Chapter 631: Judgment of the Elements (Conclusion)
Although Tang San was a Divine King, the other four Divine Kings were no weaker than him. At this moment, he seemed like a helpless girl, cornered by four burly bullies in a restroom, appearing so weak and vulnerable. Tang San's molars were grinding together in frustration. In the end, he was forced to grudgingly withdraw his divine aura, but inside, he was screaming with rage:
"Gang up on me, will you?! You all have a death wish!"
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Huo Yu'er posed a final question to Ma Xiaotao:
"Can you tell me your choice now?"
Ma Xiaotao hung her head, her fiery red hair disheveled and messy, giving her a thoroughly defeated look. When Huo Yu'er asked her, a flash of defiance crossed Ma Xiaotao's eyes, and she suddenly raised her head.
"Fine, I'll pledge my loyalty to you but I have conditions."
As a defeated warrior, she dared to set conditions, which irked Huo Yu'er instinctively. However, before Huo Yu'er could respond, Ma Xiaotao preemptively said:
"Besides sparing me, you must also spare Elder Xuan and Elder Song. If you agree, I'll swear loyalty to you without hesitation. I'll follow every command you give me, even if it costs me my life!"
Standing beside her, the heavily injured Elder Xuan saw Huo Yu'er's expression darken and inwardly scolded Ma Xiaotao for being a fool.
"Throughout history, the victors rule and the defeated yield. Huo Yu'er's generosity in letting Shrek Academy survive is already an act of mercy. Who are you, Ma Xiaotao, to set conditions?"
Indeed, just as Elder Xuan suspected, Huo Yu'er had already mentally condemned Ma Xiaotao to death. In her vision for the future of Douluo Continent, there was no place for Tang San's legacy whether it was Shrek Academy or the HaoTian Sect; both were slated to be removed.
"Oh, really? That's your choice? Well, in that case "
Huo Yu'er prepared to deliver her final judgment when suddenly, a voice entered her mind. It was Ye Wen's divine thought.
"Accept her terms, Xiao Yu'er."
???
Huo Yu'er's words faltered, her eyes wide with confusion. This wasn't part of the original plan. Still, she trusted her teacher completely, and so she asked respectfully, "Can you tell me why, Master?"
Ye Wen's response came swiftly.
"Eradicating the HaoTian Sect and Shrek Academy is within our power; it's not even a challenge. But unlike the blood bound loyalty of the HaoTian Sect to Tang San, Shrek Academy has a more complex foundation, with many innocents among them. If we eliminate them all, you'll appear too ruthless, which might strike fear in those who once benefitted from Shrek. While they may be powerless, their sentiments could complicate the faith we are trying to establish.
"Instead, it's wiser to recruit Ma Xiaotao and her fellow Shrek leaders and bring them under the Tianxing Federation's banner. Shrek Academy may have a history spanning ten thousand years, but slowly and subtly, we can eliminate Tang San's influence and show the people of Douluo that you are no indiscriminate tyrant."
After reflecting carefully on her master's words, Huo Yu'er nodded. She agreed that if she ordered Shrek's outright destruction, the academy's extensive network of former students could sow resentment among Douluo's populace. Recruiting Shrek's leaders now would not only spite Tang San but also symbolically sever Shrek's ties to him. Plus, she'd gain the image of a wise and benevolent ruler. Once again, her teacher had shown her the way forward.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao, Elder Xuan, and the others watched Huo Yu'er's silence with trepidation, fearing that a single misstep might lead to Shrek's complete annihilation. Little did they know that Huo Yu'er and Ye Wen were revising their strategy and crafting a new plan to manage Shrek's fate.
In Ye Wen's original scheme, his intention was only to bankrupt Shrek and remove its influence, not to indiscriminately kill. After all, one Ultimate Douluo and a few Super Douluos couldn't topple the future of the Tianxing Federation, especially once everyone had access to Four Word Battle Armor. However, Ye Wen hadn't anticipated that Tang San would go to such lengths, even acquiring god level powers from his former companions. Though even that was insufficient to turn the tide, Shrek Academy had now played an active role in the rebellion, which couldn't go unpunished.
