Chapter 396: The Battle of the Gods (Part 4)
Yang Potian clashed violently with the Silver Dragon King in the sky, their battle shaking the heavens and earth. The ferocity of their power far surpassed that of Qian Renxue, Bibi Dong, and others. Yang Potian's blood-red Soul-Piercing Spear exuded a murderous aura so intense it seemed to chill even those hundreds of miles away. Meanwhile, the Silver Dragon King's Dragon Spear shimmered with elemental brilliance, radiating the essence of the world's natural forces.
Below them, Bibi Dong ignored the celestial battle. Her focus was on Tang San, who lay severely injured in a crater. His divine body was gravely damaged, and his breath was faint—his wounds rendered him incapable of recovering anytime soon.
Clutching her Rakshasa Scythe, Bibi Dong's eyes glinted with cold resolve as she prepared to finish Tang San off.
Qian Renxue suddenly spoke. "Bibi Dong, what do you think you're doing? Tang San is already in this state, and now you want to strike him down while he's defenseless?"
Bibi Dong turned to her, disappointment flickering across her face before she replied calmly, "Xue'er, has Yang Potian never taught you how to handle situations like this? When dealing with a traitor to humanity, there's no such thing as taking advantage of the weak—only the need to root out evil completely."
Qian Renxue's face darkened, recalling Yang Potian's stern words from before. In his eyes, her greatest flaw had always been her pride and arrogance.
Surveying the ruined battlefield, Qian Renxue saw the devastation wrought on Spirit Empire's once-mighty capital. Entire sections of the city wall had collapsed, corpses were piled high, and rivers of blood flowed everywhere. The scene was a hellish nightmare.
The cause of it all was clear: Tang San.
From his actions to the Silver Dragon King's intervention, it was evident that Tang San had instigated this war, using the chaos to absorb destructive and evil energy. His aim had been to gain immense power through the massacre, even at the cost of countless lives, culminating in his ascension to godhood.
Although Tang San had achieved his goal, his newfound strength far surpassed her own, his body saturated with sinister black energy that even the Angelic Divine Light could hardly counteract.
Yang Potian's words echoed in her mind: What kind of Angel God are you?
Her gaze turned to the battlefield strewn with the corpses of over 20,000 Spirit Masters, tens of thousands of soldiers, and even several Titled Douluo. These warriors had fought to the death for their belief in Spirit Empire, their faith in the Angel lineage. Even her grandfather had bled on this battlefield.
Back then, Yang Potian had told her that the essence of being an Angel God wasn't strength, but responsibility—the duty to protect the world and eradicate evil.
Qian Renxue's heart filled with self-reproach, and she almost slapped herself in frustration. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to step forward.
"Let me do it," she said, her voice cold but resolute. "As a sinner of the Angel Clan, I will personally put an end to this."
Hearing these words, Bibi Dong paused, the disappointment on her face melting into a faint trace of approval.
Qian Renxue gripped the Angel Sword, descending swiftly toward Tang San, her blade ready to deliver the final blow.
Nearby, Di Tian roared in desperation. Transforming into a colossal black dragon, over a thousand meters long, he charged forward to save Tang San.
Bibi Dong frowned and shouted, "Annoying worm! How dare you act so insolently before a god!"
Swinging her Rakshasa Scythe, a blinding arc of light flew out, forcing even Di Tian—despite his Extreme Douluo-level strength—to retreat.
Just as Qian Renxue's blade was about to strike Tang San, a shadowy figure appeared in the sky. The figure was cloaked in black, towering and imposing, exuding an aura far stronger than Tang San's.
A cold, emotionless voice rang out. "Halt. I am the Evil God King. Tang San is under my protection. Will you allow me to take him away?"
Qian Renxue glared at the figure, her voice filled with fury. "So, you're the Evil God King? If Tang San has acted under your guidance, then you must know the damage he's caused. Look at this hellscape! Do you understand the pain and suffering you've inflicted on humanity?"
