"But now, just because he has shown more of a threat, a threat that leaves us helpless, you're going to change your minds? You want to destroy him?"
"Just because his excellence exceeded our expectations, even frightening us, does that mean we should... angrily flip the table?"
The words of the God of Evil, sharp and interrogative, pierced the hearts of every God King within the temple like a cold knife.
The chilling killing intent emanating from the Asura God abruptly froze.
Poseidon's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to refute.
yes...
The Asura God initially noticed Xuan Ming precisely because of his astonishing performance in the Slaughter City and the near-perfect compatibility of his Slaughter Domain.
He did indeed consider guiding Xuan Ming to abandon his entanglements with the Dragon Clan and embark on the pure Asura God.
He even secretly provided Xuan Ming with some conveniences and tests, hoping that this young man could become his most ideal successor.
Poseidon was cunning from the very beginning, forcibly binding Xuan Ming with the Sea God's Heart, and using the pretext of problems with the Rakshasa inheritance to half-coax and half-trick him into coming to the Sea God Island. He was drawn to Xuanming's unparalleled potential and temperament, fearing that other gods would get there first.
Initially, they were all attracted by Xuan Ming's "excellence" and wanted to bring him into their own control and inheritance system.
But what about now?
Because Xuan Ming's excellence exceeded their expectations, even reaching a level that made them feel "out of control" and "threatened," and because Xuan Ming used their own rules to turn the tables on them, leaving them in a dilemma...
Are they going to... fly into a rage? Are they going to tear off all pretense of civility and destroy it at all costs?
How narrow-minded and ridiculous this is!
An even deeper, deathly silence fell over the temple.
The words of the God of Evil mercilessly tore open the hidden, unacknowledged "pride" and "desire for control" deep within the hearts of the God King.
The purple lightning around the God of Destruction subsided slightly, and he fell silent. He advocated for force based on order and stability, but the words of the God of Evil forced him to examine his own inner motives.
They were used to being high above others, used to controlling everything, and used to selecting and shaping successors according to their own will.
When a "chess piece" suddenly displays the ability to overturn the chessboard and even turn the tables on the players, their first reaction is... fear and Destruction?
Isn't this a sign of... being a sore loser?
Chapter 351 A Clear Conscience
The God of Evil looked at the silent crowd, a hint of mockery flashing in his crimson eyes, but more so a cold, cruel analysis. "Admit it, everyone. Our anger and unease don't stem from his transgression of taboos, but from his... exceeding our control. He has made us, who pride ourselves on being supreme God King, experience for the first time... a sense of powerlessness."
"This feeling is very unpleasant, isn't it?"
He tilted his head slightly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "But that's reality. This kid named Xuan Ming has shown us in the most direct way that he's not a pawn to be manipulated at will. He's... an opponent we must face squarely, even... an equal, or rather... a collaborator."
"Collaborator?" Poseidon repeated in a trembling voice, finding the word utterly absurd when used between gods and mortals.
"Otherwise?" the God of Evil retorted. "Killing them is impossible, and even taking action could lead to complete loss of control. Besides trying to cooperate, guide, or even... negotiate, do we have any better options?"
"But with his current attitude, insisting on standing with the Dragon Clan, he is destined to become an enemy of the Divine Realm in the future," the Asura God said in a deep voice.
"An enemy?" The God of Evil raised an eyebrow. "Who decided that? Just because he inherited the Dragon King's power? Don't forget, he's still human at heart! And a human who understands responsibility and accountability far better than most Mingdu!"
He surveyed the gods, his tone becoming serious. "What is the purpose of establishing the God's Trial? Isn't it to select a successor who is outstanding enough to maintain the order of the Divine Realm Divine Realm and even lead it to a brighter future? Now, a successor far exceeding our expectations has appeared, yet we hesitate because of the source of his power, and even want to stifle him?"
"Don't forget, power itself is neither good nor evil," the Godess of Kindness softly echoed. "The key lies in the heart of the one who wields that power. And judging from Xuan Ming's actions so far, he may be obsessive, he may be insane, but his true nature has never been lost."
The Asura God's icy voice rang out. "You mean you want to continue training him?"
"It's not about nurturing, it's about guiding and investing," the God of Evil corrected. "Turning potential enemies into future allies, or even... new pillars of the Divine Realm. Isn't that far wiser than going to great lengths to crush an enemy that may never be killed?"
The Asura God couldn't help but interject, "But what about the turmoil the Dragon God caused back then..."
" The Dragon God is the Dragon God, Xuan Ming is Xuan Ming!" the God of Evil interrupted him. "We cannot Negation all possibilities for the future because of the shadows of the past. Besides, do you think, given this kid's temperament and control, he would allow himself to become a second Dragon God?"
