Setting aside the current political situation, now that he knew this was the Dou Ling Continent, Yun Ming had a general understanding of the orientation of the Douluo Continent. Judging by the direction of the continental migration in later generations, the Douluo Continent should be directly east of the Dou Ling Continent; he had found the way home.
Yun Ming had finished learning everything he needed to learn, and his time with the Guo family was naturally drawing to a close.
Yun Ming looked at Guo Sheng and spoke in the local Blood Nether language he had just learned, which still sounded slightly awkward.
"Uncle Guo, thank you for your hard work in teaching me for these two full days."
Guo Sheng dared not act presumptuous and responded respectfully.
"It is because you are extremely intelligent, my lord; it was no trouble at all."
Even though Yun Ming had seemed quite amiable over the past two days, he still dared not cross any lines in his words or actions before him.
Yun Ming smiled at this.
"Regardless of how you put it, it has been a trouble for you these past two days. Now that my request has been fulfilled, I will return the favor as promised. I wonder if Uncle Guo has any thoughts on this?"
Upon hearing that Yun Ming was giving him a choice, Guo Sheng was overjoyed. He hurriedly pulled his son Guo Hai, who was standing behind him looking less restrained, to come forward, and they knelt together to plead.
"My lord, I know my request is somewhat excessive, but if possible, I would like to ask for a chance for my son, Guo Hai, to undergo the Awakening Ritual. I beg you to grant this!"
Yun Ming was not surprised by Guo Sheng's request. Ordinary people could only achieve social mobility by becoming a Soul Master; this was the same across all four continents of Douluo Star. He helped the father and son up and said calmly.
"Uncle Guo, please rise. Xiao Hai has already turned six, so there is no reason not to hold the ritual. There is no need for such grand gestures."
The Guo father and son thanked him repeatedly upon hearing this. Yun Ming responded briefly and then let Guo Hai step forward, reminding him.
"Xiao Hai, I will perform the Heaven's Chosen Ritual for you in a moment. You may experience some unusual physical reactions during the process, but these are normal phenomena, so do not worry."
Guo Hai nodded repeatedly at these words. To become a Heaven's Chosen! Never mind a little reaction; as long as he didn't die, he would do anything!
After giving his warning, Yun Ming took action. Six pitch-black Awakening Stones appeared out of thin air around Guo Hai. A golden light lit up at his fingertips and shot into the stones, and the awakening began.
Watching the faint light of awakening rise around him, he knew there was no hope; a martial soul of this level certainly possessed no soul power. Whether one could pursue the profession of a Heaven's Chosen, or a Soul Master, was in most cases destined by the heavens. Without innate soul power, one basically lacked the qualifications to walk this path.
Yun Ming turned his head to look at the expression on Guo Sheng's face—anxious yet hopeful—and felt a pang of sympathy. To have a dream born only to be quickly shattered was perhaps worse than never having had a dream at all. Very well, for the sake of Guo Sheng having been his teacher for two days, he would see this through to the end.
An orange-gold spirit ring appeared at Yun Ming's feet and lit up, and a white barrier emerged to envelop both Yun Ming and Guo Hai. Just as the martial soul was about to take shape, Yun Ming flicked his finger, injecting a trace of World Force into the martial soul to make up for the innate soul power he lacked.
After completing the remedial work, Yun Ming finished his task, and Guo Hai's martial soul revealed its true form: a fishing harpoon. It was quite fitting for a boy from the seaside.
Seeing that his son's martial soul had awakened and that Yun Ming had put his things away, Guo Sheng asked nervously.
"My lord, did Xiao Hai succeed?"
He was a man who had been out in the world; although he hadn't managed to secure a qualification for his son's awakening ritual, he was well aware that becoming a Heaven's Chosen required heaven's favor.
Yun Ming smiled and nodded.
"Innate level two. Although his talent is average, he has the qualifications to become a Heaven's Chosen."
Level two was not Yun Ming's limit, but it was the limit of Guo Hai's martial soul; that was all there was to it.
The father and son were overjoyed, unable to believe it had actually worked, and danced with excitement. Guo Sheng even shed tears of joy, taking his son to kowtow repeatedly to their ancestors and to Yun Ming in gratitude. Yun Ming pulled them both up and comforted them with several words before finally coaxing Guo Hai back to his senses.
Seeing that the father and son had calmed down for the moment, Yun Ming tapped his finger on Guo Hai's forehead, force-feeding information into his sea of consciousness regarding the basics of cultivation, such as basic meditation methods, recommendations for selecting the first three spirit rings nearby, and relevant information about soul beast ages.
"Xiao Hai, this is some basic knowledge about cultivation. I hope it will be of help to you."
"Also, remember! Awakening is only the beginning. The cultivation of a Heaven's Chosen relies on perseverance. What realm you reach in the future will depend entirely on yourself."
Yun Ming did not transmit much information, and Guo Hai only felt a slight headache, nothing serious. Hearing Yun Ming's words, he responded loudly.
"Yes, my lord!"
Looking at the determination in Guo Hai's eyes, Yun Ming nodded, his body ascending into the air, and he looked at the two of them.
"Alright, Uncle Guo, Xiao Hai, our business here is concluded. May we meet again if fate allows!"
Guo father and son: "Take care on your journey, my lord!"
Yun Ming smiled slightly, and the spirit power flames on his body surged. It was as if a second sun had appeared above the village; in an instant, the heavens and earth changed color, and an boundless, majestic aura was released.
"Take care."
Yun Ming replied, and the sun shifted from absolute stillness to rapid motion, tearing through the skyline of clouds and speeding off into the distance.
Only at this moment did Guo Sheng realize what a massive stroke of luck his family had encountered. Although he could not fathom Yun Ming's realm, the strongest seven-ring Heaven's Chosen he had seen before seemed like nothing more than a firefly compared to Yun Ming's current momentum; the contrast was simply too stark. Thinking of this, he instructed his son.
"Hai'er, you must study what the lord left behind today diligently. You must never let him down!"
The young Guo Hai nodded in agreement.
"Yes, Father! Hai'er will certainly keep it in his heart."
The grand momentum of Yun Ming's departure also left a deep impression on Guo Hai. In the future, he would always remain humble, break through the shackles of his talent, achieve five rings, and become a renowned generation of Sea King in this region—Yun Ming's 'teaching' today played an indispensable role!
After finally broadening Guo Hai's horizons, Yun Ming traveled eastward toward his next destination: Cang Hai City, where Guo Hai had previously served as a soldier.
Cang Hai City was located three hundred miles east of Guo Village. During the flight, Yun Ming looked at the terrain over those three hundred miles and suddenly understood why Guo Village had been able to remain stable amidst the current chaotic situation. The geographical environment within these three hundred miles was simply too poor; such a massive, barren mountain range of strange rocks stretched across the land, completely blocking any possibility of outsiders coming this way!
What was originally a bad thing had now become a good thing for avoiding the ravages of war. Misfortune and fortune are interdependent; the ancestors truly did not deceive me... ah, the ancestor who said this probably hasn't even been born yet. Never mind.
Yun Ming released his spiritual power to scan the area and, upon discovering a vein of Earth Mother Iron Ore buried three miles underground, understood the reason for this place becoming as it was. It was no surprise that the nutrients had nourished a rare metal vein. He noted the location of the vein in his mind and continued toward his destination.
Having found the vein, Yun Ming couldn't be bothered to fly anymore. He extended his spiritual power eastward to locate Cang Hai City, and after a flash of silver light, Yun Ming vanished, reappearing at the city gates.
Looking at the three characters for Cang Hai City at the gate, Yun Ming began to recall the geographical information Guo Hai had imparted. Cang Hai City belonged to the Blood Nether Kingdom, which ranked fourth in overall strength among the seven kingdoms of the continent, and it was adjacent to the second most powerful nation on the continent, the Saint Spirit Kingdom.
Yun Ming arriving on the Dou Ling Continent now was an accident, but also an opportunity, because after calculating, he realized this was likely the best starting point for his path to godhood.
By the time one reaches Yun Ming's level of cultivation, the treasures of the world are basically useless to him, but there is one thing that might always be useful: Faith Power.
The faith of the Douluo Continent and the oceans is occupied by the Angel and the Sea God; the Sun Moon Continent has already embarked on the path of Soul Guidance Technology by this time, with thoughts enlightened and a shift toward believing in technology; as for the remaining Star Luo Continent, according to historical records, it seems to still be under the rule of Soul Beasts, with the human race weak and low in population. Calculating it this way, the war-torn Dou Ling Continent, in terms of faith, population, and the living conditions of the common people, is actually the best place for him to gather pure faith.
Therefore, Yun Ming set a small goal: to pacify the seven kingdoms and unify the Dou Ling Continent. And this goal would start with Cang Hai City.
The soldiers in front of the city gate froze at the sudden appearance of Yun Ming, but immediately, at the signal of the garrison commander, the black-armored soldiers quickly took their positions, forming a military formation to surround him.
The leading Black Armor General, holding a long blade, shouted at Yun Ming.
"I don't know how to address this friend! What is your business entering our Cang Hai City?"
Currently, the Blood Ming and Saint Spirit kingdoms are at war. Although Cang Hai City is considered a remote area for both, and not the main battlefield, it lies on the border between the two and is naturally within the conflict zone. Security is much tighter than usual; even ordinary citizens are strictly interrogated when entering or leaving, let alone a mysterious powerhouse like Yun Ming who teleported directly into their faces.
Yun Ming looked at the leading Black Armor General without answering, a faint golden light flickering in his eyes as he slightly leaked the soul power pressure of a top-tier Super Douluo.
Thud.
Ge Deng.
The soldiers in front of the gate knelt in unison, their weapons clattering to the ground. At this moment, they felt as if the sky above them had collapsed and crashed directly onto them. Forget about standing to defend; they were barely conscious.
The leading Black Armor General fared slightly better. Although he was also pressed to the ground, he still had the strength to speak, but did he dare? As a three-ring powerhouse, he couldn't even withstand a single glance from this person. Even the seven-ring general who came to Cang Hai City to set up defenses five years ago couldn't give him this feeling. It was clear how terrifying the opponent's strength was—it was completely bottomless!
Yun Ming glanced at him and said indifferently.
"I don't like being pointed at with blades, so I'm letting you all lie down and calm down for a moment. Any problems?"
Cold sweat streamed down the Black Armor General's face as he struggled to respond.
"No... no problems. This lowly one failed to recognize a superior and offended you, sir. I deserve to be punished!"
To offend a powerhouse of this level and not be killed was already a testament to the other party's good temper; he didn't dare to say another word.
Hearing how nervous the man was, Yun Ming didn't change his tone and continued to ask.
"Is the current City Lord of your Cang Hai City in the city?"
"City Lord Han Yang is in the city."
The Black Armor General answered honestly without the slightest hesitation. He only earned so much salary a month; expecting him to offend a powerhouse of this level was pure delusion.
Yun Ming nodded.
"Good, then go notify your City Lord and tell him to come to the city gate tower to see me. Tell him I want to offer him a fortune."
After speaking, Yun Ming didn't wait for a reply, and with a flash of silver light, he vanished. The pressure weighing down on the black-armored man also dissipated completely.
As the pressure faded, the black-armored man gasped for air. In just this short moment, his clothes had been soaked through with sweat, as if he had been fished out of water. It was too terrifying; he had never seen such a terrifying person in his life. He glanced back at the city tower above, then stood up shakily and headed toward the City Lord's Mansion without a moment's delay. Now, Yun Ming's words were the highest will for his actions; he didn't dare to think about anything else.
The citizens in the city watched the second-in-command of the City Guard running in such a panic, not knowing what had happened. If they hadn't heard any commotion outside, they would have thought the Saint Spirit Kingdom nearby had attacked!
As the Black Armor General moved vigorously, his body's functions slowly recovered. He ran faster and faster, and at full speed, it took him less than a quarter of an hour to cross the city and reach the City Lord's Mansion. Seeing the guards of the mansion trying to stop him, he hurriedly shouted his report.
"Urgent report from the city gate, an unknown powerhouse has descended upon Cang Hai City!!"
After stepping into the city tower, Yun Ming sat in the seat of honor, closed his eyes to rest, and waited for the visitor.
Click.
Clang, clang.
After an unknown amount of time, hearing the faint footsteps and the sound of weapons and armor colliding, Yun Ming said indifferently.
"Since you've arrived, come in openly!"
Yun Ming's voice was not loud, but under his precise control, everyone, regardless of distance, heard his words clearly at the same volume.
The person in charge outside the tower, hearing that he hadn't managed to deceive the other party, stopped hiding. He led a team of guards in blood-red armor with long blades, who looked fierce and ruthless, straight into the tower to face Yun Ming.
Yun Ming opened his eyes slightly, looked at the middle-aged man in front of him wearing a green brocade robe, with a tall stature and white temples, yet still possessing a heroic spirit, and closed his eyes again to command.
"A six-ring body double? You certainly value your own safety. However, it's useless."
"Come out! Don't play hide-and-seek with me; you can't afford to play."
The heroic middle-aged man in green replied.
"I am indeed the City Lord of Cang Hai City, Han—"
Yun Ming: "Three."
The heroic middle-aged man in green: "This little—"
Yun Ming: "Two."
Seeing that Yun Ming ignored him completely, the heroic middle-aged man in green felt a flash of shock in his eyes, but also a surge of anger; this was too disrespectful. He stopped talking, wanting to see what Yun Ming could actually do.
Seeing how young Yun Ming was, he didn't really believe the intelligence from the messenger earlier. No matter how talented someone was, they wouldn't have a cultivation level exceeding five rings at this age, as there was no precedent.
Yun Ming: "One."
As the words fell, Yun Ming opened his eyes, staring directly at the armored man in red at the very back on the green-clad man's right side, releasing a terrifying aura of imperial command.
Crack, crack.
The city tower shook, the walls cracked, and the entire side of the city wall began to crumble. Everyone else present fainted instantly in the face of this aura, leaving only the armored man in red kneeling on the ground, unable to rise.
Thud, thud, thud.
Yun Ming stood up and walked slowly toward Han Yang; each soft footfall felt as if it were stepping directly onto his heart, making him feel as though his very soul were about to shatter.
"I told you, you can't afford to play this game!" Yun Ming looked down at him, his voice calm.
At this moment, Han Yang had only one thought in his mind.
I'm finished.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader