Ling Xiao leaned against the window, his fingertips lightly tapping the cold glass as he rapidly sorted through his plans.
There was only one main reason he had come to Heaven Dou City.
To seize the top-tier opportunity that belonged to Tang San in the original story: the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye in Sunset Forest.
It was one of the three great treasure troves on Douluo Continent, filled with rare treasures of heaven and earth and top-grade Immortal Herbs.
Whether for breaking through in Soul Power, reshaping a Martial Soul, detoxifying and healing injuries, or breaking through to a higher realm, it had the miraculous power to defy fate and change one's life.
In the original story, Tang San had relied on the Immortal Herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye to bring about a qualitative leap in the Shrek Seven Devils' cultivation.
He couldn't just stand by and watch such an unparalleled opportunity fall into Tang San's hands.
But Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo, guarded the area around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye.
Poison Douluo's Jade Phosphorus Purple Mist was overwhelmingly powerful. Even ordinary Titled Douluo wouldn't dare venture into it lightly.
He couldn't rush into seizing the opportunity within.
Before that, he had other things to do.
Ling Xiao's gaze fell on the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, just across the street.
His Soul Power had risen too quickly, and his lack of combat experience remained his greatest weakness.
The Great Soul Arena was the fairest and most brutal place on the entire continent for practical training.
Shutting himself away at Spirit Hall to cultivate would only leave his Soul Power unsteady.
Only real, weapon-to-weapon combat could fully fuse Soul Power, his body, and his Soul Skills, laying a solid foundation.
This was the heart of power in the Heaven Dou Empire, where news from the various factions converged.
At the thought, Ling Xiao's lips curled slightly.
He turned and walked into the cultivation room.
He took the long spear off his back. The coarse cloth slid away, revealing the chilling gleam of its spearhead.
At that moment, on the roof of the pavilion across from the hotel,
a black figure hid in the shadows.
Ghost Leopard Douluo kept his gaze fixed on the suite on the tenth floor, confirming that Ling Xiao was safe.
His aura vanished once more, blending completely into the shadows.
Night fell, and the city lights came on.
The hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou City didn't die down. It only grew more intense.
The liveliest place in the entire city was the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
Built from enormous stone blocks, the circular structure loomed like a primeval beast crouching in the night.
Several huge archways swallowed and disgorged a steady stream of people. The deafening shouts and cheers could be heard clearly from hundreds of meters away.
Even standing in the street, one could feel the surging heat and frenzy washing over them.
Ling Xiao stood before the main entrance of the Great Soul Arena, gazing at the magnificent structure.
A glimmer of curiosity passed through his eyes behind the mask.
He had read countless accounts of the Great Soul Arena in Spirit Hall's records.
It was the training ground recognized by Soul Masters across the continent, as well as a brutal arena.
Countless Soul Masters had made names for themselves here, fighting their way up from unknown Iron Soul Fighters to Golden Soul Fighters cheered on by the masses.
Countless others had met defeat here. Some left with severe injuries, while others perished on the Soul Fighting Arena.
Here, no one cared about your origins or how powerful your backing was.
The ones who could stand on the Soul Fighting Arena and win in the end were the true strong.
"Welcome, sir. Are you here to watch the matches or take part in Soul Fighting?"
Seeing Ling Xiao pause at the entrance, an attendant approached respectfully.
The boy before him looked only about ten years old and wore a half-face mask, but his refined bearing made the attendant reluctant to slight him.
"I'm here to register for Soul Fighting."
Ling Xiao spoke calmly, his voice cool and unreadable.
"Please, this way. The registration office is in the hall on the left."
The attendant bowed and led the way, asking nothing more.
Ling Xiao followed him into the Great Soul Arena, and was instantly engulfed by a wave of sound.
One high-profile Soul Fighting match after another was underway inside the arena.
The deafening cheers nearly lifted the roof. The cries of tens of thousands of spectators merged into a surging sea of sound.
The air was thick with the mingled scents of strong liquor and sweat, threaded with fervor.
Everything at Spirit Hall was solemn, with strict ranks and regulations.
Here, everything was wild and frenzied.
Ling Xiao kept his eyes straight ahead and followed the attendant into the registration hall on the left.
It was much quieter here. Soul Masters lined up at more than a dozen registration windows.
The staff handling registrations worked briskly, their expressions numb. They had clearly seen every kind of Soul Master there was.
When Ling Xiao's turn came, the middle-aged woman at the counter looked up at him.
She noticed his mask and paused briefly before speaking in a formulaic tone.
"Name, age, Martial Soul type, and Soul Power Level. Soul Fighting registration requires an on-site Soul Power test. Providing false information will result in a permanent ban from Soul Fighting."
"Zero, ten years old, control-type Martial Soul, level twenty-four Soul Grandmaster."
Ling Xiao casually gave an assumed name and added two years to his age to avoid drawing too much attention.
The pen in the middle-aged woman's hand abruptly stopped.
She looked up sharply and examined Ling Xiao again, disbelief in her eyes.
Ten years old? A level twenty-four Soul Grandmaster?
She had worked in registration at the Great Soul Arena for more than a decade and had seen no fewer than eighty geniuses.
She had never even heard of a ten-year-old level twenty-four Soul Grandmaster!
"Please cooperate with the Soul Power test."
Suppressing her shock, the middle-aged woman pushed a Soul Power testing crystal toward Ling Xiao, her tone turning more serious.
Ling Xiao said nothing. He extended his right hand and gently placed it on the testing crystal.
A pale blue glow lit up inside the crystal, growing brighter and brighter.
At last, it settled at the level twenty-four mark.
The middle-aged woman stared at the mark on the crystal, her pupils contracting as she sucked in a sharp breath.
It was real!
The masked boy before her really was a ten-year-old level twenty-four Soul Grandmaster!
He was definitely the youngest level twenty-four Soul Fighting contestant the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena had seen in recent years!
She quickly filled in the registration form, took out a black iron token, and held it out to Ling Xiao.
"Mr. Zero, your Soul Fighting registration is complete. As a new contestant, your initial rank is Iron Soul Fighter. This is your Iron Soul Badge."
"With this badge, you can sign up for one-on-one, two-on-two, or team Soul Fighting matches at your rank. Soul Fighting points can raise your badge rank, and you can also exchange them for various Soul Master supplies at the Great Soul Arena."
"Can I sign up for a one-on-one match now?"
Ling Xiao took the iron token. It felt heavy in his hand, and bore the character for "iron," along with his number and basic information.
"Of course."
The middle-aged woman immediately nodded and pointed to the registration window beside her.
"Sign up there, and the system will match you with an opponent of the same rank and Soul Power range. Once the match is made, the arena and order of appearance will be announced on the big screen. You can wait in the staging area."
Ling Xiao thanked her, turned to the registration window, handed over his Iron Soul Badge, and signed up for a one-on-one Iron Soul Fighting match.
The staff member handling registrations saw the information on his badge and likewise looked shocked.
Not daring to ask any questions, they quickly entered the information and said to Ling Xiao,
"Mr. Zero, your registration is complete. The system is matching you with an opponent now. Please wait in the staging area on the left. You'll be notified by announcement once a match is found."
Ling Xiao nodded and turned toward the staging area.
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