Douluo Dalu - Volume 02 - The First Spirit Ring Read online

  Douluo Dalu

  (斗罗大陆)

  Volume 02

  The First Spirit Ring

  Tang Jia San Shao

  (唐家三少)

  Story Description:

  Tang Sect, the most famous martial arts sect of all. By stealing its most secret teachings to fulfill his dreams, Tang San committed an unforgivable crime. With his ambition attained, he hands his legacy to the sect and throws himself from the fearsome "Hell's Peak."

  But he could have never imagined that this would reincarnate him in another world, one without magic, martial arts, and grudges. A land where only the mystical souls of battle lay.

  The continent of Douluo.

  How will Tang San survive in this unknown environment? With a new road to follow, a new legend begins...

  Original Story can be found here: Link

  Chapter 008: Spirit Tool, Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges

  Part 1

  “Teacher, the longer the cultivation time the more powerful the spirit beast’s strength, and the greater the effect of the spirit ring. In what respects does this formidability show?”

  Tang San asked.

  On Grandmaster’s stiff face appeared a touch of his signature unsightly smiling expression,

  “This line of questioning is very good. The spirit rings produced by spirit beasts of different level main difference to spirit master is what attribute it adds as well as the capacity to master its ability. For example, if using the quantitative angle of view, with your blue silver grass spirit with the control system tool spirit master route, and you obtain a compatible attribute ten year spirit ring, then your blue silver grass’ control nature can increase by ten. But if it was a hundred year spirit ring, then your blue silver grass’ control nature would increase by a hundred. And so on. Consequently, whenever possible, spirit masters as much as possible pursue enhancing their spirit even more.”

  Tang San uncertainly said:

  “Wouldn’t then people possessing greater power be able to obtain a better spirit ring? Those nobles can completely rely on their clan’s strength to go hunt even more powerful spirit rings for them.”

  In Grandmaster’s eyes fleetingly a commending light was revealed,

  “To think of this, proves you have carefully reflected, but the facts are not that simple. One might say, the requirements for adding a spirit ring are extremely severe.”

  “First of all, one must personally strike the killing blow to the spirit beast to be able to receive the spirit beast’s spirit ring. Spirit rings can only exist for an extremely brief time, if not added to oneself within two hours it will lose effect.”

  “Next, spirit beasts are a kind of extremely proud creatures, not just any spirit beasts will let themselves be taken prisoner. If an opponent inflicts a severe injury, wanting to capture them, then the spirit beast can choose to explode their spirit power and commit suicide. This hinders the circumstances you spoke of, even if inviting people to hunt and kill spirit beasts, if not killed by him, then it is still very difficult to obtain a spirit ring.”

  “Of course, all this is not absolute. How can humanity’s wisdom be compared to spirit beasts. The best method to hunt and kill spirit beasts, is precisely to organize groups to go to spirit beasts’ location, the one who strikes the last blow, then can obtain the spirit ring. Therefore, what you said about nobles and some people possessing power, on hunting and killing spirit beasts side indeed have a certain advantage.”

  “But, these kinds of people easily obtaining spirit rings does not mean that he will become more powerful compared to an ordinary spirit master. They also cannot confirm whether the attribute of the spirit beast they come across is the most suitable to them. The spirit beast’s level is admittedly important, but whether the attribute is compatible is also equally crucial. Even better spirit rings, unless your spirit itself is compatible, it will also be unable to evolve good effects, and on the contrary will affect oneself. Every spirit master on different stages has restrictions on the spirit rings they can absorb.”

  “To take an example, you right now are only a tenth rank spirit scholar, and with your current spirit power, at most you can absorb a hundred year spirit beast’s spirit ring. If you try in vain to absorb a thousand year spirit ring, this can only have one result: the body is unable to endure, and is destroyed by the spirit ring’s power. When absorbing the spirit ring, any outside force is unable to help, and you can only rely on yourself. Consider, these people requiring others to help hunt and kill their spirit beast, how capable is their own actual strength, perhaps absorbing a suitable to them while the grade of the spirit ring is still within control limits will bring about a destructive strike. Tang San, you must remember, this world is impartial: when wanting to obtain something, certainly one must put forth the corresponding effort. Being opportunistic is what a mediocre person does. We who study spirit theory, do so only for the sake of making this effort a bit easier for spirit masters. Under circumstances when possessing equal strength to become still more formidable. Do you understand?”

  Tang San earnestly nodded.

  In the first place he was not a person in the habit of being opportunistic, relying on his own strength with one step making one footprint in the direction of objective this effort was the most solid.

  Grandmaster was not in any hurry to bring Tang San to leave the city walls, instead he was going in the direction of the inner city walls.

  “Teacher, aren’t we going outside the city walls?”

  Grandmaster said:

  “For going to hunt spirit beasts we must still prepare some things, and also, we cannot go on foot. A four hundred li journey while not too long, but making the best of time is always best.”

  Following the sunlight gradually rising from the east, within Nuoding city more pedestrians gradually appeared. Today was one of a not large number of days where Tang San did not draw on the eastern purple qi to cultivate Purple Demon Eye.

  What Grandmaster spoke of as getting ready certainly was not complicated, he bought two leather bags specially used for holding drinking water. Each bag was capable of holding as much as five litres of fresh water. He also bought some cured meat, flatbread and fruit. All in all getting two large bundles.

  If speaking of these Tang San could still comprehend, but Grandmaster still bought a kind of thing that he was unable to understand, and these things were also bought in greatest quantity.

  A whole twenty jin of white radish. Tang San’s current assignment was to carry them. A twenty jin weight from his point of view, still did not count for anything. Of course, if it was a four hundred li journey on foot, then it was an issue.

  Fortunately, after Grandmaster procured all these things all ready, immediately at the inner city wall he hired a carriage, giving the carter five silver spirit coins.

  Douluo Continent’s currency exchange was like this: one gold spirit coin was equivalent to ten silver spirit coins, equivalent to a hundred copper spirit coins. One gold spirit coin was already enough for a family of three’s regular expenses for several months. It was also equivalent to three years worth of Tang San’s income from Nuoding academy work.

  Spirit master was said to be this continent’s most privileged vocation, and income was a significant reason. Even if one only advanced from spirit scholar to spirit master, every month they could still enjoy a one gold spirit coin stipend. This was sufficient for an ordinary person to live. Of course, only basic life, desiring luxuries was impossible.

  And as a spirit master cultivated and reached even higher levels, in particular exceeding spirit grandmaster and entering the spirit
elder realm, provided they registered at spirit hall, could be conferred the rank of nobility directly by the nation, becoming a lesser noble baron. The higher the actual strength, the higher the noble title. Regarding income naturally the boat also rose with the water.

  Part 2

  For Tang San this was the first time travelling on a carriage, and even though somewhat bumpy, the new sensation still made him abundantly interested, frequently pushing aside the window curtain to look outside. Seeing a stream of people bustling with activity, as well as various sorts of shops, regarding the outside world, in his heart he couldn’t help but somewhat yearn for it. In this life, his fate would not be as simple as in his previous. Not knowing in what way he later would enter society.

  “Little San, this is for you.”

  Grandmaster’s cool voice suddenly roused Tang San from his train of thought, just as he gazed at Grandmaster, he discovered something unknown, Grandmaster’s already held a belt in his hand. A belt with a very beautiful appearance.

  The whole belt was black, and on the surface were dark stripes, that unless carefully looked for could not be distinguished, and on the entire belt, evenly distributed were set twenty four pieces of milky white jade. Each piece of jade was the size of an adult person’s thumbnail, and round. With gentle color and lustre, looking like rare fine jade.

  “Thank you Teacher.”

  Tang San did not stand on ceremony, holding out his hand to receive it, what is called ‘senior’s gift must not be refused’. When he before was at Tang sect, Tang inner sect elders receiving disciples would all later give a gift. Grandmaster giving him this belt, should also have a similar meaning.

  Grandmaster said:

  “This belt has been with me for very many years, also been neglected for very many years. I hope in the future it can blossom into its proper glory in your hands.”

  Regarding the belt, from the start Tang San felt it was not ordinary, as if the belt had numerous faint streams of qi circulating, and these streams of qi were with this belt itself acting as a bridge, with the jade serving as stores.

  “Thirty years ago, when I obtained it I did not know what it was called. But through my many years of research I came to see it could be considered a first class spirit tool, functioning as storage. You only need to infuse it with spirit power, and each piece of jade is capable of providing one cubic metre of storage space. Like that you can conveniently deposit goods.”

  Spirit tools, to Tang San, was a brand new term. Although he still did not know exactly what the meaning of spirit tool was, Grandmaster’s explanation already gave his mind deep astonishment.

  Twenty four jade stones, that also precisely had twenty four cubic metres of storage space, to him, that was a place for depositing twenty four kinds of hidden weapons. The expression in Tang San’s eyes became blazing, and within his heart the thirst to promote Mysterious Heaven skill reached an extreme degree. He was dying to right now possess enough inner strength to go cultivate all kinds of hidden weapons uses. Having this belt, he need not again worry about hidden weapons storage issues.

  As Tang San had not asked, Grandmaster already went ahead and explained:

  “Spirit tools, as the name implies, are implements that rely on spirit power to be used. Very few spirit tools are passed down from ancient times, for the most part without offensive function. Spirit masters themselves do not need weapons. Spirit tools can all be described as historical relics, as to how they came about, and how they were made, was lost long ago. This belt was obtained by me and several friends one time on an adventure. It was assigned to me as a reward. To me, its function is nothing too great, later you should be able to find it useful. Right, give it a name.”

  Looking at those twenty four pieces of gentle jade, Tang San practically without hesitation thought of a famous verse from his last life,

  “Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. Right, I’ll call it Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges.”

  Grandmaster was slightly dazed, his rigid face without expression, nodding said:

  “A very good sounding name, if a bit long-winded.”

  Tang San secretly sighed. Perhaps this could be considered a recalling his last life a bit.

