God Realm, Eternal Temple
"Brother Hao, I didn't expect you to have so many ways of tormenting people. You actually arranged seventy-two different ways of death for that little wretch." Tianmeng said in awe.
"These are just borrowed from the experience of my predecessors." Huo Yuhao replied.
"How do you feel about it now?" Tianmeng asked.
"At first it felt great, but over time, it just became boring." Huo Yuhao said.
Normally, anyone would have mentally collapsed after seventy-two deaths. But during the trials, Huo Yuhao gave Tang San a string of promises for the future — things like becoming a god, ascending to a higher Divine King, and appealing to Tang San's deep-rooted ambition. These were what sustained Tang San through the seventy-two trials of death.
Huo Yuhao casually opened the Divine Sight. In his vision, Tang San had already left the Slaughter City and was heading toward home.
"As expected, compared to physical torment, I prefer playing with the mind."
Having obtained the Killing God Domain and the Asura God Test, Tang San returned home in glory.
The first to sense his arrival was Tang Hao. He left the house and followed his own intuition into the nearby forest.
There, he saw Tang San, his face weathered with hardship.
"Little San, you're back. How did things go at the Slaughter City?" Tang Hao asked with concern.
"Very smoothly." Tang San's eyes turned red, steam spurted from his nostrils, his ape-like arms stretched wide, fists clenched, pounding his chest as he let out a savage baboon cry. Immediately, a scarlet domain spread out from him as the center.
"The Killing God Domain! But… what were those actions you just made?" Tang Hao was delighted, yet also deeply puzzled by Tang San's strange behavior.
Tang San replied: "Father, I don't know. Ever since I obtained the Killing God Domain, every time I want to activate it, I can't help but do those movements."
Tang Hao: "…"
"Alright, never mind that for now. Little San, what about your God Test? Did you obtain the Asura God Test?" Tang Hao asked the question weighing most on his heart.
Tang San didn't speak, but revealed the Asura God mark at the center of his brow. The moment the divine mark appeared, Tang Hao froze, then burst into wild laughter:
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Tang Hao vented years of pent-up frustration through his laughter.
Since his rebirth, he had suffered countless grievances. Ah Yin didn't love him, but instead loved Tang Xiao, even sacrificing herself to Tang Xiao.
His father, his sect had pressured him, leaving him no choice but to fight back — which led to him killing his father and harming his sectmates.
The Clear Sky Sect fell into decline, while the true culprit, Spirit Hall, walked away unscathed.
If not for one last hope, Tang Hao would have collapsed long ago. The only reason he endured was his greatest hope — Tang San!
As long as Tang San became a god, he could resurrect Ah Yin, and even remake her into Tang Hao's own image.
As long as Tang San became a god, he could resurrect his father and the sect disciples he had mistakenly killed, washing away his infamy.
As long as Tang San became a god, order would return to its rightful place. Tang San would be the Asura God, and together with Ah Yin they could produce a Sea God.
With brotherhood united, they could transform the Douluo Continent into the Tang Family Continent. Then Tang San, Tang Yin, and the future Tang Wubai, Tang Wule, Tang Wuheng, and later Tang Wulin would all rule the God Realm, turning it into the Tang Family's God Realm.
Meanwhile, he and Ah Yin would serve as the Lord of the Plane and Core of Life on Douluo Continent. The Tang Family's foundation would last for eternity, and Tang Hao would be remembered as a founding hero forever.
"Good! Good! Very good! Truly worthy of being my son!"
"Father," Tang San said, "where are Xiao Wu, Wuheng, Wule, and Wubai?"
"Oh, oh, I almost forgot. Come with me, let's head back together."
So, Tang Hao led Tang San back home.
On the other side, three children rushed to Xiao Wu's room, knocking on the door and shouting: "Mom, mom! They're back! They're back!"
Inside, within the Asura Sword's scabbard space, Xiao Wu and her male confidants were cultivating their martial souls. They were startled.
Xiao Wu told them: "That little wretch is back. Let's end here for today."
She tidied her disheveled clothes and hair inside the scabbard space before stepping out.
As soon as she emerged, she heard Tang Hao's rough voice outside: "Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu, come out quickly, Little San is back!"
