Just then, a sudden change occurred.
The soul power within Lu Xuan surged beyond his control.
His "life domain" burst open of its own accord!
Yet this domain, which should have brimmed with vitality and healing, now carried an unsettling strangeness.
A streak of deep, dark light flowed through the green.
Then a terrifying devouring force erupted from the center of the domain.
"Hiss-hiss-"
Under the pull of this force, the surrounding green grass and seawater, once brimming with vitality-
Their life energy was forcibly stripped away and drawn out, turning into wisps of pure spiritual energy that poured into Lu Xuan's body.
The plants that lost their energy instantly withered to yellow and crumbled into ash.
"Holy shit! This devouring force... isn't this turning me into an Evil Soul Master?!"
Lu Xuan paled in alarm, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead.
He hurriedly took control of the domain and brought everything to a halt.
Looking at the large patch of withered ground around him, he panted, still shaken.
Just then, a gentle, ethereal voice rippled through his mind, like a spring breeze brushing across his soul:
[Life Nine Trials, second trial: cross the Sea of Life. Time taken: half a year. Perfectly completed!] [Reward: affinity with the God of Life increased by 15%; the age of all soul rings increased by 5,000 years! Total affinity: 25%.]
As the divine voice faded, the soul rings beneath Lu Xuan's feet appeared one after another.
Their original colors grew deeper and more dazzling under the baptism of divine power, while surging strength coursed through every limb and bone.
But before he had time to rejoice, another strange phenomenon arose.
An icy voice, filled with solemnity and murderous severity, pierced his mind like a sharp sword:
[Asura Nine Trials, third trial: find the meaning of wielding a sword. Time limit: 3 years.]
Immediately afterward, that gentle voice, carrying an unquestionable authority, rang out as well:
[Life Nine Trials, third trial: complete the Life Scepter's eight soul rings. Time limit: 3 years.]
"This again! And why are even the time limits exactly the same this time?"
Lu Xuan let out a long, helpless sigh and looked up into the empty life space.
With things like this, what else could he do?
Rebelling was out of the question.
At that moment, he was just like those workers whose bosses squeezed them dry and frantically piled tasks onto them.
Lowly beasts of burden who did not even dare breathe too loudly.
But complaints aside, Lu Xuan's gaze soon settled.
"But... finding the meaning of wielding a sword?"
He slowly raised his right hand, loosely gripping the air as though the heavy Asura God Sword were in his grasp.
"That's right. Why exactly do I wield a sword?"
"To grow stronger and stand at the pinnacle of the continent?"
"To avoid being killed by someone else in this cruel world?"
"Or... merely to satisfy my own selfish desire to stay alive?"
Lu Xuan's brow furrowed tighter and tighter, and he began to doubt himself deeply.
Once those superficial reasons were peeled away, deep within his heart-
It seemed he truly had yet to find that irreplaceable, absolute conviction that made wielding a sword a necessity.
The sword martial soul could be called the most special kind of martial soul on the Douluo Continent.
It often had nothing to do with the level of one's innate talent.
Even with the most ordinary scrap-iron sword, even with only a feeble innate soul power of rank one-
As long as the wielder's heart was steadfast and their sword heart clear-
They could often unleash killing power far beyond common sense, breaking through their own limits.
Just like Ji Juechen during the Douluo II era.
Conversely, if the wielder's heart was lost and they could not find their true reason for swinging a sword-
Then no matter how high their innate soul power or how monstrous their talent-
Their future accomplishments would, at the very most, stop at rank 95.
They would never touch the true pinnacle in their lifetime.
Just like Yan Shaozhe during the Douluo II era.
Yan Shaozhe had originally remained stuck at rank 95.
Only when the beast tide came, faced with his partner and the person he thought he loved-
Did he make his choice.
At that moment, his thoughts became clear, and he broke through in one stroke.
Afterward, he began to realize his talent, soon breaking through again to rank 97.
Carrying this heavy confusion-
Lu Xuan withdrew from the life space with a thought.
Meanwhile, in the distant, ethereal Divine Realm.
Inside a temple wreathed in clouds and mist.
The Asura God stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in blood-red robes.
His deep, blood-colored eyes gazed silently through the endless void, watching Lu Xuan leave the space.
Beside him-
Stood two figures radiating terrifying divine might-the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life.
"His understanding of 'life' has taken an entirely different path."
"That deprivation and devouring... this path does bear some resemblance to the true essence of destruction."
Dressed in a green gown, the Goddess of Life's beautiful eyes shimmered with an unusual light.
Watching the life domain Lu Xuan had just displayed, she sighed softly.
She turned toward her husband, who was shrouded in purple-black destructive intent, and smiled.
"Perhaps, Xiao Zi, you could consider passing your divine seat on to him as well."
"Nonsense." The God of Destruction snorted coldly, absolute reason showing in his purplish-red eyes.
"How could one person possibly bear three God King seats at once?"
"Besides, each martial soul has room for only one seat. His body and soul have no spare vessel left to bear the power of another divine seat!"
With that, the God of Destruction turned toward the Asura God, a trace of doubt in his voice.
"You've only given him three years to comprehend his sword heart. Do you think that's enough?"
"Whether it is enough or not, let time settle it. My word doesn't decide it, nor does yours."
The Asura God spoke evenly, his expression stern.
"This child's journey has been too smooth. Relying on his talent and those clever tricks, he has undergone far too little true tempering."
"At the rate his disposition is developing now, he won't meet my final standard even after another ten years!"
At this point, the Asura God changed tack and asked, "What about you? Have you found your successor?"
"No. How could passing on a God King's seat be so simple!"
The God of Destruction gave the Asura God a cold glance, seemingly unwilling to dwell on the subject.
He swept his purple-black sleeve and said gravely, "Xiao Lu, let's go!"
With that, he turned into a bolt of Destruction Purple Thunder and strode away.
The Goddess of Life smiled helplessly.
Turning into a streak of green light, she followed the God of Destruction out of the Asura God Temple.
Once again, only the Asura God remained in the vast temple.
He turned his gaze back toward the Douluo Continent.
A trace of fervor and anticipation, barely perceptible to ordinary eyes, flashed through his blood-colored gaze.
"When you truly find the meaning of wielding a sword and fully fuse the powers of these two God Kings..."
The Asura God murmured, his voice echoing through the empty temple.
"Then perhaps you will one day reach the heights the Dragon God once attained!"
Twin God Kings in One!
Even in the entire history of the Divine Realm, such a miracle was unheard of.
If Lu Xuan could truly endure these inhuman trials and successfully reach the summit-
Then the arrival of this young man would surely turn the entire order of the Divine Realm upside down!
Before you continue