Chapter 38: Return to Heaven Dou - Douluo's spirit bead sword

Chapter 38: Return to Heaven Dou Three days later, Tian Lin bid farewell to Ning Rongrong and Chen Xin, and returned once more to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. He had originally planned to leave two days earlier, but Ning Rongrong's tearful protest compelled him to stay with her for two more days. Upon his return to Heaven Dou City, Tian Lin did not go directly to the academy; instead, he made his way to the palace to inform Xue Qinghe of his return. Despite disguising herself as a man, her heart was still very much that of a woman, as evidenced by her feminine pettiness. If he didn’t visit her first upon his return, he was certain she'd hold a grudge for some time. Thanks to the Crown Prince's decree, Tian Lin could enter the Eastern Palace without prior notice. It was midday, a time meant for lunch, yet Xue Qinghe was still immersed in her official duties. She had no choice, as she had to consistently maintain her diligent image as the Crown Prince. Her hard work had swayed many ministers, who previously had ambiguous loyalties, to her side. After all, the only remaining royal heirs were her and Xue Peng, and the choice between them was obvious. Surely, they wouldn’t choose the disreputable and arrogant Xue Peng. "The Crown Prince, Master Tian Lin is here!" a maid whispered into Xue Qinghe's ear. Having visited the Eastern Palace many times, everyone there recognized Tian Lin as something of a disciple brother to the Crown Prince and one of her closest friends. "Xiao Tian, you're back!" Xue Qinghe exclaimed joyfully, putting down her work and rising to greet him. "Yes, Xue Dage. I've successfully obtained my second spirit ring and returned today specifically to pay my respects to you!" Tian Lin replied politely, though this formality didn’t sit well with Xue Qinghe. "Xiao Tian, I've told you countless times, there's no need for such formality here. Be at ease." Then turning to the palace maids, Xue Qinghe instructed, "You all may leave. I want to catch up with my brother." She assumed that Tian Lin was only putting on airs because of the many people present. In truth, Tian Lin was wary of becoming too close to Xue Qinghe. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized her undeniable charm, which, if she reverted to her true appearance as Qian Renxue, would be even more captivating. Unfortunately, they were destined to be enemies. He feared that growing too close might prevent him from acting against her when the time came, potentially costing him his life. Their current relationship was ideal: connected, yet distant. She used the Heavenly Snow Power to accelerate her cultivation, and he helped refine her spirit power with the Wa Emperor Meditation Method—neither owed the other anything. Even if they became foes in the future, she wouldn’t be seen as ungrateful for killing him, nor he as disloyal for killing her. "Xiao Tian, could you show Xue Dage your second spirit ring?" Xue Qinghe asked, her primary concern being Tian Lin’s progress. The stronger Tian Lin became, the stronger the Heavenly Snow Power would be. Once Tian Lin reached her level, their cultivation speed would increase dramatically, and it might not be long before she could return to the Spirit Hall and reclaim the pope’s position from that woman. "Of course!" Tian Lin nodded. He could hide his second martial soul and additional spirit bone capabilities, but the second spirit ring was impossible to conceal during battles. Thus, he summoned the magic sword, and a yellow and a purple spirit ring slowly rose. "A thousand-year spirit ring!" Xue Qinghe was astonished. Attaining a thousand-year spirit beast for a second spirit ring was something even she wouldn’t dare attempt. "Yes, Xue Dage. My second spirit ring comes from a thousand-year-old Purple Fire Golden-Eyed Beast." "That’s reckless! How could Sword Douluo allow you to take such a risk?" Xue Qinghe immediately fumed, unaware of Tian Lin's second martial soul and only feeling a chill at the thought of such danger. "Is she... concerned for me?" Tian Lin was momentarily taken aback by the genuine anger stemming from Xue Qinghe’s concern. Could it be that in her eyes, he was more than just a cultivation aid? "Xue Dage, I'm fine, don't worry. Ever since awakening my martial soul, my body grows stronger by the day. Absorbing a thousand-year spirit ring was painless," Tian Lin unconsciously reassured her. Despite the age difference—seven or eight years old to seventeen or eighteen—it appeared more like a younger brother comforting his older brother. Xue Qinghe smiled, "Alright, as long as you’re okay. Xiao Tian, promise Dage you won't put yourself in such danger again." "This time you were lucky. Your spirit ring is a light purple, indicating it's just over a thousand years. The Purple Fire Golden-Eyed Beast itself isn't known for its attack strength, which, combined with several factors, allowed you to come through safely. Next time, you might not be so fortunate. Understand?" "Don't worry, I promise I won't do it again!" Tian Lin assured, though he had no intention of keeping the promise. To grow stronger quickly, absorbing beyond his level was his best path. Only after Tian Lin's assurance did Xue Qinghe relax. After having lunch together, they practiced using the Heavenly Snow Power for two hours before Tian Lin took his leave. During their cultivation, Xue Qinghe noted that Tian Lin's spirit power had reached the pinnacle of level 22, on the verge of breaking through to level 23. A millennium spirit ring indeed gave him a significant boost. "With Xiao Tian’s rapid cultivation speed, catching up to me is just a matter of time. I eagerly anticipate the power of our dual god-level martial soul fusion skill," she pondered, watching him leave with a hopeful smile. By the time Tian Lin returned to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, it was nearly dusk. He headed straight for the training grounds, suspecting that many of the academy’s nobles, unaccustomed to arduous training, might already be out enjoying the nightlife. However, his friends weren’t like that—they were intensely eager to grow stronger, and wouldn’t leave until the sun set. Sure enough, when he arrived at the training grounds, Teacher Qin Ming was overseeing a real combat training exercise. The Shi Family Brothers were paired against the couple, Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan. "First Spirit Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!" Yu Tianheng gathered lightning into his palm and struck at Shi Mo, the elder of the Shi Family Brothers. "Ha, First Spirit Skill, Black Tortoise Shield!" Shi Mo didn’t flinch. The Black Tortoise Turtle was renowned for its top-tier defense. Even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon’s ferocious assault couldn't budge Shi Mo, causing Yu Tianheng to stagger backwards from the counter shock. Meanwhile, Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Serpent Venom was also completely neutralized by Shi Mu's tortoise shell. His defense mechanism was different from his brother Shi Mo's, which focused solely on fortification. Shi Mu's defenses were slightly weaker but were superb at repelling various abnormal statuses. Unexpectedly, the weaker-spirited Shi Family Brothers had the upper hand in the duel.