During their time on Sea God Island, Xiao Tian also awakened his Martial Soul: the Seven Kill Sword.
Thus, his full name from then on was Gao Xiaotian.
Ten years later, when Gao Yang returned to the continent with Ning Rongrong and Xiao Tian, the entire world order had been turned upside down.
The Star Luo Empire had unified the continent, with dozens of duchies and kingdoms under its rule.
As for Tang San, after searching for Xiao Wu for so long without success, he gradually shifted his focus to his sects.
Under his leadership, the Clear Sky Sect and the Tang Sect rose to prominence.
Naturally, they became the continent's first- and second-ranked sects.
Who knew whether he had guessed what had happened between you and Xiao Wu during the god-slaying battle all those years ago.
So even after you returned, he never met with you...
Though she found it regrettable, Ning Rongrong did not dwell on it.
After returning to the continent, she did only one thing.
She drained you dry every night.
Just like that, another fifty years passed.
During that time, you and Ning Rongrong had twenty-four children.
Thirteen awakened the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, while the rest awakened the Seven Kill Sword.
Among them, a pair of boy-girl twins had the greatest talent: the elder brother had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and the younger sister had the Seven Kill Sword.
Like Xiao Tian, both had innate full soul power.
The children who awakened the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda took Ning Rongrong's surname, Ning, and became direct-line disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The children who awakened the Seven Kill Sword took Gao Yang's surname, Gao, and became pillars of the sect.
Just as Jian Chen had done for Ning Fengzhi, they would use the Seven Kill Sword to protect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, generation after generation.
With these children, along with Gao Yang and Ning Rongrong's prestige, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect quietly rose to prominence as well.
Another twenty years passed.
When Xiao Tian broke through to level 95 and became a Super Douluo, Gao Yang stepped down as deputy sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, leaving him to take the position and oversee the sect's affairs.
As for the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong had now been succeeded by Ning Qiyu, the elder brother of the twins.
Unfortunately, Gao Yang had failed to find an immortal herb for him, so his Martial Soul remained the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and his soul power was stuck at level 79.
After decades of growth, three Titled Douluos had emerged among the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's second-generation disciples.
Coupled with marriage alliances with the Star Luo Imperial Family and control over one-third of the world's wealth.
It surpassed the Tang Sect and the Clear Sky Sect in one fell swoop, becoming the foremost of the new Upper Three Sects.
Moreover, at Ning Rongrong's insistence, the second generation also spread their branches and leaves like mad.
By the third generation, fully a hundred children had awakened the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Although Tang San no longer had any contact with Ning Rongrong and her husband, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect remained close to the Clear Sky Sect and the Tang Sect.
The three sects even pooled their funds to rebuild Shrek Academy and held the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament once more.
Perhaps in another hundred years, the continent's Martial Souls would bloom again like a hundred flowers.
With several successful Elite Tournaments, the fame of the Upper Three Sects grew ever greater.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect even voluntarily took up Spirit Hall's former duties, awakening Martial Souls for people across the continent free of charge. Once those people became Soul Masters, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect provided them with regular monthly benefits.
This also made the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a sacred land in the hearts of the new generation of Soul Masters.
Every power on the continent, even the Star Dou imperial family, the Clear Sky Sect, and the Tang Sect, considered it an honor to marry someone bearing the surname Ning or Gao.
Another twenty years passed, and an old acquaintance came to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
More precisely, a god.
Gao Yang had never expected that, among the Soul Masters of their era, the first to become a god would be Oscar.
Oscar had not participated in the god-slaying battle back then, and no one had known his whereabouts.
When they met again, he was already the Food God.
That night, Oscar and Gao Yang spoke privately until dawn.
No one knew what they discussed. All anyone knew was that Oscar left in a hurry the next day.
Before leaving, Oscar looked at Ning Rongrong.
"If..." he said.
"There are no ifs!" Ning Rongrong interrupted him. "You can think that way, but I can't! I chose Gao Yang. Marry a rooster, follow the rooster; marry a dog, follow the dog."
"Just what I'd expect from the woman I once loved."
As Oscar spoke, he waved a hand, and six Soul Bones appeared, floating before Ning Rongrong.
