(Light NSFW Warning: The end of this chapter contains explicit content!)
Word Count: 3,834 Words
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'I'll just become a God King, won't I.' That easy tone of yours stabbed us right through the heart, you bastard!
The Great Beasts led by Beast God Di Tian felt their breath catch, and a sour ache laced with envy welled up in their chests. The Divine Realm explicitly forbade spirit beasts from becoming Gods. For a spirit beast, even touching a God Position was an impossible dream.
Comparing oneself to others was enough to make one despair. The road to godhood that the Great Beasts had failed to tread for hundreds of thousands of years was one Ling Bai had already walked far along. A 1st Class God could not satisfy his appetite. What he hungered for was the throne of a God King.
Beneath the Lake of Life, the Silver Dragon King still could not fathom how Ling Bai had seen through her identity in a single sentence. Yet he had already shown genuine sincerity in seeking an alliance with the Star Dou Forest, and nothing prevented her from weighing the possibility of a new God King being born. She spoke slowly:
"Human, if your plan is to elevate both the Angel God and the Rakshasa God from 1st Class Gods to God Kings at the same time, then you are making things sound far too easy.
Even if every living being on the entire Douluo plane offered you their faith, it still would not be enough to forge two God King Positions."
"Is that so?" Ling Bai's brow furrowed slightly. "The humans of the Douluo Continent gave rise to the Angel God, and the sea spirit beasts together with the sea Spirit Masters elevated Poseidon into the Sea God.
I already hold the faith of the Douluo Continent's humans, the faith of the Extreme North's spirit beasts, and part of the sea spirit beasts' faith. Add the spirit beasts of the Star Dou Forest on top of that.
In both number and strength, my believers far surpass those of the two previous Gods. Why would that not be enough?"
An incomplete God Position was still a God Position. If all he wanted was to restore the Angel God Position to completion, Ling Bai would not even need spirit beast faith. At worst he could simply retrace the path the first Angel God had once walked.
In the near future, once he inherited both God Positions, it would be like raising a tower atop an already solid foundation. Advancing from a 1st Class God to a God King was no pipe dream.
Of course, the Silver Dragon King was half of the Dragon God. She possessed the Dragon God's experience and wisdom, and her counsel was well worth considering.
"It seems you've had a plan for some time," the Silver Dragon King said, her voice low and measured. "But a God King and a 1st Class God are two concepts separated by an unbridgeable gulf. All the faith you just described, combined, would forge one God King at most.
If you choose to repair and advance the Angel God Position, then the Rakshasa God Position must find another road to God King. The reverse is equally true."
Ling Bai clicked his tongue, dissatisfied with that answer. A God King paired with a 1st Class God? Wasn't that exactly the same configuration as Tang San!
Who does that guy think he is, daring to use the same God Position setup as me!
He needed to find another way. If all else failed, he could always devour a couple of Divine Beasts to patch up the Rakshasa God Position...
Hm? This Silver Dragon King still has quite a bit of charm about her, doesn't she...
"...Human, you have suddenly become very rude."
The Silver Dragon King shivered despite herself. Ling Bai's gaze had turned far too direct, far too predatory.
"My Lord."
Di Tian dropped to one knee before the Lake of Life and spoke in a deep voice. "Spirit beasts have suffered under the oppression of the Gods for hundreds of thousands of years. Had the Divine Realm not forbidden spirit beasts from becoming Gods, the Ten Great Beasts should long ago have become the Gods of the beast race.
Now Sea God Tang San seeks to sever the last thread of fate left to spirit beasts. If we do not resist now, we will never rise again!"
Bound by the rules, spirit beasts could never overcome the Gods of the Divine Realm through their own power. Their only option was to stand behind a human, support his ascension to the Divine Realm, and let him break those unequal laws on their behalf.
