Chapter 439: Fifth Soul Ring! Extreme North Land!
Hearing this, Qian Renxue's eyes flickered slightly, but she did not speak.
However, Golden Crocodile Douluo glanced at Lion Douluo.
"Third Brother, watch your words."
Lion Douluo lowered his head and said:
"I am merely speaking the truth."
Demon Subduing Douluo also said:
"Second Brother, we know you are concerned about Tang San, but Tang San is currently missing. If we give up the opportunity to annex the continent right before us because of a Tang San who doesn't even know when he will return, it would be a great pity."
On the other side of the hall, Azure Luan Douluo finally spoke.
His voice was much calmer than Lion Douluo's, yet it carried equal weight.
"Tang San has only disappeared, not died."
"If he could be saved by the Rakshasa God once, he could be sent back by the Rakshasa God again."
"Moreover, he was almost pushed to the brink on the Douluo Continent this time. If he returns, he will certainly be more dangerous than now."
Light Feather Douluo sat to the side, tapping the table with his fingers, and said indifferently:
"I also don't think it is suitable to start a war now."
Lion Douluo frowned.
"Fifth Brother, what do you mean?"
Light Feather Douluo raised his eyes.
"The meaning is very simple."
"What is Tang San best at? It is not frontal warfare; it is sneak attacks, slaughtering cities, devouring souls, and sowing discord."
"Previously, when Your Majesty attacked Heaven Dou City, he went around to the rear and slaughtered several cities we had just occupied."
"If we restart the war now, and the Spirit Empire, Heaven Dou, and Star Luo clash fully once more, there will be countless souls lost on the battlefield and chaotic defensive lines in the cities."
"If Tang San returns at that time, who will benefit the most?"
"It is him."
"The whole continent would be a battlefield, the whole continent would be filled with vengeful Martial Souls, and the whole continent would be torn open by war. That would be paving a rakshasa altar for him."
This statement made many of the pro-war faction silent for a moment.
Light Feather Douluo continued:
"Tang Chuan pushing for reforms in Heaven Dou now is not necessarily a bad thing."
"At the very least, he is reducing aristocratic oppression, centralizing the population, and establishing a supervisory system. In this way, it will become much harder for Tang San to slaughter cities and devour souls as easily as before."
"The Spirit Empire should do the same. Shrink small towns, concentrate defenses in large cities, establish Angel Holy Light barriers, and thoroughly investigate the remnants of the Rakshasa Divine Court. This is what we should be doing right now."
Lion Douluo snorted coldly.
"Then what if Tang Chuan becomes a god? Haven't you realized? Tang Chuan has already completed the seventh test of the Sea God and pulled out the Sea God Trident."
"His first Martial Soul's Soul Rings have reached Perfection, and it won't be long before he likely completes the Soul Rings for his Second Spirit. By the time he returns, even if he doesn't immediately inherit the Sea God Position, he will certainly have advanced further. If he truly becomes the Sea God, Your Majesty must face a complete Sea God to unify the continent."
"Are we just going to watch him become a god?"
Azure Luan Douluo said calmly:
"Do you want to stop him?"
Lion Douluo said in a deep voice:
"At least we cannot sit idly by."
Light Feather Douluo chuckled.
"Who will go?"
"You?"
Lion Douluo's face darkened.
Light Feather Douluo's voice remained soft, yet it carried a sharpness.
"Tang Chuan now holds the Sea God Trident and possesses the powers of the Blue Silver Emperor, Deep Sea Demon Whale King, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, Snow Empress, Ice Empress, Azure Bull Python, Titan Giant Ape, and so on."
"He has also allied with Di Tian. If we send someone to stop him, not to mention whether we can stop him, once this matter is exposed, the tripartite alliance will immediately break."
"At that time, Tang Chuan, Di Tian, Heaven Dou, and Star Luo will all view the Spirit Empire as a treacherous enemy. Most importantly, if Tang San takes the opportunity to return, we will be attacked from both sides."
Lion Douluo said angrily:
"Are we just going to do nothing?"
Light Feather Douluo said:
"It is not about doing nothing."
"It is about not doing stupid things."
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.
Lion Douluo slammed the table and stood up.
"Fifth Brother, who are you calling stupid?"
Light Feather Douluo also raised his eyes, his gaze cold.
"I am talking about whoever is in a hurry to rashly start a war while Tang San is not dead, Tang Chuan has not returned, and the Star Dou alliance is not yet stable."
"Enough."
Golden Crocodile Douluo finally spoke.
His voice was not loud, but it made the hall instantly quiet. As the Second Priest of the Priest Hall, after Qian Daoliu's death, Golden Crocodile Douluo's prestige in the Priest Hall was second only to Qian Renxue.
He slowly looked at everyone and said:
"War has its reasons."
"Peace also has its reasons."
"The concerns of Third Brother and the others that the Spirit Empire will lose the opportunity to unify the continent after Tang Chuan becomes a god are not without merit. Tang Chuan's growth speed is indeed too fast."
"If he becomes a god, he will be the greatest obstacle to Your Majesty's unification of the continent."
