I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 50 latest and advanced chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Free Members will get 10 Chapters Ahead of the schedule on Patreon!!!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
...Gu Yuena slowly opened her eyes.
The moment her consciousness returned, the first thing she felt was an unprecedented... weakness.
It wasn't the weakness that follows an injury, but a sense of frailty originating from her very Life Origin, as if all her strength had been drained away.
The Silver Dragon King divine force within her, vast as the sea, and the Law of Creation belonging to half of the Dragon God that she was born with... had all disappeared.
Subconsciously, she peered into her own body and found that the mark at the core of her divine soul, which had once radiated a nine-colored halo and contained the massive energy of the heart of the dragon god, had also vanished without a trace.
In its place was a gentle yet resilient Life energy, like the purest spring water, nourishing her damaged divine soul and body, sustaining her vitality.
She sat up somewhat dazed and found herself outside that shattered God Forbidden Land, her body enveloped in a soft green light shield that radiated the aura of the Goddess of Life, nourishing her weak divine soul and body.
"You're awake."
A gentle voice sounded. Gu Yuena turned her head to see the Goddess of Life standing not far away, her body radiating a soft green halo as she looked at her with concern.
"Goddess of Life..." Gu Yuena's voice was a bit raspy as she asked urgently, "Where is Xuan Ming? How is he?"
The Goddess of Life walked gently to Gu Yuena's side and said softly, "Don't worry, he is fine. Or rather... he is undergoing an unprecedented transformation."
As she spoke, she pointed toward the distant sky.
Gu Yuena looked in the direction the Goddess of Life was pointing and saw a scene that shook her heart and soul.
The originally violent energy storm of the God Forbidden Land had subsided, and the shattered Void Realm was smoothed and stabilized by a gentle yet powerful force.
And in the center of that space, the most eye-catching thing was a massive... Nine-Colored Dragon Cocoon floating in mid-air!
The dragon cocoon was nearly a hundred meters tall, its entire form radiating a soft and vast nine-colored divine light. As the light flowed, it seemed to contain the ultimate truths of the Universe's birth and destruction.
The surface of the dragon cocoon was covered in profound and complex Law patterns, with faint dragon shadows circling it.
It floated there quietly, without a single shred of energy leaking out, nor any signs of violence or loss of control—only a heart-palpitating sense of majesty and power, restrained to the extreme!
"That is..." Gu Yuena's pupils constricted slightly. She already had a guess in her heart, but she still found it hard to believe.
"That is Xuan Ming," the Goddess of Life's voice carried a hint of wonder and complexity. "He is undergoing Fusion with the complete Dragon God Bloodline and heart of the dragon god."
She pointed to the massive Nine-Colored Dragon Cocoon. "During the time you were unconscious, this dragon cocoon grew from its initial three or four meters to its current size. The entire process has been incredibly stable, with no energy wasted or running wild. His control over the Dragon God power has exceeded all our expectations. The Fusion... is very successful."
It was a success.
The power of the Dragon God was about to reappear in the world in a completely new and controllable form.
This should have been the outcome Gu Yuena dreamed of, the hope for the Dragon Clan's revival.
However, hearing this news and seeing that Nine-Colored Dragon Cocoon radiating supreme majesty, there wasn't a hint of joy in Gu Yuena's heart. Instead, an indescribable bitterness and heaviness welled up.
She knew Xuan Ming was very tired.
She had always known.
Breaking free from a human trafficker's shackles, surviving Dugu Bo's testing, maneuvering around Spirit Hall, gambling against the God Realm, bearing the sins of millions of lost souls, condensing a unique godhead, and finally fighting for his Life against the Golden Dragon King in this God Forbidden Land... every step he took was soaked in blood and sweat, burdened by a pressure unimaginable to ordinary people.
What he yearned for was never supreme power, but... an end, peace, and that brief moment of respite after laying down all responsibilities.
He had finally made it this far with great difficulty. Having killed the Golden Dragon King and fulfilled his promise to the Ice Fire Dragon King, only one last step remained. He was just one step away from the peace he craved after shedding all his burdens.
When they stepped into the God Forbidden Land to face the crazed Golden Dragon King, she had suggested for the first time that Xuan Ming devour her, hoping he would live and be safe. She would rather disappear herself than see him fall.
Xuan Ming refused. Relying on his own strength, he miraculously killed the Golden Dragon King.
At that moment, she felt proud of him and a sense of relief that he could finally touch the finish line he desired. He was safe, and only one step away from the peace he wanted.
So, when the five God Kings proposed that Xuan Ming fuse with the Dragon God's power, and when she briefly woke up and sensed Xuan Ming's hesitation and exhaustion, she would rather have taken that one-in-ten chance of survival herself. She didn't want to force the title of 'Dragon God,' which symbolized endless responsibility and trouble, upon him again.
