Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Leaving the Spirit Hall, Feng Yao felt somewhat lost. Standing at the gate of Spirit City, surrounded by noise, he didn't know where to go.

He calmed his mind and sensed his own condition. His cultivation as a level 95 Title Douluo was already stable, but the position of Fuxi's ninth spirit ring was still vacant. Now that his strength had greatly increased, it was time to complete this final piece of the puzzle.

In a flash, two enormous figures appeared in his mind—the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python from the Star Dou Great Forest. They were undoubtedly excellent choices, but the age of the spirit rings they could provide seemed… insufficient, given Feng Yao's current perspective and needs. The truly ferocious beasts in the core circle of Star Dou were of unfathomable strength; to rush there now would be unwise.

Those ferocious beasts were even more intertwined, echoing each other, making them extremely difficult to deal with alone.

Feng Yao pondered for a moment, his thoughts racing. The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was most likely still slumbering somewhere in the far north, not yet revealed to the world; otherwise, the Star Dou Great Forest would already be in chaos due to the struggle among ferocious beasts. Even if he could find it, with its million-year cultivation foundation, his current strength would have absolutely no chance of absorbing it.

However, the far north is no safe haven... The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress are both powerful rulers with extraordinary cultivation, making them extremely difficult to provoke. The Ice Bear King, Xiaobai, is also backed by the Snow Empress. Besides these, there seems to be a "Titan Snow Demon King" who, while not highly intelligent, possesses immense strength...

As he was pondering, Feng Yao's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he muttered to himself:
"It might be inconvenient to use the Spirit Hall's resources to find Tang Chen, but to investigate the whereabouts of spirit beasts... wouldn't it be perfect to use their intelligence network? With so many spirit masters traveling across the continent, there must be some clues about rare spirit beasts that I don't know about."

Thinking of this, Feng Yao immediately turned around and headed back towards Wuhun City. The city guards, though puzzled by his return, recognized him and did not stop him, respectfully letting him pass.

After entering the city, Feng Yao pondered for a moment and made up his mind: "It's not necessary to disturb His Holiness the Pope about such a trivial matter as the whereabouts of the soul beast. As for the Elders' Hall... we don't have a deep relationship with them, and going there rashly might cause a lot of inconvenience."

He turned his attention to the temple, his direction clear: "It would be more appropriate to go to the Temple of the Holy Maiden."

Feng Yao showed his honorary elder token, asked some questions, and arrived at the Holy Maiden's Palace. After being announced by the guards, he was led inside.

The interior of the hall was elegantly furnished, yet imposing. Hu Liena was clearly somewhat surprised by Feng Yao's sudden visit. She was sitting at her desk processing documents when she saw Feng Yao enter. She put down her pen, stood up to greet him, and wore a perfectly polite smile: "Elder Feng Yao, you should have left today. Why have you returned? Is there something important?" There was a hint of probing in her charming eyes.

Feng Yao smiled slightly, and without much pleasantries, directly stated his purpose: "I do indeed have something I would like to ask Your Highness for help with. I need to find a suitable ninth spirit ring, and the target may be some extremely rare, or even legendary, powerful spirit beasts. I have heard that the Spirit Hall's intelligence network covers the entire continent. I wonder if Your Highness would be able to access some ancient records or recent clues about the appearance of such spirit beasts?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Liena's eyes flashed with understanding. She pondered for a moment, but did not immediately refuse. Instead, she cautiously asked, "I wonder what kind of soul beast information Elder Feng Yao specifically needs? Could you provide information on its characteristics and approximate habitat? This way, I can have someone access the files more precisely."

Feng Yao pondered for a moment before speaking, "The primary requirement for the soul beasts I seek is antiquity. Age is not an absolute standard, but they must be beings that have survived for an extremely long time, possibly even originating from ancient times, and possessing extraordinary bloodlines. Secondly, they must be powerful, with strength at least comparable to a 100,000-year-old soul beast, or even... stronger. As for the specific species and habitat, there are no restrictions; they could be found in deep mountains and marshes, vast oceans and isolated islands, or even the far northern ice plains."

Hu Liena's expression grew increasingly solemn after hearing this. She realized that Feng Yao's plan was far from ordinary; his target was likely those almost legendary soul beasts that only existed in ancient records.

“I understand.” She nodded, without asking further questions, and turned to the female official standing beside her, instructing her: “Take my token and go to the confidential archives immediately. Retrieve all the records concerning ‘ancient beasts,’ ‘legendary soul beasts,’ and regional records of strange occurrences that are not clearly categorized but contain information about extremely powerful creatures. Send them all to the side hall.”

"Yes, Your Highness." The female official respectfully accepted the token and quickly left.

Hu Liena's gaze returned to Feng Yao, her tone serious yet containing a reminder:

"The Spirit Hall has collected an enormous amount of strange tales, adventure logs, and even secrets shared by some ancient families over the past few centuries. The truth is mixed with falsehood, and you will need to judge for yourself. Perhaps you will find the clues you seek. However, I must warn you—these kinds of spirit beasts invariably reside in extremely dangerous places. Venturing there rashly could lead to unpredictable peril..."

