Returning to the sect, the moment Chen Yi set foot on the threshold of a small courtyard, a figure rushed at him like the wind.
"Xiao Yi!"
Mu Xi threw her arms around her son, gripping his shoulders tightly, voice trembling. She looked up and carefully examined Chen Yi's face. Once somewhat childish, it now bore clear lines, his skin a shade darker, and in his eyes was a calm sharpness that only comes from surviving life and death.
What worried her most was the faint, cold aura radiating from her son—a taint left by too much killing, difficult to fully conceal even when suppressed.
"You... child... The Slaughter City... does anyone go there?"
Mu Xi's eyes reddened instantly, her voice choked. As a traditional soul master, she instinctively feared and rejected such a place of pure slaughter. For the past eight months, she had lived in constant worry, dreading bad news at any moment.
Warmth surged in Chen Yi's heart. He gently patted his mother's back, his tone uncharacteristically gentle.
"Mother, isn't it a good thing for me? I wasn't hurt at all. And—"
Chen Yi released Mu Xi's hand, stepping back a little, letting her see his beaming smile.
"The harvest wasn't small. Once I adjust my state for a few days, I'll be able to obtain my sixth soul ring."
"Indeed," Chen Zhen approached with a rare look of relief in his eyes, trying to maintain his usual seriousness. "Besides, with the Grand Elder secretly looking after him, what could possibly happen?"
Chen Zhen spoke to both his wife and himself. For the past eight months, he had worried little less than Mu Xi.
Mu Xi let go of Chen Yi's hand and shot Chen Zhen a sharp glare. "I told you! If you hadn't kept it from me—"
She didn't finish, but the fear and anger in her eyes made Chen Zhen touch his nose wryly, not daring to retort. In the beginning, Chen Yi's decision to go was a result of discussions between him and the sect elders, and Mu Xi was kept in the dark until Chen Yi had already left.
Taking a deep breath, Mu Xi calmed herself and looked back at Chen Yi, her face now gentle again.
"All right, you're back. Wait here. I'll make your favorite food. You haven't had a proper meal these past months in that place."
With that, she turned and hurried to the kitchen, her steps light, as if she wanted to turn eight months of worry into the fireworks between pots and pans.
Chen Zhen watched his wife disappear behind the kitchen door, then lowered his voice and smiled wryly at Chen Yi.
"Your mother almost killed me these eight months."
Chen Yi could imagine what his father had endured, and couldn't help laughing. "It's not so bad, is it?"
Father and son exchanged smiles, the atmosphere relaxing.
They sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, and Chen Yi briefly recounted his experiences in Slaughter City, omitting the bloodiest, most brutal parts, focusing only on the breakthrough in his spiritual power.
After chatting for a while, Chen Yi remembered something and asked, "Father, I heard the Grand Elder mention something called the 'Titled Douluo List' recently. What is it?"
Chen Zhen frowned immediately, a trace of contempt appearing on his face.
"He mentioned that? Hmph, those are about as soft as the leg of this table."
He stood and walked to a small, inconspicuous wooden table in the corner of the courtyard. One leg was uneven, and a thick booklet was wedged underneath.
Chen Zhen crouched, casually pulled out the booklet, and tossed it to Chen Yi without looking.
"That's it. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect led the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in chasing after the fun of making lists."
Chen Zhen sat back down, his tone full of undisguised disdain. "It's said to list all the strongest on the Douluo Continent and the geniuses with the potential to be strong. The name sounds grand, and it does list a lot of names, but…"
He shook his head. "Unfortunately, half of it is reliable, and the rest is self-deception or deliberately mixed up to confuse people."
Chen Yi caught the booklet. It was quite heavy, the cover a deep gold cardboard, with three gold characters: "Titled Douluo List," and beneath it, in smaller characters, "Volume One: True Dragon List." The paper was smooth and thick, clearly expensive. The binding alone exuded an air of authority and classic prestige.
He flipped through and stared at the words on the inside cover:
Douluo True Dragon List
(This list only includes Title Douluo-level experts, comprehensively ranked by strength, record, and potential.)
1. Former Sect Master of Clear Sky Sect, Tang Chen
Title: Clear Sky
Rank: Ultimate Douluo, Level 99
Notes: Missing for decades, life or death uncertain; unlikely to have fallen, thus temporarily ranked at the top.
2. Grand Worship of Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu
Title: Angel
Rank: Ultimate Douluo, Level 99
Notes: Recognized as one of the world's strongest, once defeated by Tang Chen, thus ranked second.
