At dawn the next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Yuan'en Tiandang got up early and headed for the War God Temple's base in the Ming City Mountains.
The Ming City Mountains lay west of Ming City and stretched for hundreds of miles.
The Central Legion was stationed atop a peak in the heart of the mountain range.
It was the Federation's most elite land force aside from the Blood God Legion, and the War God Temple was located within its base.
Soon, Yuan'en Tiandang spotted the troops stationed in the distance.
A patrol soldier saw Yuan'en Tiandang and flew over to question him.
"What are you doing here? If you have no business here, don't come any closer."
"I've come to join the War God Temple."
After hearing this, the patrol soldier pointed him in a direction. "Head that way. If you can defeat the guard and your background checks out, you can join."
Yuan'en Tiandang followed the direction the soldier had indicated.
To determine whether soldiers and civilian Soul Masters were qualified to enter the War God Temple, the temple had established a trial system.
Before Xie An became the War God Temple Master, the trials had been open only to members of the military.
Soldiers who hadn't committed an unforgivable crime could reduce their sentences by taking the trials.
Those with the ability could also earn merit rewards by taking the trials.
Later, the restrictions were lifted, and civilian experts were allowed to participate as well.
[Challenger: Eight-Ring Soul Douluo. Entry permitted.]
A voice rang out in Yuan'en Tiandang's mind, and a figure appeared in front of him.
A Seven-Ring Two-Word Battle Armor Master appeared.
Yuan'en Tiandang unleashed his eighth Soul Skill, Titan Boulder Meteor, and won with ease.
After that, he kept winning as easily as slicing through melons and vegetables, until he lost to a Titled Douluo because of the gap in Soul Power.
[Congratulations. You have qualified to join the War God Temple.] [Please note: After joining the War God Temple, avoid joining other factions. If you wish to join another faction, please apply to leave the War God Temple first.]
After the voice in his mind finished speaking, Yuan'en Tiandang was transported to a waiting room.
To Yuan'en Tiandang's surprise, Yehui, the woman he'd saved the day before, was there too.
"You two are the ones who passed the trials today, right? If you've made up your minds, follow me to register."
A staff member asked them.
Yuan'en Tiandang thought for a moment, then stood and walked over to the staff member. Yehui followed him.
"First, you'll need a physical examination to check for hidden conditions or any other potential issues."
Yuan'en Tiandang finished the examination quickly. While drawing his blood, the young nurse gazed at him with stars in her eyes and asked, "Handsome, would you be interested in exchanging contact information?"
Yuan'en Zhentian bashfully scratched his head and politely turned the nurse down.
He, Yuanen Tiangang, was a twenty-year-old virgin, not the sort to give in so easily.
Just as he finished the examination, Yuan'en Tiandang heard another nurse mutter, "How can a Soul Master with a Martial Soul like that be allowed to join the War God Temple? Are we sure she's not an Evil Soul Master spy?"
"Why would the Temple Master lift the restrictions and let someone like her join the War God Temple? If you ask me, we should just kill her."
Although Yuan'en Tiandang had grown up in a family, he still knew what an Evil Soul Master was.
He turned to look. Yehui was undergoing her examination, while the staff nearby whispered among themselves.
With his youthful temperament, Yuanen Tiangang couldn't stand by and watch.
A nameless fury surged through him. His eyes widened, and he bellowed at the staff member.
"What kind of thing is that to say? She's clearly a good Soul Master, yet you call her an Evil Soul Master for no reason."
"Dark Angel. Do I even need to say more? She's bound to fall and become an Evil Soul Master."
The staff member retorted indignantly.
"Martial Souls aren't good or evil. It depends on how people use them."
Yuan'en Tiandang shot back.
"That's enough, Xiao Zhou. Apologize to Ms. Yehui."
The staff member was about to say more, but his supervisor reprimanded him.
Yehui shook her head and gave the War God Temple official a rueful smile. "It's all right. I'm used to it."
She turned to Yuan'en Tiandang. "Thank you for saving me yesterday. Your name is Tiandang, right? How about we exchange contact information? Let me buy you a meal to show my gratitude."
Yuan'en Tiandang was at a loss. Yesterday she'd barely paid him any attention. How had she changed so much overnight?
He hadn't done anything, had he?
In a daze, Yuan'en Tiandang exchanged contact information with her. Later, the two went out to eat, and Yehui thanked him.
Over the next three years, they kept in touch and discovered they were the same age. They talked about everything, from strange and interesting tales from the Douluo Continent to which stall on a particular snack street served the best food.
Their feelings for each other gradually changed, though Tiangang himself didn't realize it.
One day.
"Tiandang, what do you want to do in the future?"
"I want to become a Limit Douluo and lead my family to greater heights. What about you?"
"Me? I want to be a good person, find someone who truly loves me, and live an ordinary life."
"You will, for sure."
The young woman, half annoyed and half bashful, punched Yuan'en Tiandang and turned away.
"Why'd you punch me out of nowhere?"
Yuan'en Tiandang was at a loss.
"..."
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed, and Yuan'en Tiandang was about to return to his family.
His strength had reached rank eighty-nine, and he needed to return to his family to break through.
Lately, though, he had been restless. Yehui's every smile and frown kept appearing in his mind.
What was wrong with him?
His roommate noticed how distracted he was and kindly reminded him, "You know, you've fallen for Yehui."
"Yehui's a good girl. Don't let her down."
As he left, the man added one more thing.
Yuan'en Tiandang suddenly saw the light. He was just about to ask what he should do when his roommate had already disappeared.
"..."
"Knock, knock, knock."
Yehui soon opened the door. Seeing Tiandang, she said happily, "Tiandang, what is it?"
Yuan'en Tiandang said nothing.
"What is it, Tiandang?"
"Yehui, if—if I liked you, would you come with me?"
Yuan'en Tiandang closed his eyes. This was, after all, his first confession in his twenty-three years of life.
There was no answer. Instead, Yehui's passionate, beautiful red lips met his.
"You fool. I like you too, Tiandang."
"..."
"Yehui, I love you. Come home with me. My Martial Soul is the Titan Giant Ape, my family is the Yuanen Family, and my real name is Yuan'en Tiandang."
Yuan'en Tiandang confessed everything to Yehui.
"Come home with me and meet my father."
"Come home and marry me. I love you, Yehui."
Yehui didn't say a word. She only nodded shyly.
Yuan'en Zhentian was delighted. His son had gone away for three years to gain experience and returned with such a beautiful wife, and the couple were so loving toward each other.
The only thing that left something to be desired was that his daughter-in-law's Martial Soul wasn't very good.
Then he let the matter go. His son had knelt before him and promised that Yehui was a good girl who had never killed anyone and wasn't an Evil Soul Master.
He had also used his strength as a Limit Douluo to examine her, ruling out the possibility that Yehui was an Evil Soul Master.
He couldn't demand too much of Yehui. A gentleman born in a small country was still a gentleman; it wasn't his fault.
Yehui also treated Yuan'en Tiandang's younger brother and the other younger members of the family as well as anyone could.
The entire family was pleased with Yehui.
Several months later, with his father as witness, Yuan'en Tiandang married Yehui, and they entered the bridal chamber.
The candlelight went out, leaving only the newlyweds' love and passion.
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