Soul Beasts Become Gods
On the towering divine throne in front, several core god-kings sat in order.
The Life Goddess sat to one side, her exquisite face bearing a lingering worry and sadness. Her gaze involuntarily drifted several times to the God of Destruction beside her. Her lips moved slightly, as if she had a thousand words to say, but under the God of Destruction's icy and iron-like attitude, they turned into a silent sigh, and in the end, she could only lower her eyes in sorrow.
The God of Destruction sat in his seat, the dark purple aura of destruction surrounding him more concentrated and restrained than ever before.
His face was terribly gloomy, and he seemed oblivious to the hesitant, almost pleading gaze of the Life Goddess beside him.
At this moment, there was no room for romance or sentimentality in his mind; his thoughts were entirely focused on the changes to his plans.
The hasty departure of Goddess of Kindness and God of Evil disrupted some of his plans, but also brought new variables—these two newly ascended god-kings, who knew almost nothing about the complex situation in the Divine Realm, were excellent targets for winning over!
He had to find a way to bring them into his camp, or at least prevent them from siding with the Asura God.
Time was of the essence; he had neither the inclination nor the energy to concern himself with the Life Goddess.
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The Asura God, seated in one of the main positions, still had a face like the most perfect sculpture, cold and majestic, showing no sign of inner turmoil. Only he himself knew the complexity and turmoil in his heart at this moment.
Not long ago, he had glimpsed the possible path to becoming a God King from Tang San.
Its allure and risks stirred his emotions, yet he had to weigh them carefully.
As a result, as if by divine will, the Godhood Inheritance status of the god-kings of Goddess of Kindness and God of Evil was completed in such a short time!
This was an opportunity tailor-made for him! Two ready-made god-king level divine titles representing the opposing laws of the universe's origin! If he could manage to obtain them... the door to that forbidden path seemed to have already opened a crack before him.
As for the two newly crowned God-Kings— Arthur and Dongfang Yao?
To the Asura God, who had fought and slaughtered for countless years and whose hands were stained with countless blood, they were nothing more than two fledglings who had just gained power, whose foundations were not yet stable, and who knew nothing about the rules of the power game in the Divine Realm.
He was absolutely confident that he could suppress, control, and even... ultimately strip them of their newly acquired divine positions through various means.
The only variable to be wary of is the God of Destruction, who is also extremely dissatisfied with the current state of the Divine Realm and possesses formidable power.
He must be wary of the God of Destruction interfering and ruining his plans.
The Asura God's gaze swept over the somber face of the God of Destruction, then over the sorrowful Life Goddess, before finally settling on the entrance to the ritual.
As long as one can obtain the divine status of both the God of Goddess of Kindness and the God of God of Evil...
At that time, the God of Destruction will no longer be a threat.
As for the Life Goddess... she trusts herself so much that she is even less of a concern.
Of course, in his heart, all of this was given the most "noble" reason—to save the Divine Realm!
As long as he can break through to the realm above God King and obtain that legendary supreme power, the threat of the Dragon Clan and the resurgence of the Dragon God will be as useless as clay chickens and earthenware dogs in front of him!
Sacrifice the few for the greater good, and save all living beings.
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Finally, after resolving the unfinished business in the lower realm, Arthur and Dongfang Yao ceased resisting the pulling force originating from the laws of the Divine Realm.
They felt their bodies and souls being enveloped by a warm and magnificent stream of light, and the familiar Douluo Continent scenery around them blurred and dissipated rapidly like a faded painting.
After a wonderful feeling of weightlessness and ascent, my feet felt solid beneath my feet, and the view suddenly opened up before me.
We've arrived in the Divine Realm.
What comes into view is a magnificent and awe-inspiring scene. Magnificent clouds pave the way, and dazzling divine light intertwines to form a welcoming archway. The air is filled with a pure and powerful energy.
More importantly, the surrounding area was filled with countless deities of various shapes and sizes, whose auras ranged from sacred to majestic to eerie.
They floated in the air, within the hall, each radiating a heart-stirring aura, yet most wore smiles and their eyes revealed friendly intent.
The atmosphere appeared warm, harmonious, and welcoming of the new god-king.
If it were an ordinary new god, upon arriving in this place and facing such a warm welcome from so many "seniors," he would probably feel excited, apprehensive, or filled with wonderful hopes for the future.
However, both Arthur and Dongfang Yao simultaneously sensed a strange and extremely discordant feeling.
From the moment they stepped into the Divine Realm, their divine status began to take effect.
For Arthur, the Goddess of Kindness nature he possessed trembled slightly. He didn't need to look deliberately to "sense" the "goodwill" surging in the hearts of the smiling gods around him. Some gods welcomed him sincerely, while others... were completely devoid of goodwill!
Among them is the Asura God!