Judging by their soul power fluctuations, every one was at the hundred-thousand-year level.
"Little Ao..."
"Don't forget, I'm a member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect too. Consider this my gift to the sect." Oscar suddenly wore a cheeky grin. "You old hag, don't tell me you thought they were for you! Hahahaha!"
"Fuck you! Get lost!"
And so, Oscar left a complete set of Soul Bones for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and disappeared once more.
After becoming a god, one could still remain in one's original plane for a time.
Oscar intended to use that time to temper his heart in the mortal world and consolidate his divine consciousness.
Thus, he concealed his cultivation and became a wandering bard, traveling across the continent and experiencing the warmth and coldness of human hearts, the fickleness of the world.
Until he met a young girl.
Flaxen hair, a water-blue dress.
A Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, and a willful, headstrong yet kind disposition.
Most of all, her vaguely familiar face stirred countless memories in Oscar.
"Hello, my name is Oscar. I'm a level 29 Food System Soul Master."
"Food system? That's so rare. My name is Ning Qianqian. I'm level 31, support system, and my Martial Soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! Since you're all alone, I'll allow you to be my lackey!"
"..."
"This is bad! It's a twenty-thousand-year Soul Beast! Qianqian, run! I'll cover your retreat!"
"You're my lackey! I absolutely won't allow you to die! Take this-Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus!"
"..."
"Waaah! To save you, I used up the lifesaving trump card Grandpa gave me! You rotten Little Ao, you have to be my lackey for the rest of your life!! Waaah!!!"
"N-no problem... But Qianqian, how did you get that?"
"Hmph! That's a treasure my grandpa specifically obtained from the Tang Sect!"
"Your grandpa really dotes on you."
"Of course! I'm my grandpa's most beloved granddaughter. No one else even comes close!"
"Uh, who's your grandpa?"
"My grandpa is Gao Yang, the Sword Douluo, foremost of the Four Great Peerless Douluos!"
"..."
"Look at how ignorant you are. Don't tell me you haven't even heard of the Four Great Peerless Douluos?"
"..."
"I'll properly enlighten you, then. The Four Great Peerless Douluos are my grandma, my grandpa, my Grandpa Tang San, and my Great-Grandma Bo Saixi!"
"What an impressive background..."
"That's nothing. When I went to Sea God Island, Lord Sea God even acknowledged me and bestowed the Red Nine Trials on me. But Grandma didn't want me becoming some high priestess. She wanted me to come back and become sect master.
"Sigh...
"Tsk, why am I telling you so much? With how little you've seen of the world, you probably haven't even heard of Sea God Island."
"Sea God Island..."
A flicker of remembrance passed through Oscar's eyes.
If that girl had gone to the island back then, perhaps she would have received the Red Nine Trials too...
By the time Gao Yang heard news of Oscar again, decades had passed.
What left him sighing was that Oscar had ascended together with Ning Qianqian.
And the divine position Ning Qianqian inherited was called the Nine-Colored Fairy.
Before ascending, the two left another priceless treasure for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
They removed the shackles within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.
Although most sect members still only possessed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, a small number now had a chance of awakening the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!
From that point on, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was renamed the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!
Several more decades passed.
Ning Rongrong's life had reached its limit.
She lay in bed, stroking Gao Yang's cheek.
"It's so unfair. We're both Peerless Douluos." Ning Rongrong sighed. "I'm old and decrepit, yet you're as radiant as ever."
"You're not old. You have a crane's white hair and a child's youthful face."
Gao Yang's eyes held both tenderness and sorrow.
Even a Peerless Douluo could not withstand the erosion of time.
"Brother Yang, you gave up a divine position for me. Do you... regret it...?"
"What about you? If you'd chosen Oscar back then, the one ascending with him would have been you, not Qianqian."
"I don't regret it!"
"Neither do I!"
"Brother Yang... I'm a little cold... Hold me tight..."
"Brother Yang... Where do you think people go after they die?"
"Brother Yang... I killed so many people. Will they come looking for revenge?"
"Brother Yang... I'm about to die. Why isn't there a final flicker of life, a moment when all my memories come flooding back...?"
"Brother Yang... Help me remember... our life together, all right...?"
Before you continue