Douluo: Starting with an Engagement to Zhu Zhuqing

Chapter 199: Refusal and Yet Another Spirit Bone

Emperor Xue Ye's generous offer shocked Salas, who immediately grew anxious as he looked toward Dai Yao. Unable to openly oppose the emperor, Salas could only hope Dai Yao wouldn't make the wrong decision. Inwardly, he cursed himself for not acting sooner to secure Dai Yao's loyalty. Perhaps, having assumed Dai Yao's commitment to the Spirit Hall was certain, they'd become too complacent, forgetting just how desirable he was to other factions.

Salas clenched his fist, frustrated by the situation. A promised spirit ring below 30,000 years was an overwhelming temptation for any soul master, as evidenced by the envious stares of other soul masters around them. The offer was generous, indeed. However, Dai Yao's aspirations far surpassed the need for a mere ten-thousand-year spirit ring. With his talent, and having already obtained such a ring for his fourth spirit ring, he was confident the Spirit Hall would provide him the best possible spirit rings in the future. Therefore, the emperor's offer, however grand, felt somewhat underwhelming.

Pausing, Dai Yao glanced over at Ning Fengzhi, who subtly signaled with a nod and a faint smile that this was the emperor's gesture, not his own. In a brief, sound-transmitted message, he assured Dai Yao that he would ensure his safe departure from the Heaven Dou Empire, no matter his decision.

With this reassurance, Dai Yao felt more at ease. He bowed slightly to Emperor Xue Ye and replied, "I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness. The offer of a 30,000-year ring is indeed precious, but I still have a long way to go before reaching the Soul King level."

The room fell silent. Had the amplification soul device been on, the crowd would have erupted in disbelief. Even so, several of the qualifying teams cast incredulous glances at him, wondering if Dai Yao was mad to reject such an offer.

Only the keenest onlookers noted the subtle shift in Salas's expression, and their eyes held a glint of understanding. Watching Dai Yao's calm refusal, Tang San's fists clenched tightly. He understood this decision stemmed from Dai Yao's commitment to join the Spirit Hall, a thought that left his gaze cold.

With Dai Yao's decision made, Salas exhaled in relief. Yet, seeing Emperor Xue Ye's growing interest in Dai Yao, a flicker of darkness crossed his face.

Tang San likewise declined the emperor's offer, a response that didn't surprise Xue Ye or Ning Fengzhi. The emperor merely nodded with a regretful smile. "It seems I overstepped, and you both have already made up your minds."

With the awards ceremony completed, the tournament moved into its final phase: the closing ceremony. While spectators were allowed to attend the preliminary rounds, the upcoming qualifier matches would be held within the Royal Spirit Beast Garden, strictly closed to the public. This heightened the sense of grandeur surrounding the ceremony.

In the midst of cheers from the crowd, Dai Yao walked with the Oakland team out of the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, glancing back at the grand building that had witnessed their month-long battles with a touch of nostalgia.

"Dai Yao, I never expected you to be hiding such a treasure as an external spirit bone!" said Dai Yuanyi, his curious gaze fixed on Dai Yao's back.

Hearing this, everyone else also turned to look at him with interest. Dai Yao laughed and teased, "What's wrong? Do you want to sample the poison yourself?"

Dai Yuanyi quickly stepped back, visibly unnerved as he recalled Tang San's agonizing reaction to the venomous attack during the fight. Realizing he'd been tricked, he gave Dai Yao an annoyed look. "Very funny! Captain, aren't you going to do something about this?"

Sealing his victory in such a way, the whole team broke into laughter at Dai Yuanyi's reaction, leaving Feng Qianli too immersed in the joy of their win to intervene.

The night air was calm, and as everyone basked in the excitement of victory, Zhu Zhuqing quietly walked up beside Dai Yao, her fingers laced through his. The soft glow of the street lamps cast a warm light over them.

"Yao, I can see you're much more relaxed tonight," Zhu Zhuqing said, looking up at him with warmth in her gaze.

"It's true—the preliminaries are over, after all," he replied, smiling.

She shook her head gently, her dark hair cascading around her shoulders like silk. "No, it's more than that. Since we left Star Luo, I felt like you've been carrying a heavy weight, but tonight, you seem to have let it go."

Surprised at her perceptiveness, Dai Yao looked at her before turning his gaze toward the evening sky. Overcoming Tang San today felt like conquering his inner demon. While he wouldn't be relaxing his guard, he felt a renewed confidence moving forward. This victory gave him a significant boost, as both had fought while holding back—Tang San still had his hidden trump cards, like Tang Sect's hidden weapons and the powerful Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, none of which he'd used in this match.

And Dai Yao had kept his own second martial spirit unrevealed.

That spirit was his true power. Today's duel had been far from their peak clash. Yet despite the restraint, he'd managed to overcome Tang San. That alone left him with a newfound determination to strengthen himself further so that he could even one day claim Tang San's opportunities.

Moreover, with the protection of Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he felt secure enough to disregard any repercussions of refusing the emperor's offer. As for his true goal—avenging his mother—the thought alone made his gaze harden. The time for retribution was drawing closer.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, the Oakland group made their way to the academy's gates. To their surprise, rows of statues lined the pathway on either side, each representing a team member who had participated in the competition.

Dai Yao covered his eyes, wincing, while several of the others shared his reaction. Just then, a swarm of students rushed forward, cheering wildly for the nine team members who had competed.

One boy, about six or seven years old, ran up to Dai Yao, eyes full of admiration. "Brother Dai Yao, I'll work hard to be just like you and bring honor to the academy!"

Seeing the boy's earnest expression, Dai Yao felt a slight pang and patted the boy's head with a smile. "Keep it up. You'll do great."

The boy beamed, but Dai Yao felt a sense of melancholy. Most students at Oakland were of humble origins, possessing weak martial spirits, and despite their determination, they would never be able to catch up with true talents. Without his intervention, Oakland would likely have been eliminated in the preliminaries.

He thought back to the original story, to a time after Xiao Wu's sacrifice, when Tang San had returned to Shrek Academy only to find a student questioning Yu Xiaogang's methods. The student had claimed it was impossible to endure the training task set by Zhao Wuji. Tang San had then shown up and effortlessly completed what was deemed impossible, leaving the students awestruck.

At the time, Dai Yao had thought, You're a twin spirit soul master with more enhancements than anyone, with ten-thousand-year spirit rings at your disposal. Completing that task was hardly a challenge for you—why put on such a display for ordinary soul masters?

"Not bad, wouldn't you say? These statues turned out rather well," Jackson said, leading them out of the crowd with a smile.

"Isn't this a bit much?"

The atmosphere was tense after Emperor Xue Ye's offer, and Salas, visibly uneasy, glanced at Dai Yao with growing concern. While Salas couldn't openly contest the emperor's words, he hoped that Dai Yao would make the "right" choice. Inwardly, he seethed, regretting that they hadn't secured Dai Yao's loyalty sooner. After all, Dai Yao's natural affinity for the Spirit Hall's ideology had made them complacent, almost forgetting how appealing he was to other factions.

Even the surrounding soul masters could hardly hide their admiration. A spirit ring of such rarity, freely offered, was no small temptation. Dai Yao, however, remained unfazed. For him, the allure of a mere ten-thousand-year spirit ring held little value; he had already obtained one as his fourth ring. Confident in the Spirit Hall's promise of the best resources, he knew this offer, though generous, fell short of his aspirations.

Glancing at Ning Fengzhi, Dai Yao noticed the man's subtle nod, reassuring him that the emperor's proposal had not come from him and that he would guarantee Dai Yao's safety, whatever his decision.

Dai Yao turned to Emperor Xue Ye, bowing slightly, and said, "I appreciate Your Majesty's generosity. The offer of a 30,000-year ring is precious, indeed, but I am still quite far from the Soul King level."

The silence in the arena was profound; if the amplifier had been on, it would have surely caused an uproar. Many spectators eyed him in disbelief—had Dai Yao truly rejected the emperor's unprecedented offer? Only a few observant figures noticed Salas's tense demeanor and began piecing together the political subtleties in play.

Salas, finally breathing easier, allowed a brief sigh of relief. Tang San, however, clenched his fists, his expression darkening. Dai Yao's choice to decline confirmed his alliance with the Spirit Hall, a revelation that filled Tang San's gaze with cold determination.

The emperor, sensing the deeper motivations behind their choices, simply nodded in understanding. "It seems I have been presumptuous," he said with a note of regret. "Both of you appear to have long-set plans."

The awards ceremony continued, followed by the grand closing event. Unlike the preliminaries, the qualifying rounds would occur in the secluded Royal Spirit Beast Gardens, closed to the public, adding to the ceremony's air of prestige.

Leaving the grandiose Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, Dai Yao walked alongside his Oakland teammates. But as they approached the academy gates, they were startled to see statues lining both sides of the path, depicting each of the nine contestants who had competed in the tournament.

Dai Yao winced, feeling more than a little awkward. As a soul master of only emerging fame, a statue felt overly glorifying, as if setting him up to fail. Many others shared his sentiments, but Jackson was unmoved, grinning broadly as he watched their reactions.

"You've made it to the qualifiers and broken Oakland's longstanding record," Jackson said with pride. "With your strength, I'm sure you'll go far in the finals, too. And who knows what future glory awaits you? What's wrong with getting started a little early?"

Dai Yao gave Jackson a skeptical look, inwardly hoping that should a coup against the Heaven Dou Empire ever fail, Jackson would at least consider taking down this statue.

Jackson then asked the others to return to their rooms, adding, "I need to have a private word with Dai Yao." The team exchanged knowing looks, familiar with how teachers often gave extra attention to their best students.

"What is it, Grandpa Jackson?" Dai Yao asked once they were alone.

Jackson did not answer right away but glanced cautiously around the room, motioning Dai Yao to follow him. They arrived at the principal's office, where Jackson carefully closed the curtains and set up a soundproof barrier. His guardedness signaled to Dai Yao the weight of what was coming.

Finally, Jackson exhaled, looking at Dai Yao with a proud expression. "Thank you, Dai Yao. You've led Oakland's team to a place beyond our wildest dreams."

"This is my duty," Dai Yao began, but Jackson cut him off, shaking his head.

"Not quite. Thanks to your performance, Oakland Academy will be a household name across the continent. So many children will want to study here now, all because of you. It wouldn't be too much to say that you've saved this academy."

"And for that, you deserve a reward." Seeing Dai Yao's refusal in his eyes, Jackson added, "Please, don't refuse. If you don't accept, I will feel indebted. Besides, it will greatly aid your future. At least look at the reward first."

With that, Jackson pulled a bone-like item from his storage ring. Dai Yao's gaze dropped to a pitch-black leg bone in Jackson's hand, its aura emanating an imposing energy that filled the room. His eyes widened in shock.

"A spirit bone?" Dai Yao exclaimed.

Jackson nodded, satisfied with his reaction. "Yes. It's the right leg bone of a ten-thousand-year Crimson-Eyed Tiger King—a rare find. As a tiger-type, it's especially compatible with your martial spirit. If you absorb it, it will give you an incredible boost."

The Crimson-Eyed Tiger King was the source of Dai Mubai's fifth spirit ring in the original story, making this spirit bone exceptionally well-suited for Dai Yao, given its close relation to his own martial spirit. He could easily imagine the remarkable enhancement this bone would bring. But after a long pause, he eventually shook his head.

"Thank you, Grandpa Jackson, but I must decline," he said finally.

To this day, Dai Yao had yet to absorb any of the six spirit bones he'd acquired, each one carefully selected from high-level beasts he had identified in the original story. For each spirit bone, he had a few candidate spirit beasts in mind, most of which were over 50,000 years old. Although this Crimson-Eyed Tiger King bone was valuable, absorbing it would restrict his future potential, so he rejected it without hesitation.

For others, such a rare ten-thousand-year spirit bone was a treasure, hard to come by. Even the Spirit Hall's ultimate tournament prize offered only three ten-thousand-year bones. Clearly, Jackson had put his heart into this gesture.

Jackson looked stunned. "Dai Yao… Are you sure you heard me right?"

"Yes, Grandpa Jackson. I truly appreciate it, but I can't accept this bone," Dai Yao replied firmly.

Jackson was momentarily speechless but then smiled, touched. "You needn't consider my feelings, Dai Yao. This is a reward you've earned. I've held on to this spirit bone for years, and it's of no use to me now. But for you, it could make all the difference. I know you're joining the Spirit Hall soon, and I can offer you little. Consider this my blessing for your journey."

Dai Yao accepted the bone, feeling a rush of gratitude as he stowed it in his storage ring. If word got out about the three spirit bones in his possession, he'd be pursued relentlessly by others.

Seeing him finally accept the bone, Jackson laughed. "That's the spirit!"

After a brief pause, he added, "Dai Yao, with only a month left until the qualifiers, what are your plans?"

"I've learned a lot from these continuous battles," Dai Yao replied thoughtfully. "I'll spend this month consolidating my gains."

Jackson stroked his beard approvingly. "Not letting victory go to your head—good. This month, reflect on what you've learned and absorb it fully. Your path ahead will only get brighter."

Jackson paused before continuing, his tone becoming serious. "During the qualifiers, don't hold back for your teammates' sake. Let your talents shine. You are gifted—don't hide in the shadows for the sake of others. They may accompany you briefly, but your brilliance will only eclipse them, leaving them behind."

Dai Yao felt a surge of clarity. Throughout the preliminary rounds, he had purposefully concealed much of his strength to avoid outshining his teammates. Yet, as the matches progressed, he had gradually shown more. Jackson had evidently noticed.

"Thank you for understanding, Grandpa Jackson," Dai Yao replied.

Jackson patted his shoulder. "I should thank you for looking out for those kids!"

That night, lying in bed, Dai Yao erected a soul power barrier around him and took out his three spirit bones. Beside them was a book on herbs and antidotes, an exchange he'd made with Tang San that contained rare medicinal knowledge from the mysterious Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record.

The spirit bones posed a dilemma—too valuable to discard, yet incompatible with his needs. And exchanging them for mere coins was unthinkable. The market for spirit bones was one of the few places where money held little power.

"So, I guess you three will just keep gathering dust," Dai Yao muttered, glancing at them with a faint smirk.

Turning his attention to the herbal guide, his eyes lit up with curiosity.

(End of chapter)

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