Chapter 606: Rebellion, Part Eight
"Call for backup! Find someone with powerful attacks to finish him off!"
The sky's light shrank to a mere three meters above, and Da Ming's eyes filled with utter despair. The resentment in his heart was overwhelming. He knew all too well the limitations of a newly ascended god's power, and although his victory should have been certain, his lack of complete mastery over his god inheritance left him on the brink of defeat.
"Tang San! If you had given me the Snake God position sooner, this wouldn't have happened! How I hate this!"
Power! I need power! Grant me strength, Snake God!"
In desperation, Da Ming began to explore the latent god techniques within the Snake God inheritance, hoping to find some salvation. Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao rose from the earth, gazing triumphantly at the massive, jagged boulder that trapped him.
"Hmph, I don't know exactly what kind of god he is, but anyone who dares challenge Tianxing is asking for death."
While Xiao Xiao looked down on Da Ming's strength, she was cautious in practice. Ye Wen had taught her to never underestimate an enemy in combat, no matter how confident she felt. With an enemy like Da Ming, even a slight error could be disastrous.
Moving to Jiang Nannan's side, Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her dear friend had simply passed out from exhaustion. She hadn't received Jiang Nannan's distress call over the communication soul guide, and though Xiao Xiao was normally level headed, the sudden danger had still unsettled her.
As for Ye Wen's ability to unleash god level power through the four word battle armor, Xiao Xiao was unsurprised. She was currently wearing the upgraded five word battle armor a creation fortified with god power that allowed a Titled Douluo to unleash the power of a third rank god.
Da Ming's suppression didn't surprise Xiao Xiao; her power level was at least a full rank above his. However, she was puzzled as to why Da Ming, despite being a true god, lacked divine equipment to bolster his strength.
What Xiao Xiao didn't realize was that not all gods in the Douluo God Realm were as generous as the Sea God and Asura God. Even the Angel God had only left ample resources because the successor was a direct descendant. Da Ming, inheriting a second rank god position from the long deceased Snake God, was out of luck, especially under Tang San's frugal and self serving nature.
The gods in the Douluo God Realm saw through the situation as well. The God of Destruction, who had previously condemned Tang San for bending the rules, now wore a faint smile.
"Ha! You really thought no one on Douluo Continent could handle this so called god," the God of Destruction mused inwardly.
The seven Elemental Gods, who had already anticipated the situation, knew well the value of a four word battle armor, which rivaled a soul bone in essence. Although they hadn't yet fully passed down their legacies, they suspected that the four word battle armor wasn't as simple as it appeared. However, seeing Ye Wen's five word battle armor, imbued with god power, made them envious. After all, Xiao Xiao and her companions were their chosen successors, yet Ye Wen had upgraded their armor before they could.
They couldn't shake the unsettling feeling of being "NTR'd" by a new god.
Nonetheless, Ye Wen's divinity was an undeniable reality, and having such a powerful backer for their successors gave the Elemental Gods a sense of pride and satisfaction even if they were no longer in the Douluo God Realm.
Tang San, on the other hand, was furious, regretting his "oversight." He made a mental note to issue a divine decree as soon as he returned to his temple, ordering Er Ming and others to collect soul bones and craft divine equipment. Otherwise, how could he hope to compete?
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao pulled out her communication soul guide, planning to call her close friend Xu JiuJiu, who had inherited the powerful God of Light legacy, for backup.
As for her master, Ye Wen... Xiao Xiao believed these small time foes didn't warrant her powerful teacher's intervention.
But just as Xiao Xiao was scanning her contacts, the previously stable sphere of earth and stone began to tremble.
"What's going on!?"
Xiao Xiao looked up in surprise. She had maintained absolute control over her Geomagnetic Reversal, using every ounce of her strength. What was this new development?
She remained vigilant. It had to be Da Ming causing the disturbance. Xiao Xiao knew he was an experienced veteran and much stronger than she was. If he managed to escape, she wouldn't stand a chance against him in direct combat.
Quickly, she dialed Xu JiuJiu, who had inherited the God of Light position and was the nearest capable ally.
"JiuJiu, get here now! I'm facing a god level freak!"
"I got the message and am on my way! Hang in there, Xiao Xiao! I'll be there in three minutes!" Xu JiuJiu replied seriously.
"Hurry! I don't think I can hold out much longer."
Xiao Xiao ended the call, channeling all her god power into the five word battle armor. Despite this, she felt her grip on Da Ming slipping.
"Damn it, once this is over, I need to speed up my god position examination. As a mere Titled Douluo, my soul power is practically useless against monsters like him!" Xiao Xiao muttered inwardly. Even with her armor pushed to its limit, the sphere of earth and stone began to crack.
Through the crumbling rocks, a terrifying snake's head emerged.
And there wasn't just one head there were eight.
Xiao Xiao stared in shock as eight serpent heads extended from the stone.
"What... what is this?" she stammered.
Even Ye Wen was taken aback for a moment. Although he, like Tang San, had inherited the Sea God's position, his path had not included these lesser god positions. Not that he cared about them, as he had little regard for "trash" god positions.
However, upon closer inspection, Ye Wen realized the Snake God position was no ordinary legacy. The former existence of the Dragon God had subjugated all the highest bloodlines of other soul beast clans. The clearest example of this was the Phoenix God, which Ma Hongjun had inherited. Despite the grandeur of its name, it was merely a second rank god position, weakened after the devastating Divine War.
Although snake type soul beasts on Douluo Continent were often seen as degraded forms of dragon type soul beasts, many serpent martial souls evolved into dragon variants, reinforcing this belief.
However, ancient beings such as the Ten Headed Fiery Sun Serpent and Medusa once roamed Douluo Continent, proving that the serpent bloodlines were far more formidable than they appeared.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 607: Rebellion, Part Nine
Ye Wen quickly discerned the true nature of the eight headed serpent.
"Interesting. So, the creature embodying the Snake God's divine position is actually an Orochi. However..."
Hidden nearby, Ye Wen observed it more closely.
"Even at its peak, it only reached a first rank god's level. Hardly worth much."
Satisfied with this assessment, Ye Wen decided to "play dead" and stopped interfering altogether, knowing that even with this burst of power, Da Ming couldn't change the outcome.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao's expression was solemn. She had pushed her Geomagnetic Reversal to its utmost limits, yet Da Ming was slipping through her control, gradually dismantling her carefully constructed prison.
As one of Ye Wen's disciples, Xiao Xiao knew better than to stubbornly stick with ineffective tactics. Ye Wen had taught his students to change strategies if their methods couldn't counter an enemy effectively. And if none of their techniques worked, they should either run away or call for help.
Although it sounded like Yu Xiaogang's "less rings, less bones, run away" philosophy, Ye Wen's guidance offered a more thorough and realistic approach.
"This next move… I may not have completely mastered it, but it should buy enough time."
Xiao Xiao deactivated Geomagnetic Reversal, then clasped her hands together, fingers interlocked.
"Domain Expansion: Three Lives Demon Suppressing Platform!"
In an instant, both she and Da Ming vanished, replaced by a massive black barrier floating in the air.
Under Ye Wen's healing, Jiang Nannan began to awaken, noticing the strange, enormous black barrier overhead. Her eyes glinted with admiration after all, a domain was still a rare skill, even in this era.
Especially the type of domain that Ye Wen had taught his disciples a closed domain.
Within a closed domain, everyone was subject to the domain's effects, and the domain master's attacks would always strike their target. This effect was god like in its potency.
Unfortunately, Jiang Nannan's Soft Boned Rabbit martial soul was not suited to domains. Even with Ye Wen's guidance in selecting soul skills, she hadn't yet achieved a domain of her own, let alone the ability to develop a closed domain.
While the gods in the Douluo God Realm were intrigued by Xiao Xiao's domain, they soon resumed their calm. After all, at their level, each of them possessed a unique domain. A closed domain was just a specialized tactic, useful primarily against weaker foes. Against someone of equal rank, it would hardly provide an advantage.
Unless, of course, one wielded a domain as powerful as Ye Wen's.
