After leaving the Nine Heart Begonia Clan, Ye Yu didn't immediately return to the Dugu Residence with Dugu Yan.
Instead, the two took a stroll through the streets of Heaven Dou City.
Ye Yu's main goal? To buy a mask.
Tonight, he planned to participate in the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena.
But he wasn't planning to use his real name or his Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine martial spirit.
Instead, he would enter under a new identity—using only the steel spear he'd bought from the blacksmith and his overwhelmingly powerful physical strength.
This way, the pressure of close combat would push his limits and help him break through.
After all, if he used his Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine, the outcome was obvious:
Weaker spirit masters would be helpless before its ice, fire, and lightning immunity, its incredible tenacity, and the terrifying regenerative vines that multiplied the more they were cut.
Stronger spirit masters might be able to brute-force through, but they'd probably overwhelm him with a single strike.
Either way, it wouldn't serve the purpose of training.
That said, Ye Yu still planned to continue honing his control and mastery over the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine.
And who better to practice on than the soul beasts of Sunset Forest—or his beloved Grandpa Dugu Bo!
"These masks... none of them are quite right."
Trying on several, Ye Yu was disappointed.
While masks could cover his face, they did nothing to disguise his hairstyle—
And thanks to his overflowing vitality, his hair was absurdly luscious and healthy.
Too eye-catching. Too memorable.
After some thought, Ye Yu came up with a better idea:
Wear a full-coverage helmet—like those worn with suits of armor.
In fact, why not go all in and buy a full suit?
He could:
Wear the helmet to hide his identity
Strap on weighted gear under his clothes to train during combat
It was perfect—masking his identity while also increasing the intensity of training.
Tonight, he'd test how much weight his enhanced body could handle while still fighting effectively.
Later, once he adapted, he could don the full suit in combat.
With Dugu Yan in tow, Ye Yu visited a high-end armor shop.
He picked out their top-tier suit—a set that was sleek, intimidating, and incredibly popular.
Price? 100,000 gold spirit coins.
It made Ye Yu wince a little.
Once upon a time, he never would've had that kind of money on hand.
But thanks to the 1 million gold spirit coins he'd won from Yu Tianheng...
Free money felt a little less painful to spend.
So Ye Yu spent like a rich boss, without hesitation.
(PS: Meanwhile, back in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan... Yu Tianheng sobbed bitterly as he suffered a combined beating from his grandfather Yu Yuanzhen and his father Yu Dalong: "My savings... my red envelope money from the past ten years... it's all gone!!")
After buying the armor, Ye Yu also picked up high-end training weights for his arms, legs, and torso.
Crafted from resilient Earth Dragon hide and reinforced with mystic iron, they were built to last—and built to challenge.
That night, Ye Yu dressed in a black training suit, strapped on the weighted gear, concealed his Jade Dragon Bracelet inside his sleeve, and donned the full helmet.
He then parted ways with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling before making his way into the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena.
The arena resembled a massive inverted bowl, stretching hundreds of meters tall, with four main entrances—each with its own stairway and sub-plaza to divide and manage the flow of spectators and participants.
The entire building glowed with opulence and grandeur.
Though Ye Yu's full-helmeted appearance was eye-catching, he wasn't alone—plenty of spirit masters came in hooded cloaks, masks, and disguises.
He blended in just fine.
Inside, the grand lobby buzzed with life.
There were spirit masters here to fight, and civilians here to spectate.
Ye Yu followed the signs and arrived at the registration desk.
After waiting in line for a while, he stepped forward and spoke to the staff member in a low, raspy voice.
"I'd like to sign up for a duel."
The female attendant smiled professionally—completely unfazed by his odd outfit.
"Of course, sir. Please fill out your information here."
She handed him a form.
It included fields for name, gender, spirit, cultivation level, and place of origin.
Only the cultivation level required actual verification. The rest could be... flexible.
For his name, Ye Yu wrote: Anlan (安澜).
In another world, Anlan was the name of one who, even burdened by the abyss, could hold up the Primordial Imperial City with one hand—and remain unmatched beneath the heavens.
"If he can carry the Abyss, then I can carry the God Realm... and still hold the Douluo Continent with my other hand!"
"Even then—I, Ye Yu, would still be invincible!"
Gender: Male
Martial Spirit: Spear
Cultivation Level: 32nd Rank Spirit Elder (just for now—gotta keep expectations low)
In reality, his raw physical strength was already comparable to a Spirit Emperor.
But Spirit Arena battles depended on more than muscle. Martial spirit and soul skills still mattered.
So it was better to start off modestly and feel things out.
After paying the 10 gold spirit coin entry fee, Ye Yu received his Iron Spirit Fighting Badge.
"Welcome, Anlan. You can sign up for solo matches over there," the attendant said with a smile, pointing toward the solo battle registration area.
Ye Yu thanked her and headed off.
After waiting in line again, Ye Yu handed over his badge and was assigned to Arena 12.
Meanwhile, Dugu Yan—who had been secretly following his movements—smiled knowingly.
With Ye Lingling by her side, she bought tickets for Arena 12, and the two sat down in the viewing stands to watch him in action.
Ye Yu, unaware, was led into the Arena 12 rest area.
It was a wide lounge filled with rows of seats, where many spirit masters waited for their names to be called over the amplifying soul device.
Once called, fighters would proceed through the combatants' passageway to enter the stage.
Those not resting could head deeper into the observation corridor to watch others fight.
(Author's Note: Earlier reference to "commissioning a custom spear" has been adjusted—Ye Yu purchased one instead.)
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin