Douluo: AFK to Become a God

"Brother Tang San—hm, Xiao San. I'm a bit older than you, so you won't mind if I call you that, right?

Xiao San, you're one of the most talented peers I've ever met. As for sparring—naturally, I have no objections."

Though his words seemed like a polite question, Chu Chengzhou didn't give Tang San the chance to respond—he accepted the challenge on his own terms.

Of course, he wasn't Tang San's elder yet. Since Tang San had humbly phrased it as "seeking instruction," he couldn't act lofty and superior, so he changed it to "sparring." After all, he had studied noble etiquette for half a year, and it wasn't for nothing.

Hearing this, Tang San's lips twitched.

He strongly suspected that Chu Chengzhou's friendly "Xiao San" wasn't coming from the stance of an older peer—but from the stance of an elder addressing a junior.

Still, in both his past and present life, the nickname carried no special connotation. Others in the Emperor Team, like Yu Tianheng or Dugu Yan, had called him Xiao San before. So he didn't object.

"Sparring? That's a good idea. Xiao San is about to head to Slaughter City for training, and since Little Brother Chu has already been there, why not help Sister test whether Xiao San has the strength to pass?"

Tang Yuehua nodded toward Chu Chengzhou.

Her nephew was like a son to her. She knew Slaughter City was dangerous, even if his father Tang Hao believed he had the strength. Her heart couldn't help but worry, so why not let someone with firsthand experience weigh his chances?

"Oh? Xiao San, you're going to Slaughter City for training?"

Chu Chengzhou feigned surprise.

"That's right. I wonder, Brother Chu, could you tell me about it?"

Suppressing his urge to pummel him on the spot, Tang San asked seriously.

His father had only told him to go, without details. He needed insight, and Chu Chengzhou was the only one who could provide it.

Chu Chengzhou nodded. "Of course. Slaughter City is divided into inner and outer cities, but since you're there to train, you only need to know about the inner city.

The city is ruled by a powerful figure known as the King of Slaughter. Inside, aside from not being able to attack the King's envoys or enforcers, there are no rules whatsoever—it's a world where the strong can do whatever they wish.

Leaving Slaughter City isn't difficult. In the inner city, there's a place called the Hell Arena. Win one hundred battles in a row, then pass through Hell Road, and you can leave. If you succeed, you'll also gain a domain ability."

"One hundred consecutive victories? Like the Great Spirit Arena?"

Tang San's brows furrowed. He knew about the Slaughter God Domain, but his father had never mentioned this Hell Arena.

"Similar, but with major differences. In Hell Arena, each match has ten participants.

There are no rules. Any method is allowed. A match only ends when one person remains, or everyone is dead.

That means anyone who achieves a hundred victories has left behind at least nine hundred corpses—often thousands.

And the opponents vary. If you're lucky, you'll meet weaker ones. If you're unlucky, you could face even an eight-ring Contra. Title Douluo should be impossible, though."

"Eight-ring Contra?!"

Tang San's face paled. Was his father sending him to die?

Chu Chengzhou explained: "It's true, but don't worry too much. First, the chances of meeting such an opponent are extremely low. Second, the city's environment restricts the use of spirit abilities.

That means soul masters with spirit bones and self-created techniques actually have the advantage."

In truth, after he left Slaughter City, most of the eight-ring Contras there had already been slain. Even if new ones had appeared, they were few and far between.

Hearing this, Tang San's tension eased. With spirit abilities limited, even a Contra could be beaten. He had the Chaotic Cloak Hammer, Tang Sect hidden weapons, and his powerful spirit bone skills.

"Thank you for the guidance, Brother Chu."

Tang San cupped his hands sincerely.

Even if Chu Chengzhou was clearly plotting to become his uncle—that didn't lessen his gratitude.

"It's nothing. After all, Xiao San, you're my—mm, you're my little brother, aren't you?"

Chu Chengzhou waved it off.

Not his brother? He was planning to be his uncle anyway!

Tang San: "..."

Don't think I didn't catch you almost calling me your nephew!

His suppressed anger flared back up. He locked eyes with Chu Chengzhou, wordlessly issuing a challenge.

Chu Chengzhou understood perfectly.

A challenge? Your uncle will oblige you!

The three of them left Moon Pavilion together.

Since Moon Pavilion had no suitable space for duels, and Tang San wasn't about to reveal his Clear Sky Hammer in public, they decided to leave the city and find a deserted place.

When he had arrived, Chu Chengzhou came in his own carriage. But how could he treat Sister Yuehua as an outsider? He dismissed his coachman with a mental message and told him to return home.

