Chapter 119: The Seven Deadly Sins
The God of Destruction slowly withdrew his divine consciousness, yet the seething fury churning deep within his chest refused to subside. He stood amid the void of the Divine Realm, the dark violet aura of destruction swirling around him flickering erratically, as if mirroring the turbulent emotions raging through his heart.
Tang San's deeds... their sheer depravity had already exceeded the limits of what he could tolerate. If he were to inform Little Green of this, she would undoubtedly, amidst shock and heartache, choose to stand by his side. And not just Little Green—even the newly instated God of Kindness and God of Evil, upon learning the truth, would likely find such conduct intolerable. The balance of the Divine Realm Council could very well tip because of this.
This was a trump card capable of reversing the entire situation. Yet the God of Destruction knew all too well that the time to lay it on the table had not yet come. To act rashly would only alert the enemy. Who was Tang San, after all? He had operated in the Divine Realm for far too long, meticulously crafting the righteous image of the "Sea God" and "Asura God" until it was deeply etched into the hearts of all.
Relying solely on an accusation from his own camp, without conclusive and systematic evidence, would not only fail to shake Tang San's foundation—it could very well be smoothed over by his silver tongue, or worse, be turned back against him, placing himself in an even more passive position.
He had to wait. He had to endure. Like the most seasoned hunter, he must wait for the prey to expose its own weakness. Like the most patient web-weaver, he must spin every thread of clues into an irrefutable chain of evidence. Only at the crucial moment when Tang San believed his plans were succeeding, when he made a fatal misstep—only then could he deliver the killing blow, tearing away the mask of hypocrisy and forcing all beings of the Divine Realm to see the truth.
At this thought, a complex surge of emotion welled up in the God of Destruction's heart—frustration over the current state of affairs intertwined with the heavy weight of fighting alone. His position in the Divine Realm was worlds apart from Tang San's.
Because he wielded the authority of destruction and his manner had always been blunt and unyielding, in the eyes of many deities he was a "troublesome" existence, difficult to approach, even fearsome. Tang San, in contrast, was a consummate social operator. The cadre of Second-Class Deities gathered under his banner—though not of the highest rank—were each one remarkably capable and exceptionally well-regarded.
The Food God Oscar, whose skillful hands could transform mundane ingredients into delicacies that even deities craved, was a beloved presence at all manner of gatherings in the Divine Realm, silently garnering goodwill for Tang San. The Nine-Colored Goddess Ning Rongrong, amiable by nature and blessed with a wide circle of friends, enjoyed harmonious relations with many goddesses and even quite a number of male gods—an excellent conduit for intelligence and a social lubricant.
The Phoenix God Ma Hongjun had not only inherited the pinnacle of fire-attribute divine power and earned the favor of the God of Fire himself, but his dashing appearance and single-minded devotion to his beloved Bai Chenxiang were also celebrated tales in the Divine Realm, earning him widespread admiration. The War God Dai Mubai and the Speed God Zhu Zhuqing had carved out their own divine seats through their own transcendent talent and tenacity—an achievement that commanded the solemn respect of all Second- and Third-Class Deities, their influence not to be underestimated.
As for Tang San's wife, the Soft-Boned Rabbit Xiao Wu... the God of Destruction's feelings toward her were somewhat complicated. She possessed God King-level power, though this power derived from sharing with Tang San and was thus incomplete. Yet her focus seemed to lie more with family and children.
Her days were spent either keeping Tang San company or doting on their daughter Xiao Qi, behaving rather like a gentle mascot. As for her God King-level strength, in the God of Destruction's estimation, she could probably bring forth less than fifty percent of it...
Turning to look at his own Seven Deadly Sins... the God of Destruction could not help but feel a headache coming on. Greed, Pride, Envy, Sloth, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony—each one embodied a fundamental emotion and law. Their power was indeed formidable, but their modes of conduct were often influenced by the characteristics of their respective sins, frequently stirring up trouble of one size or another.
The God of Pride had an unbridled tongue and easily offended others. The God of Envy was overly sensitive and prone to sowing discord. The God of Sloth... would rather lie down than stand up, if given the choice. The God of Lust was unbridled and capricious. The God of Wrath ignited at the slightest spark. And the God of Gluttony was always thinking about the next meal.
