Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Tang San—"Douluo Second Round Clearance Plan, Activate!"
"I will defeat him in tomorrow's arena!"
Ma Xiaotao bit her silver teeth, her determination unwavering.
Even if she had to bet everything.
Xuan Zi leisurely took a sip from his gourd of wine, his face full of satisfaction.
"This is the personality of Shrek. Being afraid to cause trouble is the mark of mediocrity. I like this kid's arrogance."
Once the match was over and Xu Cheng was pushed to the brink by the Star Luo Empire, he would step in to save him!(The Star Luo Empire had already informed Shrek of their plan.)
And then...
Divine Realm
The atmosphere was unpredictable, carrying both beauty and awe-inspiring power.
The vast, primordial forces of heaven and earth converged here, churning endlessly. Even an ordinary person breathing in just a single wisp of this energy would extend their lifespan, for it was divine power itself.
Majestic palaces shimmered with brilliance.
This was the Divine Realm Committee, responsible for judging the gods, governing the Divine Realm, and maintaining its laws.
The main hall of the palace was octagonal in shape. None of its walls were adorned, yet each surface flickered with ever-changing images, like a projection system. Every light screen displayed countless different planets and dimensions, large and small.
At the center of the hall sat a round table, around which five individuals were seated.
Among them, a blue-haired man with an unhappy expression—Tang San.
Two others sat quietly in black and white robes.
Both had their hoods removed, revealing their true faces.
The young man in black robes was strikingly handsome, with short black hair and eyes that seemed to dance with an eerie, flickering fire. A wicked smile curled at his lips.
The woman in white robes was breathtakingly beautiful, with long crimson hair flowing down her back, symbolizing purity and innocence.
Across from them sat a tall figure, draped in a purple cloak, who had not revealed his true form even during this meeting. Beneath the hood, a deep and overwhelming aura of destruction slowly brewed.
Beside him sat a green-haired woman—the Goddess of Life.
"Sea God, many humans across the lower realms have recently reached the peak of their cultivation. They require divine positions to ascend to our Divine Realm. It is time to expand the Divine Realm once again…"
Destruction's lips curled into a smirk.
"Destruction, I will say it again—The laws of the Divine Realm were established long ago and cannot be easily changed. Expanding the Divine Realm would shake its very foundation. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are part of life's natural order. Even gods voluntarily relinquish their divine positions from time to time. The cycle of succession should occur naturally." Tang San frowned.
"Hmph! One position for one god, the number of divine seats is limited. I have been in power for so many years, and every god only begins selecting a successor after thousands or even tens of thousands of years. Besides, what are millennia in the Divine Realm compared to the human world? A mere blink of an eye!"
The God of Destruction snorted coldly.
"The rules of the Divine Realm cannot be changed." Tang San remained firm.
"Rules? Tang San, a few years ago, I might have believed your nonsense. But now... You interfere in the mortal world, you have absorbed the Douluo Star's plane consciousness, and you have been plotting within the Divine Realm for years. Are the Divine Realm's laws in your eyes nothing more than tools for punishing others? Quite the double standard you have there."
Destruction sneered.
"Not allowing newcomers to ascend... Could it be that you're afraid a new god might threaten your position as the Divine King?"
"You—!" Tang San was furious.
"I, Tang San, have dedicated myself tirelessly to the Divine Realm, working day and night, only to receive such accusations? Moreover, my interference in the lower realm was out of necessity! I never expected you to twist the truth like this! Hmph, if this is how things are, then I don't want to be the Divine King anymore!"
"Oh? Then why don't you pass on your dual god positions?" Destruction chuckled. "Or perhaps... you can't bear to part with them? I get the feeling you'd rather rename the Divine Realm the Tang Realm."
"..."
Tang San's face stiffened.
He let out a cold snort and turned his head away, but internally, his mind was racing.
"Why is Destruction suddenly thinking so clearly?!"
In the past, he was always single-minded—just a few words and he'd storm off angrily, while I could play the innocent victim. But now…
Now that Kindness and Evil have returned, my secrets have been exposed!
All my efforts are about to go to waste!
Every day, the gods keep a close eye on me. I can't even control my daughter easily anymore, let alone continue my other plans…
Even the Goddess of Life, who had always supported him, remained silent.
Although she was kind and easy to manipulate, she was by no means foolish.
From the fact that none of the other three gods spoke up after Destruction's proposal, it was clear how the tide had turned.
Even playing the victim wouldn't work this time.
"Let's vote," Destruction smiled. "All in favor of expanding the Divine Realm, raise your hand."
He raised his own hand.
Then, Kindness, Evil, and Life followed suit.
Evil spoke calmly:
"Sea God, the Divine Realm has never had a precedent for slaying a god. We will not take drastic measures against you just because you secretly interfered with the mortal realm. However, if you break the rules again, your actions will be exposed to the entire Divine Realm…"
Tang San lowered his head, his eyes flashing coldly.
This was unacceptable to him.
As the pure and noble Divine King, if his reputation were ruined, who would still stand by him?
The Elemental Gods were already starting to turn against him.
And if his wife learned that their daughter's soul had been torn apart, her memories sealed, and that she was suffering in the mortal world... it would be a disaster.
"Fine."
Tang San said coldly.
"Four to one, the motion passes!" Destruction grinned, then added, "But there's no rush. I will make the proper preparations before we begin."
Unlike the original timeline, where everyone opposed him and he had to act hastily, this time the circumstances were in his favor.
There was no need to hurry.
Besides, he wasn't foolish. Expanding the Divine Realm wasn't easy—there were too many uncertainties.
Just sealing the Golden Dragon King required special attention.
Bringing Kindness and Evil back had been part of that plan.
But Tang San's exposure was an unexpected bonus.
Outside the Sea God's Palace
Why was he against expanding the God Realm? As Destruction had pointed out, he feared that among the newly ascended gods, there might be prodigious talents who could threaten his position as a God-King.
According to his original plan, he would only begin expanding the God Realm once he had fully taken control of it.
But Destruction's move had completely shattered his plans.
"Now, using divine power to interfere with the Douluo Star is almost impossible. But the Son of the Douluo Star is a crucial piece in my millennia-long strategy. Once he becomes a god and inherits the position of the God of Emotions from Rong Nianbing, he'll be another obedient dog under my command. And Douluo Star itself… is anything but simple."
Tang San muttered to himself, then furrowed his brows.
"Da Ming and Er Ming, those two useless fools, can't even control Wu Tong properly. If I were to take action myself, hmph…"
As he spoke, a sudden realization struck him.
He might be unable to use divine power directly, but what if he split off a tiny wisp of his essence and sent it down to the lower realm?
If he used his own origin energy—essentially his power in its infant state, without any enhancements—such a minuscule force might even escape the notice of Evil and Kindness.
That's it!
The more Tang San thought about it, the more excited he became.
Ten thousand years ago, I rose to power on my own. Ten thousand years later, I can do it again!
Second Playthrough: Douluo Star Speedrun Plan, Initiate!