Douluo Dalu: Volume 40: Beginning of the War

by Tang Jia San Shao

  Yue Guan looked completely fierce at this moment, sinking his spirit power into the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum avatar without regard for the price, frantically trembling, his body brightening. He also simultaneously used his last placed ninth spirit ability.

  The giant Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum rose into the air, Yue Guan unexpectedly not using it to defend himself. Glaring at Tang San, he yelled word by word, his voice filled with a strange magic. With each word, the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in the sky would grow a bit larger, and its golden light also grew even more sparkling.

  “Chrysanthemum—— Ruin——, Fill—— The—— Earth—— With—— Wounds——. Flowers—— Fall—— On—— Broken—— Hearts——.”

  At his last word, the already immense Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in the air shattered with a loud explosion, each glittering chrysanthemum petal spinning out like a crescent moon blade. All the petals formed a giant golden tornado, falling from the sky, straight at Tang San.

  Just at this moment, Tang San’s blue light from the Blue Silver Avatar state suddenly turned azure, a resonant dragon cry emanated from his shocking spirit power. The red ninth spirit ring instantly merged into his body, and immediately, the azure light flourished, an incomparably enormous azure dragon suddenly rushing out of Tang San.

  Yes. Sky Blue Bull Python Da Ming had never completed his long-cherished wish in his lifetime. After sacrificing himself to become Tang San’s spirit ring, he finally succeeded. This azure dragon shape was Da Ming’s evolved form after his sacrifice. This was also one of Tang San’s ninth spirit abilities, Blue Silver Sky Blue Dragon’s Soul[1].

  Without any garishness, that giant azure dragon instantly rammed into the chrysanthemum petal golden tornado, countless violent cracks exploding in the air. The two great ninth spirit abilities collided against the skies, the golden and azure lights producing such shocks that even the sunshine in the sky dimmed for a moment.

  Spirit ability collisions was in itself a direct dialog between two spirit masters. Practically the instant the two ninth spirit abilities crashed together, Yue Guang’s face had already turned deathly pale. Tang San hadn’t used his Seagod Trident, colliding head on with ninth spirit abilities. But in just an instant, Yue Guang understood that even in a collision like this, he was far from being the opponent of this youth.

  The tornado formed from his Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum basically couldn’t harm the azure dragon in the slightest. Each chrysanthemum petal that struck the dragon would instantly disappear. The attacks it produced only made that giant azure dragon shine.

  Just at this moment, another explosion suddenly echoed. Yue Guan felt the ground beneath his feet jolt, and the next moment he had already lost control of his body, launched high in the air. Below him, another giant azure dragon soared up, using its enormous body to twist around Yue Guan in practically an instant. The intense pressure left him unable to breathe, and combined with his exhausted spirit power and injuries, he had already lost the ability to resist.

  Tang San stood on the ground, his expression never changing, speaking calmly:

  “Even though they’re both ninth spirit abilities, the biggest difference between ten thousand year spirit abilities and hundred thousand year spirit abilities is that using the same spirit power, you can only produce one ninth spirit ability, but I can release two.”

  With a tearing sound, the previous giant azure dragon charged through the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum’s restraints, thoroughly ripping apart Yue Guan’s last hopes. Falling from the sky, it charged straight at the other azure dragon.

  Tang San didn’t keep watching Yue Guan. Turning around and leaping up, one Blue Silver Emperor flew out and wound around Xiao Wu’s waist, pulling his lover to his side,

  “Let’s go.”

  He really didn’t need to keep watching, this fight was already over. This second giant azure dragons twisting around Yue Guan was his ninth spirit ring’s second ability, Blue Silver Azure Dragon’s Tangling Strength. It was the strongest control ability among all of Tang San’s spirit ring abilities. It didn’t have the united offense and defense of the Unfixed Storm, nor did it slow the target for ten seconds like the Slowing God Claw, but at the same time it didn’t have the Unfixed Storm’s limited success rate or the Slowing God Claw’s hit requirements.

