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After obtaining the Blue Silver Empress's seventh soul ring and advancing to a level-71 Soul Sage, the couple returned to Thunderstorm Village since there was nothing else to do.
The two shadow guards who had been monitoring the village breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Empress return—at least they hadn't lost track of them.
Their persistence was impressive. Day after day, without fail, they had kept watch over Thunderstorm Village.
Back in the village, life settled into a routine of eating, sleeping, and cultivation.
After all, a Soul Sage was nothing remarkable in the eyes of Wuhun Palace—even if these two could fight above their level.
Time passed swiftly, and before they knew it, another two months had gone by.
Six months had now passed since leaving Wuhun City. During this time, Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Empress's only means of communication with Bibi Dong had been through the remnant will of the Thunder God.
Lin Yongming had reached level 69—a Soul Emperor. According to the Thunder God's spirit, Bibi Dong had also dedicated herself to training and had similarly advanced to level 69.
Wuhun Palace, Pope's Hall
"Your Holiness, it has been half a year since Lin Yongming left Wuhun City. According to our scouts, aside from helping Blue Silver obtain her seventh soul ring two months ago, he hasn't left Thunderstorm Village since."
"So, Your Holiness… is it possible we've wronged Lin Yongming?" Ghost Douluo reported dutifully, as he did every month.
"What's his current soul power level?" Qian Xunji asked indifferently.
"A month ago, he reached level 69. At his cultivation speed, he should break through to Soul Sage within two months," Ghost Douluo replied.
"Your Holiness, I also believe we may have misjudged him. That incident at Sea God Island might have truly been caused by a lost relic. After all, even if he had access to Sea God Island's power, a mere Soul Emperor shouldn't have been capable of unleashing such force," Chrysanthemum Douluo added from the side.
"So, what are you two suggesting?" Qian Xunji's brow twitched slightly.
"My proposal is to recall Lin Yongming to Wuhun Palace and—in advance—grant him the position of Purple-Clad Enforcer, a rank typically reserved for Soul Douluo," Ghost Douluo answered after some thought.
"What?! You want me to recall him and promote him to Purple-Clad Enforcer? Ghost Douluo, why don't you just ask me to kneel before him in Thunderstorm Village and beg him to return?"
"I've already made my decree public across the continent. Recanting now would humiliate me!" Qian Xunji slammed his armrest, his rage palpable.
"Your Holiness, please calm yourself! Ghost Douluo didn't mean it like that. He simply believes it's a waste to discard someone of Lin Yongming's talent," Chrysanthemum Douluo quickly intervened.
"Hmph. Fine. If he can reach Soul Sage within six months and obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, I'll personally escort him back to Wuhun Palace, grant him an elder's position, and even wed him to Dong'er myself—presiding over their marriage!" Qian Xunji declared coldly.
"…"
The two Douluo were rendered speechless.
Reaching Soul Sage in half a year? Possible.
But a hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring? That was outright impossible.
Even if Lin Yongming somehow encountered a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, could a Soul Sage defeat it?
There was nothing left to say. The two elders fell silent.
"Ah… what a splendid idea, haha…"
One month passed. Then two… five.
Lin Yongming remained stuck at level 69, with no signs of a breakthrough.
His soul power continued to accumulate, yet the bottleneck refused to yield.
"Level 70…!"
Gradually, Lin Yongming realized the problem—his comprehension of the Light's Fluctuations was insufficient.
Without a deeper understanding of this principle, no amount of accumulated energy would help him advance.
"What am I missing? Just one clue… one!"
Sitting on the couch, he clawed at his hair in frustration.
"The Fluctuations of Light…!"
His mind was too turbulent to focus.
If he couldn't grasp this, his eyes would never heal.
"Xiao Ming, maybe we should go out for a walk. Clear your mind," Blue Silver Empress suggested softly, her heart aching at his distress.
She understood his struggle all too well.
"A-Yin… I've let you down. I don't even know how to proceed with my training anymore," Lin Yongming murmured bleakly.
"It's alright. Even if your eyes never recover, even if you never reach Soul Sage—I'll never leave your side."
