Kong Xuan's gaze swept calmly over the complex expression on the Goddess of Life, his voice remaining indifferent.
" Tang San is accustomed to presenting a gentle and kind facade, and it's not hard to understand why the gods are deceived by him."
"Yet, the goddess, as the companion of the God of Destruction, chose to listen to outsiders at this crucial moment, rather than trusting her husband who had been with her for millennia."
"This action... was truly inappropriate."
Upon hearing this, the God of Destruction involuntarily loosened his grip on his scepter, his veins bulging.
He looked at Kong Xuan deeply, and a sense of recognition rose in his heart that "this person understands me," and his goodwill towards Kong Xuan suddenly increased.
The Goddess of Life trembled slightly, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes as she looked at the God of Destruction.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to explain, but in the end it turned into a soft sigh filled with helplessness.
"Regardless of the circumstances, once this war breaks out in full force, regardless of who ultimately wins, all the gods will perish, and the Divine Realm will suffer a severe blow."
"This... is ultimately a catastrophe that the Divine Realm cannot bear."
What she feared most was this most tragic ending.
Tang San's efforts to win her over were precisely based on this understanding.
It's no wonder that the Goddess of Life enjoys such a high reputation in the Divine Realm. Her compassion and willingness to see no one suffer are truly admirable.
However, Kong Xuan quickly changed the subject. "The goddess is right. Once the war begins, there will be no one to argue, and in the end, only the gods will fall and order will collapse."
He paused briefly, his gaze slowly sweeping over Tang San's tense expression, then over the God of Destruction's heavy aura, and finally settling back on the beautiful face of the Goddess of Life, which was filled with worry.
"So, Goddess, who do you think is the root cause of this situation?"
The Goddess of Life trembled almost imperceptibly, her gaze almost uncontrollably turning to the figure beside her, shrouded in purplish-black divine light—her husband God of Destruction.
The God of Destruction met his wife's gaze, and the muscles in his face twitched slightly as he tightened his grip on the scepter.
"Today's events were indeed initiated by the God of Destruction, who started the war."
Just as the God of Destruction was about to speak, Kong Xuan's voice rang out first.
He raised his voice slightly, his words clearly reaching the ears of every deity. "However, the one who strikes first is not necessarily the one in the wrong."
"Often, what appears to be a proactive attack is actually the last and most desperate counterattack that can only be made when cornered!"
Although Tang San didn't know exactly what Kong Xuan wanted to say, his previous experiences of being humiliated in the lower realm made him even more wary of Kong Xuan than of the God of Destruction!
He knew he absolutely could not allow Kong Xuan to continue controlling the discourse and guiding the thoughts of the gods; he had to break this momentum!
"Everything I have done is aboveboard and honest, and all the gods in the Divine Realm have witnessed it!"
Tang San's voice rang out at the right moment, carrying his usual gentle and calm tone, instantly drawing the attention of the gods back to him.
A perfectly timed look of helplessness crossed his face. "When have I ever pressured the God of Destruction? It's merely a clash of ideologies; each has their own principles."
"All my thoughts and considerations are for the long-term stability of the Divine Realm. How could I possibly be forcing them excessively?"
With just a few words, he steered the conflict back to a clash of ideologies.
He then once again portrayed himself as a "victim" who prioritized the greater good but was misunderstood, in an attempt to gain the sympathy and support of the gods who were fond of him.
It must be said that Tang San, who fought his way up to godhood from the perilous lower realm, is far more cunning and skilled at understanding people's hearts and manipulating words than many of the "native" gods of this Divine Realm.
It was precisely through his exceptional acting skills and cunning that he was able to quickly gather a large following and solidify his position after his ascension to power.
However, Kong Xuan... came prepared.
In response to Tang San's explanation, Kong Xuan merely gave a mocking sneer.
He didn't even immediately refute, but slowly shifted his gaze away from Tang San.
His gaze passed over Tang San and landed precisely on the area not far behind him, where the core deities of Tang San's camp were gathered.
Behind Tang San, among the gods whose divine light flowed, a graceful figure dressed in a nine-colored robe met Kong Xuan's calm gaze for a fleeting moment.
But then, she quickly looked away, a hint of panic and unease flashing across her beautiful face.
She is none other than the Nine-Colored Goddess, Ning Rongrong.
She and Kong Xuan had indeed met several times in the mortal realm; they could even be considered acquaintances.
Kong Xuan's ambiguous smile deepened, but his voice carried clearly, tinged with amusement.
" The Nine-Colored Goddess... truly possesses excellent manners and a good temperament."
"Having been tricked in the matter of the Godhood Inheritance, it's truly remarkable that they can still... prioritize the greater good and stand firmly behind Tang San!"
Swish!!!
As soon as Kong Xuan said this, almost all the gods present focused their gazes on Ning Rongrong with surprise and curiosity, wondering why the topic had suddenly turned to her.
Tang San's heart sank the moment Kong Xuan mentioned Ning Rongrong, a chilling sense of foreboding creeping up his spine!
He suddenly looked behind him at Ning Rongrong, but only saw the pale profile of her face and her slightly trembling eyelashes.
At that moment, Kong Xuan's voice came out again.
"Back then, Tang San promised you the position of God of Love and helped you condense a divine avatar to descend to the mortal realm to plot, seemingly offering you his full support."
Kong Xuan spoke calmly, yet each word was sharp as a knife as he recounted this old story.
"But when your avatar encountered a deadly crisis in the mortal realm and sought help from your upright and honorable third brother, where was he? Did he offer even the slightest assistance?"
Kong Xuan's gaze sharpened like lightning, and his tone instantly became much stern. " Ning Rongrong, do you really... not harbor even the slightest resentment?"
Ning Rongrong bit her lower lip tightly, the light on her nine-colored robe flickering uncertainly.
She dared not turn around to look at Tang San's expression, nor did she dare to face the suddenly complicated gazes around her.
Previously, the God of Destruction accused Tang San of repeatedly overstepping the rules and interfering in the lower realms, leaving many gods with lingering doubts.
After all, Tang San had always presented himself as a just and impartial enforcer with the Divine Realm at heart, and they found it hard to believe that such a God King would actually "abuse his power for personal gain."
However, at this moment, Kong Xuan gave a specific example, and judging from the Nine-Colored Goddess's panicked expression that she could not completely hide, this matter... is probably not unfounded!
Once the foundation of trust is cracked, it is difficult to mend.
In an instant, the way the gods looked at Tang San was completely different from before.
The reverence and trust that had once filled their eyes were now mixed with surprise and scrutiny, and even a hint of coldness at being deceived.
How could Ning Rongrong, who was placed in the eye of the storm, not harbor resentment?
When her divine consciousness clone faced the danger of dissipating in the lower realm, and she received no response when trying to communicate with Tang San, the despair and coldness of being abandoned pierced the depths of her soul like a poisonous thorn.
If her clone is destroyed, her main body will be severely injured, given her strength as Second-Level God.
Tang San was well aware of the potential cost, yet he still chose to stand idly by.
The reason she is still standing behind Tang San is that she has suppressed the pent-up resentment and chill in her heart with the weight of their millennia-long friendship and rational consideration.
Amidst her complex emotions, gratitude towards Tang San still held considerable weight.
Without Tang San's help ten thousand years ago, her Martial Soul could not have evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and she might never have been able to touch the gate to the Divine Realm in her entire life.
The support and guidance they provided in the lower Douluo Continent were genuine acts of kindness.
Perhaps, one can only sigh: Tang San thousand years ago, before he ascended to the throne of godhood... back then, he really did have some semblance of a "human".
But divine authority and power ultimately corrupted certain things.