The unprecedented expression on Xiao Wu's face was like a knife, slowly cutting into Tang San's heart.
Tang San's heart tightened. He wanted to open his mouth to explain, but found that he couldn't say anything.
Because every word the God of Destruction said was the truth.
Those things he had done with his own hands were now being laid out piece by piece before the gods.
His gaze swept around, and what he saw were faces that were changing.
Those gazes that had once been filled with trust and respect for him were now replaced by shock, and some even averted their vision slightly when their eyes touched him, as if looking at him one more time would make them feel uncomfortable.
The image Tang San had painstakingly built over many years seemed to collapse in this single instant.
His gaze fell on the two God Kings of Goodness and Evil, who finally looked at him at this moment as well.
There was disbelief in the expressions of these two God Kings, but more than that was a kind of anger after being deceived.
Tang San had already guessed the reason why their attitude towards him had been so bizarre before; the God of Destruction had probably communicated with them in secret long ago.
This was the greatest crisis Tang San had faced since the divine war in the Douluo Continent back then.
He admonished himself that he must remain calm at this moment.
Facing the scene before him, which was almost universally condemned, Tang San did not rush to explain, nor did he bow his head or plead for mercy from anyone.
He refocused his gaze on the God of Destruction and asked in as calm a tone as possible: "The scene just now was clearly inside the Clear Sky Sect. God of Destruction, the successor you chose couldn't be someone from the Clear Sky Sect, could they?"
"I now have reason to suspect that you are simply settling a personal score and never truly prepared to pass down a Divine Position."
"I see that you just want to use the Disciple of the Clear Sky Sect to accomplish your meddling in the Lower Realm."
As Tang San's voice fell, the hall fell silent for another instant.
The gods' gazes shifted back and forth between the two God Kings, secretly speculating in their hearts whether there was still a twist to the matter.
The God of Destruction looked at Tang San, his gaze carrying an undisguised disdain, and said: "Do you think everyone is like you? Using any means to achieve your goals?"
"Today I announce here that I have chosen a successor, with all the gods as witnesses, and naturally I will not go back on my word."
Tang San pursued relentlessly: "Then how do you explain that you captured the images within the Clear Sky Sect?"
Hearing this, the God of Destruction smiled unhurriedly and retorted: "Who said only Disciples of the Clear Sky Sect can enter the Clear Sky Sect?"
Hearing this, Tang San was slightly stunned, his brows gradually furrowing.
The Clear Sky Sect of the Douluo Continent was now in seclusion and rarely seen by the world, making it difficult for outsiders to enter, let alone appear in the room where that scene had taken place.
However, his mind worked extremely fast. After a moment, a name flashed across his mind like lightning.
He suddenly raised his head, pointing his finger straight at the God of Destruction, and said with shock in his voice: "The successor you chose is Huo Yuhao?!"
The God of Destruction nodded with a calm expression: "That's right, it seems you aren't stupid after all."
After confirming this answer, the finger Tang San was pointing at the God of Destruction trembled slightly.
He blurted out almost instantly: "How could you choose him? He was the person I selected first!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had lost his composure.
But that sense of frustration from having his plan completely shattered made him unable to care about decency or lack thereof at this moment.
He felt that his match-up against the God of Destruction this time was a complete defeat; even the Child of Destiny whom he had long secretly deployed and meticulously selected had now stood on the side of the God of Destruction.
No wonder Huo Yuhao had deviated from the path he had designed for him earlier; in his view, all of this was manipulated in secret by the God of Destruction.
Tang San's gaze narrowed slightly, as if he were meeting the God of Destruction for the very first time.
He really hadn't expected the other party to hide so deeply. Previously, he had thought the God of Destruction was simple-minded and easy to deal with, but now it seemed this was likely all a false image created by the other party!
All his plans and layouts seemed to have turned into a joke at this very moment.
In the end, he had gained nothing, and might even lose much more.
The God of Destruction sneered: "Why can't I choose him? Is it not okay to fancy his Heart-Nature and talent?"
"As for you saying you selected him first, so what? You haven't passed down a Divine Position to him, have you?"
Tang San was speechless at this. He truly had no intention of passing down a Divine Position to Huo Yuhao.
To him, that young man was merely a chess piece carefully placed on the chessboard, a tool used to guide the trajectory of fate, rather than a successor to inherit his mantle.
The God of Destruction clearly had no intention of stopping there. He slightly raised his chin, his voice sinking a few degrees lower than before: "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. What you fancied was merely his identity as the plane's Child of Destiny."
"And you threw Wutong into the Lower Realm, did she really run down there by herself? Do you dare say there was no secret guidance from you in that?"
With every word he spoke, Tang San's expression grew a fraction uglier.
"You tore Wutong's Soul apart and sealed her memory, wasn't it just so she would come into contact with Huo Yuhao?"
"By then, this Child of Destiny of the plane would be your, Tang San's, son-in-law."
"At that time, however you wanted to manipulate him, you could manipulate him."
Tang San had not expected that his plan would be completely seen through by the God of Destruction. The calmness and composure he had maintained on his face for many years completely shattered at this moment, and his handsome face turned ferocious.
His originally azure-blue eyes now flashed with a layer of scarlet, as if some suppressed nature was irresistibly overflowing outward.
His breathing became much heavier, and he suddenly shouted: "Slander! I have never thought this way, nor have I ever done such a thing!"
However, the gods present were already aware of his previous actions, and his image in their hearts had long undergone a tremendous change.
His defense at this moment fell upon the ears of the crowd, no longer carrying the persuasiveness it once did.
Some exchanged glances in low voices, some gently shook their heads, and others silently watched all of this, their faces bearing a complex expression that was hard to tell whether it was disappointment or emotion.
Evidently, the gods no longer trusted Tang San.
Looking at those gazes around him, Tang San suddenly felt as if he were standing on a collapsing isolated island, everything beneath his feet shattering, sinking, and drifting away.
Looking at the Sea God before them who was no longer as gentle and refined as usual, the gods suddenly remembered that Tang San was not only the Sea God, but also simultaneously shouldered the Asura Divine Position.
At this moment, the layer of light-blue divine force on his body was gradually fading, replaced by a dull and fierce crimson aura, carrying a nearly tyrannical coercion.
That Asura divine force was overflowing out of control, staining the divine throne all around him with a layer of scarlet blood-color.
Watching the changes in Tang San's expression at this moment, the God of Destruction had already judged that the other party had no trump cards left to play.
He no longer entangled much with Tang San, but instead turned to look at the other God Kings around, his voice steady and solemn: "Sea God Tang San has repeatedly violated the regulations of the Divine Realm, meddled in the affairs of the Lower Realm, dispatched divine officials to lurk in the mortal world without authorization, tore apart his daughter's Soul, and concealed the truth."
"I propose stripping him of his status as a God Realm Enforcer and a member of the God Realm Committee, sealing his cultivation, and casting him into the Heavenly Prison of the Divine Realm."
With matters proceeding to this step, a formal trial could now be conducted against Tang San.
After the voice of the God of Destruction fell, the Goddess of Life on the side spoke first, her voice clear and firm: "I agree."
Subsequently, the two God Kings of Goodness and Evil also exchanged glances and said in unison: "We agree as well."
Of the five God Kings of the God Realm Committee, four had now passed this proposal.
This meant the trial result had been finalized, and Tang San had no room for maneuver left.
The God of Destruction cast his gaze back onto Tang San, looking at the surging Asura divine force on his body, narrowing his eyes slightly, and asking: "What? Does the Sea God want to rebel?"
----------------------------------------------
A/N:
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.