The expressions of Lion Douluo and the others softened slightly.
But immediately after, Golden Crocodile Douluo added:
"But what Fifth Brother and the others said is also correct."
"Tang San is not dead."
"The Rakshasa God personally intervened to save him, which shows that the Rakshasa God position will definitely not easily give up on him. Tang San is currently not on the Douluo Continent; perhaps he is healing, or perhaps he is accumulating power elsewhere."
"If he returns, he will definitely be more terrifying than before."
"Starting a full-scale war at this time could indeed give Tang San an opportunity."
After Golden Crocodile Douluo finished speaking, he looked at Qian Renxue.
"Therefore, the ultimate choice must be decided by Your Majesty."
Everyone's gaze fell on Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue had not spoken the entire time. From Lion Douluo's pro-war stance to Light Feather Douluo's pro-peace stance, and the endless arguing among the worshipful elders, she had remained quietly in the main seat.
She certainly knew what the worshipful elders were worried about.
They were worried about Tang Chuan.
They were worried that after Tang Chuan becomes a god, the Spirit Empire would have no chance to unify the continent.
They were also worried that the longer the tripartite alliance dragged on, the harder it would be for the Spirit Empire's army to restart the war.
From the perspective of the Spirit Empire's interests, their concerns were not absurd.
They were even very realistic.
However, Qian Renxue saw further than them because she had truly fought against Tang San.
She had seen with her own eyes those cities slaughtered by Tang San.
She had also seen with her own eyes the Rakshasa God forcibly descending to the Lower Realm to save Tang San.
That was not an ordinary enemy.
That was a disaster.
If Tang San did not die, even if the Spirit Empire conquered Heaven Dou and Star Luo, it would only be gathering more people for Tang San to create a larger sacrificial altar.
Furthermore, Qian Renxue did not want a dead land.
She wanted a unified continent, not a wasteland polluted by Rakshasa.
Qian Renxue finally spoke:
"Do you think I am afraid of Tang Chuan becoming a god?"
The hall fell silent.
Lion Douluo's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said:
"I have no such intention."
Qian Renxue swept her calm gaze over everyone.
"You are worried that the Spirit Empire will lose its chance after Tang Chuan becomes a god."
"But in my eyes, what truly causes the Spirit Empire to lose its chance is not Tang Chuan becoming a god."
"It is the Spirit Empire destroying its own reputation."
Everyone was stunned.
Qian Renxue slowly stood up.
Golden Divine Might spread from her body, and the angel patterns in the hall lit up accordingly.
"I established an alliance with Tang Chuan and Di Tian in the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Before Tang San dies, the three parties must not initiate war."
"This is not weakness; this is order."
"If the Spirit Empire breaks its promise today, it will lose the trust of the world tomorrow."
"By then, even if we use force to annex Heaven Dou and Star Luo, we would only gain a land that submits on the surface but harbors resentment within."
"Tang Chuan has just pushed for reforms in Heaven Dou, and the people support him. If we attack Heaven Dou now, the people of Heaven Dou will not think the Spirit Empire represents order; they will only think we are taking advantage of their vulnerability."
"A world conquered in such a way cannot be held firmly."
Lion Douluo said in a deep voice:
"But if Your Majesty does not fight, Tang Chuan will also use reform to win people's hearts."
Qian Renxue said indifferently:
"Then the Spirit Empire will also reform."
In the hall, many people's expressions changed slightly.
Qian Renxue continued:
"Tang Chuan abolished private punishments by aristocrats, established Soul Master public schools, re-examined land registers, and opened up official positions to commoners."
"Can the Spirit Empire not do these things?"
"The Spirit Hall was originally established to awaken Martial Souls for the common people of the world."
"We should have understood the importance of commoner Soul Masters better than Heaven Dou and Star Luo."
"Since Tang Chuan can use reform to unite the hearts of the people in Heaven Dou, why can't the Spirit Empire use reform to prove that after we unify the continent, we can do better than Heaven Dou?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes flickered.
Ning Fengzhi and Tang Chuan pushing for reforms in Heaven Dou was news that had already reached Spirit City.
Many high-level officials of the Spirit Empire felt vigilant upon hearing this.
But Qian Renxue did not just see the threat.
She saw another path.
If the Spirit Empire relied solely on war to annex the world, it would inevitably face resistance.
But if the Spirit Empire could also implement fairer systems, absorb commoner Soul Masters, and rectify local aristocrats, the resistance to unifying the continent in the future would actually be smaller.
Qian Renxue's voice was cold and clear:
"From today on, the Spirit Empire will also implement new policies within its borders."
"First, all commoner children will have their Martial Souls awakened for free."
"Second, Martial Soul public schools will be established in various places, with Spirit Hall Soul Masters serving as teachers to cultivate commoner Soul Masters."
"Third, rectify local aristocrats and prohibit private dungeons and the private killing of commoners."
"Fourth, shrink the population of border small towns, and all commoners will migrate to large cities with Angel Holy Light barriers to prevent Tang San from slaughtering cities after he returns."
"Fifth, the frontline army will shift to defense and reorganization."