Xiao Wu composed herself, then opened the door. Standing outside were the three little ones. Xiao Wu gazed at them with maternal affection.
Five years had passed, and they had grown into little children.
Tang Wubai had golden hair, distinct heterochromatic eyes, and fair skin — already showing the makings of a handsome man at his young age.
Tang Wuheng was equally handsome, though lacking the standout eyes of Wubai. Tang Wule, however, was far less good-looking. His prominent buckteeth extended from his upper lip past his lower lip, making him look like a rabbit.
"Mom, mom, our fake dad is back!" Tang Wule said.
"Mom, mom, I don't want a fake dad, I want our real dad!" Tang Wuheng said with resistance.
"Damn it! It's all because of that damn rat and that fake dad. Otherwise, you and Dad Mubai would have been together long ago." Tang Wubai said.
"Be good, children. You can say these things in front of me, but never in front of your fake father. To him, he is your father, understand?" Xiao Wu sternly instructed.
"Yes, mom. But… how should we face that fake dad when he comes back?" Tang Wuheng asked.
"Just like how I taught you to face your rat-grandfather before. You understand?" Xiao Wu said.
The three children nodded in unison: "Mm, mom, we understand. We just have to treat him like a grandfather on the surface, but in our hearts, we'll know he's just a dead rat, right?"
"Exactly. Good children."
From a young age, Xiao Wu had told them who their real father was. She even took them into the Asura Sword's scabbard space to meet Dai Mubai, Bu Le, and Yu Tianheng.
Their bloodline connection made them naturally accept who their true father was.
Naturally, children always wanted to see their parents together. But through Xiao Wu and her confidants' storytelling, they knew it was because of the rat and the fake dad Tang San that their parents couldn't openly be together.
Thus, the three little ones grew to deeply resent the rat and the so-called fake dad Tang San they had never met.
Of course, children weren't good enough actors to show hatred toward Tang Hao while acting affectionate at the same time.
To prevent their act from slipping, Xiao Wu used the Asura Sword's scabbard to interfere with Tang Hao's perception — which is why to this day, Tang Hao still believed his three beloved grandchildren were very close to him.
"Xiao Wu, Wu Heng, Wu Bai, Wu Le—Xiao San is back, come out quickly and see him."
Tang Hao brought Tang San into their warm little home.
At this time, Xiao Wu finally came out with the three little ones. Her face still carried a trace of lingering flush. Putting on an excited look, she said to Tang San:
"Ah-San giegie, you've come back!"
Tang San stared at Xiao Wu in a daze, nodded, and said:
"Yes, Xiao Wu-meimei, I've come back."
The moment he saw Xiao Wu, a voice of the divine trial echoed in his ear:
Congratulations, divine trial participant, you have found the sheath of the Asura God Sword. Please proceed with the next assessment!
Xiao Wu received the same message.
But both husband and wife tacitly avoided breaking the warm scene of family reunion.
Then Tang San turned to look at the three little ones beside Xiao Wu. The three children also stared at this "fake father."
In Wu Le, Wu Bai, and Wu Heng's eyes, Tang San looked bizarre—skin dark as coal, limbs oddly mismatched with long arms and short legs, like some wild gorilla.
Tang San, however, looked at them with tenderness. In his eyes, the three children seemed to gaze at him with admiration.
Five years had passed. Those swaddled infants were now half-grown boys.
Wu Bai's hair was a lovely golden yellow, with a pair of heterochromatic eyes. His pale and tender skin made Tang San suddenly recall the shadow of a certain familiar figure. Immediately, he forced the thought away—it was a dangerous signal.
Then there was Wu Heng, who was quite handsome. Wu Le, however, was a bit off—the protruding buck teeth really ruined his looks. Just because your mother is a rabbit, must you inherit her buck teeth? Tang San thought.
Still, since he was a boy, Tang San was lenient in his judgment.
Looking at his beloved wife Xiao Wu and his three children, Tang San felt that all the suffering of the past five years had been worth it. He must obtain the Asura God's position, carve out a great dominion for the Tang family, and protect his beloved wife and three precious sons.
Xiao Wu secretly tapped the children on their backs to remind them. After her prompting, the three reluctantly walked up to Tang San and said:
"(Fake) Daddy, you're back!"
