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Chapter 54: Gathering at the Defense Clan
🕑 Added 2024-10-17 22:01:13 +0000 UTCSince the recent sparring match with his father Yang Zhentian, Yang Podi had been regularly challenging his father to improve his skills and gain battle experience.
Six months flew by, and now Yang Podi was officially 12 years old. His soul power had reached Level 34, a two-level increase within six months. This was partly due to the Golden Crocodile King's soul ring, which initially pushed him to Level 32 with some residual soul power, and partly due to his frequent sparring with his father, which greatly enhanced his growth in real combat.
In terms of height, Yang Podi was now 1.7 meters tall, half a head taller than his peers, giving him a somewhat burly appearance. If it weren't for his slightly youthful face, one could mistake him for an adult if he wore a mask. After absorbing his third soul ring, his strength surged again, and he had added more expensive metals to his weights, now totaling 130 kilograms. His arm guards weighed 20 kilograms each, and his chest armor weighed 50 kilograms, making his strength quite formidable.
However, Yang Podi felt something was missing, especially in terms of agility, which seemed to lag behind his physical strength. Recently, he had been thinking of ways to improve his agility and balance. He planned to create some training tools during his upcoming trip to Tian Dou City.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Yang Ping'an had reached Level 26 in soul power and was expected to reach Level 27 soon. His father and both grandfathers remained at their current levels, but his mother had finally broken through to Level 80, advancing to Level 81 after obtaining a new soul ring.
Yang Podi was aware that his combat experience was still lacking, so he considered training at the Great Soul Arena soon. However, his plans would have to wait. Since the Four Single Attribute Clans moved to Heaven Dou City, the clan leaders had agreed to gather once a year, much more frequently than the original novel's four-year interval, as they were now much closer geographically.
In the original Douluo Dalu, the clans were scattered far apart, with only three clans in the Star Luo Empire, while the Strength Clan was in Heaven Dou City. It could take a month just to travel by carriage, making frequent gatherings impractical. Now, however, the clans were close enough to meet easily. The Breaking Clan was the furthest from Tian Dou City, at 40 kilometers away, while the other three clans were within 10 kilometers.
This year's gathering would be hosted by the Defense Clan. Although Yang Podi initially didn't want to attend—having been uninterested in interacting with the other clan's younger members before—everyone was now 12 years old, which might make things more interesting. Besides, since it was being hosted by his maternal grandfather, he felt obliged to go.
Thus, his entire family, including his two grandfathers, his parents, and his three younger cousins, prepared to set out, accompanied by some direct disciples. The clan was left in the hands of six elders, including two Soul Douluo and four Soul Saints, all wielding the Breaking Soul Spear. This way, they could fend off even a Title Douluo, should one attack. Moreover, the two Soul Douluo concealed their true power, displaying only Soul Saint levels publicly. Any Soul Douluo-level intruders would find it hard to escape.
The group left the Breaking Clan's grounds, heading for the Defense Clan's residence. The two locations weren't far apart, and they arrived after a couple of hours by carriage.
In contrast to the Breaking Clan's mountain-backed residence, the Defense Clan's location was more open, almost resembling a small town. Aptly named Dragon City, it bore the mark of his grandfather's personality with grand architecture and wide roads. The place even had a small lake and an enormous training ground. The buildings were tall yet spaciously arranged, creating a balanced atmosphere.
Inside, the interiors were well-crafted and intricately decorated, though not excessively lavish. The decor suggested strong financial backing, even though it wasn't overly luxurious. Overall, it had the air of a sect. Known across the Douluo Continent for their construction prowess, the Defense Clan was living up to its reputation.
When they reached the main hall, a hearty voice boomed, "Old Goat, what took you so long? We've already started drinking!"
Yang Podi saw three men at a round table in the hall, each holding a large cup of wine: Niu Gao of the Defense Clan, Tai Tan of the Strength Clan,and Bai He of the Speed Clan.
Niu Gao was a giant with a golden horn on his head, wearing the Defense Clan's attire that revealed most of his chest muscles. His black chest hair added to his rugged appearance, and he looked as solid as a fortress. Tai Tan was an older man with graying hair, his short hair spiked like steel needles. He was broad and muscular, exuding an intimidating presence. Bai He, on the other hand, was tall and lean, with white hair and a rosy complexion.
Niu Gao called out to Yang Podi, "So, my grandson and granddaughter are here! Look at you, my little ones, all grown up. Especially you, Yang Podi—you're a spitting image of me!"
Yang Wudi quickly interjected, "Old Bull, what do you mean, like you? He's my grandson; he takes after me!"
Before they could start bickering, Yang Podi stepped forward with his younger siblings, Yang Ping'an and Yang Tianyue, and greeted the elders respectfully, "Greetings, Grandfather, and greetings to Grandpa Bai He and Grandpa Tai Tan."
Niu Gao laughed, "Good, good! No need for formalities; you're family here!" He could tell Yang Podi's soul power level with a glance. Bai He nodded approvingly, pleased with the younger generation.
Tai Tan then spoke up, "Not bad. I hear you're interested in studying the path of strength. Come by the Strength Clan sometime, and we can spar."
"Thank you, Grandpa Tai Tan. I'll be sure to visit," Yang Podi replied.
Yang Tianyue, his sister, also gave a courteous bow, making everyone laugh.
