The sun shone brightly in the sky, and Mingdu City was at its most bustling time. In a wide square within the city, people came and went. Occasionally, someone would walk over to the several giant steles standing on one side of the square and look at the text recorded on them.
Three years. It had already been three years since the Continental War ended. In today's Mingdu City, there were not only people from the Sun Moon Empire, but also quite a few people from the three great empires who had traveled vast distances to come here and experience a style completely different from other cities.
No. For the current Douluo Continent, there was no longer a distinction between people of the Sun Moon Empire or the three great empires. On this continent, there was now only one empire.
The giant steles beside the square had many names carved on them. They were originally erected to commemorate the warriors who had died in the war, but as people discovered that some of the names still belonged to those living in the world, these giant steles had also become monuments to those who had brought major changes to the Sun Moon Empire.
One of the giant steles looked particularly eye-catching and was different from the others around it. The base of the stele was made from a mix of various materials, as if pieced together from fragments of all sizes.
As it went upward, the colors of the stele's body gradually blended, merging harmoniously into one, reflecting a profound luster under the sunlight.
The inscription on the stele was no longer about the deeds of the Sun Moon Empire's "Father of Soul Guidance Materials" as it had been when it was first built. It was now also about the deeds of today's National Teacher of the Sun Moon Empire and the number one person on the Douluo Continent.
Many people had already come here more than once, but every time they saw the text above, they would still stop for a moment.
The noisy sounds of children playing continuously rang out around them, mixed with the voices of many adults reminding the children to be careful.
With the development of soul guidance device technology, people gradually had more free time. Now, whether in Mingdu City or other places, soul guidance devices could be seen everywhere one looked.
Even those who had not been very optimistic about soul guidance devices before, and had even been quite resistant to them, had now become accustomed to the various conveniences brought by soul guidance devices.
In the center of Mingdu, near the imperial palace, security remained strict, but the number of guards had clearly decreased significantly. More automatic soul guidance devices had gradually replaced the tasks that originally required soul masters or soul mentors to complete.
The study that had been destroyed back then in the battle between Lin Xiao and Kong Deming had long been rebuilt. Sun Moon patterns adorned it. Inside the study, Ju Zi was sitting in the main seat, listening to a minister beside her reporting on state affairs.
"…Reporting to the Holy Empress, the above is what this minister observed during this inspection tour of the empire's various territories. In the former territories of the three great empires, the popularization degree of soul guidance devices has already reached the predetermined target."
"The buildings and assets destroyed by the war have been fully restored, and basically no resistance incidents occur in various places anymore."
The minister spoke and paused slightly. "As for the matter that the Holy Empress specially instructed before my departure, this minister also paid extra attention to it."
"Whether from reports by local lords or from secret investigations conducted by this minister's people, we only occasionally hear news of evil soul masters appearing. After reporting to the local officials, they are quickly dealt with."
"The influence brought by the Holy Spirit Cult back then should have been completely pacified."
The minister added one last sentence.
Although he did not fully know why Ju Zi, as the Empress Dowager of the Sun Moon Empire, paid special attention to the matter of evil soul masters, after so many years in the imperial court, he had some guesses and thus added a few words without leaving any trace.
"Mm, I know."
Behind the desk, Ju Zi slightly raised her hand. It was unknown whether she had heard the minister's careful thoughts in front of her; her tone only carried a slight weariness.
"Compile these reports into a volume and send a copy to the Emperor as well."
"Yes." The minister bowed slightly.
Although the current Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire was still a little child who could not even speak clearly, Ju Zi was, after all, only the Empress Dowager, and some rules could not be broken.
Ju Zi looked at a small lamp placed on the desk. The gray candle flame inside the lamp flickered, seeming a bit brighter than before.
"You may withdraw first."
"Yes." Hearing Ju Zi speak, the minister bowed again and left the study.
Ju Zi raised her eyes and waved her hand slightly to both sides. The surrounding maids and guards sensibly bowed and retreated, then quietly closed the door of the room.
Only then did Ju Zi lean back slightly in her chair, wanting to relax a little. But having sat high on the Empress Dowager's throne for so long, even with no one around, she had forgotten for a moment how to relax.
"You are the National Teacher of the Sun Moon Empire. I have already said that you can come and go freely in my place without needing to inform me in advance every time."
With a slight sigh, Ju Zi spoke softly.
"Visiting without notice will always cause many inconveniences."
Lin Xiao's voice suddenly rang out from within the study.
Ju Zi looked forward in the direction of the voice and saw that Lin Xiao had already sat on one side at some point, as if he had been sitting there from the very beginning.
Although Ju Zi's cultivation talent was not high, she could still feel that Lin Xiao before her was even more terrifying than the last time she had seen him.
She just had no way of knowing exactly what level his cultivation had reached.
Not just her; on the current Douluo Continent, almost no soul master could guess to what extent Lin Xiao's strength had reached.
After all, three years ago, he could already confront Di Tian head-on, and in the years since, no one had forced him to take action, making it even more impossible to judge.
"The Sun Moon Empire has unified the Douluo Continent for so many years now, yet you have only been concerned with the affairs of your Tongming Cult and have never made any requests here with me."
"It's enough. You can't help me much in other places."
"But the Sun Moon Empire can." Ju Zi looked at Lin Xiao, her tone changing slightly, but in the end, she was vastly different from the Ju Zi of the past.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao turned his head and glanced at Ju Zi, sighing slightly in his heart. "I know what you're worried about. Rest assured, I do have other purposes, but they won't affect what you want to do."
Having been in a high position for a long time and dealing every day with that group of ministers full of twists and turns in their bellies, Ju Zi inevitably had some suspicion toward others.
For Lin Xiao, who had helped her all the way to obtain her current power yet had never made any additional requests, a trace of unease had unconsciously arisen in her heart.
Lin Xiao was not surprised. After all, he did have some things hidden from Ju Zi, but the things he was hiding were not something she could come into contact with.
Ju Zi stared at Lin Xiao for a moment, and her eyes finally softened a little.
"Unknowingly, three years have already passed. The Continental War back then lasted only two years, but to allow the Douluo Continent to recover from the chaos of war, I have spent more time than the war itself."
"You are very remarkable." Lin Xiao's expression finally changed a little, gaining a bit more vitality.
This was not flattery; in his heart, he truly admired Ju Zi. Not everyone in her position could achieve such accomplishments.
Ju Zi had always been quite ambitious, and her abilities were indeed worthy of that ambition.
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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