Half an hour later, the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony had nearly concluded.
This ceremony was deemed a success, much to the satisfaction of Nan Tianchen. The disciples from the noble families all showed innate spirit power of at least three levels, with some even nearing five. With proper cultivation, these children would undoubtedly become Soul Elders, Soul Kings, or even Soul Emperors in the future. Whether they could reach the level of Soul Sages, however, would depend on their efforts and a bit of luck.
Among them, Nan Feiling, with her innate spirit power exceeding seven levels, was the sole standout. But Nan Tianchen was not disappointed. After all, his precious son had yet to awaken his martial soul. Given Lan Xue's extraordinary talent, it was inconceivable that their child's potential would be anything but exceptional.
Lan Xue was one of the most gifted individuals Nan Tianchen had ever encountered.
Her path to greatness had been particularly unique. Born a commoner in the Gore Kingdom, she later awakened the top-tier weapon martial soul, the Mysterious Ice Halberd. She traveled to the Heaven Dou Empire and studied at one of the five elemental academies—Tianshui Academy.
With full innate spirit power, her cultivation speed before reaching rank 30 was unparalleled.
The current headmistress of Tianshui Academy was her close friend, and together, they had once competed in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament.
That year, Tianshui Academy achieved its best results in a century.
With a combination of the top-tier beast martial soul, the Ice Phoenix, and Lan Xue's Mysterious Ice Halberd, they effortlessly swept through the other elemental academies and even the royal academies of Heaven Dou and Star Luo, ultimately facing the Spirit Hall Academy in the final.
Unfortunately, despite their valiant efforts, they were narrowly defeated.
Even so, Qian Xunji, leader of the Spirit Hall, recognized Lan Xue's immense potential, praising her as having the makings of a future Super Douluo.
Yet, after reaching rank 30, something strange occurred—Lan Xue's cultivation speed dramatically slowed. Though she remained one of the top talents, her pace was no longer as extraordinary. By the time she reached rank 50, her progress had become exceedingly slow, allowing others, like the twin stars of the Clear Sky Clan, to surpass her.
Many people believed she was merely a short-lived genius, and she gradually faded into obscurity.
But Lan Xue never gave up. After graduation, she traveled the continent, wielding her halberd to uphold justice. She fought fiercely and eventually broke through to rank 60 at the age of 35, earning a reputation as the "Ice Goddess" for her icy demeanor and refusal of all suitors, many of whom were esteemed noble heirs.
Through years of grueling effort, Lan Xue finally reached rank 70, and with that breakthrough came a second transformation—her cultivation speed returned, even faster than before.
In no time, she caught up to the Clear Sky twins. At that moment, she was once again hailed as a prodigy destined to become a titled Douluo.
Nan Feihuang, having heard of Lan Xue's journey, knew the true reason behind her erratic cultivation speed. She possessed the ultimate ice attribute, a phenomenon little understood by the spirit masters of this era.
Ultimate martial souls experienced normal cultivation speeds before rank 30, but after that, progress became torturously slow until rank 70, where their speed surged once more. The purer and more resilient the spirit power of an ultimate martial soul, the greater the transformation.
Around this time, the Clear Sky twins—particularly Tang Hao—had gained fame across the continent. Tang Hao, curious about Lan Xue's reputation, challenged her to a duel.
Lan Xue, having a bit of a martial obsession, eagerly accepted. The two agreed to a fair fight on the ancient Mount Guterres, near the Gore Kingdom's capital.
In that battle, their spirit power and martial souls were evenly matched. However, due to certain limitations, Lan Xue's ultimate ice attribute was only partially functional, leaving her at a disadvantage.
Growing frustrated, Tang Hao, as the Clear Sky Clan's most prominent successor, couldn't afford to lose to a woman. His pride and the honor of his clan were on the line. So, he used his newly mastered secret technique—Ring Explosion.
With this technique, the tide of the battle shifted. Tang Hao, inexperienced with controlling the power of the Ring Explosion, unleashed a devastating blow, sending Lan Xue plummeting off a cliff.
Badly injured by Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer and the fall, Lan Xue was left at death's door. Fortunately, she was saved by Nan Tianchen, the Crown Prince of Gore Kingdom at the time.