Inside the domain
The Three Lives Demon Suppressing Platform's interior reflected its name: Xiao Xiao and the eight headed serpent Da Ming had transformed into were both on a raised platform, surrounded by an unbreakable barrier. Without the power to obliterate the domain in one blow, they would have to stay within its confines.
The cylindrical platform had three massive tripods positioned at intervals, which maintained the barrier while also producing immense gravity, pinning the Orochi to the ground.
The Orochi, with its eight heads and eight tails, possessed numerous elemental powers, and even when wounded, each head or tail regenerated quickly, rendering it nearly indestructible. This made it a particularly troublesome foe for Xiao Xiao, who lacked high offensive power.
Even though this domain specialized in amplifying Xiao Xiao's offensive abilities, it would still be a challenging opponent.
The Orochi writhed in irritation under the crushing gravity, its sixteen eyes locked onto Xiao Xiao as it thrashed its massive body. Flames, ice, lightning, water, venom, and foul wind surged toward her in a barrage of elemental attacks.
Xiao Xiao remained unshaken. Within her domain, she was invincible unless, of course, the enemy's strength vastly exceeded hers and could shatter the entire domain.
She stood confidently before one of the large tripods, a barrier protecting her from the onslaught of elements. Most attacks failed to harm her, though the venom was slowly corroding her domain. If it continued, there was a risk the poison could destroy the domain entirely.
Noticing this, the Orochi stopped the other elemental attacks, focusing all its heads on spewing the corrosive venom that weakened the domain.
Xiao Xiao's expression grew cold.
"I may not be able to kill you, but I won't let you run wild."
Summoning her second martial soul, the Nine Phoenix Lyric Flute, she brought the flute to her lips and began to play.
The three massive tripods resonated with the melody, generating an invisible ripple that created a secondary barrier, blocking the Orochi's attacks and gradually shrinking in size.
"Three Lives Demon Suppressing: Void Sealing Death Tune."
As a Titled Douluo, Xiao Xiao bore the title "Xiao Ding" a name that highlighted her unique dual martial soul traits. Though the Nine Phoenix Lyric Flute's first soul ring was only a century level ring due to an incident in her youth, the trials of the god position had long erased this flaw.
And with Ye Wen and Electrolux's guidance, Xiao Xiao had unified the strengths of her two martial souls like never before, attaining mastery over "waves."
If gravity represented the shield of her Three Lives Demon Suppressing Platform, then the Void Sealing Death Tune was its spear.
The tune "locked" the Orochi's energy to the platform, forming an airtight barrier that compressed and intensified the atmospheric pressure on the enemy.
Unfortunately, Xiao Xiao's rank was ultimately insufficient. Even with the five word battle armor raising her to the level of a third rank god, she could only suppress the Orochi to the point where its scaly skin cracked, forcing it to crouch on the platform like a beast awaiting death.
Ye Wen and Electrolux had originally designed the technique with the hope that it would compress the enemy into a dried pulp of flesh. But for now, it was enough. Xiao Xiao exhaled in relief, a smile breaking across her face.
Opposite her, the Orochi lay helplessly on the ground, hissing in pain with its mouth open wide.
Xiao Xiao continued playing the melody of death, counting down the seconds.
Xu JiuJiu should be arriving any moment.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 608: Rebellion, Part Ten
HaoTian Sect Headquarters
The atmosphere within the HaoTian Sect's fortress in Star Luo was tense. The battle of peerless Douluos could impact areas over a dozen kilometers away, and sensitive soul masters could feel disturbances from hundreds of kilometers. A battle between gods? That was on another level entirely.
The destructive power of gods varied greatly, depending on the forces involved. After all, the Federation's so called "god annihilating" soul guided missile could reduce Shrek Academy to rubble, yet it only reached the strength of a third rank god.
Now, within HaoTian Sect's council hall, three newly appointed gods all inheritors of second rank god positions thanks to Tang San's manipulation of god trials sat grim faced.
Er Ming, seated at the head, couldn't contain his frustration any longer. Slamming his hand on the table, he stood up.
