Douluo's Spirit Pearl Divine Sword

Compared to this demonic flame, Ma Hongjun's evil fire back then was like the difference between a thief and a murderous maniac.

“If your friend is a person of strong will, I can send him to the place where I sealed the demonic flames to cultivate. Moreover, with my help, I guarantee that his life will not be in danger. After a year, no matter what, his strength will be greatly improved,” the God of Fire said calmly.

His words made it seem as if the demonic flames could only benefit Ma Hongjun, but Tianlin knew it wouldn't be that simple; the God of Fire was about to say something.

"However, this demonic flame has the ability to stir up negative thoughts in people's hearts, making it easy for people to become completely demonic. If your friend has a strong will and can resist his own negative desires, he will surely be able to achieve the potential of a first-level god. But if he cannot resist, he will become an unparalleled demon, a hundred times more terrifying than your so-called evil soul master. At that time, when he has completely mastered the demonic flame, even you, Tianlin, will find it difficult to stop him easily."

Sure enough, Vulcan mentioned a terrible negative effect: simply put, the evil transformation would be ten times stronger.

"If you choose the right path, you can become a god; if you choose the wrong path, you can become a demon. It's a huge gamble, and one we can't afford to lose." Tianlin said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, Senior Vulcan, I really don't have confidence in Hongjun's character this time. Please forgive me for not being able to accept your proposal."

“Brother Jian, I don’t think Hongjun will necessarily fail.” Ning Rongrong said, holding Tianlin’s hand. “Just like how I want to keep getting stronger for Brother Jian, Fatty also has someone he likes now. When people care about someone, they will unleash infinite power. When we go back, why don’t we tell Fatty and Xiangxiang about this and let them make their own decision?”

“Yes, you’re right. His future should be decided by himself.” Tianlin understood. He couldn’t prepare a smooth road for everyone.

He could only point his friends in the right direction, but how they walked the path was up to them.

After bidding farewell to the God of Fire, Tianlin and Ning Rongrong returned to the far north. They had achieved all their goals here, and now it was time to head back.

At Ning Rongrong's insistence, Tianlin did not choose to fly on his sword this time, but instead chose to run back with Ning Rongrong.

With their current strength, even without running at full speed, they can probably go home in seven or eight days, ostensibly for exercise.

But Tianlin knew that Ning Rongrong's purpose in saying that was simply to spend more time with him. Tianlin had already told her that after returning, he would arrange for her to go to Seagod Island to officially begin the Seagod Trial.

Moreover, Tianlin did not intend to go with her, and if she did, the two would not be able to see each other for several years. Therefore, she cherished the remaining time very much.

Seven days later, the two had returned to a small town in the Kingdom of Barak. As the day of their parting drew closer, they deliberately slowed down their pace.

In fact, they all know that their current display of affection is rather indecisive. Once they become gods, they will have plenty of time to squander, so what does a few short years of separation matter?

Knowing is one thing, doing is quite another.

In fact, Tianlin should have been able to do it because he possessed the Shushan cultivation techniques. Unfortunately, Tianlin now can only be considered someone who has practiced the Shushan sword techniques, not a true cultivator.

His cultivation method comes from the lineage of Nuwa, which emphasizes love in one's heart. This is completely contrary to the Taoist cultivation method of tranquility and non-action. Therefore, although Tianlin also has the internal energy cultivation method of Mount Shu, he has never actually touched it, as it is not suitable for him now.

Because he lacks the detached mindset of a cultivator, not to mention that he now harbors ambitions to unify the continent, rashly engaging in cultivation might lead to demonic possession.

"Brother Jian, we'll be home in two days at most. When that happens, should I head straight to Seagod Island?" Ning Rongrong asked, burying her head in Tianlin's arms.

“Yes, we’ve wasted a lot of time these past few days. From now on, you must take a group of people to train together as soon as possible. I’ve already written to the members of our Royal Fighting Clan, inviting them to gather at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. I will select some of them to go with you. If Sister Yanzi and Yiran accompany you along the way, it will be good to have someone to look after you.” Tianlin gently stroked the back of her head and said softly. “Don’t be reluctant to part. Once you become stronger, we will meet again soon.”

"Mmm!" Ning Rongrong nodded slightly, saying nothing more.

Seeing that she was still reluctant to part, Tianlin suddenly thought of the way Tang San reassured Xiao Wu in the original story, so he said, "Rongrong, let's have a simple wedding ceremony when we get back!"

Chapter 397 Proposal and Return to the Sect

"Get married!" Ning Rongrong was surprised, shy, and happy all at the same time. Was her brother Jian proposing to her again?

Although they were already engaged, Tianlin had always carried too many burdens. In the past, there was the Soul Hunting Operation, then the emergence of a mysterious force, preparing for future continental wars, participating in the Divine Examination while also helping himself obtain the qualification for the Divine Examination, and so on.