After hearing this, Feng Yao bowed slightly to her and smiled calmly: "I understand, thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Seeing his calm expression, as if he didn't take the danger to heart, Hu Liena couldn't help but recall the unfathomable strength he had previously displayed, and asked in a complicated tone, "What level have you reached now?"

She was not a dull person. Although her own cultivation was limited and she could not clearly perceive the difference, the aura that Feng Yao was faintly emanating from was almost the same as the feeling her teacher gave her.

Feng Yao smiled as before, his tone calm: "Level ninety-five, please excuse my poor performance."

Just then, several guards carried in several heavy, ancient-looking boxes filled with documents. The lids were opened, revealing mountains of parchment scrolls, paper documents, and even ancient bone fragments and jade slips, densely covered with countless bizarre and fantastical details.

Feng Yao looked at the vast amount of information before him, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. What he needed was precisely this kind of comprehensive raw information; as for how to sift out the useful parts, that was his own business.

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness." Feng Yao thanked her solemnly, then walked to the dossier and began to immerse himself in it, quickly flipping through it. His mental energy was highly concentrated, his eyes like lightning, rapidly scanning line after line of text and diagrams, searching for any clues that might be related to the ancient and powerful soul beast.

Inside the Saintess Temple, Feng Yao immersed himself in a vast sea of ​​documents, witnessing many strange and unprecedented soul beasts.

Records describe it as a golden lion-like creature whose roar can shatter mountains and rivers, possessing an indomitable domain from birth, amplifying all attributes by over 50%, and ignoring pain, immune to bloodline suppression, and with a body as pure as gold; there are also descriptions of a Yin-Yang Chaos Bird whose wings can divide Yin and Yang and disrupt primordial energy; there are also descriptions of the Ember Dragon, which dwells in the lava core and feeds on subterranean fire; and even a Phantom Sea Spirit that only appears in the deep sea at midnight, whose song can lull people into eternal sleep…

Information about all sorts of bizarre and unpredictable soul beasts appeared before his eyes, greatly broadening Feng Yao's knowledge. Based on his understanding of the Douluo Continent from his previous life, he quickly filtered through the information, recording and storing those that were relatively reliable and met his requirements of being "ancient" and "powerful" one by one with his mental power.

After an unknown amount of time, Feng Yao closed the last scroll and let out a long sigh. Although he couldn't immediately determine his final goal, he already had several general directions in mind.

He stood up and solemnly thanked Hu Liena, who had been waiting quietly by his side, once again: "Thank you for your help, Your Highness. This information is of utmost importance to me. I will remember your kindness today."

Hu Liena nodded slightly: "I'm glad I could help Elder Feng Yao. I hope you'll be careful."

Feng Yao said no more, cupped his hands in farewell, and turned to leave the Saintess Palace. After leaving Wuhun City and sorting through all the information, Feng Yao found that most of the clues still pointed to three dangerous places: the unfathomable Star Dou Great Forest, the extremely cold and bitter far north, and the eerie and mysterious Maze Canyon.

He already knew a bit about the first two, but the Mysterious Grand Canyon was the least described in the original work. It was rumored that the terrain there was strange and unpredictable, and that it was filled with sandstorms that could make people lose their way all year round. Moreover, few Soul Masters could penetrate into its core area and bring back detailed information alive, making it full of unknowns and mysteries.

“The unknown implies the possible.” Feng Yao’s gaze narrowed slightly, a decision already made in his mind. Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest and the far north, which he knew, the Mysterious Grand Canyon was more likely to hide an ancient existence unknown to others.

Having made his decision, he no longer hesitated. Feng Yao moved, transforming into a streak of light, and sped straight towards the most mysterious and daunting Lost Canyon on the continent.

A few days later, at the entrance to the Mysterious Grand Canyon, the ever-present sandstorm swirled, distorting and dimming the light, as if one had stepped into a completely different world. Ordinary Soul Masters often found themselves unable to move an inch here, not only losing their bearings but also having their Soul Power perception greatly suppressed and weakened.

However, Feng Yao's spiritual power far surpassed his peers, and he had even undergone the test of the Sea God. He did not venture in rashly. The illusory image of the Vast Ocean Universe Cover between his brows flickered slightly, and his boundless spiritual power spread out cautiously like invisible ripples, carefully sensing the spatial fluctuations and energy flow in this area.

“Indeed, it’s not simple…” Feng Yao quickly discovered that the power of heaven and earth here was extremely unstable. The constantly changing wind and sand made this place a natural giant maze. Even a titled Douluo could lose his way.

He pondered for a moment, and the Fuxi Qin quietly appeared in his arms. He did not play any aggressive tunes, but instead lightly brushed his fingers together, emitting a soothing, soul-soothing sound that resonated subtly with the surrounding space. Wherever the sound waves passed, the disturbing sandstorm was slightly dispersed, and the distorted scene ahead became a little clearer.

"It works!" Feng Yao was overjoyed. He immediately used the sound of his zither to clear the way, maintaining a high level of concentration, and entered this lost realm.

