Douluo Dalu: The Abandoned Child

Dugu Bo and Tang Hao froze when I said the name and title of the latter. Tang Hao's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at me and Grandpa. The tension in the air was palpable, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.

"What do you want?" he asked again, his voice low and threatening.

I met his gaze evenly, unflinching. "I want to offer you a deal."

Grandpa shifted slightly behind me, his body language cautious but ready. Tang Hao's eyes flicked to him, then back to me.

"A deal?" he repeated, his tone skeptical. Tang Hao laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "And why would I do that?"

"Because it's better than wasting away here," I replied, my voice steady. "And because I'm giving you a choice, not an ultimatum. But make no mistake, Tang Hao. I don't make offers twice."

His eyes bore into mine, searching for any sign of deceit. Finally, he stepped back, opening the door wider. "Come in. Let's talk."

As we stepped inside, Grandpa muttered under his breath, "You really do have a way with people, Bei."

The room was sparsely furnished, with only a small, rough-hewn table and a few mismatched chairs. Tang Hao didn't offer us a drink, making it clear he wanted us to leave as soon as possible. He sat down heavily, his expression one of disinterest and wariness.

I took the initiative, introducing myself and Grandpa. "You probably already know my Grandpa, Dugu Bo, Poison Dragon Douluo." Tang Hao's gaze flicked toward Grandpa, he had heard of him, but he didn't know Dugu Bo had become a Titled Douluo, his eyes narrowing briefly before returning to me. "Let's get straight to the point. I'm opening an academy in five years, and I want you to be a blacksmith and a teacher there."

Tang Hao's eyebrows furrowed, but he said nothing, so I continued. "The academy won't have many students. We'll start with a maximum of ten monster-talented individuals. The requirement to be a teacher is simple but strict: you must be a Titled Douluo. That's why we're a bit short on staff right now."

For a moment, he said nothing, simply leaning back in his chair. Then, his eyes shifted to Dugu Bo. "What kind of foolhardy idea is this?"

I wasn't offended; his tone lacked mockery. Instead, it was laden with genuine curiosity and a hint of boredom.

Tang Hao shook his head. "Even if I were interested, which I'm not, I'm a wanted criminal. How do you propose I teach at an academy when the Spirit Hall is hunting me?"

I leaned forward, my gaze locked with his. "You won't have to hide from the Spirit Hall if you join my academy. We might be weak right now, but in five years, we'll be one of the greatest forces on the continent. You'll no longer have to hide here like a coward."

His reaction was immediate. Power surged from him as nine spirit rings materialized: 2 yellow, 2 purple, 4 black, and 1 red. The oppressive aura filled the room, and his eyes glowed with fury.

"Coward?" he repeated, his voice a low growl.

Before he could act, Grandpa stepped forward, releasing his own spirit rings. The exact same configuration appeared, both shared the rarity of a 100,000-year-old ring. Tang Hao's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his fury.

"I see where your confidence comes from," he said, his tone calmer but no less intense. "But this won't be enough to deal with the Spirit Hall."

Realizing he couldn't compete with Grandpa in a direct contest of soul power, he was injured and at rank 92 while Dugu Bo was at rank 94, Tang Hao shifted tactics. A red, suffocating aura filled the room as he activated his Deathgod Domain. The pressure was immense, and I noticed Grandpa felt its cold tendrils wrapping around him.

But I wasn't about to let him dominate the conversation. Stepping in front of Grandpa, I unleashed the Asura Domain. Crimson energy surged forth, colliding with Tang Hao's domain. The oppressive atmosphere shifted as my domain began absorbing his, the power differential becoming evident. I might be an ant in his eyes, but my domain was far superior to his, although absorbing the strength of his domain wan an unexpected development, not that I'm complaining.

Tang Hao's eyes widened in shock, and he immediately deactivated his domain. For a moment, he simply stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, in a voice tinged with disbelief, he said, "You passed the Hell Road."

I smirked while staring him with my red eyes. "It was a piece of cake, honestly."

Before he could respond, the faint sound of a baby crying broke the tension. Tang Hao's expression softened, and he turned toward the source of the sound.

I desactivted my domain and nodded toward the door leading deeper into the house. "Go take care of your baby. We'll wait here."

For a moment, he hesitated, his gaze lingering on me. Then, with a slight nod, he left the room, leaving Grandpa and me in silence.