Ning Rongrong had always felt that her sword-wielding brother had worked too hard, so no matter how much she wanted to get married soon, she was content to be an ordinary wife and never pressured Tianlin. She never expected that he would bring it up himself today.

Tianlin took Ning Rongrong's hand and asked, "Rongrong, I know it's a bit hasty to say this suddenly, but I promise you, once everything is resolved, I will give you the grandest wedding ever. Are you willing?"

"Tsk tsk, to propose under such circumstances, in such an ordinary hotel, without even a bouquet of flowers, let alone a betrothal gift, I didn't expect that this little Tian brother is actually a straight man!" Xue Di clicked her tongue.

"That's right, it's not sincere at all, Rongrong, you can't just agree to him like that..." Bingdi said angrily. Now that she has placed her hopes on Ning Rongrong, who will become her companion beast in the future, she will not let Ning Rongrong suffer any grievances.

Just like in the original story, these two Ice and Snow Emperors are also protective of their own. To them now, Ning Rongrong is like a newly adopted younger sister.

"I do!" Unfortunately, Ning Rongrong couldn't hear Bingdi's words at all. She had been looking forward to this moment for more than just a day or two. Whether the wedding was grand or not, whether there were flowers or betrothal gifts, these were all minor matters. In fact, she didn't care at all.

"Sigh, this child." Xue Di and Bing Di shook their heads helplessly. Even though they had never been in a relationship, they could see that Ning Rongrong was already deeply in love with Tian Lin. What could they do? As her older sister, what else could they do but wish her happiness?

That night, Tianlin and Rongrong slept in each other's arms. Tianlin was not a lustful man, and he would save the most intimate things for after they got married. This was also a sign of his respect for Ning Rongrong.

The next day, the two continued their journey. Ning Rongrong, who had been slow and deliberately delaying, was now running faster than anyone else. What might have taken two days, they completed in about a day.

Upon returning to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the two return safely.

They were anxiously waiting for this period of time. After all, the two most important people in the sect were going to such a dangerous place as the far north alone, and they were going to find the Ice and Snow Emperors, whom even Ning Fengzhi had hardly heard of, to obtain Ning Rongrong's second martial soul. This kind of thing sounded unreliable no matter how you looked at it.

If Tianlin hadn't been so confident that success was guaranteed, and if Ning Rongrong hadn't always carried Chen Xin's talisman coordinates, he would never have allowed such a fantastical idea.

"Rongrong, Xiaotian, did your plan succeed?" Ning Fengzhi asked hopefully. Even with his theoretical knowledge, he had never heard of creating a second martial soul after birth. If Tianlin really succeeded, it would be a miracle that transcends time.

Chen Xin and the other titled Douluo, as well as younger generation members such as Gu Ran and Ma Hongjun, also curiously gathered around.

Upon seeing them, Ning Rongrong smiled slightly, proving with her actions that her sword-wielding brother never spoke recklessly.

Suddenly, an endless chill swept through the surroundings, Ning Rongrong's hair turned snow-white, her temperament became aloof, and her azure clothes fluttered in the cold wind, truly resembling the legendary snow maiden.

Especially the two blood-red spirit rings surrounding him, one with seven golden patterns and the other with three golden patterns, are genuine ferocious beast-level spirit rings, and the power they contain far exceeds that of a 100,000-year spirit ring.

Compared to these two spirit rings, Ning Fengzhi instantly felt that his 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor spirit ring was not so appealing.

"Is this the Ice and Snow Maiden's martial soul? It's so beautiful! I feel that Rongrong in this state is even more beautiful than Qian Renxue with her six-winged angel martial soul," Ye Lingling exclaimed.

"Hmm, this girl has quite the eye. What six-winged angel? Even with a god-level martial soul, she can't possibly surpass my Ice and Snow Maiden in beauty." The Snow Empress said proudly, "Hmph, if the God Realm hadn't changed the laws of heaven and earth, prohibiting us soul beasts from becoming gods, and increased the difficulty of the tribulation that occurs every 100,000 years for soul beasts, then with my talent, I would have transformed from Ice and Snow Maiden into Ice and Snow Goddess sooner or later!"

The proud Snow Empress willingly transformed into a human's intelligent martial soul and soul ring, ultimately due to the oppression of the divine realm.

Unfortunately, Tianlin is unable to change this situation right now, and he doesn't even want to think about it. Tianlin has always believed in doing as much as he is capable of, and he pursues practicality in everything he does.

Changing the laws of heaven and earth was far too far for him, who had not yet become a god.

But if he were to one day truly become the strongest in the world, he might think of doing something. Of course, he wouldn't betray his race as a human and help the soul beasts regain their dominant position.

