Doulou Dalu 34

"What? You want me to kill her?"

Bibi Dong's expression shifted slightly. Although she and Tang Huo'er were not friends, they shared a unique connection. Tang Huo'er had once been a formidable opponent, forcing Bibi Dong to unleash her twin martial spirits and fight with all her strength during the previous year's Elite Soul Master Competition.

Qian Xunji smirked cruelly and said, "Yes, this is the task assigned to you by the Spirit Hall. As the Holy Maiden, this is your duty. As long as she does not surrender and dies at your hands, it will not violate the competition rules. The Elite Soul Master Competition has captivated the entire continent's attention. Even if you kill her in the arena, the Haotian Sect will have no justification for seeking revenge."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath and fell silent for a moment. Then, her voice turned cold. "Are you done? Please leave."

Qian Xunji stepped closer, gently patting her shoulder. "You know how much the Spirit Hall has invested in you. You've absorbed the Mental Immunity Skull and acquired the Six-Winged Purple Wings. If you fail to kill Tang Huo'er or lose the match, you will be stripped of your title as the Holy Maiden."

Bibi Dong's delicate body trembled slightly. Qian Xunji studied her noble and beautiful face before turning and leaving the secret chamber.

As he exited, he glanced back, his eyes filled with greed.

Qian Xunji had desired Bibi Dong for years. She was a rare genius, a twin martial soul wielder—an occurrence only seen once in a millennium. If she bore his child, their talent would surpass even his own. In his mind, she belonged to the Spirit Hall, bound to serve it until her last breath.

But that fool had ruined everything.

His fists clenched in rage as he thought, That insignificant wretch… You really think the Haotian Sect can protect you? Once the competition ends, you will die. No one steals from me and lives. Your entire family will be erased from existence.

Although Qian Xunji suspected something had happened between Bibi Dong and Lin Fan, he never considered the possibility that she might already be pregnant. In his eyes, Lin Fan was just a fourteen-year-old boy—too young, too inexperienced, and certainly too weak to lay a hand on the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden.

For now, he only needed to wait. Bibi Dong was emotionally vulnerable, desperate to escape.

As long as you remain in the Spirit Hall, you will be mine sooner or later.

Inside the Secret Chamber

After Qian Xunji left, Bibi Dong gazed at the cold walls surrounding her. Guards stationed outside ensured she had no way to leave. She sighed softly.

Despite being the Holy Maiden, she had no freedom. In truth, she never had a choice in anything.

Born with extraordinary talent but lacking a strong sect to protect her, she was always destined to be a pawn in a grander scheme. She hadn't chosen to join the Spirit Hall. She hadn't chosen the brutal training or the title of Holy Maiden. It was all forced upon her.

At first, she had believed her talent would allow her to break free—if she could become a Titled Douluo, she could take control of her fate. But now… she didn't have that kind of time.

Feeling the changes within her body, she bit her lip, a trace of sadness in her eyes.

"Perhaps I only have a month left to live. I hope you survive and forget me. You probably... won't remember me anyway."

---

Haotian Sect

Lin Fan arrived at Tang Yiran's courtyard with Daji. In the backyard, Tang Yiran was playing the guqin. Upon seeing Lin Fan, she smiled and said, "Xiao Fan, what brings you here today?"

As she spoke, her gaze fell on the strange, fox-like creature beside him.

Lin Fan chuckled. "This is my little pet, a fox. You have a beautiful place here, so I brought her over to play."

"A pet? A soul beast?" Tang Yiran walked over, gently touching Daji's ears. "I've never seen a soul beast like this. She doesn't even have the usual aura of one."

Lin Fan shrugged. "I don't know either. She's just cute and can talk."

He turned to Daji and said, "Go on, say hello to Sister Yiran."

Daji obediently raised her paw, waving slightly. "Hello, Sister Yiran. I am Daji from the World of Kings. The master's friends are Daji's friends."

"You can talk?" Tang Yiran gasped in surprise. She gently patted Daji's head. "Can I hold you?"

Daji shook her head. "Only if Master allows it. I have three skills to protect him."

Lin Fan laughed. "It's okay, Daji. Let Sister Yiran hold you. She won't hurt you."

Once inside, Tang Yiran tried offering food to Daji, but the little fox shook her head. "Daji doesn't want food. Daji wants skins. Master, will you buy skins for Daji?"

"Wait… what did she just say?" Tang Yiran looked at Lin Fan, puzzled.

Lin Fan coughed awkwardly. "Uh… I have no idea. Just ignore her. Let's take her to play with the soul beasts you're raising."

Agreeing, Tang Yiran led them to her pet garden, where Daji interacted with the small soul beasts. She didn't show much emotion—just her usual adorable expression. To Lin Fan, her intelligence seemed like that of a child.

After spending the evening there, Lin Fan returned home. Tang Yiran didn't ask much about Daji's origins—she already saw Lin Fan as a boy full of mysteries.

---

The Final Stretch

For the next twenty days, Lin Fan devoted himself to training. After much effort, he finally broke through and reached level thirty-three.

For him, cultivation was slow and difficult. The original owner of his body didn't have exceptional martial soul talent. It was only after he used the King's Crystal to enhance his first martial soul that his cultivation talent improved slightly. Even so, progress remained sluggish.

His Shadow Blade and Blood Devil's Wrath weren't part of his martial soul and didn't contribute to his cultivation.

With only seven days left until the Soul Master Elite Competition, Captain Tang Huo'er gathered Lin Fan, Liu Erlong, and the rest of the team for intensive training at the Haotian Sect's arena. The focus was to refine their teamwork and coordination.

Lin Fan, Liu Erlong, Ye Keke, and Shui Yue'er already had a strong rapport, so they required little additional training.

During one of the sessions, Lin Fan witnessed the power of Tang Jianfeng, a level 57 combat soul master.

Tang Jianfeng wielded a thunder-attributed Clear Sky Hammer, far surpassing Tang Long in strength. His mastery of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique allowed him to execute up to eighty-one hammer strikes.

Moreover, he had learned two of the Nine Clears of Clear Sky, advanced techniques unique to Tang Hao in the original novel. Though not soul skills, these techniques significantly amplified the Clear Sky Hammer's destructive force.