"Sister Yuehua, why don't you take your carriage? I'll just walk."

Chu Chengzhou said politely. A retreat to advance.

"Little Brother Chu, since we're brother and sister, we'll travel together."

Tang Yuehua smiled gently.

Of course she couldn't let him walk. That would be far too discourteous.

"As you say, Sister Yuehua!"

Chu Chengzhou agreed without hesitation, following her into the carriage. And, without shame, sat right beside her.

Tang Yuehua: "..."

Tang San: "..."

The carriage was rectangular, with cushioned seats on three sides. Tang San sat opposite them, glaring silently as Chu Chengzhou leaned close beside his aunt.

"What's the matter?"

Chu Chengzhou asked innocently, noticing Tang San's twisted expression.

Tang San said nothing. His aunt hadn't spoken, so he couldn't.

"Oh? Sister Yuehua, there's a harp here. Why don't we play together?"

Chu Chengzhou pointed at the golden harp hanging on the wall.

"Play together? Very well."

Tang Yuehua nodded. She loved music, and Chu Chengzhou's skill was decent. Why not?

Soon, elegant notes filled the carriage.

But Tang San couldn't hear the beauty. His face grew darker by the second—because the two of them had practically leaned into one another as they played!

Breathing in the faint fragrance beside him, Chu Chengzhou kept his face serious, fingers plucking the strings. But inside, he was laughing gleefully.

Flirting with his aunt right in front of him—how stimulating!

An hour later, the carriage halted outside Heaven Dou City's eastern gate, ten li away on a barren road.

The ground here was poor, nothing but weeds struggling in the dust.

The three disembarked. Tang Yuehua stood aside to watch, while Chu Chengzhou and Tang San faced each other on the empty plain, thirty meters apart.

A dark light flashed in Tang San's hands as the massive Clear Sky Hammer materialized.

"The Clear Sky Hammer? Twin spirits? Xiao San, the Clear Sky Douluo isn't nearby, is he?"

Chu Chengzhou called out quickly, glancing around.

The Clear Sky Hammer was one of Tang San's deepest secrets. If Tang Hao himself were nearby… Chu Chengzhou wasn't afraid of Tang San's wrath—but Tang Hao wielding that hammer? That was another matter.

Tang Hao: "..."

Why ask if I'm here? You think I'd strike down a junior?

For anyone else who saw his son's twin spirits, Tang Hao would silence them without hesitation. But Chu Chengzhou was different.

He was Ning Fengzhi's prospective son-in-law, close with Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and both Heaven Dou and the Seven Treasures Sect opposed Spirit Hall.

This young man was a potential ally. Even if he wasn't someone Tang Hao would actively recruit, he certainly wasn't someone to kill.

Tang Hao thought to himself: otherwise, wouldn't he be doing Spirit Hall a favor by removing one of their greatest future threats?

He would never do something that only made enemies cheer, regardless of how painful it might be for family.

"Brother Chu, just keep this secret for me."

Hearing the implication in Chu Chengzhou's words, Tang San spoke coldly, his face dark.

"Don't worry, I'm not the type to gossip."

Chu Chengzhou agreed readily.

"Come, fight!"

With the Clear Sky Hammer pointing at him, Tang San let out a thunderous shout.

The humiliation of his crushing defeat at the Spirit Master Tournament—today, with his hammer technique perfected, he would wipe it away!

And this scoundrel—he had better stay far from my aunt!

But the next moment, Tang San's eyes widened in disbelief.

Across from him, Chu Chengzhou's True Spirit Banner martial soul appeared. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black—six spirit rings shone brightly. As the sixth ring flared, soul power surged, and a colossal beast more than seven meters tall manifested.

Chu Chengzhou didn't reveal all his cards. He had disguised the age of his spirit rings, keeping the first five within the normal optimal ratio, and even the sixth ring seemed no more than thirty thousand years. He even suppressed the Titan Giant Ape's size, to avoid exposing any inconsistencies.

"Titan… Titan Giant Ape?!"

Seeing the enormous, dark-brown beast, Tang San's voice trembled.

Just from the depth of that sixth ring's glow, he could tell it was around thirty thousand years. And Chu Chengzhou's summoned beasts were clearly stronger than wild spirit beasts of the same age.

A Titan Giant Ape of thirty thousand years? He couldn't possibly win.

Even ordinary thirty-thousand-year assault beasts required a Soul Sage to handle. A Titan Giant Ape of that level? Even an average Contra might struggle against it.

Wait—Chu Chengzhou had already reached the sixth ring, Soul Emperor?

