Several days later—
Danheng and his group arrived at the imperial capital of the Fontaine Empire, located at the southernmost tip of the nation, bordering the Star Luo Empire.
The city walls stood nearly ten zhang (about 30 meters) tall, with soul beasts patrolling the skies overhead.
The city gates were wide enough for five or six carriages to drive side by side without crowding—there was likely no gate in the world broader than this.
Stationed at the gate were two white jade rhinos—ten-thousand-year soul beasts—responsible for pulling open the massive gates.
Upon entering, they found wide avenues packed with seemingly endless rows of carriages.
Towering buildings lined the streets, many of them several dozen stories high.
The opulence and grandeur of this place were unmatched, far beyond what any other nation or kingdom could offer.
Clearly, Fontaine was far more advanced in governance than most other empires or realms.
As the group wandered through the city, they all felt the exotic, foreign charm of this place.
But there were… oddities.
Many of the men here wore green robes, masks, and had horn-like ornaments tied to their heads.
While the others were confused, Danheng and Gu Yuena understood immediately.
This style… was clearly modeled after Danheng himself.
Gu Yuena's expression darkened. She had never issued any decree to promote this style—so why was this suddenly the trend in Fontaine?
At the back of the group, Ziji had her head lowered, cold sweat pouring down her face.
She was terrified, completely regretting coming here.
How was she supposed to explain this now…?
The tour guide led the group to the hotel reserved for the Soul Master Tournament.
Waiting at the hotel entrance was Liu Erlong, who had arrived early.
"Mr. Danheng, Sister Gu…"
Liu Erlong greeted them warmly and quickly took over from the guide.
She led them to a private room she had reserved for a welcome feast.
In the private dining room, Liu Erlong beamed with excitement:"I've discovered that this is the country I love the most! They embody the very ideal I've always pursued—no distinction between nobles and commoners!"
Liu Erlong was clearly moved. She had built the Blue Tyrant Academy as a rebellion against the nobility-centric system—admitting only commoner students and rejecting even her own clan's soul masters.
But now, in Fontaine, she found a place that had gone even further—they had completely abolished the noble class.
It felt like she had returned home.
Gu Yuena smiled faintly—this was, in part, her own achievement.
She grasped Danheng's hand, her gaze full of meaning.
It was as if to say: "All of this… is the empire I've built for you."
Danheng nodded. "It really is impressive here…"
Of course he knew this was Gu Yuena's doing. He had to give his wife some credit.
Gu Yuena rested her head on Danheng's shoulder, her face glowing with joy.
Everyone else politely looked away from the loving couple—if they kept watching, they might get too full on "dog food" before the actual food arrived.
Just then, Ziji spoke up:
"Dean Liu, you've been here for a while, right? So you must know something about their Empress? She's amazing, right? Totally worthy of praise, right?"
Ziji gave Liu Erlong a pointed look—"Hurry up and praise me!"
If Gu Yuena found time to deal with her, she was doomed!
Liu Erlong paused, then smiled and nodded:"Fontaine owes everything it has today to the Empress. I really admire her. I'd love to meet such an exceptional woman in person…"
Ziji lifted her chin proudly—she had reigned as the actual Empress the longest!
Praising the Empress was praising her!
"Keep going, keep going!" Ziji urged.
Liu Erlong chuckled. "But really, there's no need to praise her. Anyone walking the streets can feel the people's love for her."
Everyone nodded in agreement. They'd heard endless stories and praises about the Empress from the citizens.
Then Liu Erlong leaned in and lowered her voice:"But I did hear some… insider secrets about the Empress from a local friend."
"Maybe don't say them…" Ziji's face paled, hastily trying to stop her.
"No one wants to hear it?" Liu Erlong hesitated.
"Speak," Gu Yuena said softly with a smile.
Ziji's pretty face turned paper white. She had a very bad feeling.
Liu Erlong took a sip of water, then said with a sly grin:
"First off, the Fontaine Empress might be secretly in love with a man she can't have!"
"!!!" Ziji's face turned deathly pale.
"What do you mean, Godmother?" Huo Wu asked curiously.
"You've seen it, right? All the 'Handsome Men Contests', the sculptures, the poems, the dances—all of them are about one specific man."
