Time flowed, flowers bloomed and withered in the Divine Realm, clouds gathered and dispersed. Under the nourishment of the Lake of Life, Tang Wulin's meridians were gradually reshaped, but progress was slow. He needed to soak in the lake six hours daily, spending the remaining time in seated meditation to absorb the gentlest spiritual energy. Having lost all divine power, he couldn't even perform the most basic flight—every movement required others' support. At first, the children were extremely careful, fearing they might injure their father, but Tang Wulin always smiled and beckoned them to sit beside him, listening to them tell stories of the Divine Realm's interesting matters or rumors from the lower realms.
Tang Xuanyu was already a tall and straight youth, inheriting his father's golden hair and blue eyes, but his personality was more like Qian Renxue's—steady with an edge of sharpness. After finishing his daily cultivation, he would always come to speak with his father, sometimes even using his newly learned healing divine arts to try alleviating Tang Wulin's pain—though the effects were minimal, Tang Wulin always praised him with a smile. Tang Yilin was a lively girl, inheriting Xiao Wu's rabbit ear characteristics, bouncing about, often bringing strange flowers and exotic plants from the Divine Realm to cheer up her father. The youngest, Tang Nianxue, remained clingy as ever, always nestling in Tang Wulin's embrace, saying in her soft, mushy voice, "Daddy, get better soon."
Qian Renxue almost never left his side. She declined all divine duties, focusing entirely on accompanying Tang Wulin. Sometimes she would read him storybooks sent from the lower realms, sometimes simply holding his hand quietly, watching the clouds and sunset glow change outside the window. In the deep of night, Tang Wulin would often be startled awake by nightmares—dreams of the Abyss's roars, Isis's dissipating smile, and his own violence during dragonization. Each time this happened, Qian Renxue would gently embrace him, humming an ancient ballad she had heard as a child in Spirit Hall. Her gentle voice dispelled the nightmares, and Tang Wulin would fall into deep sleep in her embrace.
After Bibi Dong and Dai Chengfeng left the Divine Realm, occasional news would return. Bibi Dong returned to the Death God Domain, reorganizing the reincarnation order that had been thrown into chaos by the Abyss's turmoil; Dai Chengfeng wandered various star regions, reportedly searching for some strange object that could stabilize the soul. They never returned, but sent many precious medicinal materials through others—all treasures for nourishing the soul. When Tang Wulin received them, he would always be silent for a moment, then softly express his thanks.
Half a year later, Tang Wulin's meridians were preliminarily reshaped and complete—he could begin cultivating. But he couldn't directly cultivate god-level techniques; he had to start from the most basic soul power—though the Douluo Continent's soul power system had long been outdated in the Divine 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 in Tang Wulin's dantian. The first step: condense soul power, breakthrough to level ten.
This process was, for a former God King, simply absurd in its simplicity. But Tang Wulin was now only a mortal, and his body was weak—every circulation of soul power was accompanied by intense pain. He would often vomit blood during cultivation, frightening Qian Renxue and the children. But every time he fell, he would struggle to sit up and continue trying. The Goddess of Life said this was the necessary pain of meridians adapting to soul power—no one could substitute for him.
"I can endure it." Tang Wulin said to his worried family, "This pain, compared to the Abyss's erosion, is nothing." He spoke lightly, but the cold sweat on his forehead and his pale lips betrayed him. Qian Renxue could only silently guard beside him, handing him a cup of warm water when the pain became extreme, or gently massaging his tense shoulders and back.
Another three months, and Tang Wulin finally condensed his first wisp of soul power, successfully breaking through to level ten. That moment, the faint soul power vortex in his dantian gave him a feeling of being transported through time—as if he had returned to his childhood cultivating in Aolai City, simple, pure, filled with hope. The children cheered for him, Qian Renxue wept with joy, and Tang San and Xiao Wu also had reddened eyes. Though this was only the starting point, it at least proved that the recultivation path was feasible.
However, fate seemed to love playing jokes. Just as Tang Wulin began steadily cultivating, his soul power slowly rising to level fifteen, an urgent report came from the Divine Realm's Monitoring Temple: abnormal fluctuations appeared in the Abyss seal. Not that the seal was loosening, but rather the Tree of Life's power was spreading, purifying the area surrounding the Abyss Gate, yet accidentally awakening some slumbering existence behind the gate. The pressure that existence emitted even made monitoring divine officials' souls tremble.
The Divine Realm Committee held an emergency meeting. Though Tang Wulin held no divine position, he was specially invited to attend as a witness. He sat in a wheelchair, pushed into the divine temple by Qian Renxue. The gods, seeing his pale face and weak aura, all fell silent. The God of Destruction cut straight to the main topic: "The fluctuation source has been confirmed—it is the master of the Abyss's hundredth layer, the 'Eye of Annihilation,' one of the Abyss's most ancient monarchs. It was originally sleeping, but the Tree of Life's purification power awakened it. Though the seal remains stable, it is attempting to establish contact with the outside world."
"Contact? How?" Tang San asked. The monitoring divine official displayed images: in the void surrounding the Abyss Gate, countless tiny dark red cracks appeared, like the veins of an eye. Low voices transmitted from the cracks—any god who heard the whispers would experience illusions, even divine soul contamination. "It is summoning believers, or searching for a vessel." the God of Destruction said in a heavy voice, "If it succeeds in projecting even a sliver of will into the Divine Realm or lower realms, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"It must be stopped." the Goddess of Life said, "But the seal cannot be moved, or all previous efforts will be wasted." Tang Wulin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke: "Perhaps... we can make active contact." The gods were stunned. He slowly said: "The Eye of Annihilation's goal is to find a vessel, so let us give it a vessel—one controlled by us, seemingly suitable but actually dangerous. Then, reverse-track it, find its coordinates in the Abyss, and strike."
"Too risky." Tang San opposed, "Your current condition absolutely cannot participate." Tang Wulin shook his head: "Father, I don't mean to go personally. I mean... bait. Using my bloodline aura as the guide, create a false appearance. Though the Golden Dragon King bloodline is sealed, a trace of the aura remains. To 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 to lay the trap, perhaps we can heavily wound the Eye of Annihilation, at least interrupting its summoning."
The meeting fell into fierce debate. The plan's supporters thought it feasible; those opposing were worried about accidentally luring too deep. Finally, the God of Destruction decided: "The plan is feasible, but I must lead it. Tang Wulin only provides the bloodline aura, absolutely no actual contact. Qian Renxue, you are responsible for protecting him—once anything abnormal occurs, immediately sever the connection." Qian Renxue nodded heavily.
The plan was set. Three days later, at the Divine Realm's most remote "Void Cliff," the trap was fully arranged. Tang Wulin was placed in the center of layer upon layer of barriers, only needing to release a wisp of bloodline aura. The God of Destruction, the Goddess of Life, Tang San, and several first-level gods lay in ambush nearby, ready to attack at any moment. Qian Renxue held the Angelic Holy Sword, standing three steps before Tang Wulin, fully vigilant.
Tang Wulin closed his eyes and concentrated, guiding the sealed Golden Dragon King bloodline within him—though it couldn't be mobilized, the aura remained. An extremely faint yet incomparably pure golden aura overflowed from his fingertip, passing through the barriers and drifting toward the direction of the Abyss Gate. Almost the instant the aura leaked out, the dark red cracks in the void fluctuated violently, the low voices becoming urgent and excited. A vast will spread along the cracks, locking onto that wisp of aura, surging forth greedily.
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