Chapter 740
Ren Xue
But the gods knew that this was only temporary peace.
Inside the Tranquil Garden, Tang Wulin leaned back in a bamboo recliner, closing his eyes to rest. The morning sunlight filtered through the sparse bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on his pale face. Half a year had passed, and his body remained weak. Although his soul power had broken through to level 30, for someone who had once wielded the power of the Dragon God, this strength was heartbreakingly meager.
Qian Renxue sat on the stone bench beside him, holding an ancient book in her hands, but she couldn't read a single word. Her gaze lingered on her husband's face, where his once handsome and spirited brows now held something she couldn't quite describe—not dejection, nor despair, but a strange calm, like the sea after a storm, deep and all-encompassing.
"You've been staring at me for half an hour." Tang Wulin didn't open his eyes, but the corners of his lips turned up slightly.
Qian Renxue's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't flinch or avoid the question: "I see something wrong with my husband?"
“Of course you’re right.” Tang Wulin finally opened his eyes, his wife’s face reflected in his eyes, which had regained their azure color. “But what are you worried about?”
Having her thoughts exposed, Qian Renxue sighed softly and put down the book in her hand: "Although the will of the Eye of Annihilation has been severely damaged, it has not truly perished. Yesterday, Father discussed with the God-Kings of Destruction and Life, and they suspected that it was merely a projection of one of its avatars, and that its true form is still lurking in the depths of the abyss."
Tang Wulin remained silent for a moment, then slowly sat up straight. This simple movement made him slightly out of breath, and Qian Renxue immediately stepped forward to help him, but he gently grasped her wrist.
“I know,” he said, his voice steady. “It left something in my consciousness—not an erosion, but more like a mark. I can feel it watching me from afar.”
Qian Renxue's hand trembled: "Why won't you say?"
“What good would it do to say it?” Tang Wulin gazed into the distance, the enormous canopy of the Tree of Life appearing and disappearing in the clouds. “Given my current condition, I would only add to everyone’s worries. Besides,” he paused, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, “this mark isn’t entirely a bad thing.”
"What do you mean?"
Tang Wulin didn't answer directly, but instead raised his left hand. Soul power condensed in his palm, initially just a faint halo, but as he concentrated, the halo gradually changed—not by strengthening, but by becoming more "refined." Inside the halo, fine patterns spontaneously formed, like some kind of ancient rune, radiating a faint yet pure fluctuation.
Qian Renxue held her breath. She recognized this fluctuation—not the domineering majesty of the Dragon God's power, but a more restrained, more essential "presence." That was a characteristic naturally manifested by a deity's soul power after reaching a certain level of understanding of the laws of the world. But Tang Wulin was currently only a Soul Master; how could he possibly...
“When I was fighting against the Eye of Annihilation, my consciousness was dragged into an extremely deep level.” Tang Wulin stared at the changing halo in his palm and said slowly, “There, I ‘saw’ many things—the fundamental laws that constitute the world, the way energy flows, and even the essence of godhood.”
He looked up, his eyes reflecting Qian Renxue's shocked face: "I lost my power, but unexpectedly gained a 'perspective.' It's like a person who was originally standing on the top of a mountain wielding a giant axe, only knowing the power of chopping; now that he has fallen to the bottom of the valley, he can see the entire mountain's structure and direction."
Qian Renxue stared at him blankly for a long time before softly asking, "Are you saying it's a blessing in disguise?"
"Fortune and misfortune are intertwined." Tang Wulin dispersed his soul power and leaned back in his chair. "This perspective has indeed been beneficial to my cultivation, but it has also made me feel the 'weight' of the abyss more clearly. It's not simply evil or destruction, but something more fundamental, standing in opposition to the existence of the entire world." He closed his eyes, seemingly tired, or perhaps gathering his thoughts: "Xue'er, do you remember our experience facing the abyss plane when we were in Douluo Continent?"
“Of course I remember.” Qian Renxue nodded, those days of fighting side by side seemed like yesterday. “Back then, I thought the Abyss was the ultimate darkness, but now it seems to be nothing more than the surface of the Eye of Annihilation.”
“No, I’m talking about another level.” Tang Wulin opened his eyes, his expression serious. “Abyssal creatures crave to devour life, but they are still essentially part of ‘existence’—distorted and negative, yet still within the framework of this world’s laws. But the Eye of Annihilation is different; it doesn’t want to devour, but to ‘erasure,’ to return everything to nothingness.”
He paused, as if searching for the right words: "Like a painting, the creatures of the abyss want to cover it with the most filthy colors, while the Eye of Annihilation wants to tear the canvas itself apart, so that it never existed."
Qian Renxue felt a chill rise up her spine. She suddenly understood why even the God Kings were so wary of the Eye of Annihilation—it wasn't an enemy that could be fought with force; it was the opposite of existence itself.
"Then we..." She didn't finish her sentence because Tang Wulin gently took her hand.
"So we should cherish the present even more," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "If one day, annihilation really comes, at least we will know what we protected."
The bamboo leaves rustled, and the laughter of children drifted from afar. Tang Yilin seemed to have messed up another experiment; Tang Xuanyu's helpless scolding mingled with Tang Nianxue's giggles, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Qian Renxue grasped her husband's hand in return, feeling the slightly cool temperature of his palm, and the unease in her heart gradually subsided. Yes, no matter what the future held, the warmth of this moment was real.
Two weeks later, one morning, Jingxin Garden welcomed a special visitor.
The God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life arrived together. The two god-kings concealed their usual vast divine power and stepped into the courtyard like ordinary elders. Tang Wulin, supported by Qian Renxue, rose to pay his respects, but was gently pressed down by the Goddess of Life.
"No need for formalities." The Goddess of Life's voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. She carefully examined Tang Wulin's face, her eyes shining with relief. "You've recovered better than expected. Your soul power is stable, and your soul wounds are healing. Most importantly," her gaze fell on Tang Wulin's eyes, "your 'divinity' has not been damaged; on the contrary, it has become even purer."
Tang Wulin was slightly taken aback: "Divinity?"
“Every deity possesses divinity, the foundation upon which we understand the laws and wield authority,” the God of Destruction spoke. Unusually, he wasn't wearing his imposing armor, but rather a simple, deep purple robe, which softened his imposing presence and gave him a more scholarly air. “Normally, divinity is acquired through the inheritance of divine status and grows stronger with increased cultivation. But your situation is special—you lost your divine position and most of your power; your divinity should have weakened accordingly, but in reality…”
He stretched out his hand, his fingertips pointing lightly in the air. A pale purple light flashed, and Tang Wulin felt something deep within his soul being touched—not the Dragon God's seal, but a more fundamental, intangible "sense of existence." (End of Chapter)