  Grandmaster said:

  “Its function is very simple, infuse your spirit power within those jade stones, then you can sense its existing space. If you can react fast enough, things within it will appear as if out of thin air. But to control its specific property well, you still must practice much more. This is also your future homework.”

  Tang San did not need Grandmaster’s words to understand the importance of training with taking things from Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges, and hurriedly nodded in reply.

  Originally Tang San had still been uncertain, Grandmaster had bought this many things, after entering Spirit Hunting Forest how could they be taken when hunting spirit beasts. Right now with Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges these all were no longer an issue. Idle throughout the journey, he started under Grandmaster’s direction to practice his control of accessing goods with Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. And the goods used for practice, were those white radishes……

  A four hundred li journey, whether long or not, it was not considered short. Not until noon the second day did they arrive at their destination, Spirit Hunting Forest.

  Just when Tang San stepped down from the carriage, he discovered Spirit Hunting forest was completely unlike his imagination.

  Forests, in Tang San’s impression, ought to be filled with big natural smell, trees secluded and tranquil, air fresh, no sign of human habitation. But this Spirit Hunting Forest before him, at least at the forest’s edge, felt like it was a Nuoding market.

  At the forest’s edge, large houses were constructed, or rather shops. The sound of every kind of ware being cried out, a strip of man-made paved simple path freely among them, in the surrounding racket Tang San could not help but frown.

  “Have warrant, recruiting to hunt strength type spirit beasts, still short two people!”

  “Hunting agility type spirit beasts, warrant for seven people! Ten gold spirit coins!”

  Similar hawking cries rose one after another, the forest of shops for the most part were peddling weapons, defensive tools and all kinds of food supplies.

  Grandmaster brought Tang San to enter this place considered as a small town market,

  “Do you know why I finished buying all the things at Nuoding city?”

  Tang San shook his head.

  Grandmaster pointed to the prices marked in the stores,

  “Because arriving here, prices will all at least double. Are you not wondering, how a forest’s edge can be this bustling. It’s actually very simple. Where there are spirit beasts, there is profit. Particularly these special national spirit beast capturing forests are even more that way. Spirit masters are a wealthy group, and there are too many people wanting to make a profit off spirit masters.”

  “Grandmaster, what do those people shouting about recruiting groups mean?”

  Part 3

  Grandmaster said:

  “Spirit beasts are not so easily killed. Rather inherently formidable spirit beasts, even if not cultivating more than a few years, still has very powerful firepower. This kind of what is called grouping up for hunting spirit beasts, is just multiple people mutually cooperating. Hunting their respectively required spirit beast, and obtaining the spirit ring. Having the aid of other people, they can deal the required last attack on the spirit beast themselves. On the Continent it is the most common and safest method of hunting spirit beasts. Only, is grouping up that easy?”

  Speaking of this, Grandmaster looked at these crying out spirit masters, his eyes exuding a trace of disdain.

  “A genuinely outstanding spirit hunting group, will be composed of at least five parts: food system tool spirit masters will be responsible for supplies, healing system tool spirit masters responsible for condition and spirit power restoration. Agility system battle spirit masters responsible for scouting,
strength system battle spirit masters responsible for blocking, attack system battle spirit masters responsible for annihilating the enemy. With these five parts composing the group, it can be regarded as a complete group. But also the coordination between each also can’t take shape in a day or two. Alone it imperceptibly influences the process, and it requires at least several years to become coordinated. Even more importance must be attached to group’s members, they must have mutual trust. Absolute trust. Otherwise, when encountering danger, they are very easily defeated in a moment.”

  Tang San astonished asked:

  “Why will they be defeated? Because of insufficient strength?”

  Grandmaster shook his head, coldly saying:

  “In the future, perhaps you also will chance to join a group in this way. When choosing a group, you can’t even consider other members’ actual strength, but the one thing you must keep in mind, in the group which you choose, that you can present your back before any other person.”

  Tang San still did not very well understand Grandmaster’s meaning, but Grandmaster also did not for a long time explain again. Bringing him towards the depths of the market.

  Although the marketplace was a disturbing chaos, just as they moved away from the market, when they saw this huge forest, Tang San still could not help but be somewhat shocked.

  Trees tall and large showing their age, at the forest periphery, encircled by an immense steel fence, facing the forest, appeared a great number of piercing tips. The fence’s height exceeded ten metres, looking extremely robust.

  This still was not counting, outside the fence, a line of a hundred soldiers patrolling there. These troops wore meticulous suits of full body armor, hands grasping long spears, disciplined in neat formation, a hundred steel warriors standing together, giving people a kind of deadly feeling.

  Grandmaster said in a low voice:

  “Not anyone can enter Spirit Hunting Forest for capturing. Only spirit masters who have obtained a warrant issued by Spirit Hall, can enter Spirit Hunting forest to hunt spirit beasts. Although there are also those who have secretly entered, those people find it very difficult to have a good ending. These soldiers are only guarding the periphery, in Spirit Hunting Forest, there still are Spirit Hall enforcer groups, at all times inspecting warrants. Those people don’t pay attention to sentiments.”