Yang Xiong stared at the massive Thunder Qilin before him, his mind overwhelmed with shock. Even his soul felt as though it were being crushed under immense pressure.
The crimson Thunder Qilin's gaze was locked onto Yang Xiong, piercing through him as if it could see into the deepest recesses of his heart. Yang Xiong felt completely exposed, as though even his most hidden secrets had been laid bare.
Before Yang Xiong could react, a crimson bolt of lightning enveloped him in an instant. An overwhelming force surged around his body, pulling him forcefully toward the thunder pool.
Even with Yang Xiong's strength nearing godhood, he was powerless to resist. His entire body went limp, as if all his strength had been drained in that moment.
When Yang Xiong regained his senses, he found himself inside an enormous divine palace. At the center of the palace stood a massive throne, upon which lay a colossal Thunder Qilin. Surrounding the palace were streaks of blood-red lightning, and Lei Tian stood beside him.
To Yang Xiong's astonishment, the Thunder Qilin spoke: "Impressive. I never expected someone in this world to truly master the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning and make it here—especially you. It seems this world is indeed guided by fate."
Yang Xiong's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly bowed deeply: "Esteemed elder, I assure you I did not mean any disrespect. Please forgive me."
The Thunder Qilin ignored Yang Xiong's words, its gaze fixed instead on the Asura Demon Sword in his hand. A mocking smile appeared on its face: "The inheritor of the Asura God... It seems the Asura God has decent judgment if he wishes to pass his divine seat to you."
"From the divine power emanating from your body, you must have already passed the seventh trial of the Asura Nine Tests. You are but one step away from becoming the true inheritor of the Asura God."
Yang Xiong quickly asked: "Elder, are you acquainted with Lord Asura?"
The Thunder Qilin let out a cold snort: "Asura, the God of Order in the divine realm, one of the King Gods. But before me, he is nothing more than a junior."
"I care little for the Asura God. However, I am intrigued by you—you, who hail from beyond the heavens."
Yang Xiong's expression changed drastically. The fact that he came from Earth was a secret known to no one—not even the Asura God or the Sea God. This was his deepest, most guarded secret, yet it had just been revealed without hesitation.
The Thunder Qilin continued: "Do not be so surprised. Though the gods of this era may not know your petty schemes, I see everything clearly. In the world of Douluo, nothing escapes my notice."
Yang Xiong's eyes filled with confusion, but he refrained from further questioning. Clearly, this Thunder Qilin knew far more than he let on, including Yang Xiong's deepest secrets. Its strength was also beyond anything Yang Xiong could hope to match.
After all, the Thunder Qilin appeared to have originated as a soul beast, and soul beasts were inherently at odds with the divine realm. It was possible that this Thunder Qilin harbored ulterior motives, especially since Yang Xiong was destined to become the next Asura God—a position of immense power.
The Thunder Qilin seemed to sense Yang Xiong's thoughts. A flash of lightning enveloped its form, and the massive qilin transformed into a towering giant, dozens of meters tall, its body crackling with blood-red lightning. The aura of a Supreme God King radiated uncontested power.
"You are human. Perhaps in this form, you will find it easier to accept my presence."
Yang Xiong's expression turned grave: "Elder, I do not know how you uncovered my secrets—or perhaps you know all the secrets of Douluo itself—but surely you do not wish to draw the ire of the gods of the divine realm."
The Thunder Qilin chuckled: "A sharp mind indeed. The gods of the divine realm have always despised our kind, the soul beasts. But tell me, do you know who created the divine realm? It was the Dragon God. Without the Dragon God, without the soul beasts, the divine realm would have collapsed long ago."
"Moreover, though that great battle was brutal, the Dragon God's strength surpassed all others. If not for his reservations, the likes of the Asura God would never have emerged victorious."
Yang Xiong's expression shifted again. He hadn't expected this Thunder Qilin to be tied to those ancient secrets. That meant Yang Xiong himself was now entangled in them—and escaping wouldn't be easy.
The Thunder Qilin continued: "I always knew you would come, but I didn't expect you so soon—or that your strength would surpass my expectations."
Yang Xiong cautiously probed: "Elder, since you hail from the divine realm, might you reveal your identity? What god are you?"
The Thunder Qilin let out a terrifying roar that shook the entire palace. Yang Xiong sensed a trace of resentment and helplessness in the laughter. In the world of Douluo, even the rules themselves might not be able to restrain this Thunder Qilin.
