Chapter 13: Preparation
Bang—
A loud crash.
Dai Yao collided with a 700-year-old Xuan Shui Turtle.
A white barrier blocked the charging turtle in front of him, but after just a few seconds, the barrier was broken through by the Xuan Shui Turtle.
As the turtle continued its attack, Dai Yao used Explosion Step to quickly escape the turtle's strike range.
The Xuan Shui Turtle roared angrily, for in the past couple of days, this "little insect" had repeatedly entered its territory, constantly provoking it. Each time the turtle broke through the barrier, the little insect's speed would suddenly increase, dodging its attacks and leaving its territory.
After being tricked a few times, this time, the turtle did not pursue Dai Yao. After all, it had never managed to catch him and could only snort white gas in frustration.
"Thanks, big turtle!" Dai Yao laughed heartily.
"This White Tiger Protection Barrier can't block the Xuan Shui Turtle's charge. Fortunately, I didn't face the turtle head-on when I obtained the soul ring; otherwise, a single impact would have shattered my bones."
After acquiring his first soul ring, Dai Yao had started preparing for his duel with Dai Mubai. He had remained in the Royal Beast Garden and found a 700-year-old Xuan Shui Turtle to serve as a sparring partner.
His soul power had reached level 11, and the immense energy from his soul ring had been partially absorbed by his body and the rest liquefied, preventing his level from rising much.
Currently, he possessed three skills: the defensive White Tiger Protection Barrier, the offensive Eight Extremes Burst, and the movement skill Explosion Step.
Compared to dull training, actual combat helped him improve faster. In his battles with the Xuan Shui Turtle, his familiarity with these skills had deepened.
At first, after the White Tiger Protection Barrier broke, he wasn't quick enough to use Explosion Step to escape and was slammed by the turtle, breaking his bones. The next morning, thanks to the powerful healing ability of the Qinglian, he had fully recovered.
By the next day, he stood unharmed before the Xuan Shui Turtle. The turtle, once furious at his presence, now only found him annoying.
"After several days of real combat, I've become quite familiar with my three skills. It's time to head back," he said, packing his things and returning the same way.
On the way back, he saw the Head of the Guards and, thinking of the guard who had tried to harm him, gave the Head of the Guards a smile that seemed more like a grin.
The Head of the Guards, feeling guilty, trembled under Dai Yao's gaze, cold sweat dripping down his face.
"Prepare the carriage, we're heading back to the palace." However, Dai Yao didn't push him further; his focus was on the duel, and he didn't want to create unnecessary trouble.
One day and night later, Dai Yao returned to the Cold Palace. There, his third uncle had already been waiting for him.
"Third Uncle."
"Not bad, you've grown quite a bit after getting the soul ring, but you're still too thin. You need to eat more now." Dai Hengyu had been waiting at the Cold Palace for Dai Yao's return.
"By the way, how long is your first soul ring?"
"Close to 400 years," Dai Yao paused and said.
It wasn't that he didn't want to tell the truth, but a 700-year first soul ring would be too shocking. No one in history had absorbed a soul ring of such an age for their first one.
He couldn't explain how he had managed to absorb a soul ring of that age either. If they investigated further, the secret of the Qinglian would surely be exposed.
So, he told a small white lie.
"400 years, huh?" Dai Hengyu slapped Dai Yao's shoulder, pleasantly surprised. He had assumed that Dai Yao's soul ring would be around two or three hundred years.
"Don't get too proud. The first soul ring for the three crown princes is also 400 years. This just means you're eligible to compete with them," Dai Hengyu warned.
He looked at Dai Yao with a sigh. "The Queen already knew about your soul ring yesterday. This morning, under her influence, they've decided the duel will take place tomorrow."
"They aren't even giving me a moment of rest. They really want to kill me," Dai Yao sneered. In the Queen's view, since he had only just acquired his first soul ring, he probably wouldn't even be able to use his soul skills proficiently. Therefore, setting the duel for tomorrow was a sure way to ensure his defeat.
But what they didn't know was that he had been absorbing his first soul ring for several days already. Through practical combat in the Royal Beast Garden, he had fully mastered his first soul skill.
"They're being despicable, but there's no absolute fairness anywhere," Dai Hengyu's voice became bitter, his fists clenching tightly inside his sleeves. As a member of the White Tiger Clan, he was all too familiar with such oppressive conditions.
"I will win, Third Uncle," Dai Yao smiled slightly, hiding his own bitterness. The soul power gap of nearly level 7 was a seemingly insurmountable chasm.
"Tomorrow's duel will have many important guests, including the Master of the Spirit Hall of the Empire. Rest well tonight, and bring your best to the duel tomorrow. Although the chances of victory are slim, make sure to put on a good show," Dai Hengyu advised. In his heart, he knew the result of this duel was already decided.
...
Training had become difficult to focus on, so Dai Yao stepped into the courtyard where snow was falling from the sky.
The duel tomorrow made him feel uneasy.
Dai Mubai was three years older than him and already had level 17 soul power. He had made a name for himself at the Star Luo Royal Academy. No one at the same level in the academy could defeat him.
With his White Tiger Martial Soul and his powerful attacking soul skills, Dai Mubai had never slacked off in the three years he spent at the Royal Academy. In the original story, it was only after he lost hope in the imperial throne that he fled to the Tiandou Empire.
Moreover, when he later ascended to godhood, his title was "War God," and he was able to rival first-level gods with his second-level god power. His combat talent was definitely not to be underestimated.
Dai Yao, with his twin martial souls and the mysterious Qinglian in his spiritual world, had extraordinary potential. But potential was just that—potential. What mattered now was converting that potential into actual strength, something he needed time to do in order to have the power to compete with the Queen.
"Just a bit more time would be enough," Dai Yao thought helplessly.
He couldn't help but recall the night six years ago, the night he was born.
With a pressure, he had arrived in this world. Unlike other children, he had opened his eyes the moment he was born.
He still remembered the woman's gentle voice: "Look, this child's eyes are so bright. Let's name him Yao'er." She then picked him up and playfully teased him.
However, at that moment, several women suddenly rushed into the room, and screams filled the air.
Dai Yao had witnessed his mother being strangled by those women. His mother's struggle echoed throughout the Cold Palace! As her struggles weakened, her arms slowly dropped.
This image was forever etched in Dai Yao's heart.
"Mother, rest assured, one day, I will make the Queen meet you in the underworld. Tomorrow, I'll make them pay the price first," Dai Yao swore in his heart. Apart from revealing his twin martial souls, he would do whatever it took to win tomorrow's duel, no matter the cost.
(End of Chapter)
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