  In order to break free of the Blue Silver Azure Dragon’s Tangling Strength, you had to have strength surpassing Tang San’s. This was the first requirement, the second was that you also needed an ability powerful enough to break the restraint. Yue Guan had neither, and therefore he could only stay bound by that azure dragon and suffer the baptism of the other ninth spirit ability dragon’s soul.

  A violent explosion echoed behind them. Tang San didn’t even need to turn around to see to know that Yue Guan had not even left a corpse behind, not any spirit bones. He wasn’t interested in seeing Yue Guan’s death, after all, he had once had a good impression of this Title Douluo.

  “Goodbye.”

  Tang San silently said to himself. War was cruel, he knew this deeply. If you didn’t kill the enemy, the enemy would kill you in turn. Benevolence was a sin on the battlefield.

  “Third brother, you’re strength really is too scary now.”

  Ma Hongjun followed next to Tang San, and couldn’t help commenting.

  Tang San had finished that battle just now with his strength alone. To be precise, he had used one eighth spirit ability and two ninth spirit abilities to completely erase a group of fifty powerful spirit masters including a Title Douluo from this world. The whole process took less than a quarter of an hour, neat and tidy. Moreover, Ma Hongjun didn’t get the slightest feeling that Tang San’s spirit power was lacking even after using three powerful abilities in succession. A complete suppression, without giving the enemy the slightest chance. He knew that this third brother of his had already grown to become a terrifying control type Title Douluo.

  Tang San glanced at Ma Hongjun, sighing:

  “If I had the choice, I’d rather not slaughter again. But that’s not an option now. While the enemy remains, I can’t be charitable. I will meet them on the battlefield with my full strength.”

  As the three returned to the seven devils’ rally point, Dai Mubai and the others were already gone. Only a few Speed Hall disciples were left waiting there for their return.

  “There’s a situation?”

  Tang San landed and immediately asked.

  “Sect master. We’ve discovered three teams of unknown spirit masters enter our scouting range one after another. All made up from fifty spirit masters each. They’re flanking our rear supply army from different directions. They’re moving very fast. Mister Bai and the others already went to repulse one. We’re keeping watch on the other two, and we’ve already notified the Heaven Dou Empire supply guards.”

  Tang San nodded,

  "The Spirit Empire is spending their earnings this time, only I wonder if each spirit master team has a Title Douluo in command. Let’s go, bring us to the closest one.”

  Xiao Wu said:

  “Will boss Dai and the others be fine?”

  Tang San smiled slightly:

  “Absolutely don’t underestimate them. The four of them together, with little Ao and Rongrong’s support, might be even more efficient than us. It seems we can’t meet up for the moment. There might still be more Spirit Empire raiding teams. Just now I forgot to remove those spirit masters’ spirit tools, so they were all shattered by my Blue Silver Orca Mirror’s Annihilation. Later on we’ll make sure to loot them, and see what goodies they’re bringing. At the same time, taking their spirit tools can make things a bit easier for our transport troops. One spirit tool should hold at least a ton of supplies.”

  ……

  Jialing Pass.

  The Spirit Empire empress Bibi Dong stood upright on the hundred meter tall mountain pass. Her flat expression revealed none of her mood.

  A sumptuous goose yellow robe set off her noble chara
cter even more. As the first ruler of the Spirit Empire, she was facing the most important battle in her life.

  On either side of Bibi Dong stood four grave mannered elders. They included the Blowfish Douluo and Serpent Spear Douluo Tang San had once met. These eight had a manner that the officers behind them couldn’t compare to by far. With their existence, plus Bibi Dong herself, they had an imposing manner that didn’t even lose to the million man army stretching out across the field fifty li away.

  “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Heaven Dou Imperial Army has already been camped for two days, their rest should be complete, and they will definitely begin to move shortly.”

  One tall, sixty something elder deferentially reported to Bibi Dong.

  Bibi Dong nodded,

  “How is our military situation?”

  “The three armies have high morale, the spirit master legions are ready, we are ready to break the enemy.”

