Douluo Dalu - Volume 09 - Golden Iron Triangle

by Tang Jia San Shao

  Flender’s eyes gradually softened. He knew that his decision right now didn’t just impact himself, but also these Shrek Academy teachers and students. After collecting his thoughts, he once again took on the spirit of a dean,

  “How about this; since we’ve already come this far, we can try resting at that Heaven Dou Empire capital. As for what we do next, we can talk about it later.”

  Just then, Qin Ming suddenly stepped forward and with a ‘pu tong’ sound, he kneeled in front of Flender,

  “Dean, this is my fault; punish me.”

  Flender hastily pulled him up,

  “Qin Ming, what are you doing? How could I not know what you feelings towards Shrek Academy are? For you to follow us is enough proof that you hold Shrek Academy in the most important regard. It should be us saying sorry for ruining your future prospects.”

  Qin Ming bitterly laughed,

  “Future prospects? If it was not for the teaching I received, how would I have a future? I have hands and feet so don’t tell me that I won’t be able to survive if I leave Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. I will bring everyone to Heaven Dou city. What junior Dai said earlier I approve of; I really do believe in reopening Shrek Academy again. Dean, Shrek Academy will forever be my home, and if one of us does not wish for that, they can leave. If you really are tired, we can help you rebuild the school.”

  Flender nodded his head looking at the other teachers,

  “Let’s go, we will go to Heaven Dou City and look for a place to stay first.

  From Heaven Dou Imperial Academy to Heaven Dou City really was close. A group of people carrying heavy hearts after walking for a short period of time had already reached this Heaven Dou Empire Capital.

  From a distance, it was already possible to see the flag fluttering on top of the city, and because this empire was the most influential on the continent, it was also one of the most flourishing cities. The city walls were a hundred meters tall and made of the hardest granite. At the top and bottom, fully armoured sentries equipped with pikes were standing guard and patrolling the wall. Their bodies emitted an austere aura that allowed one to see their heroic spirit.

  Chapter 061: Golden Iron Triangle’s Last Corner

  Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)

  The city gate was more than ten meters tall, and also ten meters wide, enough for six riders to pass side by side. To the sides were also two secondary gates, still five meters high and wide. Pedestrians could only pass through the secondary gates; the central great gate was closed tightly.

  As the Shrek Academy group had reached the city gates, and were just about to enter the city, to the side they spotted an enormous announcement.

  “Recruiting: Blue Tyrant Advanced Spirit Master Academy, because of its expansion, is presently recruiting the following staff: ten fortieth ranked or higher Spirit Ancestors. Higher spirit power has priority, favorable terms of employment.”

  Seeing this information, Flender somewhat astonished said:

  “This academy is advertising at the city gate? How expensive!”

  By now his mood had already recovered somewhat, and his miserly instincts reappeared.

  Qin Ming was the most familiar with Heaven Dou Empire’s capital, and hurriedly said:

  “To be able to open up an advanced Spirit Master academy within Heaven Dou City requires a certain background. Although I don’t know the history of this Blue Tyrant Academy, but in the last All Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Grand Competition in the Heaven Dou capital’s preliminary circuit, it was this academy that knocked out one of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy’s two competing teams. However, this year that Blue Tyrant Academy class should have already graduated, and this year the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy’s Emperor Team is a lot more powerful than the last Advanced Spirit Master Academy Grand Competition, I expect this time they don’t have a chance.”

  Flender said:

  “How big is this Blue Tyrant Academy?”

  Qin Ming said:

  “Approximately one third of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Although smaller in size, being situated in Heaven Dou City their expenses shouldn’t be less than Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, only without the relation to the imperial household. I’ve heard this academy’s education is exceptionally strict, moreover with the characteristic of only accepting commoner students. They refuse all nobles. If it didn’t have a history, it would be impossible to gain a foothold within Heaven Dou City.”

  Flender’s eyes displayed a vengeful elation,

  “Who says the Blue Tyrant Academy won’t be able to contend against Heaven Dou Imperial Academy in this Spirit Master Academy Grand Competition. Very soon, they will.”

