Gu Xuan walked away, his mind still mulling over the possibility of Tang San attaching soul rings to his second Martial Soul immediately.
To be honest, Gu Xuan felt a tinge of envy toward twin Martial Souls; an extra martial soul meant nine additional soul rings, a boost in strength that far surpassed a single martial soul. Gu Xuan's efforts and persuasive words were ultimately aimed at weakening Tang San's late-game dominance. One could never be too certain about the future, and if Tang San attached rings to the Clear Sky Hammer now, his peak potential as a Titled Douluo would inevitably be capped.
Furthermore, Gu Xuan hadn't lied about one thing: without the immortal herbs to bolster his foundation, the current Tang San might truly risk a physical collapse if he tried to absorb nine high-level ten-thousand-year soul rings later. In a way, Gu Xuan was offering him a "safer" path—while ensuring he became a glaring target for Spirit Hall.
With the Seven Treasure Team and even Gu Xuan himself staying under the radar, a Twin Martial Soul genius with four thousand-year rings on his second martial soul would be the perfect lightning rod for the eyes of the Platinum Bishop and the Pope.
Three days later, the Heaven Dou City qualifiers officially concluded. Following the standard procedure, the awards ceremony was held to grant the top five teams their credentials for the Promotion Competition.
The ceremony was straightforward. As the first-place seed with an undefeated record, the Seven Treasure Academy led the procession. Although Dugu Yan hadn't fought a single match in the qualifiers, she made her appearance for the ceremony.
Dugu Yan, now twenty, was at the peak of her beauty. She wore a deep green cheongsam slit to the thigh, her long, shapely legs drawing countless gazes. Her "big sister" aura was palpable, her expression poised and calm. She wore the cheongsam partly because Gu Xuan liked it, and partly because it was practical for her Martial Soul possession, which transformed her legs into a serpent's tail.
Beside her stood the fourteen-year-old Ning Rongrong. The once-budding flower was beginning to bloom, dressed in a noble, ornate princess dress. Looking every bit the adorable lolita in brown high heels, she held Dugu Yan's arm as they stood on the podium.
The sight of the two beauties caused a stir. Many spectators envied the "lucky bastard" who would eventually win their hearts. Gu Xuan, sitting in the audience, watched with a proud smile. He wasn't some stuffy traditionalist; beauty was meant to be admired.
Nearby, Yu Tianheng and the others—who knew exactly who that "lucky bastard" was—were nearly green with envy. It was bad enough that he had Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, but seeing the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan so close to him made them want to "accidentally" kick him.
The final rankings for the Heaven Dou Qualifiers were announced:
1. Seven Treasure Academy
2. Godwind Academy
3. Blazing Academy
4. Skywater Academy
5. Shrek Academy
Shrek had managed to secure the final slot. After Tang San recovered using the Soul-Restoring Pill, their hidden sixth Soul Ancestor, Ma Hongjun, had finally taken the field. However, they lost to Skywater Academy's Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix was powerful, but his lack of control nearly incinerated a Skywater member, forcing Shui Bing'er to unleash her trump card early. Ma Hongjun was currently undergoing extensive treatment for the backlash of that exchange.
On the podium, Tang San's gaze met Gu Xuan's. He gave a subtle nod, a silent signal that Gu Xuan understood perfectly.
The ceremony continued with Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Platinum Bishop Salas presenting the certificates and rewards. Each team received 10,000 Gold Soul Coins from the Empire—pocket change for Ning Rongrong, but a fortune for most.
Emperor Xue Ye stepped forward, his gaze lingering on Dugu Yan. He remembered her as a former student of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy before she transferred to the Seven Treasure Academy following her engagement to Gu Xuan. He smiled at the assembled youths.
"Congratulations, children. You are the hope of the Empire. As the supreme ruler of Heaven Dou, I am proud of you. I hereby bestow the rank of Viscount upon the captains and vice-captains of these ten teams, and the rank of Baron upon all other participating members."
The arena erupted. Bestowing peerages and fiefs was a massive reward, effectively turning commoners into nobility overnight. A Viscountcy came with land, servants, and a state stipend.
"Your Majesty, this seems inappropriate," Salas interrupted, his voice cutting through the cheers. The sheer audacity of interrupting an Emperor showed the growing arrogance of Spirit Hall.
Xue Ye glanced at him coldly. "What is the issue, Bishop Salas?"
"There is no precedent for awarding peerages for a qualifier, and the ranks are perhaps too high."
Xue Ye shut him down with a single sentence: "The bestowing of titles is an internal matter of the Empire. It has nothing to do with Spirit Hall. I am simply rewarding talent." He then added a further promise: any team that won the entire tournament would see their titles promoted and their academy granted the "Royal" prefix with full state funding.
Salas looked livid, his eyes clouded with malice. Gu Xuan sighed inwardly. Spirit Hall had great potential, but it was being ruined by the arrogance of men like Salas and the madness of Bibi Dong.
Emperor Xue Ye then announced that the Promotion Competition would be held in a month at the Royal Hunting Grounds. He promised that the top three individual performers in the next round would be provided with any soul beast of their choice under 30,000 years for their next breakthrough—a promise that made even Feng Xiaotian's heart race.
After the ceremony, Gu Xuan met Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong, with Ye Lingling following close behind. The three girls immediately linked arms, leaving Gu Xuan to walk behind them like a lone wolf.
Yesterday, Ning Rongrong had suddenly confessed her feelings and even forcibly kissed him after her final match. Gu Xuan was still reeling. He later found out she had been "encouraged" by Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling. Now, he had to figure out how to tell Ning Fengzhi that his daughter also wanted an engagement.
'Sigh, life is exhausting,' Gu Xuan grumbled internally.
As they left the Great Spirit Arena, a figure was waiting for them. It was Tang San. The look he had given Gu Xuan earlier was a request for a meeting. Gu Xuan nodded to the girls, and they continued on to start their celebration without him.
(End of Chapter)
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