Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

……

Martial Soul City, Core Research Institute.

A strange stone pillar with an ancient shape and a soft white-gold glow stands quietly in the test field at the very center of the research institute.

The surface of the stone pillar is engraved with complex and mysterious patterns, including ocean ripples from the trident of Poseidon, sacred curves from angel wings, and intricate structures of many soul tool energy circuits.

This is the first prototype of the "divine pillar" created by Qian Renxue and Poseidon through their joint efforts, using the sacred pillar of Seagod Island as a blueprint, combining the power of angels and the power of the seagod, and incorporating the latest soul guidance technology of the Martial Soul Empire.

Xuanming stood before the divine pillar, extending a finger to gently touch its surface. A warm yet vast aura emanated from his fingertip, containing a powerful ability to absorb, stabilize, and store soul rings.

“It’s a success.” Xuanming nodded. “The basic storage function is very stable. As long as the supply of faith power continues, the soul ring can theoretically be preserved indefinitely.”

Poseidon stood to the side, a hint of relief in her ethereal eyes: "Combining the characteristics of the two divine powers can indeed have a complementary effect. The power of the angel provides order and stability, while the power of the sea god bestows inclusiveness and nourishment, allowing the soul ring to not only maintain its form during storage, but also to receive a slight nurturing of its original energy."

Although Qian Renxue's face still showed some reluctance, a sense of accomplishment couldn't help but flash in her eyes as she looked at the divine pillar she had helped create. However, she still said, "Storage alone is not enough. For humans to accept this method, it must be convenient enough and attractive enough."

Xuanming glanced at her and said calmly, "Then make it more convenient and more attractive."

He walked to the pillar, placed his palm on the core of the pillar, and white divine power mixed with pure faith power surged into it.

“Since it requires the power of faith to drive it, then let the power of faith be the key.” Xuanming’s voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable power of rule. “From now on, communicating with the divine pillar, awakening martial souls and obtaining soul rings through it will all be done through faith.”

As he spoke and infused his divine power, subtle changes occurred within the divine pillar's internal structure. An invisible rule was imprinted upon it: only those who held genuine acceptance and belief in the Spirit Empire's system could activate the pillar's power to awaken their spirit and bestow spirit rings.

“In this way, our thoughts will be unified.” Xuanming withdrew his hand. “Only those who agree with the new order can enjoy the benefits it brings. Opponents will naturally be excluded.”

He continued, "Next, we need to set the final and most important rules."

"The act of forcibly hunting spirit beasts to obtain spirit rings is defined as heresy, a betrayal and destruction of the new order. Anyone found to have engaged in such behavior will have their spirit rings forcibly stripped and reclaimed by the power of the divine pillar!"

“As long as enough divine pillars are placed at key nodes throughout the Douluo Continent to form a network,” Xuanming looked around at everyone, “then the entire system of Martial Soul Awakening, Soul Ring Granting, Soul Ring Deprivation and Recycling can cover the entire continent, forming a new order that is self-circulating and self-restraining.”

The grand blueprint has been drawn up, and the basic framework has been built.

However, Xuanming changed the subject: "However, how to implement it specifically and how to formulate the details are not my concern."

He looked at Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena, finally fixing his gaze on Qian Renxue: "What conditions are required for bestowing a spirit ring? What contributions or assessments correspond to different qualities of spirit rings? How can fairness be ensured and the abuse of power prevented? How should the trial procedure for stripping a spirit ring be established? The formulation and enforcement of these specific yet crucial rules..."

"It's something you should be thinking about."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong's purple-gold eyes flashed with understanding and solemnity.

She understood that Xuanming had set the stage, but how to ensure that this grand drama of "order reshaping" would be performed smoothly, well, and for a long time required her, the empress, to formulate a detailed script and rules.

This involves a vast array of interests, checks and balances of power, and social management; it is an extremely complex and meticulous task. Gu Yuena nodded slightly. She needed to consider things from the perspective of the soul beasts, ensuring that the terms of the agreement were fulfilled, monitoring the behavior of human soul masters, and at the same time, appeasing and guiding the soul beast population to cooperate with the new system.

Qian Renxue was stunned for a moment, then glared at Xuanming with some annoyance.

We agreed that this matter would be left to her, so how come it's now a matter for everyone to discuss?

But seeing Xuanming walk straight out, and Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena already deep in thought, Qian Renxue could only suppress her dissatisfaction and begin to think seriously.

After all, this divine pillar system will be promoted under the name of "Angel God" in the future, and she doesn't want the "face" job she worked so hard to get to end up becoming a farce or causing even greater chaos due to poor rules.

The former site of Qibaozhai in Tiandou City has now been renamed "Liaison Office of the Martial Soul Empire in Tiandou City".

Ning Rongrong sat by the window, looking at the bustling crowd outside, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, her face showing a hint of unresolved confusion.

For nearly a year, she, along with Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and others, relied on their own strength and past identities to travel throughout the Heaven Dou Empire, sparing no effort to promote the new policies of the Martial Soul Empire.

They demonstrated the convenience brought by soul tools, depicted a beautiful blueprint of equality and equal opportunities for all, emphasized the Martial Soul Empire's support policies for commoner soul masters, and the future prospect of safely obtaining soul rings through "divine pillars".

However, the results were completely opposite to expectations.

"These guys... are simply unreasonable!" Huo Wu, with her fiery temper, couldn't help but complain, "We were clearly telling them how great the Spirit Empire's new policies are! Commoner Soul Masters can get more resources, have a fairer path to advancement, and Soul Tool technology will be gradually opened up... why are they even more resentful?"

Shui Bing'er frowned, her usually cool face showing confusion: "It is indeed very strange. According to our analysis, the policies of the Spirit Empire are extremely beneficial to lower and middle-level spirit masters and ordinary people. So why are they reacting so strongly?"

Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, as they also sensed this strong resistance.

Ning Rongrong sighed, her delicate face showing confusion and a hint of fatigue.

As the sect leader of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, she understood the importance of profit distribution even more clearly.

Logically speaking, although the reforms of the Spirit Empire affected the interests of the upper nobility, they should have been a boon for the vast majority of middle and lower-level spirit masters.

But the reality is quite the opposite.

Xu Hong, the Grand Preceptor from the Sun Moon Empire, who had been silently observing, slowly put down his teacup, a knowing smile appearing on his aged face.

“Miss Ning, ladies, what you mean by ‘better’ is from the perspective of society as a whole, from the perspective of long-term development, and even from the perspective of moral fairness.” Xu Hong’s voice was calm. “But people’s hearts, especially the hearts of those who have vested interests, often do not see what is better, but rather what they have gained and what they have lost.”

He pointed to the well-dressed, arrogant Soul Masters on the street outside the window: "In the Heaven Dou Empire, even a level 20 or 30 Great Soul Master can stand tall in front of ordinary people, enjoy the awe-inspiring gazes, and possess a certain social status and practical benefits. They may not be rich, but this feeling of being superior is real."

"But the policies of the Spirit Empire have precisely robbed them of this feeling," Xu Hong pointed out incisively. "In the picture you paint, Spirit Masters are merely people with special abilities who need to abide by stricter laws and compete with ordinary people for resources. For them, this is not progress, but regression. What they have lost is that privilege of being above all others."

He looked at Ning Rongrong: "Better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. That's human nature. Being a respected Soul Master in a small town is far more appealing than being a high-ranking citizen in the Spirit Empire who has to abide by the rules and be on equal footing with ordinary people. What you've brought is sharing; you've cut a piece of the pie that might have belonged solely to them into the hands of more people. How could they be happy?" (End of Chapter)