Douluo Traversal: If I Pull Out a Dou Technique, Won't You Explode?

The Dou Crystal's glow grew increasingly brilliant, and its size drew ever closer to a certain limit. Fine tremors began to appear across its surface, as though something was about to break out of its shell.

The next moment.

"Bzzzz—!"

Within his dantian, the diamond-shaped Dou Crystal, already swollen to its limit and glaringly bright, suddenly began to tremble violently, emitting a deep hum!

The light on its surface began alternating rhythmically between bright and dim. Every shift was accompanied by a thump, thump, like the beating of a heart.

At first, the sound was faint. But as the light flashed faster, the beating grew stronger and quicker, until it completely synchronized with Liu Bai's own heartbeat!

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Every heartbeat drove the Dou Crystal to contract and expand once.

Under Liu Bai's focused awareness, the once sharply edged, diamond-shaped Dou Crystal slowly began to deform beneath the repeated wash of energy tides and its own rhythmic pulses.

Its edges gradually smoothed away. Its size shrank slightly, yet it became denser and more rounded.

In the end, it transformed into a perfectly round, translucent Dou Crystal pearl that radiated a warm yet powerful aura. However, the changes had not stopped!

Sharp energy spikes slowly began protruding and growing from the surface of that round pearl!

One, two, three... nine!

In the end, the core Dou Crystal had transformed into a strange object—perfectly round all over, yet covered in nine sharp energy spikes!

Like a sea urchin brimming with vitality and explosive energy!

It floated in the center of his dantian vortex, its light pulsing in and out. It throbbed in sync with his heart, and with every pulse, it drew in and expelled vast amounts of pure Dou Qi, increasing the vortex's operating efficiency severalfold!

Boom!!!

The instant the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal fully formed and resonated as one with Liu Bai's heartbeat, an indescribably powerful energy fluctuation erupted like a dormant volcano, violently spreading outward from his dantian!

The energy ripples passed unhindered through the vortex, surged through his meridians, shook his bones, soaked into his flesh and blood, then burst forth through every pore of his skin!

Above the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Dugu Bo, who had been watching the movements below, suddenly changed expression and instantly retreated several yards!

At the boundary between the previously calm icy and fiery spring waters, a red-and-white column of water several meters high exploded into the air! Rampaging energy mixed with extreme heat and cold swept in every direction!

At the top of the water column, a figure burst from the surface!

It was Liu Bai!

He opened his eyes. Golden-red and icy-blue flames seemed to flash through them before vanishing, leaving only a deep, unfathomable gaze.

An imposing aura several times stronger than before spread out without restraint.

He landed lightly on the ground.

He casually took out a set of clothes and changed into them.

"Sorry, old man. I made a little too much noise."

The Dou Ling realm—broken through!

Dugu Bo carefully examined Liu Bai.

"You brat, your aura is several times stronger than before you went in! But your Soul Power Level... only rose by two levels. How did you become this much stronger? Is it because of your cultivation technique?"

Liu Bai nodded.

"Something like that. My cultivation technique made another breakthrough."

After four years of cultivation, his Soul Power Level had now reached level 44, while his Dou Qi had reached one-star Dou Ling.

He sensed his body slightly.

Breaking through to Dou Ling had cleansed his marrow and tempered his bones. His physique was more than twice as strong as before, while his agility, neural reactions, and everything else had improved greatly as well.

Furthermore, after reaching the Dou Ling realm, the changes within his body were practically a complete rebirth.

His Dou Qi reserves had increased by more than five times.

Previously, with his peak Da Dou Shi cultivation, Martial Soul amplification, Red Scale Leap, and Dry Blue Water Flame, his true combat strength had been comparable to that of a three- or four-star Dou Ling.

Without those advantages, relying solely on his own cultivation, even a two- or three-star—no, merely a newly advanced Dou Ling—would have been enough to leave him in a miserable state.

The gap between them had simply been too great.

But now, if he unleashed his Martial Soul amplification, Red Scale Leap, and everything else at full power, he should be comparable to a seven- or eight-star Dou Ling.

