Douluo Continent: My name is Yang Jian, and I achieved sainthood through my physical body

She rubbed off the crumbs of syrup from the corner of her mouth with her fingertips, her gaze lingering on his profile for a few seconds.

In the morning light, the profile of that face was clearly defined, with smooth and clean lines. It was expressionless, yet not cold or hard.

She pouted, swallowed the rest of the sweet cake, and choked a little before finishing it. She wiped the crumbs from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve and quickened her pace to his side.

Their gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if trying to find out why he had suddenly changed direction, but they couldn't discern anything.

He didn't intend to explain, so she didn't press him further and simply followed quietly. Their footsteps mingled, echoing one after the other on the dirt road.

The two walked for most of the day, passing through one harvested field after another.

Only neat rice stubble remained in the field, gleaming a uniform golden yellow in the afternoon sunlight.

They crossed several narrow ridges between fields and circled around several low hills.

The sunlight slowly slid from overhead to the side, lengthening the two people's shadows and stretching them eastward from directly below.

As evening fell, they reached the edge of a forest.

This forest was much more open than the one we had passed through before, with wider spacing between the trees and a thick layer of dark green blue silver grass covering the ground.

The leaves of the blue silver grass are large and soft, swaying gently in the evening breeze, forming a flowing wave of grass that stretches from the edge of the forest all the way into the depths beyond sight.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the tree canopy, condensing into tiny, shimmering spots of light on the blades of grass, like countless tiny gems scattered on a green carpet, constantly changing position and shape with the wind.

The air was filled with the unique fragrance of Blue Silver Grass, mixed with a hint of sweetness and earthy aroma. Yang Jian was very familiar with this scent; before he transmigrated to this world, this grass was ubiquitous in the Douluo Continent.

Yang Jian walked into the forest, following a dirt path worn down by wild animals and passersby.

The dirt road was covered with a layer of grass stems that had been repeatedly trampled down, making it much more stable to walk on than the soft ground.

They hadn't gone far when they heard voices and footsteps ahead. The voices were neither loud nor soft, as if they were discussing the prey they had just hunted and which road to take back to town.

Several figures emerged from behind a thick oak tree and walked towards us.

The two people leading the group were an elderly man and a woman.

The man was tall and strong, carrying a heavy iron rod with ancient dragon patterns engraved on its body.

The woman was short and thin, and she walked with a snake-head cane, her steps light and steady.

Behind them followed a young woman, wearing a crisp light blue short-sleeved shirt, with her hair tied in a neat ponytail, and a pretty face.

The three had just hunted down a low-level soul beast of medium size. The carcass was tied with rope and dragged on the ground, leaving a shallow ditch in the muddy road, with fine bloodstains still on the edges.

Dragon Lord, Snake Woman, Meng Yiran.

The moment their eyes met, they both froze.

Dragon Lord and Snake Woman were the first to recognize Yang Jian.

The relaxed expression after hunting his prey instantly turned to surprise, and then quickly to respect.

Dragon Lord quickly put down the heavy iron rod in his hand, which landed with a dull thud. He led Snake Woman forward a few steps, bowed, and performed the ritual with solemnity and propriety.

"So it's His Holiness the Pope. I never expected to meet you here." The Dragon King's voice carried a hint of surprise, but even more so, solemnity.

The snake woman also bowed in greeting.

As he straightened up, his gaze lingered on Yang Jian for a moment, his expression complex and wistful, as if he were re-evaluating someone.

The young man before them had matured considerably since they first met him in the Star Dou Great Forest.

The restrained pressure intensified, as if the person had sunk deeper into the depths, appearing calm on the surface but concealing an indescribable weight beneath.

She sighed inwardly, wondering who would have thought that the young man she had brushed past in the Star Dou Great Forest would now stand at the very top of the continent's power.

At that time, Yang Jian had not yet become the Pope, and was just a promising genius Soul Master. Now he has destroyed the Star Luo Empire and unified most of the continent.

Meng Yiran was stunned for a while before she reacted.

She had just been observing the blue-haired woman next to Yang Jian.

She knew Shui Bing'er; she was a top student at Tianshui Academy, possessing the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, and was quite famous among the younger generation of Soul Masters.

His gaze lingered on Shui Bing'er's face for a moment, as if confirming her identity, before moving to Yang Jian's face.

Her pupils contracted slightly, as if she had finally confirmed a certain fact.

She quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully in the manner of the Dragon God and Snake Goddess, her voice lower than usual: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Pope."

Yang Jian nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping across the three faces.

Looking at the Dragon King and Snake Queen, he recalled their brief encounter in the Star Dou Great Forest.

He had just left Huangyu Village not long before.

The two had met before because of a Phoenix-tailed Crested Serpent; he gave up the soul beast in exchange for a favor.

Time flies so fast; the people standing in front of him now have completely different attitudes.

The initial interaction between peers has evolved into one of respectful greetings.

He asked in a calm tone, "Are you willing to join the Spirit Hall now?"

The Dragon King and the Snake Queen exchanged a glance.

In the instant their eyes met, they exchanged opinions, their understanding as tacit as if they had planned it beforehand.

Long Gong nodded first, his voice even more resolute than before: "I am willing. On behalf of the Dragon-Snake Clan, I am willing to submit to the Spirit Hall."

