Clearly, while controlling the Asura Battle Soul to deliver the ultimate Ring Devouring Strike, he also had to focus on manipulating such an exquisite Nether Soul Death Substitution, which was a huge burden on his soul and Divine Power.
But all of this effort was worthwhile.
Compared to the Ice Seal Golden Dragon King, he at least retained his freedom of movement and clear will!
In his hand, he held the Blood Spear, its light dimmed by the destruction of Soul Ring, yet still incomparably sharp.
The spearhead was aimed at the Golden Dragon King's brow, who was temporarily Ice Seal and struggling wildly!
Victory belongs to me.
Pfft--!
The Blood Spear pierced the Golden Dragon King's head with pinpoint accuracy, not through flesh and blood, but directly through some invisible barrier, reaching the Soul Core —the dark golden crystal radiating a violent and Destruction aura!
The Destruction Godhead of the Golden Dragon King's Divine Status!
"Roar--!!!"
The Golden Dragon King let out the most shrill and desperate roar of his life! He could feel an incomparably domineering devouring force surging wildly into his Divine Core along the Blood Spear!
His bloodline essence, his remaining divine Divine Power, his shattered dragon core, his divine soul origin, and even the very foundation upon which he depended for existence—his Destruction Godhead! Everything was being forcibly stripped away and devoured!
"No!!! You can't!!!" The Golden Dragon King's soul roared madly, filled with extreme fear and resentment! He felt utterly annihilated!
At the same time, an indescribably violent and Destruction energy, like a flood bursting its banks, surged wildly into Xuan Ming's body along the Blood Spear! This was the essence of the Golden Dragon King's lifelong cultivation and the Dragon God Bloodline! The sheer size and ferocity of the energy far exceeded Xuan Ming's imagination!
His meridians, bones, and even his soul were undergoing a terrifying impact! It felt as if countless mad dragons were ramming and tearing at his body!
Even more terrifying is that along with this power comes the Golden Dragon King's Destruction will, which embodies all the violence and madness of the Dragon God!
This will, like the most vicious curse, attempted to erode Xuan Ming's soul, dragging him into eternal madness and Destruction!
"Insects! Destruction with me!!!" The Golden Dragon King's soul let out a final, vicious shriek! He was going to launch a final counterattack, even if it meant his soul and spirit would be destroyed, he would drag Xuan Ming down with him!
However, faced with this frenzied backlash before death, Xuan Ming's eyes showed only a cold calm.
He had anticipated this.
Just as that raging, Destruction will was about to engulf his soul—
A golden divine ring, radiating gentle warmth yet containing supreme purifying and protective power, quietly emerged from beneath Xuan Ming's feet!
The Godess of Kindness God-Given Soul Ring after a million years— the Ring of Kindness!
This divine ring is not good at attacking, but it possesses supreme power to target the soul, purify evil thoughts, and protect one's true nature!
Even the Golden Dragon King at his peak, with his berserk will, would be greatly suppressed by the Law of Kindness, which specifically counters negative divine souls; how much more so this remaining wisp of spirit?
"Buzz--!"
The gentle yet firm golden divine light, like a warm tide, instantly enveloped Xuan Ming's soul, firmly blocking and enveloping the Destruction will that attempted to retaliate. Then, like sunlight melting snow, it began to purify and dissolve it!
"No!!! This is impossible!!!" The Golden Dragon King's lingering spirit let out an incredulous, terrified scream, "You... how could you still possess such power?!"
He couldn't understand why Xuan Ming, after experiencing such a brutal battle and unleashing such a devastating final blow, could still retain such a powerful and highly targeted backup plan!
This guy... he hasn't even used his full strength from the very beginning?!
Xuan Ming felt the violent energy within his body being gradually purified and guided, as well as the effect of the Ring of Kindness stabilizing his soul; his heart remained calm and undisturbed.
He always adhered to a fundamental principle: when doing things, you must have a backup plan. In fact, you should have several backup plans.
In his battle against the Golden Dragon King, he seemed to have used every trick in the book: Asura Battle Soul, Dragon Emperor Devours the World, Ultimate Ring Devouring... But in reality, his true trump cards were far more than that.
If the previous Nether Soul Death Substitution and Ultimate Strike failed, he still had the Divine Light of Destruction brought by the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler, which was enough to severely damage the Golden Dragon King's soul at close range. Moreover, there was the Abyssal Dragon Emperor Torso Bone's ultimate explosive skill— Dragon Emperor Descends!
That would allow his Dragon Emperor Devours the World Power to erupt at its limit instantly, temporarily boosting all his attributes several times over, enough to turn the tide of battle, although the price would be severe damage to his soul, body, and even his Godhead status.
He has many methods and contingency plans. No matter how the scenarios are analyzed, victory in this battle will ultimately belong to him.
He kept these techniques for himself, not just to deal with the Golden Dragon King.
It was also to... guard against the Divine Realm.