The canyon was even more expansive than it appeared from the outside, with jagged rocks and many plants that looked completely different from those on the outside, emitting a faint glow. Following the directions of some incomplete maps in the dossier, he cautiously made his way towards the core area rumored to have the most unusual energy reaction.

Along the way, he encountered several waves of strange creatures. There were insect-like spirit beasts that could blend into the sandstorm and launch mental attacks; and demonic scorpions with hard shells that could spray corrosive venom. Most of these spirit beasts were bizarre and difficult to deal with, and were extremely adept at using their environment.

Feng Yao didn't engage with them much, often using the sounds of Fuxi's zither to distract their senses. He maintained a good state of being in harmony with the environment by constantly using the "Kun Gua · Earthly Support" technique. He didn't even bother to fight these low-level soul beasts, simply using teleportation to escape. His goal was to find ancient and powerful soul beasts, not to clear out these miscellaneous enemies.

The deeper they went, the more intense the sense of disorder in the forces of heaven and earth became. Sometimes, with a single step, the direction of the wind and sand would suddenly change. If it weren't for Feng Yao's powerful spiritual energy, his clear perception of his surroundings, and his constant use of the zither's music to stabilize the space around him, he would have been completely lost long ago.

Finally, after traversing that extremely unstable sandstorm region, he sensed an extremely subtle yet incredibly desolate and ancient aura emanating from the deepest part of the canyon.

The aura was not a powerful pressure, but a deathly stillness and weight that had been dormant for countless ages, almost blending into its surroundings.

Feng Yao's spirits lifted, and following that faint feeling, he cautiously continued forward.

Finally, he arrived at the entrance to a vast underground cavern. The entrance was sealed off by countless enormous, crystal-like vine-like crystals, emitting a faint glow. That ancient aura emanated from the depths of the cavern.

Feng Yao could sense that the entity slumbering within was well over 100,000 years old.

"This is it..." Feng Yao's gaze sharpened, his heart filled with both anticipation and solemnity. This was his first time hunting a 100,000-year-old soul beast alone. How to enter the cave without alerting this terrifying being, and to determine whether it was suitable as his ninth soul ring, would be an immense test.

Faced with the cave entrance sealed off by crystal-like vines, Feng Yao did not rush to launch a full-scale attack. He knew that any violent action might awaken the ancient beings slumbering within, with unpredictable consequences.

He gently stroked the strings of the Fuxi Qin once more. This time, the sound became extremely faint and lingering, no longer meant to dispel or intimidate, but rather an attempt to resonate with the crystalline vines and even the slumbering aura of the entire grotto. The melody incorporated the inclusive and tranquil power of the vast ocean, like a gentle tide softly caressing the cave entrance.

A wondrous thing happened. The crystalline vines, which had initially emitted a wary glow, softened their light and even slightly unfurled after sensing the harmless, soothing, and naturally rhythmic music. They seemed to have mistaken Feng Yao's music for part of the natural environment.

Feng Yao was secretly delighted. He concealed all his aura, used the Vast Ocean Protective Shield, and silently slipped into the cave as if blending into the shadows.

The cave was far more spacious than imagined, with countless self-luminous crystals embedded in the dome, illuminating the scene below like a starry sky. And in the center of the cave, a huge mountain-shaped object formed from the purest earth-yellow crystal was rising and falling gently in a regular pattern.

That was not a mountain range, but a giant beast that was sleeping!

It was enormous, resembling a tortoise but not quite. Its carapace resembled layers of crystal rock, formed over millennia, while its limbs were as thick as pillars, buried deep within the earth. Its head was relatively small, retracted within its shell, exuding an indescribable aura of weight, desolation, and tranquility. The energy fluctuations emanating from its body were clearly connected to the earth, the crystals, and even space itself!
"This is... a turtle? The Xuanwu bloodline... a Guixu Crystal Turtle?" Feng Yao instantly found the corresponding information in the vast knowledge base of the Spirit Hall, his heart filled with shock. This kind of spirit beast feeds on earth vein crystals and spatial fragments, has an incredibly long lifespan, possesses extremely high defensive capabilities, and has the power to manipulate the earth and crystals within a certain range. Due to its extremely heavy sleepiness—a single slumber can last for thousands of years—it rarely appears, hence records of it are scarce.

It was clearly in a deep slumber at the moment, its enormous energy contained to the extreme, almost imperceptible to Feng Yao if not for his keen senses.

Feng Yao's heart pounded violently. This Crystal Turtle from the Void was definitely over 100,000 years old! Its attributes and abilities, whether it was its powerful bloodline or its enhanced control over the power of the earth, offered unparalleled benefits!
Feng Yao had no doubt that once this behemoth was awakened, its power would be enough to instantly twist and seal off the entire Misty Grand Canyon, leaving him with absolutely no chance of victory.

Upon closer observation, he discovered that the giant beast's slumber seemed to be connected to a massive underground spiritual vein, and its breathing was synchronized with the vein's fluctuations.

However, it is extremely difficult to kill such defensive spirit beasts. In the depths of this canyon, if you provoke them, you may be instantly buried in this canyon.

...(End of chapter)