A Godhood on the Verge of Collapse

It was unbearably cold Sea God Hall.

Tang San didn't know where the cold was coming from.

Sea God Mountain Poseidon sits atop the warm South China Sea. The sea breeze carries a salty, damp feel, and the air is warm and humid all year round.

But these past few days, as he sat on the Sea God's throne in the center of the temple, he always felt a chill down his back. It was as if something had formed a layer of frost in his spine, freezing him from his lower back all the way to the back of his head.

He raised his right hand and opened his palm.

The Sea God's Light shone between the lines of his palm. It was a deep blue light, clear and gentle, carrying the vast aura unique to the Sea God Godhood. In the past, this light could illuminate half of the temple.

Now it shrank to the size of his fist in his palm. The light danced twice in his palm, then shattered into countless blue fragments, falling to the ground without leaving a single spark.

Tang San looked at his empty palm, remained silent for a while, and tried again. This time, he used the Asura God's Power.

The moment the dark red light shone at his fingertips, the remnants of the Sea God's Light on the ground bounced up and collided with it.

Two Divine Power exploded on the back of his hand. His entire arm went numb, and his five fingers curled up uncontrollably.

He gripped his right wrist with his left hand and looked down at the back of his hand.

A palm-sized burn mark spread from the tiger's mouth to the wrist bone. The skin and flesh were rolled up, and the edges were charred black, like a new wound added to an old scar that had been branded with a hot iron.

The dual-divine rejection came sooner than he expected.

In the battle of Jialing Pass, he simultaneously activated the Sea God Trident and the Asura Demonic Sword, withstanding Bibi Dong's Rakshasa God and Qian Renxue's Solar True Fire.

After the fight, he knew his divine essence was cracked. The crack wasn't deep, but it was cracked.

The Asura God and the Sea God were like two vehicles running on completely different tracks. Forcing them together would only wear down their axles the longer they ran.

He thought it could last for decades. But it started to fall apart in less than three years.

He could feel his Soul Power draining away. Like fine sand in an hourglass, it was slipping away silently through his fingers.

At this rate of decline, he'll soon fall back to the peak of the Titled Douluo. His divine position is still holding on, preventing his Soul Power from dropping further, but it won't last long.

He tried to fix it.

He used the Sea God Divine Power to repair the cracks in the Asura Divinity, but the Sea God's Power he used to repair the cracks was rebounded by the Asura Divinity, almost shattering his heart meridian.

The reverse is also true. When the Asura God's Power was poured into the Sea God Divinity, the Sea God Trident immediately resonated, causing blood to seep from his ears and nose.

He went to see the Goddess of Life. After looking at him, the Goddess of Life shook her head.

"The fusion of two divine entities is a first in the Divine Realm; there is no cure for it, and no precedent to follow."

Tang San asked how much longer he could hold on. The Goddess of Life remained silent for a long time.

"It could take six months to a year. The moment your divine essence shatters will be incredibly painful; be prepared."

Six months to a year. When Tang San came out of the Life God Hall, it was raining.

He stood in the rain for half an hour, letting it wash away the jumbled thoughts in his mind, before returning to the Sea God Hall.

A few days ago, he received news that Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul had been destroyed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

The message was delivered by Flender, who sent a student as a messenger without even showing his face.

After reading the letter, Tang San sat on the threshold of the temple for the entire night.

I remember the Grandmaster slamming his fist on the table and saying "Impossible," and Nan Feng standing opposite him saying, "Then I'll prove it to you."

At the time, he thought Nan Feng was too arrogant. Looking back now, that kid wasn't arrogant at all; he watched the entire game before he even started making a move.

Starting from the first ring of 920, every step was a slap in the face to the Grandmaster. Every ring proved that the set of "ironclad rules" was a paper lantern, which could be punctured with a single poke.

Now that the Grandmaster's Martial Soul is ruined, he's holed up in that empty courtyard in the north of the city, unable to even get a hot bowl of soup.

Tang San didn't go to see him. Even if he did, he wouldn't know what to say. Saying, "I warned you a long time ago" would be too fake. Saying, "I don't blame you" would be something even he himself wouldn't believe.

As he was thinking this, the temple door was pushed open.

Xiao Wu poked half her head in. Her scorpion braid hung down on the door frame, and the pink hair tie swayed.

Third Brother, what are you thinking about?

Tang San pulled his right hand back into his sleeve, covering the burn marks on the back of his hand.

"Nothing."

Xiao Wu carried in a bowl of hot soup. The weather on Sea God Island wasn't cold, but she still made it a habit to stew a bowl of soup for him every day.

