Chapter 33: Soul Battles

Chapter 33: Soul Battles

In the days that followed, Ye Wen focused wholeheartedly on research, energized by the extraordinary enhancement of his second soul skill. Countless complex questions became clear, each resolved effortlessly under this skill's newfound capabilities. With these advances, Ye Wen even managed to compile the world's first herbology tome on par with Compendium of Materia Medica, documenting all sorts of unusual plants and medicinal roots he'd collected over the years.

In a higher plane, such an achievement might have elevated him to sainthood. But Douluo Continent lacked such recognition, bound by a lesser world order. (PS: This isn't about giving the protagonist random powers but rather exploring Ye Wen's latent abilities, now unlocked by his expanded spiritual power. Space itself is made of matter, so a spatially imbued martial soul naturally fits this ability.)

Ye Wen found himself itching to visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and gather all the immortal herbs, just to prevent the future demon king Tang San from squandering them. But after some consideration, he dismissed the idea. Despite his progress, he was only at the Soul King level, which, while respectable, was far from enough to venture freely into such a perilous area.

As for training his disciples, Ye Wen entrusted this to Ah Yin, given her growing influence over their circle. With her advancement toward Soul King level, she'd been especially cheerful, savoring this peaceful time. The children under her care received foundational lessons and practice drills tasks well within her abilities.

One day, Huo Rui and Huo Quan approached Ye Wen, looking determined.

"Master, we want to engage in real combat."

Ye Wen paused, setting aside his materials, and looked over the siblings, who had each grown stronger in both skill and stature. Huo Rui exuded vigor, with her high ponytail emphasizing her energetic youthfulness, while Huo Quan's calm demeanor and cropped hair made him look every bit a stoic warrior. There was a reassuring intensity about them.

"You're seeking battle experience, hmm?" Ye Wen tapped the table in thought.

Indeed, these siblings were cultivation prodigies, reaching the Soul Elder stage at a young age. Huo Quan was at rank 35, and Huo Rui, at rank 32. With Ye Wen's teachings, they'd mastered the self created techniques like the Six Powers and the tree climbing and water treading methods, making them formidable in close combat. If either of them managed to get close, Ye Wen doubted he'd best them purely through technique alone.

With his research hitting a bottleneck, Ye Wen considered a brief journey to clear his mind.

"Very well," he nodded.

The siblings exchanged an excited glance, eager to put their skills to the test. They'd been itching to use their newfound power against more formidable opponents. Daily life offered only two extremes: a teacher who could overpower them effortlessly or disciples they would crush too easily. They were in their prime and ready to unleash what they had learned.

In the bustling streets outside David City's Soul Arena in the Fanos Province

The sheer mass of people surrounding the arena was dizzying, filling Huo Rui and Huo Quan with excitement. Ye Wen, on the other hand, remained unphased; he was accustomed to traveling to larger towns in search of rare materials. As for why they hadn't ventured to the larger Soto City Soul Arena, it was simply too far.

Familiarity with the original work wasn't required to understand the tension between the two empires and the structure of their provinces. The Heaven Dou Empire originally comprised ten provinces, including Fanos, where Ye Wen resided. But over time, the empire had splintered. Only five provinces remained under direct imperial control, with the rest divided among four kingdoms and a duchy. These territories served as a buffer against the Star Luo Empire, Heaven Dou's age old adversary.

Ye Wen pointed to a massive black stone monument outside the arena. "See that stone? Every name inscribed there represents a soul master who died in this arena. My advice is to avoid mercy in battle."

Then he laid out their combat restrictions.

"First, do not reveal your soul rings. Your ring configurations are far too striking, and drawing attention from certain powers here could pose a problem. Next, refrain from using long range self created skills; rely solely on close combat techniques. Lastly, you're to each complete a minimum of ten matches. If either of you loses a single one, I'll personally oversee your future training with a more... attentive regimen."

Seeing the slight smirk on Ye Wen's face sent a chill down their spines. For a moment, they wondered if they had been too hasty in their enthusiasm for real combat. Any thought of asking for leniency died as they watched his ominous smile. Silently, they resolved not to lose. Ye Wen's focused research had meant he left their training up to them lately. The memory of his intense teaching style, designed to push them to their limits, was not something they wanted to relive.

They made their way to the registration counter, setting down ten gold coins.

"Registering."

"Please state your level and chosen alias."

Huo Rui replied, "Rank 32 Soul Elder, Heavenly Walk Senior Sister."

Huo Quan added, "Rank 35 Soul Elder, Heavenly Walk Second Brother."

"Would you like to register for battles today?"

"Absolutely."

"Very well. Your registrations are complete. Heavenly Walk Senior Sister, your first match is at 2 p.m., and Heavenly Walk Second Brother, yours will be at 4 p.m."

With registration done, the two siblings donned the black and gold threaded uniforms Ye Wen had prepared for them. The outfits were straightforward but bore the characters "Heavenly Walk" embroidered in gold thread on the left chest. The design, tailored by Ye Wen himself, prioritized mobility and minimized any drawbacks or exploitable features in combat.

To ensure their anonymity, Ye Wen had also prepared face masks for them. This wasn't about making a name but building battle skills, so he saw no need to attract unnecessary attention. A little fame was fine, but whether they were seen as the Heavenly Walk Academy or the Heavenly Walk Sect was best left vague.

(End of Chapter)

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