# Chapter 3: Arrival in Douluo Dalu
## The Crossing
The sensation of crossing between universes defied human language.
Luo Yan's consciousness fragmented across impossible distances, existing simultaneously in multiple states of reality. He experienced moments where he was matter, energy, pure thought, and nothingness all at once.
Colors that shouldn't exist flashed past his perception. Sounds that predated the concept of sound assaulted his senses. The fundamental laws of physics broke down and reformed around him continuously.
Time moved strangely—sometimes stretching into infinity, sometimes compressing to nothing. He witnessed the birth and death of stars in heartbeats. He felt the weight of entire galaxies pressing against his soul.
*This is incredible,* he thought, even as his mind struggled to process the experience. *This is what it means to transcend a single universe's limitations.*
His Domain Lord level body handled the transition far better than a normal human could have. The bloodline catalyst had fundamentally restructured him at the molecular level, making him resilient enough to survive forces that would have torn a weaker being apart.
Gradually, the chaos began to stabilize. The overlapping realities separated. A single universe came into focus.
Douluo Dalu.
---
## Star Dou Forest - Arrival
The dimensional portal tore open with a sound like reality screaming.
Luo Yan emerged from the vortex and stumbled slightly as his body adjusted to the new universe's physical laws. His feet found purchase on mossy earth. Ancient trees surrounded him, impossibly vast and beautiful.
The Star Dou Forest.
For a long moment, he simply stood there, breathing, processing the transition.
The air tasted different. Richer. Cleaner than Jiang-Nan base city's polluted atmosphere. The spiritual energy flowing through this universe had a completely different signature than the genetic energy of Swallowed Star—more fluid, more alive, carrying emotional resonance that genetic energy lacked.
*This is real,* he thought with wonder. *I'm actually in a different universe. A completely separate reality from my own.*
Behind him, the dimensional portal collapsed, leaving no trace of its existence. The forest absorbed the disruption seamlessly, as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.
Luo Yan took a moment to examine himself. His body felt right—complete, intact, powerful. The Domain Lord level strength still flowed through his meridians, though he could sense the subtle adjustments happening as his physiology adapted to Douluo Dalu's different universal laws.
The System's Cross-Universal Adaptation function was working perfectly. His body was already beginning to understand spirit power—the local energy system—without losing any of his original genetic energy cultivation.
*I can sense spirit power in the environment,* he realized. *My body is automatically learning to absorb and process it alongside my genetic energy. That means I can cultivate using both systems simultaneously.*
The strategic implications were staggering.
Around him, the Star Dou Forest seemed to hold its breath. Spirit beasts—the monsters of this universe—sensed his arrival. The weaker ones immediately fled, instinctively recognizing something far above their tier. The stronger, more intelligent beasts retreated deeper into the forest, choosing caution over curiosity.
*Good,* Luo Yan thought. *The last thing I need is drawing attention by fighting spirit beasts.*
He checked his System interface:
**[UNIVERSE TRAVEL: SUCCESSFUL]**
**[CURRENT LOCATION: DOULUO DALU - STAR DOU FOREST, OUTER REGIONS]**
**[LOCAL POWER SCALING DETECTED]**
**[HOST'S CURRENT STRENGTH EQUIVALENT: LEVEL 95-99 DOULUO (TITLED DOULUO / LIMIT DOULUO TIER)]**
**[POWER LEVEL MASKING: ACTIVE - DISPLAYING AS SPIRIT MASTER LEVEL 40]**
**[CROSS-UNIVERSAL ADAPTATION: ACTIVE - SPIRIT POWER COMPREHENSION BEGINNING]**
**[TIME SYNCHRONIZATION: ESTABLISHED - NO TIME DILATION BETWEEN UNIVERSES]**
Luo Yan smiled at the notifications. Everything was working as intended.
*Power Level Masking set to level 40 Spirit Master—strong enough to be respected, not so strong that I draw excessive attention. Perfect middle ground.*
He began walking, choosing a direction instinctively. The System provided subtle guidance through his consciousness, steering him toward the forest's edge and the territories beyond.
*According to the timeline data, Qian Renxue has been operating as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe for several years now. She's established in Heaven Dou City, maintaining her disguise, working toward Spirit Hall's long-term goals.*
*But she's also lonely. Isolated. Playing a role every waking moment with no one to confide in.*
*That's where I come in.*
The forest gradually thinned as he walked, ancient trees giving way to younger growth, the dense canopy opening to reveal patches of sky.
