The Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
They had coexisted in the world since ancient times, the two great kingdoms of the Douluo Continent.
The Star Luo Empire grew stronger by the day. Its people revered martial might, and Soul Masters made up a large proportion of its population.
In terms of Soul Master strength alone, the Heaven Dou Empire was far inferior to the Star Luo Empire.
Yet the Heaven Dou Empire had endured until now!
The reason was Spirit Hall!
Eighty percent of Spirit Hall's branch halls had been built within the Heaven Dou Empire.
Unlike the xenophobic Star Luo Empire, which strongly resisted Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Empire maintained close ties with it.
"Heaven Dou Imperial City lies at the center of the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Not far away is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and outside the city is Heaven Dou Royal Academy," Yu Tianming explained to Xiao Yan inside the imperial city.
"What about the Spirit Hall we came here to visit?!"
Yu Tianming smiled faintly. "The Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou Imperial City can't be compared to the one in our little Nuoding City."
"It's only natural that the imperial palace occupies the center, but our Spirit Hall stands in the very heart of the city too, in the most prized district of Heaven Dou Imperial City."
Yu Tianming patted his chest proudly. "In the minds of most Soul Masters, our Spirit Hall is even far more important than the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."
"It's common knowledge that Spirit Hall supports Soul Masters. That much is true." Xiao Yan nodded.
Once, even when he had only been at rank three,
Spirit Hall had still provided him with a stipend of three gold coins.
Soul Masters were a minority, but whether it was the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Dou Empire, which of them would treat every weak Soul Master this way?!
Neither would.
Only Spirit Hall supported Soul Masters from the very beginning!
It was practically throwing open the gates of opportunity to impoverished Soul Masters everywhere.
"The Soul Master arenas are divided into elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. In my opinion, with your current strength, you could place well even in the advanced arena." Yu Tianming thought highly of Xiao Yan.
He murmured, "If you want to take part in team battles, though, you might have to join a team."
Xiao Yan was noncommittal. "I think being strong alone is enough."
"Let the winds blow from east, west, south, and north. I, Xiao Yan, will burn them all with one flame!"
Yu Tianming clicked his tongue. "The tree that rises above the forest will be the first to be brought down by the wind."
"Once upon a time, I thought just like you. I had no attachments in life and believed I was enough on my own."
"But when everything finally happened, I discovered it was already too late for regrets."
He paused and said, "In any case, before you're truly strong enough that no one can stand against you, don't get carried away. At the very least... don't let others see how deep your waters run."
Xiao Yan nodded. There was truth in that.
The two chatted as they walked toward the district where Spirit Hall stood.
It had to be said that the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou Imperial City was truly magnificent.
A towering building rose dozens of zhang from the ground. Vast as an imperial palace, it resembled an ancient castle. Stone statues of all kinds of Soul Beasts stood before it, and even the gilded carvings on its doors bore the mark of a master.
Spirit Hall stood in a bustling district, surrounded by crowds.
Countless people came and went, every one of them dressed in fine silks and brocades.
"So many Soul Masters?!" Xiao Yan murmured.
Where he came from, Holy Soul Village, even a single Soul Master was a remarkable figure.
Now Soul Masters were everywhere, an apparently common sight.
But Xiao Yan understood that this was merely survivorship bias.
The multitude of Soul Masters before him did not mean they were everywhere throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. Rather, it highlighted the importance of this place, which drew Soul Masters in an endless stream.
Not a single commoner passed through!
Dozens, perhaps hundreds of Soul Masters had gathered here, milling about as they entered and left Spirit Hall, their faces solemn and their expressions grave.
Xiao Yan was awed.
All these people regarded Spirit Hall as a place deserving solemn respect!
"Ever since its founding, Spirit Hall has devoted itself to establishing a heart for heaven and earth, securing a future for the people, and bringing peace to countless generations. Though it isn't a nation, it's better than one, and it has done much to maintain public order."
Imagine if Spirit Hall did not exist.
Powerful Soul Masters would have no restraints, and weak Soul Masters would have no future.
With one waxing as the other waned, the world would surely descend into chaos!
Some scheming individuals would even emerge from the shadows to wreak havoc upon the world!
Xiao Yan suddenly looked at Yu Tianming and paused, considering whether to ask that question.
"If you have something to say, say it. If you have a fart, let it out!"
"Don't tell me you've grown this much but still haven't grown any hair down there, and now you can't even get your words out?!" Yu Tianming chuckled and slung an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders.
They looked every bit like close friends despite their difference in age.
Seeing Yu Tianming so at ease, Xiao Yan felt reassured enough to ask, "Back then, that petty man Yu Xiaogang stirred up a great war between the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and Spirit Hall, leaving almost no one in your branch dead or wounded. Don't you hate Spirit Hall... and even..."
"You even took a post at the Spirit Hall in Nuoding City..."
Yu Tianming's face instantly went cold.
Then it gradually softened again.
"That was a grudge between the former Pope, Qian Xunji, and that beast Yu Xiaogang, not a grudge between my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and Spirit Hall!"
Yu Tianming said softly, "The reason Spirit Hall is held in such high regard is that it belongs to everyone under heaven. It does things of real meaning for everyone under heaven."
"Qian Xunji was only one Pope. He could only represent himself!"
"Now that he's dead, even if I bear a grudge, I can only bear it against that fellow Yu Xiaogang!"
Xiao Yan was astonished. "He's dead? Didn't Yu Xiaogang say you failed?!"
A cold smile appeared on Yu Tianming's face. "Qian Xunji and Yu Xiaogang both brought it on themselves."
"The former was nearly smashed to death by the Clear Sky Douluo of that time while trying to seize a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's Soul Ring."
"He died only a few days after returning to Spirit Hall."
"Clear Sky Douluo?!"
"A former genius who disappeared."
Yu Tianming was slightly wistful. He gazed at the vast Spirit Hall and the bustling Soul Masters, murmuring, "After all these years, I've returned here once again."
"Why hasn't anyone come out to receive us? Where's that granddaughter of yours?" Xiao Yan looked around, searching for the wonderful granddaughter Old Yu had praised to the skies.
"You really have set your sights on her?!" Yu Tianming seized Xiao Yan by the back of his neck, taking hold of his fate.
Xiao Yan laughed. "You said yourself you'd betroth her to me."
Yu Tianming's old face reddened, and he spread his hands helplessly. "Weren't you about to die back then? Now that you've survived, of course it's a different matter."
Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. "So you were hoping I'd die?!"
"But you didn't die, did you?" Yu Tianming laughed sheepishly. The old man had always been rotten to the core.
As Xiao Yan put it, even a dog would have to call him its ancestor.
"The main thing is, that girl has been betrothed since she was little. Even if you wanted to, you wouldn't have a chance."
Yu Tianming grew anxious too and began looking around.
"I sent word to that boy Lan He long ago, telling him to come find my granddaughter ahead of us. How come there's nobody here now?!"
(First chapter.)
(Happy New Year, brothers!)
(End of chapter)