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The Mountain Douluo Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2025-07-31 17:18:21 +0000 UTCMy steps rang out across the concrete steps as I followed the rabbit who stomped off after I defeated her via biting her to death.
And I found the little brunet pouting in an empty storage room as she was sitting against the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest.
"What!? Did you come to gloat at me!?" She demanded fiercely, which made me grin lightly as her attitude was honestly just adorable.
Still, I shrugged and said a small smile. "I had to make sure my little rabbit didn't run off. Didn't you say if I won, you would follow me?"
Xiao Wu's expression pinched, and I could see she didn't expect me to keep her to her word still I just chuckled and said with a smaller but kind smile. "Come on Xiao Wu... We need to go get dinner."
She bit her lower lip and she looked at me a bit unsurely before she asked quietly. "Wait, so you aren't going to bully me for trying to steal your bedding?"
I just rolled my eye's and grabbed her hand to pull her up as I retorted. "Why would I be mad and that petty? Anyway I got bigger things to worry about than a little bunny trying to steal my bedding."
Even as Xiao Wu's hand gripped mine in turn before she let go as we walked out of the storage room. She asked me with a light scoff. "Heh, you are just a kid like me, what great worries could you even have?"
To which I smiled wryly and, without making eye contact, I said helplessly. "I have Innate Spirit Power, and no backing to help me get a decent first Spirit Ring. I am an orphan with my orphanage leaving me here, so once I am out of money, I am truly out... And who knows what other issues will come up next."
There was a long pause before Xiao Wu said slowly before laughing at the end. "Wow, you sound like a worried old man. You need to relax Tian Lung, or you will get grey hair before you even hit ten years old haha!"
I just rolled my eye's at her antics before I mentally sighed as I truly did need some backing and for a moment, I wondered if I should try to suck up to a teacher or something.
As I would literally die without a single doubt if I went into any of the wilderness in hopes of getting a century-grade spirit ring.
Either way I got some food with Xiao Wu who after I paid for her food after she complained about the bite marks on her legs from yours truly. She was a chatty person as she ate a large meal that had a good deal of poultry and I couldn't help a wry smile at realizing something funny.
All the poultry she fixated on came from predatory birds, and I couldn't help but wonder if her eating habits as a reincarnated human came from her being a Soft-Boned Rabbit who was hunted by such more predator-style birds.
"Yeah... I suppose I should try to find a teacher then to sponsor me. It's not like I am going to chance going near one of the noble families." I muttered as that would lead to me being all but enslaved, basically once my talents in alchemy got out inevitably.
Then Xiao Wu hummed and said thoughtfully. "Actually if you want a teacher. Hmm, there is that weirdo Yu Xiaogang who is the teacher of that... Witch Tang Wutong!" She spat at the end with fire almost in her eyes.
I coudn't help but blink at why she and Tang Wutong were like fire and water in this universe... In the prime timeline, she latched onto Tang San like glue and would never let go?
So with clear confusion, I asked with a bit of amusement. "What's going on with you and Tang Wutong, the other boys had some funny names for you two, as well as the 'Queens of the Common room.'
Xiao Wu's feirce expression turned into a pout before she made a huffing noise and she grunted out. "That little... Rat is super skilled with martial arts, and with her first Spirit Ring, she fly! So she was able to bully Xiao Wu without any mercy!"
She clearly didn't want to explain any further but still I was still a bit weirded out at the thought of having Yu Xiaogang as a possible teacher/master as he was the great Fraudster of the Doulou Continent.
He loved to say how there was no such thing as trash Martial Souls... But his own Martial Soul was complete trash who physically couldn't cultivate past level 29 and was like fifty years at this point.
And he would have remained 'trash' who couldn't properly cultivate until the day he died. Until Tang San gave him an immortal herb that fixed his broken Martial Soul.
And hell... In the prime timeline, when he went to help Tang San kill his first spirit beast, he himself got poisoned and almost died to the spirit beast who became Tang San's first spirit ring.
