While Nan Feihuang and his family were busy celebrating for several days, the news of a newly ascended Titled Douluo, though not yet spread across the entire continent, had already reached the ears of several major powers.
In the Pope's Palace, a woman sat gracefully on the throne—none other than Bibi Dong, the current Pope of the Spirit Hall.
She was dressed in a form-fitting, golden ceremonial gown that shimmered brilliantly, adorned with over a hundred red, blue, and golden gemstones. On her head rested a radiant Nine-Curved Purple-Gold Crown, and in her hand, she held a staff embedded with countless jewels, extending about two meters in length.
Her nearly flawless face exuded nobility, elegance, and serenity—her beauty could not be overstated. Despite no longer being young, time had seemingly left no mark on her.
In both appearance and presence, she surpassed Lan Xue in every way.
At this moment, she was calmly listening to a report from her subordinate.
The one reporting was Luo Erdiya La, the head of the Spirit Hall's intelligence division, an eighty-eighth-ranked Soul Douluo whose martial spirit was the Eagle. He was also one of the most renowned experts on the continent.
"Your Holiness… the situation is as follows: the Ice Goddess from back then, Lan Xue, has successfully ascended to Titled Douluo. It is said that she may already be on her way to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for her ninth spirit ring. I've heard that, to ensure she captures the right spirit beast, Nan Tianchen has deployed over a hundred soul masters, including Jia Chong, the leader of the Strength Sect, to assist his wife."
"Oh? She's finally ascended?" Bibi Dong's expression remained unchanged after hearing this. A mere newly ascended Titled Douluo wasn't enough to stir her.
After all, Lan Xue's talent had never been inferior to Tang Hao's. Tang Hao had reached Titled Douluo at the age of forty-four, while Lan Xue was a few years late, which wasn't surprising.
As for Bibi Dong herself, being a twin martial spirit user and the Pope of the Spirit Hall, she had reached her Titled Douluo status even earlier than Tang Hao, though she had never flaunted it. Now, at the age of just forty-two, her spirit power had already reached the rank of Super Douluo. With the advantage of her second martial spirit, she was steadily advancing towards becoming an Ultimate Douluo. To someone like her, Lan Xue's achievement, though notable, wasn't all that remarkable.
"In that case, the Gulei Kingdom is slightly more worth drawing closer. After all, there are very few female Titled Douluo on the continent—just me, Lingyuan, and now her." Bibi Dong pondered. "Luo Erdiya La, send her an invitation from me. Invite her to the Spirit Hall, where I will personally host her Titled Douluo coronation ceremony."
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Luo Erdiya La accepted the command and left to prepare.
He couldn't help but marvel at Lan Xue's fortune—an invitation from the Pope herself, offering to personally officiate the coronation ceremony. What an honor!
Typically, when one advanced to Titled Douluo, the coronation ceremony could be held locally, with no need to travel to the Spirit Hall.
But this was an invitation from the Pope. Even the Upper Three Sects and the two great empires would not dare refuse, let alone a small kingdom like Gulei.
Besides, who would want to refuse?
For example, even Dugu Bo, who wasn't on the best terms with the Spirit Hall, had gleefully attended when the renowned Golden Crocodile Douluo officiated his own coronation as a Titled Douluo.
At the same time, over in the Heaven Dou Empire, news had also reached Emperor Xue Ye. Though he wasn't as elated as Nan Tianchen, he was still pleased.
He had already agreed to the marriage between Nan Feihuang and his daughter, Xue Ke.
Initially, he had thought that Nan Feihuang marrying his daughter was a bit of a stretch—a gamble, really, based on the hope that Lan Xue might one day become a Titled Douluo.
Who would have expected the payoff to come so quickly?
Now that he had a Titled Douluo as an in-law, what more could he ask for?
With his daughter as a princess and Nan Feihuang as the son of a Titled Douluo, the match was truly a perfect union.
"Qinghe!" Xue Ye called out.
"Yes, Father, I am here," answered a handsome young man below him.
This young man was none other than Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
Or rather, Qian Renxue!
Xue Ye issued an edict, "My in-law has successfully broken through to Titled Douluo. I am most gratified. As her in-law, we must offer our congratulations. Go to the treasury and select some worthy gifts, then head to the Gulei Kingdom to extend our well-wishes on my behalf."
"I shall obey, Father. I will not fail you!" Xue Qinghe was also curious about Lan Xue, eager to witness the talent of this woman who had once been hailed as a peer of the Haotian Twin Stars.
Xue Ye nodded. He had full confidence in Xue Qinghe's ability. "Take Ke'er with you as well. It'll give her a chance to meet her future husband, and they can start building a relationship."
Though Xue Ye didn't place great importance on Xue Ke, he wasn't completely indifferent to her either. Royal marriages weren't for her to oppose, but if his daughter and Nan Feihuang grew fond of each other, it would bring him some comfort.
They were still children, so perhaps love wouldn't blossom right away. But there was no harm in letting them start as childhood friends, was there?
In Notting City, at the Junior Academy.
A middle-aged man with a flat-top haircut was teaching a young boy about various spirit beasts.
"Xiao San, you need to remember these spider-type spirit beasts. Their webs are tough and venomous, making them extremely suitable for your Blue Silver Grass martial spirit."
"Yes, teacher. I'll make sure to remember all the characteristics and lifespan identification methods of these spirit beasts."
This exchange took place between none other than Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang and his disciple, Tang San of the Tang Sect.
"Good, very good. Recently, something significant happened on the continent. Another master-level expert, a Titled Douluo, has emerged. I believe, Xiao San, that one day, you too will reach such heights," the Grandmaster remarked with deep emotion.
He couldn't help but envy those blessed with extraordinary talent—those with top-tier martial spirits for whom breakthroughs came as easily as drinking water.
Unlike him. His innate spirit power was only half a level, and though he had scraped his way to rank twenty-nine in his youth, with the help of his family and resources provided by Bibi Dong, he had made no progress since, and he was certain he would remain stuck at rank thirty for the rest of his life.
He had long given up on becoming a powerful soul master himself.
Yet Lan Xue, at the age of forty-eight, had broken through to Titled Douluo—a feat only slightly less impressive than Tang Hao's, and one that filled him with both admiration and envy.
But now, with a genius disciple like Tang San—a twin martial spirit wielder—under his tutelage, the Grandmaster felt renewed hope. Tang San would be the living proof of his theories.
If he could train Tang San into a master, then no one would ever question his theories again.
While the Grandmaster was busy teaching Tang San, hidden in the shadows, Tang Hao—who had been quietly watching them—also heard the news.
"That woman actually broke through. Back then, that hammer strike should have damaged her foundation. And yet she managed to break through after all… truly remarkable." Tang Hao felt a twinge of worry. He wasn't sure if Lan Xue, after her breakthrough, would seek him out to settle old scores.
Though he wasn't afraid of her, his real enemy was the Spirit Hall, and he didn't want to make any more enemies, especially ones as powerful as Titled Douluo.
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