"Whether you drink it or not is up to you, whether you stew it or not is up to me." She placed the bowl in front of Tang San, squatted down beside him, and looked at him with her hands supporting her chin.

Tang San picked up the bowl and took a sip. It was seaweed and pork rib soup, Xiao Wu's cooking, the saltiness was just right.

He took a couple of sips and put down the bowl, only to find that Xiao Wu was still watching him.

"What's wrong?"

"Third Brother, you've lost weight." Xiao Wu tilted her head. "You look pale too. You haven't left the temple much these past few days, have you?"

"A few days ago, I went to Heaven Dou City to buy groceries, Ning Rongrong asked me what I'd been busy with lately. I didn't know what to say."

Tang San remained silent for a while.

He didn't want to say it, but he knew Xiao Wu could tell. Just as he couldn't hide the fact that his Soul Power was draining away, he couldn't hide it from Xiao Wu either.

This girl has been with him all the way from the Nuoding Academy; she recognizes every single one of his expressions.

"Xiao Wu."

"Um?"

"I may... no longer be a god."

Xiao Wu was stunned for a moment.

She reached out and touched Tang San's forehead, then touched her own.

"You don't have a fever, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"That's not nonsense."

Tang San pulled his right hand out of his sleeve. The burn mark on the back of his hand was still there, a glaring red.

"The dual divine cores are repelling each other. My divine position is cracking, and my Soul Power is dropping. It won't be long before I fall from the God Level to the peak of the Titled Douluo."

"The Goddess of Life says it will take anywhere from six months to a year."

Xiao Wu stared at the back of his hand for a long time.

Then she stretched out both hands, cupped Tang San's hands in her palms, looked down at them, and then looked up into his eyes.

"That's all?"

Tang San choked.

"That's all?"

I thought you had some terminal illness.

Xiao Wu stood up and dusted off her skirt.

"So what if I'm a peak Titled Douluo? My husband is a peak Titled Douluo, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

She reached out and poked Tang San's forehead.

Do you think I married you because you're a god?

Tang San looked at her, his eyes welling up with tears.

"I am the Asura Immortal Rabbit," Xiao Wu said. "You are Titled Douluo, and I am a god. We complement each other perfectly. You cook, I wash the dishes; you take care of the children, I hunt. Who says we have to be gods?"

"Besides, losing your divine position doesn't mean you've lost your Soul Power. A peak Titled Douluo might not be able to defeat a god, but surely they can defeat another Titled Douluo? There are only a handful of people on the continent who can beat you, so what are you afraid of?"

Tang San chuckled, but his laugh was a little hoarse.

"You little rascal..."

"Don't call me 'little girl,' I'm older than you."

Xiao Wu shoved the soup bowl into his hands.

"Drink some soup. After you finish, come for a walk with me. You've been holed up in the temple for three days; if you stay cooped up any longer, you'll grow mushrooms."

Tang San watched her walk out, holding the soup bowl. When she reached the door, she turned back and took a letter out of her pocket.

"Oh right, I almost forgot. I received the letter that Tower Simpleton sent through someone a few days ago when I went to Heaven Dou City to buy groceries."

The messenger was a red-haired young man with greasy lips. He said his name was Shifang and he had set up a grilled fish stall at the city gate, grilling fish while waiting for people to come and collect their mail.

Tang San took the letter and opened it. Nan Feng's handwriting was very messy, as if he had written it in a hurry.

"Tang San, I heard you haven't been going out lately?"

"I just took over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and that old fox Ning Fengzhi pushed his daughter out to hand over the documents. I offered him a cup of tea."

"Also, there's been some activity in the Far North lately. The Ice Empress Snow Empress said that foul air is starting to rise from the bottom of the fissure again. I'll have to go there in a few days."

"If you have nothing better to do, come and take a look. Your Sea God's Power should be able to help with the seal. But if you're too busy being a god, then forget it."

"Nan Feng."

After reading the letter, Tang San remained silent for a while, then smiled.

"That kid."

He stood up, finished the soup in the bowl, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Xiao Wu."

"Um?"

"I'm going to the Far North tomorrow. Nan Feng said there's some activity in the fissure there, Sea God's Power can help."

Xiao Wu turned around and glanced at him.

"Your divine position is almost gone, and you still want to help?"

"That's precisely why we're going."

Tang San folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

"Get things done while you still can. Besides—"

He grinned at Xiao Wu.

"Nan Feng said he can handle me. I'm going to see how he plans to handle it."

Xiao Wu stared at him for two seconds, then chuckled.

"Okay, go ahead. I'll make some soup at home and wait for you to come back. If you try to be reckless and hurt yourself, I'll kick you when you get back."