Not to mention him being the center of most of the series drama due to him being a coward who coudn't settle down with the lovesick women who threw themselves at him... And hell, the woman he does settle down with at the end is literally his cousin!
Although they shared a deep love, he vowed never to consummate said marriage with her!
So he was someone I was... Very wary of forming a disciple/master relationship with. Though I did want to keep along with Doulou Dalu's main events in joining Shrek Academy.
Then Xiao Wu continued with a wry smile. "Although he is weak, he is still a very knowledgeable man who has strong connections along with knowing more about Spirit Beasts and other matters then anyone else in the academy."
And that was a fair point. I just needed a single fire-attribute spirit ring for me to be able to use my Dragon Cauldron to get started with alchemy, and from there, the sky was the limit once I could just get started.
So I took a breath and said softly. "Well, even if he can't help me. Maybe he can point me to someone who can help me. Thank you for the advice Xiao Wu."
She nodded proudly before I blinked as she giggled between bites, as while I was in deep thought, she had stolen a piece of meat from my stew.
"Hmph, alright, you little thief. I am going to go look for him." You can finish off my stew if you are such a hungry little bunny."
She threw me a slightly angry pout as she retorted quietly... Even as she carefully took my large bowl of stew. "I am a rabbit... Not a bunny!"
And I just patted her head making her freeze as I said gently. "Yeah, you can be a fierce rabbit all you want. But you are my bunny, remember."
Then I just walked away, even as I realized my teasing probably came off a little weird with our ages. Still I wasn't going to go back as I made my way towards the faculty area to find the mega-fraud.
Because some support was better than none frankly.
Regardless of Yu Xiaogang being a fraud, he was also a get out of jail/assassination free card when it came to my talents being shown off, and being his disciple would keep some factions off my back.
I soon found Yu Xiaogang himself at the much nicer teacher's dorms that had their own small houses basically for themselves in the large school.
After knocking on the door, I blinked as the one and only Yu Xiaogang opened the door. The man was on the thinner side, with a shock of white hair that was the result of not age... But emotional damage as he almost plowed his first cousin, and the stress made his hair turn white.
Still, Yu Xiaogang raised an eyebrow, and his voice was deep and cultured as he spoke calmly. "May I help you, young man?"
To which I took a deep breath as I knew that, regardless of the fanon and canon depictions of this man. I needed to suck up my pride, and irrelevant thoughts as I wanted to survive in this cultivation world.
If countless other main characters could start their cultivation lives splitting wood and being a servant in their sects, and work their way up. I could deal with Yu Xiaogang without any issue!
I took a deep breath and I said quietly. "May I come in and talk for a minute Grandmaster." I said respectfully towards his title as a well learned man that many of the common people in the continent called him.
He raised an eyebrow before he nodded and stepped back, allowing me to enter his dorm house and as I came in he said calmly. "Would you like some tea? Or is this something about my disciple?"
I smiled wryly at that, and I took a breath before I said honestly. "Grandmaster, I was hoping you could help guide me towards getting my first Spirit Ring, seeing as I have Innate Spirit Power."
He paused at hearing my words and then he offered his hand to me and said sternly. "Young man, saying such a thing requires some proof. May I inspect your spirit power?"
I let him take my arm and I felt his own spirit power enter mine and I saw his stern face go blank before he paused as he asked quietly. "What is your Martial Soul?"
"I call it the Dragon Alchemy Furnace. I need a fire spirit ring in order to truly make the best use of it though!"
He was locked in thought for a moment before his face twitched and he gently let go of me, before he kneeled down to get to my face level and he asked seriously. "What is your name, young man?"
"Tian Lung," I said simply.
He took a breath, and then he asked me bluntly. "Tian Lung, do you have Dual Martial Spirits?"
There was a silence for a moment before I said with a wry smile. "Grandmaster's wisdom has been proven... Yes, that is true. My other Martial Spirit is a Mountain."
Yu Xiaogang's expression paused as such a Martial Spirit was beyond rare. The typical classifications of martial spirits were, after all, only three classifications that didn't include such nature constructs at least to even my foreknowledge of the universe.
The three typical classifications being Beast Martial Souls, Tool Martial Souls, and Body Martial Souls. With their classifications being rather simple. Beast Martial Souls had people with dragons or other animal-based martial souls like Xiao Wu with her Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul.
Tool-based martial souls were anything from a fork to a sword to... Even my alchemy cauldron was a tool-martial soul.
As for the body martial soul. Those could be weird as one poor bastard had twin martial souls, both in the body category, that were the Spirit Belly and Spirit Buttocks Martial Souls.
"I see... Twin Martial Soul's haven't been seen in so many years, and yet now two have found themselves at my school haha! Is this fate telling me something?" Yu Xiaogang spoke to himself in some confusion.
Although Yu Xiaogang used the information he had collected from the libraries of his own clan, he was kicked out of. And Spirit Hall's own extensive libraries to express his 'theories' and such to earn his fame. He was still an intelligent man.
Finally, Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, and he met my gaze and spoke. "Tian Lung, as you note,d I am called the Grandmaster due to my well learned pool of knowledge that encompasses spirit rings, martial souls, and spirit beasts themselves."
"Tian Lung, would you be willing to take me as your master? I promise to aid your growth, protect you, and help you grow to the peak of your possible talent in becoming a Title Douluo!"
The man who couldn't even reach level 30 was telling me he could guide me to level 90 plus as a Spirit Master. Yeah he was delusional obviously to some level, but fuck it.
Despite him being a fraud, I knew for a fact that he would protect me with his life, as he loved his students like they were his own kids.
Most importantly... I didn't have alot of choices into where or who to run towards for any level of backing right now.
I bowed my head slightly and I said quietly. "I will take you as my master and teacher Grandmaster."
The man nodded before he hummed and spoke firmly. "Alright, so Tian Lung please tell me about yourself. Tell me about any lineage you have, any special skills you have, and we can discuss what type of Spirit Ring will best suit you."
And so I began talking, I told him my 'history' of being an orphan of a family of healers who was raised here at the Nuoding Cities orphanage and how I loved to read about herbs and healing which 'totally' seemed to fit into my alchemy cauldron martial soul.
Then I explained how with my Martial Soul being a cauldron, I obviously needed a Spirit Ring that was at least a yellow century level. And as I spoke I then threw out a hope that I had. "My family also has a recipe for a powerful prescription that will enhance the body to enhance it's limit range for the power of spirit rings as well."
He raised an eyebrow and asked with amusement. "What's the range and what does such a prescription require Xiao Tian?"
My lips twitched as he had already changed my name to a more affectionate form but still I took a breath and said. "In whale-based Spirit Beasts at least over a thousand years in cultivation, they will have a special gel core in their brains that can be used along with other materials to make an elixer soup that will allow someone to elevate their body's strength greatly."
"It depends on the user, but it can let them gain a couple of hundred years to even a thousand plus years in body absorption range... But my family wasn't strong enough to ever hunt for whales or commission any hunts as the ocean is far away." I said with a wry smile.
There was a long pause as Yu Xiaogang gave me a long, searching look before he said slowly in thought. "Do you have any proof of this Xiao Tian? I am not calling you a liar but this is... Something that will overturn all of the continent if it becomes common knowledge."
This was something that actually became 'common knowledge' in Douluo Dalu 2 actually as while in 1 the optimal spirit ring formation was two yellow, two, purple, and the rest being black spirit rings.
In Douluo Dalu 2 the optimal spirit rings was four purple and then black as people would just skip yellow spirit rings altogether! And that was because the secrets of refining the body were more explored!
Still I smiled wryly and said honestly. "I can swear on my life and the honor of my parents that I am not lying... The prescription itself isn't difficult to make, it just requires the brain jelly from a high-end sea-based Spirit Beast with whales being by far the best."
Hell it was a recipe I could make in just an iron pot in a soup... It's not like it required special tools or any special techniques.
Still he visibly chewed on his thoughts before he smiled and said. "Alright then, Xiao Tian, I will look into it with my own connections. Now, let's get back to your spirit ring idea. You said you were considering the Fiery Lance Serpent for your spirit ring right?"
And then I realized that the Grandmaster was VERY knowledgeable when it came to Spirit Beasts and Spirit Rings. With his knowledge honestly saving me weeks, if not months of intensive studying as he listed of dozens of other fire-based Spirit Beast types that lived within a few days of Nuoding City.
"Although that serpent is a decent idea for a fire spirit ring, you will likely want a spirit ring that's less focused on direct attacks and a steadier flame correct?" He spoke thoughtfully.
I nodded in agreement as if I got a stronger spirit ring that had more of a steady flame attack or ability that would be for the best. Then he hummed in thought before he offered me a few suggestions that made my eye's light up as those spirit beasts he mentioned I didn't see in the library at all.
Then again, I did only looked for a few hours... And in this world there were tens of thousands of spirit beast species just in animal types. To say nothing of plant, insect, or let alone water-based Spirit Beasts.
"Then in that case, I have to recommend the Flame-Tongued Beetle. It's spirit rings almost always fall into the course of a more steady fire breath like spirit ring at least for Beast-Type Martial Souls."
And that was a major detail the books I had access to in this small library didn't have that only Grandmaster and other organizations that lasted for millenia would. A history of what type of spirit rings would typically come from a certain type of spirit beast.
"That sounds like a great idea Grandmaster." I said respectfully with him smiling proudly at offering what was likely the best spirit ring I could aim for.
Though he smiled wryly after a moment and said. "Ahem, so Xiao Tian I do hope you do not mind waiting for me to get a few things ready for such a trip to get your spirit ring. The last time I went to help my disciple Xiao Wutong... It had a couple mishaps."
He shook his head and with more steel in his spine he said more firmly. "Also! It will allow me the time to get that whale jelly you wanted Xiao Tian. I need to see with my own eye's the effect of this prescription. As should it be true it will redefine the optimal spirit ring combinations!"
'He doesn't have that much money or connections... How is he going to get the whale jelly then?' I mused to myself in confusion before I shrugged and said firmly. "That is perfectly fine Grandmaster. But, if I do raise my body's adaptation rate to over a thousand years of cultivation. Will hunting such a spirit beast even be safe?"
His face actually pinched at the thought as he himself got wrecked in canon by a simple couple of centuries of cultivation snake that almost killed him. And with a sigh he shook his head. "I will call in a favor Xiao Tian to help us get you such a spirit ring."
I gave a sharp bow of the head in understanding and respect as I knew that Yu Xiaogang was keeping a low profile right now. Still, he coughed and then with a lighter tone he said with some amusement. "Now... Xiao Tian, how about you go back to the common room for now. You need to go meet with your sister disciple, Tang Wutong, and I have a few letters to send."
"Yes, Grandmaster. Thank you for taking me in and trusting me with this." I said respectfully with him nodding severely and then waving a hand gently in my direction in dismissal, while I stepped away with my mind filled with thoughts of what I was going to do when I got my first spirit ring.
Because once I was able to use my furnace/cauldron at all? I was going to break this worlds logic of cultivation over my knee! At least assuming I could get the materials...
As I walked towards the common room, my face twitched as I thought. 'Oh dear god... I am going to end up like Flender, who is a total miser, as I am going to struggle for money so much."
Because let's be honest... All of the Shrek main cast, except for Ning Rongrong and her family behind her were dirt poor!
Comments
Osiris Sundavr
Sounds like he needs to seduce Ning Rongrong before Oscar bumbles his way into her heart. Shouldn’t be too hard to do if he doesn’t go around calling her a “witch” like the boys did until after Tang San showed up.
Ryuu
Hopefully he gets the money problem sorted a bit, as that’s the main reason why crafter type fics die out