For a society as deeply intertwined as Shrek's, allying with traitors was the same as bearing their guilt.
But Shrek's roots ran deep. Before Ye Wen's Tianxing Academy challenged it, Shrek had been the leading education hub across the continent, producing countless high ranking soul masters and officials. Purging the organization completely was neither feasible nor desirable.
Thus, Ma Xiaotao's voluntary surrender had become a crucial bargaining chip. If she were to pledge loyalty, it would signify the Tianxing Federation's clemency toward Shrek, avoiding any drastic backlash from the academy's alumni.
With this in mind, Huo Yu'er replied in her icy tone, her words ringing out clearly in the desolate wilderness:
"I accept your terms."
The hearts of Ma Xiaotao, Elder Xuan, and Elder Song, who had been racing with apprehension, finally eased. They had survived. Shrek Academy would continue to exist. There was no greater relief.
But Huo Yu'er's next words brought a grimace to their faces.
"However, you must realize how audacious your demands are, Ma Xiaotao. As compensation, all three of you must swear total loyalty to me, and so must Shrek Academy itself. If any of you refuses, I won't hesitate to tell you the consequences: you will die, and Shrek will be destroyed, affecting countless lives."
Huo Yu'er's statement effectively made the three of them, as well as Shrek's future, her absolute subjects.
Ultimately, they accepted. Reluctant as it was, Ma Xiaotao, Elder Xuan, and Elder Song bowed to Huo Yu'er's will. They permitted her to place restrictions on their godly powers. Should they betray her, they would face death.
As the three of them departed, Huo Yu'er and her group returned their attention to the battlefield.
As gods, their recovery rate was remarkable. Though he had been battered to the brink of death, Tang Wulin was already stirring, his eyes slowly opening.
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Chapter 632: Judgment of the Elements (Final)
Tang Wulin's eyes were bloodshot, burning with hatred and murderous intent. But his ravaged body rendered that fury useless, like an old dog with broken legs there was no menace left in him.
"Huo Yu'er… Tang Ya…" he snarled, gritting his teeth as he stared at the two beautiful women before him.
Tang Wulin had to admit it he had lost, defeated by both Huo Yu'er and Tang Ya. Yet, he refused to accept that they had beaten him with such utter humiliation.
After all, he was Tang Wulin, son of Tang San, the highest born in this world. Even now, he believed that these two would never dare to kill him outright. If they had intended to, they could have done it easily by now, without this display.
"Just say your terms," he sneered, struggling to sit upright, attempting to hold onto some dignity. "What will it take for you to let us go?"
Yet, behind him, the Tiger God and Butterfly God looked at him like he was a fool, desperate to tell their clueless leader the truth they'd already been sentenced to death.
Huo Yu'er did not respond. None of the others did, either. They simply rose into the sky, positioning themselves in a formation.
Seeing this, Tang Wulin thought they were taunting him even further. His resentment grew deeper until he felt the enormous surge of energy as the seven linked their divine power, creating a level of strength far beyond their usual state.
Fear finally took root in Tang Wulin's heart.
"What are you doing?!" he shouted.
At that moment, a firm hand gripped Tang Wulin's shoulder.
Though he had been gravely injured, Da Ming's powerful Snake God bloodline granted him an unmatched regenerative capacity, allowing him to move once more.
"Wulin… don't waste your breath," Da Ming said softly. "They're here to end us."
The realization hit Tang Wulin like a punch to the gut. He trusted Da Ming completely and didn't doubt his words.
"What?! How dare they?! Don't they know my father is a Divine King in the God Realm? How dare they! Once they ascend, won't they fear my father's retribution?"
Da Ming sighed. He knew that Tang Wulin had been too young when he came to Douluo and thus was unaware of the laws governing the God Realm. In truth, Tang Wulin's very descent to the lower realm had been against the rules.
Upon hearing that even Divine Kings were forbidden from interfering in others' lives directly, Tang Wulin's face contorted. Finally, the truth struck him Huo Yu'er and her allies did intend to kill him.
