Nan Feng: This Is Hundred-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber! Bibi Dong: Why Are You Carrying Something Like This Around?

Dugu Xin scratched his head awkwardly. "It wasn't exactly battlefield slaughter. A few years ago, I happened to save Prince Xue Xing's life during an accident at the border. To repay the favor, he petitioned His Majesty and got me this status."

After hearing that, Nan Feng shot Dugu Bo a half-smiling glance. "Saving a prince's life alone definitely wouldn't warrant a high-ranking title like count. This was obviously granted out of respect for your father, a Spirit Douluo."

"You didn't save the Heaven Dou Emperor. Though it was meritorious, it absolutely didn't meet the Empire's legal threshold for being made a count."

Nan Feng casually plucked a blade of Blue Silver Grass.

"After the Heaven Dou Empire was founded a thousand years ago, the imperial family granted four kingly titles and one ducal title along the border in one go to resist harassment from the many southern kingdoms. Those became the present four great kingdoms and duchy."

"But later on, the imperial family gradually discovered that those kingdoms and duchy possessed far too much autonomy. They obeyed military orders but ignored imperial decrees, and they banded together for protection. The imperial family had to tread carefully and couldn't easily move against them, so it could only impose restrictions through the system."

"Therefore, when the Heaven Dou Imperial Family later granted titles, it essentially sealed off all paths to advancement into duke or king. Aside from special circumstances, those two titles would never again be bestowed upon outsiders."

Nan Feng tossed aside the blade of grass and dusted off his hands. "Under normal circumstances, marquis and count are already the highest noble titles subjects of the Heaven Dou Empire can receive."

"Furthermore, Heaven Dou law explicitly states that a marquis must earn the title through truly overwhelming military achievements. Becoming