Hidden Growth
Status Upgrade
Back in Nuoding Academy, while Tang San set off with Master, Lin Feng lay lazily on his dorm bed, his hands behind his head and a mischievous smile on his face.
> "System, open status."
A familiar transparent panel appeared in front of him.
[Lin Feng – Status Screen]
Martial Spirit: Phantom Blood Dagger (Evolvable)
Spirit Level: 17 → 18
Soul Ring: 1st Ring – Purple (1,000-year)
Soul Skill: [Phantom Dash]
System Points: 5,300
Inventory:
Carrot-Flavored Lollipops × 25
Chicken Nugget Cup × 1
Soul Coins: 100
Beginner Enhancement Card × 1
"Level 18, huh? Not bad for staying in one place."
A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He flicked his fingers, and with a ripple of shadowy mist, a dagger appeared in his hand — his Martial Spirit: the Phantom Blood Dagger.
The blade was long and thin, shimmering dark crimson with black veins pulsing faintly along its edge. It looked alive — a hungry thing born of stealth and killing intent.
"Time to try the soul skill."
Phantom Dash – Testing in the Forest
That evening, under the guise of "taking a walk," Lin Feng snuck out of the academy and headed for a secluded grove on the edge of Nuoding Town. Moonlight filtered through the leaves like silver veins. Perfect for testing shadow skills.
He raised his hand, and the Phantom Blood Dagger pulsed.
"Soul Skill: Phantom Dash!"
Suddenly — like smoke drifting through reality — Lin Feng's body blurred. In an instant, he vanished and reappeared ten meters away, almost silent.
WHOOSH!
Leaves fell in slow motion behind him, displaced by the vacuum of his movement.
"Oho... short-range teleportation and speed burst?"
He repeated it again.
Phantom Dash!
This time, he zipped past a boulder, slashed through it mid-movement, and landed on the other side with a faint click of his heel.
The boulder split cleanly in half.
"...Damn. This skill's cracked."
He analyzed the ability:
[Soul Skill Info: Phantom Dash]
Type: Movement + Enhancement
Description: Instantly teleport or dash up to 15 meters in a straight line. During movement, user becomes partially incorporeal and invulnerable to physical damage.
Bonus Effect: First attack after dash is boosted by 50% lethality and causes minor internal bleeding.
Cooldown: 6 seconds (scales down with soul level)
Special Trait: Can bypass solid objects thinner than 1 meter (e.g., fences, thin walls).
He spent the next few hours refining the movement, dashing around trees, flipping midair, cutting leaves mid-flight. His entire body moved like mist and steel — untouchable, silent, deadly.
After burning off some energy, Lin Feng sat on a tall boulder overlooking the quiet grove. The moonlight made his dagger gleam like liquid blood.
"Tang San's out there fighting snakes and kissing boys… Meanwhile, I'm stacking silent kills."
He chuckled, then opened his system inventory again.
"Should I use the Beginner Enhancement Card?"
The card shimmered in his hand — glowing faint gold. It could be used on a soul skill, soul ring, or martial spirit to permanently enhance one feature.
"Save it," he decided. "Better to stack rewards. I'll use it after I get a second ring."
His eyes narrowed as he stared into the forest distance.
"The world of Douluo is like a giant sandbox. And I… have the plot editor."
Plot Change Opportunity
DING!
> [Minor Plot Modification Opportunity Detected]
📍"Tang San's soul ring hunt – Modify for bonus reward?"
Lin Feng raised a brow.
"Heh. Already mid-plot, huh?"
"System, show me my options."
The screen shifted:
Plot Change Menu: Tang San's Hunt
1. Replace Mandala Snake with Evil Eye Panther (500-year beast) – Cost: 250 points
2. Insert Plot Interference – Master gets injured – Cost: 300 points
3. Swap Tang San's soul ring attribute (from poison to speed) – Cost: 200 points
4. No Change (Observe only) – Reward: +50 points
"Hmm… tempting, but I'll let this one play out. Gotta let him struggle a bit more first."
He clicked No Change, and a small chime confirmed his reward.
[+50 Points added. Current total: 5,350]
Return to Dormitory
The night grew deeper. Lin Feng finally returned to the dorm, his steps silent and his breath steady. Everyone else was asleep — even Xiao Wu snored lightly in her bunk, mumbling something about carrots.
Lying in bed, Lin Feng stared at the wooden ceiling.
"I'm already stronger than most first-rank soul masters… and Tang San's just getting his first ring."
"I wonder how much more fun I can extract from this story…"
He closed his eyes, the image of his dagger pulsing in his mind, and drifted into the shadows of sleep.