Standing on the edge of life and death, Tang Wulin's survival instincts kicked in, his mind racing for a solution. Desperation flooded him, and he called out to Huo Yu'er in the sky.
"Huo Yu'er! Give me a chance! I'll do anything you ask! My father is a Divine King, one of only five such beings among hundreds of gods! He may be unable to kill you outright, but are you not afraid of the consequences he could bring upon you? Think carefully! Don't act rashly! Even if you kill me, my father will avenge me!"
Huo Yu'er remained silent, poised at the center of the formation, surrounded by the six others, her sword raised toward Tang Wulin.
In that last moment, Huo Yu'er spoke.
"Tang Wulin, you're as arrogant as ever. What makes you think I don't understand the God Realm? But it's all irrelevant now. May you vanish into nothingness beneath this strike and become the foundation of this world.
Divine Fusion Technique: Judgment of the Elements!!"
With those words, she plunged the Kongming Sword into the ground. Seven converging rays of multicolored light cascaded from above, descending upon him like a supreme divine blade, dealing heavenly retribution.
Tang Wulin's eyes widened in terror. This combined power was on par with a peak level First Class God's technique far beyond what he could withstand, even at full strength. In his final moments, all he felt was bitter regret.
"Father… you've doomed me…"
All the color in the world faded, reducing everything to stark black and white lines, as if reality itself had been stripped away.
In the lore of Douluo, the Sea God might have been known as the strongest First Class God, but no single opponent could match the might of seven gods working in concert. Not even the Sea God's ultimate technique, the Sea God's Thirteen Forms, nor his divine trident could withstand this united power. With this inescapable ending, the battle between the Sea God's Alliance and the seven inheritors of the Elemental Gods was decided before it began.
In the God Realm, Xiao Wu was quietly moping inside the Asura God Hall. Now stripped of her divinity and reduced to the role of a tool meant only to house the Asura God's divine power and weaponry, Xiao Wu was forbidden from entering the God Realm's council. She had lost not only her closest friends but also Da Ming and Er Ming, leaving her feeling more isolated than ever.
Then, out of nowhere, a suffocating feeling of dread struck Xiao Wu, filling her heart with an indescribable terror.
"What… what is this feeling? Why do I feel so awful?"
Xiao Wu's delicate brows furrowed, but she couldn't decipher the source of her fear. As someone who had become accustomed to being used as a tool, her instinct was to turn to Tang San for reassurance. She knew that she would feel at peace if she were by his side.
Ignoring the fact that she no longer had the right to enter the council hall, she made her way there. As the Divine King's wife, she believed that, at the very least, they would tolerate her presence.
Yet fate seemed to mock her. Just as she arrived at the God Realm's council, the scene on the screen showed Tang Wulin's last desperate expression as he met his end.
Years had passed since she'd last seen him, and Tang Wulin had changed so much. Yet as he disappeared from the screen, the heavy feeling in Xiao Wu's chest grew stronger, as though something irreplaceable had been torn away. Instinctively, she wanted to reach out to the one person who could offer comfort but when her eyes fell on Tang San, all she saw was a face filled with darkness and anger.
"…Brother San," she murmured.
At that moment, the other gods finally noticed the Divine King's wife had arrived, amusement lighting up their faces as they observed her reaction.
Tang San, however, grew visibly more tense. Xiao Wu was oblivious to the silent stares around her as she continued to move closer to Tang San like an automaton. Pointing at the screen, she asked him in a daze.
"Brother San, who was that… that child who just died on the screen? Did you know him? And why… why does his death hurt so much?"
Tang San's pride, typically pristine and untouchable, would not allow his family's tragedy to become fodder for gossip, even if every god present already knew. He had no desire to discuss it here.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 633: Xiao Wu's Tragedy
"Xiao Wu, let's discuss this later," Tang San said, his tone firm.
But Xiao Wu was unyielding. When it came to things she wanted to understand, she could be relentless. Standing her ground, she continued to press Tang San for answers, her eyes fixed on him with stubborn intensity.
