Douluo: Infinite Lottery System

Xiao Tianyang, still immersed in cultivation, remained oblivious to the events unfolding in the outside world. Yet, deep within, he felt a vague stirring, as if something elusive and undefined was awakening inside him. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, gleaming like twin flashes of lightning streaking across the darkness.

Driven by instinct, Xiao Tianyang let out a low, guttural roar, primal and fierce, like a beast on the prowl. A terrifying wave of energy erupted from him, sweeping outward in a tempestuous gust.

The nearby shrubs, which had just begun to form a protective nest, were tossed and battered in every direction. After several tense seconds, Xiao Tianyang exhaled deeply, closing his eyes once more as he worked to steady himself.

"That was far too close... I almost didn't make it," he muttered, his voice tinged with lingering fear.

Just then, a crisp sound rang out in his mind:

Ding!

Congratulations to the host for completing the side mission: [First Soul Ring]!

The reward received: x300 LP!"

Xiao Tianyang blinked, processing the notification. Honestly, he had always felt that his trio of unique martial souls was somewhat of a liability.

Their strengths were undeniable, yet their diverse and distinctive natures made it almost impossible to improve them unless they were somehow brought into perfect harmony.

But now, he couldn't help feeling a twinge of gratitude. The peculiar synergy among his three martial spirits had been his saving grace. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire had purified the resentment within the soul ring, transforming it into nourishment for his spirit.

The Flame of Life had sustained his vitality and mended his wounds. And the Three Thousand Immortal Flames shielded him from the brink of death.

Without these, Xiao Tianyang was certain he'd be lying disabled—or worse.

As he returned to his senses, Xiao Tianyang suddenly froze, startled by the face that appeared inches from his own.

"Mr. Miao, what are you doing?" he blurted, his heart settling slightly when he realized it was someone familiar. Even so, he couldn't help but complain.

"Don't get snarky, kid. If it weren't for me, you'd be dead already!" Miao Zhenshan retorted, raising an eyebrow. "And don't forget—I told you to handle the soul beast on your own. The vine-armored dragon turtle, remember? But no, you had to go after the Flaming Nightmare. Who's to blame for that?"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Tianyang asked though a faint understanding was beginning to dawn on him.

Miao Zhenshan crossed his arms, his expression smug. "I told you to deal with a 3,000-year-old vine-armored dragon turtle. But what did you do? You set your sights on a 7,000-year-old Flaming Nightmare! Care to explain that decision?"

"Seven thousand?!" Xiao Tianyang's eyes widened in shock. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. With his current physique, it was no wonder he'd been pushed to the limit, even needing to rely on the full power of his martial flames.

It turned out that the age of the soul ring had far exceeded Xiao Tianyang's limits. No—this wasn't just exceeding the standard—it was breaking the limit altogether!

Xiao Tianyang's expression turned awkward. "But, Teacher, you didn't explain it clearly. And besides, how could a 3,000-year-old soul beast defeat a 7,000-year-old one? I was just acting based on instinctive judgment."

"This…" Miao Zhenshan hesitated, his face briefly betraying his embarrassment before it darkened again. "But as a student, how can you not know such basic knowledge?"

"Teacher Miao, I'm a freshman. I've been at the academy for less than three days," Xiao Tianyang replied, deadpan.

For a moment, Miao Zhenshan was speechless. Every word of Xiao Tianyang's hit home, leaving him with no room to argue.

"Fine, fine. I'll admit this was my mistake, okay?" Miao Zhenshan sighed in defeat before continuing. "That said, even if your martial spirits are unique and have undergone mutations to enhance your survival, a 7,000-year-old soul ring is still beyond what you can bear."

"What should I do, then?" Xiao Tianyang asked, feeling somewhat helpless.

"To be honest… I don't know," Miao Zhenshan muttered, frowning. "I examined your body while you were cultivating and found something remarkable. Your muscles, bones, organs—everything has been reforged.

They're now tougher, brimming with vitality."

"So, my body is fine?" Xiao Tianyang asked, standing up and jumping lightly. He felt no discomfort at all.

In truth, Xiao Tianyang had already guessed this. With the Flame of Life supporting him, it was impossible for hidden injuries to remain. However, he couldn't show too much confidence in front of Miao Zhenshan, lest he invite unnecessary suspicion. After all, he had already revealed enough in front of the teacher.

"This situation requires careful consideration. We can't rush it," Miao Zhenshan finally said with a shake of his head. "For now, let's leave. The commotion you caused earlier was quite significant. I'll return to the academy and consult the archives to figure out our next steps."

Although Miao Zhenshan was outwardly calm, he found it hard to believe Xiao Tianyang was truly unharmed. A first soul ring of 7,000 years—it defied all logic and common sense!

Xiao Tianyang didn't argue further. Unable to explain the truth, he could only follow Miao Zhenshan as they left the Soul Hunting Forest.

After returning to the academy and dropping off Miao Zhenshan, Xiao Tianyang was about to head off when Miao suddenly stopped and turned back to face him.

"It was my negligence earlier that nearly cost you your life," Miao Zhenshan admitted. "Tell me what you want. If it's within my power, I'll do my best to grant it."

Xiao Tianyang was stunned, caught completely off guard by the offer. But being thick-skinned as he was, he certainly wouldn't refuse such generosity. With a shy grin, he said, "If possible, I'd like to enter the Soul Hunting Forest more often for training. But, well… getting permission to go there isn't exactly easy…"

Before he could finish, something flew toward him. Instinctively, Xiao Tianyang reached out and caught it. It was a small token, roughly the size of his palm.

Before he could examine it further, Miao Zhenshan's voice drifted away as the teacher walked off. "That's the Spirit Hall Token. With it, you can enter the Soul Hunting Forest anytime you wish."

Xiao Tianyang's lips curled into a satisfied smile. Tossing the token lightly in his hand, he said to himself, "Now this is a great harvest!"

Tucking the token away into the storage ring, Xiao Tianyang turned and headed toward the teaching building. The events of the day had taught him a hard lesson—his lack of knowledge about soul beasts had almost cost him his life. If not for his sheer luck, he would have become nothing more than a cold corpse in the forest.

This near-miss made Xiao Tianyang realize that relying on luck alone in life-and-death situations wasn't enough. He needed to prepare thoroughly for the future.

But before anything else, there was one matter of utmost importance.

"The lottery!" Xiao Tianyang grinned. "Eight draws in a row. Even if most of the rewards are junk, there's bound to be at least one treasure among them!"

With a lighthearted tune on his lips, Xiao Tianyang strolled down the path, humming happily.

In just one morning, he'd not only resolved his first soul ring issue but had also gained an unexpected reward: a 7,000-year-old soul ring, leagues beyond the original 2,000-year target.

The process had been perilous, true—but in the end, he'd emerged unscathed.

On top of that, he'd obtained a permanent 'ticket' to the Soul Hunting Forest and earned eight chances at the lottery.

How could he not be in a good mood?

...

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