Douluo: In an extraordinary world, with unparallel understanding!

Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:

patreon.com/ZeroMoney

I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated. 

******

Qian Duoduo watched the Soul Tool Master Tournament held across the three major black markets. 

He arrived at the competition venue where the Aodu Merchant Association was located, observing Su Yu's performance. 

"This soul power fluctuation feels familiar… but I can't recall who he is." 

Shaking his head, Qian Duoduo didn't dwell too much on Su Yu's identity. 

It was likely a disguised participant—something common in this kind of tournament. 

After all, despite being modeled after the Soul Battle Tournament, this competition had fundamental differences. 

The Soul Battle Tournament was a highly regulated event, with strict identity verification for participants. Disguises were rare because, sooner or later, they would be exposed. This was done to prevent ineligible soul masters from sneaking in through deception. Otherwise, a twenty-five-year-old Soul Saint could use special techniques to alter their appearance and bone age, claim to be twenty, and enter the tournament—causing complete chaos. 

While such disguises weren't impossible to detect, identifying the exact nature of the deception was much more difficult. 

To prevent any tampering with bone age, the only solution was to remove all disguise checks. 

In other words, disguises were ineffective against the official personnel managing the tournament. 

But no matter how much this Soul Tool Master Tournament tried to imitate the Soul Battle Tournament, it couldn't change one fundamental fact—it was being held in the black market. 

And in the black market, no one would take the risk of exposing their true identity just to participate in a competition. 

As a result, there were absolutely no measures in place to detect disguises during the tournament. 

As for whether contestants had altered their bone age, the black market organizers couldn't afford to be too strict about it. They could only try their best to ensure that the bone age tests weren't easily manipulated. 

If someone truly had the ability to fake even their bone age, the black market had no way of stopping them. 

Fortunately, such capabilities were extremely rare—especially those advanced enough to evade black market detection. 

The Soul Battle Tournament's primary focus was on detecting disguises, but its bone age testing technology wasn't particularly advanced. 

Once all disguise techniques were removed, the recorded bone age was naturally accurate. 

This was mainly due to the relatively low level of soul tool technology in the Douluo Three Nations. Their bone age testing devices lagged far behind those of the Sun Moon Empire and couldn't effectively prevent manipulation. 

So, rather than attempting to improve the technology, the rule of removing disguises was simply upheld over time. 

In contrast, the Soul Tool Master Tournament couldn't force contestants to remove their disguises during registration. However, it compensated by improving the accuracy of its bone age testing devices. 

At present, these devices could detect 95% of all disguise techniques! 

This didn't mean a 95% accuracy rate for bone age determination but rather that 95% of attempts to disguise bone age could be exposed. 

That was already the limit. 

If someone managed to bypass this bone age test and exploit a loophole to enter the competition, the three major black markets could only accept their loss. 

Besides, even if such an anomaly existed, so what? 

Their participation would introduce unpredictable elements into the tournament, increasing the risks for the betting markets. 

And in the black market, heightened risk only meant greater profits for the bookmakers. 

Qian Duoduo's eyes gleamed as he watched Su Yu's forging process. 

"Such incredible forging skills." 

When he needed rare metals for crafting a Grade Nine Soul Tool, he had personally entrusted Tang Zhen with the forging. 

It was undeniable that the forging process played a crucial role in the creation of soul tools. 

But to Qian Duoduo, Su Yu's forging skills were no less impressive than Tang Zhen's. 

And Tang Zhen was a direct descendant of the Haotian Sect, inheriting its blacksmithing expertise. 

Yet Su Yu, a Soul Tool Master, had refined this auxiliary skill to such an exceptional level? 

Had he specialized in it at the cost of his main field? 

As Qian Duoduo pondered, Su Yu had already begun engraving the core formation. 

His expression remained calm as his Blade of Life flickered in his hands, slicing away thin layers of rare metal from the iron sphere with fluid precision. 

Though the intricate details of the core formation were hidden from view, his seamless execution was proof enough of his exceptional craftsmanship. 

"I never expected to come across such a promising talent." 

Qian Duoduo's eyes gleamed as he watched Su Yu, his interest growing. 

Would an hour be enough to complete the piece? 

He continued to observe the competition, not just Su Yu's work but the crafting techniques of every participating Soul Tool Master. His primary focus was on techniques he had never encountered before. 

Even as a master capable of creating Grade Nine Soul Tools, Qian Duoduo found himself learning valuable insights from these Grade Six Soul Tool Masters. 

And that was the tragedy of the Douluo Three Nations. 

No—more accurately, it was the tragedy of being at Shrek Academy. 

