Divinely Bestowed Martial Soul and Plans to Flee
At last, the meal was over.
The Divine Officials cleared away the dishes and brought out tea and snacks.
The guests chatted in small groups.
Yu Xiaogang sidled up to Tang San again, muttering something to him.
A moment later, Tang San's expression visibly darkened.
Feng Yan sat still, holding Tang Wutong in his arms.
Tang San noticed something was off. "Feng Yan, is something wrong?"
The time had come.
Feng Yan took a deep breath.
He stood up and carried Tang Wutong to the center of the hall.
"There's something I'd like to announce."
Everyone turned to look at him in unison.
Tang San raised an eyebrow.
Xiao Wu's hand tightened slightly around her teacup.
Feng Yan looked down at the little girl in his arms. "Wutong, want to guess what Uncle Feng got you as a present?"
Tang Wutong tilted up her little face, her eyes sparkling.
"What present?"
"Take a guess."
"Candied hawthorns?"
"No."
"A little rabbit?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
Tang Wutong tugged at his sleeve, acting spoiled.
Feng Yan smiled and raised his right hand.
A ball of golden flame appeared in his palm, tinged with red. It was as smooth and warm as jade, yet held a terrifying heat.
The temperature in the hall rose sharply.
"This is!"
Dai Mubai sat up straight.
Ning Rongrong said softly, "That's Brother Feng's self-created Samadhi True Fire, and the source flame of his power."
Tang Wutong stared at the flame, transfixed.
"It's so pretty..."
"It's yours."
Feng Yan said.
Tang Wutong froze.
Everyone else froze, too.
"God of Fire, what are you doing?"
Tang San stood up, his brows drawing together.
"It's a present for Wutong."
Feng Yan cut him off casually. "Since Wutong calls me Uncle Feng, I should give her something as her uncle."
Tang San stared at him without saying a word.
Feng Yan's heart pounded like a drum, but his expression remained calm as a lake.
He slowly guided the Core Flame toward Tang Wutong's brow.
"Don't be scared. It won't burn."
Tang Wutong stood obediently, without even blinking.
The Golden Flame slowly sank into her brow.
Then Feng Yan's expression changed.
He sensed a familiar fluctuation.
It was his first Martial Soul.
The spark that had been with him ever since he left Holy Soul Village, evolving step by step from a tiny flame into the Samadhi True Fire.
Tang Wutong had actually inherited that first spark of his!
How could this be...
Feng Yan's mind went blank.
He had never examined Tang Wutong's Martial Soul. She wasn't yet six, and it wasn't time for her awakening. No one could see it.
Even a god couldn't easily inspect it.
But now, the source of his Samadhi True Fire had entered Tang Wutong's body and resonated with the dormant spark within her.
The two flames began to draw closer.
They began to merge.
If the fusion succeeded, Tang Wutong would bear his complete God of Fire mark.
That would inevitably draw Tang San's attention, and it would be very difficult to keep the fact that Tang Wutong was his daughter a secret.
No!
Feng Yan snapped back to his senses.
He kept smiling on the surface, but secretly sent another stream of divine power into Tang Wutong's body, following the path the Samadhi True Fire had taken.
There it was.
The little spark danced happily, as if it had found its kin.
Feng Yan steeled himself.
He quickly split off a wisp of divine consciousness and hid it in Tang Wutong's Sea of Consciousness before beginning to seal the flames apart.
His divine consciousness wrapped around the source of the Samadhi True Fire, forcibly separating it from the spark.
One layer.
Two layers.
Three layers.
Three seals locked the Samadhi True Fire firmly in place, preventing it from truly merging with the spark.
Only when Feng Yan bestowed the God of Fire's divine trial would the Samadhi True Fire reveal its true form.
From the outside, the ceremony of bestowing a Martial Soul had simply gone smoothly.
Only Feng Yan knew the truth.
He was covering up a tremendous secret.
"All done."
Feng Yan withdrew his hand, his smile unchanged.
Tang Wutong rubbed her belly and let out a tiny burp, followed by a wisp of smoke.
"Huh?"
"It feels warm."
Tang Wutong blinked.
Feng Yan smiled. "That's normal."
He looked down at the little girl in his arms, his feelings a tangled mess.
You silly girl.
You nearly got your dad killed.
"God of Fire?"
Tang San's voice rang out.
Feng Yan looked up.
Tang San walked over, his gaze lingering on Feng Yan's face for a moment.
"You don't look well."
Feng Yan smiled. "Maybe I used a little too much energy just now."
Tang San nodded and didn't press him further.
But he glanced at Tang Wutong.
Once.
Then again.
Feng Yan's heart raced.
Had Tang San noticed something?
No!
He couldn't stay in the Divine Realm any longer.
He had too many secrets here, so he needed to find a reason to leave.
Otherwise, he might not make it out alive.
Feng Yan's thoughts raced.
A reason.
What reason would let him leave the Divine Realm with everyone's blessing?
A tour of the lower realms?
What would a First-Level God of Fire be touring the lower realms for? He wasn't some Divine Official.
Should he become a God King?
Right...
Break through to God King!
"God of Fire?"
Tang San called again.
Feng Yan came to his senses and met those unfathomable eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
Feng Yan looked up at Tang San.
"Something just occurred to me."
"What is it?"
Tang San sounded slightly puzzled.
Feng Yan explained, "I've been stuck at the peak of First-Level God for ten thousand years, but lately I've sensed signs of a breakthrough."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. "Is Brother Feng going to become the Divine Realm's sixth God King?"
Feng Yan waved a hand. "It's only a sign. The Divine Realm is too peaceful, so I need to find somewhere to cultivate in seclusion. I may have to leave the Divine Realm for a while."
It was incredibly difficult for a First-Level God to leave the Divine Realm.
One could almost say it was impossible.
Unless he received approval from the God Realm Committee.
First and foremost, he would need the approval of Tang San, the Divine Realm's God of Law Enforcement.
Then there was the God King of Destruction.
He wasn't too worried about the God Kings of Goodness and Evil.
The married couple had ascended not long ago, and the previous God Kings of Goodness and Evil hadn't even left them a Super Divine Artifact.
Besides, Feng Yan was on good terms with them, so they probably wouldn't make trouble for him over this.
Destruction...
He... should agree, right...
After all, the God of Destruction was the one who most wanted the Divine Realm to grow stronger.
Adding another God King to the Divine Realm would mean spreading power more thinly, but it would still be a good thing.
As for the God King of Life, that saintly woman?
She and the God King of Destruction were married. If her husband agreed, could she really refuse?
That meant only Tang San remained.
Feng Yan understood Tang San very well.
Selfish and vindictive, petty and spiteful—he was a downright villain.
If Feng Yan became a God King, he would inevitably take a share of Tang San's power.
The God Realm Committee had five God Kings, each in charge of a different domain.
Tang San oversaw law enforcement, Destruction oversaw order, and Life oversaw creation. Lie Yan and Ji Dong had only just arrived and had yet to find their footing.
In the eyes of Destruction and the others, Feng Yan belonged to Tang San's faction.
If he became the sixth God King, whose power would he take?
It could only be Tang San's.
Would someone with Tang San's temperament be willing to accept that?
After a long while,
"I don't object. I'll discuss the matter with the other four God Kings later," Tang San said at last, after a lengthy silence.
He hadn't objected right away?
Feng Yan was surprised.
Based on what he knew of Tang San, the man was not so magnanimous.
If Tang San agreed to let him go to the lower realm and break through to God King, it meant the matter didn't conflict with Tang San's interests. It might even help some of his schemes.
What kind of scheme was that old schemer brewing now?