"We can't wait any longer! I can't sense Da Ming's aura at all, and the enemy is still actively using god power. Da Ming must be in serious trouble. We need to go help him!"
To his surprise, Butterfly God and Tiger God exchanged uneasy glances but remained seated.
Er Ming's face twisted in disbelief as he looked at them.
"Are you really planning to stand by and watch? Da Ming is our comrade!"
With no reply from either, he refrained from grabbing Butterfly God a noblewoman of fallen status but grabbed Tiger God by the collar, demanding an answer.
"Speak up!"
After briefly enjoying his survival and godhood, Tiger God soon realized that nothing came without a price. Ideally, he'd avoid trouble altogether, especially since HaoTian Sect's leader was the esteemed Sea God Tang San, yet his authority held less sway over the Douluo Continent compared to the continent dominating Tianxing Federation.
Tiger God, now knowing the limitations on divine interference in Douluo's affairs, only wanted to lie low. He'd joined HaoTian's ranks largely out of necessity. Despite respecting Er Ming's seniority, he couldn't ignore the recklessness of charging in blindly.
Shrugging off Er Ming's grip, he coldly replied, "Hands off! We're not your subordinates. If you want to help, go ahead yourself. If you want us to act, go fetch the Young Lord. Otherwise, we're sticking to the plan and not making rash moves."
Er Ming's face flushed with frustration. Though no longer the naive monkey of his youth, he glared in bitter silence as Butterfly God nodded in agreement with Tiger God. As for seeking orders from Tang Wulin, it wasn't feasible at the moment. Unlike the other three gods, Tang Wulin was being meticulously groomed by Tang San as a God King candidate and was currently undergoing a rigorous dual god position assessment.
Ultimately, Er Ming's bond with Da Ming, forged over countless years of life and death camaraderie, drove him to abandon deliberation. With a swift push off the ground, he transformed into a dark streak, racing towards Da Ming's position.
Tiger God and Butterfly God exchanged resigned glances, sighing. They weren't simple folk; both had received formal education, and the lessons of survival had been burned into their bones after witnessing the fall of their homelands.
Neither had the luxury of time that Da Ming and Er Ming had to hone their god power to the peak level; they were just ordinary 100 level gods. If their strongest comrade Da Ming was defeated, what use would they be in the battle other than becoming another tally in the enemy's victory count?
If not for their benefactor watching from the God Realm, they would have gladly ascended to avoid mortal conflicts. Now, they were trapped in this dangerous situation, forced to tread carefully for fear of being dragged into a deadly god battle.
However, unbeknownst to them, their intervention at this moment could have tilted the battle in Da Ming's favor.
Even so, Er Ming's arrival was enough. Driven by urgency, he reduced his own gravity to a minimum, streaking through the air like a dark bullet toward the battlefield.
Arriving at the scene, he didn't see Da Ming but noticed a strange closed domain.
At times, luck favors the fool. Er Ming's instincts proved incredibly sharp; he immediately activated his true martial form, transforming into a massive Titan Giant Ape.
"Da Ming, I'm here to save you!"
The moment he roared, the Titan Giant Ape punched the outer wall of Xiao Xiao's domain.
The strength of a closed domain, both inside and out, depends entirely on the soul master's focus and control. Caught off guard while maintaining the internal pressure of the domain, Xiao Xiao's domain shattered under Er Ming's punch!
For a soul master, a domain was an intimate extension of their martial soul. The destruction of her domain hit Xiao Xiao like a hammer, making her cough up blood.
"Who?" she demanded, shocked as she glanced at the breach in her domain.
A gigantic Titan Giant Ape? No, this was a true martial transformation!
The sight of the serpent and ape triggered a memory, reminding her of their identities. Contemplating whether to drag Er Ming inside and re seal the domain to capture both of them, she quickly realized the futility of that idea.
Subduing Da Ming alone was already taxing. Taking on both, especially one who could shatter her domain with a single punch, was far beyond her abilities. Xiao Xiao deactivated the remaining domain and tried to distance herself from the two.
