"Among all of you, aside from Dong'er, everyone should have completed the trials bestowed by the Sea God, right?"
Currently in the Sea God Clan's hotel, Chen Junting sat on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over everyone's glabella one by one. Aside from the Golden Trident brand on Wang Dong'er's glabella still shining brightly, the black hexagram had disappeared from everyone else's foreheads.
It was as if the extra question he just asked was completely redundant.
"They're already gone."
Huo Yuhao was the first to speak, "We already asked Lord Sea God. As long as Dong'er smoothly passes the sixth trial, she can return to the continent with us."
"Is that so."
Chen Junting was not surprised by this news. Turning his gaze to Wang Dong'er, he asked, "When do you plan to undertake the seventh trial?"
"Tomorrow."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was instantly stunned. This included Huo Yuhao. Clearly, Wang Dong'er hadn't discussed this decision with them.
"Is there really a need to rush like this!?"
While Huo Yuhao chose to calm down and hear Wang Dong'er's thoughts, Wu Feng didn't hold back as much. Upon hearing what she felt was amiss, her mouth moved faster than her brain, blurting out her doubts first.
"It's not a matter of rushing or not."
Tucking back the strands of beautiful hair blowing across her lips, Wang Dong'er's expression appeared quite composed. "The content of my seventh trial is actually related to the Sea God's divine weapon. I can't undergo any specialized training for it. Since that's the case, I just need to adjust my condition to its peak and give it my all. So, whether it's early or late, it's the same."
Besides... if she were truly going to "die early," then she could also "be freed" early. There was no need to wait here and constantly endure the torment.
"I respect your decision."
Chen Junting made the final call, approving Wang Dong'er's strategy. After saying that, he didn't give the others a chance to speak, directly sighing with emotion that seemed both real and feigned, "In the blink of an eye, quite some time has passed. Now, having been apart for so long, you all truly make one look at you with new eyes."
Just look at them—
Title Douluo tier: Level 95 Gu Tianchen, Level 94 Huo Yuhao, Level 93 Ma Xiaotao, and Level 92 Ye Guyi.
Soul Douluo tier: Level 89 Wu Feng, Level 88 Ji Juechen, Level 87 Dugu Xin and Bei Bei, and the last two, Level 85 He Caitou and Level 83 Xiao Xiao.
Only Wang Dong'er remained at Level 79.
Just one step away from Level 80. Setting aside Wang Dong'er from this "special faction," Chen Junting was fully confident that after returning, he could raise the cultivation of the seven soul masters of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to Title Douluo. This included Xiao Xiao.
This kind of increase came without any side effects. As for whether raising their cultivation this way would result in inflated combat power... these seven, who had been honed by the Sea God's divine trials in the Sea God Clan for so many years, were just waiting for an opportunity to unleash their accumulated potential. The golden age of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was about to arrive!
Without showing any emotion, a glint flashed in the depths of Chen Junting's eyes. However, besides this so-called sect's golden age, what was more important wasn't this, but a much more long-term future. He would have to find a chance to have a good talk with them about this. No matter what, he had to give it his all to fight for it.
But for now...
"Everyone go and rest first, especially Dong'er." Chen Junting's tone was gentle. "Rest peacefully tonight."
Hmm?
Hearing this, the more quick-witted ones were taken aback. Rest peacefully? Did those words sound a bit off?
"Ah? Okay."
Wang Dong'er had a similar reaction. However, the word "peacefully" quickly gave her a corresponding guess.
Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao kept rubbing his fingers. Although he also guessed Brother Junting's meaning, he completely didn't understand why he would make such a "certain" judgment. It didn't conform to common sense, did it?
But no matter how he thought about it, he still bid farewell to everyone and left together with Wang Dong'er. The remaining few also dispersed, expressing that they would rest well tonight.
Only Chen Junting was left behind. It wasn't until a long while later, when there was truly no one around, that he took out Di Tian's reverse scale from his robes. As he stroked it, he recalled the inquiry he had made to Di Tian after he and Gu Tianchen returned.
At that time, he only had two questions:
First, where was the Emperor Auspicious Beast right now?
Second, how was the Emperor Auspicious Beast doing now?
Ultimately, the answer he got from Di Tian was that she was currently in closed-door cultivation within a secret space in the Lake of Life.
Upon hearing this, Chen Junting immediately understood. That should be the recuperation grounds where the Silver Dragon King resided. In that case, there was no need to worry about her safety. Unless the Emperor Auspicious Beast couldn't hold back and took the initiative to step out, her whereabouts would be impossible to observe. No matter who came!
If that was the case, only two questions remained.
No, to be precise, there should only be one.
This one question was asked when Chen Junting noticed that the difficulty of Wang Dong'er's Sea God Nine Trials wasn't high. But now, he had roughly figured out, or rather deduced, the general answer from the half of the factors he already knew.
That was, judging from this guy Tang San's behavior, he absolutely wouldn't bear to give up the Sea God's divine throne. But why did this guy still insist on lowering the difficulty of the divine trials, letting Wang Dong'er continuously pass, and not rushing to execute the original "Tang Wutong" plan?
Perhaps, the experience from ten thousand years ago—when he himself faced the choice between the Asura God and Sea God thrones, and when Ma Hongjun couldn't pass the Fire God's trial and instead inherited the Phoenix God's throne—gave him new ideas for a plan that had never been able to succeed.
This guy probably wanted to pull a bait-and-switch, making Tang Wutong's future achievements stronger, thereby turning a rather difficult middle-to-low tier card into an easier middle-to-high tier card. Even if it wasn't the latter, the former definitely had a seventy percent chance of being true.
However, this wasn't entirely the reason why he didn't make a move in the previous trials, or even in the seventh, or the eighth trial.
"So that's what you're thinking?"
"This possibility is the highest. However..." When Electrolux's questioning voice rang out in his Spiritual Sea, Chen Junting gave a probabilistic answer, but turned it around at the end.
"However what?"
"However, we've been ignoring the biggest point all along."
Hearing this, Electrolux immediately became interested. There was still an important point they had neglected?
"Oh? Which point?"
A glint flashed through Chen Junting's eyes. "From beginning to end, the premise we held was that Wang Dong'er would die. Although this conclusion is the true answer, it isn't what appears on the surface."
"Because in Tang San's eyes, none of us mortals know about his plan or Wang Dong'er's true identity. Therefore, if he wants Tang Wutong to reasonably appear in Huo Yuhao's world as 'Wang Dong'er with recovered memories' to put a leash on Yuhao, then Wang Dong'er absolutely cannot appear to die."
"I see!"
Pointed out by Chen Junting like this, Electrolux suddenly realized. Indeed, they had fallen into a misconception. At this step, how could Wang Dong'er "die"? She had to be separated from them by falling into a coma or entering a vegetative state. Only in this way could Tang San continue his scheme.
"How did you think of this, kid?"
Faced with Electrolux's inquiry, Chen Junting just curled his lips but didn't answer. Actually, he felt quite embarrassed in his heart.
If he hadn't noticed that something was wrong with the difficulty of the divine trials Tang San arranged, and then continuously flipped through the memories of his previous life, he wouldn't have noticed this extremely crucial point either.
After all, if Wang Dong'er really left in the form of death, who knows how much time would have passed by the time Tang San's "surgery" was completed. If Huo Yuhao managed to walk out of the grief of Wang Dong'er's death during this period, some other girl might take advantage of the vulnerability. At that time, what would become of the so-called Tang Wutong?
Or what if Huo Yuhao remained deeply devoted? Fine! Even if no other girl took advantage of the situation, once "Wang Dong'er" reappeared, how would they explain her so-called resurrection from the dead?
At that time, as long as they weren't fools, people would mutter in their hearts, and might even start making conspiracy theories. Even if they didn't, it would inevitably create a rift. In that case, could he still be leashed? Such a risk was unacceptable to Tang San.
The next day, in front of the Sea God Hall.
"Dong'er, be careful."
"Don't worry."
"Dong—"
The moment the doors of the Sea God Hall completely closed, Huo Yuhao's worried gaze lingered. It wasn't until Wu Feng patted his shoulder and said, "Even the sword jerk said nothing will happen," that Huo Yuhao withdrew his attention and snapped back to his senses.
"Brother Junting, just now you..."
"I just simply believe in her."
Although he said this verbally, the message conveyed through Electrolux's divine sense was far more than just these eight words. On the contrary, the content was massive. Chen Junting didn't hide his general deductions at all.
