Instead, a gentle yet resilient Life energy, like the purest spring water, nourished her damaged soul and body, sustaining her vitality.
She sat up somewhat dazedly, finding herself outside that shattered God's Forbidden Land, enveloped in a soft green light that emanated the aura of the Goddess of Life, nourishing her weakened soul and body.
"You're awake."
A gentle voice rang out. Gu Yuena turned her head and saw the Goddess of Life standing not far away, radiating a soft green aura, looking at her with concern.
" Goddess of Life..." Gu Yuena's voice was a little hoarse as she asked anxiously, "Where is Xuan Ming? How is he?"
The Goddess of Life gently approached Gu Yuena and said softly, "Don't worry, he's fine. Or rather... he's undergoing an unprecedented transformation."
As she spoke, she pointed to the distant sky.
Gu Yuena looked in the direction the Goddess of Life pointed and saw a scene that shocked her to her core.
The violent energy storm that had previously raged in the God's Forbidden Land has subsided, and the shattered void has been smoothed and stabilized by a gentle yet powerful force.
In the center of that space, the most eye-catching thing was a gigantic, nine-colored dragon cocoon suspended in mid-air!
The dragon cocoon was nearly a hundred meters tall, radiating a soft yet vast nine-colored divine light. As the light flowed, it seemed to contain the ultimate truth of the birth and death of the universe.
The surface of the dragon cocoon is covered with mysterious and complex patterns of laws, with faint dragon shadows swirling around it.
It hovered there silently, without the slightest leakage of energy, and without any signs of rage or loss of control. It exuded only a chilling, restrained majesty and power!
"That is..." Gu Yuena's pupils contracted slightly. She already had a guess in her mind, but she still found it hard to believe.
"That's Xuan Ming." The Goddess of Life's voice carried a hint of amazement and complexity. "He is fusing the complete Dragon God Bloodline with the Dragon God's Heart."
She pointed to the enormous nine-colored dragon cocoon. "While you were unconscious, this dragon cocoon grew from its initial three or four meters tall to its current size. The entire process was incredibly smooth, with no energy wasted or going out of control. Its control over the Dragon God's Power exceeded all our expectations. The fusion... was a complete success."
It was a success.
The power of the Dragon God is about to reappear in the world in a completely new and controllable form.
This should have been the result Gu Yuena had always dreamed of, the hope for the revival of the Dragon Clan.
However, upon hearing this news and seeing the nine-colored dragon cocoon exuding supreme majesty, Gu Yuena felt no joy, but rather an indescribable sorrow and heaviness welled up within her.
She knew Xuan Ming was very tired.
She always knew.
He broke free from the shackles of human traffickers, survived Dugu Bo's probing, dealt with the Spirit Hall, battled the Divine Realm, bore the sins of millions of dead, condensed a unique Godhead, and finally fought the Golden Dragon King to the death in this God's Forbidden Land... Every step he took was soaked in blood and sweat, and he carried an unimaginable burden.
What he longed for was never supreme power, but rather... an end, peace, and a moment's respite after shedding all responsibilities.
He had finally made it this far. He had killed the Golden Dragon King and fulfilled his promise to the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings. Only one step remained. He was just one step away from the peace he longed for after being relieved of all his burdens.
Upon entering the God's Forbidden Land and facing the mad Golden Dragon King, her first suggestion to let Xuan Ming devour her was in her hope that he could live and be safe. She would rather disappear herself than see him perish.
Xuan Ming refused, and miraculously killed the Golden Dragon King using his own power.
At that moment, she felt proud of him and a sense of relief that he had finally reached the finish line he longed for. He was safe, and only one step away from the peace he desired.
Therefore, when the five God King proposed that Xuan Ming merge with the Dragon God's Power, and when she briefly awoke and sensed Xuan Ming's hesitation and exhaustion, she preferred to take the risk herself. She did not want to impose the title of " Dragon God," which symbolized endless responsibility and trouble, on him any longer.
She didn't want to be the last shackle on his path to freedom.
But...
