The moment Lin Mu appeared inside Ye Lingling's room, the gentle power of life surrounding the chamber reacted to his presence.
Soft green light drifted through the air like fireflies, gathering around the curtains and the flowering vines that covered the walls. Unlike the imposing halls of the Temple of Destruction, Ye Lingling's private residence was calm and filled with warmth.
Ye Lingling was seated beside the window.
Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she wore a simple white nightdress embroidered with pale green patterns. The moment she sensed Lin Mu's aura, she turned toward him.
"You're finally back."
Her voice remained composed, but the relief in her eyes was impossible to conceal.
Lin Mu walked toward her and gently touched her cheek.
"I made you wait."
"You always do."
Although her words sounded reproachful, Ye Lingling leaned into his palm instead of pulling away.
For ten thousand years, she had helped manage the affairs of the God Realm. She had resolved disputes between gods, stabilized damaged divine territories, and used her power to preserve countless lives.
Yet the wish she cared about most had remained beyond her reach.
The power of destruction within Lin Mu and the power of life within Ye Lingling were fundamentally opposed. Whenever the two divine forces attempted to produce new life, they would reject each other before a stable foundation could form.
They had tried more than once throughout the years, but every attempt had ended in failure.
Ye Lingling had never blamed him.
Nevertheless, Lin Mu knew how deeply she desired a child of her own.
"I found a way," Lin Mu said.
Ye Lingling froze.
Her eyes searched his expression, as though she feared she had misunderstood him.
"A way to do what?"
"To allow destruction and life to coexist without rejecting each other."
The room became completely silent.
Even the floating points of green light seemed to stop moving.
Ye Lingling slowly rose from her seat.
"You mean…"
Lin Mu took her hands in his.
"If the method succeeds, we can finally have a child."
Her fingers tightened around his.
For a woman who rarely allowed her emotions to show, the change in her expression was striking. Joy, disbelief, uncertainty, and fear appeared one after another.
"What if it fails again?"
"It won't."
Lin Mu's answer carried no hesitation.
He had spent years studying the relationship between creation, life, destruction, and death. During his recent journey to the mortal realm, the final piece had fallen into place.
Destruction did not always represent the absolute end.
When properly controlled, it could break apart an old structure and make room for something new. Life, meanwhile, could transform the fragments left behind and guide them toward rebirth.
Instead of forcing the two powers to suppress each other, Lin Mu intended to place them within a cycle.
Destruction would clear the path.
Life would create what came afterward.
Ye Lingling stared at him for several moments before stepping forward and resting her forehead against his chest.
"I've waited so long to hear you say that."
Lin Mu wrapped his arms around her.
"You won't have to wait any longer."
A soft knock interrupted them.
Before either of them could respond, the door opened.
Qian Renxue stepped into the room.
Her golden hair flowed behind her, reflecting the gentle light within the chamber. Although she had abandoned most of the ceremonial garments associated with the Angel God, she still possessed a natural radiance that made her impossible to overlook.
Her gaze moved from Lin Mu to Ye Lingling, then to their intertwined hands.
"So this is where you disappeared to."
Ye Lingling did not release Lin Mu.
"You knew he would come here."
"I suspected it."
Qian Renxue approached them with an amused smile.
"After managing the God Realm in his place for an entire month, I assumed he would at least remember that he had more than one wife waiting for him."
Lin Mu extended one hand toward her.
Qian Renxue looked at it but deliberately stopped just beyond his reach.
"That's all?"
"What else do you want?"
"You vanished into the mortal realm with Gu Yuena, returned with Tang Wutong clinging to your arm, and then teleported directly into Lingling's room."
She tilted her head.
"You should at least make a proper effort to appease me."
Lin Mu pulled her forward before she could continue teasing him.
Qian Renxue gave a startled sound as she fell against him, but she made no attempt to resist. Instead, she placed one arm around his shoulder while Ye Lingling watched with a faint smile.
"This is hardly proper," Qian Renxue murmured.
"You were the one complaining."
"I was reminding you of your responsibilities."
Lin Mu looked between the two women.
"For the next few days, the affairs of the God Realm can wait."
Qian Renxue's playful expression softened.
"That may be the first sensible decision you've made since returning."
The power of life continued circulating around the room, mingling with Qian Renxue's warm divine light. Lin Mu carefully released a trace of destruction energy, but instead of colliding violently with the other forces, it flowed around them in a controlled spiral.
Ye Lingling watched the interaction closely.
The destructive energy separated the dense life force into countless smaller strands. Qian Renxue's light then purified and stabilized them before they returned to Ye Lingling.
For the first time, the three divine powers existed together without conflict.
"It really works," Ye Lingling whispered.
Lin Mu nodded.
"Your life power will provide the foundation. My destruction power will remove the instability before it can form, while Renxue's sacred light will maintain the balance between them."
Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow.
"So I'm part of your solution as well?"
"You sound disappointed."
"On the contrary."
She leaned closer, her golden eyes filled with warmth and mischief.
"I simply wanted to hear you admit that you need me."
Before Lin Mu could answer, another presence approached the room.
Unlike Qian Renxue, the newcomer did not knock.
A slender vine slipped beneath the door, followed by a gentle ripple of blue-gold light. The door opened on its own, revealing Ah Yin standing outside.
Her long blue hair fell to her waist, and the fragrance of Blue Silver Grass entered with her. She had originally come to speak with Ye Lingling about the growth of several divine plants within the Temple of Destruction.
Instead, she found Lin Mu standing between Ye Lingling and Qian Renxue while three different divine powers intertwined throughout the room.
Ah Yin paused.
"It seems I came at an inconvenient time."
Qian Renxue glanced toward her.
"That depends on what you came here for."
"I wanted Lingling's help with the Tree of Life seedlings."
Ah Yin looked at the energy circulating around them, and her expression became more curious.
"What are you doing?"
Ye Lingling hesitated.
Despite knowing Ah Yin for thousands of years, speaking openly about such a private wish was still difficult.
Lin Mu answered for her.
"I found a way for Lingling and me to have a child."
Ah Yin's eyes widened.
She understood better than most how important the desire for a child could become. Her expression quickly softened as she looked at Ye Lingling.
"That's wonderful."
"The process requires more than life and destruction," Ye Lingling explained. "Renxue's sacred light is helping stabilize the two powers."
Ah Yin examined the circulating energy.
After a moment, several strands of Blue Silver Emperor power emerged from beneath her feet and joined the spiral.
The effect was immediate.
The cycle became smoother and more natural. While Ye Lingling's power represented pure life, Ah Yin's carried the concept of growth, inheritance, and renewal.
Lin Mu studied the change with interest.
"Your power strengthens the connection between the different stages."
Ah Yin smiled gently.
"Blue Silver Grass survives because each generation nourishes the next. Perhaps my power can help guide the new life you're trying to create."
Qian Renxue folded her arms.
"You seem very eager to help."
Ah Yin finally noticed the teasing tone in her voice.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"I was only offering my divine power."
"Of course."
Ye Lingling reached out and took Ah Yin's hand.
"If you're willing to help, stay."
Ah Yin looked at their joined hands and then toward Lin Mu.
There was no pressure in his gaze. The decision remained entirely hers.
She could have withdrawn her power and left the room.
Instead, the Blue Silver Emperor vines quietly closed the door behind her.
"I'll stay," she said softly.
The four of them moved toward the inner chamber, where the roots of a small Tree of Life spread beneath the floor. Its branches glowed with pale green light, forming a natural canopy above them.
Lin Mu expanded the cycle of divine energy.
Destruction, life, sacred light, and nature intertwined around the room, each force supporting the others instead of competing for dominance.
The atmosphere gradually became warmer and more intimate.
Qian Renxue rested against Lin Mu's shoulder, her earlier complaints long forgotten. Ye Lingling remained close to his other side, still overwhelmed by the possibility that her oldest wish might finally be fulfilled.
Ah Yin sat beside them beneath the glowing branches.
At first, she maintained a small distance. However, as their divine powers continued resonating, the barrier between them gradually disappeared.
Ye Lingling reached for her again.
This time, Ah Yin allowed herself to be drawn closer.
No one spoke for a while.
The only sounds in the chamber were their quiet breathing and the gentle movement of Blue Silver Emperor leaves above them.
Lin Mu looked at the three women surrounding him.
"You can still leave if any of you are uncomfortable."
Qian Renxue immediately placed a finger against his lips.
"After making us wait this long, you're not escaping by pretending to be considerate."
Ye Lingling's face reddened, but she nodded in agreement.
Ah Yin lowered her gaze.
"I chose to stay."
Her answer was soft but certain.
Lin Mu released the last of his restraint.
The Tree of Life's branches descended around them, forming a curtain of glowing leaves that concealed the inner chamber.
Outside, the Temple of Destruction remained peaceful.
Xiong Jun and Er Ming continued guarding the gates, unaware of what was happening inside. The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King slept undisturbed in the courtyard, while the other gods carried on with their duties.
Within Ye Lingling's room, divine light continued shining until deep into the night.
Life and destruction entered a perfect cycle for the first time.
Sacred light protected the fragile balance between them, while the power of the Blue Silver Emperor guided that harmony toward growth and renewal.
Whatever the result might be, Ye Lingling was no longer facing her wish alone.
Qian Renxue remained beside her, Ah Yin had willingly joined them, and Lin Mu had devoted himself completely to the three women who had waited patiently for his return.
By the time the light beneath the Tree of Life finally faded, the first signs of dawn had begun spreading across the God Realm.