After these words, the crowd erupted in applause. Yu Xiaogang, seated in the highest seat, gazed with satisfaction at the eloquently spoken figure in front of him.
Although he hadn't fully secured the promise he'd sought, Xiao San now filled him with immense joy: Xiao San had finally grown up and understood how to repay his teacher's kindness.
After the Alliance Conference, our Gangzi had essentially gotten what he'd sought: Tang San's promise and his endorsement.
With the backing of this future god, our Gangzi would no longer be a figurehead leader of the Alliance, but a leader with real power.
This gave our Yu Xiaogang a slight sense of security deep down. After all, Xiao San, you care about your reputation. This was a promise you made in public. You wouldn't deny it when you become a god, right?
The only regret was that, after the Alliance Conference ended, he realized that Xiao San hadn't yet promised him a First-Level Godhood, which made Yu Xiaogang somewhat regretful.
Thus, he decided that the next chance he had, he would definitely have make him a promise. After all, of all promises, this was the most crucial.
As Tang San's teacher in the God Realm, how could he, Yu Xiaogang, be a commoner? He had to be at least a First-Level God, wielding divine authority.
Only then could he better utilize his wisdom and instruct Tang San on how to govern the God Realm in the future, preserving the kingdom and people of the God Realm for his beloved disciple.
With such a wise and intelligent teacher in the God Realm guiding Xiao San, who had already achieved godhood, he believed that Xiao San would be able to avoid many detours.
Finally, Tang San said, "I'll leave all Alliance matters to my master. I won't ask about the rest. The Alliance Conference will be held in six months. I'll be there with my beloved wife and son to perform the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. I hope that everyone can also be there to support my son's Spirit Awakening!"
Hearing Tang San's words, various factions expressed their gratitude:
"It's our honor to support the Spirit Awakening of the Son of God."
"We will definitely offer our blessings to the Son of God."
"Your Majesty, the future God, we will definitely come to support you."
After the meeting,
Tang Hao approached Tang San: "Xiao San, why did you come out and make those promises to Gangzi, and even endorse his rights in the Alliance? Do you know what you're doing? You, the future God, How could a God King like him allow a level 29 lung fog to poop and piss on his brain?"
Hearing his father's words, Tang San snorted coldly and said, "Dad, whether in the God Realm or on the Douluo Continent, have you ever tasted the taste of strength? Have you ever wielded supreme authority? Have you ever experienced the scenery from a high place?"
Hearing Tang San's words, Tang Hao was slightly stunned. He didn't understand Tang San's question, but he still replied, "Of course I have. Why are you asking such an obvious question?"
In his previous life, Tang Hao was the renowned ClearSky Douluo on the Douluo Continent. Gifted from a young age, he rose against all odds and was one of the Haotian Twins. Even after being wronged by the Spirit Hall's Qianxunji, he still left Qianxunji paralyzed. At the lowest point in his life, Xiao San rose against all odds, carrying him and the Tang family with her.
After arriving in the God Realm, although he only held a second-level godhood, he was the father of the God King, and everyone in the God Realm treated him with respect.
Later, he traveled to Douluo Continent and seized the will of the Douluo plane, ruling the fate of all beings there alongside Ah Yin. For thousands of years, he watched indifferently as countless people in the Abyss plane perished on the front lines resisting the Abyssal War. Between heaven and earth, all beings were pawns, and he was the chess master. The feeling of being wielded by the mighty power of heaven and earth was truly wonderful.
"I've experienced this myself, but Dad, do you know what the minds of ordinary people are like?" Tang San sneered.
"Why would I understand the minds of ants?" Tang Hao said disdainfully.
Tang San said, "Father, this is your shortcoming. Sometimes, as someone in power, you need to understand the thinking of both kings and ministers, as well as the minds of ordinary people."
"But," Tang Hao asked doubtfully, "what does this have to do with Gangzi?"
"Take a close look at Gangzi's life," Tang San asked.
Tang Hao said, "A life as a waste. Without Yu Yuanzhen to teach him cultivation, it's doubtful he could have become a spirit master on his own."