"You hail from a world beyond the heavens, so you should understand my status among the beast races. When Douluo was born, three divine beasts descended: the Dragon God, the Phoenix God, and myself. After the Dragon God established the divine realm, the Phoenix God, unwilling to partake in worldly struggles, vanished without a trace."
"To maintain the stability of the world, I joined the creation of the divine realm at the Dragon God's invitation. I oversaw the realm's order, and mortals called me the Thunder God—the divine realm's enforcer."
Yang Xiong was once again stunned. The Thunder Qilin before him was the enforcer of the divine realm—just how powerful was he? And what connection did he have with the Asura God, one of the current three enforcers of the divine realm?
"Elder," Yang Xiong ventured, "from what I know, the divine realm has three enforcers. Was this also the case in the past?"
The Thunder Qilin sneered: "These are mere juniors. The concept of the three enforcers arose after the Dragon God's fall. His power of judgment was divided into three parts, hence the emergence of three enforcers."
"The Dragon God's demise served as a warning to the gods. Concentrating all judgment in one individual, having only one enforcer, would inevitably lead to internal strife. Thus, three enforcers were created, each independent yet balanced in strength to serve as checks on one another."
"As for the Asura God—he is merely the God of Slaughter, embodying pure killing intent. Without counterbalances, losing control was only a matter of time."
After hearing this, Yang Xiong felt a wave of confusion. The Thunder Qilin had said much, yet none of it seemed to get to the point. Why had he summoned Yang Xiong here?
After some thought, Yang Xiong finally asked: "Elder, since you seem to know everything about the world of Douluo, do you know if there are any other variables in this world besides me?"
The Thunder Qilin replied: "This world is the birthplace of the Dragon God and myself. Its rules are complete, and variables are nearly impossible. Over tens of thousands of years, you are the only anomaly to have arisen."
"Furthermore, your arrival here is partly due to me. In your world, you perished because of lightning—my lightning drew you to this world. Thus, when you survived the Heavenly Tribulation, it was a stroke of fortune for you."
Yang Xiong's expression shifted slightly. The Thunder Qilin certainly knew a great deal—even details about his life on Earth. However, it was clear that his knowledge wasn't comprehensive.
While the world of Douluo might exist independently, Yang Xiong was not the only outsider. At the very least, Tang San, the protagonist of the original story, hailed from a martial arts world.
What the Thunder Qilin had just said was likely half-truths—at best, he didn't fully understand this world.
Yang Xiong's eyes burned with determination: "Elder, why have you summoned me here? Humans and soul beasts are fundamentally different."
The Thunder Qilin said nothing further. A flash of lightning illuminated the space, and the scene before Yang Xiong began to shift rapidly.
A colossal dragon spanned the horizon, unleashing a terrifying roar that shook the entire world.
But the dragon appeared to have gone mad. Its massive breaths wreaked havoc like an apocalypse, causing the surrounding environment to wither and decay. The entire world suffered under its fury.
Countless towering figures attacked the dragon, but even their combined strength paled in comparison. Among them, several figures stood out—most notably one cloaked entirely in crimson, exuding an aura of slaughter. It was the Asura God.
At the same time, a terrifying Thunder Qilin appeared in the sky. Slightly smaller than the dragon, it clashed ferociously with the beast, unleashing devastating skills.
Ultimately, the Thunder Qilin's strength faltered. Enveloped in the dragon's seven-colored light, its body was pierced through, and blood-red lightning rained down from the heavens.
In its final moments, the Thunder Qilin retaliated with a surge of crimson lightning—a force akin to the order of the universe, imbued with extraordinary power. It struck the dragon squarely on its head.
The dragon let out a mournful cry, its massive body momentarily losing control.
At that moment, the sky turned blood-red. A crimson figure soared into the heavens, wielding a colossal crimson sword brimming with endless killing intent.
With every ounce of strength, the crimson giant delivered a single strike—one that split the heavens and earth, cleaving the dragon in two. The dragon instantly split into golden and silver forms.
The silver dragon plummeted from the sky, vanishing into the void.
Instantly, countless figures appeared, launching relentless attacks on the golden dragon. Green, blue, purple, black, and red energies converged into a massive seal, ultimately enveloping the golden dragon.
When Yang Xiong's vision returned to normal, he was drenched in cold sweat. The scene he had witnessed was utterly horrifying. Every shred of killing intent felt capable of piercing his soul—far beyond anything he could withstand.
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