Douluo Continent: This Tang San is different

Chapter 266 The Confidence of Emperor Xueye

"I never expected that Spirit City would actually develop so much, cough cough!"

In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Emperor Xue Ye looked at the "Martial Soul Gazette" in his hand, which reported Tang San's new theory and that the Martial Soul Hall had established a new Martial Soul Enlightenment Academy in a certain village.

Compared to two years ago, he has more wrinkles on his face, his hair is whiter than before, and he coughs frequently, his health is deteriorating.

In the past two years, Xue Qinghe has gradually matured and stepped into the limelight. As the Spirit Hall has become increasingly popular among the people, he has to frequently visit the Spirit Hall to cooperate with Ling Yuan, the new Platinum Leader of Heaven Dou City.

As for Salas?

Half a year ago, Matthew found evidence of Tang San embezzling nearly 300 million gold soul coins and reported it to Wuhun City. As a result, he was dismissed by the Pope. Matthew was rewarded with a million gold soul coins for his meritorious report. Although he could not be promoted due to his age, he was rewarded with a million gold soul coins. Moreover, because he had been kind to Tang San, no one dared to speak ill of him.

However, Matthew was not arrogant because of this. On the contrary, he worked diligently and strived to see the true prosperity of the Spirit Hall before retiring.

Matthew's deeds were widely circulated, which aroused the interest of many lower-level members of the Spirit Hall. In their spare time, they began to look for evidence of their hall master, deputy hall master, and leader's misconduct.

As for interpersonal relationships and social customs?

Nothing beats a million gold soul coins!

Even some Spirit Hall personnel in small places would sell out their colleagues for a few hundred gold spirit coins, let alone the Hall Master whom they rarely see.

This was also pushed by Bibi Dong, with the aim of eliminating the parasites within each of the various branch halls.

However, she never expected that there were so many corrupt people in the Spirit Hall across the entire continent, who had even formed a complex network of interests.

Initially, Bibi Dong worried that pushing too hard would lead to chaos, but Tang San suggested eradicating the problem completely.

Bibi Dong immediately agreed.

After all, Tang San helped her earn nearly 100 billion, and the money of those corrupt officials would never reach her hands. She would directly eliminate them and then confiscate their embezzled funds for the construction of Wuhun City and Wuhun Enlightenment Academy.

Moreover, Bibi Dong discovered that after these people were eliminated, the Spirit Halls did not lack personnel, because more and more commoner Spirit Masters were joining the Spirit Halls.

This led Bibi Dong to launch a larger-scale anti-corruption campaign. Anyone, including ordinary people, could monitor the staff of the Spirit Hall, and once the whistleblower's report was verified, they could receive a reward and even be granted the right to live in the outer city of Spirit City.

This move has enabled the Spirit Hall to grow and expand further, and even its originally insufficient foundation is gradually being made up.

"Sigh, is the Spirit Hall going to establish a nation?" Emperor Xue Ye closed the Spirit Gazette and tossed it onto a nearby table. After pondering for a long time, he summoned Xue Qinghe.

"Father, what important matter has brought you here?"

At this moment, Xue Qinghe had dark circles under his eyes, and his skin had lost some of its luster, making him look listless.

Over the past two years, Xue Qinghe had become accustomed to handling government affairs. However, in the last six months, various kingdoms, duchies, and independent cities within the Tiandou territory had reported on the actions of the Spirit Hall. Various documents piled up in her study, and with all the trivial matters to deal with, she didn't even have time to cultivate.

Of course, even without cultivation, one's skin won't become rough, or even develop dark circles under the eyes.

This was merely a facade put on for Emperor Xueye.

"You've had a tough time these past few days," Emperor Xueye sighed. "However, things may get even tougher in the future. With Tang San, the Spirit Hall is like a fish in water, no longer a rootless duckweed. Its foundation is gradually being built up, and it's not impossible for it to establish a nation and become emperor in the future."

Xue Qinghe also sighed.

He once suspected that Tang San was trying to destroy the Spirit Hall, but in just two years, he changed their minds with his actions and even expanded the area of ​​Spirit City by nearly 200,000 square kilometers.

Today, Wuhun City, consisting of six outer cities and an inner city, covers an area of ​​nearly 300,000 square kilometers and has a population of nearly ten million, mostly ordinary people who are not soul masters, but all of them have a special skill.

It was these ordinary people who made up for the Spirit Hall's lack of foundation.

As for where all these people came from?

Since the Spirit Hall issued the "Recruitment Order", many commoners and spirit masters from the two empires who felt they had special skills traveled thousands of miles to Spirit City to showcase their talents.

The Spirit City welcomes all comers, even those without talent, and keeps them as workers to contribute to the city's development.

Furthermore, the Spirit Hall even gathered disaster victims from various regions and provided relief through work-for-relief programs.

Xue Qinghe admired Tang San's wisdom. Instead of directly giving alms to the disaster victims, he gave them jobs, allowing them to earn money with their meager abilities. This not only saved their lives but also gave them dignity.

He did not treat the disaster victims as beggars!

That bastard actually said he wasn't interested in politics!

Xue Qinghe cursed inwardly, but on his face he showed natural shock, asking Emperor Xue Ye incredulously, "The Spirit Hall has ambitions to establish a nation?"