While Qian Duoduo observed Su Yu's arena, Fan Yu was at the venue where Huo Yuhao was competing. 

Fan Yu, too, had taken note of Huo Yuhao, the latecomer to the tournament. 

The Ice Crystal Blade danced in Huo Yuhao's hands. As a carving tool forged from Ultimate Ice soul power, it was not only razor-sharp but also incredibly easy to wield—akin to controlling soul power itself. 

In fact, by using the Ice Crystal Blade for soul tool crafting, Huo Yuhao was simultaneously refining his control over his soul power. 

The blade's tip released fine streams of energy, splitting into multiple paths to carve deep within the rare metal. This technique allowed for more intricate and complex engraving. 

It was a soul tool carving method unique to Huo Yuhao. 

Unfortunately, it was still incomplete. 

Yet, even so, Fan Yu was mesmerized. 

"What an exquisite engraving technique." 

In just one hour, Su Yu had completed a Grade Six Soul Tool. 

As he finished the final assembly, a beautifully crafted gemstone emerged in his hands. 

Radiating a black-gold glow, the gem exuded a sense of resilience and strength. 

"Oh?" 

Su Yu had finished his piece just in time. Not many other contestants completed their work simultaneously, so it was soon his turn to have his creation evaluated by the judges. 

A judge infused soul power into the gemstone, causing it to emit a radiant glow that enveloped him in a protective aura. 

"A defensive-type soul tool… but how strong is its protection?" 

The judge adjusted the amount of soul power being channeled into the barrier, carefully testing its strength. 

At the same time, he tried to gauge its defensive capabilities. 

Opening his eyes, he was visibly surprised. 

Its resilience… was unexpectedly high? 

He directed the barrier over a specialized testing apparatus, calibrated the initial parameters, and initiated the test. 

As the machine applied increasing pressure, a sudden crack signaled the shield's shattering. 

"This level of defense is top-tier among protective soul tools!" 

The panel of judges, all experienced Soul Tool Masters, murmured in astonishment. 

None of them had expected this late-entry contestant to create such a high-quality defensive soul tool in just one hour. 

Their gazes turned toward Su Yu, now filled with curiosity. 

Where exactly had this genius come from? 

Even among the panel's Grade Seven Soul Tool Masters, few could guarantee the successful creation of a Grade Six Soul Tool within an hour—let alone one of such outstanding quality. 

Something's not right! 

The judge testing the defensive gemstone suddenly felt an anomaly. 

Defense wasn't the soul tool's only function. 

From the very beginning, as he infused soul power into it, he distinctly sensed two different effects. He had merely tested the defensive capability first. 

Now, adjusting the flow of his soul power, he activated the gemstone's second function. 

In an instant, his pupils contracted, his breathing quickened, and he looked at Su Yu—his gaze filled with undisguised shock. 

But he didn't dare to speak about this discovery. 

Instead, he silently passed the defensive gemstone to the other judges for evaluation. 

In the end, every judge unanimously awarded a perfect score—but none of them mentioned the gemstone's second ability. 

The audience, however, remained oblivious. 

They could see the judges' astonishment but had no idea what had caused it. 

They already recognized how incredible the soul tool was after witnessing its defensive performance. 

But was there really a need for the judges to be shocked again during the evaluation? 

It was baffling. 

Still, contestant No. 66 was undeniably extraordinary. 

Those who had previously mocked Su Yu—calling him a show-off, or even a fool for daring to enter the competition after arriving two hours late—now found themselves eating their words. 

For this round of the tournament, the challenge was to craft at least a Grade Five soul tool and earn an "excellent" rating from the judges to advance. 

This so-called "excellent" rating wasn't determined arbitrarily; the evaluation process was highly systematic. 

In Sun-Moon, even martial soul strength and soul power levels could be quantified. Naturally, the same applied to metrics like defensive power and attack strength. 

The judges' primary role was merely to provide a trusted, authoritative presence for the audience. 

An "excellent" rating generally meant the soul tool was at least upper-mid-tier within its level. 

Alternatively, crafting a Grade Six soul tool would also guarantee a passing score. 

But Su Yu had gone far beyond that—he had directly submitted a top-tier, Grade Six defensive soul tool. 

Unquestionably, he was the champion of this round. 

"This round was quite the windfall." 

Due to Huo Yuhao's interference, Su Yu's delayed entry into the competition had ironically led to greater rewards. 

However, this tactic could only work once. 

Going forward, the audience wouldn't be so quick to underestimate him. 

Qian Duoduo stared at the judges' reactions on the large screen, lost in thought. 

As a seasoned Soul Tool Master, he had a hunch about what was happening. 

If the judges had felt the need to reassess the soul tool after testing its defense, it could only mean one thing—it had a second ability. 

And for them to collectively remain silent about it… 

A classified technology? 

Qian Duoduo's expression grew serious. 

Contestant No. 66 was no ordinary competitor. 

"If this were the Sun Moon Empire, such a technique would be highly classified. Even in a black market tournament, these judges wouldn't dare reveal a single detail about it." 

"Could it be the latest technology from Sun-Moon Hall?" 

Qian Duoduo's breath quickened. 

He had the unsettling feeling that he had just stumbled upon someone extremely important. 

A soul master under thirty… 

Capable of crafting a top-tier defensive soul tool within an hour… 

And in possession of one of Sun-Moon Hall's highly classified technologies… 

This… 

This, this, this! 

"Does he… know how to craft battle armor?" 

The thought struck Qian Duoduo like a lightning bolt. 

"He must!" 

A genius of this caliber had to be at the forefront of soul tool innovation. 

Qian Duoduo took a deep breath, calming his emotions. He memorized contestant No. 66's identity before leaving the black market as if nothing had happened. 

On the stage, Su Yu glanced toward the spot in the audience where Qian Duoduo had been sitting. 

"What was that?" 

He had the distinct feeling of being watched. 

And it wasn't just ordinary scrutiny. 

"A Titled Douluo?" 

Su Yu didn't dwell on it too much. It didn't worry him. 

As long as he was within Sun-Moon, he was absolutely safe. 

"Sir." 

Just as Su Yu was about to leave, a voice called out to him. 

The arena's supervisor jogged over, his demeanor eager and ingratiating. 

"Sir, here is the defensive gemstone you crafted." 

He respectfully handed Su Yu his soul tool. 

"And, sir, this is your reward." 

The supervisor then took out a storage-type soul tool filled with various rare metals—including a significant number of high-grade, scarce materials. 

"Your black market certainly has impressive resources." 

With a quick sweep of his spiritual power, Su Yu instantly gauged the value of the materials. 

When he said impressive resources, he wasn't referring to their profits but rather their supply channels. 

Earning money and converting it into equivalent high-grade rare metals were two entirely different matters. 

Even if the tournament's betting pool included wagers in rare metals, high-quality materials of this caliber weren't easy to come by. 

"You flatter us, sir. We're counting on your performance in the upcoming Aodu Chamber of Commerce competition." 

Su Yu's display of strength today had made it clear—he might even be stronger than the contestant Aodu Chamber of Commerce had originally prepared. 

After exchanging a few more words with the supervisor, Su Yu left the black market and returned to Sun-Moon Hall with Huo Yuhao. 

--- 

"Hmm?" 

Huo Yuhao's expression shifted slightly as he turned toward a particular direction. 

Su Yu followed his gaze. 

"Who's there?" 

Su Yu was surprised—Huo Yuhao's perception seemed even sharper than his own. 

However, Su Yu's spiritual power had already reached materialization. The moment Huo Yuhao sensed something, he released his own spiritual energy, instantly detecting the anomaly. 

Someone was monitoring Sun-Moon Hall. 

"It's not just one person?" 

Su Yu's immense spiritual power swept outward, pressing down with terrifying force. Many of the hidden figures staggered, their vision going dark before they could even flee. 

Huo Yuhao followed up with a Soul Shock, completely incapacitating them. 

Yet, amidst the commotion, a powerful soul power fluctuation flickered and vanished in an instant—escaping at high speed. 

"Yuhao, are you alright?" 

"I'm fine." 

Huo Yuhao steadied himself, suppressing the turbulence in his spiritual sea. Though his face was a little pale, his voice remained firm. 

"That person was strong. Their spiritual power wasn't necessarily superior to mine, but their soul power level was incredibly high." 

Their confrontation, even in the dead of night, had attracted the attention of a security squad. 

"Take them in for interrogation." 

Su Yu gave the order to the guards. 

"Yes, sir!" 

With the Mirror Red Dust Token in his possession, Su Yu had the authority to command them. 

--- 

Back in his dormitory, Su Yu reflected on the encounter. 

"My sensitivity still isn't as sharp as Yuhao's. I need to work on that." 

Though his strength was steadily growing and fewer soul masters could threaten him, that only made refining his perception even more important. 

Then, he turned his thoughts to the night's events. 

"Who would target Sun-Moon Hall?" 

"Xu Tiannan? No, that doesn't make sense." 

"Although he's working with the Holy Spirit Cult, he's only using them for now. Eventually, he plans to turn against them. Sun-Moon Hall is a direct branch of the empire—he wouldn't cut off his own limb." 

"Could it be the evil soul masters?" 

(End of Chapter)