Now more composed, Da Ming reverted to his original form and urgently shouted to Er Ming, "Quick, get me out of here!"
Following the reflexes of years together, Er Ming didn't hesitate. He grabbed Da Ming, transforming into a dark streak as they fled.
Xiao Xiao hesitated for a moment. Injured as she was, she could try to slow them down, but she decided against it. As a youthful and spirited young woman, she preferred to avoid needless fights. Still, she couldn't let them off entirely; after all, daring to strike against Tianxing marked them for death.
Soon, Xu JiuJiu finally arrived. Landing amidst the ruins of Da Luo City, she grimaced but felt relief upon finding her two injured friends safe.
Cities could be rebuilt, but dear friends could never be replaced.
Thus, the Battle of Da Luo City concluded with HaoTian Sect losing two Titled Douluos and two key members of the Tianxing Knights severely wounded.
In the aftermath, multiple forces, including the Tang Clan within HaoTian Sect, were labeled as affiliates of the evil soul master factions.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 609: Raising the Stakes, Part One
HaoTian Sect Secret Base
Those familiar with HaoTian Sect knew it was a top tier sect that preferred seclusion when faced with an irreversible enemy, abandoning its allied factions to safeguard its core. The Tianxing Federation was now an even greater threat than the former Spirit Hall, so before launching their recent operations, HaoTian Sect had already started relocating its members under various pretexts, hiding in the farthest reaches of Douluo Continent.
But unlike the disorganized Spirit Hall, the Tianxing Federation had a highly efficient structure. The sudden movement of HaoTian Sect members didn't go unnoticed, and Tang Sect agents, already observing them from the shadows, began to see the full picture.
With their suspicions confirmed, Tang Sect members quickly mobilized local official forces to hunt down and encircle HaoTian Sect members attempting to flee. The losses were severe for HaoTian Sect.
However, the sect had centuries of experience in evading persecution, and each team had at least one Titled Douluo equipped with four word battle armor, enabling many of them to escape the encirclements.
But soon, HaoTian Sect became public enemy number one on Douluo Continent. Major powers and corporations aside, even common people had come to appreciate the benefits of the Tianxing Federation. They no longer feared that war would tear their families apart or that corrupt officials would exploit them. Learning that HaoTian Sect had destroyed an entire city to target two Tianxing Knights sparked unprecedented public outrage.
The powerful resentment even affected the Shrek Seven Devils' ability to gather faith power in the God Realm.
Poseidon's Temple, Douluo God Realm
For the first time in ages, the Shrek Seven Devils had gathered. They sat in silence, all eyes on Tang San, who occupied the head seat, his expression dark and brooding.
After so many years together, the Seven Devils knew Tang San's character all too well. In his youth, he had respected Dai Mubai as their leader, but as soon as he surpassed him, he referred to him simply as "Dai Mubai." And now, as a God King, with both Poseidon and Asura god positions, he was the undisputed leader. None dared challenge him.
Tang San finally broke the silence.
"You all understand what's been happening to our faith power, don't you?"
They all knew. After all, the gods of the God Realm had witnessed everything as Tang San meddled in Douluo's affairs. What they didn't know was that Tang San had also sent his son down to the mortal realm. If they had, they'd be even more astonished.
There was no point in hiding anything now, so Tang San began recounting his actions over the years.
Xiao Wu looked utterly incredulous. Her beloved son had been sent to that wretched Douluo Continent! Though she had long settled into her role as a dutiful wife and mother, in that moment, her fierce, fiery nature resurfaced, and she was ready to scold Tang San. But a single glare from Tang San's commanding presence silenced her, and she sat back down, frustrated and helpless.
The other five looked on with complex expressions. While none of them, except Ma Hongjun, had children, they empathized with Xiao Wu, feeling that her sacrifice was undeserved. But what could they do? It was Tang San behind it all.
Tang San resumed his composed demeanor, emphasizing how he was fighting for the group's collective benefit, selflessly sacrificing for Douluo Continent's peace and stability. He claimed that his interference was necessary to restore the old harmony.
The others remained silent. After a while, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but speak up.