After an hour of steady travel, Luo Yan reached the forest's edge. Before him stretched a vast landscape of rolling plains, distant mountains, and in the far distance, the white walls and elegant architecture of a major city.
Heaven Dou City.
Even from this distance, he could sense the concentration of spiritual energy there—hundreds of Spirit Masters living and training within those walls. The city was a beacon of human civilization in a world still largely dominated by spirit beasts and wilderness.
*That's where she is,* Luo Yan thought. *Somewhere in that city, wearing a mask, pretending to be someone she's not.*
He began walking toward the city, his pace unhurried. There was no need to rush. He had time. Days, weeks, months if necessary.
Building genuine bonds couldn't be forced. The System had been clear about that. Favorability progression required authentic emotional connection, developed naturally through shared experiences and mutual vulnerability.
*I need to position myself correctly. Appear at the right moments. Become someone she can't help but notice.*
*But first, I need to establish myself in this world. Create an identity that can move freely without suspicion.*
---
## The Road to Heaven Dou City
The road leading to Heaven Dou City was well-maintained and relatively busy. Merchant caravans passed regularly, guarded by Spirit Masters wearing various sect emblems. Travelers moved in groups for safety, wary of bandits and the occasional spirit beast that wandered too close to human territories.
Luo Yan joined the flow of traffic naturally, just another traveler approaching the city. His appearance was deliberately unremarkable—simple traveling clothes, no obvious weapons or sect affiliations. To any observer, he was nobody special.
His Power Level Masking function worked flawlessly. When Spirit Masters casually scanned nearby travelers—a common practice for assessing potential threats—they detected exactly what Luo Yan wanted them to detect: a Spirit Master around level 40, respectable but not extraordinary.
*Level 40 is perfect for my purposes,* he thought. *Strong enough to be taken seriously, but common enough not to draw investigation. There are thousands of level 40 Spirit Masters across the continent.*
As he walked, Luo Yan observed everything. The way people moved and interacted. The social hierarchies displayed through clothing and behavior. The subtle signs of Spirit Master status that marked individuals as above ordinary civilians.
Douluo Dalu was a world where power determined position even more directly than in Swallowed Star. Spirit Masters were nobility simply by virtue of their abilities. The stronger one's cultivation, the higher one's social standing.
*Similar to the warrior hierarchy in Swallowed Star, but more formalized. More ingrained in the culture.*
He also noticed the conversations happening around him. Merchants discussing trade routes. Travelers sharing news from different regions. Guards complaining about spirit beast activity near the borders.
And occasionally, mentions of significant figures:
"—heard the Crown Prince will be visiting the outer districts next week—"
"—Spirit Hall is recruiting again. They say the Pope herself approved the new standards—"
"—that genius from Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan reached level 50 at only sixteen—"
Luo Yan filed away every piece of information. Knowledge was power, and understanding this world's current political and social landscape would help him navigate it more effectively.
By late afternoon, he reached Heaven Dou City's outer walls.
The walls were impressive—over forty meters high, constructed from reinforced stone and metal, covered in defensive spirit formations that glowed faintly with protective energy. Guard towers dotted the perimeter at regular intervals, manned by Spirit Masters whose job was to watch for threats approaching from the wilderness.
The main gate was a massive structure that could accommodate multiple carriages passing through simultaneously. Guards checked everyone entering, though the inspections seemed routine rather than invasive.
Luo Yan joined the queue, waiting his turn patiently.
When he reached the checkpoint, a guard—a Spirit Master around level 35 based on the energy signature—gave him a practiced once-over.
"Purpose of visit?" the guard asked, bored.
"Looking for opportunities," Luo Yan replied easily. "I'm a wandering Spirit Master seeking employment or training opportunities."
The guard's expression shifted slightly to something more respectful. Wandering Spirit Masters were common enough—talented individuals who traveled between cities, taking temporary positions or seeking advancement opportunities not available in their home regions.
"Spirit Master level?" the guard asked, pulling out a detection crystal—a common tool used for quickly assessing cultivation levels.
Luo Yan placed his hand on the crystal. It glowed with moderate intensity, displaying exactly what his masking function projected: level 40.
