Nine Trials of Destruction

In a supreme realm unknown to all, beneath an immense ancient tree that truly towered into the clouds, rising over ten million meters high, a soft exclamation rang out, tinged with surprise and bewilderment.

Though it was only a few short words, it still conveyed a tremor and terror from the depths of his heart-the most instinctive, primal fear that life itself felt toward death and destruction.

He cast his gaze downward, looking at the person who had resonated with his godhood.

"Is this the Douluo Continent? If I remember correctly, this seems to be that fellow Tang San's homeland..." The God of Destruction smiled faintly and began observing Bao Liang, the little fellow who had stirred a resonance with his godhood.

Normally, even he, the Destruction God King, one of the Five Great God Kings of the Divine Realm, could not directly observe the lower realms.

The only way to observe the lower realms was through the Divine Realm Core, but this was a special case.

The Divine Realm governed over a hundred lower planes and was connected to those worlds through the Divine Realm Core. The godhoods of the gods were naturally linked to the Divine Realm Core as well.

If someone in a lower realm resonated with their godhood, they could use the connection between their godhood and the Divine Realm Core to directly observe the person who had established that connection with them.

This allowed gods who wished to pass on their godhoods to find successors more easily.

For the time being, the God of Destruction had no intention of passing on his godhood.

After all, he still had someone he cared about in the Divine Realm-if he passed on his godhood alone, wouldn't he leave the Goddess of Life all by herself?

Besides, if he passed on his godhood and left, who would keep Tang San in check? Who would deal with Tang San? Once he was gone, wouldn't the Divine Realm become Tang San's personal fiefdom? Would the Divine Realm even have a future then?

Though he had plenty of concerns, that did not stop him from taking a look at the little fellow who had formed a connection with his godhood.

The Divine Realm was too boring. He, Destruction, wanted a little amusement now and then too.

If the little fellow satisfied him, he wouldn't mind offering a little help-provided the boy wasn't on Tang San's side.

"Oh, a destroyer must first destroy himself? Destruction is a fleeting, heroic moment. If one can't even destroy oneself, what right does one have to speak of destruction..." The God of Destruction was intrigued. "Interesting. Truly interesting.

"Indeed, if one can't even destroy oneself, what right does one have to speak of destruction? Might as well go play with a fire poker."

Just then, a green figure brimming with the breath of life quietly appeared beside him and asked in puzzlement, "Xiao Zi, what's making you so happy?"

Seeing her husband's smile, the Goddess of Life couldn't help showing her own delight.

"Xiao Lu, you're just in time. I've found a little fellow on the Douluo Continent who resonated with my godhood."

"The Douluo Continent? The Sea God's homeland?" the Goddess of Life asked, puzzled.

"That's right." The God of Destruction nodded. "It's not as though there haven't been qualified people who could resonate with other gods' godhoods before, but every time, Tang San fobbed them off with some so-called 'crisis in the Divine Realm,' leaving those juniors to grow old and die alone in the lower realms.

"But this time Tang San won't have a chance to stop me-because the godhood this little fellow resonated with is mine, the Destruction God King's.

"Even if the little fellow fails my trials, I can always have the God of Destruction take a look at him.

"He's been wanting to leave for ages anyway."

Seeing that her husband was thinking of passing on his godhood, the Goddess of Life couldn't help asking, "Xiao Zi, can you really pass on your godhood and leave the Divine Realm without any worries? Besides, isn't this the Douluo Continent? Aren't you worried that child is one of the Sea God's people? Don't you and the Sea God dislike each other?"

The God of Destruction: Wife, so you do know I can't stand that bastard Tang San?

"Don't worry.

"I just checked. This boy is from that Sun Moon Continent, and it's at odds with Tang San's Douluo Continent.

"Besides, who says I have to leave once I pass on my godhood? Can't I watch the boy take my place, see that he doesn't know how to manage things right away, and stay in the Divine Realm a while longer to teach him properly?

"And if he won't submit to Tang San either, there's nothing stopping me from telling him a little about the people under my command-keh heh heh heh heh!"

"It's just that the boy's far too ruthless to himself. Risking his life like this at such a young age-he's really being reckless."

Seeing her husband acting silly again, the Goddess of Life merely smiled.

Just then, the God of Destruction suddenly seemed to remember something. "By the way, Xiao Lu, didn't you say you were going to strengthen your bonds with the gods under you today? Why did you suddenly come back?"

The Goddess of Life replied, "Well, I suddenly felt as though someone had also stirred my Life godhood, just a little.

"I was going to ask you to take a look with me, but I didn't expect the same person to have stirred both our godhoods."

"What?! This boy stirred the Life godhood too?!!" The God of Destruction was genuinely surprised.

He knew all too well what it meant for a little fellow of the pure destruction type to have stirred the Life godhood, even a little-life and destruction together were Creation.

Not only could Creation help both their godhoods advance another step, but the fact that they couldn't have children because their attributes repelled each other would no longer be a problem either.

The Goddess of Life nodded. "Although it was only a trace, he really did stir a resonance with the godhood, and both Martial Souls stirred it together.

"One sought life amid death and was born toward death; the other refused to fade away and found life in a desperate situation.

"However faint that hope was, neither of them gave up on life."

The God of Destruction was beside himself with joy. "Good, good, good, there's hope! At last, there's hope!

"No, I have to make more arrangements for this boy. If he accidentally kicks the bucket, won't I be finished?"

But then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, the God of Destruction said to the Goddess of Life, "Still, Xiao Lu, if possible, I hope you won't bestow a Divine Trial on that child for now."

The Goddess of Life was puzzled, but she soon heard the God of Destruction's explanation. "Xiao Lu, you know I'm at odds with Tang San, and the Divine Realm Core is still in his hands. He'll soon receive word that I've bestowed a Divine Trial.

"But as long as I use a few methods, he won't be able to find this child-and even if he does, he'll only dare resort to petty tricks in secret.

"But if you and I both bestow Divine Trials at the same time, Tang San will be a cornered dog leaping over the wall! Xiao Lu, do you understand what I mean?"

How could she fail to understand what the God of Destruction meant? She had sided with the Sea God at every previous assembly because she believed his claim that it was "for the stability of the Divine Realm," and also hoped the Divine Realm could preserve some means of dealing with any crisis that might arise.

But things were different now-this concerned the inheritance of both their godhoods, and even more, whether the two of them could have a child who was truly their own.

This time, she would stand completely and unconditionally on her husband's side, even if it meant standing in outright opposition to the Sea God's faction.

"Xiao Zi, go ahead. Don't worry.

"No matter what you want to do, or how you want to do it, I support you."

The God of Destruction was utterly stunned.

The God of Destruction: Heavens! My wife is finally supporting me!!! Heaven has eyes! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!!!

"Good! I'll bestow a Divine Trial on him right now! Oh, Xiao Lu, add some rewards of your own to my Divine Trial rewards. Otherwise, I'm afraid the boy won't live that long."

The Goddess of Life smiled. "All right. Whatever you say."

For now, the two gods' arrangements for Bao Liang came to a close.

The Douluo Continent, at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Bao Liang and Dragon Fang's condition was also gradually improving.

The blood-red pillar of light produced by the Sacrifice had long since dissipated, merging entirely into the man and the dragon.

But Bao Liang's heartbeat, rumbling like thunder, and the lightning leaping around them made the hearts of Jing Hongchen and Ye Yulin, both men past sixty, pound with alarm.

Finally, after another quarter of an hour, everything fell quiet.

Bao Liang opened his eyes at that moment.

At the same time, a message appeared in Bao Liang's mind.

[Nine Divine Trials of Destruction · First Trial-reach the Five-Ring Soul King level at age twelve, and hunt a 76,000-year-old Time Rift Dragon for the Fifth Soul Ring (coordinates provided).

Rewards: Destruction Affinity, Life Affinity, Destruction and Life Divine Power (a trace).]

[You'd better stay alive for me, boy. You're not allowed to die, hear me!]

"He really is... harsh-mouthed but softhearted..." Bao Liang murmured in a daze.

"Little Bao Liang!" Seeing that Bao Liang had started talking nonsense, Jing Hongchen hurried forward and supported him.

Bao Liang looked at Jing Hongchen and smiled. "Grandpa Jing, Sister Meng's poison... there's hope..."

With that, he completely lost consciousness.

"Bao Liang! Little Bao Liang! Doctor! Doctor!!!"

"What the hell are you shouting for?! Where are you going to find a doctor in the Star Dou Great Forest?! Hurry up and take the boy home!"

"Right, right, right, home! Back to Sun Moon!"