"No, please, tell me, Brother San. Who was that young one? Why does his death hurt me so much?" she pleaded, desperation lacing her voice.
Tang San's mood had already soured after the numerous setbacks in his plans, and now, his wife's public persistence only intensified his frustration, especially with all the other gods watching. With a darkened expression, he raised his hand.
"Enough. Go back!" he commanded.
With a burst of divine power, he transported Xiao Wu away.
Tang San himself couldn't bear to stay any longer. Just before he left, however, he cast a venomous look toward Ye Wen.
"This arrogant fool dares to flaunt the rules of the God Realm by wielding unchecked power on Douluo Continent. You'll pay for this someday; you'll see what true justice is," Tang San muttered darkly.
As Tang San departed, the grand event marking the ascension of new gods finally drew to a close.
The other gods were delighted; this occasion had provided them with some long awaited amusement in the endless passage of time. As they reflected on it, they chuckled at the fact that Tang San seemed to be the sole loser in the whole affair. How unfortunate for the once mighty Sea God King!
As for Ye Wen, he had plenty of work to attend to as a new god. Unlike past ascendants like the Sea God, Ye Wen had no preexisting temple waiting for him in the God Realm he would have to build one of his own. Just as he was about to start, the God of Destruction called out to him.
"Ye Wen, don't leave just yet."
"Is there something you need, God of Destruction?" Ye Wen replied.
The God of Destruction nodded. "Yes. You're planning to build your own temple, right?"
"Yes. Is there an issue?" Ye Wen asked.
"Not exactly. Since your disciple has done us quite a service by effectively removing the Sea God, the old Sea God Temple will now be abandoned. Instead of building a new one from scratch, why not repurpose the Sea God Temple? It would save the God Realm's resources and be a lot less hassle for you," the God of Destruction suggested, a faint smile on his face. "If you're agreeable, I'll arrange for the Sea God Temple to be transferred to you."
Ye Wen, who was quick to grasp implications, immediately understood the offer.
Previously, the Sea God Temple and Asura God Temple had been Tang San's assets. By the rules of the God Realm, however, these temples could only belong to those who held the corresponding divine positions. Without the Sea God position filled, the temple was now considered unassigned and available for redistribution.
The God of Destruction's suggestion might have had a whiff of "strategic redistribution," but with the head of the council's approval, Tang San, now weakened, could hardly protest. Ye Wen accepted the offer with pleasure.
Indeed, even though the Sea God Temple would eventually dissolve without an owner to maintain its legacy, Ye Wen felt no guilt about taking this advantage.
As Ye Wen had expected, when Tang San received word of the temple's reassignment, he could do nothing. The God of Destruction's actions were well within the law, leaving Tang San no grounds for retaliation. Still, it left him fuming.
In one fell swoop, Tang San had lost his primary source of faith power, his beloved son, and his pivotal Sea God position. Now, his assets were further diminished by half.
Tang San felt a crushing pain in his chest, too intense to bear. He couldn't breathe. The agony was overwhelming!
Yet his troubles were far from over. Upon returning to his quarters, Tang San found himself immediately confronted by Xiao Wu. Grabbing hold of his collar, she stared up at him with reddened, tear filled eyes, resembling an enraged rabbit. Tang San instinctively took a step back, startled.
"Brother… San…" Xiao Wu's voice shook. "Tell me… who was that child? Was he… was he our little Wulin?"
Through gritted teeth, she spoke, her tone wavering between disbelief and an emerging sense of conviction as the cruel reality sank in.
Tang San opened his mouth, wanting to explain. He wanted to speak of his lofty ideals and ambitions, of the great sacrifices he had made for their future.
But before he could say a word, Xiao Wu exploded in fury.
"Why… WHY did you do this?!" she screamed, her voice breaking. Without warning, she unleashed the Sea God's Thirteen Forms.
As the vessel of the Asura Sword and conduit for the Asura God position, Xiao Wu and Tang San shared the abilities of both divine roles. Yet unlike Tang San, Xiao Wu had never aspired to be a powerhouse; she had always been content as a carefree soul, and though her status was high, her power was still only that of a First Class God.