The Evil God King hesitated. As ruler of the Divine Realm for tens of thousands of years, he had never been chastised so openly—let alone by a newly ascended goddess. Though his face remained impassive, he felt a flicker of embarrassment.
After a pause, he replied, "I've only just learned of these events. As a god of the Divine Realm, I will take Tang San back and ensure he is severely punished."
Qian Renxue scoffed. "Severely punished? And how will you punish him for the deaths of tens of thousands of Spirit Empire's warriors? What punishment will satisfy the victims' families or restore faith in justice?"
The Evil God King, unaccustomed to such direct questioning, turned to Yang Potian. "Yang Potian, as the new Asura God and enforcer of the Divine Realm, how do you propose we handle this matter?"
Yang Potian and the Silver Dragon King had paused their fight but remained wary of each other. Standing in the Silver Dragon King's path, Yang Potian prevented her from reaching Tang San.
Hearing the Evil God King's question, Yang Potian replied coldly, "The law is simple: a life for a life. Tang San, as the instigator of this catastrophe, must pay for his crimes with his own."
The Evil God King's expression darkened. "Gods are not beholden to mortals. You cannot demand a god pay with his life for mortal casualties. That is against Divine Realm laws."
Yang Potian sneered. "Pardon me, but as the new Asura God and enforcer of Douluo Star, I determine the rules here. Once I ascend to the Divine Realm, we can discuss your laws. For now, my word is law."
The Evil God King's anger surged. "Are you defying the Divine Realm's authority?"
Yang Potian shook his head. "You said it yourself—these are the laws of the Divine Realm. This is Douluo Star. Your rules hold no sway here. If you have grievances, bring them to me when I arrive in the Divine Realm."
Enraged, the Evil God King prepared to retort, but Yang Potian had already sheathed his Soul-Piercing Spear and drawn the Asura God Sword. The radiant, two-meter-long blade shone with a divine golden brilliance that astonished everyone present.
The Evil God King and the Silver Dragon King both froze in shock.
"This... this is the power of creation!"
Yang Potian ignored their astonishment, channeling divine energy into the sword. Its golden light bathed the war-torn ruins of Spirit Empire's capital. The piles of corpses began to dissolve, the lingering aura of death dissipating. In its place, lush greenery sprouted across the land, and the battlefield began to brim with life once more.
Under the influence of the life energy, Spirit Empire's capital, once a ruin of death and despair, became a lush haven of renewed vitality, as though immersed in an ocean of life itself.
Yang Potian's ascension to godhood had achieved the balance of the Five Elements. By merging his profound understanding of power with the ancient energy of the Life Tree and the aura of the Asura Sword, he fused them into a new, unparalleled force: the Power of Creation.
This primal energy, born from chaos, is one of the strongest forces in existence, surpassing even the Five Great God Kings. Its scope left even the well-informed Silver Dragon King stunned.
Though Yang Potian inherited the position of the Asura God, his power transcended that title. He could just as aptly be called the Sun God or the Creator. Just as the sun brings life to all things, mastery over the Power of Creation granted him the potential to birth a new world, making him a Creator in the truest sense.
The Evil God King and the Silver Dragon King watched in awe as the once-tainted battlefield was transformed. The rivers of blood, the mountains of corpses, and the vile aura of evil didn't simply vanish—they were transmuted into another form of energy. This transformation echoed the primordial cycle of the universe, something even the God Kings couldn't achieve.
Ignoring their astonished gazes, Yang Potian gave Qian Renxue a meaningful look, silently urging her to act and prevent future calamities.
Gripping the Angel Sword, Qian Renxue strode forward. The sword glowed with boundless light, carrying the hopes and faith of countless believers—a perfect counter to the evil energy of Tang San.
With a single, decisive strike, Qian Renxue severed Tang San's head. The black aura that clung to his divine body dissolved under the Angelic Light, erasing not only his physical form but also his divine spirit and godly bones. All that remained was the ownerless Clear Sky Hammer.