"I'll stay with you, always."
"But since you're stuck, let's take a break. Maybe inspiration will strike along the way. You've been pushing yourself too hard these past two months," she soothed, her voice tender.
"A-Yin… you're right. Let's go."
The next morning, they left Thunderstorm Village, their destination unknown.
The two spies promptly reported Lin Yongming's situation.
"Five months without a breakthrough? Impossible. With his talent, he should've advanced long ago!"
"Even the Holy Maiden reached Soul Sage a month ago."
Ghost Douluo relayed the news to Qian Xunji.
"No breakthrough? How unexpected," Qian Xunji remarked, visibly surprised.
"The shadow guards say he left Thunderstorm Village two days ago with Blue Silver to travel the continent. But his speed is too great—they couldn't follow."
"And this is the man you wanted me to personally recall? He can't even achieve the simplest of breakthroughs!"
"Hmph. Overrated."
"Tell them not to bother pursuing. Just keep monitoring Thunderstorm Village. They'll return eventually," Qian Xunji scoffed.
"…Understood."
After leaving the Pope's Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo headed to Bibi Dong's courtyard.
"Elder Ju… any news about Xiao Ming?"
Bibi Dong, dressed in a flowing violet gown, sat in the courtyard, her usual brightness dimmed. She looked up anxiously as Chrysanthemum Douluo entered.
"Ah… Holy Maiden, I'm afraid Lin Yongming's situation isn't promising. For five months, his cultivation hasn't progressed at all. We don't know why," Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed.
"What? Five months? At his rate, he should've broken through to Soul Sage by now!"
"I'm going to find him."
She stood abruptly, determination flashing in her eyes.
"Ah—! Holy Maiden, please don't make things difficult for me! The Pope ordered me to watch you. If you leave, I'll be held accountable—you know how volatile His Holiness has become lately!"
"Besides, even if you go to Thunderstorm Village, you won't find him. He and Blue Silver left to travel, and our people have lost track of them."
Chrysanthemum Douluo blocked her path, his expression pleading.
"Please, just focus on your training here. I'll inform you the moment we receive updates."
"…Fine. You may leave."
Bibi Dong sat back down, her gaze distant.
Chrysanthemum Douluo exhaled in relief but remained stationed outside her courtyard—just in case.
"Xiao Ming… I'll wait for you in Wuhun City. I won't act rashly."
Her resolve burned quietly as she stared at the sky.
Time flowed like water. Spring turned to autumn, and another year passed.
During this year, Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Empress traveled across the four kingdoms of the Heaven Dou Empire.
But eventually, they returned to Thunderstorm Village.
One event had cut their journey short.
A month prior, while walking through a small city in the Haigen Dasi Kingdom, Blue Silver Empress had suddenly rushed to a stone wall and vomited violently.
Days later, they confirmed it—she was pregnant.
"A-Yin… you're pregnant?!" Lin Yongming had gasped, elated.
"Mn. I can feel it—a new life inside me," she confirmed softly.
"Hahaha! This is wonderful! A-Yin, you're amazing—we're going to have a child!"
He swept her into his arms, spinning her joyfully.
"Ah—! Xiao Ming! Lower your voice!" She smacked his shoulder, flustered by the stares around them.
"Right, right! But I'm just so happy. I'm going to be a father!"
He kissed her cheek exuberantly.
"Xiao Ming… what do we do now? I can feel my aura slowly leaking as time passes," she whispered cautiously.
"Then we return to Thunderstorm Village. We're not going anywhere else."
Now back in the village, Blue Silver Empress was already three months along, her belly slightly rounded.
But what Lin Yongming didn't know was that his first child had already been born—a toddler who could now take small steps and babble a few words.
Sea God Island, Sea God Hall
Grand Priestess Bo Saixi cradled a sleeping one-year-old boy, while Mo Li, the bespectacled scholar, stood beside her.
Before them knelt Sea Illusion Douluo.
"Sea Illusion, what is Lin Yongming's current strength? It's been two years since he left—he should've reached Soul Sage by now," Bo Saixi inquired gently.