That leap was already outrageous.

In the Douluo World, even ordinary Soul Saints would absolutely be no match for him!

Dugu Bo did not dwell on it. He had seen too many of Liu Bai's miraculous feats.

"You were in seclusion for too long. Yanyan was dragged out by that girl Lingling to have some fun. If you want to find her, go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Liu Bai nodded.

"Alright. Then I'll be going, old man. I won't disturb your cultivation."

Dugu Bo waved a hand.

"Get lost, brat. Every time you come here, you leave this place in a complete mess."

"Hehehe, I'm off."

With that, he flashed several times and shot straight out of the valley at incredible speed, leaving even Dugu Bo stunned.

That speed was already comparable to an agility-type Soul Saint. This brat!

Shaking his head.

He sat down cross-legged again to cultivate. Ever since Liu Bai had taught him the Nether Poison Secret Canon—

He had not slacked off in his cultivation for even a moment. Perhaps in this lifetime, he might still catch a glimpse of the ultimate realm?

With the aid of the Nether Poison Secret Canon, he had not felt the existence of any bottleneck at all. Level 95 was definitely not his endpoint. He could continue growing stronger.

Half a day later, Liu Bai finally returned to Heaven Dou City.

There were still more than half a month before Heaven Dou Royal Academy reopened, but most academies had already begun preparing admissions for the new school year.

Recruitment advertisements from every direction covered the streets.

Naturally, some highly renowned academies, such as Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the Four Elements Academies, had no need to do that at all.

"Where could Sister Yanyan and the others be?"

Liu Bai rubbed his chin. At the academy, or at the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan?

Just as he was pondering.

A figure suddenly came sneaking along without even looking ahead.

With a thud, she crashed right into his arms.

Liu Bai instinctively wrapped an arm around her to keep her from falling.

"Ow."

Ning Rongrong instinctively looked up, her gaze meeting Liu Bai's directly.

"Are you alright? You should watch where you're going. Be careful."

Ning Rongrong stared blankly.

"So handsome~"

"Huh?"

"Huh? Oh, no... no, I'm fine. Sorry, sorry. I just snuck... I mean, I forgot to watch where I was going. I'm sorry."

Ning Rongrong hurriedly apologized.

Liu Bai smiled and released her.

"It's fine. Just remember to be more careful next time."

After Ning Rongrong stepped out of his arms, she suddenly felt a strange sense of loss.

Ah, what's wrong with me? Seriously, I actually apologized without even thinking just now.

Complaining About Shrek

Liu Bai also examined her closely. Pink hair, this age... why did she seem so familiar?

"Are you planning to enroll in an advanced Soul Master Academy?"

Hearing that, Ning Rongrong nodded.

"Yes, but I still don't know which academy to attend. I heard there's some academy over in Suotuo City that claims it only accepts monsters, not ordinary people. I was just about to go take a look."

She seemed to think of something, and her eyes lit up.

"Are you going to join an advanced Soul Master Academy too? Do you want to go check out Shrek Academy with me?"

Ning Rongrong asked almost instinctively. If this handsome guy could go with her, the journey would not be boring, and she would have something pleasant to look at too.

Liu Bai's heart skipped a beat. Go to Shrek?

Only if he had eaten himself silly.

He immediately shook his head.

"Forget it. I heard it isn't a very good academy."

Ning Rongrong was puzzled.

"From your tone, you seem to know this academy well. Tell me about it. I was planning to go take a look."

Liu Bai pretended to think for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"Actually, Shrek Academy is not an advanced Soul Master Academy at all. It's just a scam academy."

"What? A scam academy?!"

Liu Bai nodded.

"Shrek Academy is a complete pitfall. Their admission requirements are absurdly high. They only accept so-called monsters, and ordinary geniuses cannot even get through the door."

"Isn't that a good thing? An academy with only monsters?"

"You're overthinking it. Although Shrek Academy's teachers have fairly high Soul Power Levels, they have no real ability to teach or nurture students. With those standards, anyone who can enter Shrek Academy is already a once-in-ten-thousand genius."