Ling Bai was close to the Emperor Destiny Beast, Ling Qiuxi. He had created the Heaven Bestowed Spirit Ring to ease the conflict between the two races, and his sincerity had already won Di Tian over. On top of that, the Silver Dragon King herself had confirmed that Ling Bai possessed the qualifications to become the sixth God King of the Divine Realm.
The Beast God had never lacked courage. For the bright future of the spirit beast race, Di Tian wanted to stake everything on Ling Bai.
"My Lord, we are willing to support the Angel God in becoming a God King!"
Bi Ji, the Myriad Demon King, the Scarlet King, Zi Ji, and Yao Ling. All five Great Beasts dropped to their knees and voiced their support in unison.
Emerald Swan Bi Ji was gentle and kind by nature. When Ling Bai had descended upon Shrek City without killing a single spirit beast, that act alone had quietly won her favor.
The Myriad Demon King had struck a deal with Ling Bai before, and the Scarlet King owed him his life. Both held him in extremely high regard. Zi Ji and Yao Ling, whose strength was comparatively weaker, normally followed Di Tian's lead in all things. The instant he made his stance known, the Great Beasts of Star Dou threw their support behind Ling Bai without hesitation.
Ripples spread across the surface of the Lake of Life. The Great Beasts only needed to declare a position. As the Co-Lord of spirit beasts, the Silver Dragon King had far more to weigh.
If Ling Bai turned on the spirit beasts after gaining their support, the Star Dou Forest would end up in an even worse state than it was now.
Ten thousand years from now her wounds would be fully healed, and she could personally lead the Star Dou Forest in its struggle against both humanity and the Divine Realm. The Co-Lord of spirit beasts would never betray her own kind. She would place their interests above all else, at every turn!
The Great Beasts waited in silence for their Lord's decision. Ling Bai sensed the Silver Dragon King's hesitation, and his thoughts shifted. Angelic divine power surged into his Spiritual Sea, and brilliant purple-gold radiance blanketed the surroundings.
A colossal purple-gold dragon burst forth with a roar and gazed down upon the Star Dou Forest from on high. Dragon King pressure radiated without restraint. The Great Beasts struggled to resist while the bloodlines within their bodies let out low, involuntary murmurs of submission!
"Water Dragon King! Fire Dragon King!"
Di Tian recognized the two Dragon Kings' auras at once. He whipped around and caught sight of the magnificent purple-gold crown resting atop Ling Bai's head, shock flooding his face. "The Dragon King's Crown is a symbol of authority. It signifies the birth of a new Dragon King! How could it possibly be in your hands!"
Ling Bai raised a hand and called the purple-gold dragon back to his side. He stroked its noble horns and chuckled softly. "To tell you the truth, the two dragon seniors, the Water Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King, have already made their choice on behalf of the spirit beasts."
Deceiving both sides at once!
Back at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the moment the Water Dragon King and Fire Dragon King spotted the black dragon scale, they had concluded Ling Bai was an envoy of the Black Dragon and poured their hearts out to him without reservation. Now the Great Beasts of Star Dou saw the Dragon King's Crown and assumed he was the successor chosen by the two Dragon Kings, the new ruler of dragonkind. Every last trace of wariness vanished like smoke.
"The two Dragon Kings are immensely powerful. Together they dealt a severe blow to Tang San's Divine Soul. Whether or not the Star Dou Forest supports me, in Tang San's eyes all of you are already targets marked for elimination."
"The Water Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King are two of the Nine Great Dragon Kings. They can rightly be called spokesmen for the beast race. It seems the Star Dou Forest truly has no second option..." The Silver Dragon King let out a faint sigh. "Whatever you need from the spirit beasts of Star Dou, speak freely."
"The Silver Dragon King is wise and mighty indeed, worthy of being the Co-Lord of spirit beasts.
I will never forget the Star Dou Forest's support. Once humanity becomes fully self-sufficient, if the spirit beasts no longer wish to live alongside humans, I can seek out a new planet for you. A pure land that belongs to spirit beasts alone."
