Heaven Dou Empire, Sunset Forest!
At the center of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, icy mist and scorching waves churned together as the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords Martial Soul rose behind him.
Golden lightning arcs coiled around the blue-green sword, enveloping the figure seated cross-legged at its center.
The bottleneck that had held him at peak level 98 shattered beneath the surging energy. Icy cold seeped into his meridians, freezing his blood, and then flames swept in, forging his bones and sinews.
The alternating forces of cold and heat clashed and melded within him, tempering his body until it was impervious as diamond.
As the power poured into him, the External Soul Bone on his back, shaped like wings and woven with wind and thunder, began to shine brilliantly!
The golden segments of bamboo along the sword's spine lit up one by one. Nine Spirit Rings spun madly around the blade as thunder and the power of ice and fire intertwined, transforming into countless golden rays that drilled into his dantian.
Under the tempering of these three forces, his Soul Core condensed into a diamond shape. The instant it exploded with a thunderous boom...
"I did it!"
He gave a low cry, and then the pressure of a level 99 Limit Douluo spread in every direction, blanketing the world.
The Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords shot into the air. Its tip cleaved out a golden bolt of thunder that pierced the heavens—a dragon-like pillar of lightning, wrapped in the power of ice and fire, surged into the sky and split the clouds in two.
Throughout the Sunset Forest, every Spirit Beast that felt this aura—whether it was ten-thousand-year level or even more powerful—couldn't help but crouch down and slowly bury its head in the soil.
At a glance, it looked as if they were bowing before that figure!
The figure slowly rose to his feet and drew in his aura. The Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords vanished into his palm, leaving only faint traces of lightning around him.
Only then, with the blinding lightning gone, did the man's figure come into view.
He was tall and slender, dressed in a simple green robe that nonetheless gave him an ethereal, otherworldly air.
His long black hair was untied, hanging loose down his back.
His skin was fair, his features sharply defined, and his looks were strikingly handsome.
Even compared with the distinguished readers taking in this story, he was in no way inferior.
His name was Qin Yun!
There was no doubt that anyone who could appear here was a transmigrator.
As a Blue Star native wandering far from home, Qin Yun had, like other transmigrators, bound himself to a system as soon as he arrived in Douluo Continent.
But unlike other systems, which were deliberate and purposeful, the one bound to Qin Yun was remarkably casual.
The Happy Birthday System!
Just as the name suggested, every year on his birthday, Qin Yun received a reward from his motherland, Blue Star.
It might be a rise in Soul Power Level, a Soul Bone, or a cultivation technique that had been improved.
That was why, despite having been in this world for only twenty years, Qin Yun had just reached the realm of a level 99 Limit Douluo!
And that wasn't all. Every one of his attributes had been pushed to the max.
His level alone was astonishing, but Qin Yun's combat prowess was even more terrifying.
It was no exaggeration to say that even challenging a god and winning was no impossible feat!
In a world of cultivation, the strong preyed on the weak, and there were no rules to speak of.
Or rather, there was only one rule: whoever had the strongest fist was in the right!
With such power, Qin Yun hadn't initially thought that greater ability meant greater responsibility.
Instead, he'd gone straight to living it up!
As for bullying Little Scumbag and the like...
When Qin Yun had first transmigrated, Tang San hadn't even been born. And even now, he was only a teenager.
Forget him—even his father, Tang Hao, probably couldn't withstand a single strike from Qin Yun.
People in his previous life had always said Tang San was an ungrateful wretch, and a hypocrite to boot.
But as far as Qin Yun was concerned, as long as Tang San didn't pick a fight with him, he couldn't be bothered to deal with him.
He was just a transmigrator from ancient times. What kind of trouble could he possibly stir up?
If he dared to imitate Wang Mang, Qin Yun would dare to drop a meteorite on him!
Unfortunately, although that carefree lifestyle had felt great, after keeping it up for a while, Qin Yun found that not only was his lower back feeling a little weak, but he was feeling empty inside too.
It was as if that sort of thing wasn't what he was really after.
Compared to physical or culinary pleasures, the thrill of breaking through in cultivation was far more satisfying.
And so, perhaps because he'd reached a certain age, Qin Yun—though still a young man—had started thinking about withdrawing from the world.
He entered the Sunset Forest, found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and settled there.
He cultivated from time to time. When he grew tired, he drank tea, practiced swordsmanship, tended the fields, and fussed over the flowers and plants.
His days were plain and simple, yet remarkably fulfilling, and the emptiness in his heart had vanished without a trace.
But as more and more people found their way to him, the original thatched hut grew larger and larger. By now, the place even had the air of a sect.
Some busybodies had even named the place Qingyun Sect, and the seven mountains near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, each with its own distinct scenery, had all been given names.
Tongtian Peak, Dragon Head Peak, Great Bamboo Peak, Small Bamboo Peak, for example.
Apart from himself, the sect's nominal leader, they were remarkably enthusiastic about building it up.
But it didn't matter!
Humans were social creatures. Living in isolation from everyone else all the time wasn't really sustainable.
This arrangement suited him just fine.
Unless something unexpected happened, Qin Yun figured he'd keep living this way indefinitely.
As for Bibi Dong's troubles, it would be best if Little Scumbag could resolve them. If he couldn't, Qin Yun could always take care of all of them himself!
"Never mind. If things follow the plot, it'll be at least ten more years. What's the rush?"
He shook out his wide sleeves. Having finished his breakthrough, Qin Yun left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and went to check on some flowers and plants he'd planted earlier.
But as soon as he stepped out of the herb garden, he saw a tall, slender old man in green armor, with a head of jet-black hair, standing before him.
As soon as the man saw Qin Yun, he cupped his hands in greeting and called out,
"Congratulations, Sect Master, on your great success in cultivation and your mastery of the technique! Surely it won't be long before you take that final step and become a legendary god!"
The old man's aura was steady. Though he looked advanced in years, he was still full of energy. At a glance, it was clear he was no ordinary cultivator.
"Old Poison!"
"You're standing guard here. Don't tell me it's just to flatter me?
"Say what you came to say. If there's nothing, come have some tea with me. There's no need for that sort of thing between us!"
"Hahaha!" Dugu Bo laughed heartily.
"Nothing gets past you, Sect Master. It's just that the Soul Master Tournament starts this year, and my granddaughter asked me to ask you whether you'll be going to watch."
The Soul Master Tournament?
Right, that thing!
The tournament where people shouted out their skills while fighting, like they were playing a video game?
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but if there were even a little technical skill involved, I'd go.
Even if it were a card game or a video game, Qin Yun could go join in the fun, as long as it was entertaining.
But tell me, did the Soul Master Tournament have any of those qualities?
Especially with members of the Qingyun Sect competing.
Even if the Spirit Hall had produced the Golden Generation, Shrek Academy had the whole team cheating their way to victory thanks to Little Scumbag!
Even so, it was hard to imagine anything unexpected happening.
It'd be a one-sided fight. He might as well take a nap instead of watching that.
"Let's talk about it later. If I have time, I'll..."
"Rumble—"
Before Qin Yun could finish making an excuse, a deafening boom rang through the sky, startling the Spirit Beasts in the forest into a frenzy.
Then, as the sea of clouds churned, a golden ranking list appeared suspended in the sky.
Even more astonishingly, no matter which direction one looked from, it appeared to be facing them head-on.
It was a scene worthy of the word "miracle"!
Before you continue