Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

……

Looking at his daughter's face and body, which clearly showed the marks of countless hardships, Ning Fengzhi felt a lump in his throat and his eyes instantly reddened. He opened his mouth, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't speak for a moment.

"Rongrong! My little darling! You're finally back!" Gu Rong didn't hold back. He rushed forward, tears streaming down his face, and reached out his trembling hand to touch Ning Rongrong's face, as if afraid of hurting her. His voice choked with emotion as he said, "You... how did you become like this? This... how much suffering you must have endured!"

How did the sweet, soft, and spoiled little princess in his memory become this capable female warrior who looked like she could kill a bull with one punch? This huge contrast made this old man, who was known for protecting his own, feel a pang of heartache.

Although Chen Xin didn't speak, his usually calm eyes were filled with excitement and undisguised heartache. He silently walked to Ning Rongrong's side, carefully examining her and feeling the immense soul power within her that far surpassed her previous strength. He was both gratified by her growth and heartbroken for the hardships she must have endured over the years.

Looking at her overjoyed father and her two grandfathers who treated her like their own daughter, Ning Rongrong's eyes welled up with tears. She forced back her tears, flashed a bright smile, and opened her arms wide: "Daddy! Grandpa Bone! Grandpa Sword! I'm back!"

Ning Fengzhi could no longer hold back. He stepped forward and hugged his daughter tightly, his voice choked with emotion: "It's good that you're back...it's good that you're back..."

Gu Rong also came over, wiping away her tears. She wanted to hug him but was afraid of crowding him, so she could only circle around the father and daughter.

Chen Xin stood to the side, a rare, gratified smile on her lips.

It took a while for his agitated emotions to subside.

Ning Fengzhi held Ning Rongrong's hand, looked her over carefully, and asked with heartache, "Rongrong, these years... on Seagod Island must have been very hard, right?"

Ning Rongrong shook her head, her eyes still glistening with tears, but her smile was incredibly bright and proud: "It was quite tough, Dad. The Seagod Island trials were very difficult, and sometimes I really felt like I couldn't hold on anymore. But... I persevered! Look, I'm a very strong Soul Douluo now!"

She released a wisp of soul power, and the powerful aura made Ning Fengzhi and the other two secretly startled.

“Contra…” Ning Fengzhi murmured, feeling both proud and bittersweet. When his daughter left home, she was only a Soul King. In just a few years, she had grown to such a level. The hardships she had endured were unimaginable.

“Oh right, Dad, Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Sword,” Ning Rongrong said excitedly, as if she had remembered something, “We came back this time because the sixth trial is to assist Xuanming in reshaping the continent’s order! I can help out now!”

Upon hearing "Xuanming" and "reshaping order," Ning Fengzhi and the other two became slightly solemn. As high-ranking officials of the empire, they naturally understood what this meant.

The reforms of the Spirit Empire today can be said to be driven by Xuanming.

If it weren't for Xuanming's existence, the Martial Soul Empire would definitely not be what it is today, and even the entire continent would be completely different.

“Good, good…” Ning Fengzhi patted his daughter’s hand, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “My Rongrong, you’ve really grown up.”

Although he felt sorry for the hardships his daughter had endured, seeing her transformative growth and her high spirits filled him with more joy and pride as a father.

His little princess has finally grown from a delicate flower that needs to hide in an ivory tower into a towering tree that can weather storms and even participate in changing world events.

However, the price he paid for this growth left him, as a father, with mixed feelings.

……

A month goes by in a blink of an eye.

After reuniting with their families and gaining a deeper understanding of the current state of the Martial Soul Empire, Hu Liena, Ning Rongrong, and others were still deeply shocked and overwhelmed by their complex emotions.

The Spirit Empire of today is almost unrecognizable from the Spirit Hall in their memories, which was centered on the privileges of Spirit Masters, acted domineeringly, and was plundering!

The empire implemented strict new laws, greatly restricting the privileges of Soul Masters and emphasizing equality before the law for all.

