Chapter 749
Ren Xue
The God of Destruction remained silent for a moment, then unexpectedly agreed to Tang Wulin's request.
“He’s right,” the God of Destruction turned his gaze to Qian Renxue, his purple eyes flashing with rationality. “Only a blade that has been honed can remain sharp. If he wants to fight against annihilation, he must confront annihilation, understand annihilation, and then transcend annihilation.”
“But he only has level 20 soul power right now!” Qian Renxue gripped her husband’s hand tightly, as if he would disappear from her sight if she let go even slightly.
Tang Wulin gently squeezed his wife's hand back. The difference between his weak soul power and her divine power was vast, yet at this moment it carried an undeniable firmness.
“Believe me,” he said, his voice as calm as a deep pool, “I’ve been on the brink of annihilation before, and I know how terrifying it is. But this time is different—this time, I’m armed.”
He looked at the faint point of light in his palm. It was so small that it seemed a gust of wind could blow it away, but every deity present knew what this light represented—it was the confirmation of existence itself, the ultimate expression of "I think, therefore I am," and the starting point of all possibilities.
The Goddess of Life walked to Qian Renxue's side and said softly, "Give him some trust. This child has found his own path, a path that is destined to be different and full of dangers, but what we can do is support him instead of restricting him."
Tang San pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "The library of the God Realm is open to all the main gods, including the forbidden books about the origin of the world. As for approaching the abyss rift, I must be present, and each time it cannot exceed the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
“That’s enough,” Tang Wulin said. “Starting tomorrow.”
In the days that followed, Tang Wulin's life took on a new rhythm.
At dawn, he sat in meditation in the Garden of Contemplation, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his soul to observe the seed of "proof of existence." It slowly rotated, radiating a faint but undeniable light. That light was not pure energy, but a kind of "affirmation"—a will to affirm its own existence spreading outward, touching everything it came into contact with, and incorporating these things into a network of relationships of "being with me."
Then he would travel to the divine library, immersing himself in the oldest and most profound texts. These texts, mostly written by the first gods, record the true nature of the world before the establishment of the divine realm, how time was born from eternity, how space unfolded from nothingness, and how laws condensed from chaos. These records are completely different from the cultivation theories of the mortal world—they do not teach how to become stronger, but only explore "what exists" and "why exists."
On the third day, Tang Wulin read a passage on a parchment scroll written in divine script:
"So-called power is merely one of the ways of existence. Fire exists, therefore it burns; water exists, therefore it flows; laws exist, therefore they operate. When existence itself becomes the focus of attention, the acquisition of power is no longer about conquering the outside world, but about deepening one's relationship with the world."
He closed the book and fell into deep thought.
What is Soul Power? According to common knowledge in the Douluo Continent, Soul Power is a special energy generated by the combination of life energy and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Soul Masters obtain Soul Rings through meditation, cultivation, and hunting Soul Beasts, continuously increasing their Soul Power level and thus gaining greater power.
But this is just appearance.
If existence is fundamental, then soul power should be an indicator of the strength of one's existence. The higher the soul power level, the stronger the soul master's confirmation of their own existence, and the greater the depth and breadth of their connection with the world. Soul rings, on the other hand, are "milestones" or "nodes" in this connection process, marking significant breakthroughs for the soul master in the dimension of existence.
What about martial spirits?
Tang Wulin summoned the Blue Silver Emperor, its emerald-gold vines unfurling in his palm. This was not merely the pinnacle of a plant-type martial soul, but an extension of his bloodline, a concrete expression of his "way of being." If the seed of existence was the core proof of his being, then the martial soul was one of the outward manifestations of that core. "No," he murmured to himself, "it shouldn't be 'one of,' but rather 'the whole.' Everything about me—body, soul, memories, emotions, martial soul, soul power—should be different manifestations of this seed."
Just then, the Seed of Existence in his palm flickered slightly, seemingly establishing some unseen connection with the Blue Silver Emperor. The gold of the Blue Silver Emperor deepened, and the veins on its leaves seemed to flow with shimmering light. It was no longer merely a plant, but a "living plant," a life form "confirmed to exist."
Tang Wulin closed his eyes and tried to "touch" the Blue Silver Emperor with the perception of the seed of existence.
Something amazing happened.
In his mind, the Blue Silver Emperor was no longer an "object," but a complex set of relationships: its relationship with the soil (absorbing nutrients), its relationship with sunlight (performing photosynthesis), its relationship with water (transferring moisture), its relationship with the air (exchanging gases), and its relationship with Tang Wulin himself (connected by blood and sharing a common mind). These relationships constituted the Blue Silver Emperor's "network of existence."
And the seed exists at the center of this network.
“I understand,” Tang Wulin opened his eyes, his eyes shining with enlightenment. “Cultivation should not be about ‘acquiring power,’ but about ‘deepening existence.’ Each time I acquire a soul ring, it’s not about adding a skill, but about establishing a new connection in the network of existence, confirming new laws, and making my existence richer and more solid.”
This realization was like a flash of lightning, illuminating his future path.
Five days later, accompanied by Tang San, Tang Wulin approached the Abyss Rift for the first time.
They stood on a platform a hundred feet away from the edge of the rift—the safety line drawn by Tang San. Even here, the all-consuming aura of nothingness was still chilling. The edges of space were blurred, and light twisted and broke near the rift, as if even the act of "seeing" itself had been swallowed up.
"How do you feel?" Tang San asked. He emanated the power of the Sea God, forming a light blue protective shield that enveloped Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin closed his eyes and focused his consciousness on the seed of existence deep within his soul.
The seeds are trembling.
It wasn't out of fear, but because of "difference"—the absolute difference between existence and nothingness formed the most striking contrast here. In other areas of the divine realm, existence was the obvious background, but at the edge of the rift, existence became a "choice" that needed constant confirmation and perseverance.
“It’s asking me a question,” Tang Wulin said softly, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal under the oppressive weight of the void. “It’s asking: ’Do you exist? Do you really exist? Or are you just an illusion, an accident, a mistake that can be erased at any time?’”
"How did you answer?" Tang San asked. (End of Chapter)