  Bibi Dong spoke calmly:

  “Is there news from the raiding parties? They’ve already been gone for two days.”

  “None.”

  “Wait. When there is news, report to me immediately.”

  “Yes.”

  “Report——”

  Just at this moment, an orderly swiftly ran over. From the way he moved, it was clear this orderly was a quite strong spirit master.”

  “What are you panicking for? What is it?”

  Bibi Dong turned her gaze to that orderly. This was an exclusive Spirit Hall scout answering directly to her. The power of Spirit Hall could be said to be the foundation of the Spirit Empire, and Bibi Dong would naturally keep this power firmly in her grasp.

  “Reporting to Your Majesty. There’s news of our raiding parties.”

  “Oh?”

  Bibi Dong’s eyes flashed,

  “How is it?”

  “Your, Your Majesty……”

  The orderly slowed, raising his head to look at Bibi Dong, not quite daring to speak.

  “Speak——”

  Bibi Dong’s eyes radiated light, and her sharp shout almost made the orderly collapse on the ground.

  “Yes. It’s, of ten raiding parties, less than thirty people have return alive. By their reports, the other members have already, already……”

  “Already what?”

  An unreassuring feeling rose in Bibi Dong’s heart. With a wave of her right hand, an incorporeal spirit power instantly grabbed that orderly.

  “Have already died for the nation……”

  “What?”

  Bibi Dong’s expression changed, sharply pulling the orderly close to her,

  “Tell me the details.”

  “People only returned from four of the ten raiding parties, and they’re all heavily wounded. They said they were ambushed by powerful Heaven Dou Empire spirit masters, should be Title Douluo level powers. There is no news of the other six raiding parties, I fear they’ve already been completely wiped out.”

  “Could they burn the Heaven Dou Empire’s rear supply line provisions?”

  “No? They didn’t even see the supplies before they were ambushed. The enemy was extremely powerful, four people. Among them was one female spirit master from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, but she had eight spirit rings. WIth her support, the other three, also spirit masters with eight rings, all reached the Title Douluo level of strength. The raiding parties couldn’t resist.”

  Bibi Dong’s breathing was clearly a bit uneven. Releasing the orderly, her eyes flashed. Behind her, a relatively old Title Douluo spoke in a low voice:

  “Your Majesty, where did Heaven Dou Empire get so many powers from? The teams we sent were all rank sixty Spirit Emperor experts and up. There was even one team led by Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan. Something’s strange here!”

  Bibi Dong could still keep calm, showing her bearing as Empress. If she showed confusion now, the fighting spirit of all those high ranked officers from the kingdoms and duchies would drop even more.

  “Elder Tian Feng, you go. Question the returning spirit masters in detail. Also, go see if Yue Guan is back. Above all, you must ask them about the spirits and spirit abilities of the four people that attacked them.”

  “Yes.”

  Elder Tian Feng quickly walked away.

  Bibi Dong gazed at the distant vast Heaven Dou camp, her expression changing repeatedly. Even if Spirit Hall had numerous experts, these ten raiding parties were absolutely the elite of Spirit Hall’s elite. An ordinary spirit master who had reached rank sixty or above was at least fifty years old. Those with good aptitude would be forty. Rank seventy Spirit Sages, rank eighty Spirit Douluo, were even more a thousand li distant. This one loss was difficult to bear even for the spirit master founders of the Spirit Empire.

  The Heaven Dou Empire really had come prepared! Bibi Dong’s eyes glinted with cold light. It seemed she might not be able to compete with the Heaven Dou Empire in stratagems. This powerful enemy that had for so many years dominated the Continent together with Star Luo, really had a depth in military strategy that her improvised alliance could measure up to.

  “Pass on my orders. Recall all scout troops, focus on investigating the Heaven Dou Imperial Army camp, pay close attention to the movements of their spirit masters. At the same time, send orders to Shuiyun Pass[2] not to go into battle. Place all strength on defense, and don’t confront the Star Luo Empire head on. Until I’ve routed the Heaven Dou Empire.”

  “Yes.”