Nan Tianchen had been keeping an eye on the duel, knowing it was taking place within his kingdom. After rescuing her, he personally tended to Lan Xue's recovery within the palace.
Grateful for his help, Lan Xue asked Nan Tianchen what she could do to repay him, promising to fulfill any request within her power.
Nan Tianchen proposed marriage, asking her to become his Crown Princess. Out of gratitude, Lan Xue agreed.
While some might view his actions as taking advantage of the situation, Nan Tianchen never coerced her. The final decision was hers.
Besides, Nan Tianchen had a pressing need for someone of Lan Xue's caliber. Unlike the Balak Kingdom, a military powerhouse with over 400,000 troops, the Gore Kingdom was an agricultural state, with only 150,000 soldiers and a sparse number of spirit masters. Gore Kingdom heavily relied on its bountiful grain production and paid hefty tributes to the Heaven Dou Empire for protection. Without this, the kingdom would have long been swallowed by the Star Luo Empire.
However, with a titled Douluo in the kingdom, the power dynamics would shift drastically.
In the current era, there were fewer than twenty known titled Douluo on the continent. Even the Heaven Dou Empire had none, relying on the support of the upper three sects.
Lan Xue was their hope for a titled Douluo.
After their marriage, Nan Tianchen and Lan Xue treated each other with respect. Two years later, they had their first child, Nan Feihuang. Though their union had begun out of gratitude, the couple's relationship grew over time. While their bond might not have been born of pure love, it was built on four parts mutual respect, four parts affection, and two parts gratitude—a solid foundation for their marriage.
Lan Xue never regretted her decision to marry Nan Tianchen.
Given her exceptional lineage, how could their child not be extraordinary? As long as Nan Feihuang didn't end up like a certain pig-martial-soul mutation in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his potential was assured.
As Nan Tianchen led Feihuang and the others toward the inner hall, Lan Xue suddenly began to cough.
Nan Feihuang quickly rushed forward, gently patting her back. "Mother, you're coughing again. Are you alright?"
Lan Xue smiled softly, stroking her son's head. "Don't worry, my dear. It's just an old ailment."
Nan Feihuang gazed at his mother with concern. He knew that the injuries Lan Xue had sustained during her battle with Tang Hao had never fully healed. In fact, they had left numerous hidden wounds.
Her potential had once been on par with, if not greater than, Tang Hao's. Just as Tang Hao had broken through to become a titled Douluo at 44, Lan Xue, having already surpassed the critical level of 70 with her ultimate attribute, should have achieved the same.
Yet now, at 48, she remained stuck at rank 89, unable to advance no matter how hard she tried.
Nan Feihuang understood that Tang Hao's attack had damaged her foundation. Without some miraculous opportunity, she would likely remain at the rank of Soul Douluo for the rest of her life.
He had thought about ways to heal her, knowing that the rare herbs found in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could treat her hidden wounds.
As for Tang Hao, Feihuang silently vowed to settle that score one day.
Lan Xue, for her part, held no grudge against Tang Hao. She admitted that although Tang Hao had crippled her foundation, their duel had been fair, and using his Ring Explosion was within the rules. He had simply been the better fighter that day.
Nan Feihuang acknowledged this truth.
In terms of the duel itself, it had been fair. Tang Hao hadn't used any underhanded tactics; his victory was legitimate. For that reason, Nan Feihuang wouldn't resort to dishonorable means for revenge.
But deep down, he couldn't help but feel some frustration for his mother.
Tang Hao, born into the prestigious Clear Sky Clan, had access to the best resources and was trained in the clan's most powerful techniques, including the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method, the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, and Ring Explosion. He even inherited the Clear Sky Clan's spirit bones.
Lan Xue, on the other hand, despite her exceptional talent, had started as a commoner. Although Tianshui Academy was renowned, it couldn't compare to the Clear Sky Clan. All her skills with the halberd had been painstakingly self-taught through trial and error in battle.
The gap in resources was simply too great!
Given this, Nan Feihuang resolved to grow stronger with even better resources than the Clear Sky Clan. One day, he would challenge the Tang family once again—fairly and without trickery. Whether it was Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, or even Tang San, it doesn't matter who stands against him.
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