"And those handsome guys entering the palace? They all wear masks, all styled like him!"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Liu Erlong clapped her hands, eyes shining with amusement."Just imagine, a powerful Empress who's still pining for a man she can't have—that makes her feel so much more… human."
All the girls nodded. Love unfulfilled didn't care about status—it resonated with them all.
Ziji broke out in cold sweat, panicking:"That's slander! What do you mean 'love unfulfilled'? It's—it's just lust! No—no, it's not even that—it's just…"
She was rambling now, unable to look Gu Yuena in the eye.
Then Liu Erlong continued:"And my friend told me the Empress once got drunk, passed out in a garden, and was crying the man's name in her sleep! They say her tears even flooded the pavilion…"
"!!!" Ziji was as white as a ghost.
That… that was indeed an accident—but it wasn't tears, it was drool!
She had accidentally reverted to her true form and got startled by a maid's voice. She'd hurriedly changed back, forgetting to clean up the mess.
And she'd explicitly ordered that no one was to speak of that incident!
So how the hell did this become a rumor?!
She should have just killed all the maids back then!
"It was Bi Ji! It had to be Bi Ji…" Ziji stood up suddenly, flustered, and tried to blame it all on Bi Ji.
"???"
Bi Ji opened her mouth slightly. How did she get dragged into this?!
Liu Erlong blinked. "We were talking about the Empress. Why are you freaking out, Ziji?"
Gu Yuena smiled sweetly."Ziji, give Zhuqing the baby. Come with me."
Ziji plopped back into her seat, collapsing onto Bi Ji. "Sister… I think my butt…"
"Come." Gu Yuena's voice was gentle but firm.
Ziji's eyes glazed over, but she slowly stood and followed her out.
Liu Erlong asked, "What's wrong with Ziji? She looks really pale…"
Bi Ji answered weakly: "Her relatives came these past few days. She's lost a lot of blood…"
Huo Wu snorted with laughter.
With only Danheng as the lone male in the room, the girls didn't mind making these kinds of jokes.
When most of the group is female, their limits on jokes and teasing tend to be much looser than one might expect.
Besides, Danheng gave no hint of discomfort.
Suddenly—
"Rumble rumble…!!!"
The ground shook violently.
"Is that an earthquake? I think I hear thunder too?" Liu Erlong exclaimed.
Shui Yue'er leaned against the window, looking outside in puzzlement:"The sky is perfectly clear—not a cloud in sight."
After a while, the dishes were served.
But Gu Yuena and Ziji had not yet returned.
Danheng said, "Let's eat first…"
—
During the break, Gu Yuena and Ziji finally returned.
Ziji's face was pale, as if she'd lost a lot of blood. The other girls didn't find it strange—after all, relatives had come to visit, right?
Ziji smiled with relief and ordered another table of food and drinks by herself.
Bi Ji came over to keep her company, holding Bao'er.
"Ziji, can't you behave a little?"
Bi Ji approached, stroking Ziji's pale, enchanting face like white jade.
Ziji ignored the gesture, her mouth smeared with cooking oil as she playfully said:"Hehe, Sister, please forgive me…"
"I know you're wrong! Bi Ji, don't say useless things—otherwise next time you can be the one punished for me!"
Ziji grabbed Bi Ji's arm and said seriously.
Bi Ji's mouth twitched as she looked at the claw marks left by Ziji's hand on her emerald dress, thinking that maybe Ziji really needed a good scolding!
Otherwise, she would never learn!
Bao'er watched Ziji and blinked her big eyes, waving her hand. A gentle energy gathered from the air and formed a soft green light that spread over Ziji.
Ziji's depleted energy and blood rapidly recovered.
She opened her eyes wide, delighted, and immediately stood up to give Bao'er a big kiss.
Bi Ji hurriedly pulled Bao'er away.
"Don't do that!"
Ziji frowned, unhappy: "What's wrong with me kissing Bao'er? Bi Ji, you're such a bad woman for stopping me!"
"I—I'm not! At least wash up first, okay?" Bi Ji said, exasperated.
"So what?"
"Bao'er is Sister and Brother-in-law's child. You shouldn't spoil her like this. I should be the one taking care of her!"
Ziji put her hands on her hips and said firmly.