  “Heaven Dou Empire, if I’m not your opponent in ambushing, then we will fight head on. I’d like to see just how you block my ten thousand unit spirit master legions.”

  ……

  Meanwhile, Tang San had also returned with his comrades to the Heaven Dou Empire camp. With the Speed Hall disciples’ tireless scouting, after cleaning up those ten raiding parties, there had been no signs of more enemies. Tang San had promptly decided to send Speed Hall disciples to warn the rear logistics army, and then returned to the camp.

  “Haha, little San, this time Bibi Dong might even be in tears. Sending five hundred spirit masters, but barely a handful returning, and these spirit masters should also be the Spirit Empire’s elites. It seems to me that it might be very difficult even for them to send another party. Unless they aren’t planning to fight our army.”

  Dai Mubai was in an excellent mood. Even though the more than thirty survivors all escaped from him, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong and Oscar’s interceptions, while Tang San completely annihilated all opponents, he still felt excellent. He hadn’t fought so happily for years, and they had destroyed the Spirit Empire’s most powerful force. This one strike would undoubtedly leave the Spirit Empire wishing they were dead.”

  Tang San said:

  “Bibi Dong shouldn’t be sending an more troops at our supplies for now. I expect that since her ambushing won’t do, she’ll definitely try fighting head on. If our army is defeated in this battle, then she’s bound to send attacks daily, relying on the spirit master legions to constantly consume our strength. If she fails, she will hole up in Jialing Pass and think of something else.”

  Dai Mubai said:

  “This battle is the Heaven Dou Empire’s business, we just have to worry about the Spirit Empire’s spirit masters. I just don’t know whether our Tang Sect’s hidden weapons can harm their spirit master legions.”

  Tang San smiled slightly:

  “I’m a bt worried too, that’s why I was in a rush to return. I hope there won’t be any trouble. Otherwise our years of preparations are useless. Even though Spirit Hall has numerous spirit masters, that’s still mainly low level spirit masters. We will doubtless cause them the greatest losses in this first battle. We have to exploit this chance to let our Tang Army seriously injure the Spirit Empire. I’ll go find Xue Beng and discuss the plans for the next battle and see how they’ve planned to face the Spirit Empire. Works well. One can never know too much, if I’d read a bit on the art of war before, I wouldn’t be so puzzled now.”

&nbs
p; Oscar snapped:

  “Little San, you already know more than enough. If you know everything and become omniscient, we can’t keep up with you.”

  Tang San’s heard moved:

  “Little Ao, you’ve already reached the Spirit Douluo level now. There might not be any food type spirit masters at your level on the entire Continent. When you make us big recovery sausages, that’s just the first spirit ability, but you still have to make them one by one? Didn’t you say that a Spirit Douluo level food type spirit master can feed an army of thousands? And even an army of tens of thousands at the Title Douluo level. How is that possible when you make them one by one?”

  Oscar said a bit proudly:

  “You don’t understand that. The big recovery sausages I make for us are the highly concentrated editions. Don’t tell me you haven’t felt that from the first big recovery sausages you ate until now, the sausages have all been the same? That isn’t the effect of the big recovery sausage, but rather the focused spirit power I made for you. If it’s just for the most basic level of recovery, I could produce countless in the blink of an eye.”

  Tang San understood:

  “So that’s it. Then can you mass produce flying mushroom sausages?”

  Oscar said:

  “Depends on the quantity. Flying mushroom sausages don’t keep for very long, you know that too. Even if I’m already above rank eighty, my flying mushroom sausages will still only keep for at most ten days. The most basic flying mushroom sausage made with my ability, plus using the Erect Gold Fly, should be useful for ten minutes of flight. In one day, with my full strength, making one thousand five hundred isn’t much of a problem.”

  Sensing the increasingly admiring gazes of his comrades, Oscar couldn’t help being even more proud, adding:

  “That’s without Rongrong’s help. If I have Rongrong’s boost, doubling the production rate isn’t a problem. This big brother is amazing.”

  Tang San exclaimed: