After breaking through to level forty, Tang San didn't announce it. He chose to go hunting for spirit rings alone quietly.
The reason for doing this was that Tang San wanted to learn from Meng Bei and hunt a spirit beast that exceeded the optimal spirit ring age limit.
He didn't plan to publicize this matter.
Because Tang San was afraid that if the Grandmaster found out, he would try to stop him.
Tang San's relationship with the Grandmaster was now very delicate.
Tang San already knew that the Grandmaster's theories had problems.
However, the two had several years of master-disciple bond. This nominal relationship still existed. If the Grandmaster strongly prevented Tang San from obtaining a spirit ring exceeding the optimal age limit, it would be very troublesome for Tang San.
To avoid this unnecessary trouble, Tang San simply chose to go hunting for spirit rings alone in secret.
On the other side, only three days remained until Meng Bei's wedding.
The Imperial Grand Hall.
The most solemn building in the entire empire.
It was said that this structure was originally built thousands of years ago when the Heaven Dou Empire was first established, personally commissioned by the first Heaven Dou Empire emperor.
Royal weddings and funerals, including the emperor's own enthronement ceremony and the ennoblement ceremonies of major nobles—these extremely solemn occasions generally needed to be held in the Imperial Grand Hall.
At this moment, three days before the marriage of Imperial Princess Ning Rongrong, the Imperial Grand Hall had already been prepared and decorated in advance.
On the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's side, many guests had accordingly arrived.
The Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, Yu Yuanzhen, and his brother Yu Luomian, as well as the Clear Sky Sect Master Tang Xiao and Seventh Elder Blazing Sun Douluo, had all arrived.
The Upper Three Sects shared a common bond. The three sect leaders arriving three days early undoubtedly gave Ning Fengzhi great face.
It was also at this time that Meng Bei met the current Clear Sky Sect Master Tang Xiao and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen for the first time.
This meeting naturally had no conflicts.
Tang Xiao didn't know that Meng Bei was behind Tang Hao.
Therefore, Tang Xiao's attitude toward Meng Bei was very friendly.
Yu Yuanzhen was the same.
Because he had heard that Meng Bei seemed to have a good relationship with his son Yu Xiaogang.
Previously, Meng Bei had even asked Yu Xiaogang to help receive guests. Those visiting guests were all either wealthy or noble. Clearly, this kind of work wouldn't be easily entrusted to outsiders if the relationship wasn't close.
Yu Xiaogang, as Yu Yuanzhen's biological son—although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family had always regarded Yu Xiaogang as a disgrace externally, this was just a helpless statement under pressure. In reality, Yu Yuanzhen still cared deeply for Yu Xiaogang.
Otherwise, with just Yu Xiaogang's own abilities, he wouldn't even have had the chance to meet Bibi Dong.
Precisely because of this connection, Yu Yuanzhen's attitude toward Meng Bei was very friendly.
On the other side, when the Upper Three Sects arrived, people from Meng Bei's family side also arrived simultaneously.
The visitor was the current Meng Clan patriarch and also the old City Lord of Snow Rabbit City—Meng Gu!
This was Meng Bei's great-great-grandfather generation. Previously, Meng Bei had only been fortunate enough to see him at clan-wide meetings. Seeing him again now, Meng Gu had aged even more compared to those years.
Meng Gu was a level 88 Contra. However, due to his advanced age, it would be difficult for him to break through in a few more years. In bad circumstances, his spirit power might even regress.
After seeing Meng Bei, Meng Gu only stroked Meng Bei's hair with his hand and said: "Good child, good child."
Meng Bei seriously suspected that this old ancestor simply didn't remember his name.
This wasn't without basis, because the old City Lord had not managed affairs for many years. Now, all matters of the Snow Rabbit Clan were handled by the old City Lord's son.
This young City Lord had also broken through to Contra level. However, because the year-end was approaching and there were many matters in the city—especially the need to guard against spirit beast sieges—he hadn't come.
At the same time, accompanying Meng Gu were the Snow Fox Clan City Lord Hu Nian and the Snow Wolf Clan old City Lord Bai Lianya.
Among them, Hu Nian was the new patriarch of the Snow Fox Clan, a level 82 Contra. His generation was one below both Meng Gu and Bai Lianya.
The reason for this was that the old patriarch of the Snow Fox Clan had died in battle during a spirit beast siege several years ago.
The current Snow Fox Clan was the most depleted among the three cities of the Extreme North.
When Hu Nian met Meng Bei, his face also bore a worried expression.
The last was Bai Lianya, who had the highest cultivation among the three.
Level 93 Snow Wolf Douluo.
He was also the only man among the three clans who could inherit the ancestor's title.
After spirit masters broke through to Title Douluo, their strength and lifespan would both increase tremendously. Generally, a normal Title Douluo could basically have a lifespan of three hundred years. For this reason, although Bai Lianya was the oldest among everyone, his appearance was actually the youngest.
"Snow Wolf Your Excellency!"
Meng Bei respectfully greeted him.
Bai Lianya glanced at Meng Bei and gave an indifferent hum without saying anything.
Bai Lianya seemed slightly dissatisfied with Meng Bei.
The reason was that the three clans of the Extreme North had always intermarried with each other.
For a thousand years, the three clans of the Extreme North had been rooted in the Extreme North and had never migrated outward.
If following convention, Meng Bei, as a young talent of the Snow Rabbit Clan, should have married a young woman from either the Snow Wolf Clan or Snow Fox Clan. Now, however, Meng Bei had left the Extreme North to marry the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Master on the continent.
In the eyes of the rather old-fashioned Snow Wolf Douluo, this behavior undoubtedly meant Meng Bei disdained the harsh cold of the Extreme North, betrayed his ancestors' teachings, and instead ran to the continent to pursue pleasure.
Meng Bei had nothing to say about this.
Those with different paths cannot work together.
In his view, repaying the family was fine.
But if they wanted him to stay in the Extreme North for his entire life and sacrifice everything for it—that was impossible.
However, although Snow Wolf Douluo was slightly dissatisfied with Meng Bei, he was still quite restrained. At least he had still come to attend Meng Bei's wedding.
From this, it could be seen that Snow Wolf Douluo's opinion of Meng Bei wasn't really that serious.
Subsequently, the people from the three clans of the Extreme North also met with the sect masters of the Upper Three Sects.
Tang Xiao and Yu Yuanzhen still gave Meng Bei great face. They didn't put on any airs at all and very amiably made contact with the several clan leaders from the Extreme North.
Next, the wedding preparations proceeded as scheduled.
Before long.
The Lower Four Sects arrived as promised.
Other large and small sects, academies, families, etc. also sent representatives.
Even the Star Luo Empire's royal family sent the First Prince to offer congratulations.
Additionally, the Star Luo Empire's patron sect, Star Crown Sect, also sent high-level members.
Although Star Crown Douluo didn't personally come, this wasn't because he didn't value Meng Bei.
It was mainly because the relationship between Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire was what it was. As a Title Douluo, Star Crown Douluo alone was equivalent to an army. Rashly appearing in Heaven Dou Empire's capital would indeed be somewhat inappropriate.
On Spirit Hall's side, Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo personally came bearing the Pope's congratulatory gifts, and several Cardinal Archbishops also came to offer congratulations. Pope Bibi Dong hadn't come, but it was said she would personally come on the wedding day itself.
After all, as the Pope, appearing last was reasonable.
Poison Douluo didn't plan to attend the wedding.
On one hand, it was because of Dugu Yan. On the other hand, Dugu Bo still needed to protect Emperor Xue Ye.
Soon it was the wedding day.
The entire city was festive.
(End of Chapter)