A month later, thanks to the efforts of Tianlin and the likes of Ning Fengzhi, one policy after another began to run smoothly. Tianlin then set down his burden and, under the pretext of preparing to face an even greater future evil, went into seclusion to cultivate. He passed the imperial throne to Gu Ran, and returned alone to Seven Treasure Mountain.
Seven Treasure Mountain wasn't exactly deserted now, but there truly weren't many people staying here for the time being. The place seethed with heat and fumes, comparable to Gengxin City.
Under Lou Gao's summons, all the master-level and above blacksmiths across the continent had gathered here.
"Master, you're finally here. We currently have one divine smith, fourteen grandmaster blacksmiths, and nearly a hundred master blacksmiths—all here for you. The total mineral output of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Gengxin City over the last hundred years has also been centralized here," Lou Gao reported, brimming with excitement. He had waited far too long for this day. For a blacksmith, there is no higher honor than forging a divine weapon.
"Jun Tianlin, and me, as well as a hundred disciples of my Clear Sky Sect, have come to assist you. We hope you will consider today's service as atonement for our past offenses, and not hold our sect's former enmity against us." Tang Xiao had also arrived, leading the elite disciples of the Clear Sky Sect.
This had been Tang Yuehua's suggestion. Though she didn't know exactly what Tianlin intended to do, the fact that he had gathered the continent's finest blacksmiths and the most precious ores clearly meant he was going to forge something.
And not just anything—surely an unprecedented treasure the likes of which no one had ever seen. If the Clear Sky Sect could lend a hand at such a moment, then once it succeeded, their prestige would soar. Perhaps they might not fully regain the bearing of the world's number one sect, but at least they wouldn't be cold-shouldered by other sects over the Xue Beng affair.
It must be said, this woman was indeed smart, with no small sense of the bigger picture. If not for the even more formidable Ning Fengzhi and the prescient Tianlin, she would've matched any other in strategy.
"Good. Then, thank you all for your hard work this time," Tianlin said with a cupped-fist salute.
No matter how many past grudges there had been, at least in this moment, they were no longer enemies.
In the Forging Hall, within the weapon room, the sword-forging furnace blazed fiercely—its fire more terrifying than the Ultimate Fire or Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Divine Flame.
For this fire fused the spiritual power of the Fire Spirit Pearl with the power of the Sun-Glow Crystal Core—an extremely precious resource even in the Immortal Sword world.
Back when Lou Gao forged the Sky-Subduing Sword, that blade was of ice attribute, so he used up only the Cold-Heart Frost Core and still had Sun-Glow Crystal left. That mineral can also amplify fire attribute spiritual power. Only with such a fire could the God-Demon Sword be forged.
For this forging, Tianlin could not be absent. He had to supply spiritual power throughout the entire process, or else no matter how advanced Lou Gao's technique was, it would be useless.
Tianlin held the Demon Sword and the Demon-Subduing Sword and stood by the furnace. When the fire roared at its fiercest, he unhesitatingly tossed both swords in.
Thus began a forging process that would take several years.
…
Meanwhile, as the continent gradually stabilized, the Evil Sword Immortal lurking in the dark finally sensed something amiss.
Lately, the evil thoughts he and Bibi Dong had used to heal were diminishing day by day.
Finding this strange, he couldn't help but venture out to investigate. He discovered that the continental war had ceased. The Douluo Continent had been completely unified by a new nation called the Douluo Empire, and social order was being restored.
With less killing, the resentment he used to heal naturally dwindled. His plan had failed again.
He casually grabbed someone in Ice Sea City and read his memories, learning what had happened. Xue Beng, that idiot, ignored his advice and forcibly started a war with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, only to be utterly defeated—dead outright.
He could no longer sense the aura of the Bat King either. Clearly, even the Bat King had died completely this time. After wasting so much of his power for such an outcome, the Evil Sword Immortal was furious. But now he had no target for his anger—Xue Beng was dead. What, should he exhume him for a posthumous flogging?
As for jumping around out in the open—that he dared not. He could feel several auras on the continent growing stronger and stronger. It wouldn't be long before multiple deities appeared. In his severe-injury state, he was no match for gods.
"Damn it. Had I known Xue Beng was such a fool, I never should've chosen him over Dai Tianjue," the Evil Sword Immortal fumed. He had chosen Heaven Dou over Star Luo because Xue Beng's soul master forces far exceeded Dai Tianjue's.
But Xue Beng had taught him a truth: if the soldier is a bear, one bear ruins a squad; if the general is a bear, one bear ruins an army; if the king is a bear, one bear ruins a nation.
He had no other recourse now. Having lost the continent's supply of evil thoughts, he could only heal by himself. Wounds that would've taken two years to mend would now take at least four to five. And Bibi Dong's power couldn't be restored to its peak—her Death Spider Emperor martial soul, once burned, remained collapsed. Without sufficient evil thoughts, the Evil Spirit Pearl couldn't repair it.
Fortunately, Bibi Dong had twin martial souls. The Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor could still inherit the Rakshasa God position.
Thus spring passed to summer, autumn to winter. Unknowingly, four years slipped by.
Over these four years, with support from Oscar's Pearl Sausages, most of the original Emperor Team broke through to the Titled Douluo realm.
Yu Tianheng's level had risen as high as 95. Snow Jade Crown and the Fire Dragon King's soul bones gave him enormous boosts. He had now taken over the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan in place of Yu Yuanzhen. With his wife Dugu Yan—also a Titled Douluo—and his cousin Yu Tianxin as vice clan chief assisting him, the clan's strength kept climbing, with hopes of surpassing the Clear Sky Sect.
Zhu Zhuqing went traveling across the continent. In the past, she was either fleeing or in hiding; this time, she had truly gained her freedom.
It was said she even went to visit Dai Mubai, who was hiding near Star Luo's border. With Star Luo annihilated, his days had become even harder. He used to have the title of prince, living in luxury without worrying about food or clothes. Now, with no soul power and no noble status, he could only work odd jobs to survive.
Zhu Zhuqing left a bag of gold soul coins sufficient for his living expenses and instructed the soldiers in the city to protect him so no one would rob him—then left without looking back.
She owed Dai Mubai nothing; this was kindness enough.
Watching the increasingly radiant Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai felt a thousand emotions. If only he had trained hard back then and not fallen, or if he had faced death head-on like Zhu Zhuqing, would his ending be any different? Alas, it was too late.
Meanwhile, Gu Ran and Ye Lingling had not become Titled Douluo. They had no choice—Gu Ran was now emperor, and with the nation in its infancy, he had to focus on governance. Training time naturally shrank. Being at the Soul Douluo level already was quite good.
These four years, Gu Ran governed diligently, perfectly embodying Tianlin's words from back then: A ruler is the offering a country gives to its people; by the king's sacrifice is the nation's prosperity bought.
Aside from Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, who had to inherit their clans, the rest of the Emperor Team joined the Douluo Empire's court to assist him. He did not feel his achievements were lesser than others. As the people's lives improved, the masses hailed him as a sage-king. He felt his compatibility with this plane was growing stronger.
He was confident that one day, he would surely initiate the Plane Lord's trial.