Douluo Dalu 3 - Qiang Ming's Journey

As the voyage neared its end, a growing sense of tension rippled beneath the surface. Qiang Ming had completed his breakthrough—Rank 50, a fifteen-year-old Soul King. His second Martial Soul, the Three Eyed Golden Lion King, now possessed a full set of five red soul rings, each radiating the terrifying pressure of a one hundred thousand year soul beast.

He had sealed himself for three days in silent seclusion to allow Jin Shi to unseal the true age of his rings. Not even a ripple disturbed his cabin during this time.

And when he emerged, he was no longer the same.

Jin Shi had explained the miracle: it was only possible because of their perfect compatibility, the supportive bond of the soul bone, and Qiang Ming's freakish physical and mental strength.

But no explanation could hide the truth:

Qiang Ming had become a monster. 

Truly fit for Shrek.

The day was bright and clear.

Qiang Ming lay back on a chair, his chest bare beneath the sun, his Arena Champion medallion gleaming faintly in the light. His golden-purple hair fell like a lion's mane around his shoulders, and his scars caught the glint of sunbeams like silver lines on marble.

His eyes were closed.

And then they snapped open.

Killing intent.

It came not from any person—but from the ocean itself.

His third eye opened without conscious thought.

And what he saw beneath the waves sent a chill through his spine.

Thousands—tens of thousands—of aquatic soul beasts surged beneath the water. Great Demon White Sharks. Abyssal Demon Whales. More and more. Even deeper in the ocean, two massive signatures approached. Both carried the weight of a hundred thousand years of cultivation.

Then, without warning, the ship's alarm blared.

Explosions of water burst around both Shrek and Star Luo ships. The sea boiled with movement.

From the depths rose two enormous creatures: a Great Demon White Shark King, its silver body slicing the sea with unnatural speed, and an Abyssal Demon Whale King, dark and ancient, radiating suffocating pressure.

Elder Cai soared into the air, clad in her brilliant Three Word Battle Armor. She stopped between the two hundred thousand year old beasts and raised a single hand, glowing with starlight.

"You are trespassing in Federation waters" she said, voice sharp and commanding. "Turn back. There is no need for slaughter."

The Great Demon White Shark growled, its jaws parting slightly.

"Two-legged filth. This ocean is ours. You slaughter my clansmen! You deserve death!"

The Abyssal Demon Whale spoke too, its voice deep and slow.

"Our kin die by your greed. We claim what is owed."

Elder Cai's eyes narrowed. "You threaten innocents. Leave, or I will make you."

A pause.

The sea was silent but tense, like a drawn bowstring.

Then—a voice like thunder.

"Let me take care of her."

From the black depths below, something stirred.

A presence unlike the others. Not merely strong—ancient.

A Great Beast emerged—colossal, malformed, elegant in its horror. Its upper half resembled a human's, but scaled and monstrous, with a singular massive eye at its center. Tentacles spread out behind it like a vast fan.

Qiang Ming took a sharp breath.

'A kraken? No… worse.'

The thing rose until it loomed higher than even the ships, water dripping from its impossible frame.

And then—it attacked.

Elder Cai met it in the air, their first clash shaking the sky itself. Moonlight and abyssal darkness tore into each other with furious abandon.

Below, the sea began to churn again, the battle between soul beasts and humans escalating to full-blown war.

Wu Zhangkong leapt into the air, turning into a great icy sword and slamming into the sea, freezing a long bridge for battle to take place.

The ships' alarms rang out again.

"All hands—defend! Prepare for battle!"

A single golden-blue vine lashed across the ice.

It was Tang Wulin.

He stood at the front of the Shrek ship, his face tight with focus, his palms extended. But what caught Qiang Ming's eye wasn't the stance—it was the vines… the grass?

No longer were they dull blue and unimpressive.

Now they shimmered with a rich golden hue, veins of metallic light running along them, radiating a noble aura. Each vine swirled like a dragon's tail, responding not like tools—but limbs.

When they struck a charging ocean beast, it was not repelled.

It was torn in half… the soul beast was.

The vines danced across the battlefield, weaving through air and water like they owned the elements themselves. The soul beasts shrieked, more wary of the vines than of the human wielding them.

Qiang Ming narrowed his eyes.

'…So it really is that,' he thought.

He didn't speak the name. He didn't need to. There was only one evolution path for such a thing, only one known evolution path for the blue silver grass of Tang Wulin was known of and it had not appeared for over twenty thousand years.

Tang Wulin's legacy had changed.

And the world would tremble for it.

Qiang Ming stood still, calmly surveying the chaos. His eyes moved to the side of the deck—

And landed on Mu Ye.

The Body Sect Master stood with arms folded, unmoving. He merely watched Elder Cai fight above, his expression unreadable.

Qiang Ming stepped up beside him.

He smiled faintly and said, "The Body Sect is truly incredible, you know? To have brought back a Martial Soul like that… one thought dead for twenty thousand years. You've earned your place in history."

Mu Ye said nothing. But Qiang Ming saw the briefest flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"I guess it's time for me to act eh?"

Then, without another word, Qiang Ming stepped forward—and power exploded from him.

Five crimson soul rings appeared in sequence, hovering around his golden-purple form like celestial chains.

Before Mu Ye could even fully process it, one of those rings lit up.

Fifth Soul Skill – Golden Lion King's True Soul Avatar

Qiang Ming's body exploded into light, reforming into a house-sized Three Eyed Golden Lion King. A golden crown of light hovered above his head, and his third eye burned like a sun. The pressure he radiated turned the air into glass.

He leapt from the ship, roaring.

Self-Created Soul Skill – Golden Lion Thorn Roar

An evolved technique. By fusing his first and fourth ring abilities, Qiang Ming unleashes a roar filled with mental thorns, creating a shockwave of pain that disables and stuns any soul beast caught within its radius.

A wave of spiritual agony swept across the battlefield.

Weaker soul beasts died instantly. Others spasmed in agony, thrashing helplessly. Even the stronger ones slowed, caught in confusion and fear.

Humans watched in awe. Beasts recoiled in terror.