Douluo Dalu 3 - Qiang Ming's Journey

Qiang Ming's routine aboard the cruise ship had become a fascinating blend of indulgence, discipline, and chaos. The days were bright and lively, a stark contrast to the isolated and punishing environment he had trained in for nearly two years.

Each morning, he would rise with the sun and head to the ship's cafeteria by 7 a.m., where he ate enough to feed three grown men. His appetite was as monstrous as ever—yet it matched the demands of his ever-evolving body. After gorging himself on a mountain of food, he returned to his cabin and changed out of his formal clothes into something far more "liberating"—a simple pair of shorts and his Arena Champion medallion. That was it.

The moment he walked onto the leisure deck like this—half-naked and glistening in the sunlight, lean and statuesque—he became the center of attention.

Women whispered. Men stared. Some tried to ignore him, but Qiang Ming's physique wasn't just attractive, it was commanding. His scars and his relaxed smile made him even more captivating. He was as beautiful as he was dangerous, and he knew it.

He lay down on one of the beach chairs, soaking in the sunlight he had been starved of during his time in the secret realm. He even joked to himself that he was like a solar-powered beast, charging his internal furnace with each ray of light.

Of course, his "scandalous" outfit and his unapologetic confidence didn't exactly go unnoticed—particularly among the Star Luo Delegation.

He spent most of his time with the Star Luo girls, flirting, laughing, charming his way into their hearts. He wasn't even trying to be predatory; it was simply in his nature to be dominant, to captivate. A casual conversation often turned into a private sunbathing session. More than once, Qiang Ming had entire afternoons lost to exchanging teasing words with Star Luo beauties under a parasol.

This naturally enraged the Star Luo boys.

They were supposed to be proud sons of heaven—pampered, talented, respected in their homeland. And yet this bastard from Shrek, this outsider, was stealing attention with nothing but some scars, a medal, and a smile?

Tension simmered beneath the surface. Most confrontations were verbal: sharp words, veiled threats, passive-aggressive challenges. But not all of them stayed that way.

One particular incident occurred about two weeks into the cruise, and it became legendary.

Qiang Ming was at one of the ship's bars, enjoying a fruit drink and chatting with a striking blonde from the Imperial Star Luo Academy—Chu Min, her name was. She was elegant, with a curious spark in her eyes, and unlike some of the others, she kept pace with Qiang Ming's wit.

Their conversation was playful and flirtatious, full of mutual intrigue, until it was interrupted.

"A frog lusting after a swan—preposterous!" a shrill voice cut through the buzz of conversation.

Qiang Ming's brow twitched.

He slowly turned to find a short, rather unimpressive boy standing behind them, face red with indignation. He was clearly a student of the Imperial Academy, and from his clenched fists and trembling lips, he seemed ready to fight.

Before Qiang Ming could open his mouth, Chu Min beat him to it.

"Jiang Lin, are you seriously embarrassing yourself in front of all these people? Get lost."

Her scathing words left the boy speechless. Murmurs rose around them. Qiang Ming, seeing an easy exit, downed the rest of his drink, gave Chu Min a wink, and casually walked away, offering only a lazy wave.

But the boy wasn't finished.

Just as Qiang Ming neared the ship's railing, his instincts flared. Without thinking, he tilted to the left, narrowly avoiding a punch aimed squarely at the back of his head.

There was no pause. No warning.

Qiang Ming spun on his heel and delivered a single, smooth kick—his foot crashing into the boy's chest and sending him flying over the ship's edge.

Silence followed.

Everyone watched, mouths agape, as the Star Luo student screamed all the way down into the water.

Qiang Ming cracked his neck, sighed, and muttered, "Dumbass," before casually strolling back to his cabin.

He didn't even stay to see the fallout.

It was things like this that made Qiang Ming a polarizing figure aboard the ship. Some admired him. Some feared him. Many envied him. But no one could ignore him.

Despite the drama, his daily life remained relatively private. He kept his distance from the other Shrek students, except for Xie Xie. The two had rekindled a tenuous connection—casual games of chess, small talk, quiet nods. It wasn't friendship like before, but it was something. Tang Wulin, on the other hand, was either too exhausted from his "training" or buried in a forge, so their interactions were nonexistent.

Qiang Ming also made time for Wu Zhangkong.

The cold instructor welcomed him back in his own stoic way, and the two began sparring regularly. Though Zhangkong still held the advantage in terms of raw soul power, Qiang Ming's progress was undeniable. His control, creativity, and dual martial souls allowed him to match the teacher strike for strike.

It was during these spars that Qiang Ming revealed his Three Eyed Golden Lion King for the first time, and it stunned Wu Zhangkong. It explained much. The speed. The strength. The pressure. The boy had become a monster.

They fought without battle armor—both of them aware that if they did go all out, the ship would split in two.

Qiang Ming also kept his armor—Prideful—a secret. It was a trump card, one he would only reveal when the moment was right.

In his more idle hours, he had taken to fishing.

Well, "fishing" in the most brutal way possible.

Whenever he felt bored or irritated, he would jump off the ship, dive deep into the ocean, find a thousand-year-old soul beast, fight it tooth and nail, and return to the ship with its corpse slung over his shoulder. The crew quickly stopped asking questions.

It became an unspoken rule: if Qiang Ming went overboard, don't worry. He'd be back—with a corpse.

It was both terrifying and oddly routine.

The cruise was peaceful, the weather divine, and life easy. But in Qiang Ming's world, that only meant one thing.

Something was coming.

And when it came, he'd be ready.