Tang San was momentarily stunned by his normally gentle wife's outburst. When he recovered, annoyance flared up inside him Xiao Wu's attack was an inconvenience he had no patience for.
"Enough!" he bellowed, releasing an overwhelming burst of the Asura God's crimson, ominous power. The higher tier force swiftly suppressed Xiao Wu.
"Brother San… you…" Xiao Wu stammered, the horror in her eyes mingling with a deep confusion. This was a side of Tang San she had never known a man she barely recognized.
Unmoved, Tang San refused to listen to her explanations. Bruised and battered by recent defeats on every front, he only felt irritation at this point. With a wave of his hand, he imprisoned Xiao Wu in the deepest cell of the Asura God Temple, snapping, "Reflect on this. I'll release you when you've learned your lesson."
Stripped of her divine powers and faced with both her husband's cruelty and the pain of her son's death, Xiao Wu wavered on the edge of sanity. Yet clarity soon returned to her, and with it, a resolve. The bond of fate that had once united her and Tang San seemed to have severed, leaving only emptiness in its wake.
Over time, Xiao Wu fell silent. The bright, vivacious spirit she once was seemed to fade, replaced by an unreadable calm. But within her eyes, dark plans slowly took root.
Meanwhile, back on Douluo Continent, at the battlefield where the gods had waged their ultimate clash…
The Seven Elemental Gods' joint assault was rooted in the very structure of Douluo's elemental foundation, each one of them drawing from a fundamental force of nature. The power unleashed was nothing short of cataclysmic.
The land where Tang Wulin and Da Ming had once stood was obliterated, leaving behind a gaping void, an abyss so deep that even when stones were thrown down, echoes took an eternity to return from the darkness.
In later records, this site was solemnly marked in Douluo's historical annals.
This was the place where the "God of Sin" had fallen, a sacred site blessed by the supreme gods.
The six divine positions once held by Tang Wulin and his allies were shattered by the Judgment of the Elements, their energies dispersing into the earth itself, nourishing Douluo Continent's spiritual essence. While this alone would not restore the world to the grandeur of the Dragon God era, it signaled a fresh beginning, the dawn of a new age.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 634: The Revelation
Temple of Wisdom
Ye Wen sat alone on his throne. A century may seem a long stretch to mortals, but for the gods, it was only a fleeting moment. In that short time, Ye Wen had not disappointed the God of Destruction's assessment; his strength had reached the pinnacle of a third level god, on the brink of advancing to the second level.
If the original Dragon God or the most powerful Good and Evil Gods had been present, they would have noticed slight differences in Ye Wen compared to his former self. His life force had grown more condensed, concealing even greater power.
Ye Wen's true form had descended upon the God Realm.
Twenty years of accumulating energy for Li had merely been a closed door retreat for Ye Wen. During this time, he had also deciphered some of Li's core mechanisms and, in the near future, would be able to traverse between worlds freely. Now, Ye Wen fully understood the benefits this world could offer him.
There's an old saying that no two leaves are exactly alike, and the same principle applies to parallel universes. In this altered version of Douluo Continent, Ye Wen's influence had already yielded different results. As the master of this world, he could take his insights from its laws back to his original world, integrating the understanding of two worlds to drive the evolution of the original one. Ye Wen felt as though he was piecing together fragments of a puzzle, leading Douluo Continent towards ascension to a divine star.
Ye Wen had a hunch that once Douluo Continent became a divine star, he, too, would break through the shackles of the Supreme God King and reach an entirely new level of existence.
Reflecting on the downfall of the Dragon God's ambitions to elevate the realm, Ye Wen guessed that the Dragon God had attempted brute force instead of a balanced, integrated approach. That strategy had led to backlash from the very forces he sought to manipulate, driving him mad and nearly dismantling the Douluo God Realm.
But that story was a relic of the past. This was Ye Wen's era now.
With nearly a century passed since Huo Yu'er and her companions ascended, it was time for Ye Wen to set his new plans in motion.
"It's time," he murmured.