"We understand your hardships, Tang San. But you don't have to beat around the bush with us. We've known each other for years; there's no need to hide anything."
Tang San felt slightly irritated at being interrupted, but he quickly masked it, giving Ning Rongrong an emotional look, as though moved by her understanding.
"Rongrong, you're right. I won't mince words."
He continued, "As you've seen, the current situation on Douluo Continent is very unfavorable for us Shrek Seven Devils in terms of gaining faith power. Although I've already distributed my available god positions, it's still insufficient to counterbalance the Tianxing Federation. So, I'm here to ask each of you to pass down your god positions to strengthen our influence on Douluo Continent. Only in this way can we ensure our legacy endures there."
Though Tang San spoke as though acting for everyone's benefit, the others exchanged strange looks, as if questioning his sincerity.
After all, while each of them had indeed reached the level of second rank gods after thousands of years of hard work, their god positions didn't provide enough security to roam the cosmos freely, where opportunities and dangers lurked at every turn.
Tang San understood the unfairness of his request but felt justified. After all, he had pulled strings back then, using connections with the original Sea God and Asura God to secure these god positions for his friends. Without his influence, how could these five have qualified to ascend alongside a prodigy like him? He thought of his request as merely returning what was borrowed.
Seeing their reluctance, Tang San turned to Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, attempting to appeal to their shared history. Dai Mubai had inherited the God of War's position, while Zhu Zhuqing held the God of Speed, both second rank gods, though somewhat mismatched with their natures.
Since the collision between the Sun Moon and Star Luo Continents four thousand years ago, their faith power had dwindled. And with the Dai Clan now extinct, their supply of faith was at an all time low. Tang San counted on their deep rooted grudge against the Tianxing Federation and their difficult circumstances to persuade them.
To cap off his plea, Tang San even claimed he had passed down a Tiger God position to honor Dai Mubai's family, only to find himself in need of additional support.
But he had forgotten: Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had little attachment to the Dai Clan.
After a long monologue, Tang San felt frustration flare when he realized Dai Mubai remained unmoved. Just then, Dai Mubai took a deep breath, and Tang San thought he'd finally succeeded.
Instead, Dai Mubai spoke a question that made Tang San freeze.
"Tang San, I can give up my god position. But first, answer me one question."
Tang San's eyes flashed with anticipation, and he quickly agreed.
Dai Mubai's question, however, struck him like a blow.
"Did you orchestrate the collision between the Sun Moon Continent and Douluo Continent all those years ago?"
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 610: Raising the Stakes, Part Two
Tang San remained silent for a long time, unable to answer Dai Mubai's question. Although many gods in the Douluo God Realm had grown indifferent over time, their accumulated knowledge was considerable. For instance, it was common knowledge that in a mere six thousand years, two landmasses separated by vast oceans shouldn't have collided naturally.
Tang San's silence told Dai Mubai everything he needed to know.
While Dai Mubai harbored little love for the Dai Clan, it had once been his homeland.
With a sigh, he finally said, "Who do you want me to pass my god position to?"
Dai Mubai knew Tang San's need for control and felt too disillusioned to search for his own successor.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing, who had been silent, spoke up as well.
"I will do the same."
An oppressive stillness filled the room, but Tang San had long since severed most of his bonds with the Shrek Seven Devils. For him, what mattered was securing the god positions.
Tang San decided to pass the God of War's position to Xuanzi. With his combat skills and formidable strength, Xuanzi could immediately become a powerful force in battle, far more suited to the role than Dai Mubai. As for the God of Speed position, he chose Elder Song from the Sea God Pavilion. Though nearly a hundred years old, Elder Song's innate talent had enabled her to reach Level 97, and her martial soul, the Azure Shadow Hawk, was far faster than Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Spirit Cat.
Watching Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing walk away without looking back, Ma Hongjun's eyes grew complicated. Of all the Shrek Seven Devils, he had seen Tang San's true nature first. Because of Tang San, he and his lifelong love had been separated by death.
Tang San turned his gaze toward Ma Hongjun, about to speak, but Ma Hongjun stood up first.