"Everyone, calm down. Actually, we've been considering this possibility ever since he completed the First Trial set by Asura in a near-self-destructive manner. It's just that you all thought that if even the Dragon God failed, this kid would be even more capable."
"Isn't that what you think too?" the Asura God retorted.
The God of Evil shrugged. "Of course, but do we have any other choice now?"
The Godess of Kindness spoke slowly, "He is still willing to operate within the rules, within our rules, and even... he is striving for a win-win situation."
"Everyone's happy?" The Asura God frowned.
"Isn't that so?" the Godess of Kindness countered.
"How risky is it to face us head-on, to face the God's Trial? Even if he has the means to survive against us, the price would be extremely high. Yet he still chose to stand before us instead of running away and taking the safer path of secretly developing his strength."
"He's not just fighting for the Dragon Clan, he's also striving for coexistence."
"If we take action, it will be tantamount to pushing him to the extreme."
"It's a fight to the death!"
The last four words, "Godess of Kindness," struck the hearts of every God King like a heavy hammer.
The atmosphere inside the temple was frozen solid.
The Asura God clenched his fists tightly; he had to admit that the Godess of Kindness was right.
Xuan Ming had every opportunity to choose a more covert path—to hide away with the Dragon God's Heart and the Silver Dragon King, secretly accumulating power. With his talent and the foundation of the Dragon Clan, given time, he might very well become a major threat to the Divine Realm.
But he didn't.
He chose the most dangerous, yet also the most "upright" path—standing under the gaze of the Divine Realm, undergoing God's Trial, demonstrating his power, and even at the cost of revealing his trump cards.
This is not foolishness; it is a gesture, a willingness to resolve issues within the rules.
If the Divine Realm chooses to overturn the table now, it would be tantamount to extinguishing the last glimmer of possibility for peaceful coexistence, and completely forcing Xuan Ming onto the path of a dead end with the Divine Realm.
"This kid isn't provoking us; he's... seeking a new order. A new order that allows the remaining bloodline of the Dragon Clan, that allows those he cares about, and perhaps even... the Divine Realm itself to find a way out," said the God of Evil.
"And we, will we choose to become stumbling blocks in his path, forcing him to become an avenger who Destruction everything, or will we choose to become guides, or even... future collaborators, to jointly shape a new future?"
The power of choice seems to have returned to the hands of the God Realm Committee once again.
This time, however, they were no longer passively responding to Xuan Ming's attacks, but began to truly consider the long-term implications.
The Asura God slowly sat back on his throne, his cold eyes flashing with complex light.
He had to admit that the analysis of Evil and Kindness hit the nail on the head.
Xuan Ming's actions, seemingly reckless and provocative, were in fact calculated step by step, precisely exploiting the weaknesses of the God Realm Committee: its internal divisions, its pursuit of stability and order, and its assessment of the potential value of an unprecedented "outlier."
He is indeed... striving for coexistence.
Using an extremely forceful and dangerous approach, yet remaining within the rules!
A deep confusion flashed in the God of Destruction's crimson eyes. His deep voice broke the silence of the temple. "I still don't understand... why did he take such a risk? Since he already possessed enough power to protect himself, even enough to make us hesitate to act, he could have continued to pretend, secretly accumulating power and waiting for a better opportunity. Why did he choose this... almost self-destructive method, exposing all his trump cards to us?"
This defies common sense! A person with such meticulous thinking and far-sighted planning should not make such an "impulsive" and "unwise" choice.
The Asura God remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke:
"Because he needs a reason."
"Reason?" The God of Destruction frowned, and the other God King also cast puzzled glances at him.
"A reason... sufficient to support all his future actions, even sufficient to convince himself to completely oppose the Divine Realm... and us." The Asura God's voice was deep and clear.
He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before continuing, "The sacrifice of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, the entrustment of the Silver Dragon King, the remaining hope of the Dragon Clan... these gave him ample reason to stand on the side of the Dragon Clan race and fight for the Dragon Clan with everything he had. This is what he should do given his current status and position."
"However," the Asura God's tone shifted, his blood-red eyes sweeping over the other God King, "To oppose the Divine Realm? To be an enemy of the entire Divine Realm's order? That reason is not enough for him."
"Not enough?" The God of Evil raised an eyebrow, as if he had thought of something.
"Yes, not enough," the Asura God affirmed. "Since he began his God's Trial, although each test has been inhumanly harsh, even cruel, there has always been... a glimmer of hope. The goal of the trials has never been to push him to the brink of death. What we truly need to see is the attitude of the Dragon Clan, and his attitude."