  Qin Ming stared blankly,

  “Dean, you’re saying……”

  Flender sighed in admiration, saying:

  “On the way here I’ve thought it over carefully. From the start our Shrek Academy hasn’t had any advanced Spirit Master academy qualifications, reopening it is easier said than done. The requirements are far, far too many. I’m already so old, and moreover I can’t let these old brothers suffer for my illusory ideals. Since this Blue Tyrant Academy is pretty good, we’ll go take a look. Besides, not taking revenge for this day’s disgrace isn’t the style of me, Flender. What do you say?”

  The last words were directed at the other teachers and the Shrek Seven Devils.

  Zhao Wuji chuckled, saying:

  “You’re the boss, you’ve decided. Why ask us?”

  The Shrek Seven Devils spoke in unison:

  “We’ll all rely on the dean’s decision.”

  Flender smiled faintly, saying:

  “If this place won’t do, there’s still enough time to go back and reopen the Academy. Let’s go, we’ll take a look first.”

  Nobody noticed that deep in Flender’s eyes flickered a cunning light.

  Following the address on the announcement, everyone entered Heaven Dou City. With Qin Ming to guide them, there was no need to ask directions. Passing through streets and winding alleys, they very quickly reached their destination.

  Heaven Dou City was extremely bustling, the streets were all paved with blue bricks, every street was as wide as Suotuo City’s main thoroughfare, and the scale of the city could only be described as grand.

  Blue Tyrant Academy’s gate house was surprisingly more or less the same as Heaven Dou City’s city gate. Although a lot thinner, that gate entrance was indeed ten meters tall. Although the gate house was in beautifully carved white marble, it was still very imposing, on top of the gate house were six words in gold letters: Blue Tyrant Advanced Spirit Master Academy[ (蓝霸高级魂师学院)].

  Just as they reached the Blue Tyrant Academy’s gate, Qin Ming immediately found a place for receiving visitors to the side. Above was written ‘recruitment office’.

  “Are you all here to enroll at the Academy?”

  In charge of receiving visitors was a more than forty years old middle aged Spirit Master. His question was mainly aimed at the Shrek Seven Devils, after all, these children were only teenagers.

  Flender said:

  “No, the ones here to enlist are us, these children are our disciples. If we can successfully accept the job offer here, our disciples would also wish to study at the Academy.”

  The admittance teacher said:

  “Enrolling students still have to pass the examination. Like this, all Spirit Masters first take our test. If you are able to become Academy teachers, I think, it will also be possible to accommodate your disciples. After all, right now is still the new student enrollment period, moreover your disciples are a bit young.”

  Generally speaking, at an advanced Spirit Master academy, even if they were outstanding Spirit Masters, new students were generally sixteen to eighteen years old. More commonly twenty. Tang San’s group didn’t seem to be eighteen.

  “A test is no problem. Where is it?”

  The admittance teacher had already been here for several days, but the number of Spirit Mast
ers coming to sign up was very small. After all, Spirit Master academies’ treatment of teachers couldn’t compare to the great clans. That was the best path for high level Spirit Masters. And with seven prospective teachers coming at once, how could he be indifferent. Hastily he said:

  “I’ll bring you to take the test.”

  Walking into the Blue Tyrant Academy, the feeling it gave had no few differences with Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, although this place didn’t have the beautiful mountain scenery of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, everything gave people the feeling of a kind of exceptional atmosphere. A spacious path led directly inside, to either side was a forest, and reaching the end one could see a more than two hundred meters in diameter field, surrounded by three storey buildings.

  The admittance teacher introduced everyone, inside these three storey buildings were mimicry area cultivation places, student dorms, and the teaching facilities.

  If saying Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was founded on a mountain, then this Blue Tyrant Academy was founded in the middle of a forest. Because around the school buildings, the remaining space was all forest. Reportedly, this was the biggest green area in all of Heaven Dou City. Able to have such a large forest inside the city, as Qin Ming said, who dared say this Blue Tyrant Academy lacked background?