Though the hammer, Tang San's martial spirit, had been forged into a divine weapon with the Evil God King's power, even Qian Renxue couldn't destroy it. Under the influence of Angelic Power, however, the malefic energy within the hammer dissipated, revealing an illusory projection of Tang San. His screams of agony echoed briefly before the image vanished entirely.
Looking at the now-purified Clear Sky Hammer, Qian Renxue spoke coldly:
"Tang San, from today onward, the grudges between my Angel Clan and your Clear Sky Clan are resolved. From this moment, the Clear Sky Clan is no more. Only the light of the Angel Clan will shine upon this world."
Thus, the ancient feud between the Angel Clan and the Clear Sky Clan came to an end.
Far away, Qian Daoliu wept tears of joy. His granddaughter had succeeded. The century-long struggle between himself and Tang Chen had finally concluded. From now on, there would be no more towering twin peaks in the world of soul masters. The Clear Sky Clan and its legendary strength had been wiped from existence.
The Evil God King, seeing this turn of events, merely shook his head and faded into the void.
The Silver Dragon King remained silent. The Evil God King's intervention and Yang Potian's extraordinary power left her feeling as though her millennia-long schemes had been reduced to a cruel joke. What, then, was the future of her soul beast kin?
Yang Potian broke the silence, his voice cold:
"Silver Dragon King, Di Tian. The war is over, but this is only the beginning. You initiated this conflict, causing countless casualties among humans. Your soul beast race must now pay the price. Otherwise, today's events will not end here."
The Silver Dragon King's tone was equally frigid:
"What more do you want? My soul beast race has suffered grievous losses in this war. Over half of our 100,000-year soul beasts are dead, and even Tang San, the one I groomed, has fallen. Isn't that punishment enough?"
Yang Potian snorted. "Those are just the consequences of war, not your atonement. If you think a few words of regret will suffice, you're underestimating me."
Di Tian interjected angrily: "What nonsense is this? It was Spirit Empire's emperor who killed our Star Dou Forest's sacred beast. That was the true cause of this war! The fact that I'm not holding you accountable is already mercy. And now you expect us to pay a price?"
Bibi Dong was about to speak, but Yang Potian raised a hand to stop her.
"Let me make this clear," he said. "According to the rules of Douluo Continent, hunting soul beasts is part of the natural order. Bibi Dong killing your sacred beast only proves your failure to protect it. She exploited a weakness—that's all. No matter how you twist it, you started this war, and that's where the blame lies."
The Silver Dragon King's face darkened with anger. "Then what do you want? Even if your strength rivals mine, I can still destroy all of Douluo Star if I unleash my full power!"
Yang Potian sneered. "Still can't see the situation, can you? The gods of the Divine Realm have abandoned you. While they haven't acted against you yet, they certainly won't help you. Here and now, we have three gods, while you stand alone. Do you really think you can take on all three of us?"
The Silver Dragon King's rage flared. "Yang Potian, what are you after? My soul beast race will never yield to threats. If we must go down, we'll take humanity's soul masters with us!"
Yang Potian chuckled. "No need to worry about that. Even without your Star Dou Forest, the soul master world will survive. Humans can seek spirit rings from the seas or even cultivate soul beasts for that purpose. And let's not forget, the Star Dou Forest doesn't represent the entire soul beast race."
The Silver Dragon King fell silent, while Di Tian's expression grew even darker. Despite his attempts to rally the soul beast forests, none had heeded his call.
After a long pause, the Silver Dragon King asked, "What do you want? Are you truly set on a fight to the death?"
Yang Potian considered this briefly before responding.
"Two conditions: First, either you or Di Tian must remain in Spirit Empire to reflect on your actions. Second, the soul beast race must swear not to launch another beast tide for 10,000 years. Agree to these terms, and I'll allow the surviving soul beasts to return to the Star Dou Forest. Refuse, and not a single one will leave here alive."
Author's Note:
Finally, Tang San is dead. I deliberately had Qian Renxue deliver the final blow—a reflection on the regret I felt about the original ending.