The instant he finished processing the information, Huo Yuhao's pupils almost instinctively shrank, but he quickly suppressed his emotions. He slowly raised his head and met Chen Junting face to face.
Right at this moment, Chen Junting happened to say, "Actually, in my opinion, only the final trial will be difficult for Dong'er."
Huo Yuhao: So that's how it is.
...
"So that's how it is!!!"
Rumble—
At this moment, the purple sky outside the Castle of Destruction had gradually been solidified by the constantly erupting will of destruction, shifting towards a purplish-black and then pure black. Moreover, bolts of lightning constantly struck down, carrying a towering fury sufficient to extinguish any sign of life!
"Sea God! Tang San! You are simply unworthy of being a father!"
Under the shroud and concealment of divine power, the God of Destruction lacked his usual solemnity and calmness. His heaving chest, scarlet eyes, and the endless divine power of destruction around him caused the very molecules in the air around him to annihilate and turn into nothingness.
All of this indicated that the God of Destruction's mood was terrible right now, even…
—'I really want to kill a god right now!'
Even the gentle Goddess of Life, standing beside him, had no intention of dissuading him. She didn't even emit her divine power of life to soothe the God of Destruction as she usually did. This was because her mood was just as terrible right now.
Clearly, the Goddess of Life had recounted everything the God of Emotions had told her to the God of Destruction once again. This naturally included her divination result for Xiao Qi.
Great misfortune!
This meant that even if she didn't die, it definitely wouldn't be anything good.
Everyone knew that the place Xiao Qi went down to experience was the Douluo plane, and the Douluo plane had always been under the Sea God's observation. Furthermore, Xiao Qi definitely had the Sea God's divine sense on her.
When a daughter could encounter a great misfortune right under the nose of a father who completely had the ability to interfere and could rescue her at any time, there was only one possibility. That was—
The great misfortune was caused by Tang San himself!
In that case, did they still need to judge the authenticity of what the God of Emotions had said? Presumably, it was exactly the situation he described.
"The Sea God is so ruthless."
"No!" The Goddess of Life's words had just left her mouth when the God of Destruction waved his sleeve to interrupt her. "When a guy acts so unscrupulously for his own selfish desires, does he still deserve to be called a deity!?"
The God of Destruction forcefully suppressed his anger, a cold smile curling his lips. "Heh, by sacrificing his own daughter and constantly managing his image, he expands his own power in the God Realm. And what about me? I'm serious, stubborn, cold... all these unlikable images. Plus, that guy Tang San holds the great righteousness (the authority of the God Realm's center) in his hands. As one wanes and the other waxes, by the time I completely lose my power, and even you and I fall into slumber or die, the God Realm will become his Tang San's family domain, won't it?!"
Having lived for so many years, experienced so much, and been one of those in power for so long, the God of Destruction naturally wasn't a fool. With a little prodding from Rong Nianbing, he immediately "understood".
"Little Purple."
Beside him, even though the Goddess of Life was equally displeased with Tang San, she still stopped the God of Destruction from continuing his rant. After all, the latter part was indeed a bit outrageous; a single family ruling the God Realm was still impossible.
At this, although the God of Destruction looked dismissive, he ultimately acquiesced. Just as the Goddess of Life had said, that final situation was still impossible. His words just now were merely spoken without thinking in a fit of anger.
However... Originally, it was just a clash of ideals between him and Tang San. Now it seemed that their entire worldviews were incompatible! Because of this, he, in his anger just now, had speculated about Tang San with the most malicious attitude, and even now, he still held a bit of that. He even went on to talk about the Douluo plane as he spoke.
"...In my opinion, Tang San cares so much about the Douluo plane that he might have already set his sights on the plane itself. Perhaps, this guy is thinking of ways to turn the Douluo plane's Plane Master and Life Core into his own."
"I really don't know how Goodness and Evil chose him to wield the authority of the God Realm's center back then?! Those two completely irresponsible bastards!"
For a moment, Tang San's despicable actions made him so angry that he even dragged his two old companions into it. But right after scolding them, the God of Destruction couldn't help but fall into deep thought. As for what he was thinking... Compared to the God Realm becoming a single family's domain, wasn't what he had just said more likely? Would that guy actually do that?
Hmm—
Perhaps he had to find a way to investigate this.
As for why he didn't take a radical approach...
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