Bi Ji's mouth twitched hard as she looked at Ziji's radiant face.
She knew this woman knew she was wrong, but she'd still dare to do it next time—a truly stubborn one!
"I'm too lazy to argue with you!"
Bi Ji turned and ran off.
…
The next morning.
Qian Renxue suddenly came to find Danheng and told him about a situation.
"…Mr. Danheng, I'm now quite certain that Bibi Dong is lurking somewhere nearby you. I want to find her and hope to get your cooperation."
Qian Renxue's expression was awkward.
For a girl searching for her mother to have to rely on another man, she really felt exhausted!
Danheng frowned slightly. "How am I supposed to cooperate?"
Right now, he just wanted to drag Bibi Dong out and hand her over to Qian Renxue.
This mother and daughter duo caused too much trouble!
Qian Renxue lowered her head, feeling even more embarrassed, thinking it was all Bibi Dong's fault for making her bother Mr. Danheng.
"You… I want to invite Mr. Danheng to visit a place inside the city. It's very open around there, so Bibi Dong will find it hard to hide. When the time comes, I will catch her. Is that okay?"
Qian Renxue looked up at Danheng eagerly, feeling nervous inside and thinking she had troubled him too much.
Danheng nodded slightly, "Okay."
Qian Renxue breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and gritted her teeth: "This time, I won't let her escape!"
…
So Danheng went with Gu Yuena to the place Qian Renxue mentioned.
It was a hot spring area, still under construction and very spacious.
Naturally, the couple did not bring their children, walking and chatting as they went.
"Husband, do you like this place?"
Gu Yuena held Danheng's hand, their arms gently swinging together.
Danheng nodded slightly, smiling, "It really is nice here, I like it very much…"
"Then let's live here from now on? No one will disturb us, right?" Gu Yuena asked with anticipation.
This was her country. Living here would let her handle state affairs more conveniently and raise Longlong!
Plus, everything was under her control—no need to worry about accidents…
Danheng looked at Gu Yuena's expectant eyes, clear as crystal.
"All right…"
Danheng nodded in agreement.
Gu Yuena immediately hugged him and gently kissed his lips.
Suddenly, she whispered in Danheng's ear, "Husband, actually I'm feeling a little full…"
Danheng's face reddened slightly. Something his children hadn't even experienced—now coming to him?
As a father, he felt ashamed!
"That's not appropriate…"
Danheng hesitated.
At that moment, a sudden wave of soul energy surged from afar—two golden soul energies chasing after a purple one.
Bibi Dong, hiding in the shadows, was discovered!
"Don't run! Bibi Dong! You are my mother! How long do you intend to keep running?!"
Qian Renxue shouted loudly.
Bibi Dong said nothing, transforming into a red thread and disappearing swiftly.
Qian Renxue and Qian Daoliu chased after her relentlessly.
…
Meanwhile, the commotion caused by the three attracted the attention of many powerful experts.
After all, Bibi Dong was a god-level being, and when divine power fluctuated, it was hard not to be noticed.
The fierce beasts just happened to be gathering in the city, waiting to ask Danheng how to obtain godhood.
Sword Douluo and others arrived just in time, so the two groups met.
In the sky, the two groups faced off at a distance.
"That's them…" Sword Douluo said in a low voice.
They could sense each other—the godly inheritance the others had obtained was the same as theirs!
Because of these fierce beasts, the gods lowered the difficulty and gave them a chance; otherwise, almost no one could obtain the inheritance!
Emperor Tian and the other beasts moved directly toward them.
The beasts showed no goodwill.
After all, they were competitors on the path to godhood!
And direct competitors at that!
In fact, the gods had once wanted to kill them, and Sword Douluo's group represented the gods, so naturally, the beasts bore no goodwill toward them.
Bear Lord sneered: "Those gods really have no choice—they put their hopes in you. How many divine trials have you completed?"
Tang Xiao retorted: "You deceived the gods to get those trials, so what's there to be proud of? I've completed seven divine trials and am on the eighth! What about you?!"
"???!"
Bear Lord and the others were dumbfounded by this.
They had gotten their godly inheritance first, with Danheng even advising them.
Now they had been surpassed?
At this rate, wouldn't they lose any chance of godly inheritance?
(End of chapter)