Douluo: My Clone Is Groudon

"The Soul Masters Tournament?"

Tang San's fingers curled slightly at the mention of it.

He had heard of this competition—it was a top-tier event that gathered the most talented young generation from across the continent. His heart stirred with interest, eager to witness the prowess of the continent's top youth.

After weighing the pros and cons, Gu La deemed there would be no danger. He rubbed his waist pouch, his fingertips brushing against the mithril lock:

"It's quite a rare opportunity."

He recalled the rare materials that gathered in Tian Dou City during the tournament. If he could save himself the trouble of traveling far and wide to collect them, this trip would be well worth it.

Dai Mubai exclaimed in surprise: "Going to Tian Dou City will cost money, won't it? Accommodation alone during the tournament will be a significant expense."

"Principal, when did you become so generous…"

He paused, regretting his slip of tongue due to losing focus.

Flender's crystal glasses flashed with blinding white light, his smile forced: "Mubai, I haven't given you a lesson since your breakthrough, have I? It's my oversight. Don't leave later—I'll help loosen your muscles and bones, make sure you don't suffer any hidden injuries."

Dai Mubai didn't want to lose face in front of his juniors, but under Flender's piercing gaze, he lowered his head and said: "Principal, I'm sorry, alright? You're the best principal."

"Pfft, disgusting."

Xiao Wu muttered softly, but with a soul masters' acute hearing, everyone present heard her clearly.

Dai Mubai's face turned an ugly mix of green and white, feeling as if he'd been cursed recently, always encountering misfortune.

"Alright, alright."

Flender waved his hand: "Someone will provide us with accommodation. Just go with the flow."

"You continue training. I'll go fetch Hongjun and the others."

With that, Flender left the training grounds and took flight.

---

One month later. 

On the official roads of the Tian Dou Empire.

Ma Hongjun slumped on a gilded cushion, groaning: "Those greedy merchants really think I'm made of iron!"

"Ow, ow, my arms, my legs! My whole body is sore, I'm exhausted. They're treating me like livestock, working me to death for a bit of money."

His once-plump waist had slimmed down considerably, and his silk shirt hung loosely on him. Beside him, Oscar sat with his eyes closed, meditating. His once carefree features now carried a sharp edge.

The past month had been extremely difficult for Ma Hongjun. To earn money, he even accepted jobs sparring with soul masters. Without Oscar's healing abilities, he would have collapsed long ago.

Oscar hadn't fared much better. Over the past month, his soul power had been drained hundreds of times, and he had fainted seven or eight times, only to be saved by Shao Xin each time. This experience had forced him to mature significantly.

Moreover, he had endured countless beatings in the dueling arenas while practicing his staff techniques.

Flender had found them a month ago but waited an entire month before setting out. During that time, both had endured much hardship, though it was all worth it.

Ma Hongjun had visibly lost weight, and Oscar's gaze had grown resolute. When using their soul skills, they were determined to stretch every ounce of soul power as far as possible.

Xiao Wu covered her ears. "Stop complaining, it's annoying. How much money did you two earn? Enough to buy how many energy cubes?"

Her words felt like daggers to their hearts.

With their cultivation levels still at one or two rings, what kind of good jobs could they find? Most were exhausting labor or dangerous work that risked injury.

Even so, the combined earnings of the two barely reached a thousand gold spirit coins—enough to buy ten energy cubes.

"Big Brother Gu, pity us! Can we owe you and pay you back slowly?"

Ma Hongjun looked pitifully at Gu La, but despite losing some weight, he was still far from handsome and certainly not as appealing as a beautiful woman.

Gu La was bored and casually replied: "It depends on your performance. If you can complete all the training and fix your old bad habits…"

"At that point, not only will I let you owe me, but I'll even give you a 30% discount."

At these words, Oscar's eyes welled with gratitude. Having tasted the energy cubes, he knew how astonishingly powerful those small blocks were, made from incredibly precious materials.

His gaze hardened with determination: "Thank you for your kindness, but no discount is necessary. I can't let you lose money. With hard work, I believe I can repay the debt."

Ma Hongjun's initially delighted expression immediately fell, and he echoed weakly: "...Right, we don't need a discount."

As he spoke, Ma Hongjun nearly burst into tears. At this moment, what did Xiao Ao care about pride? If it were him, he would have accepted without hesitation.

The group chatted leisurely, free of stress, gradually approaching Tian Dou City.

A hundred-meter-high grayish-green stone wall stretched across the horizon like a dragon. The midday sun carved sharp lines of light and shadow along its surface.

All four gates of Tian Dou City were wide open, yet a sea of people surged like ants at the foot of the wall.

The silver-armored guards maintaining order were pushed off their feet, their helmets askew on spear handles. Their hoarse shouts were drowned out by the roaring crowd, like leaves drifting in a stormy sea.

"Goodness, how many people are there?" Xiao Wu stood on tiptoe to look. Her emerald skirt clung tightly to her calves, and the air was thick with sweat and the sweet aroma of caramelized chestnuts. "Are they all here for the Soul Masters Tournament?"

"Maybe. Many people from nearby cities have come. In recent years, Oak's papers have swept the continent, sparking interest among ordinary people in soul masters. It's common for them to discuss soul master theories and want to join the excitement."

Yu Xiaogang, unusually talkative, seemed to be masking his inner unease.

Flender hadn't concealed their true purpose, and Yu Xiaogang, after a moment's thought, could guess why they had come to Tian Dou City.

But he still came because he no longer saw himself as a futureless failure. At the very least, he could offer Liu Erlong some form of response.

"Let's go to Lanba (Blue Tyrant) Academy first."

Thinking of seeing his younger sister, Flender's mood brightened considerably. His dark green cloak fluttered without wind, and with a surge of soul power, the crowd instantly cleared a half-foot-wide space around him.

As the trio disappeared into the shadow of the city gate, Yu Xiaogang cast one last glance at the surging sea of people.

Twenty years had etched deep lines into his temples, but they couldn't erase the memory of that rainy night.

Under the shadow of a fiery dragon in the pouring rain, Liu Erlong's wedding gown burned like fire, her golden floral decorations smeared by tears into shattered starlight.

A flicker of guilt passed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes. Clenching his fists, he resolved to make amends for his past mistakes. He wouldn't run away this time.

Meanwhile, at Lanba Academy, Liu Erlong sighed in frustration.

The seclusion of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had caused a ripple effect far beyond expectations.

Though Lanba Academy was technically independent of the sect, its founder was a descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and part of its funding came from the sect's support. The connection between the two was undeniable.

Now that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had been attacked by the Spirit Hall, Lanba Academy had lost half of its funding over the past two years.

Relying solely on the tuition fees of several hundred civilian students wasn't enough to maintain the simulated environment.

"How troublesome. I'd rather fight spirit beasts than deal with this mess."

Liu Erlong may have appeared gentle, but her words immediately shattered that facade, revealing her true nature.

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