A stable political system didn't need too many voices. Though Ye Wen was confident he could rule over the Douluo God Realm by himself, he couldn't remain there forever. Huo Yu'er and her allies would eventually need to take on that role themselves. As their teacher, Ye Wen needed to remove any obstacles in their path.
He decided to exile the Douluo God Realm once again. Complete destruction of this realm would only trigger a hidden mechanism, summoning the Good and Evil God Kings from their places of rest. Confronting two Supreme God Kings wasn't worth the effort, especially if there was any chance of defeat.
The God of Destruction's gaze sharpened when Ye Wen entered the God Realm Committee. "Time flies. Are you here to welcome your disciples back?"
But today, Ye Wen wasn't his usual, gentle self. He didn't even nod in response, which immediately alerted the God of Destruction to something amiss.
"Ye Wen, what is the meaning of this?"
Ye Wen remained silent, his gaze sweeping across those present. Good all five God Kings were here.
Before he could act, Tang San couldn't hold back. His godly aura burst forth in a display of power.
"To be so insolent before us God Kings you will pay for this, Ye Wen!" Tang San had longed for an opportunity for revenge. Normally, Ye Wen would keep to his Temple of Wisdom, rendering Tang San powerless to act against him. Now, though the situation seemed strange, Tang San couldn't resist the opportunity.
However, his restraining spell failed.
Ye Wen stood calmly, a silent mockery of Tang San's attempted display of authority. Then Ye Wen formed a seal with his hands, summoning a massive barrier that enveloped everyone within it.
Even the God of Destruction, who had some admiration for Ye Wen, couldn't remain calm. With a low shout, he summoned his Supreme Artifact, the Staff of Destruction.
"Ye Wen, what are you doing? Stop now, or I'll take action!"
All five God Kings unleashed their godly powers, but Ye Wen regarded them with utter indifference. Like a Titled Douluo surpassing level 95, each breakthrough beyond the God King level was a leap to a new realm. As a Supreme God King, Ye Wen could easily handle ten God Kings at once.
At last, Ye Wen allowed his true strength to reveal itself.
The oppressive force of his Supreme God King aura filled the space. The faces of the five God Kings shifted in terror. A primal fear of the ultimate predator took root in their hearts.
Ye Wen didn't intend to exile all of the God Kings this time. Ignoring Tang San, he addressed the other four.
"I am Ye Wen, Supreme God King of a parallel Douluo God Realm. Will you four swear allegiance to me? I will treat you with the respect and status you deserve."
The others froze at the term "parallel world." Clearly, they had never heard of such a concept.
Ye Wen sighed. Their confusion spoke volumes about the limited knowledge of this insular Douluo God Realm. He decided to clarify.
While the idea of parallel worlds astounded the God Kings, they could sense the authenticity of Ye Wen's power, understanding that such strength needed no deceptions.
Yet, they were accustomed to leading surrender was not an easy choice. Seeing their hesitation, Ye Wen continued, "I'll give you time to consider. Understand, though, that refusal will have consequences. My disciple has set her sights on this land, and I intend to grant it to her. If you refuse, I will exile you to a remote star system, millions of light years from here. But you need not fear for your lives I'll spare them."
Though Ye Wen's sudden shift from meekness to strength was startling, his honest approach earned the others' respect. Still, one among them was far from pleased.
Tang San's face darkened with regret over his earlier attempt at retribution. Who could have guessed that this seemingly insignificant creature was a hidden titan of power?
Having experienced Ye Wen's ruthlessness with Tang Wulin, Tang San immediately understood the danger he was in. Before Ye Wen could pass judgment, he hurriedly declared, "Supreme God King of Wisdom, I am willing to serve you."
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 635: Tang San's Resolve
Although Tang San offered to surrender, Ye Wen didn't give him a second glance. For someone like Tang San, full of ulterior motives and a track record of treachery, Ye Wen would be a fool to let him work under him. After all, why would he wait around for the day Tang San grew stronger or tried to strike when he was vulnerable? Ye Wen wasn't so naive.
