The Divine Realm stretched boundlessly.
Towering palace complexes floated above an endless sea of clouds, bathed in flowing, eternal divine light.
At that moment, in this supreme dimension, two towering figures faced off from atop a floating divine palace.
One wore a sea-blue-and-gold robe. Behind him, the faint phantom of Asura rose and fell in blood-red waves. He was none other than the wielder of Dual Godhood, the enforcer who commanded awe throughout the Divine Realm—Asura God and Sea God, Tang San.
The other was shrouded in a deep purple cloak that seemed to devour all light. His face was indistinct, save for his short, dark red hair, which stood up like steel needles, and the red light of destruction flickering deep in his eyes.
Behind him, nine black halos, profound as an abyss, revolved slowly. Each turn seemed to draw on the laws of destruction that governed all things.
He was the other enforcer of the Divine Realm, the God of Destruction who wielded the authority of destruction.
Now the gazes of these two supreme beings pierced layer upon layer of barriers between space and time, burning toward the lower realm—the plane known as Douluo Continent.
"Tang San!" The God of Destruction's voice was cold and blunt, carrying an unmistakable challenge. "You are an enforcer of the Divine Realm, yet time and again you've used your divine sense to interfere in mortal affairs, even passing judgment on the creatures below. Is this the justice and virtue you claim to uphold?"
Tang San's expression was calm, but under his eyes, currents seemed to churn like those in the depths of the sea. His voice was gentle, yet held an unshakable indifference. "That child is an unpredictable variable who has thrown my grand plan, laid over ten thousand years, into disarray. Whoever stands in my way must be eliminated. It is necessary to preserve order. How can you call that interference?"
"Preserve order?" The God of Destruction let out a scoff, destructive intent surging around him. "Back then, those few useless members of Shrek lacked the talent and character to bear divine seats. It was you who used your might as an enforcer to secretly force the old gods to abdicate and alter the rules of inheritance, shoving them onto the divine thrones by sheer force. Do you really think nobody knows about your filthy methods?"
"Shut up!" Blue-and-gold divine light suddenly blazed in Tang San's eyes. The blood-red phantom behind him seemed to let out a silent roar, and the entire floating palace trembled faintly.
"Heh." The God of Destruction laughed instead of growing angry, the red light of destruction blazing in his eyes. "All these years, you've abused your authority time and again—showing favoritism, installing your cronies, meddling with the fortunes of the lower realm... Do you really think this Divine Realm is a place where you and your wife can do whatever you please?"
He took a step forward. The nine black halos spun faster, and an aura of destruction soared skyward, pointing straight at Tang San. "And then there's your secret arrangement to send your daughter, Tang Wutong, down to the lower realm and reserve a divine seat for her. Did you really think no one knew? Lin Feng has already earned the recognition of my origin of destruction. He is the successor I've chosen. If you dare lay a finger on him..."
The God of Destruction's voice suddenly turned icy. "I won't hesitate to have your precious daughter, Tang Wutong, buried alongside my successor."
"You dare—!" Tang San's divine might erupted with a roar. The phantom of the Sea God Trident appeared alongside the gleam of the Asura Blood Sword. The skies above the entire Divine Realm shifted, thunder rolling as boundless killing intent belonging to the Asura God filled the air.
"I have nothing but a rotten life. What wouldn't I dare? This Divine Realm has been rotten to the core ever since you took charge of it." The God of Destruction's intent solidified, matching Tang San's divine might as he stood his ground. His voice brimmed with scorn and resolve.
Their clashing divine might collided soundlessly, annihilating and reforming, turning this sacred expanse into the most dangerous of battlefields.
"Both of you, please calm down for a moment."
A gentle, peaceful voice rang out.
Light flowed, and a graceful figure shrouded in soft white radiance appeared without a sound. She was none other than the enforcer of the Divine Realm who wielded the authority of kindness—the God of Kindness.
Her arrival cleared the air, which had been thick with destruction and murderous intent.
"Lin Feng and Wang Dong are both safe now. Let's set aside this dispute for today and discuss it later. What do you say?"
The God of Kindness spoke softly, yet her voice carried a power that soothed the soul. Her calm gaze swept over Tang San and the God of Destruction.
The divine might surging around Tang San faltered slightly. Deep in his eyes, a flash of unwillingness and calculation passed in an instant.
The God of Kindness's intervention meant he could no longer force his hand today.
Besides, the old deeds and threats the God of Destruction had just exposed had struck at the heart of the matter. Tang San had no leg to stand on.
Without Xiao Wu at his side, the power of the Asura God could not reach its peak. He had no certainty of victory against the God of Destruction, who was at full strength and clearly well prepared.
"Hmph!"
In the end, all his emotions collapsed into a cold, muffled snort.
Tang San said nothing more. He shot the God of Destruction a cold look, then glanced at the God of Kindness. His blue-and-gold divine light faded, and the phantom behind him vanished.
He swept his sleeve and turned. With a single step, he merged into the flowing light of the Divine Realm and disappeared.
The God of Destruction said nothing more either. His face remained hidden beneath the deep purple cloak, and only the faint flicker of destructive red light in his eyes betrayed his scorn and wariness.
He did not speak to the God of Kindness. He merely inclined his head slightly in her direction as a greeting.
Then the nine black halos around him drew inward. His aura of destruction withdrew completely into his body, and he seemed to turn into a wisp of shadowy purple smoke before quietly vanishing from the spot.
He knew perfectly well that with Tang San's vindictive nature, today's matter would never end here. A retreat on the surface often meant even more ruthless schemes in the shadows.
He had to make preparations early to deal with the counterattack.
Only the God of Kindness remained atop the floating palace.
She gazed in the direction the two had gone and let out an almost inaudible sigh. Then her figure slowly faded, as if she had never appeared.
Beneath Sea God Lake, inside the ice cavern.
"Ah—!!"
A brief, piercing scream shattered the silence.
Wang Dong came to her senses. The sudden chill made her realize her predicament at once.
She curled up sharply, wrapping both arms around herself. Her pale cheeks flushed before her eyes, the redness spreading all the way to her ears and neck.
Her eyes were filled with humiliation, panic, and helplessness. She did not dare look toward Lin Feng again.
Lin Feng reacted at once. Without hesitation, he took off his outer robe and tossed it over. The robe, still warm from his body, settled swiftly over Wang Dong, wrapping her securely from head to toe.
The rough fabric brushing against her cold skin made Wang Dong shudder again.
After a long while, Wang Dong's muffled voice came from inside the robe, stumbling over her words. "What you saw just now... could you keep it a secret for me? The fact that... I'm a girl..."
Lin Feng looked at the "Light Goddess Butterfly" who had wrapped herself up like a cocoon, mortified beyond words, and calmly nodded. "Sure."
He paused, then naturally picked up where they had left off, reminding her, "Also, don't forget the reward your Clear Sky Sect promised me."
"Of... of course I won't forget." Wang Dong's voice was still low, but mentioning business seemed to restore some of her composure. She still refused to show her face.
Then she quickly added, her voice complicated, mingling disbelief with gratitude:
"And, and... my Soul Power seems to have... gone from level twenty-five to level thirty just now. I... really, thank you."
"It was just an equal exchange. I left your uniform on the ground. It might not fit, so make do with it for now. If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
"Okay. I'm fine. You can go."
Lin Feng chuckled and shook his head. He said nothing more, turning to swim out of the ice cavern.
Wang Dong, after all, wasn't as openhearted and straightforward as Ma Xiaotao.
Wait, I almost forgot—this Bright Phoenix Fire would help Ma Xiaotao a great deal too.
The corner of his mouth lifted without him realizing it.
Tomorrow night, heh...
Before you continue