This kept Arthur's gentle, sunny smile unchanged, but a faint hint of wariness and understanding flickered deep in his azure eyes.
Meanwhile, Dongfang Yao's experience was even more direct and... unsettling. The God of Evil spark within him, which had just been forced to merge and still made him feel awkward, acted like an extremely sensitive detector of evil intent, spontaneously beginning to capture the fluctuations of "evil" permeating the surroundings.
The smiles on the faces of those gods, viewed through his current sensory lens, seemed shrouded in a distorted shadow. He "smelled" jealousy, sensed hypocrisy... and a host of other negative emotions.
Dongfang Yao was already depressed because of his "God of Evil" identity, and now that he sensed this, he felt even more uncomfortable. He forcibly suppressed his inner impulse and tried to maintain his composure on the surface (although his chuunibyou temperament still seemed somewhat out of place in this situation).
Inwardly, however, he was furiously complaining. "What the hell! They're all smiling so kindly, but all they're thinking about is this stuff? Is this the Divine Realm? It's even more outrageous than the intrigue and backstabbing in our Jixia Academy's annual competition!"
The two exchanged a glance. Although they did not speak, their eyes met in that instant, and they both understood what the other had just sensed.
The surrounding deities continued to smile and greet, and the ceremonial music continued to play.
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Following the grand welcoming ceremony, the more crucial interactions and strategic maneuvering then commenced.
Several veteran god-kings are having initial "exchanges" with the newly promoted Arthur and Dongfang Yao.
A subtle and tense atmosphere filled the air.
The Asura God spoke first, his voice deep and majestic, carrying a convincing sense of power.
He did not directly mention power or benefits, but firmly occupied the righteous cause of "Divine Realm and resisting the Dragon Clan".
With concise and compelling language, he depicted the potential threat posed by the Dragon Clan and the severe challenges facing the Divine Realm, emphasizing that Arthur and Dongfang Yao, as the newly crowned god-kings, bear an inescapable responsibility.
He skillfully portrayed himself as an experienced and far-sighted elder, implying that only by uniting under his leadership could forces be effectively integrated to cope with the crisis.
"The safety of the Divine Realm rests on the shoulders of every deity, especially those of us who wield significant power." The Asura God's blood-red eyes swept over Arthur and Dongfang Yao, his tone earnest and solemn. "The forces of Goddess of Kindness and God of Evil are crucial for maintaining the inner balance of the Divine Realm and uniting the beliefs of the gods. You two are new to the Divine Realm and may not yet understand the complexity of the situation, but I, along with my colleagues such as the God of Life and the Sea God, am willing to join hands with you to overcome this difficult time."
The Life Goddess, standing to the side, nodded in agreement. Her exquisite face held its usual gentleness and compassion. Her emerald eyes gazed at Arthur and Dongfang Yao, her voice soft yet firm. "The Asura God speaks most eloquently. The Divine Realm is our home, and protecting it is our innate duty. Your power is immense, exactly what the Divine Realm needs right now. I believe that, under the guidance of the Asura God, you will surely become strong pillars in upholding order."
The two sang in perfect harmony, their voices complementing each other flawlessly.
In comparison, the God of Destruction's attempt to "win him over" seemed clumsy and hasty.
He was already in a terrible mood, his mind filled with his own plans and distrust of the Asura God and the others. He had no energy left to think about tactful words or clever packaging.
He spoke bluntly, even with his usual irritability:
"The current system in the Divine Realm is stagnant! Following them will only lead to our downfall! What good are those hypocritical rules and regulations when the Dragon Clan arrive? What they need is power! The power and determination to break everything down and rebuild a new order! You two newcomers, don't be fooled by those pretty words. See clearly who truly wants to change things and has the ability to change the status quo!"
While his words touched on some aspects of reality, his tone was harsh, confrontational, and inflammatory, frequently using words like "destroy" and "break."
The Asura God found the God of Destruction's "weakness" with almost no effort.
He shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a perfectly measured hint of helplessness and worry. "Destruction, your ideas are always so extreme. Destruction is easy, but how difficult is reconstruction? Especially when a formidable enemy is at hand, internal strife and subversion will only hasten the destruction of the Divine Realm. Two new god-kings, what the Divine Realm needs is stability and unity, not reckless adventures." He casually characterized the God of Destruction's ideology as "extreme," while cleverly linking himself to "stability," "unity," and "the big picture," clearly demonstrating his superiority.
The God of Destruction choked, his face turning even more purple, and the aura of destruction around him became unstable. He was burning with anger, yet he was increasingly at a loss for words.
He knew that his title of "God of Destruction" was already likely to arouse suspicion or even rejection from people (especially the newly Godess of Kindness). In addition, the Asura God's seemingly fair but actually scheming "traitorous" approach made it even more difficult to win over these two key new forces!