3. Sect Master of the Body Sect, Chu Shanhe
Title: Body
Rank: Super Douluo, Level 98
Notes: Master of Body Martial Soul, top in physical strength, once matched Qian Daoliu but slightly lost.
4. Second Worship of Spirit Hall, Tian E
Title: Golden Crocodile
Rank: Super Douluo, Level 98
Notes: Spirit Hall elder, unfathomable strength.
5. Grand Elder of Body Sect, Yuan Hua
Title: Wisdom Brain
Rank: Super Douluo, Level 97
Notes: Top of the spiritual system, extremely resourceful.
...
Chen Yi was a bit surprised as he read to the end. The list contained over forty people, all with the title of Douluo! It included strong members of the Body Sect and Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sword and Bone Douluo, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Thunder Douluo, and even hidden experts only seen in sect records, like the Star Crown Douluo and Star Glory Douluo of the Star Crown Sect, and the Xuanming Douluo of the Xuanming Sect...
He kept flipping, his gaze suddenly stopping on one name, his face clearly shocked.
The eleventh spot was written especially prominently:
11. Ninth Elder of the Body Sect, Xie Xiaoqing
Title: Blazing Heart
Rank: Title Douluo, Level 95
Soul Ring Configuration: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Red, Red
Record: In March of Douluo Year 2642, single-handedly challenged the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's residence, fiercely fighting Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen for over a hundred rounds and defeating him, leaving him seriously injured. That same month, visited the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect and, in a hundred moves, thoroughly suppressed Bone Douluo Gu Rong. Strength far surpasses peers, estimated to rival peak Level 97 Douluo.
Evaluation: Newly titled, clear superiority, great potential. Ranked 11th due to youth.
Xie Xiaoqing's ranking is actually higher than Sword Douluo Chen Xin, with such high evaluation?
Chen Yi glanced at his father, thinking, "How could Aunt fight Yu Yuanzhen and Gu Rong? Is it still that chaotic?"
He recalled that right before he entered Slaughter City, Xie Xiaoqing had just made her breakthrough and should have only recently stabilized.
Before Chen Zhen could answer, Mu Xi's chilly voice came from the kitchen:
"What else could it be? Those two sects just love to stir up trouble!"
She emerged carrying a plate of fresh fruit, placing it on the stone table, her face still angry as she wiped her hands on her apron.
"Not long after you entered Slaughter City, Ning Feng Zhi and Yu Yuanzhen went together to the Heaven Dou Palace. I don't know what they said to that old fox Xue Ye, but under the banner of 'maintaining stability among imperial soul masters' and 'honoring outstanding theoretical contributions,' they wanted to grant Yu Xiaogang the title of 'Wisdom Marquis.'"
"Wisdom... Marquis?" Chen Yi was stunned, then gradually understood, his face turning cold. "Yu Xiaogang daring to claim the title 'Wisdom Marquis'—and none of our Body Sect protested?"
Mu Xi continued, "But old Xue Ye wasn't completely muddled—he passed the Blue Lightning Marquis only in name. The matter was spread to the mainland in the meantime."
Chen Yi took a bite of fruit; the sweet juice melted in his mouth, but his gaze grew colder. "So, Aunt Qi made her move?"
"Such a matter is neither big nor small, but it'd be inconvenient for the sect leader or elders to step forward," Chen Zhen recalled, a hint of joy in his eyes. "With Xiaoqing's temper, how could she hold back? She went straight to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's gate, challenged Yu Yuanzhen's Dragon Transformation technique, and made her name known."
"In that battle, she won decisively. Yu Yuanzhen was eventually carried away and wouldn't recover for at least a year and a half."
"After defeating the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, she turned and headed for the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect," Mu Xi added in relief. "Ning Feng Zhi was smart—he didn't let Sword Douluo move, only asked Bone Douluo to 'test' her. In the end, Gu Rong's old bones couldn't withstand Xiaoqing's 200,000-year soul ring for a hundred moves and suffered an ugly defeat."
"This time, both sect's arrogance was shattered, and even some sycophants scattered faster than anyone!"
Chen Yi slowly put down the fruit pit and shook his head. "Yu Yuanzhen and Ning Feng Zhi... How did it come to this?"
He knew the Body Sect was strong and fiery, but had no interest in stirring up trouble like the Spirit Hall. Why did they have to meddle at such a time—wasn't this just picking a fight?
"No wonder Aunt Qi wanted to come knocking on their door. Those two sects really asked for it."
...
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