Star Dou Great Forest core region.
The once-calm surface of Lake of Life suddenly rippled with great waves.
Deep beneath the lake, a massive golden eye slowly opened.
Di Tian raised his dragon head and looked toward Shrek through the lakewater.
The aura of the Light Sacred Dragon had already dispersed, leaving behind only a small amount of dragon power to merge with heaven and earth.
He maintained that posture for a long time.
At the edge of Lake of Life, several ten-thousand-year soul beasts lay prone on the ground, not daring to make any movement.
Only after the Light Sacred Dragon's aura had completely vanished between heaven and earth did Di Tian slowly withdraw his gaze, his enormous golden eye closing once more.
His dragon body slowly sank to the bottom of the lake, and the ripples on the surface gradually calmed.
God Realm.
Sea God's Temple. The magnificent divine temple floated above the Endless Sea.
Its gates stood a hundred zhang tall, while twelve enormous sea-blue pillars supported the heavens. Ancient sea soul beasts and the totems of sea clan rituals were carved upon every pillar.
Endless currents circled the temple, as though the entire ocean were worshipping its master.
Yet the interior of this magnificent Sea God's Temple was exceptionally desolate.
There were no attendants and no divine officials. This was the Sea God's private domain. Those qualified to enter were either his direct subordinates or deities who held authority over one side of the God Realm.
At the deepest part of the temple, a figure sat upon a sea-blue throne.
He wore a sea-blue robe, his long hair falling behind his shoulders. His handsome face remained unchanged from ten thousand years ago.
Yet his eyes held less of their former gentleness and more of the majesty and indifference belonging to a God King.
This man was Tang San, the God King who possessed both the Sea God and Asura God divine positions.
However, the expression of this God King, who had once swept all before him, was not particularly pleasant at the moment.
Not long ago, he had just returned from the God Realm Committee. It had not been his shift today; Destruction had suddenly sent word for him to go over.
Tang San had assumed Destruction had called for him to discuss whether the God Realm should expand.
Yet what the other party had truly asked about was the Sea God's Light in the lower realm.
Destruction had not used it to openly challenge him. Instead, he had questioned him with a calm expression.
Why had the Sea God's Light appeared in the lower realm? Why had it suddenly awakened? Did any of this violate the God Realm's rules?
Though Destruction appeared to be merely asking questions, Tang San knew very well that he was actually warning him. He was telling him... that the God Realm Committee had already noticed the changes on Douluo Star and had even begun monitoring Douluo Star.
At that thought, a chill would always flash through Tang San's eyes. Destruction's sinister intentions were truly known to all the gods. His wolfish ambition had already been laid bare.
That was why, after returning to his temple, the Sea God, who was known throughout the God Realm for his composure, had become so distracted.
"Destruction... you really couldn't hold back any longer, could you?"
Tang San understood Destruction's personality very well. Destruction pursued absolute development and expansion, while he himself valued stability more {self-interest}.
Their ideals had conflicted for a very long time.
It was only because Tang San, after becoming a God King, also held most of the God Realm's authority that these conflicts had remained suppressed.
But now... Destruction had actually meddled directly in Douluo Star's affairs. Worse still, a successor from his faction had heavily injured Huo Yuhao, in whom Tang San had placed great hopes, in the lower realm.
This was no longer a simple conflict. It was an unmistakable declaration of war, a challenge thrown directly in his face.
Destruction wanted to compete with Tang San for control over Douluo Star. If he won, he would gain an enormous advantage in the future struggle over the God Realm's development.
Everything Destruction did served his own philosophy for the God Realm's development.
"The Seven Deadly Sins left behind inheritances back then, and I endured it. Destruction, what more do you want from me!"
"Must you truly disregard all goodwill like this? How can your selfishness be so great? For the God Realm's stability, I must stop you!"
The God King first delivered an indignant tirade, then seemed to think of something. His expression suddenly turned savage.
Just as he was considering how to strike back, a blue radiance suddenly passed through the temple's barrier and flew straight before God King Tang.
Immediately afterward, the phantom of a man in green robes slowly condensed before him.
The newcomer was Da Ming, the Sky Azure Bull Python and the God King's foremost servant in the lower realm.
Upon seeing Da Ming appear, the chill on Tang San's face gradually faded, slowly becoming gentle.
After all, this was a companion who had once accompanied him as he grew up, and one of his most trusted eyes in the lower realm.
"Da Ming, how is Huo Yuhao? What is his condition?" Tang San revealed a false smile.
Da Ming stared blankly at Tang San's perfunctory smile, an inexplicable chill rising in his heart. He swallowed and said in a low voice, "His life has been saved."
"However, his meridians were severely damaged, with more than half ruptured. The origin of his martial soul was also affected to some extent."
"Although his life is not in danger for now, a full recovery will take quite some time."
Tang San nodded upon hearing this. He already knew all of it. Er Ming had reported it to him long ago. Compared to Da Ming, Tang San trusted Er Ming more, because Er Ming was easier to control and did not have so many schemes.
In plain terms, he was stupid and easy to deceive.
"What about the Spiritual Sea?"
"Er Ming previously sent word that there was an abnormal power there."
Only when Tang San mentioned the Spiritual Sea did Da Ming's expression become solemn.
"That is indeed the case."
"There are two special powers within Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea."
"One is an extremely dense dark Soul Power. That power has already been suppressed by the Golden Ancient Tree's power, and I used special means to remove it as well."
"But..."
Da Ming paused, seemingly considering how to phrase his words.
"There is another rather unusual power."
Tang San's gaze sharpened. He saw that something was wrong from Da Ming's expression. "What kind of power is it? Even you cannot remove it?"
Da Ming looked into Tang San's deep eyes, drew a deep breath, and said, "That power is clearly not Soul Power, and it seems extremely close to divine power."
The moment those words fell, the entire Sea God's Temple sank into silence. Even the currents circling the temple came to a standstill.
Anyone present would have been able to sense the Sea God's fury and shock.
Tang San slowly raised his head. In those eyes that had remained calm for ten thousand years, a grave expression finally appeared.
"Divine power?"
"Can you be certain?"
Da Ming nodded. "I lived in the God Realm for many years. I would not mistake the aura of divine power."
"That power is very weak, and it is hidden extremely deeply."
"But its aura feels familiar to me... If my senses are correct, it should be extremely similar to Destruction Divine Power."
"What!"
Those words exploded in Tang San's mind like a thunderclap.
Tang San remained silent for a long time.
Destruction Divine Power? How was that possible?
From the moment Huo Yuhao was born, he had remained within Tang San's plans and control. Even his mother's soul after her death was in Tang San's hands. Where could he possibly have encountered Destruction's power?
Could it be... Long Wushang? That young man who had inherited the power of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Tang San immediately thought of that possibility. After all, the first time Huo Yuhao had suffered a major upheaval was at Long Wushang's hands.
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