Douluo: The Blind Ascendant

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"Thank you! We'll take a look around to see if there's anything else we need," Lin Yongming nodded politely to Cai Qi.

"Please, feel free to browse. If you need anything, just call for me. I'll be over there with other customers," Cai Qi replied with a courteous smile before walking away to attend to others.

Lin Yongming and his companion, Lan Yinhuang, wandered off in another direction, chatting as they explored the various items on display in the grand hall.

"Lan Yin, if we want to buy that Ruyi Treasure Pouch, it looks like we'll need to earn some gold spirit coins at the Grand Spirit Arena," Lin Yongming said softly.

"Well, according to the auction house manager, we'll need at least 50,000 gold spirit coins. So, let's aim for 100,000 to be safe," Lan Yinhuang replied with a hint of resignation.

Although they had anticipated that the price of a spatial spirit tool would be high, they hadn't expected it to be this expensive. It was truly a rare and priceless item.

After browsing for a while, Lin Yongming and Lan Yinhuang realized that most of the items on display in the hall were far beyond their budget. It made sense—this was an auction house, after all. They wouldn't display ordinary or low-value items here. Every piece on display was worth at least tens of thousands of gold spirit coins.

By mid-afternoon, around 3 PM, Lin Yongming and Lan Yinhuang left the Treasure Pavilion Auction House. Following the map in Lan Yinhuang's hands, they soon arrived near the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena.

After dinner, as the sun began to set, they approached the entrance of the Grand Spirit Arena. A long pathway led them to a vast square, at the center of which stood a towering statue of a warrior, over twenty meters tall.

The Grand Spirit Arena itself was massive—twice the size of the one in Suotuo City. Its circular structure resembled an ancient coliseum, reminiscent of medieval arenas. There were four entrances, one on each side (east, west, north, and south), to accommodate the large number of visitors. After all, this was one of the three major cities on the continent, and a single entrance simply wouldn't suffice.

"There are so many people here. It seems like there will be plenty of Spirit Kings participating in the matches. Xiao Ming, this place should provide you with plenty of opportunities to train," Lan Yinhuang remarked with a hint of awe.

"Haha, is that so? Well, that's perfect," Lin Yongming replied with a smile, taking Lan Yinhuang's hand as they entered through one of the gates.

Once inside, they discovered that the arena was divided into several sections. Matches for Great Spirit Masters and Spirit Elders were held in one area, while Spirit Ancestors, Spirit Kings, and Spirit Emperors each had their own dedicated sections. There was also a separate area for seven-person team battles, which also served as the main venue for school tournaments in Heaven Dou City.

The soundproofing between sections was excellent, allowing spectators to choose which matches to watch without interference from the others.

"Xiao Ming, should we check out the Spirit Ancestor section?" Lan Yinhuang suggested after explaining the layout to Lin Yongming.

"Let's go take a look," Lin Yongming agreed.

Following the signs, Lan Yinhuang led Lin Yongming to the outer walkway of the Spirit Ancestor section. They leaned against the railing and observed the matches below.

The Spirit Ancestor section had three separate arenas, each hosting a match between Spirit Ancestors. All six participants had optimal spirit ring configurations—two yellow and two purple.

Lin Yongming and Lan Yinhuang quickly noticed that in Heaven Dou City, most spirit masters had optimal spirit ring configurations. The audience was lively, cheering enthusiastically for their favorite fighters. The atmosphere was electric.

"This is quite impressive. The spirit masters here are very skilled," Lin Yongming remarked after watching for a while.

"It's definitely lively. It makes me want to jump in and have a match myself," Lan Yinhuang admitted with a nod.

"That's a great idea! We could form a team. That way, I could fight twice a day," Lin Yongming suggested eagerly.

"Maybe not. I don't like being in the spotlight, and I'm not used to being watched by so many people. Besides, it might cause unnecessary trouble for you," Lan Yinhuang replied after a moment of hesitation.

"Alright, that's a shame," Lin Yongming said with a sigh.

"Well, it's getting late. This Grand Spirit Arena is huge, and there are probably a lot of people waiting to compete. If you want to fight, you should go sign up now. Otherwise, we might be here too late, and I'm not sure how safe Heaven Dou City is at night," Lan Yinhuang suggested.

"You're right. Let's go to the registration desk," Lin Yongming agreed, deciding not to delay any further.

After observing the Spirit Ancestor section, Lin Yongming felt confident. Even against a level 50 Spirit Ancestor who hadn't yet obtained their fifth spirit ring, he believed he could win.

At the registration desk, they were greeted by a young, attractive receptionist.

"Are you here to register for a duel?" the receptionist asked as they approached.

"Yes," Lin Yongming nodded.

"You two look unfamiliar. Have you competed at other Grand Spirit Arenas before?" the receptionist inquired further.

"Yes, this is my spirit fighting badge. I'll be the one competing; she's just here to watch," Lin Yongming replied, handing over his gold-ranked spirit fighting badge.

"Gold rank!" the receptionist exclaimed, clearly surprised. She had worked at the Grand Spirit Arena for years and knew how rare it was for someone so young to hold a gold-ranked badge. It suggested that Lin Yongming was a prodigious talent, possibly capable of fighting above his level.

"Is there a problem?" Lan Yinhuang asked, noticing the receptionist's reaction.

"Not at all. Normally, spirit fighters below gold rank are required to pay one gold spirit coin to register for a match. This is to prevent people from signing up frivolously. However, gold-ranked fighters are exempt from this rule, as their status indicates they are serious competitors," the receptionist explained.