  The admittance teacher brought everyone straight to a sharp roofed building, this building appeared the most stable of all the Academy buildings. Just inside was a spacious hall. The inside unexpectedly wasn’t split into rooms. Light came through large windows all around, making this place exceedingly bright.

  The floor was all granite, and the walls were simply painted white, without any decorations.

  The admittance teacher had everyone wait here, while he departed. Not long after, altogether three Spirit Masters entered from outside.

  These three also seemed around forty years old, ordinary appearance, with nothing extraordinary about them. On their faces were identical strict expressions.

  The three walking into the hall stopped, the person in the lead saying:

  “Everyone taking the Spirit Master examination please do so one by one. Who is first?”

  Everyone looked at Flender, and Flender with a slight smile waved his hand at Qin Ming, saying:

  “Little Ming, you go first.”

  Qin Ming nodded, walking forward, asking the three Spirit Masters:

  “If I may ask, how will this be conducted?”

  The front Spirit Master said:

  “Please release your spirit, as long as you’ve reached the fortieth level, then, in a fight with one of us three, if you can last for ten minutes you are eligible.”

  Spirit power rank was naturally the most important, as long as the spirit was released, the level and attributes of the Spirit Master could be determined at a glance. As for fighting, it was a test in real combat. After all, as a teacher, if one didn’t have plentiful combat experience, one was clearly undesirable.

  “Fine.”

  Qin Ming had choked down his anger from today’s business at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, and without moderating his pressure the least bit, he directly released his spirit.

  Instantly, the atmosphere in the entire hall seemed to grow heavy. The three Blue Tyrant Academy Spirit Masters in front of Qin Ming simultaneously swayed, their expression couldn’t help being aghast.

  These three Spirit Masters in charge of examination were over fiftieth ranked Spirit King level Spirit Masters. The counterparts Spirit suppressing their reactions just by being released could only prove that this young Spirit Master was more powerful than them.

  Immediately following, around Qin Ming appeared a yellow flame, and with a deep roar, the muscles under the clothes began to swell, the originally loose clothing growing tight. His eyes simultaneously grew yellow, altogether six spirit rings rose from below, two yellow, three purple, one black. Although it wasn’t an ideal combination, six spirit rings appearing at once still shocked the three Blue Tyrant Academy teachers enormously.

  Qin Ming said in a low voice:

  “Sixty second ranked Inferno Gray Wolf Battle Spirit Emperor, Qin Ming, power attack system.”

  Regarding spirits, wolves generally had cold attributes. This kind of fire attribute wolf Qin Ming had was classified as a variant spirit, extremely rare. Just as Flender remarked, Shrek Academy only accepted monsters. If Qin Ming wasn’t a monster, then how could he originally have entered Shrek?

  Sixty second rank? The three testing Spirit Masters couldn’t help but recoil two steps before Qin Ming’s bright yellow flames, dodging the point.

  Qin Ming raised his right hand, making an inviting gesture,

  “Which of you will advise me?”

  Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)

  Advise? There wasn’t a damned thing to advise; a fiftieth level confronting a sixtieth level power attack system Battle Spirit Master, and a variant spirit at that, was that still a fight?

  “Eh, this, there’s no need for a combat test. The Academy stipulates that Spirit Masters exceeding the sixtieth rank are exempt from further tests.”

  That lead Blue Tyrant Academy Spirit Master examiner inwardly wiped his sweat, thinking that today could be difficult to deal with.

  Qin Ming withdrew his spirit and restrained the imposing manner, everything returning to normal.

  The Blue Tyrant Academy examiner on the left couldn’t help asking:

  “If I may be so presumptuous as to ask, how old are you this year?”

  Qin Ming calmly said:

  “Thirty four.”

  With the appearance of this simple number, in front of Qin Ming three pairs of staring eyes widened. Thirty four, sixty second rank, what concept was this? Let alone meeting, they had never even heard of anything like it.

