Douluo Dalu - Volume 09 - Golden Iron Triangle Read online

  “Of course, this way of fighting can’t be reused, but don’t forget that this is also the first time Tang San’s hidden weapons emerge in a Great Spirit Arena. With the use of only the first or perhaps the second spirit ability, for a body with spirit power below fiftieth rank, it’s basically impossible to resist their Godly Zhuge Crossbows. Even if it was beyond fiftieth rank, speaking somewhat generally, perhaps they would still suffer. Do you think the Man Faced Demon Spider was so easy to kill?”

  Listening to Grandmaster, Flender’s mood gradually calmed, but his heart was still worried.

  At this moment, in his heart, the money he had bet wasn’t of any importance. His only wish was for the Shrek Seven Devils not to suffer any harm. These children could be called his favorites, no different from his own children.

  Right then, the already flying announcer shouted loudly,

  “Team spirit fight, Shrek Seven Devils team, level surpassing challenge versus Fiend Team, begin!”

  Practically the moment the last syllable left the announcer’s mouth, on the both sides one person also shouted loudly.

  The voice on Fiend Team’s side was naturally the captain, Berserk Giant Bear Spirit Master Meng Li, shouting:

  “Tear them to shreds!”

  On the Shrek Seven Devils the one to shout loudly was Tang San. A lot more succinct, he shouted only one word:

  “Loose——!”

  The long ago raised black boxes didn’t reflect any light even under the brilliant illumination of the Great Spirit Arena. The moment the Fiend Team charged, all team members already launched their first spirit ability. Pouncing like wolves and tigers[ Possibly quite literally in this case, but also idiom for: Completely ruthless.].

  Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)

  That sound with the weight of thunder was like ten thousand horses charging.

  At this moment, all the Fiend Team members heard a strange sound, like metal clashing, further accompanied by a buzzing sound, as if poking a hornet’s nest.

  Buzz——

  Seven Godly Zhuge Crossbows simultaneously issued what could be called their snarl. Each Godly Zhuge Crossbow had already been armed before this spirit fight. Altogether one hundred twelve crossbow bolts pierced the air, a great cloud of arrows like dancing wasps.

  The Fiend Team’s members were all Spirit Masters over fortieth rank, they were naturally able to see those oncoming shadows, but how could they imagine that wasn’t a spirit ability?

  With the mad dog strategy, however strong the enemy’s attack, all would attack as if their lives depended on it.

  Today the Fiend Team was still like this. They basically didn’t break off at all because of the opponents’ attack, rather increasing their charging speed even more, raising their arms to guard the vitals of their heads and chests, inflexibly dashing forward to close quarters combat where they were always the most skilled.

  Pupupupupupupupu——

  Along with a series of strange sounds, it was as if the madly shouting audience simultaneously had their throats cut. In that moment not a sound could be heard. In that terrible silence, great puffs of blood mist blossomed like fireworks in the Main Spirit Arena.

  The Fiend Team members still dashed ahead several meters with powerful momentum, and in an eyeblink, it was already too late for them to react.

  Why is it suddenly cold? Meng Li was somewhat baffled, his body didn’t quite seem to listen to his commands, this was his last thought in this world.

  Dingdingdingdingdingdingdingding——. Concentrated cracks of sound appeared behind the Fiend Team, on the wall of the Main Spirit Arena, pitch black crossbow bolts were crowded together nailed into the wall.

  The Fiend Team’s members steps also finally halted. Those explosions of blood mist were precisely from their bodies. Not just the audience was stupefied, even the Shrek Seven Devils themselves were lifeless.

  Despite placing all their hopes in the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, as this moment truly arrived, they also stood there sluggishly. The only one that had anticipated the scene before them was Tang San, but right now even he couldn’t stop the slight twitches at the corners of his eyes.

  Meng Li’s eyes, originally with an ominous glint, stared deathly rigid ahead. The viciousness in those eyes had already become astonishment and despair, the tall and sturdy body like a crumbling mountain or falling pillar collapsed on the ground. The seven Fiend Team members, practically at the same moment were brought to the ground by their momentum.

  Blood. Flowing out from the bodies that were like sieves after being struck by the Godly Zhuge Crossbows. The blood flowed like a long red earthworm, rapidly spreading over the spirit fighting ring. In the blink of an eye, it had already dyed the center of the Main Spirit Arena red.

  Instant kill. Unexpectedly it was an instant kill.

  The more powerful fortieth level Fiend Team unexpectedly didn’t even have the chance to act. This moment, the minds of practically all the spectators were blank. Nobody knew what had happened. Even so much that only a few people had looked at how Shrek Seven Devils did it.

  Such a short team spirit fight, in all the Great Spirit Arena’s history it was one of its kind. But although this spirit fight was brief, the impact it left on the audience wasn’t less than any brilliant spirit fight.

  In the VIP lounge, Flender already stared wide eyed from shock. Grandmaster slowly closed his eyes, calmly saying:

  “Let’s go, right now is the moment they need us the most.”

  Saying this, he was the first to leave. Clearly, everything that happened was long ago already within his calculations.

  Apart from Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing was the first of the Shrek Seven Devils to wake up and, practically without paus, turned around and ran towards the spirit fighting arena entrance, one hand pressed hard over her mouth.

  The second to run out was Ning Rongrong, closely followed by Oscar and Ma Hongjun. Only Dai Mubai, Tang San and Xiao Wu still remained in the spirit fighting ring.

  “I’ll go see to Zhuqing.”

  Dai Mubai’s voice sounded somewhat strange.

  Tang San nodded once, and Dai Mubai immediately turned around and left.

  Looking up at the for a long time already lifeless announcer hovering in the air, Tang San as much as possible lowered his voice,

  “Can you declare the results of this spirit fight?”

  The announcer woke as if from a dream. He discovered that his trousers had at some point become wet, unexpectedly he had peed his pants.

  His originally sonorous voice had become hoarse,

  “Team-, team spirit fight, Shrek Seven Devils, versus, Fiend Team. Fiend Team eliminated. Shrek Seven Devils team level surpassing challenge successful.”

  With a satisfactory answer, Tang San with an expressionless face took Xiao Wu’s hand, then walked over towards the spirit fighting ring entrance.

  The audience woke up at the announcer’s declaration. In a moment, the whole Main Spirit Arena was boiling. Every kind of doubtful call, admiring call and terrified call rose and fell in succession. But this was already unrelated to the Shrek Seven Devils. To them, this spirit fight was already over.

  As Tang San brought Xiao Wu back behind the stage, he discovered that apart from Dai Mubai, the other four were incessantly vomiting. Xiao Wu next to Tang San shuddered once, then suddenly took off her mask, joining the four. The only ones left enduring with the strongest willpower were Tang San and Dai Mubai. Despite this, Tang San still saw that Dai Mubai’s complexion was pale, his mind clearly somewhat unwell.

  Tang San was still a bit better off. He was after all a person of two lives, with the staunch willpower of forty years in two worlds. Besides him, the oldest of everyone was Dai Mubai at fifteen. Dai Mubai was admittedly strong, his style robust, but he was after all an ordinary person, this was still his first time killing a person.

  Instantly killing seven opponents, that scene of blood wildly spurting out, the enemies’ eyeballs protruding, and still their distorte
d expressions at death’s door, without exception left a profound brand on the hearts of each of the Shrek Seven Devils. That kind of feeling couldn’t be compared to any other matter.

  “Tang San. We killed people. Yes?”

  Dai Mubai found it somewhat difficult to speak.

  Tang San nodded,

  “Yes. We killed people. Teacher said, they were all cruel and savage. Their deaths not deserving of pity.”

  Ning Rongrong raised her head with a pale complexion, with difficulty saying:

  “But those were still seven real living people, the moment before they were still brimming with ferocity, the next moment they already became corpses. I……, Waaa——”

  “We killed people, really killed people.”

  Oscar spoke while gasping for breath as he held his stomach.