Snake Granny nodded in agreement, her tone carrying the pragmatism and clarity of a seasoned veteran: "We all see the current situation clearly. The Spirit Hall has already destroyed Star Luo, and the Heaven Dou Empire is probably happy too. The unification of the continent is an inevitable trend. If we don't choose a side now, it may be too late to join later."

She spoke frankly, without any empty pleasantries, only decisive words born from deep thought.

Yang Jian nodded: "Then find some time to go to the Spirit Hall and find Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, and tell him that I gave you permission."

After saying that, he looked away, didn't linger any longer, and walked past the three people to continue forward.

Shui Bing'er followed behind him, nodding slightly as she passed Meng Yiran in greeting before quickly catching up. Her steps were light and natural, as if walking together was the most ordinary thing in the world.

Meng Yiran stood still, her gaze following the two departing figures.

She watched as the blue-haired girl followed beside the man in white, always maintaining a distance of about half a step, neither too close nor too far, yet exuding a natural intimacy.

Her gaze darkened slightly, and she lowered her eyes, a bittersweet feeling welling up inside her.

It's like a slice of lemon being gently crushed on the tip of your tongue, the sour taste slowly spreading out.

The Snake Granny stood beside her, followed her gaze to the departing white-clad figure, and then looked at Shui Bing'er, who was following closely behind.

She reached out and gently patted Meng Yiran's shoulder without saying anything.

The pat was lighter than usual, carrying a silent comfort.

Meng Yiran looked up at the Snake Granny, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she lowered her head and said nothing.

The Snake Woman sighed softly and bent down to drag the corpse of the forgotten soul beast by the roadside.

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Chapter 228 See you again if fate allows!

Yang Jian walked ahead, his pace unhurried, each step landing squarely on the dirt road, calm and steady.

They walked for most of the day, passing through several fields and villages, and returned to Tiandou City on the evening of the third day.

Tian Dou City was far more lively than when he left a few days ago. The entire city was enveloped in a warm and jubilant atmosphere, spreading from outside the city to inside, from the city gates to the main street, everywhere.

Two rows of large red lanterns have been newly hung above the city gate, and the golden "囍" (double happiness) characters on the lanterns are particularly eye-catching in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Red silk ribbons hung from the walls on both sides of the main street, stretching from the city gate. They swayed gently in the evening breeze, like flowing red rivers.

The streets were several times more crowded than usual, packed tightly together, shoulder to shoulder, making it impossible to move.

Various faces quickly changed in Yang Jian's field of vision: an old man with a face full of wrinkles stood on tiptoe to look ahead, a young man waved a colorful ribbon vigorously, and a child rode on his father's shoulders, craning his neck to look.

The air was filled with the slightly pungent smell of gunpowder from burnt firecrackers, mixed with the sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes from street vendors, creating the unique atmosphere of the celebration.

Xue Qinghe has ascended the throne. The few lines on the notice three days ago have now become a tangible reality.

People crowded together on both sides of the street, some holding small flags, some holding flowers, their faces filled with pride and excitement.

Yang Jian walked among the crowd, his pace neither fast nor slow.

He walked through the noisy crowd, his body naturally avoiding those coming from the opposite direction, without effort or deliberation.

His gaze swept over the sea of ​​people, a mix of red and gold, but his face remained expressionless.

Those red ribbons and firecrackers were, in his eyes, merely external manifestations of progress, as natural as autumn leaves turning yellow and winter rivers freezing over; they were neither worthy of joy nor lament.

Shui Bing'er followed beside him, her eyes curiously looking around.

The lively scene made her widen her eyes slightly and exclaim, "How lively!"

The sound was mostly drowned out by the surrounding gongs and drums.

She quickly followed Yang Jian, sidestepping through the crowded throng.

After walking along the street for a while, the crowd ahead suddenly erupted into even more enthusiastic cheers.

The cheers, like ignited gunpowder, exploded from the middle of the crowd and quickly spread to both ends.

Yang Jian stopped and followed everyone's gaze to the end of the street.

A gilded carriage, drawn by eight tall white horses, slowly approached from the end of the street.

The wheels rolled over the stone pavement, making a steady, rhythmic creaking sound. The entire vehicle was decorated with gold and red patterns, reflecting a warm and magnificent light in the setting sun.

Golden tassels hung from the four corners of the carriage roof, swaying gently as the carriage moved, like flowing golden threads.

A person stood on the carriage, wearing a brand-new golden dragon robe. The robe was made of thick and luxurious material, and it shimmered with a soft silk luster under the light.

Wearing a crown, the beaded curtain in front of the crown gently collided with the swaying of the carriage, making a soft, crisp sound, like countless tiny beads touching each other.

The man had a handsome and gentle face, with a perfectly timed smile on his lips, and was calmly waving to the people lining both sides of the street.

Xue Qinghe, or rather, Qianrenxue.

She stood there, poised and elegant. Every wave she made was perfectly measured, neither overly enthusiastic nor aloof.

She turned slightly to the side, sometimes nodding to the crowd on her left, sometimes smiling and waving to the crowd on her right. Her movements were fluid and natural, as if she had practiced them a thousand times, or as if she was born to stand in such a place.

The cheers from the crowd grew louder and louder, and shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" rose and fell.

Some people jumped up excitedly, some held the ribbons above their heads and shook them vigorously, and some squeezed to the front and waved vigorously at the carriage.