However, he will give the soul beasts a fair chance, that is, to restore the difficulty of their tribulations and divine tribulations to the normal standard, so that top powerhouses like the Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor will not be so frightened by the tribulations that they have to choose to transform and start over.

That million-year divine tribulation is now more like a first-level god attacking a Limit Douluo who is about to become a god. The gap between them is like an insurmountable chasm, and even the strongest soul beast cannot succeed. But for the sake of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, Tian Lin will definitely find a way to repay it.

At this moment, Ning Rongrong slowly descended from the sky. She withdrew her Snow Maiden Martial Soul, but the surrounding temperature remained unchanged. The effects of extreme ice on the environment could not be eliminated in a short time.

"Good, very good. As expected of my granddaughter Chen Xin, Rongrong, now you are the second most talented person on the continent after Tian Lin. In my opinion, Qian Renxue, not to mention her appearance, may not even be able to compare with you in terms of cultivation talent." Chen Xin said with great pride.

He's using the "grandpa filter" now. Putting everything else aside, in terms of cultivation speed, Qian Renxue is actually slightly better. Ning Rongrong has immortal herbs, but Qian Renxue also has the power of Heavenly Snow.

In the past few years, with the help of Tianlin's power, she had cultivated her soul power to an unparalleled level. No one on the entire continent could compare with her except for Tianlin. This also meant that even though she had reached the Soul Douluo level, her cultivation speed at the 20th level of the Innate Realm did not decrease at all. This effect was no less than that of immortal herbs.

Furthermore, she still possesses the Acacia Heartbreak Red. If one day she gains the approval of this king of immortal herbs and consumes it, her aptitude and potential will reach an even higher level.

If Rongrong's only advantage is her twin martial souls, it's a pity that without a Yin-Yang complementary soul core, the twin martial souls cannot be used together. She cannot use the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to amplify herself while fighting. All things considered, she still cannot defeat Qian Renxue now.

"Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Grandpa. Grandpa Jian is the best!" Ning Rongrong said with a smile, grabbing Chen Xin's arm and acting coquettishly. The truth didn't matter at all. As long as someone said she was better than Qian Renxue, they were her most respected friend or elder.

In Ning Rongrong's heart, Qian Renxue was her lifelong enemy!

Chapter 398 Ma Hongjun's Fear

Inside the Seven Treasures Hall, Tianlin and Ning Rongrong recounted their entire journey to the far north to everyone.

When they heard that Ning Rongrong had reached the Soul Saint level and Tian Lin had become a Soul Douluo, Ning Fengzhi and the others felt incredibly proud and happy.

Tang Hao, a figure who roamed the Douluo Continent with unparalleled dominance and whom even the Spirit Hall couldn't completely subdue, actually fell into the hands of the younger generation of their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Haotian Douluo has always been a title that only the strongest in the Haotian Sect can inherit. In the past, any force would turn pale at the mention of this title, but now it is nothing but a joke to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

"Hmph, Tang Hao slaughtered far too many soul beasts in his life. In his heart, only his wife was special, right? All other soul beasts that stood in his way were evil. Now, having been tricked by you and died at the hands of the Ice and Snow Emperors, he deserves to die," Ning Fengzhi said with a faint smile.

With Tang Chen gone, Tang Hao is the strongest force in the Clear Sky Sect. Even though Tang Xiao is of a higher level, he doesn't have a 100,000-year soul ring or the Great Sumeru Hammer, so his actual combat strength is not as good as Tang Hao's. Now that he is dead, the Clear Sky Sect is no longer a threat.

Without Chen Xin's intervention, Gu Rong could now fight Tang Xiao alone. During the time Tian Lin and Ning Rongrong were traveling to the far north, Gu Rong had also made progress, reaching level 97 and experiencing a significant increase in strength.

Upon hearing this news, Tianlin was filled with regret. He realized he should have killed Tang San sooner; if he had absorbed Tang San's fortune earlier, he would have been granted a title long ago, and Gu Rong wouldn't have been troubled by the bottleneck for so long.

"Boss, Big Sister, is the place you're talking about, the place where the God of Fire is passed down, real? Did you really see the God of Fire?" Ma Hongjun looked at the two of them hopefully. He had heard about the God of Fire from Tianlin before.

One of the main elemental gods of the divine realm, a first-level deity, a figure no less powerful than the Angel God of the Spirit Hall and the Sea God of Seagod Island.

Previously, in order to encourage Ma Hongjun, Tianlin had been telling him to strive to be like the God of Fire. Unbeknownst to him, Ma Hongjun had already regarded the God of Fire as his idol and the ultimate achievement he aspired to reach.

Upon hearing this, Tianlin and Ning Rongrong's expressions changed, but neither of them wanted to hide it from Ma Hongjun.