At the same time, the empire invested enormous resources in introducing and promoting soul tool technology, focusing on improving people's livelihoods and increasing productivity. This opened up channels for ordinary people without soul power to learn skills and gain social status and wealth through hard work. Although all of this was still in its initial stages, many policies were implemented with difficulties, and there was considerable internal resistance and conflict, the empire's direction was clear, and its goal was well-defined—to establish a more equitable, orderly, and sustainable new order.

They all knew that the root of this disruptive transformation lay with Xuanming. If it weren't for Xuanming's will and power supporting them, given Bibi Dong's personality and the inherent inertia of the Spirit Hall, she would never have risked shaking the very foundations of the organization to implement such radical reforms.

Having learned this, their resistance to "assisting Xuanming in reshaping order" lessened considerably.

After all, if the Spirit Empire is still the same Spirit Hall as before, they would find it hard to convince themselves to serve it.

But now, they see a more constructive possibility that makes them willing to commit to it.

Just as they were gradually adapting and beginning to think about how to participate in this "reshaping of order," the delegation from the Heaven Dou Empire, after a long journey, finally arrived at the border of the Spirit Empire and, under the guidance of a special person, headed towards Spirit City.

The delegation was led by Lan Haowang Tang San as the chief envoy, and the three members of the teaching committee of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy as deputy envoys.

As they traveled, the sights of the Martial Soul Empire they encountered were vastly different from their preconceived notions and the "tyrannical empire" image propagated within the Heavenly Dou Kingdom.

Soul Masters are strictly disciplined, and those who oppress commoners are often severely punished; various convenient and beneficial soul tools begin to appear in the streets and alleys; the faces of the lower classes have become less numb and more filled with awe for "order" and a little hope for the future.

All of this left the three well-informed education commissioners bewildered.

A military empire that rose rapidly through force and was based on a powerful army of Soul Masters would actually suppress and restrict its own core Soul Master class, and instead try to please and support powerless commoners.

This is putting the cart before the horse and destroying our own foundation!
On the other hand, they also keenly realized that if the Spirit Empire's approach could truly succeed and establish a relatively fair, stable, and vibrant new order, then in the long run, its appeal and potential would far exceed that of the Heavenly Dou and Star Luo Empires, which clung to their old privileged systems.

However, whether all of this is a genuine change or a disguise to lull the outside world into complacency and accumulate strength remains to be seen and will require time and facts to verify.

Tang San's feelings were even more complicated. The sights and sounds he had witnessed along the way had stirred countless thoughts within him, and the imminent arrival at Spirit City filled him with even greater turmoil.

He hadn't seen Xiao Wu since the finals of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

He didn't know how she had been all these years, whether she was still with Xuanming, or what role she played in the current Martial Soul Empire.

Longing, worry, and a touch of indescribable bitterness mingled in his heart.

When the delegation's carriages finally arrived at the outskirts of Wuhun City, the honor guard representing the Wuhun Empire was already lined up and waiting.

The leader, dressed in the purple-gold official robes of the Imperial Prime Minister, possessed a refined and elegant demeanor. He was none other than Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Prime Minister of the Martial Soul Empire.

Behind him stood the Sword Douluo Chen Xin and the Bone Douluo Gu Rong, both exuding a deep and imposing aura.

Seeing this former ally and honored guest of the Heaven Dou Empire now appear before them as the prime minister of an enemy country, both Tang San and the three members of the Education Committee felt an indescribable sense of embarrassment and regret.

After all, for a long time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has been one of the most steadfast and important supporters of the Heaven Dou Royal Family, with close cooperation and a deep relationship between the two sides.

However, everything changed after that Soul Master Tournament. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School sided with the Spirit Hall and even participated in the attack on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Although the Heaven Dou Empire later learned that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was facing a desperate situation of "destruction if it did not cooperate," it was a move made out of desperation.

While there is understanding, the established facts and the shift in stance still create an insurmountable chasm between the two sides.

The atmosphere upon their reunion was inevitably subtle and heavy. (End of Chapter)