Hanhai City, the number one city in the western frontier of the Heaven Dou Empire, was also the largest coastal and port city on the entire Douluo Continent.
It was located within the territory of the Haagen-Dazs Kingdom of the Heaven Dou Empire. This massive city was built beside the sea—or rather, on the mountains by the sea. No matter how the tides rose or fell, it remained completely unshaken.
After absorbing his soul ring, Yu Tianming had journeyed north across the desert and arrived here.
Because Dugu Bo had a shorter route, even by carriage he arrived several days earlier than Yu Tianming and his group.
Before even entering the city, the faint scent of salt and the sea had already reached Yu Tianming's nose.
He also noticed that the people of Hanhai City differed significantly from those in the inland regions: while inlanders typically wore long robes, the people here dressed in short-sleeved shirts and shorts—cool and breezy. Their bodies were generally shorter and darker in complexion as well.
After the four regrouped, Yu Yuanzhen didn't suggest they rest and eat like usual. Instead, he said to Dugu Bo:
"Tianming's level is already quite high now, but he's never participated in a Soul Battle. Why don't we let him try one first, and then we can help Elder Dugu hunt for a soul ring?"
Dugu Bo chuckled and replied, "Sea-type Soul Masters fight quite differently from regular ones. If Tianming can spar with a few Sea Soul Masters in Hanhai City's main Soul Arena, it'll definitely broaden his experience. I fully support it."
Soul Battles were incredibly popular among Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent. Not only did Shrek Academy battle daily, but Heaven Dou Royal Academy also used battles to train students' combat abilities. Every five years, there was even the grand Continental Soul Master Tournament where young geniuses could prove themselves.
Yu Tianming had been curious about Soul Battles for a long time but never had the chance to participate. He agreed right away: "This time, I'll take part in the first Soul Battle of my life."
Before long, the four of them arrived at the Hanhai Grand Soul Arena.
Though the arena's size was only average compared to those in other cities, it was bustling with life. The audience seats were already packed, even with time left before the match began. The attendance rate was extremely high.
They paid a hefty price to reserve the VIP room for a top-tier one-on-one Soul Battle.
Unlike the traditional ring-shaped Soul Arenas they were used to, this arena was actually a giant pool.
The pool had a diameter of one hundred meters. The clear blue water gleamed like a massive sapphire, completely undisturbed. The audience stands were already packed, and even though the VIP room had soundproofing, just watching the crowd was enough to feel the intense atmosphere.
Dugu Yan picked up the information placard in the room and read aloud, word by word: "The Soul Battle pool is circular, with a diameter of 108 meters and a depth of ten meters. Any contestant leaving the vertical boundary of the pool is considered defeated."
Dugu Bo reminded the soon-to-register Yu Tianming, "Tianming, remember to wear a mask to avoid exposing your identity."
At not even ten years old, Yu Tianming already had the strength of a rank-40 Soul Master. As the heir to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he had long been the focus of major powers across the continent. If his level was exposed, it could attract assassins.
Yu Yuanzhen added, "Since you're fighting Sea Soul Masters, no flying and no lightning."
Yu Tianming smiled confidently and replied, "Of course, I know how to keep a low profile. Just wait and watch."
Soon, it was time to register for the battle, followed by the match draw. Unless a participant stood out significantly, most matchups were decided by drawing lots.
Coincidentally, Yu Tianming was picked to appear in the very first group.
Not long after, the host's voice came through a special channel into the VIP room:
"One-on-one Soul Battle, second match! Cross-Tailed Dragon versus Blue-Spotted Shark!"
"Now, let's briefly introduce the two sides. Everyone knows the Blue-Spotted Shark is riding a four-win streak. Just one more victory and he'll earn bonus points for a five-win streak. As a rank-43 powerhouse at the Soul Ancestor level, he's on the verge of reaching Silver-ranked Soul Fighter status. These streak points are very important, so he'll surely give it his all."
"Now let's look at his opponent—Cross-Tailed Dragon. Just by name, you can tell he's a powerful dragon-type Soul Master. But it's his first time participating in Hanhai's Grand Soul Arena. Even though he's already rank-40, he doesn't yet have a fourth soul ring. Is he planning to fight someone with four rings using only three?"
"To be honest, I don't have high hopes for him. Alright, enough chatter. One-on-one Soul Battle, second match—contestants, please enter the arena!"
With the host's dramatically emotional narration, the crowd's excitement reached a boiling point.
In Soul Battles, the one-on-one and team fights were the most thrilling. Today's full house was mostly there to witness the rising star, Blue-Spotted Shark.
It was obvious the organizers had intentionally arranged for Blue-Spotted Shark and Yu Tianming to face each other. If Blue-Spotted Shark won, it would boost his popularity even more. But if the mysterious dragon-type Cross-Tailed Dragon pulled off an upset, the arena would rake in a massive profit.
As the match began, from the entrance on the left side of the arena emerged a tall figure wearing a mask. Even though it was the standard mask used in the arena, the air around him hinted at his extraordinary nature.
Yu Tianming, though a first-timer in the arena, walked out confidently under the gaze of thousands. As heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he had seen more than his fair share of powerful figures. The crowd didn't faze him in the slightest—he looked composed and full of confidence.
On the other side came a man in his forties, with dark skin, a burly build, and a fierce face. He was bald and nearly two meters tall, his exposed skin covered in green tattoos.
Seeing Cross-Tailed Dragon's rookie appearance, the bald man was brimming with confidence and clearly underestimated him. He raised his right hand and pointed at Yu Tianming, then flipped it around and beckoned with his index finger—a blatant taunt.
His provocative gesture immediately set off the audience. Cheers exploded across the arena, all fired up by the Blue-Spotted Shark's aggressive demeanor.
Yu Tianming only smiled in response, ignoring the provocation. He would let his actions do the talking.
The host, seeing this, shouted in exaggerated shock to stir up the crowd:
"Oh! What are we seeing? Cross-Tailed Dragon completely ignored Blue-Spotted Shark's taunt! Is he underestimating him? Soul Masters, release your spirits! Countdown from five. Five—four—three—two—one—Soul Battle, begin!"
(End of Chapter)
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