He never naively believed that the five high-ranking God King would fully keep their promise.
If they suddenly change their minds while he and the Golden Dragon King are both severely injured, intending to take advantage of his vulnerability...
So, Xuan Ming wouldn't mind letting this Divine Realm, which has been peaceful for many years, personally experience once again something even more insane and uncontrollable than the Dragon God Rebellion—
The Dragon Emperor Rebellion!
Chapter 463 A Better Proposal
Just as Xuan Ming was completely extracting the Golden Dragon King's bloodline essence, shattered dragon core, and the restless, Destruction Godhead, preparing to guide it towards the light cocoon where Gu Yuena was—
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Five vast and boundless auras of God King pierced through the sealing barrier of the God's Forbidden Land without warning and descended instantly!
The five supreme rulers of the Divine Realm —the God of Evil, the Godess of Kindness, the Asura God, the God of Destruction, and the Goddess of Life —appeared simultaneously in this shattered void, surrounding Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena was protected by a cocoon of light not far away.
They had clearly been closely monitoring the situation inside, and entered the place the instant the Golden Dragon King's aura completely disappeared.
Xuan Ming paused, his eyes narrowed, and his dim Divine Power gathered again. Although he was weak, his resolute stance in preparation for battle was crystal clear.
He slightly raised the Blood Spear in his hand, aiming it at the dark golden orb of light that had been peeled away and contained terrifying energy, as if he were ready to devour it at any moment and engage in a final battle with the five God King without regard for the consequences.
"Don't be nervous," the Godess of Kindness spoke first. "We are not here to take advantage of your misfortune."
The God of Evil's gaze swept over the restless ball of dark golden energy in Xuan Ming's hand, then looked at the weak Gu Yuena, his tone unusually serious. "Boy, don't be impulsive. If we wanted to take advantage of your vulnerability, we could have done so when you were fighting the Golden Dragon King. Why wait until now?"
Xuan Ming's eyes were cold; he remained vigilant. "Then why did you intrude?"
The Asura God looked at Gu Yuena, and also at the Destruction Godhead belonging to the Golden Dragon King before Xuan Ming, "To prevent you from making the wrong decision, and also to... save Gu Yuena."
The Godess of Kindness spoke, his tone grave. " Xuan Ming, you just defeated the Golden Dragon King, you should know very well how insane and violent the will contained within its Destruction Godhead is. Gu Yuena's current condition is extremely poor; her soul is being assimilated by the Dragon God's Heart, and her mind is incredibly fragile. If you forcibly infuse her with the Golden Dragon King's bloodline and Godhead essence now, she will be utterly powerless to resist the impact of that Destruction will!"
"At that time, her soul will be instantly torn apart by the Golden Dragon King's mad will! Then, the Dragon God's Heart, freed from the Silver Dragon King's restraint, will combine with the Golden Dragon King's Destruction Godhead... and a more insane and uncontrollable Destruction being than the original Dragon God will be born! That will be a catastrophe for the entire Divine Realm, and even for countless planes in the lower realms!"
"So?" Xuan Ming asked in return.
"Therefore, we have a better suggestion." The God of Evil's expression turned serious.
"You shall devour the power of the Golden Dragon King."
The Godess of Kindness continued, "We understand your concerns. We can intervene and safely extract the Silver Dragon King Bloodline and the Dragon God's Heart from Gu Yuena's body, then allow you to fuse with them. You have already gained the approval of the Dragon Tomb's Dragon Soul, condensed your own unique Godhead, and even bear a portion of our five's power of law. Having you bear the complete Dragon God Bloodline and control the Dragon God's Heart offers the highest success rate and the lowest risk."
The Goddess of Life, radiating a vibrant green aura, looked at Gu Yuena's cocoon of light with pity, her voice gentle yet tinged with helplessness. "We will do our utmost to protect Gu Yuena's divine soul essence and ensure the safety of the extraction process. But frankly, given her current state, forcibly absorbing the Golden Dragon King's power has a success rate... extremely low. It's practically tantamount to suicide."
The meaning of the five God King is very clear.
They didn't trust Gu Yuena to succeed. The Dragon God's Power was too dangerous; they needed a more reliable "container."
Xuan Ming, who has repeatedly created miracles, condensed an unknown Godhead, and successfully killed the Golden Dragon King, is undoubtedly the best candidate.
The most perfect solution right now is for him to become the new Dragon God, so that he can control the power, Gu Yuena can survive, and the Divine Realm can eliminate the hidden danger.
Of course, an even more important reason is whether, once Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King, becomes the new Dragon God, it will once again usher in a period where the Dragon Clan dominated the world and oppressed countless other races.
Although most of them were thinking of leaving the Divine Realm to pursue their own freedom and future, they couldn't really hand over the Divine Realm to a "new Dragon God " who might repeat the same mistakes.