"Yes, I'm back! Wu Heng, Wu Le, Wu Bai—it's been so long. Daddy has missed you terribly." Tang San said joyfully, hugging them one by one.
In the children's eyes, they were being grabbed up by a savage gorilla.
But in Tang Hao and Tang San's eyes, it was a warm and touching family moment.
That night, Tang San did not immediately begin the first trial of the Asura God. After all, he had endured five years of deprivation. Now that he was finally back with his beloved, the long-awaited days of "wife, children, warm hearth" had come. Of course, he wanted to enjoy himself first.
"Xiao Wu, five years have passed, and you've only grown more beautiful." Tang San said, intoxicated: "Why don't we make a few more children?"
"Make more? Can you even provide for them?" Xiao Wu asked.
"As long as you can give birth, I, Tang San, can raise them!" he pounded his chest.
Hah! I'm destined to be a God-King of the Divine Realm. Even if there were a hundred sons, I could still raise them all.
"What if I give you a whole battle team of spirit masters?" Xiao Wu teased.
"Then give birth! No problem at all! Give birth, and I'll raise them." Tang San thumped his chest again.
"All right then." Xiao Wu loosened her clothes, revealing her smooth white shoulders, and threw Tang San a flirtatious glance.
"Hehehe…" Tang San stripped off his clothes in haste.
Suddenly, a flash of red light—Xiao Wu vanished from the room, replaced by a giant lizard.
The lizard looked around at the familiar setting and felt an ominous dread. Turning its head, it saw that familiar dark-skinned, long-armed, short-legged gorilla. Terrified, it backed away quickly. This scene—it knew all too well.
"Hehehe, Xiao Wu, I'm coming."
A lewd grin crept across Tang San's dark face.
Inside the Asura God Sword-Sheath Space
Xiao Wu had summoned her "male best friends."
Ma Hongjun said impatiently:
"Xiao Wu, that little loser finally came back. That means… we…"
"Yes," Xiao Wu nodded, "from today on, we don't need protection anymore."
"Hey!" Feng Xiaotian turned to Yu Tianheng, Dai Mubai, and Bu Le, saying:
"This time, don't fight over Xiao Wu. You already have children. Now it's our turn."
Davis added:
"It's about time we sent that loser a child of our own."
Dai Mubai protested:
"Big brother, that child hasn't awakened his spirit yet. Who knows if it'll even be a White Tiger?"
Davis retorted:
"Isn't it obvious? Out of all the male friends here, only you have heterochromatic eyes. The evidence couldn't be clearer."
The male friends began bickering over who should give Xiao Wu another child for Tang San.
"Enough." Xiao Wu cut them off. "I've already said, everyone will get their chance. Time is precious, and Tang San isn't always at my side. So, Mubai-ge, Tianheng-ge, Bu Le-ge, for now you'll have to step aside."
"Fine," Dai Mubai sighed. "Since you put it that way, Xiao Wu, we'll withdraw."
And so Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, and Bu Le left the Sword-Sheath Space.
Then Xiao Wu and the remaining seven men engaged in a "joyful eight-person Martial Soul Fusion technique cultivation."
The Next Morning
Tang San woke up with his face glowing red. Xiao Wu, also glowing, had already prepared a delicious breakfast.
Tang San sat at the table, savoring the food his wife had prepared with care. Looking at Xiao Wu's blushing face across the table, he recalled last night's "intense battle"—the longest-lasting one of his life. Pride swelled in his chest.
He asked:
"Xiao Wu-meimei, how was your brother yesterday?"
Xiao Wu, her face scarlet as she ate, raised her thumb:
"Ah-San giegie, you were amazing!"
Pleased by her praise, Tang San straightened his back proudly.
After breakfast, a voice called from outside—Tang Hao's.
"Xiao San, come out a moment."
Tang San followed the voice and found his father squatting by a pond.
"Xiao San, your days back home are certainly… blissful," Tang Hao said with envy.
Seeing his son and daughter-in-law so happy, already with three sons, Tang Hao couldn't help but envy them. He too dreamed of being with Ah Yin in that way.
Back to the point, Tang Hao said, has the divine trial begun yet?