"I see. I thought you were going to say that gold-ranked fighters can only compete against Spirit Kings or higher. That would've been a problem," Lin Yongming joked.

"Not at all. However, we do prioritize matching gold-ranked fighters against other gold-ranked opponents to ensure balanced matches," the receptionist replied with a smile.

"That's reasonable. It's much more organized than the Grand Spirit Arena in Suotuo City," Lin Yongming commented.

"Please hand me your gold-ranked badge. Since you're from another city, I'll need to verify your records," the receptionist said.

"Here you go," Lin Yongming handed over his badge.

"Asura," the receptionist read the name engraved on the back of the badge. "Please wait a moment."

She disappeared into a small room behind the counter. About ten minutes later, she returned with Lin Yongming's badge.

"Mr. Asura, I've confirmed your records with my supervisor. You obtained your gold-ranked badge two years ago at the Suotuo City Grand Spirit Arena," she said, returning the badge to him. "Would you like to register for a match now?"

"Yes, please," Lin Yongming nodded.

"Alright, I'll match you with an opponent now," the receptionist said, typing something into her system. "Done. Your opponent is another gold-ranked spirit fighter. The specific details, such as their spirit power level, will be announced over the broadcast."

"Thank you," Lin Yongming said, taking his badge and leaving with Lan Yinhuang.

"Lan Yin, I just remembered—when I registered at the Suotuo City Grand Spirit Arena two years ago, I listed my age as 13, right?" Lin Yongming whispered to Lan Yinhuang.

"I think so," Lan Yinhuang replied.

"Ugh, I should've said I was older. Now, if anyone looks into my records, they'll know my real age," Lin Yongming sighed.

"Haha, serves you right for being such a prodigy. A 15-year-old level 44 Spirit Ancestor—what a genius," Lan Yinhuang teased.

"Well, you're a 15-year-old Spirit King. Compared to you, I'm nothing special," Lin Yongming retorted.

"Don't worry. If anyone tries to recruit you or cause trouble, just say you're a member of the Spirit Hall. That should deter most people," Lan Yinhuang reassured him.

"I guess that's the best option," Lin Yongming conceded.

After registering, they waited for nearly an hour before hearing Lin Yongming's name over the broadcast.

"The next match on Arena 2 will feature Spirit Ancestor Asura versus Spirit Ancestor Fire Lion. Both fighters, please report to the entrance within ten minutes."

"Xiao Ming, it's finally your turn," Lan Yinhuang said excitedly.

"Let's check the betting odds," Lin Yongming suggested.

"Alright."

Following the signs, Lan Yinhuang led Lin Yongming to the betting room. The place was bustling with activity.

"Fire Lion is back! He's a level 49 Spirit Ancestor with a gold-ranked badge."

"Fire Lion is practically unbeatable in the Spirit Ancestor division. Who's this Asura guy? Never heard of him."

"Xiao Ming, it seems like everyone's betting on Fire Lion. He's quite famous here," Lan Yinhuang whispered to Lin Yongming.

"That's perfect. It means the odds are in our favor. The higher the odds, the more we'll win," Lin Yongming replied with a smile.

"How much should we bet?" Lan Yinhuang asked.

"How about 500 gold spirit coins?" Lin Yongming suggested.

"500! That's a lot. But we only have seven days before the auction, so I guess we don't have much choice," Lan Yinhuang agreed reluctantly.

In the end, Lin Yongming bet 500 gold spirit coins on himself. The odds were 5:1, meaning he would win 2,000 gold spirit coins if he emerged victorious.

"Welcome, everyone, to the thrilling, action-packed, never-sleeping Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena! I'll be your commentator for the match on Arena 2."

"First, let's welcome a familiar face—Fire Lion!"

Ten minutes later, Lin Yongming and Lan Yinhuang arrived at the entrance to Arena 2. The match was about to begin, and the commentator's voice echoed through the arena.

Fire Lion was a burly man in his thirties, with short, fiery red hair and a muscular build. He wore simple clothing, exuding an air of confidence.

"Fire Lion holds a gold-ranked badge and is a level 49 Spirit Ancestor. His spirit is the Fierce Blazing Lion, known for its immense strength, defense, and fiery attacks. He's a formidable opponent in his tier," the commentator explained as Fire Lion stepped into the arena.

"And his opponent is Asura, making his debut at the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena. According to our records, Asura obtained his gold-ranked badge at the Suotuo City Grand Spirit Arena two years ago—as a Spirit Elder! His current spirit power is level 44, and his spirit is a lightning-infused blade, renowned for its devastating offensive power. Let's see what these two fighters have in store for us!"

"What! He got a gold-ranked badge as a Spirit Elder? Is that even possible?"

"Pfft, the Suotuo City Grand Spirit Arena must be full of weaklings if he managed that."

"Look at him—he's blind! How's he supposed to beat Fire Lion?"

The crowd erupted into chatter, but Lin Yongming remained calm as he stepped onto the arena.

"Alright, let's get started. The match begins now!" the commentator declared.

"Hey, Asura or whatever your name is. Since you're blind and managed to reach Spirit Ancestor, I'll give you a chance to step down now," Fire Lion said arrogantly, crossing his arms.

"Oh? I think you're the one who should step down," Lin Yongming replied calmly, summoning his lightning blade.

As his spirit rings appeared—one yellow, two purple, and one black—the crowd fell silent. The sight of a black spirit ring on a Spirit Ancestor was nothing short of astonishing.

"Let the match begin!" the commentator announced.

Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 170 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 180 power stones I will publish the next chapter.