Within the interior of Spirit City, at the heart of the ruins, the aura of the Grand Elder finally regained its stability after its initial violent fluctuations. As he slowly absorbed and refined the deep crimson soul ring, relic of three hundred thousand years, it gradually fused with his own Spirit.
Sensing that the Grand Elder had stabilized and entered a profound state of absorption, Chen Yi slowly drew back the Mace of Thunder God. He let out a long, cloudy breath laced with the aura of lightning. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead—a clear sign of the massive energy expended in his previous round of support attacks.
Seated cross-legged, Chen Yi took some time to regulate his breathing and restore his strength. Once recovered, he stood, glanced at Chu Shanhe, who had been protecting him, and said quietly, "Sect Master, from here on, I'll leave this place to you."
Chu Shanhe arched an eyebrow, a glimmer lighting up his eyes. "Are you planning to act?"
Chen Yi nodded, gazing into the distance with a sharp, resolute look.
"We let him live for so long, but now… he has no reason to continue."
The "he" in question, of course, referred to the escaped Tang San. Chen Yi had had multiple chances to completely eradicate Tang San in the past, but concern that the Asura God might be lurking behind him made Chen Yi hesitate repeatedly.
The attention and intervention of a God King was an unpredictable and massive variable.
However, after today's battle, everything changed. Not only had the Asura God covertly supported his failed successor—Tang Chen—causing chaos on the continent, but the chain reaction Tang San sparked nearly drove Chen Yi to a point of despair.
Though Thunder God ultimately turned the tables and resolved the crisis, the severity of the incident was enough that the God Realm Committee would not remain mere bystanders any longer.
In the short term, they likely had neither the opportunity nor reason to openly intervene to shelter Tang San now.
Therefore, eliminating Tang San—who might have inherited two supreme legacies—had become an urgent priority.
"Should I go with you?" Chu Shanhe pondered. Matters involving gods always carried unknowns—even if a certain god's hands were tied, there was no guarantee that events would unfold as expected. With a supreme Douluo by his side, his own safety was much improved.
But Chen Yi shook his head. "No need. You fought Tang Chen bitterly today and used my divine weapon—You depleted considerable soul power and spiritual energy. Please rest here and protect the Grand Elder."
"I plan to bring Seventh Aunt and my father along this time."
At this, Chu Shanhe was silent for a while, then nodded in agreement. With Chen Yi's present might, aided by the Thunder God's Mace, there was indeed no one on the continent who could threaten him. He patted Chen Yi's shoulder, his gaze filled with complex emotion. "It's a blessing to have a divine weapon to protect you, but your own strength stands above all. Across the continent, there truly is no one who can harm you, even marginally."
"Go, and put an end to this calamity."
As he looked at Chen Yi's young yet unyielding face, Chu Shanhe was filled with emotion. The boy who once needed their protection had grown into a giant within the world of soul masters—someone who could dictate the rise and fall of storms.
Time truly flies.
Chen Yi simply smiled, said no more, and gave a solemn bow to Chu Shanhe. "Sect Master, take care. We await your safe return."
Without hesitation, he transformed into a streak of violet-gold light and shot out of Spirit City, vanishing over the horizon in a flash.
…
In the Realm of Gods – The Evil God's Temple
Unlike the other palaces of the God Kings—resplendent in gold, solemn and holy—the Evil God's temple brimmed with an ominous, dark aura. Its hall was dim, only faint light filtering from the overhead dome. There, a phantasmal, uncertain evil moon composed of twisted light and shadow hung, shedding its eerie glow.
The Evil God stood in the center of the hall, hands clasped behind his back, head tilted as he gazed at the illusory evil moon. The ever-shifting light and shadow reflected in his captivating eyes, making his thoughts unreadable.
"They are here."
The Evil God's sudden, quiet words broke the silence, echoing through the vast, empty temple.
In the next moment, the light and shadow in the hall warped, and a tall figure, dressed in blood-red, sinister divine armor and exuding a faint, murderous aura, silently emerged behind the Evil God as if wading up from a sea of blood.
This was the Asura God.
He nodded lightly in greeting but said nothing.
Within this dark and sinister palace, the two supreme God Kings stood face to face—one gazing at the moon, the other standing wordlessly. In that moment, even time itself seemed to lose all meaning. A heavy, oppressive silence filled the hall, as if even the evil moon's illusion had frozen stiff.
At last, the Evil God slowly turned around.
But when he did, his usual sardonic, evil grin had completely disappeared, replaced by a chilling indifference. There was no trace of levity left in his eyes—only an arrogance that looked down upon all existence. This was his true countenance: the oldest and most mysterious of all supreme God Kings in the God Realm.
"Asura."
The Evil God's voice was unhurried, not loud, but each word carried the weight of a thousand pounds, resounding through every corner of the temple. "After the previous incident, I warned you… never again to entertain thoughts of evil."
He paused, his gaze fixed upon the Asura God's blood-red eyes.
