Deep within the Thunder Gorge, beneath the blood-red lightning pool and within the unique space isolated from the Douluo world, Yang Xiong sat motionless after reopening his eyes. He resembled a withered tree, lifeless and still.
At this moment, Yang Xiong's body had undergone a tremendous transformation. All of his hair stood upright, turning golden, giving him an eerie appearance.
His martial soul also began to change. Originally a single entity martial soul, a mere crimson shadow, it was now enveloped in lightning. These blood-red lightning bolts seemed as if they were innate to him, blending seamlessly with his presence.
Through the perfect fusion of Heavenly Tribulation Lightning with his body, Yang Xiong had finally broken through to Level 99.
However, Yang Xiong's breakthrough was achieved through the repeated forging of his body by the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning. Under the relentless strikes of the crimson lightning, his body felt reborn.
Especially notable were his two soul cores—both the strength core and the five-element core. They spun rapidly, seemingly refined by the tribulation, growing larger in size and operating at a significantly faster pace.
After breaking through to Level 99, Yang Xiong felt as though his body had become an independent microcosm. His internal organs, imbued with the power of the five elements, formed a complete cycle.
Yang Xiong felt overwhelmingly powerful. With just a wave of his hand, he could shatter heaven and earth or alter the world's rules.
But for now, he remained seated, contemplating the changes in the Douluo world, understanding the laws of existence, and sensing the true power of the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning.
The Heavenly Tribulation Lightning possessed infinite destructive power, but after annihilating everything, it seemed to bring forth renewal. In a continuous cycle of destruction and rebirth, Yang Xiong's body had endured countless refinements and evolved repeatedly.
When Yang Xiong opened his eyes again, he noticed something unusual about this isolated space. His gaze locked intently onto the Thunder God's Hammer before him.
Now, the Thunder God's Hammer posed no pressure to Yang Xiong. It felt as though it could merge with him at any moment, as if it had always been an intrinsic part of him.
Yang Xiong slowly stepped forward, his right hand reaching out to grasp the handle of the Thunder God's Hammer.
Instantly, the blood-red lightning surrounding the Thunder God's Hammer filled the entire space, emitting a deafening roar while exuding excitement.
Without much effort, Yang Xiong lifted the Thunder God's Hammer. The space's lightning surged into his body, making him resemble a thunder deity descending upon the mortal realm.
Meanwhile, the enormous skeleton of the Thunder Kirin seemed to come alive, moving slowly as if stirred by some unseen force.
The Thunder Kirin's skeleton stood upright, its eyes brimming with lightning, and it emitted a voice:
"Yang Xiong, you haven't disappointed me. I didn't expect you to master the Thunder God's Hammer so quickly. It seems you truly are the chosen one—you are worthy of becoming my successor."
Yang Xiong replied: "Thank you, Senior Thunder Kirin. Your junior is deeply grateful."
The colossal Thunder Kirin laughed: "You don't need to thank me—it is I who should thank you. Next, I will pass on my divine seat to you. You will become the next Thunder God and the Asura God. You will be the true enforcer of the God Realm, and in time, you may even rule the entire God Realm."
Yang Xiong's expression shifted slightly at these words.
"Senior, aren't both the Thunder God and the Asura God maintainers of order in the God Realm? Aren't they enforcers of justice? Why does your description involve ruling?"
The Thunder Kirin let out a booming laugh: "Hahaha, you should know—the world operates on the principle of survival of the fittest. Back then, I was weaker than the Dragon God, which led to my defeat and the collapse of order. My race of soul beasts became prey to others."
"But things are different now. The Dragon God has fallen, and the so-called Five Great God Kings of the God Realm are mediocre at best."
"Your martial soul is unique, having undergone countless transformations. With your current strength, your physical body alone can rival that of a god. Once you inherit my divine seat, and if you also inherit the Asura God's seat, even Evil will be nothing but your defeated foe. At that point, won't the entire world naturally fall under your dominion?"
Yang Xiong's heart trembled, but he masked his emotions and calmly asked:
"Senior Thunder Kirin, may I ask—what kind of being was the Dragon God, and how powerful was he?"
The Thunder Kirin's face revealed a hint of displeasure: "Why are you interested in the Dragon God? He was my enemy, the enemy of the entire God Realm."
Yang Xiong shook his head: "I only admire the strong. Throughout history, whether on Douluo Star or in the God Realm, the Dragon God was the strongest, the founder of everything. Without him, there might not even be this world."
