Douluo Continent, Spirit City.
A hundred meters east of the Pope Palace stood an old-fashioned courtyard house. In its courtyard grew a huge peach tree with a trunk as thick as a water barrel. Its branches were lush, and clusters of bright pink peach blossoms bloomed along them.
If all the blossoms on such a huge peach tree turned into fruit, and not a single one was eaten by worms, then July would be a delightful season in this courtyard.
The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and their faint fragrance drifted through the courtyard with the circulating air.
Beneath the tree, a man sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. He wore a riot of colors that somehow amounted to black. His features were handsome, and strands of pitch-black Soul Power coiled around him like celestial mist, making him seem like a demon god.
Behind him floated a black spear. Unlike most spears, it pointed downward, its tip aimed at the ground.
White jade patterns were carved along the shaft of the black spear.
The designs they formed were not a traditional dragon, but a demon god baring its fangs.
Suddenly, the air around him began to churn, whipping up a black tornado.
The raging wind swept peach blossoms from the tree. Petals drifted down from the sky, spinning rapidly through the air in the tornado.
At the tornado's center, the wind lifted Chu Feng's clothes, while the black spear behind him glowed with a piercing black light.
The light did not feel sharp so much as overwhelmingly domineering, radiating a power capable of crushing everything.
The young man's aura continued to grow stronger. At a certain moment, his tightly shut eyes snapped open.
"Phew!"
"Heaven rewards the diligent. I've finally broken through to Quasi-Title Douluo!"
"The only difference between a Quasi-Title Douluo and a true Titled Douluo is the Ninth Spirit Ring. As soon as I give my Martial Soul its Ninth Spirit Ring, I'll be a true Titled Douluo!"
"Once I become a Titled Douluo, I can fulfill my lifelong dream: becoming the Eighth Elder of Spirit Hall and joining its inner circle of power!"
"Next, I just need to head to Star Dou Forest and obtain a Hundred-Thousand-Year Ninth Spirit Ring!"
Chu Feng withdrew his Martial Soul, stood up, and headed out of the courtyard.
Before setting out for Star Dou Forest, he needed to make a trip to the Pope Palace.
He would ask Bibi Dong for two Titled Douluo.
Although Chu Feng's combat strength was exceptional, the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape were no ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts.
One possessed Azure Dragon Bloodline, and the other Titan Bloodline. The two Ferocious Beasts were inseparable, and if they joined forces, Chu Feng wasn't confident he could take them both on by himself.
With Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's Polar Static Domain, which could immobilize their targets for eight seconds, Chu Feng would be completely confident of taking them down without injury.
"Executive Chu, you've come out of seclusion!"
On his way to the Pope Palace, Chu Feng ran into someone he knew.
They had come from the same village, and as old friends from back home, they were especially close.
They often got together for drinks.
"Mm!" Chu Feng nodded. "I'm out. I gained a lot from this retreat and successfully broke through to Quasi-Title Douluo!"
As he spoke, Chu Feng focused his thoughts and let his friend feel the aura of a Quasi-Title Douluo.
"Damn, you actually broke through!"
Feeling the aura emanating from Chu Feng, his friend cried out in astonishment.
Then he sighed softly.
His words came straight from the heart. "I'm so jealous. You're only twenty, and you're already a Quasi-Title Douluo!"
"We're the same age, but you're a Quasi-Title Douluo while I'm only a Soul King!"
"Ah..."
He sighed again, fully aware of his own limitations.
Chu Feng had reached Quasi-Title Douluo at twenty because he was a genius.
Chu Feng and he were simply from different worlds.
Chu Feng not only possessed the top-tier Western Chu Overlord Spear Martial Soul, but also Innate Level 20 Full Spirit Power.
He had absorbed every one of his Spirit Rings right at the limit.
On top of that, he had free access to Spirit Hall's resources.
"That's already really good!"
"You had Innate Level 3 Soul Power, and you're a Soul King at twenty."
"Plenty of people would envy your rate of cultivation!"
After all, the other man was a close friend he often drank and dined with. Chu Feng truly didn't want to discourage him too much.
He gently patted his friend on the shoulder and spoke soothingly.
His friend was indeed comforted.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"That's right. With my Innate Level 3 Soul Power and my sickle Martial Soul, I became a Soul King at twenty. I'm still better than a certain Grandmaster who can't even break through level 30!"
As they chatted, they arrived at the Pope Palace before they knew it.
Looking at the palace before them, his friend turned a puzzled gaze on him.
He asked, "You're already a Quasi-Title Douluo. Why come to the Pope Palace instead of going to Star Dou Forest to hunt a Spirit Beast and get your Ninth Spirit Ring?"
At that, Chu Feng looked up at the Pope Palace before him and replied, "Of course I'm here to ask His Holiness the Pope for some Titled Douluo!"
His friend was confused.
"What do you need Titled Douluo for?"
"Obviously, to hunt the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python in Star Dou Forest."
After a pause, Chu Feng continued, "Neither the Sky Azure Bull Python nor the Titan Giant Ape is an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast. They're Ferocious Beasts with powerful bloodlines and extraordinary combat strength.
"Star Dou Forest is their home ground, and the two of them work together. I can't handle them on my own!"
"If I have Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Polar Static Domain, then I'll be completely confident I can take them down without injury."
"Huntting the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape?" His friend's heart skipped a beat, and he asked in shock, "Are you planning to absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring as your Ninth Spirit Ring?"
Chu Feng nodded.
"Mm! I'd originally planned to absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring for my Eighth Spirit Ring, too. But back then, I couldn't kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast. And the soul power and energy contained in one of their Spirit Rings were too terrifying; I wasn't fully confident I could absorb it. So I had no choice but to choose a Spirit Ring from a ninety-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
"Since my Eighth Spirit Ring wasn't a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring, I've regretted it ever since!"
"Now I finally have a chance to absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring as my Ninth Spirit Ring. Shouldn't I give it one?"
Actually, if he could, Chu Feng wanted to absorb the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's Million-Year Spirit Ring for his Ninth Spirit Ring!
But the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King lived in the deep sea and was elusive. Chu Feng couldn't pin down its location.
Besides, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was incredibly powerful and difficult to hunt. There was a risk of failure.
So the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King wasn't Chu Feng's first choice. He preferred to play it safe.
Why did Chu Feng know so much about the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King? Because he was a Transmigrator.
Twenty years ago, on a rainy night, Chu Feng had just won the lottery when a truck sent him to Douluo Continent.
Before you continue