"I'll pass on my god position myself. I already have a successor, so you don't need to worry about it. Her name is Ma Xiaotao, my descendant and a member of Shrek. You shouldn't have any objections, should you?"
Tang San frowned. He had wanted to use Ma Hongjun's god position to bring the powerful God of Death, Ye Xishui, onto their side, as her Light Phoenix martial soul suited the god position well.
But after a moment's consideration, Tang San relented. Though Ma Xiaotao hadn't yet reached Titled Douluo, her potential was impressive, and with the final battle still a ways off, he agreed.
Besides, Ma Xiaotao was Ma Hongjun's descendant; surely Ma Hongjun would invest the resources necessary to help her grow stronger and equip her well. That was far better than Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, who had simply handed over their god positions and walked away.
Pleased to have saved a substantial amount of resources, Tang San nodded in agreement. But this small concession ultimately severed the last of his ties with Ma Hongjun, who promptly returned to his divine temple without a second thought.
Finally, Tang San turned his gaze toward Oscar and Ning Rongrong.
Though Oscar had grown much stronger in his pursuit of Ning Rongrong, he still appeared weak before Tang San. But Ning Rongrong was not.
The moment Tang San looked her way, Ning Rongrong outright refused to relinquish her god position.
Tang San's face darkened. "Why?"
"Third Brother, it's normal for others to be unaware, but have you forgotten that Oscar and I are support type gods? Without our god positions, we'd have no way to protect ourselves in the cosmos. We simply cannot give them up.
"Besides, we don't lack faith power. Our sects still thrive on Douluo Continent, and they perform annual rituals in our honor. The faith power they provide is more than enough for us."
Though Ning Rongrong's logic was sound, Tang San still wanted them to pass down their god positions. After all, as the most powerful support type gods, they could perform resurrection a skill that had once saved Tang San's life when he was nearly wiped out by Spirit Hall.
But Ning Rongrong was no longer the naïve girl of her youth. She could see right through Tang San's intentions. Even if they refused to pass down their god positions, Tang San might still try to force them into using their divine abilities for his plans.
In the past, when the gods had paid no attention to Douluo Continent, Ning Rongrong and Oscar had managed to perform the forbidden technique to resurrect Tang San. But now, with all eyes on Douluo, any similar attempts would be impossible without serious consequences. Should they be discovered, Tang San might remain unscathed as a God King, but she and Oscar could face exile at best.
With that realization, Ning Rongrong felt her bond with Tang San completely sever.
Without giving Tang San a chance to speak, she pulled Oscar up, muttered a curt farewell, and walked away, leaving Tang San fuming.
After everyone left, Xiao Wu began questioning Tang San about their son, Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin was a part of her, cherished from the moment he was born. Tang San had assured her he was training Wulin in a safe place, but it turned out he had sent him down to Douluo Continent a land currently embroiled in divine conflict. How could any mother rest easy with her son in such a place?
Tang San's love for Xiao Wu had always leaned toward possessiveness rather than genuine care. Now, he found her nagging exhausting, and with much still left to manage, he dismissed her with a few casual words before retreating to a secluded chamber for meditation.
Xiao Wu reached out a slender hand, as if to grasp his retreating figure, but it caught only emptiness.
An overwhelming sense of helplessness and emptiness engulfed her. She didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, Douluo Continent enjoyed a period of relative peace. The rebellious factions that had been stirring up trouble seemed to vanish, as though they had never existed. Yet those in the know understood that this was merely the calm before the storm.
HaoTian Sect's recent attempt to eliminate Jiang Nannan and her companion had made it clear they were bent on seizing ultimate power.
Though Tang San couldn't issue direct orders to Da Ming and Er Ming, he could use Tang Wulin as a conduit, smuggling supplies and commands through him as he underwent the Poseidon God Trials.
Before long, word spread among the gods that three more god positions had been passed down.
As they learned of the new god inheritors, many of the gods began casting curious glances at Tang San.
It seemed this influential figure was dead set on securing Douluo Continent's faith. He wasn't even bothering to conceal his maneuvering anymore.
(End of Chapter)
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