She didn't want to become the final shackle on his run toward freedom.
But... Gu Yuena closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
In the end, this Dragon God power representing endless responsibility and trouble, which she tried so hard to avoid and a burden she would rather have her Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering than place on him, still... fell upon his shoulders.
Because of her.
Because she wasn't strong enough, because she couldn't bear that power, because she... became his weakness.
Looking at the steadily functioning Nine-Colored Dragon Cocoon and feeling the familiar yet strange aura within—which belonged to Xuan Ming but was even more vast—there was no joy in Gu Yuena's heart for the impending revival of the Dragon Clan, only an endless heartache and complex, indescribable emotions for the figure who was always walking forward while carrying such a heavy load.
In the end, he still gave up the finish line within his reach for her sake.
The Goddess of Life looked at the complex and indescribable emotions in Gu Yuena's eyes and sighed softly, saying nothing more.
Some responsibilities, once shouldered, are difficult to lay down again.
Some paths, once stepped upon, have no turning back.
Xuan Ming's choice was for the sake of protection. And the price of this protection might be the very freedom he once craved most... Douluo Continent, Spirit City, deep within the Asura Abyss Secret Realm.
The flow of time here was completely different from the God Realm. While only a few days had passed in the God Realm, several years had already gone by in the Mortal Realm.
In the deepest part of the Secret Realm, upon an altar constructed from grim white bones and dark red killing intent, a figure slowly opened her eyes.
She wore a magnificent dark red divine robe with black trim; her posture was graceful yet radiated a heart-palpitating aura of slaughter.
Her face was peerlessly beautiful but cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice. In her deep eyes, the left eye was crimson as blood, containing the ultimate killing intent of Asura's judgment, while the right eye was dark as an abyss, hiding the mysterious and sinister allure of Rakshasa.
It was indeed Bibi Dong.
At this moment, the aura around her had undergone an earth-shaking change.
The vast and boundless Asura God Power and the cold, treacherous Rakshasa Divine Power, like Yin and Yang poles, had reached a strange balance and coexistence within her body.
A Divine Might that transcended the Mortal Realm naturally spread out, causing the entire Asura Abyss Secret Realm to submit.
Dual god coexistence!
She had succeeded. After enduring unimaginable hardships and trials of will, she had finally fully inherited the asura god position and, with the help of her own powerful will and the remnant soul of the Nine-tailed Sky Fox, brought the power of the Rakshasa God position under her control.
A blurry blood-colored phantom condensed before her; it was the Asura God, who was about to step down. He looked at Bibi Dong, whose temperament had greatly changed, and a flash of satisfaction crossed his blood-red eyes.
"Very good. The asura god position governs the judgment and order of the God Realm and is the head of the God Realm's Law Enforcement Gods. You are now qualified." The Asura God's voice was still cold but carried a hint of relief. "Once you undergo Ascension to the God Realm, you must assume your duties immediately."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming solemn. "The God Realm has been peaceful for too long, and deep-seated problems have accumulated. Ancient grudges, conflicts left over between the Divinities and the former beast gods, and the stagnation of internal rules... change is coming. As the Asura God, you will bear a great responsibility in the coming turbulence."
Bibi Dong's expression remained calm. She didn't show much emotional fluctuation regarding the Asura God's instructions. She had her own measure of what should and shouldn't be done. What she cared about more was another matter.
"Xuan Ming... how is he now?"
The Asura God's blood-red eyes flickered as he replied, "His condition is very good—one might even say... better than ever before."
He looked toward the Secret Realm's Void Realm, as if he could pierce through layers of barriers to see the massive Nine-Colored Dragon Cocoon in the God Forbidden Land.
"He is fusing his complete power. Once he emerges from the cocoon, his Realm will reach directly to the Supreme God King." The Asura God's tone carried a rare hint of complexity. "In fact, with the potential of his unique godhead, in the future... he might even surpass the former Dragon God."
Hearing this, a light flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes, but she then frowned slightly.
The Asura God seemed to see through her thoughts and continued, "However, given his personality, even if he possesses supreme power, he likely won't be bothered to manage the tedious affairs of the God Realm. By then, eighty percent of the burden of maintaining order and driving change in the God Realm will still fall on your shoulders."
His gaze swept over Bibi Dong, carrying the ease of someone about to step down, or rather, the frankness of passing the buck. "The Fusion and collision of new and old orders always require a strong hand to guide and adjudicate. Just like the Spirit Empire in this Mortal Realm, only by breaking and then rebuilding can there be rebirth."
"This seat's God Position has been passed on, and I am about to depart. These subsequent troubles..."
The Asura God's figure began to slowly dissipate, his final words carrying a faint hint of teasing.
"...I leave to you all."