Time flew. Ten years had passed since that wedding.
In those ten years, under Gu Ran's rule, the continent developed rapidly. All kinds of soul tools were invented. With no wars, development focused on daily life rather than combat.
One of the biggest contributors was Oslo. He had no wife to keep him company and nothing else to do. He had a shot at inheriting a god position, but he looked down on third- or second-level gods, aiming for first-level instead.
In researching soul tools, he comprehended the laws of a First-Level God: the God of Sloth.
Sloth is innate to everyone—a drive for comfort and less labor. That drive to make life, study, and work easier pushes people to change—and progress results.
For example, people didn't want to walk step by step, so they invented vehicles; they wanted to read but didn't want to copy by hand, so they invented printing; wanting simpler, more comfortable, and more convenient modes of life, study, and work pushes people to change and invent tools.
With that philosophy—diligent for the sake of sloth, mastering sloth without being mastered—he attracted the God of Destruction's notice as that god atoned in the God Realm. Eager to complete the Seven Deadly Sins, the God of Destruction was impressed and granted Oslo the Sloth God's trials.
Yu Tianheng, buoyed by the Holy Emperor's rewards, jumped straight to level 99. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's lightning evolved into ultimate lightning, gained Thunder God's recognition, and he began the Thunder God Nine Trials.
The rest of the Emperor Battle Team also received trials. The Holy Emperor's boons gave each of them godhood potential.
Qin Ming became a Second-Level Wolf God. Dugu Yan became a Second-Level Poison God. Yu Feng became one of the Wind God's three subordinate deities—the God of Gale (alongside Breeze and Tempest).
Shi Mo and Shi Mo (the brothers) became Second-Level Gods of Defense and Resistance.
Zhu Zhuqing and Oscar remained the God of Speed and Food God, respectively. Shui Bing'er received the Phoenix God inheritance originally granted to Ma Hongjun in the original work.
With everyone set on their paths, Tianlin could relax and, as promised, take Ning Rongrong to travel the whole planet for their honeymoon.
They discovered several new continents, including the Sun-Moon continent.
Tianlin did not interfere with continents that already had human civilizations. He did, however, relocate two slightly smaller, uninhabited continents and merge them with Douluo, tripling its area.
This gave the people more land and resources.
Gu Ran accepted his boss's gift without hesitation, sending teams to develop the two new lands.
Over these ten years, Douluo's population surged, and both the number and strength of soul masters rose sharply.
If anyone was unhappy, it was Ning Fengzhi. He wanted to become a god too—the God of Wisdom position awaited exploration. But Tianlin had kee[ Ning Rongrong for ten years. With no other qualified heir, Ning Fengzhi had to keep managing the sect.
The sect was renamed the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect. Using the Holy Spirit Pearl, Tianlin removed the Ning family's bloodline defects, so even without immortal herbs, Eight or Nine Treasures Glazed Pagodas would appear from time to time.
Ning Fengzhi's sons had limited talent; they only advanced to Eight Treasures and were unfit to inherit the position of sect master.
One day, Ning Fengzhi's secretary ran into his study, thrilled. "They're back, Sect Master! Young Master Tianlin and Miss Rongrong have returned!"
He leapt up. "Really? Excellent! Those two took a ten-year honeymoon. Finally! Pass the order—we'll hold the ceremony to pass the sect master's seat to Rongrong."
"Fengzhi, calm down. The kids just got back; don't rush," Chen Xin advised.
"No time. Right now. What if they run off again?" Ning Fengzhi sounded like the Asura God once did—once he'd set a new target, he couldn't wait to resign his office life.
…
Just outside the study, Tianlin and Rongrong heard the roar. They pushed the door open sheepishly. Ning Rongrong said timidly, "Papa, Grandpa, we're back."
Even as a Holy Emperor and Holy Empress–level pairing, they still respected their elders as always.
"Good, good," Chen Xin smiled, ruffling their hair.
"Master, I heard outside—Father plans to pass the sect master's seat to Rongrong?" Tianlin said, awkward. "But I planned to head to the God Realm with Rongrong ahead of schedule."
"What?" Ning Fengzhi exploded, all sage-like calm shattered. "Xiao Tian, if you take Rongrong away, what about my Nine Treasures Glazed Sect? Right now, only I and she have Nine Treasures. Years ago I decreed: only Nine Treasures can inherit. Don't make me go back on my word!"
"Papa, don't be mad," Ning Rongrong said quickly, soothing him. "Brother Sword has important work to do. Douluo's expansion is complete, but the God Realm's isn't."
"Brother Sword is going to the God Realm to help the God of Destruction expand it. Only then can the rules change so that Second-Level Gods can bring their spouses, avoiding separation of mortals and gods."