Gu Yuena closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
In the end, the power of the " Dragon God," which she desperately wanted to avoid and which represented endless responsibility and trouble, the burden that she would rather have her own soul scattered than place on him, still... fell on his shoulders.
Because of her.
Because she wasn't strong enough, because she couldn't withstand that power, because she... became his weakness.
Looking at the steadily operating nine-colored dragon cocoon, and feeling the familiar yet unfamiliar aura within it, which belonged to Xuan Ming but was even more vast, Gu Yuena felt no joy at the impending revival of the Dragon Clan race, only endless heartache and complex, indescribable emotions for that figure who was always carrying the burden forward.
In the end, he still gave up his seemingly attainable goal for her sake.
The Goddess of Life looked at the complex and indescribable emotions in Gu Yuena's eyes, sighed softly, and said nothing more.
Some responsibilities, once shouldered, are difficult to relinquish.
Some roads, once embarked upon, offer no turning back.
Xuan Ming's choice was for protection. And the price of this protection might be what he once longed for most... freedom.
Douluo Continent, Spirit City, deep within the Asura Abyss Secret Realm.
Time flows at a completely different pace here compared to the Divine Realm. What lasts only a few days in the Divine Realm can take several years in the mortal world.
Deep within the secret realm, atop an altar constructed of stark white bones and a dark red aura of slaughter, a figure slowly opened its eyes.
She wore a magnificent dark red robe with black trim, her figure graceful yet exuding a chilling, murderous aura.
Her face was stunningly beautiful, yet as cold as ice that had stood for millennia. In her deep eyes, the left eye was blood-red, containing the ultimate killing intent of Asura Judgment, while the right eye was as dark as an abyss, concealing the mysterious and sinister power of Rakshasa demon to bewitch people.
It was Bibi Dong.
At this moment, the aura surrounding her had undergone a tremendous change.
The vast and boundless Asura Divine Power and the cold and unpredictable Rakshasa Divine Power, like yin and yang, achieved a strange balance and coexistence within her body.
A divine might that transcended the mortal realm naturally spread out, causing the entire Asura Abyss Secret Realm to submit to it.
Two gods coexist!
She succeeded. After enduring unimaginable hardships and tests of will, she finally fully inherited the Asura God Position and, with the help of her own powerful will and the remnant soul of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox, also brought the power of the Rakshasa Godhood under her control.
A blurry, blood-red phantom materialized before her; it was none other than the soon-to-be-retired Asura God. He looked at Bibi Dong, whose demeanor had drastically changed, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his blood-red eyes.
"Very good. The Asura God Position, in charge of judgment and order in the divine Divine Realm, is the head of the Divine Realm God of Law Enforcement. You are qualified." The Asura God's voice remained cold, yet carried a hint of relief. "Once you ascend to the Divine Realm, you must immediately assume your duties."
He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming grave. " The Divine Realm has been peaceful for too long, its problems deeply entrenched. Ancient grudges, conflicts left over from past beast-gods, and the rigidity of internal rules... Change is imminent. As the Asura God, you bear a heavy responsibility in the coming turmoil."
Bibi Dong remained calm, showing little emotional fluctuation regarding the Asura God's instructions. She knew in her heart what she should and shouldn't do. What she cared about more was something else entirely.
" Xuan Ming... how is he now?"
The Asura God's blood-red eyes flickered slightly as he replied, "His condition is excellent, even... better than ever before."
He gazed into the void of the secret realm, as if he could penetrate layers of barriers and see the enormous nine-colored dragon cocoon of the God's Forbidden Land.
"He is currently fusing with complete power. Once he emerges from his cocoon, his realm will reach that of Supreme God King." The Asura God's tone carried a rare hint of complexity. "Furthermore, with the potential of his unique Godhead, in the future... he might even surpass the former Dragon God."
Upon hearing Bibi Dong's eyes, but she immediately frowned slightly.
The Asura God seemed to see through her thoughts and continued, "However, given his personality, even if he possesses supreme power, he probably won't bother with the tedious affairs of the Divine Realm. In that case, the burden of maintaining order and promoting change in the Divine Realm will most likely fall on your shoulders."
