These secrets felt so far away. Among Yu Xiaogang and his friends, only Bibi Dong had reached level 89 Soul Douluo. In the stories they knew, Titled Douluo were rare, and Soul Saints were like kings.
Yu Xiaogang noticed Bibi Dong and the others looking at him with eager eyes. He decided it was time to share his theories. With a smirk at Flender, he said, "Boss Flender, do you think reaching level 99 Extreme Douluo makes becoming a god easy? In ten thousand years of Douluo Continent history, only two people became gods by gathering faith to form their divinity: the Sea God and the Angel God. No one has ever become a god through the God Examination!"
Flender snapped back to reality, confused. "Xiaogang, how do you know this? What's this 'faith to become a god' and 'condensing divinity'? Why hasn't anyone become a god through the God Examination? That sounds like secret knowledge. Bibi Dong, as part of the Spirit Hall, do you know this?"
Bibi Dong had been listening closely, but Flender's question caught her off guard. She shook her head. "I've never seen such records in the Spirit Hall's library. How did you find out, Xiaogang?"
Yu Xiaogang smiled at their curious stares, pointed to the sky, and said, "The planet's consciousness told me. Ever since I awakened my second intelligent martial soul, Deep Blue, it's been sharing things. It said the gods enchant the Douluo Continent, watching talented soul masters who might become gods. No matter how the gods hide history, traces remain. While analyzing ancient soul guide tech with Deep Blue, I found a hidden file that revealed this secret."
He paused, then continued. "The God Realm feeds on life planets like the Douluo Continent. Picture the God Realm as a tree: the planets are its roots, the God Realm is the trunk and leaves, and the gods are its fruit."
Recalling novels and fan stories from his past life, Yu Xiaogang went on. "I don't know what happened in the God Realm, but a massive war broke out between human gods and beast gods. The ancient texts only said, 'the sky cracked.' Deep Blue and I think the God Realm might be damaged, unable to grow as fast. That's why it's not draining energy from the Douluo Continent as much anymore, giving the planet a break. The beast gods lost that war."
He took a breath. "The human gods who won set strict rules for the beast clan. Soul beasts that reach a hundred thousand years face a heavenly tribulation after a set time. If they survive, they become fierce beasts and keep growing. If not, they turn to ash. The tribulation follows them until they die. That's why soul beasts can't become gods."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened. This explained why she'd only heard of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, never fierce beasts, despite her time in the Spirit Hall. But she had a question. "Xiaogang, this is just you and Deep Blue guessing. How can you prove it? These secrets are huge!"
Yu Xiaogang grinned mysteriously. "When we fought Qianxunji, our soul skills clashed and caused space vibrations. That let Deep Blue find something—a fragment of the Divine Realm! A ruined battlefield in a magical space."
Bibi Dong gasped, covering her mouth. She was thrilled for Yu Xiaogang. The more he achieved, the happier she felt. Seeing her cute reaction, Yu Xiaogang nodded, satisfied. He clapped to get everyone's attention. "You're my closest friends. Keep these secrets quiet. Now, let me explain the soul master cultivation system. Right now, soul masters only train soul power, and mental power grows passively with it. I believe humans have three parts: essence, energy, and spirit. Soul masters only focus on energy, ignoring essence and spirit. My new cultivation path trains all three. That's how I handled the pressure of a 200,000-year soul ring as a Soul Sect."
He smiled. "I'll write down my cultivation methods for you to study. Especially you, Dong'er—practice well, and your ninth soul ring's limit will increase! Also, have you noticed I don't look 30? Training essence, energy, and spirit together keeps you young forever."
Yu Xiaogang took a towel from his storage soul guide, wet it, and wiped his face. After cleaning off battle marks, Flender stared. Yu Xiaogang looked barely 20.
Bibi Dong, Liu Erlong, and Sisi's eyes sparkled. One phrase stuck with them: *keeps you young forever*. In any world, women care about their looks.
Things were getting chaotic, so Yu Xiaogang coughed. "I'll organize the new cultivation methods for you later. This is the foundation of my sect, Longmen. I hope you'll join!"
"Xiaogang!" Bibi Dong said, stepping close. "You're all I have. I want to be the sect master's wife!"
Yu Xiaogang nodded. Flender and Liu Erlong also wanted to join as elders. Then Yu Xiaogang said he'd use Deep Blue to share his memories of the Qianxunji fight.
After watching, Liu Erlong's temper flared. She punched a nearby tree stump to pieces, startling Flender. "Qianxunji is a monster!" she shouted. "Attacking his own apprentice, saying it's for the Qian family bloodline? What a disgusting villain!"
She turned to Bibi Dong, who looked downcast. In the memory, Bibi Dong's desperate fight to protect Yu Xiaogang was heartbreaking. Liu Erlong softened, walked over, and said, "Sister-in-law, thank you for protecting Xiaogang. Don't worry—your sister Xuedie will be blessed. Let's learn Xiaogang's cultivation method and go to the Spirit Hall to save her. We're family now."
Bibi Dong froze at "sister-in-law," then guilt overwhelmed her. She hugged Liu Erlong, crying quietly. Liu Erlong, showing rare gentleness, patted her back.
After a while, Bibi Dong calmed down and started opening up to Liu Erlong. Yu Xiaogang and Flender exchanged shrugs. They couldn't understand women—one day they clashed, the next they were best friends.
After resting an hour, the group packed up and left the Star Dou Great Forest. They took out a soul guide off-road vehicle and headed back to Notting City.
Yu Xiaogang had a lot to do. This trip had given him so much.
In the forest's core, Xiao Wu curled up, exhausted from crying. "Mom, don't leave me," she whispered.
The Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape blamed themselves for leaving Xiao Wu to fight, letting Arou's mother get hunted.
Far away, in a secret room in the Spirit Hall's Pope's Hall, Qianxunji slumped on a stone bed, meditating to heal. Suddenly, he spat blood, his face dark. "Damn Yu Xiaogang! A nobody turning the tables? Damn it!" He coughed hard. "It'll take years to heal this injury. Someone, come here!"
He coughed up more blood, calming his chaotic soul energy. A guard in black knelt silently, awaiting orders. Qianxunji growled, "Put that fake 'Bibi Dong' under house arrest and take care of her. She's carrying the Qian family's blood now. Hmph! Bibi Dong, my dear disciple, if you can't bear my family's blood, your sister will. Live with that guilt!" He laughed, then coughed again.
He waved the guard away to carry out the order. Healing was his priority now. Hunting a 100,000-year soul beast had cost him dearly—two new Titled Douluo nearly died. Was fate against him?
In the Judgment Elder Hall, Qian Daoliu knelt before an angel statue, praying. After hearing a secret guard's report, he opened his eyes. "Let it be. Qianxunji needs to learn from this. When the God's heir appears, the Qian family will rise again. The oracle is never wrong. The troubled times haven't come yet. Poseidon, are
you waiting for your heir too?"
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(End of Chapter)