  Flender said:

  “Since sixtieth rank and over don’t require additional examination, then we there’s no need for us to waste time. Brothers, spirit rings.”

  Apart from Grandmaster, five Shrek Academy teachers simultaneously released spirits sufficient to awe common Spirit Masters. In an instant, two Spirit Emperors, three Spirit Sages, a pile of thirty three spirit rings, appeared in front of the Blue Tyrant Academy examiners.

  “Sixty third ranked Dragon Pattern Staff Tool Spirit Emperor, Li Yu-Song, power attack system.”

  “Sixty sixth ranked Star Luo Chess Tool Spirit Emperor, Lu Ji-Bin, control system.”

  “Seventy first ranked Sweet Pea Tool Spirit Sage, Shao Xin, food system.”

  “Seventy sixth ranked Vigorous Vajra Bear Battle Spirit Sage, Zhao Wuji, power attack system.”

  “Seventy eighth ranked Owl Battle Spirit Sage, Flender, agility attack system.”

  From the weakest to strongest, the Shrek Academy five, including the two deans, one after another announced their strength and names.

  The three examiners were now already completely lifeless. Altogether seven Spirit Masters had appeared, seemingly applying for the advertised teaching positions, and apart from one who hadn’t revealed his strength, the remaining six were actually all powers above the sixtieth rank. The clutter of spirit rings in front of them already made their eyes widen. If it wasn’t for Flender and the others meticulously making sure they didn’t release too much spirit power, perhaps the three Blue Tyrant Academy teachers wouldn’t be able to stand steadily.

  “Can we?”

  Flender’s voice was infused with spirit power vibrations, rousing the three extremely startled Spirit Masters.

  “Ah, of course you can. Seniors, please withdraw your spirits.”

  The three clearly became deferential.

  On seeing this scene, Tang San standing among the Shrek Seven Devils silently thought to himself, ‘in this world it’s sure enough strength that speaks loudest.’ Before when a Title Douluo made an appearance at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, the suppressed Shrek Academy teachers were left without options, even dean Flender in the end showed restraint and didn’t fight. Right now the Shrek Academy teachers stre
ngth shook the Blue Tyrant Academy. ‘Strength’ sure enough was the most important.

  Drawing a deep breath, that Blue Tyrant Academy lead teacher deferentially said:

  “My humble name is Yin Shu[ (音书) “Sound book”]. Fifty fourth ranked power attack system Spirit Master. I am unable to evaluate all the seniors’ level. As it’s like this, I’ll bring you to meet our dean, who will determine everyone’s level and treatment.”

  Everyone were Spirit Masters over sixtieth rank, this already didn’t hold any meaning to the examiners, most important was to get them to stay. This Yin Shu was entrusted with the heavy responsibility of recruiting teachers and was clearly an astute person. Immediately he thought that he must first show these formidable Spirit Masters the sincerity of Blue Tyrant Academy.

  “Let’s go then.”

  Flender smiled slightly. The Shrek Academy teachers were already in a much better mood. After all, being admired was always far more comfortable than being disdained. Although this place wasn’t equal to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy’s environment, it still had its merits.

  Led by Yin Shu’s trio of Blue Tyrant Academy teachers, exiting the sharp roofed building, they directly followed a small path behind the Academy. Very quickly they entered the forest surrounding the main campus.

  Grandmaster puzzled asked:

  “Your dean isn’t at the campus?”

  Yin Shu said:

  “The dean normally isn’t in the Academy, preferring the quiet, living alone in the forest. The Academy’s everyday affairs are all handled by the teachers, only major matters require instruction from the dean.”

  Mentioning the dean, this Yin Shu’s eyes revealed a sincere reverence, stemming entirely from the heart.

  “So it’s like that.”

  Grandmaster didn’t ask anything else, but for some reason his heart constantly felt uneasy.

  After walking for about ten minutes, as everyone advanced through the fresh and clean atmosphere of the forest, suddenly an indistinct singing voice was heard from far ahead.