Only the God of Greed demonstrated a modicum of steadiness, being shrewd and calculating—but it was precisely because of that "greed" that a sliver of wariness concerning his loyalty always lingered in the God of Destruction's heart, a factor to weigh with care. Over all these years, he had spent no small amount of effort cleaning up after his subordinates' messes, barely maintaining the already tenuous ties between them and the other deities of the Divine Realm.
And then there was Tang San's side. The law enforcers who had originally served under the Asura God, renowned for their iron-blooded ruthlessness, now seemed to have become considerably more "well-behaved" after Tang San took over the Asura God seat—at least on the surface, their arrogant and reckless behavior had drastically diminished. This, without a doubt, added yet another weight to the scale tipping in favor of Tang San's "superior leadership."
What troubled the God of Destruction even more was the situation in the Divine Realm's upper echelon. The newly instated God of Kindness and God of Evil, though still junior in seniority and seemingly unbothered with day-to-day affairs, nevertheless possessed genuine God King-level strength.
Moreover, Shuporos, the God of Slaughter who had served under the previous Asura God, had once offended them. While this old grudge had not directly touched Tang San, it nevertheless caused the two new God Kings to instinctively maintain a degree of scrutiny and reservation toward any faction related to the Asura God or Sea God. This delicate relationship was something Tang San would undoubtedly seek to either exploit or circumvent.
In the Divine Realm, openly opposing even a single God King was already a profoundly unwise act, let alone facing two simultaneously—that would be a direct challenge to the authority of the Divine Realm Council. Thus, short of the most extreme circumstances, no deity would willingly be drawn into a conflict of this magnitude. At present, it appeared that Tang San held every advantage—favorable timing, advantageous position, and widespread support. All was calm, and his foundation was rock-solid.
"Sigh..." The God of Destruction let out a soundless sigh in his heart, and the dark violet divine light around him seemed to dim for a moment. This contest with Tang San was fated to be anything but easy.
Just as he was deep in contemplation, seven streaks of divine light in different colors and each with a distinctly unique aura flashed into existence. His seven subordinates, the Seven Deadly Sins, having sensed the violent fluctuations of his mood, quickly gathered around him.
The God of Greed spoke first, his tone laced with cautious probing: "My Lord, what matter has stirred such fury within you? Your subordinates wish to share your burden." A shrewd light gleamed in his eyes as he sought to read more from the God of Destruction's expression.
The God of Pride immediately seized the opportunity, speaking with his characteristic bluster: "Could it be that the Sea God Tang San has pulled some petty trick again? My Lord, give the order and we shall mobilize at once! We'll teach him a lesson! We've long found that lot an eyesore!"
The God of Envy covered her mouth with a light laugh, though her voice carried a hidden sting: "Hehe, such bold words. Yet the Sea God is a God King—would you dare fight him directly? I suspect you'd only dare pick a fight with his Second-Class subordinates, wouldn't you?"
"You—!" The God of Pride, as if stomped on the tail, glared back with fury. "If our Lord permits it, so what if he's a God King? I'd still dare to take him on! Don't you underestimate me!"
The God of Envy raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm: "Oh my, quite the manly spirit all of a sudden, isn't it? I just fear that when the real fight begins, certain people might flee faster than anyone else."
"Bastard! Who are you saying would run?" Divine light surged around the God of Pride, clearly enraged.
"Enough." The God of Destruction's deep voice rang out. It was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority, instantly suppressing their bickering. He swept his gaze over his seven subordinates, the sense of helplessness in his heart growing heavier. These fellows—their power was a formidable asset, but far more often, they were a source of trouble.
Only then did the God of Sloth leisurely yawn, rubbing his bleary eyes and mumbling indistinctly: "Hahhh... what's all the squabbling about... can't you keep it down... you're disturbing my sleep..."
The God of Destruction ignored these petty quarrels and cut straight to the point: "All of you, sharpen your focus. Unless some unforeseen turns of events intervene, our direct confrontation with Tang San's faction may not be far off."