Outside Tiandou City, on the official road.
Amidst billowing smoke and dust, a massive army of soldiers in black armor, like a furious black dragon, slowly made its way towards the capital.
The armored figures stood tall, swords and spears were everywhere, and a chilling aura of killing intent soared to the heavens.
On both sides of the road, there were dense crowds of people, countless citizens of the Heavenly Dou Empire kneeling on the ground, their foreheads pressed against the cold soil.
The roaring sounds converged into a torrent.
"Welcome back champion Hou in triumph!"
"May the champion Hou Wansheng! May the Heavenly Battle be victorious!"
At the very front of the army was not a seasoned veteran, but a young boy.
The young man was dressed in a black and gold armor, his posture upright like a pine tree.
He sat astride a magnificent snow-white dragon-scale horse, his face handsome, like a god.
A simple, ancient longsword hung at his waist. The scabbard had few decorations, yet it exuded a sense of solemnity.
He was the commander-in-chief of this battle, Tang Qing, who was only sixteen years old and was personally appointed as the Marquis of Champion by Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Tang Qing reined in his horse, and the thousands of troops behind him came to a sudden stop, their movements perfectly synchronized and their orders strictly obeyed.
He raised his eyes and looked at the magnificent city in the distance.
The towering city walls, the majestic city towers, and the flags representing the Heavenly Dou royal family fluttering atop the towers.
"Tian Dou City".
"I'm back."
His voice was soft, yet it reached the ears of every guard behind him clearly.
Looking beyond the long official road, the scene beneath the city gate was now fully visible.
The Emperor of the Heavenly Dou Empire, Emperor Xue Ye, dressed in a nine-dragon crown robe, personally led his civil and military officials, who were already waiting here.
Standing beside Emperor Xue Ye was none other than the gentle and refined Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe.
Led by the Crown Prince, all the ministers stood with bows and solemn expressions.
On both sides of the imperial road, imperial guards stood in rows, their armor gleaming, making the entire road impassable.
This kind of spectacle is comparable to welcoming a deity.
Upon seeing Tang Qing, Emperor Xueye's face immediately lit up with a smile, a genuine and undisguised joy.
He didn't even wait for Tang Qing to get close before he lifted the hem of his dragon robe and strode over.
Upon seeing this, an elderly minister beside him changed his expression drastically and quickly stepped forward to help him up.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
"You are of noble birth, how could you condescend to such a high position..."
Another minister also hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
"Yes, Your Majesty, the Marquis of Champion is right before us. We can simply have him come and pay his respects. You..."
Emperor Xueye paused for a moment.
He turned his head to look at the two ministers who had offered their advice, and a cold glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes.
It was so fast that it seemed like an illusion.
The next moment, the smile on his face became even more gentle, even carrying a hint of pride.
"The Marquis of Champion has expanded the territory of my Heavenly Dou Empire, launched a northern expedition against Xingluo, conquered seventy-two cities, and killed hundreds of thousands of enemies!"
"Countless princes and generals of the Star Luo Empire have died at his hands. Such unparalleled feats are unprecedented and unparalleled throughout history!"
"I am merely the emperor of the Heavenly Dou Empire."
"And the Marquis of Champion is a hero of my Heavenly Dou Empire, and even the entire continent!"
The voice of the Snow Night Emperor resounded far and wide.
Everyone heard it clearly.
He bypassed the ministers and went straight to Tang Qing's horse.
Under the gaze of countless shocked, horrified, and incredulous eyes, the elderly emperor extended his hands, which held the entire empire in his grasp.
He grasped the reins of the snow-white dragon-scaled horse beneath Tang Qing.
"Come, Marquis of Champion."
Emperor Xueye looked up at the boy on horseback, a bright smile on his face.
"I will lead your horse."
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.
Every single one of the civil and military officials was completely dumbfounded.
The emperor leading a horse for his minister?
This is unheard of since the founding of the Heaven Dou Empire!
Tang Qing sat on horseback, looking down at Emperor Xueye.
He was neither alarmed nor fearful, nor did he immediately dismount to express his gratitude.
His gaze was calm as still water, merely a faint look as he stared at the emperor.
A moment later.
"Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty."
He did not refuse.
He sat calmly on horseback, accepting this unprecedented honor.
The smile on Emperor Xueye's face grew even wider.
He led the horse, personally guiding Tang Qing step by step towards the city gate of Tiandou City.
"The achievements of the Marquis of Champion are worthy of being recorded in history, and may our descendants in the Heavenly Dou Sect praise him for generations to come!"
"It is truly a blessing for the Heavenly Dou Empire and for all its people that it has a Champion Marquis!"
As the Snow Night Emperor walked, he spoke loudly, as if he wanted the whole world to hear him.
The surrounding civilians and soldiers finally snapped out of their shock.
This was followed by even more enthusiastic cheers.
"Champion Marquis!!"
"My goodness! His Majesty is actually personally leading the horse for the Marquis of Champion!"
Such glory is unprecedented!
"Champion Marquis is invincible!"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Tang Qing rode his horse, personally led by the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, and slowly entered this city that he was once extremely familiar with.
The sound of horses' hooves echoed on the solid bluestone slabs.
Tang Qing's thoughts drifted to the distant past.
No one knew that this champion, renowned throughout the continent, carried a soul from Earth.
No one knew that he was actually Tang San's biological older brother, four years older than the so-called "younger brother".
Ironically, Tang Hao, the father hailed as the youngest Title Douluo in the world, was a completely irresponsible man.
As soon as Tang Qing was born, he sent him to be raised by an ordinary family.
They call it foster care, but in reality it's abandonment.
Since then, Tang Hao has never appeared again, as if his eldest son had never existed in this world.
At the age of six, his martial spirit awakened.
Tang Qing awakened the same Blue Silver Grass martial soul as his mother, possessing innate full soul power.
That same year, his adoptive parents both died in an accident.
With no one to rely on, Tang Qing left the village and began his journey alone.
How difficult it is for a six-year-old child, carrying a Blue Silver Grass spirit that is considered a useless martial soul by the world, to survive.
But Tang Qing has a secret.
A system called "Devour Evolution".
As long as he absorbs a sufficiently powerful bloodline, his martial soul can evolve indefinitely.
With the help of the system, he gradually evolved the ordinary Blue Silver Grass into the Blue Silver Emperor, which surpasses all plant-type martial souls.
With the help of the Blue Silver Emperor, he overcame all obstacles and became a Title Douluo.
He is now sixteen years old.
He is not only the youngest Title Douluo in the history of the Heaven Dou Empire, but also the Champion Marquis who commands an army of hundreds of thousands.
With the system's blessing, his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul possessed a life force that was almost immortal.
This power could even be extended to the entire army under his command.
As long as he is alive, his army is an invincible legion that cannot be defeated or killed.
This is the fundamental reason why he was able to defeat the Star Luo Empire and recover all lost territories at a young age.
His prestige in the military had long surpassed that of the royal family.
His achievements overshadowed his master, and he was young and arrogant.
These eight words are like a sharp sword hanging over everyone's head.
(End of chapter)