Heaven Dou City

Five days later, Tang San arrived in Heaven Dou City.

From a distance, the towering city stood upon the plains.

People streamed through the city gates in a ceaseless flow. Merchants, travelers, Soul Masters, soldiers, and all manner of people came and went, and the clamor could be heard from far away.

Tang San followed the crowd through the gates.

Heaven Dou City's prosperity exceeded Tang San's imagination.

The broad streets were paved with smooth bluestone slabs, and shops and restaurants stood in close-packed rows on either side. Their signs ranged from splendid gold to simple elegance. Cloth, medicine, weapons, Soul Tools, jewelry—everything one could want was there.

Pedestrians rubbed shoulders in the streets. Vendors' cries, the sounds of haggling, hoofbeats, and the rumble of wheels mingled into a bustling symphony.

Tang San walked along the streets for a while before finding a medium-sized inn and taking a room.

After paying for the room and going inside, Tang San dropped his belongings on the table and fell straight onto the bed without even taking off his clothes.

Almost the moment his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep.

He slept so deeply that heaven and earth might as well have gone dark.

For more than three months in Sunset Forest, his mind had been on high alert every moment. By day, he had to guard against Soul Beast attacks; by night, he had to stay alert to every sound around him. Even while meditating, he had not dared to relax completely. It was not physical exhaustion, but mental, as though a string had been pulled taut and held that way for over a hundred days.

Now, that string had finally slackened.

Tang San slept until noon the next day before slowly waking.

Sunlight filtered through the paper window, casting a warm patch of light before the bed. Tang San opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for a long while before slowly sitting up.

He felt comfortable all over.

It was as though he had laid down a thousand-pound burden, leaving his whole body light as a feather.

Tang San washed his face, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs for a hearty lunch, thoroughly content.

After eating, Tang San did not rush out. Instead, he returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began considering his plans for what came next.

Finding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well the way he had before would be difficult. Tang San needed a different approach; he could not keep running around like a headless fly.

Dugu Bo lived in Heaven Dou City, and his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, might be the opening Tang San needed.

If he could make contact with Dugu Yan, perhaps he could reach Dugu Bo through her and even build a better relationship with him.

Then he could try to get close to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well under the pretext of helping Dugu Bo deal with the poison in his Martial Soul.

But approaching Dugu Yan rashly would likely backfire.

If someone of unknown origin suddenly appeared before her and offered to cure her grandfather's poison, it would be a miracle if he was not taken for a swindler and flattened into a meat patty.

He had to find a way to draw her attention naturally.

After a moment's thought, Tang San quickly came up with an idea.

Enter a Soul Fighting match.

The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena was the finest Soul Fighting venue on the entire continent, bringing together outstanding Soul Masters from all over. There, he could face opponents with all kinds of Martial Souls and fighting styles and test his strength.

Not only could he gain practical experience and hone his skills by fighting others, but if his results stood out, he could also make a name for himself in Heaven Dou City and draw attention.

As a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Dugu Yan might come to the Great Soul Arena to watch or compete.

If he performed well on the Soul Fighting platform and caught Dugu Yan's attention, approaching her at a suitable opportunity afterward would be much more natural.

Besides, Soul Fighting offered prize money. The more victories, the more points; the higher the badge rank, the greater the prize money.

More importantly, he could bet on the outcome. Tang San was confident in his strength. If he could win several matches in a row and bet on himself, making some money would be no problem either.

He would need plenty of resources for cultivation in the future, so every bit he could earn helped.

With that thought, Tang San stood up, got ready, and headed out for the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.

The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena stood in the central district of Heaven Dou City. It was a vast, magnificent circular building, covering tens of thousands of square meters. Its outer walls were built of enormous white stones that gleamed in the sunlight.

Tang San stood before the Great Soul Arena and looked up at the grand building, then stepped inside.

The hall was spacious and bright, its floor paved with smooth marble. Long counters lined both sides, where dedicated receptionists handled registration for Soul Masters.

Tang San walked up to an unoccupied counter.

"Hello, are you here to register for Soul Fighting?" The receptionist was a young woman in her twenties, with a sweet smile and a clear voice.

"Yes." Tang San nodded.

"May I have your name, age, Soul Power Level, and Martial Soul?" The receptionist took out a form, ready to fill it in.

Tang San thought it over and pondered for a moment.

What should I call myself?

A word suddenly flashed through his mind.

Cyberpunk.

A cultural symbol from the world of his previous life: high tech, low life, neon lights, cyborgs, a fantastical world of bizarre sights.

That's a good name.

"Cyberpunk," Tang San said.

The receptionist was taken aback. Clearly, she had never heard such a strange name, but she did not ask further and lowered her head to write the four characters on the form.

"Your age?"

Tang San considered it. "Eleven."

In a place like Heaven Dou City, where crouching tigers and hidden dragons abounded, an eleven-year-old level-twenty-five Soul Grandmaster was rare, but not unheard of. At eight years old, level twenty-five would be far too abnormal and would likely invite unnecessary trouble.

The receptionist nodded and wrote down his age.

"Soul Power Level?"

"Level twenty-five."

The receptionist's pen paused, and she looked up at Tang San. Level twenty-five at eleven years old was considered upper-tier talent even in Heaven Dou City.

"Martial Soul?"

"Blue Silver Grass."

The corner of the receptionist's mouth twitched slightly, but her professionalism kept her from saying anything more. She lowered her head and finished filling out the form.

"The registration fee is one Gold Soul Coin," the receptionist said.

Tang San took a Gold Soul Coin from the Oriental Pearl and placed it on the counter.

The receptionist accepted the coin, took an iron badge from a drawer, and handed it to Tang San.

"This is your starting badge, the Iron Soul Badge. You have zero points. Each victory increases your points, and each defeat reduces them. At one hundred points, you can advance to a Bronze Soul Fighter badge; at one thousand, a Silver Soul Badge; and at five thousand, a Gold Soul Fighting Badge."

"There are three types of Soul Fighting: one-on-one, two-on-two, and seven-on-seven team battles. You may choose which to enter according to your circumstances. The prize money for each match depends on your opponent's level and your badge rank. The more victories you have, the greater the prize."

"In addition, you are allowed to bet on yourself to win your own matches. But you may not bet on your opponent to win or manipulate the outcome, or you will be permanently banned from competing."

The receptionist briefly explained the rules.

Tang San nodded to show he understood.

"There's a one-on-one match tonight. Would you like to sign up?"

"Yes," Tang San said.

"Very well. Please arrive before the You hour, and we'll arrange an opponent for you."

Tang San left the counter and walked around the Great Soul Arena, familiarizing himself with the place.

The inside of the arena was even larger than it appeared from outside. At the center was a huge circular Soul Fighting platform, roughly a hundred meters in diameter, paved with hard rock. Soul Power shields surrounded it to prevent Soul Skills from injuring the spectators. Four enormous crystal screens hung above the platform, displaying the names, levels, Martial Souls, and current points of both Soul Fighters in real time.

Rings of spectator seats surrounded the platform, rising tier upon tier and providing enough room for tens of thousands of people.

It was not time for Soul Fighting, and the arena was deserted except for a few staff members cleaning. Tang San could imagine the uproar that would fill the place when the matches began.