Douluo: The Ultimate Self

Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo quietly left the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect with a group of people.

Early the next morning, Yang Xiong followed Bone Douluo to the training grounds.

Bone Douluo looked at Yang Xiong with an unusually serious expression: "Yang Xiong, I know you've been cultivating my Path of Defense since childhood and have achieved some success. But do you truly understand what constitutes the strongest defense?"

Yang Xiong thought for a moment: "Teacher Bone Douluo, I believe the strongest defense lies in an extremely powerful physique—absolute physical strength—and enhancing oneself through defensive soul skills."

Bone Douluo nodded: "You're correct. You do have some understanding of defense, but your perspective is still too narrow and simplistic."

"Whether it's your previous body tempering or absorbing defensive-type soul rings, these are not the essence of defense. The true pinnacle of defense comes from having an indomitable willpower—a fearless determination even when facing overwhelming attacks."

"For years, the only ones who have truly made progress in defense within the soul master world are the Elephant Armor Sect and the Defense Clan. Their martial souls naturally have strong defenses, but more importantly, they have inherited cultivation methods and body-tempering techniques."

"In fact, strictly speaking about defense alone, many martial souls surpass the Armor Plated Giant Rhinoceros and Diamond Mammoth. For instance, the Xuanming Turtle soul you encountered in your first soul ring, the Shi brothers' Black Tortoise, and even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon could pursue ultimate defense. So why aren't they renowned for their defensive prowess? Why haven't any masters emerged from their ranks? This has to do with their cultivation methods and inheritance."

"In my eyes, defense can only be mastered by repeatedly enduring enemy attacks with unwavering resolve until you transcend your limits."

Yang Xiong seemed lost in thought after hearing this. He had always considered himself somewhat knowledgeable about defense, but now he realized his understanding was incomplete.

Suddenly, Bone Douluo casually waved his hand, and countless razor-sharp bone spikes shot toward Yang Xiong from all directions.

Yang Xiong was startled and immediately summoned his martial soul and soul rings, his entire body turning silver.

Facing the barrage of sharp bone spikes, Yang Xiong swiftly dodged while occasionally punching at the incoming spikes.

However, the bone spikes were incredibly cunning, targeting weaker areas of Yang Xiong's body, such as his head and joints. Soon, Yang Xiong found himself struggling, sustaining multiple injuries as the bone spikes pierced his skin. Had he reacted just a fraction slower, several spikes would have nearly struck his eyes.

After just a few minutes, Yang Xiong was gasping for breath, standing at the edge of the training field, his body covered in wounds and bleeding profusely.

Bone Douluo finally stopped: "Yang Xiong, in terms of defense, you'd be hard to match among Soul Ancestors or even Soul Kings. However, I just used the strength of a Soul Ancestor, yet you already seem unable to withstand it."

Yang Xiong's face reddened slightly. He had been confident in his defensive abilities, but now he realized he was encountering a completely different level of attack.

As Bone Douluo had said, the attack wasn't particularly strong or fast—it was at the level of a Soul Ancestor.

Yet, such an attack had managed to wound him repeatedly. Aside from Bone Douluo's inherent strength, his deep understanding of defense allowed him to exploit his opponent's weaknesses.

Bone Douluo extended a finger toward Yang Xiong, and a terrifying surge of soul power rushed toward him.

Yang Xiong's expression tightened. He quickly crossed his arms over his chest, hardening his muscles and bones to maximize his defense—his self-created technique: Steel Bones Iron Muscle (Previous named Steel Iron Bones).

But at that moment, Bone Douluo's soul power suddenly shifted. The attacking force dispersed rapidly, and Yang Xiong felt as though he was being struck from countless angles. His weaker body parts were targeted again.

Yang Xiong was utterly shocked. He hadn't expected attacks to be used in such a manner.

Bone Douluo couldn't help but shake his head: "Yang Xiong, you're far too inexperienced and weak. You don't yet understand what true defense is."

"Defense isn't just about physical toughness—it's about making your entire body function as one cohesive unit. Your soul power circulation is still very crude. No matter how strong you make your body, there will always be vulnerabilities. The attack I just used could easily be mastered by an ordinary Soul Emperor."

Yang Xiong quickly asked: "Please, Teacher, guide me!"

Bone Douluo shook his head: "This isn't something that can be taught. It requires countless real battles for you to gradually grasp. Try attacking me with your strongest move."

Yang Xiong thought carefully, then his eyes sharpened. He quickly formed a golden Rasengan in his hand and hurled it at Bone Douluo with all his might.

This Rasengan was infused with potent metallic attributes, spinning at incredible speed. It was no ordinary soul master who could withstand it.

To everyone's surprise, however, the Rasengan seemed to meet resistance upon hitting Bone Douluo. Yang Xiong's Rasengan this time was fifty centimeters wide, covering Bone Douluo's neck and head.

Yet Bone Douluo didn't budge an inch. At the moment of impact, there seemed to be a force-dissipating effect. Bone Douluo's soul power vibrated faintly, neutralizing Yang Xiong's full-powered attack. Instead, Yang Xiong himself was repelled by the backlash.

