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Night falls and the city lights come on.
The shock and commotion of the coronation ceremony gradually subsided, but the heat of Martial Soul City did not fade. Instead, it shifted to the Martial Soul City Grand Hotel, located in the city center and used to receive the most distinguished guests.
A high-profile celebratory banquet, hosted by the Spirit Hall, is being held here.
The royal families of the two great empires, the three upper sects, the four lower sects, powerful figures in various kingdoms and duchies, and the deans of renowned soul master academies...
The crowd was bustling, with toasts and laughter filling the air, and elegant people mingling with the scent of fine clothes.
As for the lesser families and smaller forces, they don't even have the right to set foot here.
The focus of the banquet was naturally Jiang Zhen, the newly crowned and unparalleled Taiyi Douluo.
He was still wearing that blue and white suit, looking exceptionally fresh and refined among the group of nobles in their finery, yet his own aura made him the undisputed center of attention.
Bing Di , Xue Di, Lan Xi , and Dugu Bo followed closely by his side, attracting countless curious, awe-inspiring, or inquisitive glances.
As the banquet reached its climax, Qian Daoliu, the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall and its pillar of strength, slowly walked to Jiang Zhen's side.
He wore a gentle smile as his gaze swept across the room.
The once noisy banquet hall quickly quieted down because of his actions, and everyone's attention was focused on these two powerful figures standing at the pinnacle of the continent.
Qian Daoliu took out a token from his pocket.
This token is different from the one Xue Qinghe gave me before. It has a warm, light gold color and is made of neither gold nor jade. The front is engraved with an exquisite pattern of angel wings surrounding a holy sword, which exudes a sacred and majestic aura.
He raised the token, his voice calm yet clear, echoing throughout the banquet hall: "Today, His Majesty Taiyi is bestowed with a title, a momentous occasion for our Soul Master world. To express the Spirit Hall's respect for the strong and its sincerity in its relationship with His Majesty Taiyi, from this day forward, His Majesty Jiang Zhen will also be an honorary enshrined in the Spirit Hall's Hall of Worship!"
"Honorary offering?!"
These words shocked everyone present!
Although it is only an "honor" and does not require Jiang Zhen to fulfill the duties of offering sacrifices, the identity and significance represented by this token are extraordinary!
This means that Jiang Zhen has established an extremely close and friendly relationship with the Spirit Hall, or at least with the Hall of Offerings!
He could enjoy many resources and conveniences of the temple, and had a very high status, yet he was not bound by conventional rules.
The leaders of various factions were instantly filled with turmoil.
Could it be that this newly promoted peak Douluo ultimately chose to stand with the Spirit Hall?
Although it is only an honorary title, it is undoubtedly a very strong signal!
Ning Fengzhi suddenly gripped the jade scepter he had been playing with, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
He maintained his refined smile, but a hint of disappointment and urgency flashed deep in his eyes.
Why... why can't such a brilliant and talented individual be employed by my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? If only my school had such a powerful figure in charge...
Although the members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family looked solemn, they also seemed indifferent to the matter at hand.
The eldest prince of Star Luo , Davis, had a solemn expression and exchanged glances with his advisors in hushed tones.
Despite their differing intentions, the leaders of these factions quickly composed themselves and stepped forward one after another with their wine glasses to congratulate Jiang Zhen.
"Congratulations to Your Majesty Taiyi on your conferment of this title. Your Majesty's demeanor is truly captivating."
Ning Fengzhi had a gentle smile and spoke politely.
"Your Majesty Taiyi is young and promising, with a limitless future. My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family welcomes Your Majesty to visit us at any time."
"Your Majesty Taiyi, the Heavenly Dou Empire will always regard you as its most honored friend..."
"The Star Luo Empire congratulates Your Majesty and looks forward to future opportunities for exchange..."
Their congratulations were more or less mixed with subtle attempts to win him over, whether it was an invitation to visit or an expression of friendship, all in an attempt to leave an impression on this newly minted tycoon. Even if they couldn't win him over, they certainly wouldn't want to offend him.
However, Jiang Zhen remained indifferent to these offers of help.
He held his wine glass, nodded slightly in acknowledgment of the congratulations, and said in a distant yet polite tone, "Thank you all for your kindness."
However, he politely declined all the implicit invitations and promises, making it clear that he did not want to be associated with any power.
This made Ning Fengzhi and the others even more disappointed, but there was nothing they could do about it.
Faced with the will of a peak Douluo, no one dared to force him.
On the other side of the banquet hall, Bing Di and Lan Xi were completely immersed in exploring the delicacies of the human world.
The long dining table was laden with delicacies from all over the mainland. Bing Di 's eyes lit up as he pulled Lan Xi through the table, launching a "sweep" of the beautifully presented and fragrant pastries, grilled meats, and seafood.
The two children, their cheeks bulging from eating, showed no concern for their strong image, yet appeared exceptionally charming and adorable.
Xue Di did not join them. She carried two glasses of blood-red wine and gracefully walked to Jiang Zhen, who was finishing up his social engagements, and handed him the other glass.
Jiang Zhen took the wine glass, looked at Xue Di 's face, which appeared even more aloof and ethereal under the lamplight, smiled slightly, and asked in a low voice, "Sister Xue, what do you think of this human wine? Does it suit your taste?"
Following the example of the humans she had just seen, Xue Di gracefully raised her wine glass and gently touched it to Jiang Zhen's glass, producing a crisp sound.
She brought the glass to her lips, took a small sip, and a hint of curiosity flashed in her icy blue eyes. After savoring it for a moment, she spoke in a cool tone, "The taste is a bit peculiar, completely different from the ice dew of the far north... but it's alright."
Her words remained concise, but her willingness to offer her own critiques revealed a subtle shift in her mindset.
Just as Jiang Zhen was about to continue the conversation and try to bridge the gap, a woman's voice, tinged with trepidation and pleading, rang out from the side, interrupting his thoughts.
"Your Majesty Taiyi..."
Jiang Zhen and Xue Di turned their heads and saw a beautiful woman in a light blue dress, with a gentle and graceful demeanor, standing not far away, looking at them with respect and expectation.
This beautiful woman looked to be in her early thirties, and still retained her charm.
Seeing Jiang Zhen looking over, she quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I apologize for disturbing you. I am the Dean of Tianshui Academy, Shui Wuyue."
She paused, her eyes revealing sincere admiration and longing: "Today, I am fortunate to witness Your Majesty's coronation, and especially to feel Your Majesty's vast, pure, and incomparably refined water-attribute soul power, which truly fills us water-attribute soul masters with longing..."
"I wonder...I wonder if our academy has the honor of inviting Your Majesty to grace us with your presence and offer guidance at your leisure?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but in the relatively quiet corner, it was enough to make several powerful figures who had just spoken with Jiang Zhen stop talking and turn their gazes toward her with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.
Jiang Zhen hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke under the watchful eyes of everyone: "Tianshui Academy... I've heard of it. Hmm... Since the dean is so kind, I'll make a visit if I have the time."
Upon hearing this, Mizuki's face instantly lit up with an irrepressible smile of surprise. She quickly bowed again, her voice tinged with excitement, "That's wonderful! Thank you, Your Majesty! The entire Tianshui Academy will certainly welcome you with open arms and await your esteemed presence!"
Having said that, she wisely refrained from further inquiries and left with a heart full of joy.
Seeing this, the leaders of the surrounding forces exchanged different glances, and in their hearts, they had a new assessment of the way this Lord Taiyi acted.
He seems...more easygoing, and more likely to accept academic invitations that are purely academic and have nothing to do with power struggles.
...