"Level 40, four spirit rings," the guard confirmed, noting the information. "Respectable. You'll find plenty of opportunities in the city. The Spirit Master guilds are always looking for capable people."
He handed Luo Yan a temporary visitor pass. "This is good for one week. If you want to stay longer, register at the city administration building. Welcome to Heaven Dou City."
"Thank you," Luo Yan said, accepting the pass and moving through the gate.
---
## Heaven Dou City - First Impressions
Heaven Dou City was magnificent.
White stone buildings with elegant architecture lined broad streets. Gardens filled with exotic spirit plants provided splashes of color throughout the urban landscape. The smell of cooking food mixed with incense and the subtle energy signatures of cultivation.
Spirit Masters walked openly, their power rings visible when summoned—the marks of their strength and status. Civilians moved with respectful deference around more powerful individuals, the social hierarchy made physical through simple proximity.
It was a world alive with energy and purpose.
Luo Yan spent the first hour simply walking and observing. He noted the district divisions—wealthy areas where nobles lived in mansions, commercial districts where merchants conducted business, training grounds where young Spirit Masters practiced their techniques, and the sprawling common quarters where most citizens resided.
And looming over everything, visible from almost anywhere in the city, was the Heaven Dou Royal Palace.
That's where Qian Renxue lived. Where she maintained her disguise as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, playing political games while working toward Spirit Hall's long-term goal of controlling the Heaven Dou Empire.
*She's in there right now,* Luo Yan thought, studying the palace's distant architecture. *Pretending. Performing. Lonely.*
But he couldn't just walk up to the palace and introduce himself. That would be suspicious, clumsy, likely to backfire.
*No. I need to be strategic. Create circumstances where we meet naturally. Where I can demonstrate value before revealing anything about myself.*
He found a modest inn in the merchant district—nothing fancy, but clean and well-maintained. The kind of place where wandering Spirit Masters typically stayed.
The innkeeper, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, quoted him a reasonable price. "Two silver spirit coins per night, includes breakfast. Extra for lunch and dinner if you want them."
Luo Yan paid for a week upfront, using currency he'd acquired from the System's shop—authentic Douluo Dalu money that would pass any inspection.
His room was simple but adequate. A bed, a desk, a window overlooking the street. Perfect for his purposes.
He spent the evening continuing his observations from the window. Watching the flow of people. Noting patterns of movement and activity. Learning the rhythm of this city.
And planning his approach.
---
## Strategic Planning
Late that night, alone in his room, Luo Yan opened the System interface and reviewed what he knew about Qian Renxue:
**QIAN RENXUE - TARGET ANALYSIS**
**Current Status:**
- Age: 21
- Identity: Disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe for 8+ years
- Cultivation: Level 62 Spirit Emperor (with Angel God inheritance sealed)
- Martial Soul: Seraphim (Six-Winged Angel)
- Spirit Rings: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black
**Personality Profile:**
- Proud, dignified, intelligent
- Deeply lonely due to isolation required by disguise
- Desperate for mother's (Bibi Dong's) approval and love
- Conflicts between duty to Spirit Hall and personal desires
- Maintains perfect control in public, privately struggles with emotional pain
**Known Weaknesses:**
- Mother issues (primary emotional vulnerability)
- Loneliness from years of living as someone else
- Burden of maintaining constant deception
- Lack of genuine emotional connections
**Favorability Requirements:**
- Level 2 (50-89): Establish trust, demonstrate understanding of her isolation
- Level 3 (90-99): Provide genuine emotional support, help with mother issues
- Level 4 (100): Become irreplaceable emotional anchor, resolve core trauma
**Recommended Approach:**
- Mysterious stranger angle (plays to her curiosity)
- Gradual revelation of understanding her true identity
- Non-judgmental acceptance of her deception
- Emotional support regarding mother's rejection
- Strategic positioning during her vulnerable moments
Luo Yan read through the analysis multiple times, formulating his strategy.
*The key is her loneliness and her mother issues. Those are the cracks in her armor. If I can position myself as someone who understands her pain without judging her choices, who sees through her disguise but doesn't threaten her mission, who offers genuine emotional connection without demanding anything in return...*
*She'll be drawn to me inevitably. Not because I'm forcing it, but because I'll be offering something she desperately needs and can't find anywhere else.*
He checked the All Heaven Chat Group. Several messages had accumulated:
> **[Tang San]**: Group Leader, are you there? I had a breakthrough today in my Spirit Power cultivation!
