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As they approached the shoreline, Tang San had already recovered. His remarkable physical resilience left Luo Qiu in awe, and she remarked, "You don't need to worry too much about me. Even though the Throne of Eternity and Creation has left this plane, didn't you take six of the Eternal Stars?"
The Throne of Eternity and Creation could transform into thirteen Eternal Stars, each one serving as a gateway and key to the Eternal Domain. Possessing them and finding the right method would allow someone to enter.
From Luo Qiu's perspective, the Eternal Lord didn't seem to harbor any hatred toward Tang San, meaning He might allow Tang San to enter and undergo the necessary trials.
Whether it was to suppress Austin Griffin or reclaim the six Eternal Stars from Tang San, the Eternal Lord wouldn't just leave without taking action.
Tang San was slightly surprised but understood that, given the Moonlit Elf Clan's long presence within the Eternal Domain, it made sense for Luo Qiu, the Moonlit Queen, to know more about it.
"The Emperor of the Sun-Moon Empire has disappeared, and the Sun-Moon Army in Xiaohai City, as well as their forces back home, will probably descend into chaos, right?" Tang San shifted to more pressing matters. "When you return to Xiaohai City, how about working with us to stage an inside-outside attack?"
"How could I refuse?" Luo Qiu stretched lazily and rolled her eyes. Then, she corrected him, "You can reclaim Xiaohai City, sure, but the Sun-Moon Empire falling into disarray? That's not certain."
"Xu Huang's consorts were more than just me. His two empresses have twin daughters, and they're already six years old."
Tang San raised an eyebrow. "Two empresses? Twin daughters?"
"Uh-huh," Luo Qiu nodded, her chin slightly lifted. "And both of them are at Rank 98. They're two of the Sun-Moon Empire's four Rank 98 powerhouses, having reached that level only after training in the Eternal Domain under Xu Huang's guidance."
"Their martial souls? One represents the Sun, the other the Moon."
"They're also Xu Huang's cousins."
Cousins?
So, they were related by blood.
Tang San mused, "At least for now, we don't need to worry too much about the Douluo Continent… But tell me, Xu Huang's heart shattered—he shouldn't have survived, right?"
"If the Throne of Eternity and Creation had remained whole, he might've had a slim chance," Luo Qiu responded with certainty.
Tang San didn't say much but recalled the final blow he had dealt to Xu Huang. A thread of destructive power had pierced his heart, causing it to crumble. However, instead of dissipating, the destructive force seemed to have invaded Xu Huang's brain and concealed itself…
At that moment, Austin Griffin, sensing Tang San's growing wariness, spoke up. "I haven't forgotten our agreement. If I have a method to use, of course, I'll use it. Consider that guy a challenge I'm offering to you."
Tang San chuckled at Austin Griffin's sincerity. It implied that the being had begun to recognize and truly accept him.
"Hmph! Don't get ahead of yourself!" Austin Griffin growled, turning all seven of his heads away in a huff. "It's just a result of the oath I made to the Will of the Great Universe, which requires me to be upfront about it. Obviously, if you hadn't asked, I wouldn't have told you."
"Fine, fine," Tang San relented. "But I am curious—how are you going to use that thread of destructive power to revive Xu Huang? Destructive force doesn't have healing properties. I'd be impressed if it didn't turn his brain to mush."
"That's my secret," Austin Griffin replied, but the proud gleam in his many eyes said everything: Who says the God of Calamity can't use healing skills?
With so many heads, each with different attributes, Austin Griffin could easily play the part of a master healer! He just preferred and excelled at destruction.
After that, Austin Griffin disappeared, and his seven heads returned to their original will. They cheerfully trotted over to Tang San's spiritual form, nuzzling against him.
Tang San spent some time playing with Jiuhou, then returned to his physical body and instructed Luo Qiu to head back to Xiaohai City.
On his way to Haicheng, Tang San was joined by Xiao Wu, Guang Ling, Ning Rongrong, and Huo Wu, who had hurried over to meet him. After hearing the details of the battle, they were all shaken.
None of them had expected that even the God of Shura would descend in the end!