At the Spirit Master Tournament, he himself was a Soul King while Chu Chengzhou had been only a Soul Ancestor. More than a year later, he was still a five-ring Soul King, but Chu Chengzhou had already stepped into the sixth ring?

Damn it—definitely cheating!

"Dahei, attack!"

With a wave of his banner, Chu Chengzhou ordered the Titan Giant Ape forward.

"ROAR—!"

The beast slammed its fists against its chest with a thunderous boom before charging. Each step made the earth quake, as though small earthquakes rippled across the land.

Facing the charge, Tang San swallowed hard, gripping the Clear Sky Hammer tightly.

The Clear Sky Hammer was the greatest tool spirit under heaven. Against a mere thirty-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape, he, Tang San, would not fall!

"Break for me!"

With a furious shout, he launched the Chaotic Cloak Hammer technique, body twisting with explosive force as he smashed the hammer toward Dahei's leg.

Dahei: Little bug, you think you can reach my knee?

It didn't dodge at all, taking the blow head-on.

"BOOM—!"

The impact thundered. Yet the giant ape didn't budge. Tang San's arms went numb, the hammer nearly flying from his hands under the rebounding force.

Though Chu Chengzhou had suppressed the appearance, Dahei's strength hadn't weakened—it was still an eighty-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape. The so-called world's number one tool spirit, even with Tang San's mastery, simply couldn't break its defenses.

The ape glanced down, grinning cruelly, and swung a massive palm toward Tang San.

Though Chu Chengzhou had secretly ordered it to hold back, a direct hit would still leave Tang San concussed at best.

But Tang San wasn't ordinary. Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step, he slipped away like a phantom, leaving only an afterimage to be crushed.

"ROAR—!"

Missing the little blue-haired pest, Dahei grew annoyed and struck again.

Once more, Tang San dodged.

One beast, one man—one chasing, one fleeing. It looked like a game of Whack-a-Mole across the barren plain.

A massive ape with earth-shaking palms as the player, and Tang San the nimble little mole.

If Dahei had used its full strength, Tang San wouldn't have lasted at all.

Watching from afar, Tang Yuehua, and even Tang Hao in secret, both fell silent.

Anyone with eyes could see—the Titan Giant Ape wasn't serious. It was just toying with him. Not a single spirit ability had been used.

And yet even like this, Tang San could only dodge desperately, on the verge of defeat at any moment.

A year of growth, yet the gap hadn't narrowed. If anything, it had widened.

Tang Hao, though, wasn't dismayed. Even he admitted Chu Chengzhou was an extraordinary genius. But his son's true strength lay in the future.

Single-spirit masters hit bottlenecks after level 90. Even with talent, each level was a wall.

But with twin spirits, once Tang San reached Title Douluo with his Blue Silver Emperor, then added nine high-level rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, he would soar. He could even use the ring attachments later to force breakthroughs, becoming a 99th-level peerless Douluo, surpassing even Tang Chen.

At last, exhausted, Tang San faltered. Dahei slapped his hammer away, then snatched him up in one enormous hand.

With a malicious grin, the ape spun him like a toy, whirling him in circles until his brain nearly rattled loose.

"Enough."

Clicking his tongue, Chu Chengzhou finally ordered Dahei to let him go.

For your aunt's sake, I'll spare you this time, my dear nephew.

"Little San, are you alright?"

He dismissed the ape, stepping forward to shake Tang San's dazed body with exaggerated concern.

Tang San: Stop shaking me!

Only after a long while did he recover, muttering with deep frustration: "I lost."

Damn it… even with his hammer perfected, he was still far from matching him.

But defeat was defeat. He wouldn't deny it. He would simply train harder, and repay it one day.

"No, Xiao San, you didn't lose. You did very well."

Chu Chengzhou patted his shoulder warmly, sounding exactly like an elder comforting a junior.

Tang San: "..."

If he could, he'd have smashed this scoundrel's head in with the hammer right then.

My aunt… you must see through this scumbag's true face!

But he couldn't say it aloud. Whether she had feelings or not, bringing it up would only embarrass her.

The spar ended. With Tang San sullen and silent, the three rode back to Heaven Dou City.

And, just like before, to pass the time in the carriage, Chu Chengzhou and Tang Yuehua sat side by side, harmonizing sweetly on the harp.

Unlike before, however, Tang San didn't just look twisted—this time, sorrow flickered in his eyes as well.

T/N: Another 5-10 chapters coming tmrw or the day after.

T/N: For up to 30 chapters ahead on most of my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle