"Poseidon, your bad luck starts now!"
As Bei Mingyuan stepped out of the pillar of light, his appearance underwent a tremendous transformation.
A dragon's torso, eagle arms, tiger shoulders, a mastiff's back, and rhinoceros legs—the golden armor displayed the powers belonging to those five.
The power of the Five Elements laws surrounded his armor, while Kunpeng's power formed wings embedded in his back, supplying him with strength.
Not only that, but ten platinum Soul Rings circled behind him before merging completely into different parts of his body.
The Emperor stood there, yet the slightest ripple of his invisible aura shattered the surrounding space, exposing the dark depths beyond.
Bei Mingyuan glanced around and waved his hand lightly. All the strange phenomena around him instantly vanished without a trace.
At the sight of Bei Mingyuan's domineering entrance, everyone on the Northern Underworld Continent cheered with joy.
[Northern Underworld Continent · Tavern owner: Progenitor above, I actually met the former emperor alive today! What fortune earned over three lifetimes! Three lifetimes!]
[Northern Underworld Continent · Military officer: Heavens, as expected of our Northern Underworld Empire's ancestral emperor! His power is simply overwhelming!]
Feeling the armor's power, Bei Mingyuan smiled in satisfaction. Tens of thousands of years had passed; it was about time he brought the armor out to bask in the sun.
As mentioned before, Bei Mingyuan had created seven avatars from his seven personality traits. Aside from Bei Miao, there were still two avatars he had not explained.
His yang-aspect avatar was called Bei Mingyuan—the Emperor Armor, representing his domineering personality. As for his yin-aspect avatar... that would be revealed later.
"Poseidon, it seems the lesson I taught you ten thousand years ago wasn't enough. You actually dare show yourself before me again."
Bei Mingyuan slowly approached him, looking down at him. "And instead of descending in your true body, you found this stand-in. It seems you've only regressed over these ten thousand years."
"Damn it!"
Poseidon gritted his teeth and stood up. How has this fellow's power grown so much? A Second-Level... no, at least a First-Level God! Perhaps even beyond that!
"As expected, our guess was right. That Mutant Beast has most likely already reached the realm of a divine position!"
In the Divine Realm, the Asura God watched the battle on Sea God Island and spoke with utmost gravity. "This is not good news."
"To think a minor plane like the Douluo Plane actually harbors such a powerful ancient foreign god."
The Destruction God King glanced at the Asura God and the others. "That place truly has crouching tigers and hidden dragons. It's already produced two God Kings."
"Asura God, you ascended from Douluo Star as well. Did you know nothing about this thing while you were cultivating?"
The Evil God King looked at him. The Asura God had also ascended from Douluo to the upper realm, and he was even older than Poseidon. By all rights, he should have known something.
"No, I've never even heard of this continent, let alone this thing."
The Asura God shook his head, his eyes full of bewilderment. An ancient Mutant Beast this powerful should have been as famous as dragons, phoenixes, and qilin. Why was there no information about it whatsoever?
"What a cunning fellow."
The Asura God sighed. "Poseidon, use everything you have to probe his strength. Your High Priest is beyond saving anyway. You might as well squeeze some final use out of her."
"Yes."
Poseidon nodded without the slightest hesitation. She was only a priestess; he could simply find another later. Those were the last things he lacked.
"Ah!"
In the lower realm, Poseidon controlled Bo Saixi's body. Ignoring the limits of what she could endure, he began forcing her to wield power far beyond her capacity.
Specks of blue light flashed on the tip of the Trident in his hand, and he thrust it forward with all his might.
In an instant, the oppressive aura enveloping him broke, but the backlash struck Bo Saixi's body as well, making her cough up a mouthful of blood.
"A mortal body, after all. Utterly unfit for any great purpose."
Poseidon snorted coldly. Completely disregarding Bo Saixi, who had already reached her limit, he once again attempted to confront Bei Mingyuan.
"Tch, how heartless."
Bei Mingyuan sneered. "Bo Saixi worshipped you her entire life, yet you still treat her as a disposable tool you can discard at any moment. Tell me, aren't you afraid Sea God Island's legacy will be lost?"
"This is being broadcast live to everyone across the continent, you know."
"Hmph!"
Poseidon snorted, entirely unmoved. "Serving as a vessel for this god's power is her honor. What does it matter if she dies? She is this god's priestess, and naturally she must fulfill her duty!"
"From beginning to end, her life has never belonged to her. It belongs to me, the Sea God! She has no need to make any decisions. All she needs to do is obey my will!"
"How could this be!"
Nearby, Sea Dragon, who had just finished treating his wounds, looked utterly incredulous upon hearing those words.
In Sea Dragon's heart, the image he had imagined of a Sea God who stood tall between heaven and earth, selfless and impartial, came crashing down.
"A vessel—you actually called the High Priest a vessel! Sea God, is this really the kind of god you are?"
Sea Spear Douluo propped up his tottering body and glared furiously at Poseidon before him.
"I can't believe the god I've worshipped all this time is someone like you!"
They claimed to serve the Sea God and held him as their faith, but in truth, they had never interacted with him.
Instead, they had interacted most with the High Priest, Bo Saixi. Until now, they had always believed the Sea God stood tall between heaven and earth and cherished all people.
But this invasion by the Northern Underworld Continent had completely torn away Poseidon's veil of respectability.
In the end, he was merely a mortal who had become a god through faith. His hands were no less bloodstained than theirs. While ruling the seas, he had slaughtered countless Soul Beasts and Soul Masters. He was hardly any nobler than they were.
All of this was nothing more than an ideological brand the Sea God had instilled in them: they must revere him above all.
"You really don't bother hiding it."
Bei Mingyuan clapped in admiration. "I rather admire your ability to say all that without the slightest hesitation. You're a little better than those sanctimonious hypocrites."
"Hmph! Since when do this god's actions need your judgment!"
Poseidon snorted coldly and pointed at Bei Mingyuan. "Using divine power without cause and invading the lower realm—you have already violated the Divine Realm's iron laws! Withdraw at once!"
"Otherwise, when the Five Great God Kings strike together, do you think you can escape having your body obliterated and your divine soul destroyed?"
"Heh. I spit on that!"
After a soft laugh, Bei Mingyuan snorted coldly. "Forget the Asura God and his lot. Even if the Dragon God and the phoenix were still alive, I wouldn't spare them a glance!"
"You think their names alone can frighten me? What, do you really take me for an easy target?"
[Space Law!]
Bei Mingyuan slowly raised his head and pressed one hand down.
"Before me, kneel!"
The power of the Great Dao of Space activated. Far away in the Divine Realm, Poseidon suddenly felt an invisible force imprison him. The next instant, he was pressed flat against the ground.