The Thunder Kirin snorted coldly: "The Dragon God indeed had strength, but his ideology was flawed. Besides, I was only slightly slower than him—if not for that, all his glory would have belonged to me."
Yang Xiong smiled: "If that's the case, I'm even more intrigued by the Dragon God—and by you, Senior. As you said, I will grow stronger in the future, but I need a clear goal."
The Thunder Kirin fell silent for a moment before speaking:
"The Dragon God was born in the Douluo world, the sovereign of soul beasts and the founder of the God Realm. In terms of strength, he was flawless, surpassing the current so-called Five Great God Kings by an entire level. Even with all my efforts, I couldn't reach his realm."
"Unfortunately, the Dragon God made a mistake—he forgot that those who are not of our kind cannot be trusted. He gave everyone freedom, absorbing countless strong individuals, many of whom weren't even part of the soul beast race."
"While this made the God Realm stronger, it also corrupted its purity. Even the Dragon God himself lost control, gradually descending into madness."
Yang Xiong seemed to recall something: "Senior, if the Dragon God was the strongest, why was he killed by the Five Great God Kings? Why did he fall, and why were the soul beasts restricted?"
The Thunder Kirin let out a terrifying roar: "What do you know? Haven't you already realized? This world operates on the principle of survival of the fittest. The false gods of the God Realm were even more selfish than the Dragon God. That's why they established the rule that soul beasts cannot ascend to godhood. No matter how hard soul beasts cultivate, they remain bound by the world's limitations."
"This is a heartless scheme. Because of this rule, no soul beasts will ever ascend to godhood, and their race will inevitably decline. After all, this world favors humans—they are its darlings, the ultimate form of evolution for all living beings."
"The Dragon God lost—not only himself but also the entire soul beast race."
Yang Xiong asked: "Senior, wasn't the Dragon God doing this for the soul beast race—for the entire world?"
The Thunder Kirin sneered: "If your own race is gone, if you yourself are dead, what meaning does this world hold?"
"With the Dragon God's strength back then, even if he descended into madness and faced countless restrictions, he could have destroyed the entire God Realm if he wished. But he lacked the heart to do so, resulting in his tragic end."
Yang Xiong's expression turned solemn: "If the Dragon God was so powerful, does he still have a chance to recover? Or a chance to rise again? I'd rather not face such an enemy in the future."
The Thunder Kirin replied: "What do you think the gods of the God Realm would do about the Dragon God? Would they let him regain control of the entire world? They are now the supreme rulers of the God Realm—would they willingly allow another to govern them?"
"Besides, although the Dragon God didn't perish back then, his fate was worse than death. He was split in half by the Asura God's sword, turning into two avatars. One was sealed and suppressed by the gods of the God Realm. Over time, it's likely that no force can break the seal, and he may even perish entirely."
"As for the other avatar, since it couldn't achieve perfection, its mind must also be incomplete. Sooner or later, it will be manipulated by the gods of the God Realm, leading the Dragon God to eternal ruin."
Yang Xiong shook his head helplessly: "Senior, you seem to harbor deep hatred for the Dragon God. Is there more to this story?"
The Thunder Kirin replied: "You're still too weak to know certain things. Just understand that once you inherit my divine seat and that of the Asura God, your methods will align with those of the gods in the God Realm. Only the Dragon God can truly threaten the position of the god kings and destroy the entire world."
At this moment, Yang Xiong was deeply shaken. He realized that the Thunder Kirin before him was not as impartial or omniscient as he appeared, and that he was deliberately withholding crucial information.
Had Yang Xiong not come from Earth and already known the greatest secret of the Douluo world, he might have fallen into the trap.
The Thunder Kirin continued:
"Yang Xiong, you've now reached Level 99, and your soul rings and soul bones are fully equipped. Next, I will pass on my legacy as the Thunder God to you. From then on, you won't need to endure or consider anyone else. Those you wish to kill will be easily slain."
Yang Xiong bowed slightly: "Thank you, Senior. I will not disappoint you."
The Thunder Kirin nodded. Then, the massive skeleton of the Thunder Kirin erupted with endless lightning, especially its blood-red eyes, which shot out a crimson bolt of thunder that swiftly enveloped Yang Xiong's entire body.
But before the Thunder Kirin could react further, Yang Xiong suddenly unsheathed the Asura Demon Sword. A murderous aura instantly engulfed the entire space, and the terrifying killing intent directly surrounded the colossal skeleton of the Thunder Kirin.
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