Douluo: Unparalleled General, Starting by Deceptive Thousand-Snow-Peak 16

Chapter 16: First Soul Ring – Nan Feihuang’s Future Plans

The Eighteen-Strike single-handed technique was simple, yet powerful and sweeping. For a time, Nan Feihuang even gained the upper hand in his battle against the Silver Moon Sky Wolf.

However, his soul power was insufficient, and his strength couldn’t last. He couldn’t quickly defeat the Silver Moon Sky Wolf, a soul beast nearing seven hundred years old. As time went on, his spear techniques became increasingly disorganized. He hadn’t practiced the Eighteen-Strike for very long.

If Xiang Yu or Lü Bu were to do it, even with insufficient skill, overcoming a stronger opponent wouldn’t be a difficult feat. (Xiang Yu and Lü Bu are legendary Chinese warlords known for their immense strength and martial prowess.)

“Without a soul ring, to hold off the Silver Moon Sky Wolf for so long, Huang’er has already done remarkably well,” Queen Lan Xue saw this and decided to intervene.

She held her Mystic Ice Spear, her first soul ring glowing brightly.

“First soul skill, Frost Slash!”

Lan Xue’s spear swept across the ground, freezing power surging towards the Silver Moon Sky Wolf’s lower body. The wolf didn’t even have time to react before its legs were completely frozen.

Nan Feihuang seized the opportunity, striking with his spear and blasting the Silver Moon Sky Wolf’s head. A yellow soul ring formed.

“Huang’er, eat these two before absorbing the soul ring!” Lan Xue tossed an orange and an apple to Nan Feihuang.

These were Zhang Lao’s Vitality Orange and Energy Apple. With these, Nan Feihuang’s physical strength and spirit power would quickly recover. It was precisely this kind of logistical support that allowed Lan Xue to let Nan Feihuang expend his energy battling the Silver Moon Sky Wolf, allowing him to grow through practical experience. Having a food-type Soul Sage meant he could always be in optimal condition to absorb his soul ring.

Nan Feihuang immediately ate the orange and apple, his physical strength and spirit power restored to their peak. He sat cross-legged, the soul ring enveloping his body.

The impact of a near-seven-hundred-year soul ring was indeed significant for a level-ten Soul Master.

After all, a six-year-old’s bones and tendons aren’t strong enough, nor are their meridians wide enough; they are easily ruptured by such power.

No matter how great Nan Feihuang’s potential, it still needed cultivation and growth to be unleashed. If he hadn’t consumed the whale jelly, he wouldn’t have dared to absorb a ring close to three hundred years old for his first.

Fortunately, for him now, though uncomfortable, he could endure it.

Seeing her son’s soul power solidify and his expression not overly contorted, only slightly furrowed, Lan Xue finally relaxed. She knew that such difficulty wouldn’t faze her precocious son.

After about two hours, Nan Feihuang’s body flashed with golden light, his soul power completely stabilized. He suddenly leaped up, raising his Fangtian Halberd and delivering a powerful downward slash.

“First soul skill, Crescent Slash!”

A crescent-shaped blade sliced through the lake, creating a huge wave. The river ahead was cleaved in two.

Crescent Slash, one of the martial techniques, was comparable in power to Dian Wei’s Ghost Halberd and Lü Lingqi’s Flying Knife. (Dian Wei and Lü Lingqi are legendary figures from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.) However, it combined the Ghost Halberd’s persistent attack even after hitting a target and the Flying Knife’s speed.

Most importantly, this skill consumed minimal soul power and could be used continuously. Nan Feihuang could now wield his spear four times in an instant, unleashing four Crescent Slashes.

Furthermore, this technique had a secret: it was a true damage move that ignored defense, similar to Bibi Dong’s Eternal Creation.

“Excellent, the attack is fierce, the attack speed is very fast, and it can be used continuously; a very outstanding first soul skill,” Lan Xue praised. A near-seven-hundred-year soul ring did not disappoint.

Indeed, risk and reward coexist.

“It seems this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest was quite fruitful. Let’s go back,” Lan Xue called to everyone.

“Mother, should we go to the primary academy after we return?” Nan Feihuang asked.

Generally, children of their age would attend the primary academy, eventually progressing to the advanced academy.

Ancient Thunder King Country also had primary and advanced royal academies, and their royal academy had the right to participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. Unfortunately, their results were not very good each year.

“Not for now. I’ll have you all registered at the academy; you can go if you want, it’s fine if you don’t. The primary academy’s cultivation resources are all available in the palace. However, when the Soul Master Elite Tournament begins, you will still have to represent Ancient Thunder King Country. We haven’t had good results for many years,” Lan Xue sighed.

Ancient Thunder King Country’s soul master strength was arguably the weakest among the four kingdoms. There were only two Title Douluo-level powerhouses or higher, one of whom was Lan Xue, who joined later. This meant that before Nan Tianchen married Lan Xue, the royal family only had one Title Douluo expert.

If not for this, why would Ancient Thunder King Country so resolutely side with the Sky Dou Empire, paying tribute year after year, just to seek protection?

However, over the years, the Martial Soul Temple had also secretly offered them an olive branch. To say that Nan Tianchen wasn’t tempted would be impossible. The Martial Soul Temple’s soul master strength was, after all, the number one on the continent.

He also clearly understood what the Martial Soul Temple coveted from Ancient Thunder Kingdom: agriculture.

At that time, Nan Tianchen was terrified, because why would the Martial Soul Temple, which had almost no army, suddenly need so much grain?

Wasn’t the intention obvious? They must be secretly cultivating an army, and there would undoubtedly be major actions in the future.

Nan Tianchen didn’t dare to offend the Martial Soul Temple and treated them politely, but outwardly still clung to the Sky Dou Empire. This behavior was like a womanizer who didn’t reject either of two girls.

Xun Yu analyzed that Nan Tianchen’s approach, while seemingly flattering both sides, would inevitably lead to a disastrous outcome. Womanizers rarely had good endings, especially when both women were stronger than him.

In the future, Ancient Thunder King Country’s fence-sitting would only result in being torn apart by both sides in war.

Xun Yu, possessing exceptionally strong administrative skills, offered this analysis, which Nan Feihuang agreed with. However, neither of them stopped Nan Tianchen.

Firstly, no matter how strong Xun Yu’s administrative abilities were, he was only six years old. Aside from Nan Feihuang, who would listen to a child’s analysis?

Secondly, the continental war was still a long way off. While the fence-sitting’s tragic end was certain, the period before that outcome was often the most comfortable. This was also a fact.

Thirdly, Xun Yu’s consideration of Ancient Thunder King Country’s fate was based on the absence of Nan Feihuang and others. With them, the future had many more variables. As long as they grew stronger, all problems would cease to be problems.

Submitting to the Martial Soul Temple or the Sky Dou Empire, or relying on Tang San and the protagonist group, held no interest for Nan Feihuang. (Tang San is the protagonist of another popular Chinese web novel.) He had considered this: he inherited the power from the Three Kingdoms era and happened to be a crown prince; he had Dian Wei and Lü Lingqi in military matters and Xun Yu in civil affairs – this chaotic power of heroic figures would be a waste if he didn’t lead the country to rise and unify the world.

However, he was still too young. His father, while somewhat short-sighted, was a decent ruler in times of peace, enough to develop Ancient Thunder King Country well in this relatively peaceful time. When the continental war came, he would take over.

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