Chapter 16: Ch.16: Leave from Yama Canyon
Dugu Xin's recovery progressed steadily as he looked down in the canyon, 'Now, lets finally see what is the source of all this evil soul power'. However, when Luo Tian came back, offering to take him out of the canyon, Dugu Xin refused, "No, I still want to explore something before heading back," Dugu Xin insisted.
Luo Tian sighed, giving a stern reminder, "Very well, brat. I'll come back tomorrow, and if you haven't finished by then, tough luck—we're leaving."
Dugu Xin simply nodded. "Fine, old man."
Dugu Xin followed the trail of evil soul power until he reached the entrance of a cave. Dugu Xin cautiously made his way through the narrow, winding passages of the cave, his senses alert to any potential danger. The rocky walls seemed to close in around him, and the air grew progressively colder and more oppressive with each step. After a few minutes of walking deeper into the cave's labyrinthine tunnels, he began to notice something peculiar. The usually relentless and cacophonous presence of the vampire bats was conspicuously absent. The further he ventured, the more he became convinced that he was alone in this dark subterranean world. As he ventured deeper, the cave's passageways gradually widened, finally, he emerged into a massive cave room.
It was a colossal, natural underground chamber with towering stalactites and stalagmites that seemed to stretch endlessly into the abyss. The ceiling was filled with minerals that caught the faintest traces of light and scattered them in shimmering patterns across the walls. The air was heavy and oppressive, thick with a blood-red gas that hung like a shroud. In the center of this massive cavern lay a pool of blood-red liquid. The blood within it was fresh and vivid. Within this sinister pool, Dugu Xin could make out distorted, unsettling reflections of himself causing him to think, 'Is this the blood of all the spirit beasts killed by the vampire bats?'
However, what drew his attention the most was a dark and ominous presence at the heart of the blood-filled pond. Rising from the depths of the pool was a lotus. Its petals were a deep, almost black-red, and they glistened with an unsettling sheen, each petal was lined with thorny edges. Its stem, too, was an eerie shade of black, with veins pulsating ominously as if it were alive. Using his 4-Pupils Mystic Eyes he observed the lotus more closely.
"So, this is the reason for the dense evil soul power in this place. That lotus absorbs the evil soul power to grow stronger," Dugu Xin concluded. Using his Four-Pupil Mystic Eyes, he scrutinized the lotus more closely. "It has cultivated for 10,000 years, its somewhat lacking considering it constantly absorbs such a substantial amount of evil soul power. Now, the question is, why?"
Dugu Xin couldn't discern the lotus's origin, so he decided to leave. Before departing, he used his Dragon Resentment Poison to destroy the cave entrance and seal it shut. As he did so, Luo Tian unexpectedly appeared. Dugu Xin was taken aback and realized that the dense evil soul power in the cave had dulled his sense of time. "Shit. If there had been a fight here, with my sense of time messed up like that, I would have been in big trouble."
Luo Tian asked, "Have you finished what you were searching for?"
Dugu Xin replied, "Yes, it was nothing. Let's go."
.....................…
Inside the cave, hidden from view, a pair of dark crimson eyes snapped open above the black-red lotus, as they shifted their gaze in the direction Dugu Xin had just departed.
"Interesting," a voice echoed within the depths of the cave. "That brat has the breath of an Abyssal Spirit Dragon. Unfortunately, he left a bit too early and also sealed the cave. While it will hide us from prying eyes, it will also increase the duration of the Abyss Lotus Gate's bloom."
The voice seemed contemplative as it continued, "I hope you don't die, kid, before the lotus fully blooms."
......................
Luo Tian led Dugu Xin to a forest clearing, and said with a hint of mystery, "Now the true training begins."
Dugu Xin, questioned, "There is actually more to learn?"
Luo Tian, renowned for his impatience when it came to explanations, showed little inclination to clarify. He retorted, "You've just scratched the surface. You've got the feel for the Beast Intent, but you're far from mastering it. Practice is what you need." With that, he entered the state of martial soul possession, his eight soul rings gleaming brightly beneath his feet, and one of his hands transformed into a lion's paw.
A mischievous grin crossed Luo Tian's face as he continued, "Let's get started. Even though I'm using only one hand, don't let me touch you. I won't kill you, but you might find yourself bedridden for a few days." He then unleashed a sudden burst of wind, sending it hurtling towards Dugu Xin.
