Doulo Dalu 2: The Quincy King

The only way to get stronger now was to obtain his first Spirit Ring in the Great Star Dou Forest.

Yuhao had to rely on himself to obtain a Spirit Ring.

The road stretched endlessly ahead, a thin ribbon of stone cutting through the vast wilderness. Huo Yuhao walked along its edge, his small figure moving with steady determination. His body, strengthened by his seventh-rank soulforce, carried him forward with ease, his endurance surpassing that of most grown men.

The cool morning breeze rustled through his hair as he lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon.

His deep blue eyes, usually soft and contemplative, sharpened with sudden clarity. If one looked closely, they would see a faint glimmer flashing within them—subtle, yet unmistakable.

Ever since awakening his Spirit Eyes, he had discovered the world in a way few others could.

The smallest details stood out to him—the fine cracks in the cobblestones beneath his feet, the gentle sway of leaves from trees far beyond a normal person's sight, the barely perceptible flicker of movement in the underbrush along the roadside.

At a distance, his vision extended far beyond that of ordinary people, allowing him to spot things long before they came into view.

And it wasn't just sight. With each rise in his soulforce, the clarity of his vision sharpened, the details more refined, the distances stretched farther.

These gradual changes solidified the words his mother had once told him—words he clung to with every step.

A soul master. I must become a soul master.

His mother had once explained that, if he could obtain a soul ring, he would walk the path of a control system battle soul master. It wasn't that his martial soul was weak; it was his talent that was lacking. But if talent failed him, then sheer effort would have to make up the difference.

"I'll just work harder," he murmured to himself. "Cultivate longer."

And so, he did.

As he journeyed, he cultivated. His breathing fell into a steady rhythm, syncing with his footsteps, guiding the soulforce through his body as naturally as the wind that whispered past his ears.

When thirst gnawed at him, he searched for clear spring water along the roadside, cupping his hands to drink. When hunger set in, he pulled out a rough biscuit from his small pouch, biting into the hard, dry rations with silent determination.

Most travelers would have taken days to cover such distance, yet Huo Yuhao pressed forward relentlessly. By nightfall, he had already advanced nearly three hundred miles—an unbelievable feat for a boy his age. But he did not celebrate. He did not pause to admire his progress.

He simply continued.

The weight of the small pouch tied to his belt was a constant reminder of his limits. Seven silver soul coins and five copper ones—that was all he had. Every coin spent would bring him closer to nothing.

Frugality was not a choice; it was a necessity.

Ever since the war between the Douluo Continent and the Riyue Continent had ended, the world had shifted.

Currencies had been unified—one gold soul coin equaled ten silver, which equaled a hundred copper.

To others, these conversions were mere numbers. To him, they were the thin line between eating and starving.

Yet he was no stranger to hunger.

Memories of nights spent foraging in the forest with his mother surfaced in his mind. Back then, they would venture beyond the Duke's Mansion, searching the undergrowth for anything edible.

Wild fruits, bitter herbs—anything that could fill their stomachs. His mother had always made sure he had something, even if it meant going without herself.

Now, alone on the road, those lessons became his survival.

More than once, he found himself hesitating to eat the biscuits he carried, his fingers tightening around them before slipping them back into his pouch.

Instead, his sharp eyes scanned the surrounding trees, searching for familiar plants—ones that wouldn't poison him, ones that might offer enough nourishment to keep moving.

Although Huo Yuhao had the guidance of a map, this was still the first time he'd ventured far from the Duke's Mansion.

The unfamiliarity of the journey led him to lose his way a few times, requiring him to stop and ask for directions from passing strangers.

This was what they called "reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles." In just a few days, Huo Yuhao had already learned more than he ever could from books alone.

The journey lifted his spirits in ways he hadn't anticipated. Away from the oppressive atmosphere of the Duke's Mansion, with no one telling him what to do or how to behave, he felt freer than ever. The world outside was so full of wonder, and as a young boy, everything was exciting.

His body had fully recovered, and the journey no longer left him tired; instead, he felt invigorated, like a bird soaring out of its cage. For the first time in a long while, he was experiencing true joy, something he hadn't felt since his mother's passing.

"I've been walking for six days, I should be close now," he muttered to himself, glancing down at the map in his hands. The trees around him pointed toward the direction of the Great Star Dou Forest, confirming that he was nearing his destination.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Huo Yuhao ventured into the shade of a tree, hoping to find a moment of respite.