"In the past, perhaps we only had the intention but lacked the foundation, but now, the foundation in Wuhun City has been laid." Emperor Xueye shook his head inwardly, feeling that Xue Qinghe was still too naive, but he couldn't blame him.

Previously, all the major powers could guess that Tang San joining the Spirit Hall would lead to the Spirit Hall's growth, but their previous considerations were that the Spirit Hall would produce more Super Douluo and Peerless Douluo in the future, thus affecting the continent's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape).

But I never imagined it was a change in the Spirit Hall's system.

In addition, the Soul Guidance Technology City of Wuhun City is researching advanced industrial soul guidance devices, mechanical equipment, and assembly line forging, making Wuhun City a completely different world from other places.

The current size of Wuhun City alone is larger than the territory of most kingdoms and duchies within the Tiandou region!

If he were the Pope of the Spirit Hall, he would also have the ambition to establish a nation!

"What should we do then?" Xue Qinghe asked anxiously, as if he were worried about the future of Tiandou.

"It's alright. Thanks to the rapid spread of information these days, if the Spirit Hall wants to establish a nation, it must have a name that the world can recognize." Emperor Xueye revealed a hint of confidence. "There are only two empires on the continent: Heaven Dou and Star Luo. Although the Spirit Hall also has a long history, the foundation for managing the entire country cannot be prepared in two years. Right now, it has only made up for the lack of population."

"Secondly, the empire's continuity requires bloodlines!"

"Originally, the Pope of the Spirit Hall was held by someone from the Angel lineage, but now it is held by Bibi Dong, who is not from the Angel lineage. Moreover, she is a woman, has no offspring, and only one disciple: Hu Liena, who is a saintess."

"Although Tang San is the Holy Son, he has not made much of a cover for his aversion to power, focusing only on cultivation and research. He is unlikely to become the Pope in the future."

"Therefore, Hu Liena is the most likely candidate to become the next Pope of the Spirit Hall. And if she follows Bibi Dong's example, wouldn't the throne be a place where people take turns sitting?"

"This is bound to be short-lived."

In the eyes of the Snow Night Emperor, only bloodline inheritance can stabilize people's hearts; otherwise, who would submit to the next emperor?

Xue Qinghe nodded in agreement. After all, the Pope's lineage of the Spirit Hall originally belonged to the Angel lineage! Only with the Angels ruling the Spirit Hall could the Spirit Hall live on forever after its founding, and even remain unchanged for thousands of years!

Back at the Crown Prince's Palace, Xue Qinghe summoned the Porcupine Douluo and asked, "How is the development of Spirit City going lately?"

"Young Master, Spirit City is currently experiencing rapid growth and its scale is still expanding. However, according to the Grand Elder's estimate, it will reach saturation within three years," said the Porcupine Douluo respectfully. "By then, Spirit City will have a population of over ten million, which will undoubtedly be the foundation of a nation!"

This was unimaginable in the past!

Although it was shocking, the pufferfish didn't really care, since most of them weren't Soul Masters. He believed more in his own strength than in the population.

Of course, if these millions of people are determined, united, and fearless, then even a titled Douluo like him would have to back down and would be unable to defeat them. After all, a titled Douluo is also human, and his soul power will eventually run out.

"Tang San, truly a prodigy!" Xue Qinghe increasingly wanted to recruit Tang San, but now that woman had snatched him away, his mood darkened—"How is that woman doing now?"

Ci Xue lowered his head, not daring to say anything more. After all, he knew about the relationship between Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong, and it was precisely because he knew that he dared not speak of it.

He can't afford to offend either of these two women right now!

"Forget it, let's not talk about it." Qian Renxue knew what Ci Xue was thinking and gave him a way out. Then her gaze sharpened and she said, "I also need to speed up my progress. I must complete the task of seizing the imperial power of the Heaven Dou Empire as soon as possible, and then go back to complete the Divine Trial. Otherwise, I can't compete with that woman."

Compared to Bibi Dong, who already knew some of the secrets of the divine realm and was delaying her progress towards godhood, Qian Renxue still felt that becoming a god was a more secure option, as it would allow her to conquer the entire continent with overwhelming force. However, due to her own dignity and her desire to prove something to that irresponsible woman, she had no choice but to voluntarily postpone the angel god's assessment.

Ci Xue wanted to offer some advice, but after opening his mouth, he ultimately didn't know what to say...

···

Over the past two years, Tang San's soul power has reached level sixty. However, due to his usual forging, research, and assisting Bibi Dong and Hu Liena in management, he has not been able to obtain his sixth soul ring.

Xiao Wu and Huo Wu also reached level 60, but did not obtain their sixth soul ring.

Guangling, Ning Rongrong, and Lan Yinzi naturally broke through to the Soul King realm.

Guangling is at level 54, and Ning Rongrong is at level 52.

Gu Yuena became a Soul Master at the age of eight, simultaneously mastering the four elements of water, fire, wind, and earth, and her soul power reached level forty-nine, just one level away from becoming a Soul King.

Such a rapid cultivation speed made Huo Wu, Ning Rongrong, and others envious.

But only Tang San and Xiao Wu knew that this guy's cultivation was just for show and could not be used as a reference for ordinary people's cultivation.

"Let's go. I've already applied for a long leave from the Pope. We can go out for a while and hunt spirit beasts! To obtain spirit rings!"

(End of this chapter)