"Do you truly believe… that I would not kill you?"
The instant the words were spoken—Boom!—an overwhelming, almost tangible tidal wave of murderous intent erupted from the Evil God, instantly filling the temple's every nook and cranny. The renowned Asura God, familiar with endless killing and seas of corpses, couldn't help but furrow his brow under its weight. His body was sheathed in a blood-red holy light, naturally forming a defensive barrier, yet still he felt chill and trembling from deep within his soul.
This was Evil God—the oldest and most enigmatic God King of the God Realm. For hundreds of thousands of years, he'd maintained a playful, mocking image. Yet, his unfathomable true power and depth had never faded.
"I know." Asura God's voice was lower than usual and tenser, lacking coldness or sternness, just taut with pressure. Facing the Evil God's emotionless eyes, he spoke:
"Tang San is my chosen successor. He possesses unique qualities. If he can simultaneously inherit both my Asura and Poseidon legacies, perhaps… the issue of the Asura God's killing backlash can be solved."
"Is that so?" The Evil God's response was icy, devoid of emotion.
"Yet for your possibility, you chose to confront another God King's successor, indirectly causing today's chaos in the God Realm."
"Asura, your 'maybe' is paid at far too heavy a price."
"I never intended to harm Chen Yi!" Asura God emphasized. "I only wanted Tang San to progress further and approach the heart of the divine trial as quickly as possible."
"Tang Chen's appearance was meant to apply pressure and provide opportunity for Tang San. I never ordered a direct attack on Chen Yi or the Spirit Hall. And the Sea God's endless regret—that was another unforeseen variable."
"Enough!" The Evil God abruptly cut in, his voice suddenly harsh.
"When the Angel God died a tragic death, I searched repeatedly yet found not a single trace. If not for the intervention of a God King concealing and erasing all evidence, how could things have ended so quietly?"
His crimson eyes bore into Asura as if to pierce through to every secret in his soul. "At that time, I controlled central authority in the God Realm, overseeing all territories. I knew this clearer than anyone."
"Yet, I still chose to keep it secret, even protecting you from a series of destructive inquiries."
The Evil God's voice reverberated through the empty hall, heavy with sadness and disappointment. "Of course, I kept in mind the need for stability in the God Realm. The fall of a first-class god would spawn inner chaos and suspicion—something best avoided."
"But more importantly… Asura, tell me, what could be so important?!"
He stepped forward, pressing terrifying murderous intent upon the Asura God. "The five of us were born together, grew together, and have governed the God Realm together ever since. Our bond has spanned countless ages!"
I thought you would remember! I thought you would restrain yourself!
Among all the gods, it was well known that within the Five God Kings, the Goddess of Life was the gentlest, the Good God was kind, the God of Destruction was strict and just, the Evil God was cold, and the Asura God was ruthless and decisive.
Yet who could imagine, this seemingly unrestrained Evil God actually held the strongest "humanity" of them all—perhaps even surpassing the goddesses of Life and Good.
It was precisely this hidden "humanity" that compelled him to break the rules and secretly shelter the fallen Angels in the midst of the shocking mystery of the Angel's fall—the one who became most entangled was Asura God.
Seeing that Asura remained silent—giving neither explanation nor regret—the last trace of warmth in the Evil God's eyes vanished.
"Remember my words today, Asura." The Evil God's voice calmed, but was more dread-inspiring than his earlier outburst. "Chen Yi is not like the Angel God."
Thunder God is a true God King—his weight as a successor cannot even be compared with the Angel God, who, at his peak, only barely approached the level of a quasi-God King.
"If you ever again act arrogantly in pursuit of your so-called 'chance,' and reach beyond forbidden boundaries…"
The Evil God paused, a fierce light in his eyes that even made the Asura God tremble.
"Don't blame me for discarding the brotherhood we've built over hundreds of thousands of years."
As soon as his words finished, the terrifying murderous intent receded like a tide, but the heavy atmosphere lingered on for a long time.
Asura God remained standing, quietly feeling the pressure that had yet to entirely dissipate. As one of the Judgement Gods of the Divine Realm, he knew his brother's true nature all too well—something that went far deeper than mere sarcasm.
In the ancient times when the order of the gods was first established, it was this ancient God King who, with iron will and fairness, passed judgment on countless first-generation gods who tried to challenge the rules. Thus was founded the authority of the Divine Council.
The Scales of Justice, representing absolute fairness and ruthless judgment, once made all the Divine Realm tremble.
Today, the Evil God's words and warning were, without doubt, a final ultimatum. His patience had reached its limit.
The Evil God gazed at the silent Asura God, shook his head, and said no more. He turned and walked toward the throne deep within the hall, leaving behind only a chilling, lingering resonance.
"Take care of yourself."
Asura God stood unmoving, watching the Evil God's figure gradually dissolve into shadow. His crimson eyes flickered with a complex light.
In the end, he maintained his silence and, too, quietly faded away—leaving the oppressive temple behind.
…