Yu Luomian thought bitterly. He was already level eighty-five, yet breaking through from eighty-four to eighty-five had taken him four years. To reach ninety, he would still have to cross the barrier of eighty-nine… who knew how long that would take?
Honestly, he felt there was little hope of ever becoming a Titled Douluo.
"Don't waste your time worrying about Tianheng and Tianxin. Go spend more effort on your daughter. Build some ties with her. This clan needs a second Titled Douluo. She has a better chance than you do!"
Yu Yuanzhen's words were blunt, leaving no room for argument.
Yu Luomian felt his big brother's temper flaring and quickly bowed his head. "I've already been looking after her. She wanted to build an academy, so our clan gave her resources, connections, anything she needed. We've supported her unconditionally!"
Only then did Yu Yuanzhen nod, though his mind was already elsewhere.
Seven years ago, when Bibi Dong rose to the position of Pope, he had quietly asked his son, Yu Xiaogang, about her martial soul.
Yu Xiaogang only said one sentence: "Bibi Dong is a twin martial soul."
That was all.
But even without further explanation, the crushing sense of danger in those words had been enough.
And in the years since, watching Bibi Dong consolidate her power and force even old monsters like Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo to bow their heads in obedience, Yu Yuanzhen had no doubt his son's words were true.
The Spirit Hall had become bolder, even brazen enough to dig into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's walls.
Yu Xiaogang might be a failure in martial cultivation, but placing him in Spirit Hall had been a wise move.
With their resources, he had developed theory after theory, raising the clan's prestige throughout the soul master world.
"Xiaogang… I value you more and more. That disciple of yours—what's so special about him?
Tang San, Tang San… With your standards, an ordinary talent would never catch your eye.
And to be born with innate full soul power, yet only a Blue Silver Grass spirit… and with the surname Tang?
Interesting. Very interesting.
Xiaogang, I hope you truly can make even me look at you in a new light."
Yu Yuanzhen's thoughts flickered, and his spiritual sense swept toward the Dugu clan's carriage.
If he could draw the Dugu family into an alliance, then with both clans united, their foundation would be much steadier.
After all, Dugu Shuo had already slain Hu Yanzhen. That meant the Dugu clan had completely offended Spirit Hall.
*Dugu Shuo, Dugu Shuo… you don't understand how terrifying Bibi Dong really is.
Sooner or later, you'll be forced to beg me for help.
And when that time comes, with Tianheng pursuing Dugu Yan, how could your clan refuse to bow under me?"
Yu Yuanzhen chuckled to himself. His abacus was clicking away smoothly.
Morning came.
After a night's cultivation, Dugu Feng felt his pearls swell with energy, rising by two points to reach eighty-eight.
At this pace, in only six more days, he could reach full capacity.
Absorbing soul power and flesh energy was so much faster and so satisfying.
He feasted on serpent meat, gallbladders, and fried scorpions before stepping off the carriage.
There, he saw Ge Ying waiting outside.
"Big Brother Ge, you've recovered! You don't know how terrifying you looked yesterday. Damn that Breaking Clan, to dare poison you!"
Feng's tone brimmed with righteous fury.
Ge Ying gave a wry smile. His father had already told him the truth, he had been nothing but a scapegoat.
The Elephant Sect and Sacred Dragon Clan had plotted against the Dugu family, trying to poison him and throw suspicion onto Dugu Shuo.
But instead, the Dugu family flipped the board and annihilated the Elephant Sect. Ruthless. Terrifying.
Even now, the memory left him shaken.
"I came to thank the clan head for saving me," Ge Ying said earnestly.
"Big Brother Ge, you're too polite. You're my teacher! I'll still need your guidance at the academy." Feng winked.
Ge Ying gave another bitter smile. You need my help? You flattened two prodigies from the Wind Sword Sect by yourself. You're the last one who needs me.
Still, he patted Feng's shoulder. His father was right—never cross the Dugu clan.
Not with Dugu Bo, not with Dugu Shuo, and certainly not with this rising star Dugu Feng.
They were few in number, but every one of them was deadly.
By noon, the caravan set off again.
After two cautious days, they finally reached Soto City.
From a distance, vast army camps filled the horizon. At least a hundred thousand troops garrisoned here. It was proof of the city's importance.
The towering walls surpassed any city they'd seen along the way, built to hold back the Star Luo Empire.
The three carriages rolled directly toward the tallest structure in the city—a hundred-meter tower of pure white stone.
The Soto Great Spirit Arena.
Through the carriage curtain, Dugu Feng studied it.
His family was technically one of its true owners, but this was his first time seeing it with his own eyes.
"The Soto Spirit Arena is one of the largest on the continent. A main arena, twenty-four sub-arenas, enough seating for sixty thousand spectators, and over a hundred luxury boxes. The profits every day are astronomical!"
Old Snake's eyes gleamed.
Old Scorpion and the others also smiled broadly.
"Clear Sky Sect left this seat open when they withdrew. No way we let Spirit Hall claim it!"
Feng's eyes shone too.
Before, he didn't care who held the arena. Now, standing before it, his heart clenched.
This is mine. All mine. Do you know how much whale rubber this place could buy?
The clan needed it—so many soul masters to support, antidote pills to craft, research to fund, and hidden Nine-Heaven Centipede disciples to train. Even landowners could go broke.
As the carriages pulled into the private quarters of the Six Great Families, Feng gazed down at the sea of arenas and spectators below.
Bets, cheers, fights—the spectacle of it all.
From here, high above, it felt exactly like being a puppet master pulling the strings.
Whoever designed this place… their taste was wicked, but their sense of achievement must've been immense.