“Brother Jian, let me explain this time.” Ning Rongrong looked at Ma Hongjun and said, “Hongjun, we did see the God of Fire, but…”

Ning Rongrong relayed Vulcan's words verbatim, and Ma Hongjun, who was originally overjoyed, was now covered in cold sweat.

It turns out that his own foundation was not enough to bear the position of the God of Fire, unless he was baptized by the demonic flames, which were a hundred times more terrifying than the evil fire he had once possessed.

I couldn't even resist the burning evil fire back then, let alone the demonic flames entering my body.

Although the God of Fire said that he could be guaranteed to live, it was actually more terrifying. Death would be better, ending it all. The Douluo Continent has existed for millions of years, and how many geniuses have died on the path to godhood? Or rather, Ma Hongjun being able to become one of them is a glorious death, because ordinary people don't even have the right to die on this path.

However, if he doesn't die, he will transform into a monstrous demon that wreaks havoc on the world. His talent and potential might even surpass the current four Limit Douluo. Once Ma Hongjun becomes strong enough, and since the gods cannot directly interfere in human affairs, the disaster will be immense.

"Hongjun, this is too terrible. Let's not go, okay? Senior brother said that with your aptitude, becoming a second-level god is no problem at all. There's no need to endure such a disaster for the sake of becoming a first-level god." Bai Chenxiang was frightened and hurriedly tried to dissuade Ma Hongjun.

“But the boss said that a second-level god cannot bring family members to the God Realm. If that happens, I will have to spend thousands of years alone. What’s the point of becoming a god? Rather than that, I might as well give it a try.” Ma Hongjun said, trembling. “Besides, if I were the number one genius, disaster might happen, but there are many people in the world who surpass me.”

"Boss, Rongrong, and even Qian Renxue from the Spirit Hall, even if I turn into a demon, they will definitely be able to stop me, so I don't really have any worries."

Tianlin didn't expect Ma Hongjun to agree, but seeing his trembling hands, Tianlin knew that this guy hadn't really made up his mind at all and was just comforting himself. In this state, even if he were sent to the Fire God's inheritance site now, he would probably back down at the last minute.

Tianlin shook his head inwardly. The demonic flames entering the body are something that only those with strong willpower can resist. In Ma Hongjun's state, the success rate is absolutely zero.

“Hongjun, I won’t take you there until you’ve truly made up your mind. I want you to become a god, not to help you become a demon sooner,” Tianlin said bluntly.

Ma Hongjun lowered his head. He could fool others, but he couldn't fool Tianlin. Tianlin saw through his fear and outward bravado.

He glanced at Gu Ran to the side, thinking that if it were him, perhaps he could succeed.

Gu Ran's talent is definitely the worst among them. He is not as good as the Shrek Seven Devils, nor as good as the others in the Royal Fighting Team. Compared to himself, the gap is huge.

But after so many years, not only has his soul power not caught up with his, but the gap between them hasn't even narrowed much.

The reason for this, besides whether Tianlin truly helped him or not, lies more importantly in Gu Ran himself.

While others were resting, he was cultivating. While others were cultivating, he cultivated even more diligently. In order to keep up with Tianlin's pace, this guy almost gave it his all. With such perseverance, he would surely pass the test of the God of Fire. Unfortunately, Gu Ran lacked a huge talent gap that was difficult to make up for later.

Perhaps Gu Ran could become a Title Douluo or even a Super Douluo in his lifetime, but let alone a Level One God, even the position of a Level Two God is out of reach for him.

"I'm a complete waste!" Ma Hongjun clenched his fists in resentment. He had amazing talent, but because of his personality, he didn't even have the courage to take the divine exam.

Seeing that the atmosphere was tense, Oscar, who was good at lightening the mood, stepped forward, put his arm around Ma Hongjun's shoulder, and laughed, "Hey, Fatty, why are you in such a hurry? How old are you? You can't cultivate your character. When you're twenty years older, you might be more mature. It's not too late to take the God Exam then. Besides, you'll be stronger and at a higher level then, so your chances of success will be higher."

Oscar's suggestion was actually quite similar to what Tianlin had originally thought; it was indeed the safest option.

After Oscar finished speaking, he looked at Ning Rongrong and said, "By the way, Tianlin Rongrong, I've heard that Tang Hao has a full soul bone. You killed him, so you must have looted all his treasures, right? Now, shouldn't we divide the spoils?"

Chapter 399 Dividing the Spoils

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up as they looked at Tianlin and Ning Rongrong.

They all knew that although Tang Hao's six soul bones were precious, they were at most ten thousand years old, and none were more than one hundred thousand years old. Given Tian Lin's requirements, he would never be interested in such a short timeframe. Ning Rongrong also had a better future to explore.