Chapter 10: The Spirit Battle Match
The private room in the Great Spirit Arena was similar to that at the auction house, modest yet comfortable, and offered an excellent view of the central arena, which was quite close.
The central arena was a massive platform over a hundred meters wide, with a metal floor that looked extremely durable. Railings lined the edges, making it somewhat resemble a boxing ring from Potian's previous life, but on a much larger scale.
The Great Spirit Arena was far noisier than the auction house, with people shouting and even waving banners, glow sticks, and signs to support their favorite fighters. As the match drew near, the crowd continued to swell until the entire arena was packed with hardly any space left.
Then the announcer's voice boomed through the arena: "Ladies and gentlemen, the match is about to begin! Now, let's welcome our two fighters! In this bout, we have the Level 56 Earth Tyrant against the Level 57 King of Power!"
"Earth Tyrant's martial spirit is the Earth Barbaric Bull, a power-attack battle Soul King with two yellow and three purple rings. He holds a record of 76 wins and 24 losses!"
"King of Power's martial spirit is the Gorilla, also a power-attack battle Soul King with two yellow and three purple rings. He has a record of 46 wins and 17 losses!"
"These two warriors have exceptional winning records in the Great Spirit Arena of Heaven Dou City. Tonight's battle promises to be intense!"
The large screen displayed details of the two fighters, both of whom wore masks.
"Mom, why are their fifth spirit rings purple?" Potian asked.
"Each spirit ring is an opportunity for a soul master," Niu Jinfeng explained. "The fifth ring's ideal age is around 12,000 years, but soul beasts in this range are hard to find and even harder to defeat. Just finding one usually requires help from a high-level Soul Emperor or Soul Sage. Ordinary people don't have access to those resources."
She continued, "Don't underestimate these two soul masters. Even though they're only Soul Kings, their first four rings are top-level, which means they have some backing, even if it's not a top-tier one."
Taking in his mother's words, Potian watched the match intently.
The announcer resumed, "Both fighters have one minute to prepare. Please begin summoning your martial spirits."
With that, the two combatants called forth their spirits. On the left, the Earth Tyrant summoned a massive, fierce-looking bull, its sharp horns gleaming ominously. On the right, the King of Power summoned a large, muscular gorilla, radiating raw strength. Both soul masters clearly specialized in brute force.
After the minute elapsed, the referee declared, "Preparation time is over. Begin the match!"
The entire arena erupted with cheers and chants of the fighters' nicknames. The excitement far exceeded that of any concert Potian had seen in his previous life.
On the stage, the two fighters charged at each other, moving a bit slowly as was typical for power-attack types.
Potian studied the match carefully. Both fighters were seasoned, demonstrating various battle techniques and unleashing their spirit skills, yet it was clear that raw strength was their primary strategy, with little finesse or subtlety.
From a martial arts perspective, Potian thought, these two Soul Kings' techniques were inferior even to his amateur skills from his previous life. Their fight seemed more like a brawl than a test of skill.
His mother, however, was thoroughly engaged, looking as though she might jump into the ring herself.
The match ultimately ended with the Earth Tyrant claiming victory, though both fighters were left battered and bruised.
One thing puzzled Potian —why did both fighters shout out their spirit skill names before activating them? This habit seemed universal among Douluo Continent's soul masters.
"Mom, why do they announce their spirit skills before using them? And for such experienced fighters, their techniques didn't seem that advanced," he asked.
Niu Jinfeng laughed. "You're missing the point, son. Those two soul masters had impressive experience and skill."
"But remember, our Po Clan's fighting techniques are among the best in Douluo. Few can match our level of skill."
"Your daily practice in the Soul-Breaking Spear Technique has been refined through countless generations, with some influence from Haotian Sect's hammer techniques. Ordinary soul masters can't compare to that."
"So, are these two soul masters good or not?"
"They're decent, but any Soul King from a major clan could probably defeat them."
"That can't be true, Mom! I thought they were quite capable."
"Really? What about them impressed you?" she asked with a grin, catching him off guard.
"Son, remember, the strongest fighting skills don't come from the Spirit Arena. True skill is either inherited through family traditions or honed through life-and-death experiences."
"These two may be strong, but they'd be overlooked by major clans. Judging by their builds and facial features, they're both likely over forty, maybe even close to fifty, so their potential is limited."
"Mom, then why do they still compete in the Spirit Arena?"
"They're probably aiming for a lucky break. These two are high-level Soul Kings; in small cities, one might even qualify as a city lord. But here, they're hoping the Spirit Arena will attract sponsors or catch the attention of a larger clan, so they can access resources to reach Soul Sage level. Keep in mind that a sixth and seventh ring are beyond their current means."
"What if they joined a major clan or sect?"
"As I said, big clans likely wouldn't consider them worth investing in, and small clans wouldn't have the resources they need."
"Would Spirit Hall accept them?"
"Possibly, but Spirit Hall places a high value on loyalty. For those not raised by Spirit Hall, the cost of gaining their help would be considerable."
(End of Chapter)