His gaze swept over Bibi Dong, carrying a hint of relief at his impending departure, or perhaps a nonchalant acceptance of passing the buck. "The fusion and clash between the old and new orders always require strong guidance and adjudication. Just like the Martial Spirit Hall Empire in this mortal realm, only through destruction can it be reborn."
"My Godhood has been passed on, and I am about to depart. The ensuing troubles..."
The figure of the Asura God began to slowly dissipate, his last words carrying a hint of mockery.
"It's up to you now."
Chapter 465 Recent Developments of the Spirit Hall Empire
Bibi Dong stepped out of the Asura Abyss Secret Realm and returned to Spirit City.
She wore a dark red robe with black trim, her posture was upright, her face was exquisitely beautiful but cold as frost, and she exuded a faint but murderous aura, as if even the surrounding air was frozen.
Years have passed, Spirit City remains magnificent, with bustling streets and the light of Soul Tool flowing between buildings, presenting a prosperous scene.
However, Bibi Dong's eyes, which contained the power of Asura and Rakshasa, easily pierced through this appearance and saw the undercurrents surging beneath.
She merely sensed it briefly, her divine sense sweeping across the entire empire, and her brows furrowed deeply.
She "heard" it.
I overheard the whispers circulating in the streets, in aristocratic salons, and among the Soul Master sects.
" The Angel God is benevolent and magnanimous; this is the true spirit of our Spirit Hall Empire!"
"Hmph, Her Bibi Dong's methods were far too ruthless, and Lord Xuan Ming was even more so... Alas, that massacre back then was truly against the natural order."
"Yes, now that the Angel God is in charge, life is finally a bit easier for us Soul Master. Those lowly commoners have started to cause trouble again recently."
"I've heard that the old nobles of Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire have been quite active lately? Do they think that with the Angel God around, they can regain their former glory?"
"Shh! Watch your words! But... speaking of which, whose empire is this Spirit Hall Empire? Is it Her Majesty Bibi Dong Dong's? Or Angel God's? Or perhaps... Lord Xuan Ming's?"
"With three deities coexisting, the power... it might not be so easy to distinguish, right? If only..."
Rumors, like poisonous insects in the gutter, breed and spread beneath the seemingly calm surface of the empire.
Bibi Dong's expression grew increasingly cold.
She instantly understood the root of the problem.
Qian Renxue!
During the years she was in seclusion, Qian Renxue took charge of the empire's political affairs.
As Angel God, Qian Renxue's divinity inherently represents "order," "protection," and a certain degree of "tradition."
Her descent to the mortal realm and her taking charge of the empire inadvertently sent a wrong signal to the old forces that had been brutally suppressed by Xuan Ming and crushed by Bibi Dong's iron-fisted policies, whether they were the remaining nobles of the two great empires or the Soul Master class within the Spirit Hall Empire who longed to regain their privileges!
They seemed to see hope! They saw the hope that, with the prestige of the " Angel God," they could confront or even overthrow the new order established by Bibi Dong and Xuan Ming, which aimed to break down class barriers!
They began to stir, to test the waters, to spread rumors, and to try to sow discord between the three deities, fantasizing that if the three fought, the third would benefit!
What infuriated Bibi Dong was that Qian Renxue seemed to have... taken a tacit or even permissive attitude towards this?!
In the name of "stability" and "long-term interests," she seems to have compromised with the backlash from the old forces, offering some appeasement and attempting to maintain the situation through conciliatory means!
"Foolish! Naive!" Bibi Dong sneered inwardly.
She flashed and in the next moment, she appeared in the council hall of the Pope's Palace, the highest power center of the Spirit Hall Empire.
Qian Renxue was sitting behind her desk, dealing with a mountain of government documents. She was dressed in an elegant white and gold dress, her face still stunningly beautiful, radiating a sacred and gentle aura, but there was a hint of weariness between her brows.
Upon seeing Bibi Dong's sudden appearance, Qian Renxue was first startled, then a complex emotion flashed in her eyes as she stood up. "Mother... you've emerged from seclusion?"