As Tang San stepped out of the temple, the sea breeze blew in his face, making his sleeves billow.

He raised his right hand and looked at it; the burn marks on the back of his hand were still there. But his Soul Power was still there, and even if it was diminishing, it was enough for him to hold on for a while longer.

He recalled what Nan Feng had said at Jialing Pass and suddenly realized that the kid had truly seen through everything long ago.

The tighter you hold onto a divine position, the faster it slips away. You might as well loosen your grip and see what's left.

He took to the air and flew towards the Far North.

At the entrance of the Sea God Hall, Xiao Wu crossed her arms and watched him fly away, muttering something under her breath.

"You better be prepared, Tower Simpleton, or I'm not letting you off the hook."

In the Tower Spirit Space, Nan Feng sat cross-legged in the Space-Time Bubble, talking to Old Huai.

"I asked Tang San to come to the Far North to help. Do you think he will come?"

The Old Huai peeked its head out from the sacred wood.

"His divine status is almost gone, and he's still coming?"

"We came precisely because it was almost gone."

Nan Feng closed the book on Qi cultivation techniques.

"Tang San, if he had even a shred of strength left, he wouldn't just sit around waiting to die. I'll give him a way out, and he'll definitely come."

"Besides, before his divine position shatters, the Sea God's Power can still be used for a while. The crack in the Far North isn't stable enough with just me, the Ice Empress, and the Snow Empress suppressing it; with the Sea God's Power, it can hold for a few more years."

Bibi Dong squatted next to the Nine Heart Begonia, braiding a hairband, without even looking up.

"Aren't you afraid that his divine status will shatter right there and then?"

"So what if it breaks?"

Nan Feng stood up and patted the fragments of Space-Time off her clothes.

"His divine essence has shattered, but I still possess Immortal Power. I can withstand it."

Old Huai clicked his tongue.

"You two are something else, one dares to break it, and the other dares to catch it."

Nan Feng smiled and glanced towards the Far North.

The newly braided fairy vine hairband on his wrist swayed slightly in the Immortal Power. Xiao Wu's old hairband next to him was already frayed, and the two tied side by side looked completely mismatched.

Shifang raised his head from the fire, his mouth glistening with oil.

"Brother Nan, that red-haired kid is back. He said the letter was delivered, and Tang San even chuckled after receiving it."

He smiled?

He laughed. He laughed exactly the same way he did back in the Nuoding Academy when he said he'd prove it to Yu Xiaogang.

Nan Feng smiled slightly and walked out of the Tower Spirit Space.

"He's almost there. Shifang, grill two more fish; Tang San loves fish."

Shifang responded and added more firewood to the fire.

Bibi Dong looked down at the fourth hair ribbon she was halfway through braiding, then suddenly stopped, looked up and asked Old Huai.

"Tang San is here. Should I hide? I almost killed him before."

The Old Huai poked its entire face out from the sacred wood, its bark wrinkles squeezing together.

"Why are you hiding? Back then you were the successor of the Rakshasa God, now you're the Space-Time Spider Emperor, the Mountain Suppressing Spider Emperor, and the Watering Committee Member of the Tower Spirit Space. If he brings up old grievances, I'll help you scold him."

Bibi Dong lowered her head and continued braiding the hair ribbon, the smile on her lips impossible to hide.

On the official road Heaven Dou City, Tang San flew for half a day and saw a dark purple cloud layer pressing down on the horizon in the Far North.

Beneath those clouds lay Abyssal Rift. The "movement" mentioned in Nan Feng's letter probably meant this.

He landed on an ice peak and caught his breath. The burn marks on the back of his right hand stung painfully from the cold wind.

He clenched his fists, suppressing the pain, and glanced further north.

Nan Feng should have arrived by now. The golden halo of the Tower Spirit Space shone at the edge of the icy plain.

He pushed off with his feet and flew up again.

At the entrance to the Ice Valley, Ice Empress sat on an ice mound, holding a wine jar. He narrowed his eyes when he saw a blue-gold shadow flying in from the horizon.

"Snow Empress, look who's that? A whole lot of blue!"

The Snow Empress emerged from the Ice Valley, her long, silvery-white hair fluttering in the wind, and glanced at the scene.

Tang San, the Sea God.

"Sea God?" Ice Empress put down the wine jar. "What's he doing here?"

"Nan Feng invited them," Snow Empress said. "They said the Sea God's Power would be useful for the seal."

Ice Empress snorted.

"His divine position is almost shattered, isn't it? I can sense his Soul Power leaking out even from ten miles away."

Snow Empress glanced at her.

"You seem to care about him."

"Who cares about him!" Ice Empress exploded. "I'm afraid he'll fall halfway down and crash in the Far North, leaving me and Snow Empress to fetch him!"

The entrance to the Tower Spirit Space deep within the Ice Valley lit up briefly, and Nan Feng poked his head out and shouted towards the sky.

"Tang San, over here! At the entrance to Ice Valley, do you see Ice Empress's wine jar?"

Tang San heard this from the sky, stopped his momentum and landed, stumbling as he stepped onto the ice.

Ice Empress clicked their tongue as they watched him sway unsteadily.

"Is this all there is to Sea God?"

Tang San steadied himself and smiled at her.

I just tripped and fell, sorry for the mess.

Ice Empress rolled his eyes and shoved the wine jar into Snow Empress's arms.

"I'll go check the crack."

He turned around, took two steps, then turned back and added a sentence.

Don't sneak a drink.

Tang San watched her retreating figure, then glanced at Snow Empress, and lowered his voice to ask Nan Feng.

"Has she always been like this?"

Nan Feng patted him on the shoulder.

"It'll always be like this. You'll get used to it."

The two walked side by side into the depths of the Ice Valley. Tang San looked down at his right hand; another burn mark on the back of his hand had cracked and was bleeding slightly.

Nan Feng glanced at it, then took out a petal of the Nine Heart Begonia from the Tower Spirit Space and handed it over.

"Holding it in my Ye Lingling, I can press down on it for a while."

Tang San took it and put it in his mouth. As the petals melted, a warm life force flowed down his throat, and the crack on the back of his hand healed a little.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

"Nan Feng."

"Um?"

When you said "Catch me" at Jialing Pass, did you already know this day would come?

The Nan Feng didn't turn back, nor did it stop its steps.

"Know."

When did you find out?

"When you possess dual divine powers."

Nan Feng turned her head and glanced at him.

"The Asura God and the Sea God, one governs slaughter and the other governs the ocean. Forcing two vehicles together is bound to fall apart sooner or later. I didn't tell you this then, and you wouldn't have believed me anyway."

Tang San gave a wry smile.

"Even if you tell me now, I don't really believe it, but the facts are there, and you have to believe it whether you want to or not."

The two walked to the crevice deep within the Ice Valley. A dark purple Abyssal Aura surged out from the crevice, and the Ice Empress and Snow Empress had already arranged their primal power on either side.

Nan Feng turned and glanced at Tang San.

"Pour in the Sea God's Power, and you'll last as long as it takes. Tell me if you can't hold on."

Tang San nodded and raised his right hand.

Azure Sea God's Light, surged from his palm and poured into the crack. The light met the Abyssal Aura like ice water splashed on a red-hot iron plate.

Tang San's entire arm was trembling, but he gritted his teeth and didn't let go.

Nan Feng stood there for a while, then suddenly said something.

If you can't hold on, let go. You let go and I'll catch you.

Tang San glanced at him and smiled.

"OK."

In the snowstorm of the Far North, two people stood side by side in front of the crevice. One used Immortal Power, the other Divine Power, to suppress the dark purple Abyssal Aura inch by inch.

Ice Empress stood at a distance with his arms crossed and watched for a while, then turned to Snow Empress and said.

"That Sea God is alright."

Snow Empress smiled.

You just said he was "just this."

"Can't I change my mind?"

Snow Empress didn't reply, but simply shoved the wine jar further into Ice Empress's arms.

Deep within the rift, the dark purple aura suddenly surged. A surge of abyssal Abyss, ten times stronger than before, erupted forth, instantly shattering Tang San's Sea God's Power and sending him flying backward.

Nan Feng grabbed him by the back of his collar.

The nine-story phantom of the tower unfolded behind him, Mountain Suppression Art pressed down, forcibly forcing the turbid air back into the cracks.

Tang San lay on the ice, panting. Three more burn marks appeared on the back of his hand, but he chuckled.

"Your tower is really effective."

Nan Feng pulled him up and patted the ice crystals off his back.

"Works well, right? Once your divine essence is shattered, I'll teach you how to use Immortal Power."

Tang San was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"The way you talk about it makes it sound like you're collecting junk."

You're worth much more than junk.

Nan Feng turned and walked towards the Ice Empress Snow Empress.

"Let's go for a drink. Ice Empress just said not to sneak a sip of alcohol, but they didn't say we can't drink at all."

Tang San followed behind him, stopping his momentum, his footsteps making a clear sound on the ice with each step.

He raised his right hand and looked at the burn marks on the back of his hand, and suddenly felt that the cracks weren't so bad after all.

Inside the Tower Spirit Space, the Old Huai poked its head out from the immortal wood and shouted in Shifang.

"Grill two more fish! Tang San is here!"

Shifang Fang chuckled as he added firewood to the fire. Fish oil dripped into the embers, sending up a plume of white smoke.

Bibi Dong squatted next to the Nine Heart Begonia, clutching the fourth half-braided hair ribbon in her hand, and muttered something under her breath.

"He doesn't look that scary."

Old Huai turned to look at her.

"Who? Tang San?"

"Hmm." Bibi Dong lowered her head and continued braiding her hair ribbon. "Back in Jialing Pass, he stabbed me with a trident... Now, he just looks like a pathetic guy whose Soul Power is almost completely depleted."

The Old Huai laughed so hard that its leaves swayed wildly.

If Tang San heard you say that, he'd be furious with you.

Bibi Dong didn't even raise her head.

"Let him hear it. Anyway, he can't beat me right now."

Outside the Space-Time Bubble, Nan Feng carried Tang San into the Ice Valley where they drank.

Ice Empress had already poured the sake, and five large bowls were placed on the ice table, with Snow Empress sitting beside them.

Tang San picked up the bowl and took a sip. The strong liquor from the Far North burned his throat, but the pain was pleasant.

He put down his bowl and raised it towards the Nan Feng.

"To you."

Nan Feng clinked her bowl against his.

"Honor your divinity, may it crumble slowly."

Tang San laughed and cursed, then tilted his head back and downed the wine in one gulp.

The wind and snow outside the Ice Valley grew stronger. The Abyssal Rift was temporarily suppressed, but the turbid air deep within the rift was still churning, as if something was awakening.

Nan Feng put down his wine bowl, glanced in the direction of the crack, and his eyes darkened.

Three months. It's about time to make a move in Ning Yuan.

He downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp, stood up and stretched his shoulders a couple of times, then said to Tang San.

"After you finish this bowl, help me with some chores."

What kind of work?

"Keep an eye on that rift in the Far North for me. I'm going back to Heaven Dou City; there's an old geezer from the Council of Elders who needs to be dealt with."

Tang San glanced at him while holding his wine bowl.

"Ning Yuan?"

Nan Feng nodded.

Tang San finished the wine in his bowl, stood up, and patted the ice crystals off his clothes.

"Go. I'll keep watch over the Far North for you for three days. If you haven't returned by then, I'll fly over there to find you."

The Nan Feng smiled.

Three days is enough.

He turned and walked out of the Ice Valley. Bibi Dong chased after him from the Tower Spirit Space, clutching the fourth braided fairy vine hair ribbon in her hand.

"Here, this one is better than the previous three."

Nan Feng took it and tied it on her left wrist, alongside the others, then looked down at it.

"That's really good. Once things are settled in Ning Yuan, I'll give you a break so you can braid as many hairbands as you want."

Bibi Dong's ears turned red again. She turned around and ran back to the Tower Spirit Space, squatting down next to the Nine Heart Begonia.

Old Huai clicked his tongue. Shifang chuckled.

Tang San stood in the Ice Valley, holding an empty wine bowl, watching Nan Feng's figure disappear into the wind and snow, and suddenly said something to Ice Empress.

"Another bowl, please."

Ice Empress rolled their eyes and pushed the sake jar over.

"Pour it yourself."

Tang San poured himself some wine, held the bowl against the ice wall, and looked at the gray sky of the Far North. He took a sip with the second petal of the Nine Heart Begonia in his mouth.

He suddenly realized that not being a god wasn't so bad.

Three days later, Nan Feng did not return. He did not return on the fourth day either.

On the morning of the fifth day, Tang San put the wine bowl on the ice table, stood up and greeted the Ice Empress Snow Empress.

I'm going to Heaven Dou City.

Ice Empress, holding the sake jar, snorted.

"Didn't you say three days? It's been five days already."

So I went to find him.

Tang San leaped into the air and glanced south.

He said he would catch me, and I haven't thanked him yet.

After he flew away, Ice Empress turned to look at Snow Empress.

"What happened in Heaven Dou City?"

Snow Empress looked at the southern horizon and said.

Ning Yuan.

Ice Empress clicked their tongue.

"That old bastard, he's got a death wish."

When Tang San over Heaven Dou City, he saw a golden pillar of light shooting into the sky from the direction of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Under the beam of light, Ning Rongrong rode her horse at breakneck speed toward the city gates, clutching a roll of parchment in her arms, with three gray-cloaked Soul Douluo chasing after her.

He stopped his momentum and swooped down.