Gu Yuena's obsession with the Dragon Clan runs too deep. Once she becomes the Dragon God, she will do her utmost to bring the Dragon Clan back to the top of all races!
But Xuan Ming is different. Although he has deep ties with the Soul Beast Clan and the Dragon Clan, his personality and style are clearly more in line with the attitude that a god in the Divine Realm should have.
In Xuan Ming's eyes, there was no difference between the Soul Beast Clan, the Dragon Clan, humans, and even other races.
Even if they are the same, it doesn't matter.
But the Divine Realm needs precisely such a Supreme God.
impartial.
If God intervenes, the rules and order of the mortal realm will completely lose their meaning!
God's indifference is the greatest mercy to mortals!
"..."
Xuan Ming fell silent.
He looked down at the dark golden ball of light in his hand, which contained all the power of the Golden Dragon King and exuded an aura of rage and Destruction. Then he looked at the beautiful face in the cocoon of light not far away, whose brows were furrowed in pain.
The power of the Dragon God?
He felt no longing whatsoever; instead, a deep weariness welled up within him.
How many life-and-death battles did he go through to get to where he is today? How many deep-seated hatreds did he bear? How much pressure did he endure that ordinary people could not imagine? He finally managed to condense his own divine Godhead and saw the dawn of fulfilling all his promises, resurrecting the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, and settling everything down.
The realm of God King is not out of reach for him. All he needs is time to solidify his Godhead and accumulate power.
What does it mean to touch the Dragon God's Power?
That represents supreme authority, but also endless troubles and responsibilities.
He was really tired. He just wanted to end it all as soon as possible, and then... maybe he could finally get some real rest, see the people he cared about, and live a relatively peaceful life.
With the finish line so close, he didn't want to, and absolutely refused to, push that line that represented liberation to an unreachable distance again because of the heavy title of " Dragon God."
But...
His gaze returned to Gu Yuena. He looked at the nine-colored light throbbing violently between her brows, as if it were tearing her soul apart, and felt the undisguised weakness and pain in her aura.
Although the words of the five God King were influenced by their own perspectives and calculations, they were not entirely without reason. Given Gu Yuena's current state, the success rate of forcibly fusing with the Golden Dragon King's berserk power was... extremely low. It would be tantamount to suicide.
He couldn't just stand by and watch her go to her death.
Seeing the struggle and exhaustion flash in Xuan Ming's eyes, and the complex look that finally settled on the cocoon of light, the five God King became even more certain that their suggestion was correct.
Xuan Ming has no desire for the Dragon God's Power itself; this "indifference" is precisely the key to his ability to control this dangerous power without being enslaved by it.
Gu Yuena's obsession with the revival of the Dragon Clan runs too deep. Her affinity with the Dragon God's Power may actually become a catalyst for her being devoured by it.
Just as Xuanming was struggling Xuan Ming, the scales of fate swaying between his own exhaustion and his worry for Gu Yuena—
Within the cocoon of light, Gu Yuena's tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, her long eyelashes etched with frost and pain. Her soul, under the impact of the Dragon God's Heart, regained a brief moment of clarity.
She seemed to sense everything around her, Xuan Ming's hesitation, and the proposals of the five God King.
A faint yet resolute thought, like a wisp of smoke, entered Xuan Ming's mind:
" Xuan Ming... please... don't... make things difficult for me..."
"Let me... give it a try..."
"The responsibilities of the Dragon Clan... should not... be imposed on you..."
Her thoughts were fragmented, yet filled with unwavering resolve. She understood Xuan Ming's yearning for freedom and an end, and she refused to burden him with heavy shackles because of her own obsession. Even if the road ahead led to an abyss, she was willing to brave it herself!
Sensing Gu Yuena's almost self-sacrificing resolve, Xuan Ming's last trace of hesitation vanished instantly!
Exhaustion? Restraint? Future troubles?
Compared to her safety, none of this matters!
He absolutely would not allow her to take such a life-or-death risk again!
"Go to sleep."
A gentle light flashed in Xuan Ming's eyes, and a soothing yet gentle divine power, like the softest moonlight, enveloped the cocoon of light.
Gu Yuena's forcibly concentrated consciousness, under this soothing force, seemed to have its last support removed, and she quickly fell into a deeper coma, the pain on her face also subsiding slightly.
Then, Xuan Ming raised his head and calmly looked at the five God King.
"Let's get started."
Chapter 464 The New Dragon God, Two Gods Coexist
Gu Yuena slowly opened her eyes.
The moment she regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was an unprecedented... weakness.
It's not the weakness after an injury, but a weakness that originates from the very source of Life, as if all strength has been drained away.
The vast, ocean-like Divine Power of the Silver Dragon King within her, and the innate creative laws that belonged to half of the Dragon God, all... vanished.
She subconsciously looked inward and discovered that the mark at the Soul Core, which had originally emitted a nine-colored halo and contained the immense energy of the Dragon God's Heart, had also vanished without a trace.