"Wait, how could a Creator God lose to the God of Shura?" Huo Wu asked, confused. "Was Xu Huang just that weak?"
"No, the Creator God had already died," Tang San explained. "What remained was only a fragment of His soul. Even with the help of a super divine weapon, that's no match for a God-King level powerhouse." He then outlined the hierarchy of gods to Xiao Wu and the others. "Gods are similar to soul masters in that their abilities have specializations, but their levels of power can be divided into Divine Officials, Third-Class Gods, Second-Class Gods, First-Class Gods, God-Kings, and finally, the Creator Gods."
In the aftermath of defeating Xu Huang, Tang San pondered over the future. With the six Eternal Stars now in his possession, he could sense the passage between the Douluo Star and the Divine Realm, allowing him to gather information about the Divine Realm.
"For us, Titled Douluo is not the end, nor is surpassing Rank 100," Tang San said, deep in thought. "We can't let our current achievements make us complacent. We must always stay vigilant. The universe is vast, mysterious, and full of unknowns. Only by constantly pushing forward and exploring the unknown can we truly control our own destiny."
The four women—Xiao Wu, Guang Ling, Ning Rongrong, and Huo Wu—nodded firmly.
Godhood, once a distant concept, now seemed like a matter of time. They understood that only by continuously improving themselves could they witness the broader world beyond.
When they returned to Hai cheng, Tang San informed Goron of Xu Huang's defeat but did not disclose whether Xu Huang was dead or alive. After all, Xu Huang would eventually return in some form, possibly as Austin Griffin's representative, to challenge him again...
---
In a dark and eerie space, filled with resentment and hatred, a sudden burst of divine light emerged. As the light dissipated, a pitch-black throne appeared, seated upon it was a figure whose heart had been pierced.
The throne's high back was ancient and majestic, exuding an aura of grandeur. Its surface was engraved with intricate patterns of stars, flowers, birds, and beasts, yet these carvings seemed chaotic, as if parts were missing, making them feel incomplete and unreal.
"Who dares trespass in the realm of the Lord of the Nether?" A formless black mist appeared before the Throne of Eternity and Creation. With divine-level awareness, it scanned the throne and its occupant, elated to find a super divine weapon and a body ripe for possession. "A divine weapon and a body... Perfect, I can finally have a real physical form!"
The gray-black mist transformed into a heart and entered the gaping wound in Xu Huang's chest. As soon as it connected with his blood vessels, a powerful destructive force erupted, instantly obliterating the will of the Nether Lord and fusing it with Xu Huang's soul. Despite this, Xu Huang's will remained dominant.
Austin Griffin's thread of destructive power had protected Xu Huang's soul, while the Nether Lord's consciousness was completely consumed by Xu Huang.
Sensing the change in Xu Huang, the Throne of Eternity and Creation immediately severed its already tenuous connection with him and fled to another dimension.
When Xu Huang opened his eyes again, they had turned pitch black. The negative emotions that the Throne of Eternity and Creation had suppressed were now unleashed. And being in the Nether Realm, dark energies like resentment, hatred, and evil forces converged upon his newly restored heart, rapidly increasing his strength until he reached the pinnacle of Rank 99—just one step away from Rank 100.
In simpler terms, he was now a quasi-god.
"I can't believe I'm still alive. Hahaha!" Xu Huang laughed maniacally, shaking the entire Nether space with his voice. "Long Haochen may have the Heart of Eternity, but I have the Heart of the Nether Lord... Even though I don't know why his will disappeared—"
"But now, I have the power to take revenge on Tang San!"
"No... I must be cautious. The Throne of Eternity and Creation has abandoned me, and Tang San can already unleash god-level powers. I can't afford to be careless. I must grow stronger without attracting the attention of the Divine Realm."
"This... is the world of Heavenly Jewel Change... I haven't read it, but Zhou Weiqing follows the path of a 'trash' protagonist. Given Tang San's abilities, he'd never let the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger escape, which means Zhou Weiqing will forever be a waste. But as the protagonist, he must have some innate fortune. I can use him, slowly corrupt his mind with the Nether Qi, and turn him into my avatar—"
"Yes, I'll be the wise elder and the mastermind behind it all!"
(End of chapter)