"Grand Priestess, Aidi has been shadowing him. According to reports, Lin Yongming has been stuck at level 69 for a year and a half. He's been traveling the continent, searching for a way to break through," Sea Illusion Douluo reported.
Unbeknownst to Lin Yongming, shortly after he left Sea God Island, Bo Saixi had dispatched Aidi, one of Sea Illusion Douluo's subordinates.
Aidi, a Soul Douluo, possessed a rare martial soul—Void Sea Serpent. Though weak in combat, it made him a natural spy, allowing him to slip between reality and the void.
Not even Lin Yongming's Mind's Eye or Blue Silver Empress's blue silver grass could detect him.
"How could this be?" Bo Saixi frowned.
"Tell Aidi to continue monitoring. We must stay informed of the Sea God's heir's condition," she ordered.
"Yes, Grand Priestess."
Once they left, Bo Saixi gazed up through the translucent ceiling of the hall.
"Lin Yongming… once your child is born safely, abandon the Fluctuations of Light. Return and inherit the Sea God's throne."
A quiet sigh escaped her lips.
"Dad! Mom! We're back!"
Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Empress stepped into the house, their faces radiant with joy.
"Welcome home!" Ying Lan, Lin Yongming's mother, hurried to greet them.
Since it was daytime, only she was home.
"You've only been gone a year. Weren't you planning to travel longer?" she asked curiously.
"Mom… A-Yin is pregnant. We came back early," Lin Yongming announced, grinning.
"What?! A-Yin, is it true?" Ying Lan seized Blue Silver Empress's hands, her eyes shining.
"Yes, Mom. I'm already three months along," Blue Silver Empress confirmed with a smile.
"Let me see."
Ying Lan pressed a hand gently against Blue Silver Empress's belly.
"Yes… This feeling—it's just like when I was pregnant with Ming'er!" she exclaimed, her experience confirming it.
"I'm going to be a grandmother! A-Yin, from now on, you're not lifting a finger. Just rest and take care of yourself."
"Mom, I'm not that fragile. Besides, it's only been three months," Blue Silver Empress protested lightly.
"Nonsense! There's nothing here that requires your help anyway."
That evening, when Lin Chong—Lin Yongming's father—returned, the news spread further.
The family's joy multiplied.
At dinner, they even began brainstorming names for the unborn child.
Two were finally chosen.
Lin Chong declared, "Then it's settled. If it's a boy, Lin Dongyao. If a girl, Lin Yingxiao."
He turned to the couple. "Ming'er, A-Yin, what do you think?"
"Yao (耀 – 'radiance') and Xiao (晓 – 'dawn') both reflect Ming (明 – 'bright'). I like it. A-Yin?" Lin Yongming glanced at his wife.
"It's perfect. We'll follow Mom and Dad's suggestion," Blue Silver Empress agreed warmly.
"Wonderful! Let's eat."
The meal was filled with laughter and warmth. The impending arrival of a new life wasn't just a joy for Lin Yongming and Blue Silver Empress—it was a blessing for the entire family.
The elderly couple's excitement even surpassed the parents-to-be, counting down the days until they could hold their grandchild.
Since the lightning-struck tree had begun sprouting leaves two years ago, it now stood lush and vibrant.
But two months later, an ominous change swept over Thunderstorm Village.
Dark, oppressive clouds blotted out the sky for miles.
After a full day of gathering, thunder began to rumble.
"Hmm…!"
Sitting in the courtyard, Lin Yongming's ears twitched.
The breakthrough he had sought for so long—the key to the Fluctuations of Light—seemed to whisper to him through the thunder.
CRACK—BOOM!
A bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the entire village in an instant.
"Xiao Ming! Come inside!" Blue Silver Empress called from the doorway.
Now five months pregnant, her belly had swelled noticeably.
"A-Yin, go ahead. I need to go to the lightning-struck tree. I think… I've finally found my answer."
Without turning back, Lin Yongming strode toward the village center, drawn by the storm's call.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 290 (finished story) on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 40 power stones I will publish the next chapter.