch of green had taken root on his head.

Staggering a few steps, he seemed to want to walk towards the street where the lights were dimming, but at the last moment, he stopped his steps. He changed his direction of progress, instead walking towards a relatively remote alley.

He knew very well that the kind of magnificent street restaurants with numerous guests would not possibly "give alms" to him. On the contrary, it was the kind of remote small alleys, hiding some unknown corners, where he might be able to find a trace of solace.

Passing through the narrow alley entrance, he came before a shabby little tavern. There was none of the clamor and vanity of the main streets of Spirit City here, only a few dim yellow lanterns swaying in the wind, casting mottled light and shadows.

Inside the tavern, a few old tables were occupied by several soul masters who, like him, seemed to have had their edges worn down by life. Tang Hao pushed the door open and entered. A mixed smell of low-quality alcohol and tobacco assaulted his face, yet he felt it was abnormally intimate.

The few down-and-out soul masters present all stopped their original conversations, casting looks of disdain and disgust at Tang Hao. There were even low-voiced jeers. "It's him again, here to beg for a drink. He's not afraid of getting sick from that low-quality wine."

"What do you know? A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. A Titled Douluo from back then, even if fallen on hard times, is still a Soul Grandmaster. How can he die from eating some trash wine? Haven't you seen him living well all these years?"

A thin soul master with yellow hair stood up, walked up to Tang Hao, and patted his chest with the back of his hand. "Hey, Haotian, are you planning to pay this time? You're always taking advantage of the tavern, drinking this free wine. That's not right, is it?"

Tang Hao looked at the person before him with a blank expression and said faintly, "Where did this wild dog come from, barking here?"

The yellow-haired man was stunned, then immediately became furious. He grabbed Tang Hao's collar with both hands and lifted his whole person up. "Don't forget, you are only level 21 now. Without your martial soul, you will always only have level 21 soul power. Everyone here can handle you. Do you still think you are that arrogant Titled Douluo!

You'd better be sensible and fix your attitude for me. Otherwise, it's true that killing is not allowed in Spirit City, but it doesn't say you can't be beaten up in secret."

"Heh, a group of bottom-tier trash soul masters, only able to find some sense of superiority here," the mockery on Tang Hao's face was unconcealed.

Spirit City was a holy land for soul masters, that was true. But there were always a few soul masters with degenerate thoughts, low soul power, yet who thought very highly of themselves. Having ruined their reputation outside, they would hide in this kind of place, getting by day by day.

"Hmph, do you think you are still that revered Clear Sky Douluo? The you of now is just a joke!" The yellow-haired soul master threw Tang Hao aside, fiercely dropped this sentence, and turned to go back to his own seat. The other soul masters around also followed with bursts of mocking laughter.

"Yo yo, Yellow Hair, you're no good. How come you can't even win an argument with him?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, shopkeeper, give that legendary Clear Sky Douluo a plate of aniseed beans. Count it as my treat."

Tang Hao ignored their laughter. His gaze passed through these people, as if seeing through the dust of the years. He slowly walked to a corner of the tavern. There was a shabby table there, with a pot of wine and a few empty cups on it. He sat down on his own, picked up the wine pot, poured a full cup, and then drank it all in one gulp.

The turbid liquid, mixed with unknown foreign matter, burned his throat.

"Cough cough—"

For the current Tang Hao, as long as he could drink, it was fine.

He casually grabbed a handful of aniseed beans gifted by others and swallowed them. This was his dinner for tonight. It had to be said, in this Spirit City, even if one didn't work, one could still live. Of course, it was just "living."

The owner of this tavern was a Soul Elder-level, 60-odd-year-old man. He glanced at Tang Hao and said, as if unintentionally, "I hear that Spirit Hall has rescinded its punishment against the Clear Sky Sect. Now the Clear Sky Sect can re-enter the world. I wonder what waves will be stirred up in the soul master world."

Hearing these words, Tang Hao, who was about to be slightly tipsy, suddenly shivered. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully.

"Old man, you're overthinking it. The Clear Sky Sect was strong back then, that's true, but weren't they still driven away by Spirit Hall, running away to some deep mountain and old forest? Even if he comes back, what can he count for? The prestige of Spirit Hall now is far beyond those sects and royal families."

"That Holy Son Lin Feng's Innate Soul Evolution Art has benefited who knows how many soul masters. Just take me for example. My innate soul power was only level 2, and my martial soul quality was not good. Originally, if I couldn't break through to Soul Master by the age of 20, then I wouldn't even hope for Soul Grandmaster by 40. To be able to reach Soul Elder by 80 would be burning high incense."

"But Holy Son Lin Feng's five paths allowed me to break through to Soul Master before the age of 20. My martial soul was able to transform once. Plus the effect of those paths strengthening the body, I now have the confidence to break through to Soul Grandmaster by 30 before my potential runs out."

The crowd chimed in, "Indeed. Before the age of 20 is publicly acknowledged as the rapid growth period in the soul master world. For those of us with very low innate soul power, we fell on the path of not obtaining a soul ring to give our martial soul a transformation. Now, at least there is a way. The paths brought by the Holy Son are really not something that can be measured by quantity for us."

The boss nodded slightly. "That's right. This is also the reason why the lower-level soul masters are more and more revere Spirit Hall. The title of the original three upper sects hasn't been mentioned by anyone in these few years. During enrollment, the academies of Spirit Hall in various places are more popular than those traditional sects. Spirit Hall not only controls a large amount of cultivation resources, but also masters the key methods to enhance a soul master's potential."

"As long as you join, it's guaranteed that when new good things come out in the future, you'll be the first to enjoy them. I really hope His Highness the Holy Son's Soul Vein theory can be perfected soon. At that time, who knows how powerful soul masters will be."

"Yeah, yeah."

Tang Hao silently listened to these discussions, a complex smile on the corner of his mouth. His heart was filled with mixed feelings. He was both shocked by the current power of Spirit Hall and also worried about the future of the Clear Sky Sect. He knew very well that if the Clear Sky Sect wanted to regain its prestige, it would by no means be an easy matter, especially against the backdrop of Spirit Hall being so powerful.

"Hmph, Spirit Hall, Holy Son Lin Feng..." Tang Hao whispered to himself, a sharp light that was hard to detect flashing in his eyes. "No matter what, the glory of the Clear Sky Sect will not be tarnished. I, Tang Hao, even if I have fallen to this state, will absolutely not let the name of Clear Sky be shamed."

He raised his head and once again drained the wine in his cup. "Boss, put it on my tab."

The tavern owner was stunned for a moment, then a playful smile appeared. He shook his head. "What tab? You've never paid. The wine in this corner is free. If you drank it, you drank it."

Tang Hao staggered away.

Watching Tang Hao's departing back, the soul masters in the tavern all sneered.

"What Clear Sky Douluo? Just a beggar mooching food and drink at a tavern. Oh no, a eunuch. Hahahaha."

Hearing these words, Tang Hao's footsteps suddenly paused. His hands were clenched tight. Being castrated was the thing he could not tolerate the most. He looked back, memorizing the one who had spoken the mockery. It was that yellow-haired one. Sure enough, all yellow-hairs deserved to die!

A look of determination flashed in his eyes. Tang Hao secretly swore in his heart that for today's humiliation, he would surely repay it a hundredfold in the future.

As the night deepened, Tang Hao's figure gradually disappeared into the night of Spirit City, returning to the leaky thatched hut.

He casually picked up a pile of thatch and put it on his body, then just slept carelessly.

In the dark, Tang Xiao, who had seen all of this, had a look of sadness and anger on his face. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails almost digging into his palms. As the current Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, seeing his once-proud-as-the-scorching-sun younger brother in such a state, his heart was like being cut by a sharp blade.

Not long ago, after Spirit Hall had announced to the world that the Clear Sky Sect could re-enter the world, he had already planned to personally make a trip to Spirit City.

The connection between the Clear Sky Sect and the outside world had never been broken. From the Innate Soul Evolution Art transmitted from Tang Yuehua's side, from initial disdain, to shock, and then to joy and anxiety, the mentality within the Clear Sky Sect had undergone a heaven-and-earth-shaking change.

Seeing that the outside soul masters had already been enjoying the benefits of the paths for several years, and that the experiments with Soul Veins had begun in recent years, every faction that had a name back then had a quota, except for the four great families.

The Clear Sky Sect was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Having experienced the bonus of the paths, to still doubt the authenticity of the Soul Vein's effect would be to be a fool.

He had specially chosen a time close to evening to enter the city. After greeting Spirit Hall, he would first stay in the city for one night, and the next day go to the Pope's Hall and the Douluo Hall, in the hope of Qian Daoliu's promise from back then, to get back their inheritance soul bone.

At the same time, on the first night, he would visit his own younger brother, Tang Hao.

He had thought that Tang Hao was not living well, but he had never expected that he had already degenerated to this state, reduced to begging for a living. He clearly still had level 21 soul power. Doing some work would always allow him to live better, but he had not done so.

Spirit Hall still had not rescinded its punishment of Tang Hao. Therefore, he could only be trapped in Spirit City.

The spirited you from back then, how did you become like this! Are you still worthy of the name Clear Sky? How could Ah Yin have chosen you...

Meeting him might not be a good thing either. Tang Xiao closed his eyes, adjusted his mood, and returned to his own residence, preparing to make his first contact with Spirit Hall tomorrow.

He had several purposes for coming here: to find out the authenticity of the Soul Veins, the attitude of Spirit Hall towards the Clear Sky Sect, to get back the inheritance soul bone, to visit his good younger brother, and to consider whether the Clear Sky Sect could truly re-enter the world again.