Chapter 46: The Fallacy in the Tavern – Part 1
Thank you to our new Patrons: jostein kildal, Anaral, Benjamin Louri, Mürsel Kenan, Nanu, Volrith and Damokles72! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 180: The Gap of a Single Ring – Part 6 on Patreon!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ah Yin also wanted to go, but realizing her cultivation level was lacking, she could only send Ye Wen and the others off with a huff.
"I'm not satisfied! Next time, I'll definitely go." (`~)
Though the journey was long, it was uneventful since they were traveling with a group of soul masters, including a rare Soul Sage-level powerhouse on the continent.
The entourage included eight of Ye Wen's direct disciples, as well as Lan Lan and Qian Qian. Though the two girls weren't particularly lively or energetic, they still wanted to attend this grand gathering of soul masters from across the continent, so Ye Wen brought them along.
As for Elder Ye Buyi, his advanced age made him unable to endure the rigors of travel, so he declined.
The Tian Xing Clinic was left in the care of Elder Ye Buyi. After months of medical records and research, Ye Wen had already developed an effective medicine.
Elder Ye Buyi's discerning eye made it easy for him to diagnose basic ailments—just prescribe the appropriate medicine. As for external injuries, there were few cases of severe wounds in Notting City, as there was no arena for battles here.
After more than a month, they finally arrived at the borders of Spirit City. Gazing at the towering white walls and the magnificent medieval Western-style architecture, Ye Wen narrowed his eyes.
"No wonder it's the top soul master faction on the continent—they've built an entire city. Truly impressive."
At that moment, Dugu Bo stepped forward and said to Ye Wen, "Once we're inside, even with my strength, I can't fully protect all of you. So try not to cause trouble.
However, don't worry too much. The rules of the Spirit Hall are absolute, unlike the capitals of the two empires. Soul masters aren't allowed to oppress civilians, nor can they fight arbitrarily within the city. Otherwise, the city's enforcement team won't hold back."
Ye Wen nodded with a smile. He knew his disciples best—they were all educated and well-mannered, nothing like the troublemakers like Xiao Wu from the original story.
After paying the entrance fee, they entered the city. A sense of grandeur and order immediately struck them. Compared to the Heavenly Battle Empire's capital they had visited before, the hygiene and environment of Spirit City were far superior.
The streets were clean, and the residents wore relaxed, carefree expressions—it was clearly a peaceful place.
Fortunately, the group had arrived a month before the finals, so hotel prices hadn't yet skyrocketed. They quickly secured long-term accommodations and began exploring this holy city, renowned across the continent.
It was truly remarkable to see such a well-ordered city in this era, leaving Ye Wen deeply moved.
In this city, soul masters didn't oppress civilians, and all businesses operated normally. There was no trace of the underworld or riffraff.
If the Spirit Hall were to unify the continent forty years later and enforce such governance, it would undoubtedly mark a monumental leap forward in the history of human civilization on Douluo.
Unfortunately, Tang San's arrival plunged the world into chaos, with noble decadence running rampant. By Douluo II, the situation had become unbearable, with the chaos of evil soul masters lasting for ten thousand years and poisoning a hundred generations of people on the Douluo Continent.
A month later, the once spacious central avenue was now bustling with activity. Exquisitely designed carriages streamed into Spirit City.
On the carriages were various crests—the royal insignias of the Heavenly Battle Empire and the Star Luo Empire, badges representing different academies, and even symbols of certain sects.
"It's finally about to begin."
"Yeah, I wonder what prodigies will appear this year."
"Hah, no need to guess. Our Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden will surely take first place again this year. After all, none of the elite academies from the two empires could surpass our Holy Maiden last time."
"True, true."
"The women from Tian Shui Academy sure are delicate!"
All sorts of discussions filled the air in Spirit City. Ye Wen grew annoyed—there wasn't much valuable information being shared. He soon returned to the hotel.
The group was staying at one of the premier hotels in Spirit City: Sheng Hui Hotel. Backed by the Angel Clan, it was a place where no one dared to cause trouble. Ye Wen had chosen it for its tranquility, despite the slightly higher cost.
Though primarily a hotel, its cuisine was also exceptional, delighting Ye Wen's palate after a long time.
The twelve of them gathered around several large tables on the second floor, enjoying lunch in high spirits.
The sudden transition from arduous cultivation to such a leisurely lifestyle made the disciples feel as if their bones were melting.
However, Ye Wen didn't let them relax too much. While balancing work and rest was important, excessive relaxation wasn't beneficial. During their downtime, Ye Wen sent them to train in the city's spirit arenas for practical combat experience.
Though the city was filled with powerful soul masters, Ye Wen's carefully trained disciples were no pushovers. Though they didn't achieve perfect victories, they generally won more than they lost, earning Ye Wen tens of thousands of gold soul coins.
With expenses offset by earnings, this trip to Spirit City was practically free.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs caught everyone's attention. Initially, no one paid much heed—it was a tavern, after all, and nearby tables were occupied.
But then a young, confident voice rang out, saying,
"Holy Maiden, let me tell you something. I've discovered that the first soul ring's maximum lifespan is 423 years, the second is 764 years, the third is 1,760 years, the fourth is 5,000 years, the fifth is 12,000 years, the sixth is 20,000 years, the seventh is 50,000 years, the eighth is under 100,000 years, and the ninth is around 100,000 years.
So when you hunt for your sixth soul ring, you absolutely must not exceed 20,000 years, otherwise you won't be able to handle it."
"Pfft!" Dugu Xin burst out laughing.
The noise drew the attention of the two individuals climbing the stairs.
One was a man, the other a woman. The woman had a beautiful face with an air of authority, her golden, slightly wavy hair cascading down to her waist. The man, though relatively ordinary, had short hair that gave him a somewhat capable appearance—not handsome, but with a hint of puppy-like charm.
Ye Wen glanced at them and immediately guessed who they were.
Though many years had passed, Bi Bi Dong's slightly domineering yet youthful aura remained unchanged. As for the man confidently spouting nonsense about soul ring absorption limits—there was no need to guess. It was obviously Yu Xiaogang. Such a flawed theory could only come from him, and he was always clinging to Bi Bi Dong.
Ye Wen tapped Dugu Xin on the head and said,
"Don't be rude."
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow