In the Soul Fighting Arena, each type of Soul Fighting could only be entered once per day. After participating in a one-on-one bout, you could only form a team to enter a two-on-two bout or a seven-on-seven team battle.
This was not limited to Spirit City's Soul Fighting Arena. Rather, no Soul Fighting Arena anywhere on the continent allowed someone to participate repeatedly in the same type of Soul Fighting. Of course, the arenas had established this rule to prevent Soul Masters from advancing their Soul Fighting badges too quickly.
Although Tian Chen wanted to participate in a few more bouts, the arena's rules left him no choice but to give up.
In any case, he still had a month to prepare for the upcoming year-end tournament. One bout per day would be enough to hone his practical combat experience.
Besides, he had more important things to do now.
Huyan Li and his grandfather, Celestial Elephant Huyan Zhen, for instance.
The original novel had stated that the Elephant Armor Sect was located near Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, which was quite a distance from Spirit City.
In the original novel, Huyan Zhen had regarded Huyan Li as the sect's hope and groomed him as its future sect master. Later on, Huyan Li had even obtained a precious Head Soul Bone.
Tian Chen would never believe that Huyan Zhen would feel comfortable letting Huyan Li travel to Spirit City alone.
Huyan Li's appearance in Spirit City essentially meant that Huyan Zhen was most likely in the city as well.
And the truth was just as Tian Chen had predicted. Huyan Zhen had indeed come to Spirit City and was currently within its walls; he had simply come discreetly this time, so few people knew about it.
Inside a concealed secret chamber in Spirit City's inner city.
Two figures sat opposite each other. The chamber was extremely dim, lit only by the soft glow of a few luminous pearls on a jade table.
An assortment of exquisite jewelry and mountains of Gold Soul Coins covered the table, yet neither man spared them a glance.
Instead, both held their bodies taut and stared fixedly at the other, seemingly afraid that the other might make a sudden move.
The two remained at an impasse for a full ten minutes. In the end, the burly old man on the left lost patience first and addressed the thin middle-aged man opposite him in an impatient, rumbling voice.
"Ghost Leopard Douluo, I believe I've demonstrated my sincerity. Are we making this trade or not? Give me a definite answer."
"Hehe, Huyan Zhen, you old rascal. Still as impatient as ever."
The middle-aged man addressed as Ghost Leopard Douluo chuckled at him. Noticing the wariness in the other man's eyes, his gaze flickered slightly.
Although this old rascal Huyan Zhen is only a Soul Douluo, breaking through his defenses in a short time would be next to impossible. It looks like I'll have to trade with him honestly.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally took a sandalwood box from the Soul Tool on his wrist.
Huyan Zhen, who had been watching him all along, instantly brightened at the sight of the wooden box in his hand. His little eyes lit up in his plump face, and he hurriedly snatched it from Ghost Leopard Douluo.
Forcing down the surging excitement in his heart, Huyan Zhen impatiently opened the box to examine its contents.
He had only opened it a crack when a powerful fluctuation of Soul Power rushed out to meet him. Its heavy presence seemed to solidify even the surrounding air.
The item stored inside also revealed its true appearance.
It was a miniature skull, but unlike a human skull, it bore two yellow tusks half a foot long, giving it a very peculiar appearance.
Without needing anyone to tell him, Huyan Zhen knew that a high-quality Head Soul Bone lay inside.
Moreover, among the six types of Soul Bones, Head Soul Bones ranked second only to the most precious Torso Bones.
At this thought, Huyan Zhen no longer felt that he had gotten the short end of this trade. Wrinkles rippled across his dark old face like waves on water as he chuckled.
"Huyan Zhen, you old rascal, hand it over already! Are you planning to rob a fellow crook?"
Seeing that Huyan Zhen had not produced the item he had promised, Ghost Leopard Douluo's face instantly darkened.
He had obtained this Soul Bone years ago after enduring countless hardships to slay a powerful thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast-a mammoth. Furthermore, the Soul Bone he had obtained was of exceptional quality. Even if it could not compare to a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, its value was not far behind.
Had Huyan Zhen not said that the Soul Bone he had obtained suited him extremely well, he would never have offered this one for trade.
Hearing Ghost Leopard Douluo's stern shout, Huyan Zhen hurriedly came to his senses. Suppressing the greed in his heart, he put the wooden box into his Soul Tool.
Only then did he take out another exquisite wooden box with some reluctance and hand it to Ghost Leopard Douluo, saying,
"That was thoughtless of me, Ghost Leopard Douluo. This is the Soul Bone I promised you earlier. I obtained it some time ago when I led the sect's elders to hunt a twenty-thousand-year Voidbright Demon Leopard. Although it cannot compare to yours, it is still a rare treasure."
Like Huyan Zhen, Ghost Leopard Douluo paid no attention to maintaining his image when faced with a Soul Bone, despite being a Titled Douluo.
He snatched the wooden box from Huyan Zhen's hands. Looking at the miniature, translucent azure left leg bone resting quietly inside, he excitedly turned it over in his hands for a while before nodding in satisfaction.
"In that case, give me another million Gold Soul Coins, and our trade will be complete."
After putting away the Soul Bone, Ghost Leopard Douluo became vigilant again. Although he did not believe Huyan Zhen was his match, he still made ample preparations out of caution.
This time, Huyan Zhen did not hesitate as he had before. Instead, he readily handed Ghost Leopard Douluo a purple-gold card accepted throughout the continent.
"Please check it, Ghost Leopard Douluo. If there are no problems, I'll be taking my leave."
Ghost Leopard Douluo took the purple-gold card and inspected it carefully. After confirming that nothing was wrong, he smiled and nodded at Huyan Zhen.
"Safe travels. I won't see you out."
And so, a trade between high-level Soul Masters concluded smoothly.
For Ghost Leopard Douluo, obtaining a Soul Bone suited to him along with a million Gold Soul Coins was no loss.
For Huyan Zhen, obtaining a high-quality Head Soul Bone that perfectly matched his Martial Soul was likewise no loss, even if it cost him another Soul Bone and a million Gold Soul Coins.
This was also how most Soul Masters traded Soul Bones-provided, of course, that they possessed formidable strength or backing.
The original novel never mentioned how old Huyan Li's Soul Bone was. I remember it being eight thousand years old in the comic. I've done this to strengthen Huyan Li a little, since he's going to be the protagonist's little brother and can't be too pathetic. Considering how hard I've worked writing this, could you cast a recommendation vote?