Bibi Dong didn't respond to her greeting, her gaze icy. "Is this how you've managed the empire these past few years?"
Qian Renxue paused slightly, then understood what Bibi Dong meant. She took a deep breath and tried to explain, "Mother, the empire is newly established, and everything needs to be rebuilt. Internal conflicts are complex and intertwined. Xuan Ming's methods back then... were too cruel. Although they temporarily suppressed the resistance, they also sowed the seeds of a huge hidden danger. My policy of appeasement is to ease the conflicts, give all parties time to adapt, and avoid escalating the conflict and destabilizing the empire's foundation. After all, we cannot rule with iron-fisted methods forever, and the gods cannot forever sit in the mortal realm. Ultimately, we must establish a lasting system..."
"A long-term system?" Bibi Dong interrupted her, her voice filled with undisguised sarcasm. "By compromising? By yielding to those stubborn old forces? By relying on your Angel God halo of 'mercy'?"
She approached Qian Renxue step by step, her powerful divine might making the air in the entire study heavy. "You think you're maintaining stability? You're raising a tiger to threaten your own future! You're personally destroying the foundation of the new order that Xuan Ming and I barely managed to establish with blood and fire!"
Qian Renxue's face paled slightly, but she still insisted, "I have no principles of compromise! The fundamental laws of the Empire have not changed! I have only made some adjustments at the implementation level, giving the Soul Master class the necessary respect and a certain amount of room for their interests. This will help reduce resistance and ensure a smooth transition..."
"Necessary respect? Room for maneuver?" Bibi Dong's eyes flashed with cold light. " Qian Renxue! You've been impersonating Xue Qinghe in the Heaven Dou Empire for over a decade. Have you learned even a fraction of Ning Fengzhi's methods?! He knows when to be gentle and when to be Thunderous Might! But you've only learned womanly compassion!"
"Do you know why Xuan Ming was willing to bear the sins of millions of dead to launch that bloodbath? Why I was willing to cripple the empire to implement those fundamental reforms?"
"It's not about maintaining the facade of this empire! It's about breaking down the deeply ingrained old ideas that have been ingrained for thousands of years! It's about making hundreds of millions of ordinary people understand that Soul Master are not the heavens, and nobles are not the law! All people are born equal, and dignity and rights are not differentiated by Martial Soul or birth!"
"Only by using the most brutal violence to etch the word 'equality' into the depths of everyone's soul with blood and fire, making them fear it from the bottom of their hearts and then accept this new rule, can a true new era possibly arrive!"
Bibi Dong's voice was like ice striking, carrying an undeniable resolve. "What you're doing now, this so-called 'appeasement,' this so-called 'necessary compromise,' is telling those remnants of the old era: the old rules might still return! It's telling those newly awakened commoners: even the will of the gods can be shaken!"
"You're not maintaining stability; you're sowing the seeds of a future total collapse!"
Qian Renxue turned pale from Bibi Dong's barrage of questions and rebukes. She opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found herself speechless. She had always believed that she was considering the issue from a longer-term and more stable perspective, but she had never thought that her actions might be fundamentally shaking the foundations of the new order.
"As for your claim that the empire will descend into chaos after our ascension?" Bibi Dong sneered, a cruel glint flashing in her eyes. "Then let it be chaotic!"
"How can a new order be truly established if old ideas don't die out? If the blood of one generation can bring true equality and freedom to millions of generations, then that blood... was shed in vain!"
"What kind of ruler is one who dares not shed blood, dares not kill? A soft-hearted ruler? That's a sign of national ruin!"
Bibi Dong glanced one last time at the pale-faced Qian Renxue, then turned and walked out of the hall, her icy voice echoing in the study:
"It seems you've been living too comfortably these past few years."
"Leave this empire to me."
"Some abscesses won't heal unless they're completely removed."
As soon as she finished speaking, Bibi Dong's figure disappeared outside the door.
Qian Renxue stood alone, staring at the empty doorway, speechless for Jiujiu. Her mother's words, so cold yet seemingly hitting the nail on the head, struck her heart like a heavy hammer.
Was she... really wrong?