Feng Xiaotian.
A textbook example of what not to do.
In the original story, his Martial Spirit had mutated, and he was born with innate full spirit power! With such an incredible natural talent, you'd think his future would be limitless. Yet, instead of focusing on cultivation, he wasted years trying to create a useless self-made spirit skill. He even seemed to deliberately suppress his level progress—apparently because of a woman—turning himself into a complete joke.
You must know: for Spirit Masters, cultivation in the early stages is extremely fast. Not only because lower levels are easier to advance through, but more importantly, because a younger body is more adaptable—brimming with life force and potential!
That's why cultivation must be done early. The higher your level while you're still young, the greater your potential achievements later in life!
But what about this guy?
Born with innate full spirit power—yet by age twenty-four, he was only level forty-four. Compared to ordinary people, that was still impressive, sure. But someone like Hu Liena, who had only level nine innate spirit power, reached level fifty-two—the Spirit King realm—by about age twenty.
Damn it, comparisons are cruel!
This guy was practically the disgrace of innate full spirit power.
After studying the Heaven Dou Empire's Spirit Master records, Li Chang'an found that even among those recorded with innate full spirit power, Feng Xiaotian's rate of advancement was among the slowest. He was even outperformed by some who started with only level-nine innate power.
All because he thought that having full spirit power made him invincible—he wasted his talent, neglected cultivation, and threw away years of his prime. Originally, he might've reached the mid-90s in level, but because of those wasted years, his ceiling would probably be level ninety-one or ninety-two. If his luck turned for the worse, he might not even break through to Titled Douluo at all.
Being born with full spirit power didn't guarantee you'd become a Titled Douluo—it only meant the odds were in your favor. There was still a chance, however small, of failure.
So if you think being born with full spirit power gives you the right to squander your potential, believing that no matter what you do you'll definitely become a Titled Douluo—then you couldn't be more wrong.
Talent is great, but if you waste it without working hard, no one can save you.
Did he really think reaching the Titled Douluo level was that easy?
Throughout history, there had been a few with full spirit power who still stopped at the Spirit Douluo rank. Rare, yes—but not unheard of.
It was precisely because of examples like Feng Xiaotian that Li Chang'an became determined never to waste a single moment. Whenever he had free time, he would meditate and cultivate, resting only when absolutely necessary. Every bit of spirit power he accumulated came from his daily effort, drop by drop.
He could proudly say: Every level I've gained has been earned by my own hard work.
——Slash, thrust, lift, sweep, block, hook, crash, tap, wipe, raise, cloud, parry, intercept, carry, pierce, cut, slice, present.
After going through the eighteen basic sword techniques again and again, nearly two hours had passed.
Li Chang'an had been practicing from around six o'clock until after eight. Sweat dotted his forehead, and feeling that it was enough for now, he finally sheathed his sword and exhaled deeply.
Physically, he wasn't that tired. After all, his Martial Spirit—the Emerald Scale Sword—wasn't particularly heavy, and practicing basic movements was more like doing two hours of steady exercise than an exhausting battle.
"A true powerhouse needs more than just strength. Actual combat experience is equally essential."
He muttered to himself, "Practicing sword forms alone behind closed doors won't improve my combat intuition. It looks like I'll need to start sparring with other students—or maybe even try a match in the Battle Soul Arena."
Although he didn't place much importance on fancy techniques, that didn't mean he ignored combat experience. That was something every Spirit Master needed; otherwise, in a real fight, you'd end up flustered and make mistakes.
A person with great power but no skill in using it was nothing but a brute.
So, fighting and exchanging moves with other Spirit Masters was something he definitely needed to do.
"Why wait for another day?" he suddenly thought. "I might as well find someone to spar with today."
Since enrolling, Li Chang'an had spent most of his time studying theory and cultivating spirit power. He hadn't been like the other hot-blooded students eager to prove themselves through fights. As a result, from the moment he awakened his Martial Spirit until now, he had never actually fought another Spirit Master in earnest.
Thinking about it, that made him quite an odd one. Most Spirit Masters, after obtaining their spirit rings, couldn't wait to show off—bullying weaker classmates just to feel superior.
He, on the other hand, had quietly trained and studied without fanfare. A true anomaly.
——
As an academy, Heaven Dou Imperial Academy naturally valued its students' practical combat experience.
After all, Spirit Masters would inevitably face battle someday, so it made sense to establish a place where students could spar and exchange techniques safely.
This was the Battle Soul Zone.
It was a popular spot for students—especially since most were young and full of energy. With their strength growing by the day, they needed an outlet for all that pent-up vitality. The Battle Soul Zone gave them exactly that.
It also allowed them to train and gain combat experience—a win-win for everyone.
Here, students could sign up for duels or matches, overseen by teachers who acted as referees. They ensured fairness, protected participants, and provided medical aid when needed. Compared to public arenas, it was much safer.
Of course, quality comes at a price.
Every duel required both participants to pay one gold spirit coin as a venue fee.
Spirit battles inevitably caused damage to the surroundings, and injuries were common—so part of the fee went toward repairs and healing expenses. Honestly, it was quite a bargain.
For ordinary civilians, a gold spirit coin was a small fortune. But at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy—where nearly everyone was a noble—it was pocket change.
Li Chang'an arrived at the Battle Soul Zone.
The layout resembled a miniature arena, complete with seating areas for spectators, though much smaller in scale. Public arenas catered to the masses, but this one was for students and teachers only, so it didn't need to be enormous.
The area was hexagonal, with a large open space in the middle containing five dueling platforms—clearly meant for student sparring. Around them were tiered seats that could hold a few hundred people.
At the moment, over a hundred students of varying ages, along with a few curious teachers, were gathered around. Some sat, others stood and shouted encouragement.
Judging from the crowd's excitement, the two fighters currently on stage were quite well-known.
And to Li Chang'an's surprise—he recognized one of them. His potential romantic rival: Yu Tianheng, the proud heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
The Battle Soul Zone was open only during the day. Students who wished to participate needed to register and pay the entry fee. If the duel involved two well-known academy figures, the school would even announce it across the dormitories using soul-powered speakers, drawing more spectators.
Of course, watching also required a ticket—one gold spirit coin for a whole day of access. Unlike the duel fee, which was per match, this allowed unlimited viewing, plus complimentary drinks, snacks, and meals.
All in all, it was money well spent.
The academy had created the Battle Soul Zone for the students' benefit—so everything was designed for convenience and comfort.
(End of Chapter)
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