"Yes, his life is a joke. The starting point for geniuses is Gangzi's limit. But Gangzi's fault lies in his unwillingness to accept his fate." Tang San said sarcastically, "Whether it's cultivation, career, or love, Gangzi has failed miserably. That's why he'll stick this dog-skin plaster on me, no matter what, because I'm this waste's only hope!"
"So he seized on me because I didn't want to be slandered and used me to... "The master-disciple relationship forced me to make a promise to him in front of the world!" Tang San said, "So I did the opposite. I made him a promise, backing his power. With the endorsement of the future Shura God, Yu Xiaogang, the puppet leader, will become the real leader. After all, he's my teacher. Not giving him face would be not giving me, the Shura God, face!"
Finally, Tang San asked, "Dad, a man who has spent most of his life in a state of failure, suffering humiliation and oppression, must be harboring resentment. What will he do once he gains unbridled power?"
"He will. He will." Tang Hao seemed to have a thought.
"He must unleash the pent-up anger within him to calm himself. Once he seizes power, he'll abuse it without restraint and without concealment. What's the price of this?"
Tang Hao said, "This means the arrival of a tyrant, one who will bring resentment and outrage upon the world! But, Xiao San, won't this damage your reputation?"
Tang San sneered, "Don't worry. Any crimes Yu Xiaogang commits in the future will be his alone. I, God King Tang San, am merely the one deceived by his sweet talk. This continent is full of intelligent people. After the Spirit Hall's Spark Academy is destroyed, some will come forward to dissuade him and make suggestions to the people." I'll accuse Gangzi of evil, and then—"
Tang San said bitterly, "I'll be forced to do nothing but sacrifice my own family for the greater good and execute that evil Yu Xiaogang to give the world an explanation!"
"But if I do that, wouldn't the Alliance..."
"Is the Alliance important?" Tang San sneered. "The Alliance is just something we threw out to attract the Spirit Hall's attention. Even without the Alliance, as long as I achieve the Asura Godhood, that's the highest deity. The Spirit Hall's twin gods—in a word, I can control them."
Tang Hao nodded and smiled, "If that's the case, then let that clown continue to sit there and let him swell."
That night, Yu Xiaogang was cornered by the Tang father and son.
When he saw them and realized he was alone, Yu Xiaogang shrank back in fear.
He knew deep down that the Tang father and son would give him, their teacher, plenty of respect when they were around, but when they were alone, he was nothing more than a dog in their eyes.
The last time he angered them, Tang San had him castrated. The last time he angered them, one of his ears was cut off. This time, he'd angered them again. Which part of his body would be missing? An eye, a nose, or even a kidney?
The father and son slowly approached Yu Xiaogang, giving him a strong sense of oppression.
"No, no, I was wrong. I won't do it again next time. Please forgive me." Yu Xiaogang's pants were soaked with fear, and a foul smell emanated from his crotch. Last time, he'd peed, but this time, he'd defecated.
Tang San, suppressing the stench in the air and the disgust in his heart, clapped a hand on Yu Xiaogang and said earnestly, "Teacher, thank you. Today, you've made me understand your good intentions all along!"
Yu Xiaogang was stunned. Why had Tang San's attitude suddenly changed?
Tang San said with a constipated expression, "Teacher, Tang San apologizes for offending you before!"
"Ah, Xiaosan, could it be you?" Yu Xiaogang asked in surprise. Then, a possibility occurred to him. Could it be...
Could it be that his speech today had touched Xiaosan, making him understand his good intentions all along? The thought of this filled Yu Xiaogang with ecstasy.
Tang Hao patted the crew-haired man's shoulder and said, "Master, there were some misunderstandings in the past. I'm truly sorry for any offense. I hope you can forgive us, father and son."
"No, it's nothing. As long as you can understand, that's all. Xiao San once said, 'Once a teacher, always a father.' He's my child, so it's nothing!" Yu Xiaogang said quickly.
Tang San said, "Teacher, from now on, my father and I will focus on the Divine Exam. Teacher, I'll leave the Alliance affairs to you. Don't worry, when I return from my divine attainment, I will restore your talents and take you to the Divine Realm to enjoy eternal life."
"Oh, Xiao San, haven't you forgotten something?" Yu Xiaogang said hurriedly.
