Qian Renxue felt as if she were floating on air. The feeling of being cherished and held in someone's hands had her, a young mistress who'd grown up starved of affection, falling head over heels in an instant.
Bibi Dong watched her daughter's lovestruck expression, her own face darkening.
Just moments ago, she'd been mocking Qian Renxue in her heart for finding some wild man from outside.
Then, in an instant, she'd been slapped in the face.
How was this some wild man?
He was a diamond-encrusted golden son-in-law!
And a god, no less!
"The Wind God..."
Bibi Dong murmured, her gaze flickering.
She suddenly realized something utterly terrifying.
Those forty-nine Visions from before had already been enough to create an invincible legion of Soul Masters.
And they'd only ranked seventh.
Now this Heart of the Wind God, ranked fourth, was the very embodiment of a divine persona.
Just how powerful was this so-called "Wind God"?
He definitely wasn't an ordinary deity!
He might even... be far stronger than the Rakshasa God!
At the thought, Bibi Dong's heart churned like a storm-tossed sea.
The Sky Curtain didn't give everyone much time to gossip. The rewards were announced right on schedule.
[Since the Heart of the Wind God contains the power of the world's origin and stands as proof of the highest form of devotion, it ranks fourth on the Rare Treasure Ranking!]
[A reward is hereby bestowed!]
[Reward One: The Gnosis of Wind is fully unsealed!]
[Unsealing effect: Once per day, the holder may borrow all of the Wind God's divine power, ignoring level restrictions! The duration depends on the holder's physical capacity.]
[Additional effect: While empowered by divine power, the holder gains "Protection of the Wind," becoming immune to all instant-death attacks. Even if the physical body is destroyed, the soul can be reforged in the wind!]
[Reward Two: The holder is granted a Second Martial Soul—Wind of Freedom!]
Rumble!
A magnificent pillar of azure light pierced down from the Sky Curtain, enveloping Qian Renxue.
She felt the chess piece in her hand come alive, turning into a warm current that instantly flowed into her body.
Beside her Angel Divine Power, another force appeared—nimble yet domineering.
It was wind.
The freest, wildest wind.
She could feel that with a single thought, the winds of the entire world would obey her command.
Was this... the Wind God's power?
Qian Renxue opened her eyes. Azure and gold light interwove in her pupils, sacred and imposing.
"So this is all of his power..."
She clenched her fist, feeling the vast, oceanic surges of divine power within her. Her estimation of that young man rose another notch.
This power felt even more unfathomable than the Angel God's.
Bibi Dong watched Qian Renxue, whose aura had completely changed, and fell silent for a long while.
Her feelings were complicated.
On the one hand, she was stunned by the terrifying power. On the other, she couldn't help envying her daughter's incredible luck.
Why hadn't this sort of opportunity been hers?
The Tang Sect's headquarters.
As Tang San read the words "all divine power," "immune to instant death," and "soul reforged," his expression turned so ghastly that it was like he'd swallowed a fly.
"Damn it!"
"This is just cheating!"
Tang San slammed his fist into the battlement, shattering the bricks and stone.
His Asura God Demon Slash could inflict true damage and even sever divine positions.
But she could just become immune to instant death!
Even if he killed her, she could come back to life!
How the hell was he supposed to fight that?
"Where did this Wind God crawl out from, anyway?"
Ma Hongjun looked just as disgruntled.
"I've never even heard of him. How does he show up and immediately pull out something this insane?"
"Third Brother, how are we supposed to fight now?"
Everyone wore grim expressions.
They'd thought Tang San, with Dual Godhood, had victory in the bag. Now, it seemed uncertain.
Just then, Yu Xiaogang, who'd been silent all along, suddenly spoke.
He pushed up a pair of nonexistent glasses, his face brimming with inscrutable wisdom.
"Everyone, don't panic."
"This reward may look heaven-defying, but think about it carefully."
"The Wind God is called the Wind God because he's simply a deity who controls the wind element."
"In the Divine Realm, Elemental Gods are only First-Level Gods."
"But Xiao San's Asura God is a God King!"
Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back and held forth.
"No matter how powerful a First-Level God is, before a God King, he's nothing."
"What's more, that Wind God was foolish enough to give away his own Gnosis."
"That's the equivalent of handing over the core of his divine position."
"Now, he's probably in an extremely weakened state."
Hearing this, Dai Mubai's eyes lit up, a ruthless glint flashing in his evil-looking eyes.
"Grandmaster is right!"
"If this Wind God is so generous, he must have other treasures on him."
"And now that he's lost two supreme treasures, this is when he's at his weakest."
Dai Mubai looked at Tang San, his tone carrying a hint of provocation.
"Xiao San, Godwind City is close by."
"Since this Wind God dared to interfere in our war with Spirit Hall and take Qian Renxue's side..."
"Then we don't have to show him any courtesy."
"Why don't we march over there right now? Strike while he's down and finish him off!"
"If we can take out the Wind God too..."
Dai Mubai made a throat-slitting gesture.
At his words, some of the gloom lifted from Tang San's eyes, replaced by a sharp glint.
Right.
Teacher made sense.
A First-Level God who'd lost his core—what did he, the mighty Asura God, have to fear?
Besides, if he could get his hands on the Wind God's other treasures, perhaps he could make up for the disappointment of the Asura Demon Sword's ranking.
"Teacher, Mubai, you're right."
Tang San nodded, regaining his confident air of being in control of everything.
"Godwind City is definitely worth a visit."
"I want to see for myself just what sort of figure this so-called Wind God is, daring to steal the spotlight from me, Tang San."
"Whatever Qian Renxue has, I, Tang San, will have too."
"Not only will I have it, I'll have something better!"
In the inner courtyard of the City Lord Mansion in Godwind City.
The azure pillar of light that had pierced heaven and earth slowly faded, but the lingering power of the divine force still rippled through the air, enough to make one's heart tremble.
The one responsible for all this was a green-clad youth, lounging lazily in a grand chair.
He idly toyed with an apple he'd swiped from who-knew-where and took a crunching bite.
As he read the lines on the Sky Curtain describing the reward for the "Gnosis of Wind," the youth paused.
A flicker of surprise crossed his deep, pool-like eyes.
"Well, damn."
"The Sky Curtain really isn't holding back."
A full unsealing, and she could borrow all of his divine power?
That was Barbatos's full power.
Even if the rules of this world suppressed him and he couldn't unleash the world-altering might that had cleaved Mondstadt apart, he was still beyond anything these so-called gods of the Douluo Continent could hope to measure up to.
And then there was that "Protection of the Wind," which made her immune to instant death.
Now, even if Qian Renxue were only a Soul Saint, she could chase Tang San, the Asura God, around with a sword.
It was practically an official cheat code.