"The content of the God's Trial, and the restraint and adherence to rules we demonstrated during the test, also allowed Xuan Ming to see the attitude of the Divine Realm, and... our attitude."
"He saw that the Divine Realm was not monolithic, not entirely cold-blooded, and did not necessarily have to exterminate the Dragon Clan."
"So... he also used this method to express his attitude."
He disdained sneaking around, disdained lurking in the shadows, waiting for some future opportunity to strike out and seek revenge. What he wanted was a fair and square contest, a competition open and aboveboard, a... either coexistence or a complete, life-or-death break!
"He laid all his cards on the table, forcing us to make a choice. And forcing himself... to make the final choice."
"If we choose to Destruction him, then so be it. He will finally have a reason that is sufficiently compelling, tragic enough, and allows him to oppose the entire Divine Realm without any psychological burden."
"For survival, for revenge."
The God of Evil clapped his hands and chuckled, his eyes full of admiration. "Brilliant! Truly brilliant! This kid is not only terrifyingly strong and talented, but also extremely arrogant! He'd rather risk being wiped out by us than not play his cards fair and square, telling us that either we settle things within the rules, or we should prepare to face a completely insane enemy!"
Poseidon muttered, "This is truly... an utter madman..."
"A proud, obsessive, yet self-righteous madman," the Goddess of Kindness added softly, her tone tinged with an indescribable emotion, "He chose the most difficult path, all for the sake of... a clear conscience."
Silence fell once more within the temple.
The purple light around the God of Destruction subsided, and he fell silent. He finally understood the deeper logic behind Xuan Ming's seemingly contradictory behavior.
This isn't stupidity; it's the ultimate madness born from extreme pride!
He wasn't just forcing the Divine Realm to take a stand; he was also looking for a "reason" for himself!
A solid reason, strong enough to support his future path, whether it be Destruction or coexistence!
He disdains compromise; he wants a fair and square duel, a high-stakes gamble with no way out!
"In that case, God's Trial..."
"Continue!"
Chapter 352 Borrowing a God-Given Soul Ring
Sea God Island.
Time flies, and more than half a year has quietly passed since the earth-shattering " Dragon Emperor's Tyrannical Sea Break ".
From the Divine Realm, there was no further movement. No divine punishment was imposed, no assessment was changed, and not even a trace of extra attention was shown. That display of power, which was enough to shake the very foundation of the Divine Realm, seemed to have sunk without a trace, and was accepted by the God Realm Committee with an almost indifferent silence.
This silence itself is an attitude.
Xuan Ming stood atop Sea God Mountain, gazing at the endless sky.
The Divine Realm did not take action.
This means they made a choice.
They accepted his "demonstration," tacitly approved of his existence, and even... recognized his right to play within the rules.
That's enough.
The past six months have passed quickly amidst intense training and climbing.
Above the Nine Heavens Mysterious Steps, as the last figure struggled but resolutely climbed the 136 steps, Ning Rongrong collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat, her pretty face radiating boundless excitement.
At this point, everyone, including Hu Liena, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Ah Rou, Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, had all completed the First Trial of the Sea God —the Transmigration of the Sea God's Light!
A vast golden light descended in succession, enhancing their Soul Power and bestowing rewards upon them.
Then, the content of their respective Second Trial gradually emerged. The challenges remained formidable, but everyone's eyes were filled with high morale.
In the past six months, one person has undergone a complete transformation.
Bibi Dong.
Under Xuan Ming's continuous and almost cruel "tempering," her Divine Slaughter's Domain underwent a tremendous transformation.
It was no longer the sinister realm corrupted by the evil aura of the Rakshasa, nor was it a pure killing force that simply imitated Xuan Ming.
Instead, it combines the characteristics of both the Death Spider Emperor and the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, along with the eeriness and domineering killing power of the Rakshasa, forming an extremely unique and dangerous new domain!
This area was a deep, dark purple, with countless spider shadows seemingly swirling within it. It possessed a chilling, soul-corroding coldness and a life-snatching stillness, yet it also contained a savage, bloodthirsty will that was unstoppable and capable of tearing everything apart! It was ruthless and deadly, yet also incredibly domineering!
This is a realm unlike any other, possessing both the purity of slaughter and a deeper, more Destruction quality.
"That's about enough." Xuan Ming said, watching Bibi Dong Dong's domain slowly recede.
Bibi Dong opened her purple eyes, a flash of brilliance passing by in an instant. Half a year of arduous training had made her aura more profound and restrained, and the mutated domain had added a touch of dangerous and unpredictable charm to her.
"Next, we should head to the Slaughter City," Xuan Ming continued.
Bibi Dong was taken aback. "What are you going to the Slaughter City?"