As he settled, intending to meditate and replenish his spirit power, the sound of water flowing suddenly reached his ears, filling the air with a refreshing melody.

His heart skipped a beat. The sound of water meant one thing: he could improve his lifestyle!

With his eyes closed, Huo Yuhao listened carefully, using his enhanced senses to locate the source of the sound. His Spirit Eyes, a gift of his mental-type martial spirit, granted him senses sharper than ordinary people's.

When he shut his eyes, his other senses heightened even further, allowing him to pick up on even the faintest whispers in the environment.

His search didn't take long. After navigating through the forest for no more than two hundred meters, he discovered a small brook, about three meters wide.

The water was clear as crystal, so pure that the riverbed was visible beneath the surface. The sight alone brought a wave of tranquility, and the cool, refreshing sound of the stream invited him to indulge.

With a cheerful shout, Huo Yuhao quickly shed his clothes and dove into the water, which wasn't even two feet deep.

It had been two days since his last bath, and the sweat from his long travels had built up, leaving him desperate for a clean, refreshing break.

The cold water soothed his tired muscles, washing away the grime and fatigue of the journey.

After a blissful dip, Huo Yuhao emerged from the stream, feeling revitalized. He smiled to himself. "Since I'm already close to the Great Star Dou Forest, I might as well rest here for a while."

Drying off, he changed into fresh clothes and washed the dirty ones in the stream. Once done, he hung them over a nearby tree branch to dry.

The fresh, clean air of the forest had a calming effect on him, and he felt more at ease than he had in days.

He wasn't quite finished yet. Huo Yuhao snapped off a three-foot-long tree branch and unsheathed the dagger that his father had once given to his mother.

The weapon, a simple yet beautifully crafted blade, was called the White Tiger Dagger. Its hilt was unadorned, fitting comfortably in his hand.

He could still feel the lingering presence of his mother when he held it, a deep sense of warmth and sadness mixing in his chest.

He set to work, using the White Tiger Dagger to sharpen the tree branch. The blade, which emitted a faint blue light, cut through the wood effortlessly, almost as if it were slicing through butter.

In just a few moments, he had a perfectly sharp point on the branch.

Satisfied with his work, Huo Yuhao tucked the dagger back into its sheath and walked back toward the stream, holding the sharpened branch in his hand.

As he stood by the water's edge, Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, his eyes beginning to glow as his Spirit Eyes came to life.

Every ripple in the water, every movement at the bottom of the stream, was magnified in his vision.

He could even see the tiny shrimp hiding between the rocks, their delicate movements slowed down in his enhanced perception.

With a burst of swift motion, Huo Yuhao thrust the sharpened branch into the water. The point speared through the clear water, and when he pulled it back up, a mackerel, about half a foot long, was impaled on the tip.

Huo Yuhao grinned. His Spirit Eyes made tasks like these look effortless. Stabbing a fish was no challenge when he could pinpoint its exact position in the water with such precision.

But one fish wasn't enough. He repeated the process several more times, and in no time, ten fish of varying sizes—from seventeen centimeters to thirty-three centimeters—were speared and ready for preparation.

"This should last me for at least two days," he mused, pleased with his catch. "And they won't spoil if I roast them properly."

Huo Yuhao knelt down beside the stream and used the White Tiger Dagger to gut the fish with expert ease.

The blade sliced through the fish's scales and belly with no resistance. He had been helping his mother with chores like this since he was young, so the task was second nature to him.

Once the fish were gutted, he searched the forest for large leaves, rinsed them in the stream, and carefully laid the fish out on top. Then, he gathered dry twigs and started a small fire beside the stream.

The fire crackled and sparked as he roasted the fish. He only had salt to season them, but that was enough for something as simple as roasted fish.

After rubbing salt into the fish's bellies, he added a few sprigs of Purple Basil that he had gathered from the forest a few days earlier, stuffing the leaves inside to add flavor.

The aroma that filled the air was rich and savory, a tempting scent that made his stomach growl. As the fish gradually turned golden, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but savor the anticipation.

He only roasted two of the fish at first, setting the others aside. Managing the fire was a delicate task, and he didn't want to risk ruining his catch.

The crackling of the fire, the fragrance of the roasting fish, and the peaceful sounds of the forest all blended together to create a moment of contentment that Huo Yuhao would cherish.

However… Huo Yuhao's eyes abruptly turned red and blue veins glowed throughout his body. "… W-what is this?" Sudden flood of memories caused him to feel dizzy before collapsing due to the shock.