  “As a Spirit Master, killing is an issue you all had to face sooner or later. Everything right now was still a difficulty you all had to pass. Since you would confront it sooner or later, then, a bit early is better than you having to vomit in the battlefield. Otherwise, you would end up the same as those seven people out there. Corpses.”

  Grandmaster slowly walked in, his face very serene, speaking in a calm voice, somewhat inharmonious to the Shrek Seven Devils’ ears,

  “Any successful formidable Spirit Master has walked through the blood of enemies and opponents. You haven’t killed before? If you haven’t, then where did your spirit rings come from? Spirit Beasts are equally living things. From life’s point of view, there is no difference between them and humans. When killing spirit beasts, why wouldn’t you feel like this? The crisis before you isn’t something people can help you pass, you all can only rely on your own willpower. If you feel nauseous then vomit, vomiting is normal, naturally it’s fine, however, if you don’t want to become the center of attention, then put away those masks in your hands and follow me away from here first.”

  When the Shrek Seven Devils returned to the hotel, even Tang San felt extremely tired, even more tired than in their demonic training. This wasn’t physical, but rather an ordeal of the soul. It was also Tang San’s first time killing people, and although his will was steady, Meng Li’s dying expression still stuck in his mind for a very long time. Just like what Ning Rongrong said, even though he clearly knew the opponents had chosen the road of death, those were still real living people!

  Grandmaster and Flender gathered with the teachers in their room. Flender was excited right now, when the market finally closed the odds reached one to twenty, earning everyone a large profit. The money had already been received, at that time, including the Great Spirit Arena, at least six or seven influential powers had issued invitations for the Shrek Seven Devils, but he had refused them all.

  To the other Spirit Masters participating in spirit fights, the Fiend Team’s death was to everyone’s satisfaction. A lot of people even thought that this was all a trap specially directed at Fiend Team by some teams whose members had been killed by them coming together to devise this method of revenge.

  Although the Godly Zhuge Crossbow was powerful, its weak points were also extremely clear and had been seen by a number of observant people. Like Grandmaster said, the Godly Zhuge Crossbow could penetrate any second spirit ability defense, but to third spirit abilities or higher, it had no effect on defense oriented spirit abilities. Moreover, the Godly Zhuge Crossbow was only effective within a certain range. Beyond fifty meters, its attack power would drop dramatically, on this point it was far from able to compare to bow and arrow. The Godly Zhuge Crossbow’s biggest advantage was in surprise. Once this advantage was gone, then, it was only a kind of relatively powerful weapon, that’s all.

  “Grandmaster, did you earlier already plan for that Fiend Team to die? Otherwise, why would you choose such an outstandingly stinky opponent.”

  As Zhao Wuji finished sharing the loot with Flender, he asked Grandmaster.

  Grandmaster nodded,

  “Yes, this was another kind of test for them, or perhaps a tempering. Let me ask, who of you haven’t killed people? I’ll bet every spirit master over fiftieth rank has human blood on their hands. As I said before, since it has to be experienced sooner or later, putting them through it while we’re at their side is only a good deed towards them. At least when it happens again they can be somewhat mentally prepared.”

  Zhao Wuji sighed,

  “But, in the end they’re still so young, wouldn’t it upset them too much?”

  Grandmaster calmly smiled,

  “These children are all astute. They won’t waste time on insoluble problems. Flender, if you’re done counting coins, you can go comfort them. I’ve done my work as the villain, I’ll let you be the good guy.”

  Flender grinned, saying:

  “In the children’s hearts I’m a positive figure, naturally I’m the best as this good guy. Wuji, don’t worry, I support Xiao Gang’s actions. Originally, when I first killed a man I also collapsed vomiting. Thinking back to it now it was still somewhat ridiculous. This is a necessary life experience, letting them experience it a little earlier is no matter. I’ll go chat with them.”

  To the Shrek Seven Devils, this was a sleepless night.

  The next morning, before the sky was bright, a group of people already quietly left Silvers City, continuing towards their destination, setting off for Heaven Dou Empire’s capital city.

