Rich Second-Gen's Nineteenth Day

The legends had not been baseless after all.

Ming Sui carefully examined the white stone pillar before her. It was carved with patterns of all kinds of living creatures: humans, animal soul beasts, plants, and even some unrecorded Strange Beasts.

The closer she got to the pillar, the greater the changes in the Staff of Life became. The dragon patterns on it had even begun to move, as though they were about to come alive. Yet she felt none of that ominous premonition in her heart.

Could this stone pillar be some kind of formation? Could Nian Nian be inside? Ming Sui wanted to go in.

Zhao Wuji had the same suspicion. He released his martial soul and tried to enter the area surrounded by the white stone pillars, but a layer of light blocked him no matter what he did. He turned to look at Ming Sui, only to find that she was already inside, and the Golden Rope tied around her waist had come loose.

Teacher Zhao's scalp went numb. He sent Soul Power through the Golden Rope to notify Flender to hurry down. He had lost the little ancestor! Hurry and save Bear Bear—Bear Bear was scared!

After Dai Mubai on the shore finished absorbing his soul ring and heard the whole story, he looked at Ning Rongrong and Oscar. "Why don't you two stay up here and have Little Ma keep you company?"

Ning Rongrong exploded. It was one thing that she had missed the first group, but she absolutely could not let herself fall behind the main force too. "Don't worry. I have something to protect myself, and I can protect Oscar too. Sui Sui is my sister, and I've watched Nian Nian grow up. How could I possibly not go down?"

Oscar nodded as well. "Dai Laoda, what if you need my Big Sausage down there?"

Dai Mubai looked at Flender. Flender rolled his eyes and was about to speak when a fluctuation of Zhao Wuji's Soul Power came through the Golden Rope in his hand.

His expression changed. "Prepare for battle. From Old Zhao's Soul Power fluctuations, it feels like something happened down there."

Zhao Wuji had never felt time pass so slowly.

When Ming Sui turned around and saw that he had not entered, she was a little confused too. With the Mermaid Pearl in her mouth, she could not speak, so she could only gesture to Teacher Zhao that she was fine and that he should not worry.

Zhao Wuji understood her gestures, but there was no way he could stop worrying. He gestured back for Ming Sui not to move for now. Flender and the others would be coming down soon.

Ming Sui continued gesturing. "I can feel Nian Nian getting closer and closer to me."

Zhao Wuji pressed a hand to his throbbing temple. "If you can sense it, that means it's probably fine. Wait for Flender and the others."

All right. Ming Sui obediently settled down. Zhao Wuji finally let out a breath of relief.

While waiting for the main group to come down, Ming Sui continued observing the stone pillars. There were nine identical pillars. Nine was the ultimate number, which she could understand. Did that mean that whoever—or whichever god—had built this place was of an extremely high rank?

From the outside, she had only been able to see the decorative patterns. Once inside, she saw incomprehensible symbols on the inner sides of the pillars, which looked more like writing. Ming Sui found a wooden board in her Storage Spirit Tool, took out her Emei Dagger, calmed herself, and carefully copied the symbols onto the board one by one.

By the time she finished recording the symbols on this pillar, she could already see Flender and the others in the distance. Ming Sui put away her things and prepared to join them.

The facts proved that those who could not enter simply could not enter. Apart from Tang San, none of them could get inside. Whether they released their martial souls or put them away, nothing worked. Even Tang San had entered only with great difficulty, as if the light barrier did not want to let him through and reluctantly allowed him in after much hesitation.

Ming Sui gestured, "Let's go in and take a look. If there's a problem, we'll come back out. Don't worry."

How could they not worry?

Everyone watched Ming Sui and Tang San walk farther inside.

Ming Sui became even more certain that this was some kind of divine temple. Beyond the stone pillars lay a vast platform. A statue stood at its center. When they walked closer and looked carefully, they found that it was a Divine Statue of a goddess, with an offering table before it.

The legends were true. This really was Goddess Lake. Then did the Goddess River in Calais City have some kind of secret as well?

They walked around the statue and continued onward. A building emerged from the darkness. Only when they approached did they realize it was a palace-like structure, ancient and elegant, also carved with patterns of countless living beings and carrying a wild, natural charm.

Ming Sui and Tang San exchanged a glance, then stepped inside. There was another light barrier at the entrance. Ming Sui once again entered without even sensing its presence, while Tang San was once again reluctantly allowed through after much hesitation.

"Oh? My divine temple has received a guest. But it would do you no good to stay here for long. Wait a moment, and I'll send you where you ought to go," a gentle, smiling voice said from the darkness.

Hearing a voice in an empty great hall should have been terrifying, yet this voice made them feel at ease.

What did it mean that staying too long would do him no good? And there was only one guest?

Ming Sui did not want to wait any longer. This place was friendlier to her than to Tang San, so she should explain their purpose first. "Your Excellency, forgive the intrusion. We came here to find our companion, an Emerald Angel."

