After the matter with the Golden Dragon King was settled, Fang Chang first had Xiao Bai, Er Hei, and a contingent of his top generals return to the Divine Realm, but he himself did not go back directly.
Somewhere on the Douluo Plane, a subtle spatiotemporal rift opened. Fang Chang poked his head out, glanced at his surroundings to get his bearings, and then flew towards the former location of Sun Moon City.
He was astonished the moment he arrived outside the city. The place had been renamed "Sea Spider City," and he knew at a glance that this was most likely Zhu Jing's doing.
A scan with his divine sense from outside the city revealed that a significant portion of the inhabitants were spider-type soul beasts who had taken human form to re-cultivate. There was also a small soul beast forest belonging to the Spider Clan just outside the city.
Not bad at all, Fang Chang silently praised her in his heart. Half the reason for his return was to see how the Spider Clan on the Douluo Plane was faring.
After all, this was his homeland in this life. He wouldn't meddle much if the Spider Clans on other planes weren't doing well, but this place held too many of his memories, making it different.
Entering the city, he saw no significant conflict between the ordinary citizens and the cultivating spider-kin. Or perhaps, most of them simply didn't know they were living alongside so many soul beasts.
After some inquiries, he learned that the northernmost part of the city, the former location of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace, was now the headquarters of the "Pearl Sea Pavilion."
The Pearl Sea Pavilion was the largest power in the city, managing all its affairs, both large and small.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Fang Chang activated his "Nightwalker" skill, entered an invisible state, and quietly slipped into the Pearl Sea Pavilion, heading towards Zhu Jing's location.
"Who is it?" In a study, Zhu Jing's door was pushed open from the outside, and she immediately shouted sharply.
But when she looked, there was no one at the doorway, nor was there any sign of an enemy's aura.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she instantly released her near-godly aura, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. "If you don't show yourself, I'm going to make my move."
"Big Sister, don't get so agitated. If we were to really fight, I'm afraid you'd still be a little lacking."
A familiar yet strange voice came from the armchair in front of her. Fang Chang was already sitting there, a playful look on his face as he stared at her.
"You... Fang Qi?" Zhu Jing was stunned for a long moment before she recognized her old friend.
"It's me." Fang Chang crossed his legs, making himself completely at home. "But I never told you before, my real name isn't Fang Qi. You should call me Fang Chang from now on."
"Fang Chang..." Zhu Jing felt like she had seen that name somewhere before, but she couldn't quite recall where.
"You brat, you disappear for thirty years without a single word. What, your conscience finally kicked in and you remembered to come see us?" Zhu Jing seemed to hold a deep resentment towards him.
"Do you know? Zhu Zhu has been waiting for you to come back all this time."
"Well, I'm back now, aren't I?" Fang Chang said, a little embarrassed.
A day in the Divine Realm was a year in the mortal world. He had been delayed by the matter of the Golden Dragon King, so by the time he returned to the Douluo Plane, thirty years had passed.
"How is she? I don't think I sensed her presence in Sun Moon City." He didn't bother with a lengthy explanation, but still asked the question.
Seeing Fang Chang like this, Zhu Jing smiled to herself. At least you have some conscience, you brat.
"Zhu Zhu? She's doing well. She's the dean of the Spider God Academy now. If you're looking for her, just go there."
"Oh? The dean?" That was something Fang Chang hadn't expected.
But considering the time, with her talent and having consumed an immortal herb, she would have long since cultivated to the rank of Titled Douluo after more than thirty years. So, it wasn't that surprising.
"Mmm, Zhu Zhu is very impressive now. After being abandoned here by a certain heartless person, she dedicated herself to cultivation and made rapid progress."
"In just these thirty-some years, her strength is already close to catching up with mine."
"Under her leadership, the Spider God Academy has become the number one academy on the continent, its prestige no less than my Pearl Sea Pavilion."
Fang Chang could hear the unspoken criticism in Zhu Jing's words and couldn't help but blush slightly. He quickly changed the subject.
"Big Sister, looking at your state, you should be close to touching that realm, right?" Fang Chang asked.
"That realm..." Zhu Jing naturally understood he was talking about the god-level.
"It's close, yet so far," she sighed.
Without an inheritance, the only way to become a god was to create one's own god-seat, which required a massive amount of faith power.
As the matriarch of the Sea Spider Clan, the head of the Pearl Sea Pavilion, and the lord of Sea Spider City, her faith power was still just a little short.
Fang Chang could see her predicament and stood up from his seat. "Alright, then I'll give you a great gift today."
As he spoke, he separated a small portion of his own faith power and injected it into Zhu Jing's body from a distance.
To someone of his status, this amount of faith power was nothing, but for Zhu Jing, it was enough to help her cross this most critical step.
"This..." Feeling the power of faith within her nearly double, Zhu Jing couldn't hide her excitement.
With this power, she was confident she could create her own god-seat and ascend to godhood within three years!
"Thank you, Brother Fang." For such a great gift, she had nothing to offer in return and could only express her gratitude.
If not for Fang Chang's help, she wouldn't be where she was today. She might have been killed by the Silver Moon Douluo and the others back at Shrek Academy.
"No need to be so polite, it's what I should do," Fang Chang waved his hand, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then left Sea Spider City, heading towards the Spider God Academy.
Arriving there, he similarly activated his "stealth" state and slipped into the academy, heading straight for the deepest part, to Zhu Zhu's office.
Her office door was ajar, and Fang Chang walked right in.
Although more than thirty years had passed, Zhu Zhu was a soul beast in human form with absurdly high soul power. She still looked like a young woman of about twenty-five or twenty-six.
Judging by her aura, her soul power should have reached level ninety-seven, approaching level ninety-eight. It was just as Zhu Jing had said; she was already very close to her.
At this moment, Zhu Zhu was leaning back in a lounge chair in her office, her eyes closed in a light nap, completely unaware of Fang Chang's entry.
Fang Chang materialized, walked to the side of her chair, and silently gazed at her face, which hadn't changed much in thirty years. Just as he was about to reach out and wake her, she grabbed his wrist.
"It's been thirty years. You're finally back," her voice trembled with tears, giving Fang Chang a headache. This was the one thing he couldn't stand.
"Yes, I'm back," Fang Chang said, unsure how to explain.
"In that other world, the way time is calculated is different from here, and I..."
Before he could finish, Zhu Zhu placed a hand over his mouth. "Don't say it. I understand everything. It's enough that you can come back to see me occasionally."
Fang Chang felt a warmth spread through his body. Zhu Zhu had already leaned against him, snuggling in tightly.