Lion Douluo couldn't help but say:
"Your Majesty, does this mean a long-term ceasefire?"
Qian Renxue looked at him.
"It is a temporary ceasefire, not giving up on unification."
"Before Tang San dies, the Spirit Empire will not actively tear up the alliance."
"But during this time, the Spirit Empire must reorganize the army, reform, gather the hearts of the people, and establish order. After Tang San dies, if Heaven Dou and Star Luo are still unwilling to accept unification, I will naturally draw my sword myself."
Speaking of this, a golden light flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes.
"As for Tang Chuan becoming a god."
Her voice became calmer, but also sharper.
"If he becomes a god, I will fight the Sea God."
"If he blocks my unification of the continent, I will not back down either."
"But that is a matter for after Tang San dies. Before that, whoever dares to start a war without authorization and break the alliance is defying my divine decree."
Golden Divine Might instantly enveloped the entire Priest Hall.
Everyone's complexion changed.
Lion Douluo, Demon Subduing Douluo, and other pro-war factions, although still unwilling, could only lower their heads.
"We will strictly follow Your Majesty's divine decree."
Golden Crocodile Douluo slowly stood up and bowed:
"I understand."
"The Spirit Empire will pause its offensive, reorganize internal affairs, and guard against Tang San."
"Before Tang San dies, the alliance will not be broken."
Qian Renxue nodded.
"In addition, send people to keep an eye on the Extreme North Land. I think he should go there."
Everyone in the hall felt a stir.
Qian Renxue said indifferently:
"I am not asking you to stop Tang Chuan."
"But to confirm his progress."
"I want to know when he completes the eighth test and when he might truly become a god."
Light Feather Douluo smiled.
"That is doable."
Azure Luan Douluo nodded:
"Just scouting, not interfering, is not a problem."
Qian Renxue looked up at the night sky outside the hall.
Under the starlight, the Angel God statue in Spirit City still emitted a faint golden glow.
She knew that the worshipful elders were not without reason.
If Tang Chuan became a god, the Spirit Empire's future path to unification would inevitably be harder.
But she also knew that she could not make the wrong choice at this moment.
She could be enemies with Tang Chuan, and there would certainly be a battle in the future.
But before Tang San died, she had to admit that Tang Chuan was the most important ally.
A few days later, the Extreme North Land.
This was the forbidden zone of life in the northernmost part of the Douluo Continent.
Looking around, there was only endless white between heaven and earth.
Snow-capped mountains stretched continuously, glaciers lay across, and fierce winds rolled with fine ice crystals, whistling from the end of the firmament like transparent small knives, cutting the air and making shrill sounds. The distant sky hung so low it felt as if it could be touched. Under the thick clouds, extreme cold storms rotated in circles, and occasionally ice-blue lightning flashed from deep within the clouds, illuminating the entire snowfield like an ancient ice and snow divine kingdom.
There was no scent of vegetation like in ordinary forests, nor was there the human fireworks of Heaven Dou City.
There was only cold, extreme cold.
Even a Soul Master at the Martial Soul Saint level arriving here would have their Meridians eroded by the cold air in a short time, and their Soul Power circulation would slow down. Without special means to resist the cold, they would even be frozen to death alive.
However, when Tang Chuan stepped into this world, he did not feel the slightest discomfort.
He was dressed in white, fluttering in the snow, and the Sea God Trident in his hand emitted a faint blue-gold Divine Might. That light was not scorching, but like a gentle ocean, gently pushing away the surrounding cold air. Behind him, the Snow Empress Martial Soul loomed.
Silver-white long hair, ice-blue eyes, cold and noble.
As soon as her aura appeared, the entire Extreme North snowfield seemed to quiet down a bit.
Those Soul Beasts hidden deep in the wind and snow, originally vigilant because of Tang Chuan's human aura, lowered their heads one after another when they sensed the Snow Empress's presence, not daring to make a sound.
The master of the Extreme North had returned.
Even though the current Snow Empress was no longer a complete Soul Beast body, but a wisdom Soul Ring in Tang Chuan's Second Spirit, her majesty was still imprinted in every inch of wind in this ice and snow land.
Tang Chuan looked into the distance and said:
"Is this the core area of the Extreme North Land?"
The Snow Empress's voice sounded beside him.
"Not quite the true core yet; this is just the deep outer area."
Tang Chuan glanced at the snowstorm that blocked the sky and the sun around him and was silent for a moment.
"This is still just the deep outer area?"
The Snow Empress said indifferently:
"If the Extreme North Land were so easy to enter, it would not be called a forbidden zone of life by humans."
Tang Chuan nodded.
"Then where is the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai?"
The Snow Empress's gaze softened slightly.
"In the ice valley ahead."
"He is very lazy."
"If nothing unexpected happens, he is probably still sleeping."
Tang Chuan: "..."
He had originally thought that the king of the Extreme North Ferocious beasts would be majestic and domineering, ruling over one side.
As a result, the first sentence the Snow Empress said was "very lazy."
This made his impression of the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai instantly develop a slight deviation.