Being ignored didn't sit well with Tang San, whose face grew even darker. He had considered launching a surprise attack with his "Guanyin's Tears" technique, but he could tell that even the faintest use of godly power would be noticed in this sealed space.
A profound sense of helplessness swept over Tang San. The last time he'd felt this way was when he foolishly tried to rescue Xiao Wu from the Titan Giant Ape as a mere Soul Elder. But this time, no unseen forces would save him.
Just then, Ye Wen's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Have you all made your decision?"
The God of Destruction exchanged glances with the other three. Reluctant as they were to lose their ultimate authority, the vast, lonely abyss of the universe beyond was even less appealing. With the four agreeing to submit, Ye Wen nodded in satisfaction. Although he already had several God Kings under his command in his own realm, he saw no reason to turn down more allies especially these four, who were linked by strong family bonds. Ye Wen knew that familial ties were a potent source of loyalty.
Freeing the four from his control, Ye Wen was unconcerned about any attempt to call upon ancient powers of the Douluo God Realm to summon back the two original supreme God Kings. That would only lead to their own destruction.
Tang San, still restrained, sensed the shift and stared at Ye Wen with a darkened expression. Refusing his surrender and yet sparing his life could mean only one thing.
Internally, Tang San thought, "So the Supreme God King intends to make me a mere whetstone for his disciple?"
Ye Wen responded with a slight nod, adding, "And by the way, my divine title isn't 'God of Wisdom' you can call me the Vast Sea God King. Initially, I held the position of Sea God myself, but eventually, I broke through the constraints of the God King level, leading to my new divine name. In a way, we're connected. That's part of the reason I've chosen to target you."
Tang San managed a bitter smile.
Among the 108 realms affiliated with the Douluo God Realm, minor gods aside, for those holding elemental or primary god titles, it was customary to either change their divine name or defeat a predecessor to take their place, thus forcing the former god to rename themselves. This custom had become an unspoken rule.
The reason for this rule was that names themselves held a certain power. Though two gods with identical titles across different realms could draw faith separately, there was a mysterious force at play in the background what some might call "fate." Even gods like the Asura God and Rakshasa God encountered this rule. Both gods shared the domain of killing and the concept of malevolent intent, clashing somewhat with the former Evil God's domain. Under the weight of absolute power, they had been forced to adopt distinct names, each adding a unique personal focus. Although they achieved the level of God King, their paths had taken a long and winding course.
Ye Wen had also faced a similar issue once. However, after he invented a method for shared god positions, he had effectively bypassed it. The reason two similar god titles couldn't coexist in one god realm was due to the abstract nature of their domain laws. If two domains were too similar, both gods would be locked in a struggle for authority within the same godly system. This mutual interference would hinder both from fully comprehending deeper laws, forcing one to redefine their title.
In short, it was a "clash of paths," where in normal circumstances, one had to fall for the other to thrive. But in a realm where strict rules prevailed, compromise was enforced, and the defeated god had to alter their title.
Ultimately, all rules were man made. Now, Ye Wen's supreme power enabled him to set his own rules. And Tang San, already aware of Ye Wen's open hostility and their inherent clash of paths, wasn't surprised that Ye Wen intended to eliminate him.
Yet, to be dealt a death sentence based on sheer force left Tang San bitter and defiant. Still, he clung to one last effort.
Squaring his shoulders, he looked steadily at Ye Wen. "Great Vast Sea God King, I, Tang San, have always walked an upright path. I'm prepared to face death without regret."
Ye Wen raised an eyebrow at him in amusement. "What's he trying to pull now?" He had long suspected that Tang San was scheming behind this show of righteousness.
As expected, Tang San continued, "Since I'm to serve as a test for your disciple, I know that means my death. But I beg you, please spare my wife. After my death, let her be exiled to wander the universe alone. Let her fend for herself."
With a look of anguish, Tang San closed his eyes, seemingly filled with noble sorrow.
Watching this performance, Ye Wen could only feel that Tang San had mistaken him for a fool.
"Does he really think I'm unaware of the little resurrection failsafe he's left within Xiao Wu?"
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