> **[Xiao Yan]**: Congratulations, Tang San! What level did you reach?
> **[Tang San]**: Level 14. It's small progress, but I'm happy with it.
> **[Shi Hao]**: That's great! I trained with the village hunters today. Drank divine beast milk. Got stronger!
> **[Ye Fan]**: Is no one else concerned that an eight-year-old is drinking something called "divine beast milk"?
> **[Yun Che]**: In cultivation worlds, normal rules don't apply. Trust me on this.
Luo Yan smiled at the casual camaraderie developing between the members. This was good—they were bonding naturally, creating genuine friendships across universes.
He composed a response:
> **[LUO YAN - Group Leader]**: Excellent progress, Tang San. Congratulations on the breakthrough. To everyone else—keep up the good work. I'm currently investigating some opportunities in a remote region, so my responses might be delayed for a few days. Don't worry if I'm not immediately available. Continue supporting each other.
> **[Tang San]**: Understood, Group Leader. Good luck with your investigation!
> **[Xiao Yan]**: Stay safe out there.
Luo Yan closed the interface. The cover story was in place—if his extended absence from Swallowed Star universe was noticed through the chat group, he had a plausible explanation.
*Now. Tomorrow, I begin positioning myself near Qian Renxue. Not obviously. Not directly. But close enough that when the right moment comes, I'll be there.*
*The hunt begins in earnest.*
He closed his eyes, settling into meditation. His body continued adapting to Douluo Dalu's spiritual energy even as he rested, the Cross-Universal Adaptation function working seamlessly.
By morning, he would be ready.
---
## Day One - Establishing Patterns
Luo Yan spent the next three days doing nothing obvious.
He wandered Heaven Dou City, familiarizing himself with its layout and rhythms. He visited the Spirit Master guilds, making casual inquiries about opportunities without committing to anything. He frequented tea houses and taverns, listening to conversations and gathering information.
He was establishing himself as a presence in the city—someone who'd been around long enough that his face became familiar, but not so long that anyone questioned his origins too deeply.
Most importantly, he researched Qian Renxue's patterns.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe maintained a regular schedule. Morning audiences at the palace. Afternoon inspections of various city districts. Evening meetings with ministers and nobles. The schedule was predictable, designed to demonstrate the Crown Prince's dedication to governance.
But there were gaps. Brief moments where the Crown Prince's schedule showed "personal time" or "private study." Those were the moments when Qian Renxue could drop the masculine facade slightly, when she was most vulnerable to unexpected encounters.
*Those are the moments I need to target,* Luo Yan thought. *Not when she's performing for crowds, but when she's alone or nearly alone. When her guard is down.*
On the fourth day, he found his opportunity.
---
## The Encounter - Scholar's Lane
Scholar's Lane was one of Heaven Dou City's quieter districts. Bookshops, tea houses, and small academies catered to intellectuals and scholars rather than warriors or merchants. It was a place where people came to think, read, and escape the city's busier sections.
According to the information Luo Yan had gathered, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe occasionally visited this district during "personal time"—supposedly to browse rare books, though Luo Yan suspected it was actually one of the few places where Qian Renxue could relax slightly behind her disguise.
It was mid-afternoon when Luo Yan positioned himself at a small tea house on Scholar's Lane. He'd chosen this location carefully—it had a perfect view of the street, comfortable seating, and the kind of peaceful atmosphere that encouraged lingering.
He ordered jasmine tea and pretended to read a book on Spirit Master theory he'd purchased from a nearby shop.
And he waited.
Patience was a virtue he'd learned well. In his previous life as a novel reader, he'd understood that the best moments in stories came from proper setup. The same principle applied to real life.
An hour passed. Two. The tea house's other customers came and went. Luo Yan remained, occasionally turning a page, sipping his tea, appearing completely absorbed in his book.
Then, finally, she appeared.
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe walked down Scholar's Lane with only two guards following at a respectful distance. The Crown Prince wore elegant but understated robes—purple and gold, colors of Heaven Dou royalty—and moved with the practiced grace of someone accustomed to being watched.