A dash of flattery followed by a well-practiced promise of a golden future. Ling Bai's classic one-two combo. Silver Dragon King, what exactly were you supposed to resist that with!
The silver light across the lake brightened considerably, and faint smiles crept onto the faces of the Great Beasts. Having soothed the spirit beasts, Ling Bai finally showed his hand:
"The Heaven Bestowed Spirit Ring is still in its early stages of development. The human blood idea I mentioned earlier is only one direction. In reality we have far more options, such as mass-replicating spirit beast attributes and injecting them into Heaven Bestowed Spirit Rings.
I'll need to trouble you for some test materials: spirit beast blood, feathers, scales, and similar samples."
"No problem."
Di Tian agreed without hesitation. Measured against the lives of spirit beasts, those were trivial matters.
"Second, regarding faith. I'd like to erect an Angel statue at the center of the Lake of Life..."
Di Tian's pupils contracted sharply, and cold sweat broke out across his back. "Scarlet King, this one's yours."
"Got it!"
An honest beast to the bone, the Scarlet King had not yet grasped what a terrifyingly outrageous task he had just accepted: building an Angel statue directly above the Silver Dragon King's head.
"If anything else comes up, I'll have Qiuxi come and explain it to Senior Di Tian," Ling Bai said with a smile. "She's been missing all of you, so she plans to stay in the Star Dou Forest for a few extra days this time. Just hand the samples over to her. I'll head to Shrek City and wait for her there."
His angelic wings spread wide, and Ling Bai became a streak of golden light that shot out of the Star Dou Forest.
"Scarlet King, build the statue. Myriad Demon King, Zi Ji, Yao Ling, collect what Holy Evil Douluo requested. Bi Ji, go check on Xiong Jun's injuries."
The Great Beasts scattered to their tasks. Di Tian tore through space and appeared beside a slender golden figure, softening his voice as far as it would go:
"Destiny Beast, are you still angry?"
The continent's number one Great Beast. The Golden Eyed Black Dragon King. The Beast God... Di Tian, a being who bore so many fearsome titles, now looked for all the world like an old father cautiously coaxing his sulking daughter.
Ling Qiuxi gave a cold snort and turned her face away, refusing to acknowledge him.
Di Tian rubbed his hands together, a broad smile plastered across his face. "Destiny Beast, what I did before was improper.
The Star Dou Forest and Holy Evil Douluo are bound by covenant from this day forward. No one will stand in the way of you two again. Whatever you want, I'll get it for you."
"I'm short an eighth spirit ring. Bring me a 100,000-year spirit beast and show me what you've got."
"...Star Dou hasn't had it easy either."
Di Tian's old face stiffened. "We just launched a beast tide. Spirit beasts suffered terrible casualties. Pick something else."
"Stingy."
Ling Qiuxi gave the Starlight Sapphire bracelet on her fair wrist a flick, and the corpse of a 300,000-year Evil Spirit Orca King slammed onto the ground. Its frozen body glittered in the sunlight. She lifted her snow-white chin and declared proudly:
"What I want isn't a 100,000-year spirit beast. I want an attitude from you!
Uncle Di Tian, you're nowhere near as good as Ling Bai!"
Di Tian nearly choked on the surge of blood catching in his throat.
Damn it. Lost again!
That blond brat really is absurdly loaded!
...
Shrek Academy.
Reconstruction was in full swing across Shrek City. The southern districts closest to the Star Dou Forest had suffered catastrophic losses, yet Shrek Academy, nestled in the eastern district, had escaped with little damage.
The shore of Sea God Lake lay hushed. Its surface stretched out blue and smooth as polished glass, cradling the last traces of sunset along the horizon. A gentle breeze skimmed the water and raised delicate ripples that spread outward in soft rings.
