Deep within the core of Douluo Star.
In this place of terrifying gravity, there was actually a space like a secluded paradise, with mountains and water, little bridges over flowing streams, and even sunlight that shone brilliantly and dazzlingly.
Countless golden roots covered the perimeter of this space, a kilometer across. Enormous blue-gold vines clung to the rock walls, resisting the terrifying gravity of the planet's core.
At the center of this space stood a thatched cottage. A beautiful woman could faintly be seen cooking inside, while a middle-aged man chopped firewood.
They were none other than Tang Hao and Ah Yin, the Second-Level Gods who found the Divine Realm rather dull and had always lived in the lower realm-the parents of Tang Buddha, who claimed there were not enough divine positions in the Divine Realm yet still secured one for every member of his family.
Just then, Tang Hao seemed to sense something as he chopped firewood. His figure instantly appeared beside a stone platform behind the thatched cottage.
The stone platform was utterly unremarkable, carved from the most ordinary stone, but the object hovering above it was anything but ordinary. It was a blood-colored greatsword over two meters long. Dark-gold earth demon runes covered its long, broad blade, and the blood-red sword radiated an extraordinarily fierce aura of slaughter.
The divine artifact, the Asura Sword.
It was actually stationed atop this unremarkable stone platform to suppress something. More shocking still, the Asura Sword was the divine artifact of the Divine Realm's Asura God. Ever since Tang San had united his two godhoods, it had remained under his control, and even his wife had become the Asura Sword Sheath.
The Asura Sword was undoubtedly more important to Tang San than the Sea God Trident. Yet now, the Asura God Sword was not in the Divine Realm but here on Douluo Star. It was truly bizarre.
Tang Hao approached the stone platform enshrining the Asura Sword. A red glow suddenly shone in his eyes, and an asura sword mark appeared on his forehead.
With the authorization granted by these marks, Tang Hao successfully grasped the Asura Sword. Divine power surged within him. Although the world's laws suppressed him, preventing him from unleashing the full strength of a Second-Level God on Douluo Star, his divine power could still circulate normally.
After releasing his divine power, he vanished from the spot, his hand still gripping the Asura Sword's hilt.
Inside the stone platform, eighteen towering golden pillars of light flickered. Terrifying golden chains densely filled the pillars, binding a Nine-Color Dragon so tightly that it could not move at all. Of course, its immobility also had everything to do with the countless blue silver roots covering its body.
An enormous golden hammer hung above its head as well.
The combined suppression of the Asura Sword and the Clear Sky Hammer, along with the golden Chains of Order and blue silver entanglement, left the Nine-Color Dragon utterly unable to move.
"Strange. Nothing is wrong, so why was so much of it suddenly refined?"
Sensing that a tenth of the aura of the Plane Will Dragon before him had suddenly disappeared, Tang Hao muttered to himself in bewilderment.
After his son had captured the Plane Will Dragon before him, it had been firmly bound within the Earth's Core Prison, allowing him and his wife, Ah Yin, to absorb its planar power.
However, since the plane will was intimately connected to Douluo Star, aside from being trapped here and unable to leave, no one could actually stop it from doing whatever it wanted.
For example, it could still bring forth a Child of Destiny despite being bound within the planet's core. This was also why Tang Hao and Ah Yin had to remain here at all times.
Moreover, because the world's laws protected it, their absorption progressed extremely slowly. Only after their son completely seized Douluo Star's two great fortunes and stripped all its Destiny Power away into the Divine Realm could they accelerate the refining process.
Even then, Tang San estimated that it would take ten thousand years. But they were deities. Ten thousand years on Douluo Star amounted to only twenty-odd years in the Divine Realm, passing in the blink of an eye.
Absorbing this world's will also offered considerable benefits. First, they could gain complete control over Douluo Star. Second, he and his wife, Ah Yin, could advance from mere Second-Level Gods to First-Level Gods. This was the entirety of his son's plan to improve his cultivation.
A great crisis was about to erupt in the Divine Realm. He believed his son's words without a shred of doubt, so Tang Hao would unconditionally support any arrangement his son made.
Gaining complete control over Douluo Star was a good thing, too. After all, Douluo Star truly offered a path of retreat. This was where their Tang family's roots lay!
In Tang Hao's eyes, everything on Douluo Star belonged to their Tang family.
They had given so much. Everything they did was for Douluo Star's future!
Unfortunately, how could Tang Hao have known that a tiny portion of the Nine-Color Plane Will Dragon had already escaped beyond Douluo Star, finding an unconventional way to flee into freedom?
"Little dragon, behave yourself. In another dozen or so years, once Douluo fortune has been stripped away into the Divine Realm and gradually dissipates, we can slowly become one."
