Chapter 737
Ren Xue
The God of Destruction looked sharply at Bibi Dong and Dai Chengfeng: "What's the situation in the Abyss?" Bibi Dong briefly reported what had happened, emphasizing Isis's sacrifice and the sealing of the Tree of Life. The God of Destruction listened, remaining silent for a long time: "Isis...in the end, she still chose that path." The Goddess of Life sighed softly: "She used herself as a catalyst to reforge the seal; this is a noble act. But this child, Wu Lin..." She looked at Tang Wu Lin, who had been sent deep into the Temple of Life, her eyes filled with reluctance.
Inside the Temple of Life, Tang Wulin was placed on a jade platform in the center of the Lake of Life. The lake water was emerald green, exuding a rich life force, but it had little effect on him. His skin remained pale, his breathing weak, and only the slight rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive. Qian Renxue stood guard by the jade platform, holding his hand, unwilling to let go for even a moment. The children had been temporarily taken out by Tang Wutong to be comforted, leaving only Tang San, Xiao Wu, the God of Destruction, the Goddess of Life, Bibi Dong, and Dai Chengfeng in the temple.
"The complete sealing of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline is actually a backlash from the eighteenth seal," the God of Destruction analyzed. "He forcibly broke through the seal and used his mortal body to purify the abyss with divine power, causing his very essence to collapse. Now, he has the soul of the Dragon God within him, but no divine power to support him, and even his divine soul is in grave danger." The Goddess of Life added, "If something can be found to replenish the essence of life, it might extend his life by several years, but that would only be a temporary fix."
"What can we do?" Tang San asked, his voice hoarse. Xiao Wu nestled in his arms, already sobbing uncontrollably. The God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life exchanged glances, the latter saying softly, "There are two directions. First, search for the 'Source Seed of Life' from the beginning of the universe, but this thing is elusive and difficult to find, with only scattered records in ancient texts; second, let him rebuild his cultivation. Disperse his existing remnant soul and cultivate from scratch with a mortal body, but the risk is extremely high, and the slightest mistake could result in his soul being scattered."
Rebuilding. This word silenced everyone. Tang Wulin had started from the Douluo Continent, endured countless hardships, and finally become a God King, but now everything was about to start over. Leaving aside the dangers of rebuilding, his remaining lifespan might not even be enough to sustain him through another ascension. Qian Renxue gripped Tang Wulin's hand tightly and whispered, "As long as there's a glimmer of hope, we won't give up." Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally firm.
Tang San nodded: "First, stabilize the current situation. Goddess of Life, please use the Lake of Life to nourish his body and slow down the loss of his life force. I will use the central authority of the God Realm to search for clues about the source of life. As for rebuilding..." He looked at Tang Wulin's pale face, "...it will be up to him to decide when he wakes up."
The meeting temporarily adjourned. The God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life departed to allocate resources; Tang San and Xiao Wu stayed behind, but were quickly persuaded by Qian Renxue to rest—they had been searching for their son tirelessly for three days, and were already exhausted. The temple fell silent, save for the gentle lapping of the lake. Bibi Dong and Dai Chengfeng remained, standing at the temple entrance, their shadows lengthened by the moonlight.
"What do you plan to do?" Dai Chengfeng suddenly asked. Bibi Dong didn't turn around, her gaze fixed on the distant starry sky: "Back to my place. Though the Abyss is sealed, the position of the God of Death still needs to be secured." She paused. "And you?" Dai Chengfeng shrugged: "Traveling. The wind shouldn't be confined to one place." The two were silent for a moment, then Bibi Dong turned to Qian Renxue: "Take care of him. And take care of yourself." Qian Renxue nodded, tears welling in her eyes: "Thank you." Bibi Dong's lips twitched, as if she wanted to laugh, but in the end it only turned into a soft sigh. She and Dai Chengfeng left one after the other, their figures disappearing into the night.
In the days that followed, the divine realm was calm on the surface, but undercurrents were stirring beneath. The news of the Abyss Gate being sealed was kept strictly secret, known only to a select few high-ranking officials. The Divine Realm Committee strengthened its monitoring of the lower realm's passages and dispatched inspectors to patrol various star systems to prevent the infiltration of remnants of the Abyss. Tang Wulin slept in the Lake of Life for seven full days, during which time the Goddess of Life nourished him daily with divine power, barely slowing the rate of his life force loss to a rate of one year's worth per month. Even so, he had less than ten years left to live.
On the morning of the eighth day, Tang Wulin opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Qian Renxue's tired sleeping face—she was lying by the jade platform, holding his hand, with faint dark circles under her eyes. Tang Wulin felt a pang of pain in his heart and gently pulled his hand away, but this startled her awake.
"Wu Lin!" Qian Renxue instantly regained consciousness, her eyes shining brightly. Tang Wu Lin tried to speak, but his throat was dry and he couldn't utter a sound. Qian Renxue quickly brought him some water from the Lake of Life and carefully fed it to him. The cool lake water flowed into his throat, bringing a touch of warmth. Tang Wu Lin paused for a moment before he said hoarsely, "Thank you for your hard work." Qian Renxue shook her head, tears falling again: "It's good that you're awake...it's good that you're awake..."
Tang San and Xiao Wu rushed over upon hearing the news, and the children also ran into the temple. The family gathered around the jade platform, crying and laughing at the same time. Tang Wulin looked at his parents' haggard faces and his children's red eyes, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. "I'm sorry, I made you worry," he whispered. Xiao Wu hugged him tightly: "Don't say sorry... Your return is more important than anything else."
After a peaceful reunion, Tang San told Tang Wulin about the current situation and his two choices. Tang Wulin listened in silence for a long time. "Let's start over," he finally said, his tone calm. Qian Renxue said anxiously, "But the risk is too great! What if..." Tang Wulin grasped her hand and smiled slightly, "But I want to live. I want to stay with you longer, watch the children grow up, and see all the world's wonders with you. If I linger on for a few more years, only to leave in the end, I won't be willing to accept that. Starting over is dangerous, but at least there's a glimmer of hope."
His decision was supported by his family. The Goddess of Life personally devised a reconstruction plan: using the Lake of Life as a foundation, supplemented by the purest spiritual energy of the divine realm, to first rebuild Tang Wulin's meridians. But the first step was to dispel the remaining divine soul and bloodline imprints within his body. This was a painful and dangerous process; the slightest mistake could damage the very foundation of his soul.
Three days later, the ceremony took place deep within the Temple of Life. Apart from the Goddess of Life, the God of Destruction, Tang San and his wife, and Qian Renxue, no one else was allowed to approach. Tang Wulin sat cross-legged in the center of the lake's array. The Goddess of Life used the Ancient Tree of Life as a guide, and the God of Destruction used his power of destruction as an aid; together, they stripped away the remaining Golden Dragon King bloodline and the Dragon God's divine position from his body. The process was extremely painful; Tang Wulin trembled all over, fine beads of blood seeping from his skin, yet he gritted his teeth and remained silent. Outside the array, Qian Renxue clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms, drawing blood.
The stripping process lasted for a full six hours. When the last wisp of golden energy escaped from Tang Wulin's crown and was absorbed and sealed by the Ancient Tree of Life, he collapsed, exhausted, his breath as faint as a candle flickering in the wind. The Goddess of Life immediately poured the essence of the Lake of Life into him, protecting his heart and soul. The God of Destruction then set up a barrier to prevent his soul from dissipating.
"The first step has been successful." The Goddess of Life breathed a sigh of relief. "But he's now no different from a newborn, even more fragile. Next, he needs to be slowly nurtured with spiritual energy until his meridians are rebuilt before he can begin cultivation." Tang San nodded, personally picking up his son and carrying him to the quietest side hall of the temple. Qian Renxue followed closely behind, beginning her long vigil. (End of Chapter)