Two figures walked hand in hand along the peaceful lakeshore, their long reflections trailing across the water. For a rare, suspended moment, the whole world seemed to have settled into quiet beauty.
The woman wore a pale blue dress whose hem fluttered with the wind like a flower blooming at the water's edge. The man wore a simple white shirt, and the softened sunlight on his face lent him an unusually gentle air. Beneath the evening glow, beside the still lake, the two of them formed a picture of warmth and intimacy.
A newly admitted Inner Courtyard student happened to pass by. The moment he caught sight of the man's face, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. He bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle and spoke with utmost reverence:
"Greetings, Holy Evil Douluo!"
"Hello."
The student beamed so broadly his face might have split in two. He watched the couple walk away, then leapt three feet into the air and let out a string of excited whoops worthy of a young ape losing its mind.
"That's a bit much..."
Ling Bai had underestimated his own popularity.
"Little Junior Brother, you're the hero of Shrek City. The younger students all look up to you as their model." Han Ruoruo giggled softly. "It hasn't even been a full year, yet stepping into the academy again, doesn't it feel a little different?"
"Revisiting an old place is like carving a notch into the side of a moving boat and expecting to find your lost sword."
A trace of remembrance surfaced in Ling Bai's eyes. "I remember the second morning after enrollment. Elder Sister was waiting beneath the tree in front of my door, and we spent the whole day walking every inch of Sea God Island together. It feels like something from a distant past, yet in truth it's only been seven years."
"Seven years..." Han Ruoruo pressed her red lips together lightly. "In my memory, strolling through the academy with you feels like yesterday. And in those seven short years, you went from Ling Bai the four-ringed Spirit Ancestor to Holy Evil Douluo, a name revered and feared across the entire Douluo Continent."
"'Ling Bai.' That name sounds almost unfamiliar now.
Outside of my family and my lovers, no one in this world would dare call me by my true name."
Ling Bai lowered his gaze, veiling his expression. The Holy Spirit Cult, the Body Sect, the Clear Sky Clan. He had climbed to the throne of the continent's strongest over a mountain of corpses.
"That is the mark of the strong," Han Ruoruo said softly. "Your reputation across the continent is outstanding. The Spirit Master world respects you. They believe Holy Evil Douluo will usher in a glorious new era."
"Is that so? Then I'm rather honored."
Most of what Ling Bai did was in service of harvesting faith, of cultivating an image of absolute righteousness before the eyes of others. But one thing was entirely genuine: he truly hoped the Douluo Continent would become a better place because of his arrival.
Judge a man by his deeds, not the workings of his heart. A lifetime of false virtue was virtue all the same!
Their shadows stretched long in the tender dusk. They walked and talked, exchanging a smile now and then, a quiet understanding flowing naturally between them.
Almost without their noticing, the path brought them to the small wooden house where Han Ruoruo lived. The breeze off the lake stirred the loose strands of her hair, and the air carried the faint fragrance of flowers mingled with the clean scent of the water. Han Ruoruo reached up of her own accord and cupped Ling Bai's face in her palms, and their breaths drew slowly together.
"It's getting late. Why don't you come sit in Elder Sister's room for a while."
"All right."
They were both grown adults. There was no need to spell out the invitation beneath those words.
Outside the window, the evening scenery remained bright. Inside the room, the curtains were drawn and the covers already turned back.
The door had barely clicked shut before Ling Bai closed the distance. His arms slid around Han Ruoruo from behind and pulled her flush against his chest. He lowered his head, lips tracing the delicate line of her neck before catching the crystalline lobe of her ear between them. A shiver rippled through the soft body in his arms, yet she made no move to resist. A breathless sigh slipped past her lips as she surrendered ground to her lover's advance.
A gentle tug turned her around to face him. Her watery gaze met his for only an instant before her lashes fell, a deep flush painting her cheeks and spilling down the elegant line of her collarbone. An experienced hunter of the wilds, Ling Bai was in no hurry to taste his prey. He closed in inch by deliberate inch, until their noses nearly brushed and every exhale of hers warmed his lips.
The delicate wings of her nose trembled. Every ragged breath drew out a soft, sweet note, as though her body itself were an instrument only he knew how to play. His fingers found the fastenings of her dress, and her clothes slipped away piece by piece. The faint pop of parting buttons and the whisper of tearing silk filled the hushed room, until her exquisite figure stood bared to the cool air and to his burning gaze.
Luminous skin, white and tender as porcelain, warmed to a feverish rose beneath his stare. Fine collarbones swept down toward a full bosom that rose and fell with each quickened breath. Her waist was impossibly slender before flaring into the gentle curve of womanly hips. Her belly lay flat and smooth without the slightest trace of excess, and her long, sculpted legs shifted restlessly against one another, as though unsure whether to hide or to beckon. That mature, ripe figure carried an effortless sensuality no young girl could hope to rival.
"Elder Sister has been hiding quite a lot..." Ling Bai murmured in admiration.
Han Ruoruo lifted her heavy-lidded eyes, drenched in the languid warmth of a spring breeze, and cast him a reproachful glance. A trembling whimper broke from her throat. "Be a little quicker... All you do is tease. It's shameful..."
His tenderness delighted her. And yet, beneath that delight, she longed for him to be rougher with her. Forceful enough to conquer her heart, to crush the poise and dignified reserve she wore like armor and leave nothing but a woman laid bare for the man she loved.
Her quiet surrender was all the permission he needed. The last thread of his restraint snapped. He lifted her as though she weighed nothing, laid her onto the plush bedding, and came down over her, bracing his weight above her trembling body. His hand slid along the inside of her knee and coaxed her legs gently but firmly apart, unveiling the most secret place of her.
The sight stole the breath from him. Pink and glistening with a heavy dew that betrayed how long she had already been aching for him, the soft petals parted on their own in tender welcome, blooming instinctively at the heat of his presence, as if her body already knew what her lips were too shy to ask.
"Little Junior Brother..."
Her voice came out in a pleading whisper, fingers twisting into the sheets. Ling Bai lowered himself over her, his palms clamping around her slender, resilient waist like iron bands. She gasped at the pressure, her back arching into his touch. He captured her lips and swallowed the small, startled cry that escaped her, pressing forward until a single steady thrust made her completely his.
"Nnnh—!" A bright, piercing pain lanced through Han Ruoruo as the innocence she had guarded for so many years shattered in an instant. Her back arched like a taut bow and her whole body trembled violently beneath him. Her dark brows drew together and a single crystalline tear slipped from the corner of her eye, yet her soft, watery gaze never once left his face. Color after color cycled through her irises in shifting tides, but the reflection they held never changed. It was always him.
Ling Bai held perfectly still, jaw clenched against the searing heat wrapped around him. He lowered his head and kissed the tear from her cheek, murmured quiet endearments against her temple, and stroked her hair until, little by little, the tension eased out of her body. The initial sting melted slowly into a helpless, stretching fullness that curled her toes against the sheets.
Then he began to move, drawing back and sinking deep in an unhurried, deliberate rhythm. A slick warmth blossomed low in her belly and sent shivering currents racing up her spine.
"Ah... ah... Little Junior... Brother..."
Her soft, broken moans filled the room. Her arms rose of their own accord and wound around his neck, clinging tight, nails dragging light, half-desperate lines down the smooth skin of his back.
Past the threshold of pain, Han Ruoruo began to take the initiative. She pressed her bare chest flush against his, her hips rising shyly to meet each of his descending strokes. Stifling a sticky, coquettish moan against his shoulder, she lifted her dark eyes to his, and her pupils shone with encouragement:
"Elder Sister isn't young anymore... I really... mm, ah... I really want a child.
Tonight, you have to work a little harder... Make absolutely sure Elder Sister conceives, all right...?"