The air was filled with the lingering afterglow of Divine Power, and a hint of ambiguous sweetness.
The large bed, crafted from some rare and precious material, was now a complete mess.
Bibi Dong leaned lazily against Xuan Ming's chest, the usual imperial majesty that once ruled the world completely gone, replaced by a gentle tenderness. She stretched out her finger and gently drew circles on Xuan Ming's chest, her thoughts drifting back to the past.
Do you remember the first time we met?
Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet filled with endless reminiscence, "Back then in the Pope's Palace, you were kidnapped from Heaven Dou City by Yue Guan. You were like a stubborn, immature kid, all dazed and clueless. When you were facing me, you were so terrified, yet you insisted on pretending to be indifferent."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but chuckle softly, raising her head to look at Xuan Ming's incomparably handsome profile, her eyes filled with doting affection.
Even now, your personality hasn't changed much. When it comes to matters of the heart, you're still as clueless as ever.
Xuan Ming glanced down at her but didn't reply.
He simply hugged the woman in his arms tighter, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, feeling that familiar warmth.
past?
For Xuan Ming, that was not a beautiful time worth reminiscing about.
Whether it was the humiliation of being sold into slavery, the madness of slaughtering Life in the Slaughter City, or the pain of facing life-or-death trials on Sea God Island... those memories are more like the price that had to be paid to get to where I am today.
He didn't want to look back, because that meant re-examining his former self—a weak, helpless person who was constantly in fear.
He cares more about the present.
Now, he is powerful enough. He stands at the pinnacle of all beings, wielding the power to rewrite all rules.
He got everything he wanted and protected the people he wanted to protect.
He no longer needed to be mindful of anyone's feelings, nor did he need to worry about whether the sun would rise tomorrow.
This is the real story.
This is what he desperately wanted to grasp.
"Let bygones be bygones," Xuan Ming said calmly. "I prefer living in the present to dwelling on the past."
Bibi Dong was incredibly intelligent; she instantly noticed the hint of indifference in Xuan Ming's emotions.
A slight pang of pain shot through her heart, knowing that this man had carried too much burden along the way. She didn't continue the conversation, but instead nestled obediently in his arms, savoring this rare moment of tranquility.
After a long while, she spoke again, her tone becoming more serious.
So what are your plans next?
" The God Realm Committee was in complete chaos recently," Bibi Dong said. "The former Asura God and that old fellow Sea God Poseidon, while you were in seclusion, said that the world was so big and they wanted to see it. The two of them agreed to leave the Divine Realm to explore the unknown universe. Now the Divine Realm has lost two pillars of support. Although we, the new God King, have been added, there is still some instability."
Xuan Ming raised an eyebrow. "Those two old guys ran fast. What? Couldn't handle the rest?"
It's not that I can't handle it, I just want to hear your opinion.
Bibi Dong explained, "The two God King, Kindness and Evil, came to see me a few days ago. They said that there has been too much personnel change in the Divine Realm, with so many First-Level God and even God King suddenly appearing, and the original committee rules are no longer applicable. They hope to create a new set of rules and redefine the power structure."
"Furthermore, Destruction also approached me." A strange light flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes. "That guy has quite the ambition. He proposed a very grand plan— the Great Domain Plan."
" Great Domain?" Xuan Ming became interested.
"That's right. Destruction wants to use the power of the Divine Realm Core to connect with the other Divine Realm they control, circulating the energy of multiple Divine Realm to construct a larger and more stable super Divine Realm."
Bibi Dong explained in detail, "If this plan succeeds, the energy levels of all the planes under the jurisdiction of the Douluo God Realm will be greatly enhanced. In the future, not only Douluo Star, but more and more planes will have an environment sufficient to support the birth of God Level powerhouses."
" The Divine Realm has become stronger, and thus can accommodate more deities. According to the calculations of Destruction, the number of God Level powerhouses in the mortal realm will experience an explosive growth. How to welcome these new gods, how to select talent, how to manage these ever-increasing number of planes... these are all major problems that lie ahead."
At this point, Bibi Dong raised her head and looked intently at Xuan Ming.
"They know you're lazy and don't like getting involved in these trivial matters. But they still hope you can participate. After all..."
"You are currently the most powerful deity in the Divine Realm, and the undisputed ruler of the Divine Realm. Without your approval, whatever rules they establish are meaningless."
Xuan Ming listened and remained silent for a moment.
He really didn't want to get involved in these messy affairs. As far as he was concerned, as long as no one bothered him, the Divine Realm could do whatever it wanted.
However, he also understood Bibi Dong's meaning.
With greater ability comes greater responsibility, but if rules aren't set properly, troubles will inevitably keep coming your way.
"Let me know when the meeting starts, and I'll be there."
Xuan Ming gently ran his fingers through Bibi Dong's loose hair, his tone casual, "As for how to change the rules, let them figure out the specific regulations. I'm only responsible for the final decision. As long as they don't cross my bottom line, everything else is negotiable."
Bibi Dong nodded. She knew that making Xuan Ming analyze those dry legal provisions word by word was worse than killing him.
"But..."
Bibi Dong abruptly changed the subject, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at him with a hint of mockery. "Since you don't want to concern yourself with the trivial matters of the Divine Realm, what are you planning to do next? You can't just stay in the temple and sleep all day, can you? That would be incredibly boring."
"Boring?" Xuan Ming chuckled, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. "I think I'm not fortunate enough to enjoy boredom."
Bibi Dong's eye twitched slightly, and she rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "Indeed, your complicated interpersonal relationships and all those unresolved emotional debts will keep you busy for a while."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Ming's smile gradually faded, replaced by a rare look of complexity and guilt.
The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a moment.
Bibi Dong knew him too well.
During the life-or-death trial on Sea God Island, under that apocalyptic pressure, those girls briefly and passionately expressed their feelings to him.
At that time, Xuan Ming was like a prisoner about to be executed. He was prepared to wage war against the entire Old Divine Realm in order to condense his Godhead, and he was even prepared to perish.
Because he didn't know if there would be a tomorrow, because it was the "final moment," he didn't refuse.
He accepted everyone's heavy sentiments, both to give them an explanation and to find some solace for his own unknown fate.
But he survived.
Not only did he survive, he also became the supreme God King.
This made the situation awkward.
Xuan Ming knew very well that he was a complete bastard when it came to relationships.
He is an extremely possessive person; if a woman is his, he will never allow her to have feelings for anyone else. Yet, conversely, he himself has so many female confidantes.
He knew it wasn't fair.
He knew how heartbroken and sad those girls would feel when they saw other people standing next to him.
Therefore, he was afraid, and he felt guilty.
This guilt reached its peak after his recovery.
Therefore, at the moment of reshaping the Divine Realm and expanding the planes, he almost frantically overdrawn his Supreme God, recklessly forcibly boosting their power.
Even with slightly inferior talent, he managed to push himself to the peak of First-Level God.
To outsiders, this is a blessing that brings prosperity to everyone, from the most powerful to the most humble.
But only Xuan Ming himself knew that this was more like a form of compensation, a kind of almost humble "toll."
He felt he couldn't give them a complete and devoted love, so he could only use this most mundane yet direct way—to give them supreme power, eternal Life, and a noble status—to make up for the debt in his heart.
Chapter 488 Are you doing this on purpose for me?
"Am I... a pretty jerk?"
After a long silence, Xuan Ming asked in a low voice, a hint of self-mockery in his tone.
Seeing his conflicted expression, Bibi Dong's jealousy, which had been aroused by the fluctuations of Divine Power, miraculously dissipated.
She reached out and cupped Xuan Ming's face in her hands, making him look directly into her eyes.
"You really are a bastard," Bibi Dong said bluntly. "Greedy, domineering, and you like to play dumb."
Xuan Ming gave a bitter smile.
"But..." Bibi Dong's tone softened, her fingers gently stroking his cheek, "If we don't want it, do you think you can keep us here with just that power?"
" Xuan Ming, you underestimate us, and you underestimate yourself too much."
"The reason we're willing to stay, willing to endure this injustice, isn't because you're the God King, nor because you've given us any great power. It's simply because... you're Xuan Ming."
"Xuanming, who sheltered us from the wind and rain in dire straits, who was willing to bear the Xuan Ming of the world to protect us."
At this point, Bibi Dong sighed and gently pecked him on the lips.
"As for guilt... well, keep it. It's good to have some guilt; at least it will make you treat us better in the future, so you don't really become that kind of heartless stone statue."
Xuan Ming's heart skipped a beat. Looking into Bibi Dong's tolerant eyes, he felt the heavy weight in his chest ease considerably.
"Thanks."
Bibi Dong let him hold her, and after a while, she gently pushed him away.
"Alright, stop getting sentimental."
She tidied her slightly disheveled hair, regaining some of her queenly competence. "Since you feel indebted, then go and pay your debt. Hiding like this isn't a solution."
"Just now... the Divine Power fluctuation was so great, the Angel God next door must have noticed it long ago."
Bibi Dong pointed with a half-smile towards the direction of the Angel Temple outside the window, "If I'm not mistaken, she's probably smashing things up in the temple right now. After all, someone came back and immediately crawled into my bed without even saying hello, and lent her Divine Power to someone else..."
Xuan Ming's body stiffened for a moment.
"Ahem..." He touched his nose somewhat guiltily, "Um... I was on official business. The Douluo Star matter requires some kind of power to maintain order. My power is too special; ordinary gods simply can't withstand it. Your power is too dangerous; their..."
"Go explain that to her and see if she believes you," Bibi Dong said gloatingly. "And Nana, and Gu Yuena... you decide what to do."
Xuan Ming sighed and got up from the bed.
"That's true, whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get stabbed anyway."
"Then I'll go."
"Go ahead," Bibi Dong waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly. "Just don't die next door."
As Xuan Ming reached the door, his hand was already on the doorknob, but he suddenly stopped.
He turned around and looked at Bibi Dong, his eyes filled with hesitation and inquiry.
" Dong'er."
"Hmm?" Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow.
"You and Xue'er..." Xuan Ming hesitated, "Can you really let go of the past? Those old grudges, especially those concerning that person, and Qian Daoliu..."
This has always been a thorn in the side between the mother and daughter. Even now that they have both become gods, and even though things seem calm on the surface, Xuan Ming is still uneasy. He doesn't want his surroundings to become Asura palace intrigue unfolds every day.
Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong wasn't angry. Instead, she looked at him with a half-smile and asked, "What do you think?"
Xuan Ming gave a wry smile and shook his head, "I don't know. Just as you said, I haven't even sorted out my own mess, let alone try to figure out what you two women are thinking."
Don't worry.
Bibi Dong sighed, her eyes becoming distant. "Regarding Qian Xunji, I confronted her about it a long time ago. The truth of what happened back then, the rights and wrongs, have all faded away with the past. She's a proud and intelligent person; now that she knows the truth, she doesn't want to bring up those disgusting memories again."
As for the Qian Daoliu...
Upon mentioning this name, Bibi Dong paused slightly, "Back then, he Sacrifice so that Xue'er could become a god, and this has always been a pain in Xue'er's heart. Fortunately, the kind-hearted Goddess of Life intervened at the last moment and preserved Qian Daoliu's soul."
Not long ago, the Goddess of Life returned that wisp of soul to Xue'er. And Xue'er herself sent her grandfather to a new world to be reincarnated. Although they are no longer family, at least she knows that he is still alive somewhere, which is the best comfort for Xue'er.
Bibi Dong looked at Xuan Ming and said earnestly, "For her now, the shackles of the past have been broken. Neither the glory of the family nor the grudges between us remain."
"In this world, the only person she cares about right now is you."
"As long as you still care about her, as long as you want her to stay by your side, she will never leave. Even if... she wants to bite you right now."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Ming's last lingering concern finally dissipated.
He looked deeply at Bibi Dong, then nodded. "I understand."
Without another word, Xuan Ming pushed open the door and stepped out. In a flash, he arrived at the magnificent and sacred Angel God's Mansion next door, which emitted a faint golden light.
However, as soon as he pushed open the door, Xuan Ming's eyelids twitched involuntarily.
The main hall of the Angel Temple, which should have been solemn, dignified and spotless, now looked as if it had been burgled.
The precious Divine Realm vase was shattered on the ground, the golden curtains were torn down and thrown on the floor, the tables and chairs were overturned, and there were even several deep sword marks on the ground, clearly indicating that someone had vented their anger on a divine weapon.
"Tsk..."