At this moment, Yang Xiong began to understand Bone Douluo's meaning. After long-term body tempering and refinement, his body seemed to instinctively respond to attacks, forming a kind of reflex. Or perhaps his soul power had developed such instincts.

Bone Douluo said: "Are you starting to understand?"

Yang Xiong nodded: "Teacher, I think your body and soul power have formed a kind of instinct. Not only are you as hard as iron, but even your weaker points seem… different."

Bone Douluo nodded: "Your observation is relatively detailed, but it's still far from sufficient. Since you know the body has weak points, haven't you considered training those areas to withstand blows?"

"I know you've been sparring with Zhao Wuji for a long time, but he's a Soul Sage, far stronger than you in terms of soul power. When he fights you, he's always holding back, even deliberately controlling the force of his attacks. While this kind of training is effective, the results aren't significant."

Yang Xiong quickly asked: "Teacher, how should I train then?"

Bone Douluo pointed at Yang Xiong again, and a force shot toward his forehead with incredible speed. Even with Yang Xiong's quick reflexes, all he could do was block with his arms.

But Bone Douluo's attack curved around and struck Yang Xiong's forehead, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Bone Douluo sneered: "Yang Xiong, have you trained your defense so much that your brain has turned to mush? Facing an enemy's attack, especially one targeting your head—a fatal vulnerability—do you really think blocking is the best option? Haven't you ever considered dodging?"

Yang Xiong's face flushed with embarrassment. He couldn't help but think of Huyan Zhen, the first-ranked 'iron-headed' fighter in Douluo, who dared to withstand divine weapons with his skull.

…

Bone Douluo continued launching various attacks at Yang Xiong. Faced with an expert in defense, Yang Xiong felt as if his entire body was full of vulnerabilities, completely unable to cope. He was utterly miserable.

After half an hour, Yang Xiong was on the verge of collapsing. Bone Douluo finally spoke: "The warm-up is over. Let me teach you something: the core of defense training is to improve your body's ability to withstand blows. Whether it's strengthening your tendons and bones or using medicinal substances to toughen your body, the goal is to enhance your resilience."

With that, Bone Douluo's figure flashed, and he swiftly appeared in front of Yang Xiong, lightly tapping his chest.

Yang Xiong felt as if there was no way to evade. His soul power was instantly suppressed, and he couldn't even summon his martial soul.

Bone Douluo waved his hand, seemingly giving an order. Eight burly men walked out, each wielding a heavy black iron rod.

Yang Xiong sensed trouble and quickly asked: "Teacher, you're not going to let me suppress my soul power and fight these men, are you?"

Bone Douluo looked at Yang Xiong as if he were an idiot: "Do you really think you're in any condition to fight? These men have various martial souls and abilities. Right now, we're focusing on striking training for you."

Before Yang Xiong could say anything, the eight men charged at him with their iron rods, their movements precise and their strikes powerful.

Yang Xiong initially wanted to resist, but his soul power was completely suppressed. All he could do was block the attacks with his hands.

However, these eight men were clearly no ordinary individuals. Each strike was aimed at Yang Xiong's weak points, particularly his joints and head.

Soon, Yang Xiong's body was battered, and every part of him throbbed with pain, especially his joints. The eight men worked together seamlessly, leaving Yang Xiong no room to dodge.

Meanwhile, Bone Douluo leisurely walked to the edge of the training ground and began sipping tea.

An hour later, Yang Xiong was utterly exhausted, his body covered in bruises, his skin turning purple. His hands trembled as he collapsed on the ground, his lips twitching. He looked utterly pitiful.

Bone Douluo finally approached Yang Xiong and nodded: "Your physical endurance is decent. Today is only the first day, and it's the lightest training session. Tomorrow, you'll need to endure for two hours."

Before Yang Xiong could respond, a surge of soul power dragged him into a bathtub. The liquid inside was blood-red—not medicinal herbs, but fresh blood, likely from some soul beast.

Even after undergoing ice-fire body tempering, Yang Xiong felt his blood begin to boil as soon as he entered the tub. The blood carried a burning sensation, unlike fire or poison—it felt as if his body was melting.

Inside the tub, Yang Xiong felt immense pain. Though it wasn't as intense as ice-fire tempering, the blood-red liquid seeped into every pore of his body.

Bone Douluo nodded approvingly: "You're lucky. The sect recently captured several thousand-year-old Bone Dissolving Snakes. Their venom and blood are excellent materials for body tempering, though normally only Soul Emperors can withstand it. It seems it might have some effect on you."

Without waiting for Yang Xiong to reply, Bone Douluo unleashed a force, submerging Yang Xiong's head entirely in the red liquid.

After half an hour in the blood-red liquid, the color in the tub had noticeably faded.

Yang Xiong barely crawled out of the tub, but before he could react, the eight burly men resumed their attacks with even greater force than before.

…

After being tormented by Bone Douluo for an entire morning, Bone Douluo finally left, leaving Yang Xiong lying on the ground, barely alive after repeated assaults.

However, as Bone Douluo departed, the suppression on Yang Xiong's martial soul and soul power gradually lifted. Yet after a morning of torture, his entire body ached far worse than during the battle against the Spirit Hall.

Yang Xiong felt like crying but couldn't shed a tear. He seriously suspected Bone Douluo was deliberately targeting him.

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