Chapter 10 – The Prismatic Grandmaster
The Resonance of the Second Tone
Lakan sat in the center of the mountain pass, the dark purple ring of the Sun-Chaser Phoenix slowly shrinking and merging with his body. The ground beneath him cracked as the Chaos Rainbow Vortex in his dantian began to spin at a terrifying velocity.
Inside his body, the energy was like a floodgate opening.
"The vibration is intensifying," Lakan thought, his face beads of sweat turning to steam as soon as they hit his skin. "The first tone was the 'Wail.' This second tone... it's the 'Radiance'."
The energy didn't just sit in his meridians; it was being sucked into his bones. The Iridescent Bone Forging was feasting. His skeleton hummed, the "Piedras Platas" (Silver Stone) state turning from a dull grey-silver into a bright, polished chrome-like finish.
*BOOM*
Breakthrough!
Level 21... 23... 25...
The momentum finally slowed as it hit Level 27.
Lakan exhaled a long, golden breath. He stood up, and for a second, the two Titled Douluos felt a phantom heat emanating from the boy. He looked taller, his presence more "solid," and the Batok tattoos on his arms now had a permanent golden tint to the edges of the ink.
"Level 27," Yue Guan whispered, his voice caught between a laugh and a gasp. "Ghost, he's six. He just jumped seven levels in one go. At this rate, he'll be a Spirit Ancestor (Rank 40) before his eighth birthday."
"The Supreme Pontiff... will be pleased," the Ghost Douluo replied, though his gaze remained sharp. He was looking at Lakan's new soul ring.
The Second Soul Skill: Sol's Judgment
Lakan looked at his second ring—a deep, vibrant purple that pulsated with solar heat.
"The second skill," Lakan murmured, testing the flow of his energy. "It's called Nirvana's Radiance—or as I prefer to think of it, Sol's Judgment."
He didn't need to fire a beam to know what it did. It was a dual-effect skill:
1. The Flash: A blinding, high-frequency burst of light that disrupts the spiritual sea of anyone looking at him.
2. The Solar Pulse: A passive heat-shroud that incinerates incoming projectiles and boosts his recovery speed under the sun.
"Nice," Lakan said, flashing that easy, Gojo-style grin at Yue Guan. "I think I can definitely handle a few more 'rocket ascents' now. My bones feel like they could punch through a mountain."
Arrival at the Holy City
Three days later, the carriage crested the final hill. Below them sat Wuhun City (Martial Soul City). It was a sprawling masterpiece of white stone, shaped like a hexagonal star. At its highest point sat the Supreme Pontiff Hall, its gold-leafed roof catching the afternoon light.
Lakan leaned out the window, his eyes scanning the city with a mix of curiosity and tactical assessment. He knew this was the heart of the spider's web.
"We're here, kid," Yue Guan said, his tone unusually soft. "The Supreme Pontiff is waiting. Just a tip: she likes results more than talk. But seeing as you're a walking, talking miracle... I think you'll be just fine."
Lakan hopped out of the carriage as it pulled into the private docks of the palace. He looked up at the massive gates, his hands tucked casually in his pockets.
"First, I show them the 'Sage.' Then, I show them the 'Sovereign'."
He began walking up the steps, his every movement a perfect display of the Eight-Directional Flow—even his walk was a series of subtle, efficient pivots that made him seem to glide up the marble stairs.
Chapter 4: Part 2 – The Court of the Spider Queen
The Grand Entrance
The doors of the Supreme Pontiff Hall were forty feet of solid, intricate gold. As they swung open, the air became heavy with a chilling, majestic aura. Bibi Dong sat atop her throne, her gaze as sharp as a diamond, holding her scepter with a grace that felt lethal.
Standing near the throne was Golden Kite Douluo, Ling Yue. She was a striking woman with sharp, bird-like features and golden armor that hummed with Rank 95+ power. She looked down at the six-year-old child walking toward them with his hands in his pockets.
The atmosphere was suffocating. Yue Guan and Gui Mei immediately knelt, their heads bowed. "Your Majesty, we have brought the boy."
Lakan didn't kneel. He walked right to the center of the hall, his eyes scanning the room as if he were checking out a new apartment. He stopped, his gaze landing on Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed. She was prepared for a genius, a coward, or a weapon. She was not prepared for what came next.
Lakan tilted his head, his expression softening into one of deep, faux-concern. He looked Bibi Dong straight in the eyes and asked in a quiet, serious voice:
"Does it still hurt?"
The hall went dead silent. Yue Guan's heart nearly stopped. Ling Yue gripped her spear, her eyes wide. Bibi Dong, momentarily stunned by the sheer randomness of the question, actually leaned forward.
"What... what hurt?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion and a hint of a threat.
Lakan let out a small sigh of relief, flashing a charismatic, boyish grin that radiated pure "Strongest" energy.
"I heard that the Goddess of Beauty fell from the heavens," Lakan said, his tone smooth and perfectly timed. "I was just worried if it hurt when you fell down to this world. Because looking at you from here... the view is breathtaking."
The Aftermath of the Charm
A pin drop could have been heard.
Yue Guan facepalmed so hard it echoed.
Ghost Douluo actually flickered, his shadow-form wavering in disbelief.
Ling Yue, the Golden Kite Douluo, felt a sudden heat climb up her neck. She coughed into her hand, looking away. "This... this brat. Did he just hit on the Supreme Pontiff?"
Bibi Dong stared at Lakan. For the first time in a decade, she didn't know whether to execute someone or laugh. The sheer audacity of the pick-up line, delivered by a six-year-old with the soul power of a Grand Soul Master, was so absurd it shattered her "Cold Empress" persona for a split second.
She felt a strange, fleeting sense of amusement.
"You have a silver tongue, Lakan Diwa," Bibi Dong finally said, her voice regaining its icy composure, though her eyes were now dancing with interest. "But in this hall, we value the strength of your spirit more than the sweetness of your words. You are Rank 27 at age six. That is your only saving grace for such... insolence."
Finally, Yue Guan cleared his throat, sensing the need to bring the room back to reality before the Supreme Pontiff decided whether to reward the boy or exile him.
"Your Majesty," Yue Guan bowed, his voice urgent. "Aside from his... bold personality, there is something you must know. This child did not just reach Rank 27 through luck. He fought a 1,200-year-old Kingfisher and a 5,000-year-old Phoenix—alone. He uses a combat system he calls the Eight-Directional Flow. It is unlike anything in our archives."
The Tale of the Noble Soul
Bibi Dong leaned back, her eyes narrowing as she shifted into "Sovereign" mode. "Eight-Directional Flow? Explain yourself, Lakan Diwa. Your name itself is peculiar. It sounds... ancient."
Lakan nodded, his face becoming grounded and respectful, though that playful spark remained in his eyes.
"My parents named me according to the scrolls they found in that sanctuary, Your Majesty," Lakan explained smoothly. "In the language of that lost era, Lakan Diwa means 'Noble Soul.' It was a sign of respect for the people who lived before the age of Martial Souls."
Actually, it was a lie. His parents didn't name him when they were alive. Not because they don't want to, but because they were waiting for his Martial Soul to awaken and then name him after his Martial Soul. But accident happened.....
Lakan shook aways his thoughts.
He took a step forward, his voice carrying a resonant authority. "In that era, people didn't have spirits to rely on. They had to survive using Internal Energy and pure physical mechanics. They used substances like Whale Glue—which most people today think is waste—to temper their bones until they were like iron. I've spent my life adapting their combat logic to work with Soul Power."
Lakan looked at his hands, then back at the throne. "The Eight-Directional Flow is my attempt to bridge the gap between their wisdom and our power. It's still incomplete, but even in its current state, it allows a child to outmaneuver a Phoenix. I intend to finish it... and when I do, I am willing to share it with Spirit Hall. After all, a Goddess should have the best army in the world, shouldn't she? And if you like it... maybe we can go get some tea later? My treat."
Ling Yue actually let out a muffled snort of laughter this time, before quickly turning it into a stern frown.
Bibi Dong's fingers tapped rhythmically on her scepter. The mention of Whale Glue and "Internal Energy" was revolutionary. If true, it could change the power balance of the entire continent.
"You speak of 'Internal Energy' and 'Flow' as if they are superior to the Soul Skills granted by the Heavens," Bibi Dong said, a challenge in her voice. "Ling Yue."
The Golden Kite Douluo stepped forward, her golden armor shimmering. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Test him," Bibi Dong commanded. "Do not use your Soul Skills or your full Rank 95 pressure. Use only your physical form and basic Soul Power reinforcement. I want to see this 'Flow' that claims to be the wind in the cracks of the wall."
Ling Yue walked to the center of the hall, her presence like a towering hawk. She looked at Lakan, a competitive smirk on her face. "Alright, 'Noble Soul.' Let's see if those tattoos are just for show. If you can stay on your feet for three minutes, I'll personally apologize for calling you a brat."
Lakan took a deep breath, dropping into a relaxed stance. He didn't look like he was preparing for a fight; he looked like he was settling into a rhythm.
"Three minutes?" Lakan asked, winking at Ling Yue. "You're so beautiful, Sister Ling Yue, I could probably spend three days just watching you move. But for the sake of the Supreme Pontiff's schedule... let's get started."
Ling Yue blurred. As a flight-type Titled Douluo, her speed was her greatest weapon. She launched a palm strike that should have been impossible to dodge for a six-year-old.
"Hakbang Tatsulok (Triangular Pivot)."
Lakan didn't retreat. He stepped into her space at a 45-degree angle. Ling Yue's palm passed over his shoulder, missing him by a hair's breadth. She immediately followed up with a spinning kick, but Lakan was already low.
"Langkah (Serpent's Flow)."
He dropped to a crouch, his body moving with the fluidity of water. As her leg swept over him, he used his fingers to lightly tap the "Soul Power Anchor" on her standing leg—a Gunting move.
Ling Yue felt a tiny jolt of Soul Power disrupt her balance for a fraction of a second. It wasn't enough to trip a Titled Douluo, but it was enough to make her gasp in surprise.
"You're fast!" Lakan chirped, spinning away and resetting his stance. "But you're moving in straight lines, Sister. The world is a circle, and I'm the one holding the compass."
Bibi Dong watched from her throne, her grip on her scepter tightening. She wasn't just seeing a fight; she was seeing a six-year-old kid toy with the momentum of a Titled Douluo.
"This isn't just talent," Bibi Dong thought, her heart racing. "This is a new law of nature."