"I do indeed have an Emerald Angel hatchling here. It arrived not much earlier than you did. It has its own inheritance to receive, so you will need to wait a while longer."

It was an inheritance. Wonderful. The joy in Ming Sui's heart spilled onto her face.

"Oh? The person who came to collect him has arrived."

Immediately afterward, a streak of black light swept Tang San away, and he vanished from the great hall.

Ming Sui was stunned.

"Your Excellency, my companion—"

Before she could finish, the great hall lit up completely. A woman sat above them, her long white hair loosely gathered, her green eyes filled with warmth and amusement. She seemed gentle and approachable. The hem of her plain-colored long dress was embroidered with the same patterns as the stone pillars outside. Strangely, her features could not be seen clearly.

"What an adorable little one. Let me answer all your questions," the woman said gently. "This is the Life Divine Temple, and I am the Goddess of Life. You were able to enter because yours is a life-aspected martial soul, and its quality met my requirements. Most importantly, you received the blessing of soul beasts."

There really were gods! What did the blessing of soul beasts mean? Ming Sui recalled the green light that had flown toward her after Nian Nian's mother dissipated.

"Just as you're thinking," the goddess affirmed, as though she knew what Ming Sui was thinking. "Your Emerald Angel companion sensed that there was an inheritance here and came over. You truly care for it, to have come here for its sake. The Emerald Angel clan was blessed by me, so they can be considered my descendants. To thank you for your affection toward it, I will give those outside some opportunities."

"As for your other companion, he carries the aura of another god. If he remained here too long and that aura was diluted, that would not be ideal. So I asked that god to take him away. Don't worry. When you leave, I will have that god send him back." There was an oddly affectionate hint of disdain in the Goddess of Life's tone when she mentioned the other god.

"Giving my companions opportunities, allowing Nian Nian to receive an inheritance, and even contacting another god—will that affect you in any way? Since this is a divine temple, you probably cannot come here freely either, can you?" Ming Sui remembered a television drama her classmates in her previous life had been obsessed with, where immortals were bound by heavenly rules and could not do this or that.

The Goddess of Life smiled in surprise. "At a time like this, that is what you are thinking about? Your companions who could not enter will all receive benefits. Aren't you going to imagine what you are about to receive?"

Ming Sui lowered her head. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. "Everything gained comes at a price."

The Goddess of Life did not continue the subject. Her slender finger pointed toward the first door on the side. A vortex appeared on the door, and Ming Sui was sucked inside.

"I like her more and more." The Goddess of Life looked toward the door that had taken Ming Sui away.

Wrapped in black light, Tang San felt as though being hunted by the elders would be no worse than this. Coldness, stabbing pain, dizziness—all kinds of negative sensations surged over him.

"We meet again. We truly are fated."

Tang San remembered the black space he had been pulled into when absorbing the Bloodthirsty Demonic Flame Spider's soul ring, as well as that cold voice.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a solemn, magnificent great hall. A man dressed in black sat above him.

Perhaps knowing that Tang San was a man of few words, the man got straight to the point.

"Congratulations. You have surpassed all the other competitors and become the first to set foot in the Asura Divine Temple. Although you are the weakest among them, with only two rings."

What was this? How had he not known that he had competitors?

"I am the Asura God. Last time, when you were absorbing your soul ring, I happened to pass by and found you rather promising, so I decided to make you a candidate to inherit my position." The Asura God spoke calmly. "Don't rush to reject me. That little girl is in the Life Divine Temple. Do you know what that means? She has been chosen by the Goddess of Life. Unlike me, who has many candidates, once she chooses someone, she will continue nurturing them. As long as that little girl can endure it, she is guaranteed to become the next Goddess of Life." Tang San keenly noticed an oddly gentle quality in the Asura God's voice whenever he spoke of her.

"What if she can't endure it?" Tang San could not help asking.

"Then she falls," the Asura God replied indifferently.

Tang San flared with anger.

"So you need to work hard. Otherwise, how will you protect her?" the Asura God tempted. "The Asura God is not only one of the most powerful gods, but also a God King—the representative of the laws themselves. You will possess enough power to protect the people you wish to protect."

"You should know that the gods of the God Realm can generally be divided into two categories. One is Nature Gods. Their power comes from things that exist, such as life, death, war, evil, benevolence, and so on. The power of this kind of god is relatively stable. As long as the source of their power remains, they will not suffer any losses. But the downside is that they are too stable, so there is little room for change. The other category is Faith Gods, such as the Angel God, Sea God, God of Wisdom, and so on. Their power generally increases along with the number of believers, and they often become dark horses."

"The God Realm is not without conflict. Do you want that little girl to be bullied after she goes to the God Realm? You should know that the support of a God King is far stronger than any ally. And taking a step back, could there be no danger during the process of receiving the inheritance of life?"

"You will be her strongest ally, her only one, surpassing everyone around her."

The Asura God's words coiled around Tang San's ears like venomous snakes, tempting him.