In truth, Tianlin was strong enough to forcibly bring everyone up, but as the law's enforcer, he didn't want to flout the rules he set, just because he could. If the law doesn't bind the exalted, what's the point?
So he would proceed with the plan to expand the God Realm, restoring the ancient rules so Second-Level Gods could bring family.
He had promised his brothers and friends—they would not suffer a tragic separation.
Ning Fengzhi sighed and nodded. Had Tianlin been off to play, he'd be furious. But since it was official business, he accepted it.
"What about the sect? I want to become a god too. Someone needs to hold the fort," he grumbled.
Tianlin smiled. "Of course, Father-in-law. I'm here to deliver your successor as sect master—and your future guardian Douluo."
He looked back toward the door. "You two, get in here."
Two timid little figures peeped around the door, then shrank back, seeing strangers inside.
Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Ning Fengzhi had already noticed. Kids ran around the sect all the time, and Ning Fengzhi was lenient. They thought it was just mischief. But now it seemed…
"Tian'er, Liuli, get in here. Pay respects to your grandpa and great-grandpa," Ning Rongrong scolded the two little rascals.
A boy and a girl of the same age, looking very alike—dragon-phoenix twins—walked in. The boy, braver, bowed. "Hello, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa. I'm Jun Yuetian, Liuli's older brother."
The girl, shyer, hid behind Ning Rongrong. "Mama, will Grandpa and Great-Grandpa be as nice as Grandpa and Grandma?"
Before coming, Tianlin had taken them to see Jun Tianhai and Mo Lan, who adored their grandchildren.
Ning Rongrong crouched and smiled gently. "Of course. They'll love you just the same. Go on."
Encouraged, the girl mustered courage and stepped out. "Hello, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa. I'm Jun Liuli, my brother's sister."
Even in introductions, they mentioned each other—their sibling bond was clear.
The boy was named Jun Yuetian—Tianlin's hope that he'd surpass him. The girl was named Liuli—Ning Rongrong's hope that she'd inherit the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.
"Xiao Tian… they are your and Rongrong's children?" Chen Xin asked, excited.
Tianlin nodded. "Yes, eight years old. Yuetian, Liuli—report your spirits and levels."
Jun Yuetian stepped forward. "Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, my spirit is the Demon Sword. I'm eight, level 52, an attack-type battle soul master."
Liuli hid behind her brother. "M-my spirit is the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda. I'm eight, level 48, a support-type tool soul master."
The three elders were stunned. Those levels at eight? Even Tianlin hadn't been that strong at eight.
Tianlin smiled. "Both were born at level 30. With my Nuwa Emperor Meditation Method, they cultivate several times faster than a typical innate full soul power, so they're slightly higher than average. Not bad, right? Sadly, my Demon Sword, like Nine-Heart Begonia, passes only to one descendant; the Holy Spirit Pearl can't be inherited either. So Liuli can only have Nine Treasures. But that's fine—after a few years, she'll be ready to inherit the sect, right?"
"Of course—this talent is perfect. As expected of the Holy Emperor and Empress's children," Chen Xin said, scooping both up. "Liuli, don't worry. After you become sect master, Great-Grandpa will protect you. Yuetian too—Great-Grandpa will teach you all my sword arts."
"Old Sword, what's this? You're hogging both—give me one!" Gu Rong was anxious. If not for losing to Chen Xin, he'd have snatched one away.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, you'll scare them. Go discuss who holds whom. I'll watch them for now," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile, quickly sweet-talking the two elders into their usual bickering.
He then monopolized the kids, coaxing them to call him grandpa.
"Father-in-law, then Rongrong and I…?" Tianlin probed.
"Oh, you're going to the God Realm? As you like," Ning Fengzhi waved absently, still playing with the children. "Come on, Yuetian, Liuli—call Grandpa!"
Tianlin and Ning Rongrong were helpless. With grandchildren around, even a most beloved daughter and son-in-law became background NPCs.
…
Eight more years passed. Though they intended to go to the God Realm, they didn't leave while the kids were young. They waited until the twins were sixteen.
Afterwards, though their true bodies wouldn't descend easily, they could send a divine sense down sometimes. With the kids' talent, godhood was only a matter of time.
With everyone in the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect watching, Tianlin and Ning Rongrong opened the God Realm gate and ascended. Other relatives and friends would be brought up after the expansion, when more slots were available. Between their four god positions, they could bring all family.
…
Far away, Qian Renxue—traveling the land purifying evil and saving people—sensed the gate open and smiled beautifully. "You two are heading to the God Realm so soon? Then I should set off too."
Wings unfurled—Twelve-Winged Holy Seraph. Her contribution back then had been great, and her power had grown accordingly. Once fully absorbed, she would break through to Supreme God King.
She flapped her wings and flew toward the God Realm. "Xiao Tian, don't forget—you still owe me a promise!"