But Luo Yan, with his enhanced perception and knowledge of who was behind the disguise, could see the subtle tells. The way "he" moved was too controlled, too deliberate. The shoulders held slightly wrong for a man's natural posture. And the eyes—those carried a sadness that no Crown Prince should possess.
*There you are,* Luo Yan thought, feeling his heart rate increase slightly despite his outward calm.
Qian Renxue was browsing a bookshop across the street, examining texts with what appeared to be genuine interest. Her guards waited outside, giving their Crown Prince privacy.
Luo Yan watched carefully, timing his next move.
When Qian Renxue exited the bookshop carrying a wrapped parcel of books, she turned down the street in his direction. Her mind was clearly elsewhere—on whatever she'd just purchased, or perhaps on deeper concerns she couldn't share with anyone.
She wasn't watching where she was walking.
Luo Yan stood from his table at precisely the right moment, stepping toward the tea house exit just as Qian Renxue passed.
They collided—not hard, but enough to break both their concentrations.
The parcel of books fell from Qian Renxue's hands. Luo Yan caught her shoulders reflexively, steadying her before she could stumble backward.
"Careful," he said softly, his voice carrying genuine concern. "The streets can be treacherous when you're not watching where you're going."
For a moment, they were frozen like that—his hands on her shoulders, her face turned up toward his, surprise evident in her expression.
Then Qian Renxue's eyes focused on him properly, and her breath caught.
Luo Yan had carefully cultivated his appearance since arriving in this universe. His Domain Lord level bloodline made him naturally attractive—refined features, perfect symmetry, an aura of mysterious depth. Combined with the subtle confidence that came from overwhelming hidden power, he was striking in a way that was hard to ignore.
And Qian Renxue, lonely and isolated for years, couldn't help but notice.
"I..." she started, then seemed to catch herself. "I apologize. I wasn't paying attention."
Her voice was pitched masculine—the vocal modification she'd perfected over years of maintaining her disguise. But Luo Yan could hear the slight strain, the way it didn't quite match her natural timbre.
He released her shoulders and bent to retrieve the fallen books, handing them back with a slight smile.
"No harm done," he said. Then, with deliberate mischief: "Am I handsome?"
The question was so unexpected, so direct, that Qian Renxue's carefully maintained composure cracked.
"What?" she managed, color rising in her cheeks.
"I noticed you staring," Luo Yan explained, his tone playful but not mocking. "I was just curious if you found me attractive, or if I had something on my face."
Qian Renxue's face turned properly red now—the blush unmistakable despite her disguise. For someone who'd spent years maintaining perfect control over her expressions and reactions, this spontaneous embarrassment was shocking.
"I—that's—you can't just ask people—" she stammered, completely flustered.
"Why not?" Luo Yan interrupted gently. "It's a simple question. Though I suppose your answer just now was pretty clear."
The teasing was calculated—light enough not to be offensive, direct enough to create memorable impact. And the effect was exactly what Luo Yan had hoped for.
Qian Renxue looked at him with a mixture of mortification and something else—interest, perhaps. Curiosity about this stranger who'd just made her blush like a embarrassed maiden when she was supposed to be a dignified Crown Prince.
Her guards were approaching now, concerned by the brief collision.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" one asked, hand moving toward his weapon.
"I'm fine," Qian Renxue said quickly, recovering some of her composure. "Just a minor accident. No harm done."
She turned back to Luo Yan, and for just a moment, her disguise slipped further. He could see confusion in her eyes, mixed with that undeniable interest.
"Thank you for catching me," she said, her voice softer now, more natural. "And for... retrieving my books."
"My pleasure," Luo Yan replied with a slight bow—respectful but not subservient. "Perhaps we'll meet again, Your Highness."
There was the briefest pause before Qian Renxue nodded. "Perhaps."
Then she continued down the street, her guards falling into step behind her, leaving Luo Yan standing outside the tea house with a satisfied smile.
*First contact established,* he thought. *She's intrigued. Embarrassed. Already thinking about the mysterious stranger who made her blush with a single question.*
*Perfect beginning.*
He returned to the tea house, resumed his seat, and picked up his book again, as if nothing significant had just occurred.
But inside, his mind was already planning the next encounter.
The game had truly begun.
---
**To Be Continued**