The God of Destruction was silent for a moment, then, unexpectedly, agreed to Tang Wulin's request.
"He's right," the God of Destruction's gaze shifted to Qian Renxue, a rational light gleaming in his purple eyes. "Only a blade that has been tempered can remain sharp. If he is to fight annihilation, he must confront it directly, understand it, and then transcend it."
"But he only has Level 20 soul power right now!" Qian Renxue gripped her husband's hand, as if he might vanish the moment she let go.
Tang Wulin gently returned his wife's grip. Though the disparity between his faint soul power and her divine power was vast, his hold at this moment carried an unquestionable firmness.
"Trust me," he said, his voice as calm as a deep pool. "I have already walked the edge of annihilation once; I know its terror. But this time is different—this time, I've brought a weapon."
He looked at the faint point of light in his palm. It was so minuscule, a gust of wind seemed capable of blowing it away, yet every god present knew what this light represented—it was the proof of existence itself, the ultimate embodiment of "I think, therefore I am," the starting point of all possibilities.
The Life Goddess walked to Qian Renxue's side and said softly, "Give him some of your trust. This child has already found his own path. This path is destined to be extraordinary and full of perils, but all we can do is support, not restrain him."
Tang San pondered for a moment, then finally nodded. "The Divine Realm's Library of Books is open to all main gods, including the forbidden tomes on the origin of the world. As for approaching the Abyss fissure... I must be present, and each time cannot exceed the duration it takes for an incense stick to burn."
"That's enough," Tang Wulin said. "Starting tomorrow."
In the days that followed, Tang Wulin's life settled into a new rhythm.
In the early morning, he would meditate in the Serenity Garden, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his soul to observe the seed of his "Proof of Existence." It rotated slowly, emitting a faint but undeniable light. That light was not pure energy, but a form of "affirmation"—the will to affirm its own existence spread outwards, touching everything it contacted and drawing those things into the relational network of "co-existing with me."
Then, he would go to the Divine Realm's Library of Books, immersing himself in the most ancient and profound tomes. Most of these texts were written by the first-generation gods, recording the true nature of the world before the Divine Realm was established—how time was born from eternity, how space unfolded from the void, how the laws condensed from chaos. These records were completely different from the cultivation theories of the mortal world—they didn't teach how to become strong, only explored "what exists" and "why it exists."
On the third day, Tang Wulin read a passage on a sheepskin scroll written in the divine script:
"So-called power is but one of the ways of existence. Fire exists, thus it burns; water exists, thus it flows; the laws exist, thus they operate. When existence itself becomes the focus, the acquisition of power is no longer about conquering the external world, but about deepening one's own relationship with the world."
He closed the scroll, sinking deep into thought.
What is soul power? According to the common knowledge on the Douluo Continent, soul power is a special energy produced by the combination of life energy and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Soul masters cultivate through meditation, hunt soul beasts for soul rings, and continuously raise their soul power level to obtain greater power.
But that was only the surface.
If existence is the foundation, then soul power should be an indicator of the "intensity of one's affirmed existence." The higher the soul power level, the stronger the soul master's affirmation of their own existence, and the deeper and broader their connection to the world. Soul rings, then, are the "milestones" or "nodes" in this process of connection, marking the soul master's major breakthroughs on the dimension of existence.
Then what about martial souls?
Tang Wulin summoned the Blue Silver Emperor. Its emerald-gold vines unfurled in his palm. This was not merely the ultimate plant-type martial soul, but an extension of his bloodline, a concrete expression of his "way of existence." If the Seed of Existence was the core proof of his being, then the martial soul was one of the forms through which this core manifested outwardly.
"No," he murmured to himself, "it shouldn't be 'one of,' but 'the whole.' Everything of me—my body, my soul, my memories, my emotions, my martial soul, my soul power—should all be different manifestations of this single seed."
Just then, the Seed of Existence in his palm flickered slightly, as if establishing an invisible connection with the Blue Silver Emperor. The gold of the Blue Silver Emperor deepened, and the patterns on its leaves seemed to flow with a faint light. It was no longer just a plant, but an "existing plant," a life form whose "existence was affirmed."
Tang Wulin closed his eyes, attempting to "touch" the Blue Silver Emperor with the perception of his Seed of Existence.
Something marvelous happened.
In his consciousness, the Blue Silver Emperor was no longer an "object," but a complex set of relationships: its relationship with the soil (absorbing nutrients), with the sun (photosynthesis), with water (transporting moisture), with the air (exchanging gases), and with Tang Wulin himself (connected by blood, their hearts as one). These relationships constituted the "existence network" of the Blue Silver Emperor.
And the Seed of Existence lay at the center of this network.
"I understand," Tang Wulin opened his eyes, the light of realization shining within them. "Cultivation shouldn't be about 'gaining power,' but about 'deepening existence.' Every time a soul ring is obtained, it's not about gaining a new skill, but about establishing a new connection in the network of existence, affirming a new law, making the existence of 'I' richer and more solid."
This realization was like a bolt of lightning, illuminating the path ahead of him.
Five days later, accompanied by Tang San, Tang Wulin approached the Abyss fissure for the first time.
They stood on a platform a hundred meters from the edge of the fissure—this was the safety line Tang San had drawn. Even here, the aura of nothingness that devoured all things was still heart-shaking. The edges of space were indistinct, and light twisted and fractured near the fissure, as if even the act of "seeing" was being consumed.
"How do you feel?" Tang San asked. He radiated the Sea God's divine power, forming a pale blue protective shield that enveloped Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin closed his eyes, focusing his consciousness on the Seed of Existence deep in his soul.
The seed was trembling.
Not out of fear, but because of "contrast"—the absolute contrast between existence and nothingness was at its most vivid here. In other parts of the Divine Realm, existence was the taken-for-granted background, but here at the edge of the fissure, existence became a "choice" that required constant affirmation and persistence.
"It's questioning me," Tang Wulin said in a low voice, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal under the pressure of the void's aura. "It's asking: 'Do you exist? Do you truly exist? Or are you just an illusion, an accident, a mistake that can be erased at any moment?'"
"And how do you answer?" Tang San asked.
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