However, just as they were exchanging words and trying to influence the new god, the reactions of the two parties involved made this serious attempt to win them over seem somewhat... off track.
Dongfang Yao kept the "read and randomly reply" mode active throughout.
Whether it was the Asura God's earnest entrustment of responsibility or the God of Destruction's fiery "invitation," he listened attentively, occasionally nodding and responding with "hmm," "that makes sense," or "I see."
But the moment the conversation pauses, or when it's his turn to express his opinion, he will immediately and swiftly steer the conversation back to himself!
"Speaking of protecting the world, back in my days at the Jixia Academy, I single-handedly..." (The following three thousand words of self-praise and fantastical feats are omitted.)
"Breaking the rules? I know that like the back of my hand! I've heard plenty of those old-fashioned rules from the academy..."
"The philosophies of both seniors are very profound, reminding me of the third move of my unique Star Swordsmanship, the philosophy of which is..."
He spoke eloquently, his eyebrows dancing with excitement, completely immersed in his own "genius narrative," as if the occasion before him was not a serious event that would determine the future of the Divine Realm, but rather a report meeting on his personal achievements Dongfang Yao. His chuunibyou and narcissistic demeanor made the Asura God frown slightly, the God of Destruction's forehead veins throb, and even the gentle smile of the Life Goddess stiffen.
Arthur, on the other hand, behaved like a seasoned diplomat, or rather... a "veteran".
He always wore that flawless, sunny, and convincing warm smile, showing full respect and "understanding" for the words of the Asura God and the God of Destruction.
"The Asura God King's concern for the safety of the Divine Realm is admirable. As a newcomer, I still have much to learn and understand."
"The Destruction God King's concerns are not without merit. Everything inevitably accumulates problems over the long years and truly needs to be examined frequently."
"Her compassion and protective spirit as the Life Goddess are a model for us all."
He was humble and spoke tactfully, every word of his was impeccable, as if he completely agreed with everyone's views, but never made any substantive promises or took any stance.
When asked about his specific views or plans, he could always gloss over the matter with grand and impeccable reasons such as "it still needs time to adapt to the environment of the Divine Realm," "it needs to gain a deeper understanding of the situation of all parties," and "the use of power should prioritize protection," thus perfectly fooling the question.
Chapter 339 Soul Beast Become Gods
On Douluo Star, Dongfang Jing slowly opened his eyes from his meditation. His sharp eyes now flashed with a rare look of confusion and solemnity.
She could clearly feel that her understanding of the laws of "space" was like stepping into a gradually thickening swamp.
The initial fluency and bursts of inspiration were gone, replaced by an increasingly heavy sense of sluggishness, as if there was an invisible and solid wall in front of her, preventing her from further understanding and resonance.
This isn't a matter of talent or effort. She has exceptional comprehension and unwavering determination, but the path of rules seems to have been already taken by someone else.
She is not an isolated case.
Several others shared similar feelings.
Having received the inheritance of the God of Light, Xiang Yu attempted to control the rules of "light." However, he found that his understanding and manipulation of pure light became extremely difficult after reaching a certain critical point, as if the source of light was "blocked" by some higher-level existence.
Having inherited the position of the Fire God and comprehended the rules of "fire," Pei Qinhu also sensed that the laws of fire possessed an insurmountable "order" and "upper limit."
Zhen Ji, who has a profound understanding of the laws of water, and Wang Zhaojun, who is constantly exploring the laws of ice, both face the same dilemma.
The reason is cruel and realistic: those who came first have already taken their spots.
The fundamental elements, space, light, and other laws they comprehended, and their corresponding God-King level divine status, were already condensed and Dragon Clan by the few incomparably powerful elemental dragon kings (fire dragon, water dragon, Ice Dragon King, etc.) and dragon kings with special authority (such as Space Dragon King) in the Dragon God Divine Realm era, which was far older than the current history of the God Realm!
Later arrivals, no matter how talented or insightful, can only become subordinate gods or First-Level God under the rule of the God-King of that law, as long as they follow the same path of rules. To sit on that one and only throne, unless... the original owner perishes, and you can find and inherit or seize that ready-made God-King divine title.
This is the fundamental reason why, despite their immense power and high status, the First-Level God in the Divine Realm who govern the laws of fire, water, earth, wind, light, and space are unable to break through to the level of God-King.
It's not that they lack strength or potential, but rather that the path to the pinnacle of godhood was blocked by the dragon kings long before they were Dragon Clan. They failed to obtain the inheritance left behind by those fallen dragon kings, therefore, the throne of godhood was impossible for them.
This is why Sea God was so overjoyed that Doria Poseidon independently grasped the laws of the ocean.
Because the "Ocean" divine essence was not condensed by a specific Dragon King, there is a possibility that it could spontaneously comprehend the divine essence of a God-King.