"Right, Ah Yin should have finished cooking. Since nothing is wrong, I'll head out!" Ten thousand years was far too long, but with his beloved by his side, time no longer held any meaning.
The Hawksbill Turtle King's Cave, on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Yuhao, I truly never expected this. I thought killing an auspicious creature like the Golden Hawksbill Turtle King would leave you plagued by misfortune. Instead, it handed you a heaven-sent windfall."
Electrolux was deeply puzzled. For a powerhouse like him, every force in the universe was something he could see through with great clarity.
Luck was elusive, invisible, and intangible, yet it truly existed.
Although creatures like golden hawksbill turtles were not Auspicious Beasts, they still symbolized auspicious longevity. Killing one would indeed diminish one's fortune, especially since Huo Yuhao had killed a king among golden hawksbill turtles.
"Elder Yi, perhaps I was simply born with profound blessings!" Huo Yuhao did not take Elder Yi's words to heart. Mere misfortune could be shattered with a single punch.
Besides, he now had the Bright Half-Plane and no longer feared Tang San's threats in the slightest. If he encountered that bastard Tang San in the early stages, he would simply hide in the half-plane, leaving him no time even to unleash Unfixed Wind Wave.
Still, Huo Yuhao felt he should play it safer. After all, the Bright Half-Plane contained Douluo Star's plane will. Perhaps Tang San could follow the vine to the melon and find his way inside. Thus, he still needed to learn Electrolux's Necromancy and gain complete control over the Undead Demiplane.
Then he would have the Bright Half-Plane in one hand, and if Tang San barged inside, he would still have the Undead Demiplane.
With two contingencies ready, he would outplay Tang San through sheer caution.
Upon returning from his spiritual sea of consciousness, the first thing he saw was the Golden Hawksbill Turtle King's Soul Ring. Several days had passed. Although the Golden Hawksbill Turtle King's corpse had not changed at all, the blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring hovering above its body had grown very faint. If he did not absorb it soon, it would probably dissipate.
Huo Yuhao silently marveled at his timely return. Had he been a day or two later, this Soul Ring would likely have gone to waste.
He immediately sat cross-legged, released his Spirit Eyes Martial Soul, and drew the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring toward himself. The moment the red ring slipped over his Spirit Eyes, terrifying, violent energy began pouring out wildly, entering his body through his Martial Soul and flowing into every limb and bone.
His limbs, bones, muscles, and meridians continually strengthened under the nourishment of soul power. His blood surged like a mighty river, and his abundant blood and vitality radiated vigorous life force.
This felt entirely different from the Swallowed Star System. Genetic origin energy in Swallowed Star evolved cells, whereas Douluo's energy simply increased the body's strength. They seemed to reach the same destination by different paths, yet they were worlds apart.
Now Huo Yuhao also understood why high-level Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent possessed strong physiques despite clearly cultivating their Martial Souls. It was because their bodies underwent the Soul Rings' baptism during absorption.
This was pure enhancement.
But the prerequisite was being able to withstand it. Otherwise, baptism became pillaging. In the original story, Zhang Lexuan had forcibly absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring as her eighth ring. Although it gave her two powerful Soul Rings and a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone, she gained none of the benefits of the Soul Ring's baptism. It even damaged her body's foundation, requiring over half a year of recuperation before she recovered.
But he was different. His physical constitution was exceptionally strong, so this Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring became the perfect supplement for Huo Yuhao, enhancing his strength.
Time slowly passed. As Huo Yuhao immersed himself in the pleasure of absorbing the Soul Ring, a lingering shade filled with venomous hatred began to emerge within it.
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle King's resentful remnant soul, over a hundred thousand years old, was a truly sneaky bastard. It had chosen the most opportune moment to take revenge on the hateful boy before it.
A clash of souls was poised to erupt at any moment.
Something came up at school this afternoon, so I probably won't be online again today. I was worried I might mess up the scheduled posting, so I posted early. There won't be anything tonight. I'm really sorry.
I should mention here that Huo Yuhao may have spent a little long farming out in the wild, but soon, after witnessing Shrek's total wipeout and finishing his Martial Soul's evolution, Yuhao will leave the village. After all, Yuhao doesn't have an invincibility cheat. He grows stronger little by little on his own. Even if he's shooting upward like a rocket, he still earned it himself. Once he heads out, I can guarantee the revenge will be incredibly satisfying-so satisfying that just thinking about it makes me climax.
Finally, the daily gratitude segment.
Thank you all for your monthly tickets, investments, recommendation votes, and bookmarks. Thank you for your support.
Thank you all for catching errors and offering suggestions. I'll correct them right away. After all, I know I have many shortcomings, and it's thanks to you that I can improve.
Thank you, everyone.
(End of chapter)
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