Dugu Xin's heart skipped a beat as he barely evaded the first assault. Luo Tian appeared slightly disappointed and remarked, "Oh, you dodged it. Not bad, not bad at all." Dugu Xin attempted to speak, but before he could speak, another fierce attack came his way.
Luo Tian's onslaught continued relentlessly, and Dugu Xin was forced to evade with all his might. In the midst of the battle, Dugu Xin felt something was amiss—two attacks seemed to converge on him simultaneously. As he pondered this oddity, the lion's claws struck, kicking up a cloud of dust in their wake.
Luo Tian's voice rang out, seemingly amused, "It's a pity." He turned around and was genuinely surprised to find Dugu Xin still on his feet. "You're still standing! That's impressive!"
Though he managed to engage martial soul possession in the nick of time, his hands tingled from the impact, and his chest felt as though it had been pounded by a sledgehammer.
Luo Tian's excitement was palpable. He exclaimed jubilantly, "Hahaha, one more time!" Dugu Xin inwardly lamented, "This old man is trying to kill me!"
However, he had little choice but to concentrate fully. He adjusted his soul power perceive the old man's intent using Beast Intent. Despite his best efforts, he was knocked down again after a few rounds. This time, Dugu Xin remained on the ground, unconscious. Luo Tian approached him, lifting him gently. He remarked, "Not bad," he commented, his voice laced with a trace of approval. "But you're not quite there yet. You managed to withstand my attacks for about 15 minutes, and you didn't even resort to using your poison skills."
With a swift movement, Luo Tian produced some healing pills and administered them to Dugu Xin. Then, utilizing his soul power, he guided Dugu Xin's soul power to recover, however as he retreated his soul power, he realized that something was amiss, "This kid… Even soul power is poisonous, and quite potent at that. If I had directly retracted my soul power without checking it, I would have been poisoned. Sigh… Truly a kid with unmatched talent."
In the evening, Dugu Xin slowly regained consciousness. He found Luo Tian roasting a 100-year-old spiked porcupine over the open flame. The tantalizing aroma floating through the air. Witnessing this, Luo Tian smiled and said with a hint of pride, "You woke up at just the right time. The meat is perfectly grilled. Try it, and I guarantee it'll leave you speechless." He then tore off a succulent pig leg and tossed it over to Dugu Xin.
Dugu Xin, who hadn't tasted normal food in a long while, took the offered meat eagerly. His first bite filled him with astonishment—it was incredibly delicious.
Under the tutelage of Luo Tian, Dugu Xin endured months of grueling training. During this time, Luo Tian exhibited an unexpected kindness by providing Dugu Xin with nourishing food coated with honey from 1,000-year-level Flower Poison Bees. This unique honey had the remarkable ability to refresh the mind, restore the spirit, and alleviate fatigue. Dugu Xin gratefully indulged in this treat. Luo Tian's relentless training regimen continued, and Dugu Xin endured countless beatings, often being knocked unconscious. However, as time passed, Dugu Xin made remarkable progress. After three months of brutal training, he finally cultivated the beast intent into an instinct. He could now withstand Luo Tian's onslaught for a full hour. Even in moments of rest, he remained vigilant, detecting and responding to Luo Tian's attacks swiftly.
During one of their training sessions, Dugu Xin not only evaded numerous strikes but also launched effective counterattacks. Recognizing this, Luo Tian smiled approvingly and stated, "Not bad, you've already mastered it. There's only one thing left."
With a tone of finality, Luo Tian issued his next directive. "I want you to go to the Fighting Soul Arena in Heaven Dou Imperial City. Use whatever means necessary to reach the Silver Fighting Soul within three months. That's when your training will be complete."
Dugu Xin nodded in acknowledgment. As he turned to leave, Luo Tian tossed a letter toward him, a knowing smile on his face. "When you reach the Soul Fighting Arena, take this letter to the person in charge. I have an old friend there, and he will look after you."
Dugu Xin examined the contents of the letter and discovered a purple gold card inside. He raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What's this?"
Luo Tian, already turning away, replied nonchalantly, "In the deep mountains and old forests, of what use is money? Take it, you might need it."
Before departing, Luo Tian shared some additional information. "Meng Shu and Yao Chen's training is also nearing its end." With a burst of soul power, he vanished into the distance, leaving Dugu Xin to ponder his next steps.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone