Chapter 738
Ren Xue
Time flowed on, and the flowers bloomed and faded, the clouds drifted and dispersed in the divine realm. Under the nurturing influence of the Lake of Life, Tang Wulin's meridians were gradually being rebuilt, though progress was slow. He needed to soak in the lake for six hours each day, spending the rest of his time meditating and regulating his breathing, absorbing the gentlest spiritual energy. Having lost all his divine power, he couldn't even manage the most basic flight, requiring assistance for all his movements. The children were initially cautious, afraid of hurting their father, but Tang Wulin always smiled and beckoned them to sit beside him, listening to their stories of the divine realm or tales from the mortal world.
Tang Xuan Yu has grown into a tall and handsome young man, inheriting his father's blond hair and blue eyes, but his personality is more like Qian Ren Xue's—calm yet sharp. Every day after finishing his cultivation, he would come to talk to his father, sometimes even trying to alleviate Tang Wu Lin's pain with his rudimentary healing magic—though the effect was minimal, Tang Wu Lin always praised him with a smile. Tang Yi Lin, on the other hand, is a lively girl, inheriting Xiao Wu's rabbit ears, hopping and skipping around, often picking exotic flowers and herbs from the divine realm to amuse her father. The youngest, Tang Nian Xue, remains clingy, always nestled in Tang Wu Lin's arms, saying in a soft, sweet voice, "Daddy, get better soon."
Qian Renxue was almost always by his side. She turned down all her divine duties to devote herself to Tang Wulin. Sometimes she would read him stories from the mortal realm, sometimes she would simply hold his hand and watch the clouds change outside the window. In the dead of night, Tang Wulin was often awakened by nightmares—dreams of the abyss's roar, Isis's fading smile, and his own ferocity in his dragon form. Whenever this happened, Qian Renxue would gently embrace him and hum an ancient lullaby, a tune she had heard in the Spirit Hall when she was a child. Her gentle voice dispelled the nightmares, and Tang Wulin would fall into a deep sleep in her arms.
After Bibi Dong and Dai Chengfeng left the God Realm, news occasionally came back. Bibi Dong returned to the Death God Domain to restore the order of reincarnation, which had been disrupted by the turmoil in the Abyss; Dai Chengfeng traveled to various star fields, reportedly searching for some kind of wondrous object that could stabilize the soul. They never returned, but sent many precious medicinal herbs, all treasures for nourishing the soul. When Tang Wulin received them, he would always remain silent for a moment before softly expressing his gratitude.
Six months later, Tang Wulin's meridians were initially reconstructed, and he could begin cultivating. However, he could not directly cultivate god-level techniques; he needed to start with the most basic soul power—although the soul power system of Douluo Continent was outdated in the God Realm, it was the most suitable starting point for a mortal body. Tang San retrieved the purest soul power seed from the lower realm and implanted it into Tang Wulin's dantian. The first step was to condense soul power and attempt to break through to level ten.
This process was absurdly simple for a former god-king. But Tang Wulin was now just a mortal, and physically weak; every time he circulated his soul power, it was accompanied by excruciating pain. He often vomited blood during cultivation, frightening Qian Renxue and the children. But each time he collapsed, he would struggle to sit up and continue trying. The Goddess of Life said that this was the inevitable pain of his meridians adapting to soul power, and no one could take his place.
"I can endure it," Tang Wulin told his worried family. "This pain is nothing compared to the erosion of the abyss." He spoke casually, but the cold sweat on his forehead and his pale lips betrayed him. Qian Renxue could only silently stay by his side, handing him a cup of warm water when he was in extreme pain, or gently massaging his tense shoulders and back.
Three months later, Tang Wulin finally condensed his first wisp of soul power, successfully breaking through to level ten. At that moment, the faint vortex of soul power within his dantian gave him a feeling of being in another world—as if he had returned to his childhood in Aolai City, simple, pure, and full of hope. The children cheered for him, Qian Renxue wept with joy, and Tang San and Xiao Wu also had tears in their eyes. Although this was only the beginning, it at least proved that the path of cultivation was feasible.
However, fate seems to love playing tricks. Just as Tang Wulin began his steady cultivation, his soul power slowly rising to level fifteen, an urgent report came from the Divine Realm's Surveillance Hall: the Abyss Seal was showing abnormal fluctuations. It wasn't that the seal was loosening, but rather that the power of the Tree of Life was spreading, purifying the area around the Abyss Gate, but unexpectedly activating a dormant being behind the gate. The oppressive aura emanating from that being even made the Surveillance Officials tremble in their souls.
The Divine Realm Committee convened an emergency meeting. Although Tang Wulin held no divine position, he was specially invited to attend as a witness. He was wheeled into the temple by Qian Renxue in a wheelchair. The gods, seeing his pale face and weak aura, fell silent. The God of Destruction cut straight to the point: "The source of the fluctuations has been confirmed; it is the ruler of the hundredth layer of the Abyss—'The Eye of Annihilation,' one of the oldest monarchs of the Abyss. It was dormant, but the purifying power of the Tree of Life awakened it. Although the seal remains secure, it is attempting to establish contact with the outside world."
"Contact? How?" Tang San asked. The supervising priest recalled an image: countless tiny, dark red cracks appeared in the void surrounding the Abyss Gate, like the veins of an eye. Whispers emanated from the cracks; any deity who heard them would experience hallucinations, or even have their soul corrupted. "It's summoning followers, or searching for a vessel," the God of Destruction said in a deep voice. "If it succeeds in projecting a wisp of its will into the divine realm or the lower realms, the consequences will be unimaginable."
“We must stop it,” said the Goddess of Life. “But the seal must not be touched, or all our efforts will be in vain.” Tang Wulin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: “Perhaps… we can make contact with it.” The gods were taken aback. He slowly said, “The Eye of Annihilation’s goal is to find a vessel, so let’s give it a vessel—a vessel that we can control, seemingly suitable but actually dangerous. Then, we can trace it in reverse, find its coordinates in the abyss, and strike it.”
“It’s too risky,” Tang San objected. “Your current condition absolutely precludes you from participating.” Tang Wulin shook his head: “Father, I don’t mean to go myself. I mean… a decoy. Using my bloodline aura as bait, we can create a false impression. Although the Golden Dragon King’s bloodline is sealed, a trace of its aura remains. For the Abyss, this is the perfect vessel.” He looked at the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life: “With the assistance of the two God-Kings, setting a trap might be enough to severely damage the Eye of Annihilation, or at least interrupt its summoning.”
The meeting descended into heated debate. Supporters believed it was feasible, while opponents worried it would backfire. Ultimately, the God of Destruction made the final decision: "The plan is feasible, but I must lead it. Tang Wulin will only provide his bloodline aura and must not participate in any actual contact. Qian Renxue, you are responsible for protecting him. If anything goes wrong, immediately sever all contact." Qian Renxue nodded emphatically.
The plan was set. Three days later, at the most remote "Void Cliff" in the God Realm, the trap was complete. Tang Wulin was placed in the center of multiple layers of barriers, only needing to release a wisp of his bloodline aura. The God of Destruction, the Goddess of Life, Tang San, and several first-level gods lay in ambush, ready to attack at any moment. Qian Renxue, holding the Angelic Holy Sword, stood three steps in front of Tang Wulin, fully alert.
Tang Wulin closed his eyes and concentrated, guiding the Golden Dragon King bloodline sealed within his body—though unusable, its essence remained. A faint yet incredibly pure golden aura overflowed from his fingertips, passing through the barrier and drifting towards the Abyss Gate. Almost the instant the aura leaked, the dark red crack in the void fluctuated violently, its whispers becoming rapid and excited. A vast will spread along the crack, locking onto that wisp of aura, greedily surging towards it. (End of Chapter)