  The Shrek Seven Devils’ complexions were still somewhat pale. Especially for Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong who had vomited the most violently, one evening clearly wasn’t enough for them to completely recover. But after Flender’s talk, they also with some difficulty accepted the facts. The main idea of Flender’s argument was really very simple: killing a bad person, was equivalent to saving countless good people. If the bad person didn’t die, he would only kill even more people; it wasn’t murder, it was saving lives.

  After absorbing this kind of thinking, it indeed let the Shrek Seven Devils more easily accept some of the pain in their hearts. But truly getting used to this kind of feeling of killing wasn’t easy, that still required countless experiences.

  Chapter 058: Heaven Dou Imperial Academy

  Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)

  Out of sympathy for the children, in addition to Flender’s good mood from the big profit, the following several days of travel all advanced at a normal pace, the Shrek Seven Devils also gradually struggled free from the fear after killing people. Able to become the Shrek Academy’s little monsters, as long as they could move past it, their hearts wouldn’t suffer so badly.

  “Grandmaster, according to the map, once we reach Heaven Dou City, where in the city is Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?”

  While Flender studied the map he asked Grandmaster. On the map was no indicator for Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

  Grandmaster looked at Flender,

  “If you don’t know, how would I? How can you still be considered a dean.”

  Flender snapped:

  “What do you mean ‘still be considered’? I’ve always been one, okay? Since you also don’t know; Wuji, Shao Xin. Do you know?”

  Zhao Wuji smiled wryly:

  “You know we both aren’t regular academy fostered Spirit Masters, even less with backgrounds like this Imperial Academy’s nobles, how would we know. I’ve only visited Heaven Dou City once or twice, that’s all, I have no impression of the location of this Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. They’re still all the same.”

  The other three teachers by chance nodded at the same time, indicating their helplessness.

  “Dean Flender, I know where Heaven Dou Imperial Academy is.”

  At this moment, it was Ning Rongrong who settled Flender’s imminent problem.

  “My family’s castle isn’t far from Heaven Dou City, I used to come play in Heaven Dou City with my clansmen, and we also went to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Even though directly related family members all study within the school, there were some branch members at the Imperial Academy. Actually, Heaven Dou Im
perial Academy isn’t inside Heaven Dou City, but outside. Just like our Shrek Academy was outside Suotuo City.”

  Flender smiled proudly:

  “See, this Heaven Dou Imperial Academy’s dean thinks like me. The facts prove how discerning I am.”

  Grandmaster to the side poured cold water on his pride:

  “If I’m not mistaken, you didn’t place the Academy within the city since you were embarrassingly short of money. This Heaven Dou Imperial Academy being placed outside the capital city is out of fear the capital’s lavishness will affect the students’ cultivation, and even more importantly perhaps because there isn’t any sufficiently large space for an academy in Heaven Dou City. From what I know, even though Heaven Dou Imperial Academy isn’t considered as having a lot of students, having every kind of flawless facility requires a great deal of space.”

  Zhao Wuji grinned:

  “Grandmaster, you just speak frankly. Put down this guy’s delusions.”

  “Delusions your head. Zhao Wuji, you’ve been very energetic lately. Come, come, we’ll exchange pointers, let the children have a look at what a Spirit Emperor level battle is like.”

  While speaking, Flender gestured with his hands.

  Zhao Wuji didn’t look at him, extending two arms, embracing Lu Ji-Bin and Li Yu-Song at his side,

  “Flender, you want to bully me? Keep dreaming, I wouldn’t fight you. If you must fight me, I won’t retaliate. Let the children have a look at you bullying your juniors, setting an example.

  “You……”

  Flender resolutely glared at Zhao Wuji,

  “I’ve found that since Grandmaster came, you’ve become a lot more devious.”

  “Stop fighting, don’t get me mixed up in your matters. How am I involved in this?”

  Grandmaster stretched his body,

  “Don’t speak nonsense, let’s go quickly. Since Rongrong knows the way, we can reach the Imperial Academy today. It’s also good to let the children start cultivating in peace a bit earlier.”