"Ah? What did I forget?" Tang San and Tang Hao exchanged bewildered looks.
Yu Xiaogang reminded him, "Xiao San, you promised me that after you became a Divine, you would arrange a First-Level Divine position for me."
Tang Hao and Tang San were both stunned. Tang San suddenly realized, "Oh, oh, I remember, Master. I almost forgot."
"You, Xiao San, what can I say to you? How could you forget such an important thing?" Yu Xiaogang said with dismay. If you forgot, wouldn't I miss out on a First-Level God position?
"I'm sorry, Master, but—" Tang San changed the subject. "How can a First-Level God be worthy of your position? You are my Master. When I return as a God, I will be the God King. I will fight for the position of God Emperor for you!" Tang San made a big promise to the Master.
"Ah, God Emperor?" Yu Xiaogang's short haircut froze.
"Master, you don't know. Above the God King in the God Realm is the God Emperor. Just like on our Douluo Continent, the God King is a prince, and above the God King is the Emperor. There are many kings throughout the Douluo Continent, but there are only two Emperors: the Star Luo Emperor and the Tiandou Emperor." Tang Hao explained on Tang San's behalf.
"God Emperor!" The crew cut man was stunned. He said tremblingly, "God Emperor, that's wonderful, Xiao San, you're so thoughtful. I'm very pleased!"
"Teacher, we're going back now. For the time being, I'll leave the Alliance's affairs to you," Xiao San said.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Yu Xiaogang said three "Okays" in a row. "Xiao San, go take the Divine Exam without worry. I'll be watching over the Alliance for you."
Tang Hao and Tang San exchanged glances, each seeing the disdain for Yu Xiaogang in the other's eyes. They then said goodbye to Yu Xiaogang and left. After confirming that Tang Hao and Tang San had left, the pent-up emotions within the crew-headed man finally erupted.
Yu Xiaogang thought of the countless humiliations he had endured since the age of six, and of the promise his beloved disciple, Tang San, would make upon his divine ascension, promising him the position of Divine Emperor. He imagined himself wielding divine power, manipulating the fate of all beings.
Joy, relief, pain, longing—a myriad of complex emotions erupted at that moment, finally overloading his walnut-sized brain, the rest of which was fat.
"Hey, my disciple promised me the position of Divine Emperor!" Yu Xiaogang's face suddenly grimaced, his eyes squinting, and drool began to drip from his lips.
He clapped his hands, then ran like a maniac, arms raised as he ran, dancing like a butterfly. As he ran, he somehow ended up at a sewer. Yu Xiaogang stared at it with cloudy eyes for a second, then happily leaped in and began to swim joyfully.
A moment later, someone shouted, "Oh no! The Alliance Leader has fallen into the sewer."
With the Alliance Leader in trouble, everyone gathered. Two people descended into the sewer and fished Yu Xiaogang out, still swimming butterfly strokes.
Yu Xiaogang flapped his hands and burped twice, as if he had eaten a lot. He muttered, "God Emperor, I'm going to become God Emperor."
"What's wrong with the Alliance Leader?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
A healing spirit master said, "The Alliance Leader has experienced such great joy that his spirit can't bear it. He's gone mad with joy."
"Then what should we do?" Dai Tianfeng asked. "Now someone needs to give him a slap. Then the leader will recover," said the healing spirit master.
Now, the question was who would slap the leader. So, a brave warrior stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."
He rolled up his sleeves and slapped Yu Xiaogang. Fearing he might hurt him, he slapped him gently, barely moving his short, flat head to the side.
Yu Xiaogang was still chuckling.
"Too gentle! A little harder."
"I'm afraid I'll hurt the leader," the man said.
So, a second time, with a little more force, he slapped Yu Xiaogang's face, leaving a slap mark. Yu Xiaogang still didn't wake up.
At this moment, Gu Rong stepped out, pulled the man away, and said, "Let me do it."
He stretched out his remaining hand, his standard crew cut, and with a powerful swipe, Yu Xiaogang's body was lifted into the air, spinning 360 degrees in a free fall.
"Cough, cough." Yu Xiaogang coughed, vomiting a strong, foul-smelling sruff. Finally, he regained consciousness.