Chapter 377: Ascension, Creation, and Destruction
So this is what they mean when they say an old man in the house is like having a treasure?
Han Li couldn't help but think somewhat impolitely as he listened to Gu Yue's words.
What she said aligned perfectly with his own thoughts. This was also how he viewed those gods who had abandoned their god positions.
Take the Sea God, for example. Compared to other gods, he was just a young deity.
But when you considered the legends he left behind on Douluo Continent, his current strength, and the choices he had made, it was clear this guy was truly ambitious.
After reaching his current limit using his god position, he decisively chose to pass down his godhood and venture into the universe in search of adventure and new opportunities for a breakthrough. He never appeared again after that.
In the original story, perhaps this was why he had ended up associating with Asura?
As for Rong Nianbing, he was an anomaly among gods. On top of being an outsider, he was just content with a simple life cooking meals for his wife and children by the warm hearth. That was probably what he truly loved.
Whatever, thinking too much again.
Since Asura was willing to offer his god position, Han Li had no reason to refuse. Weakening the opposition while strengthening himself how could that possibly be a bad deal?
And even if Asura didn't offer it, Han Li was already scheming behind the scenes to seize his authority. There was nothing to hesitate about.
Just do it. After all, a confrontation was inevitable.
And even if he failed, he still had a safety net. Worst case? He'd end up like the Golden Dragon King so what was there to be afraid of?
Han Li suddenly felt a sharp clarity in his divine soul, as if his consciousness had been elevated yet again.
Beside him, Gu Yue's eyes sparkled with satisfaction. Clearly, she believed she had played a part in his progress.
Naturally, Han Li had no intention of arguing against that.
"Let's cultivate."
Han Li checked his own state, unable to hide the joy on his face.
Just now, he had noticed something his progress in the Law of Fate, which had been stagnant for several months, had silently climbed to 80%, just one step away from completion.
Unlike other laws, progress in the Law of Fate was always abrupt and nonlinear. This alone was enough to make him ecstatic. Previously, he had been worried that Bibi Dong's influence wasn't strong enough. But now, he could clearly perceive his path forward.
15% of the remaining fate energy lay in the direction of Spirit City, while the final 5% was concentrated in the Slaughter City.
Now, even if he didn't want to, he had no choice but to accept it.
"Mm, let's cultivate. I only need one last step as well."
Gu Yue nodded, forming a delicate Blue Silver Grass in her hand. However, just before it fully materialized, it collapsed she had yet to completely master her power.
On the grass covered ground of the training space, two hands intertwined. Radiant divine power surrounded them, enveloping their figures as they levitated into the air.
From a distance, only two silhouettes could be faintly seen.
The continent remained relatively peaceful. Everyone was diligently cultivating their soul power, and Spirit Hall continued to maintain order as always.
Thanks to Xuan Tian Gong, the number of violent incidents had significantly decreased over the past year. After all, no one could be sure if the person they once oppressed might one day return for revenge.
With the sheer volume of new cultivators, even commoners who previously couldn't cultivate at all had begun to thrive. Unusual martial souls were emerging like mushrooms after rain, showing unique effects across various fields.
Naturally, most of these individuals willingly joined Spirit Hall, much to the displeasure of the two great empires. While the Heaven Dou Empire was somewhat tolerant, the atmosphere within the Star Luo Empire was growing increasingly oppressive. Some of the smarter individuals who joined Spirit Hall immediately applied to leave their homeland, fearing imperial retaliation.
After all, there had already been multiple small scale skirmishes, some even resulting in bloodshed. Although both sides had exercised restraint, no one wanted to become collateral damage.
Self preservation was human nature.
Back in the training space, the protective barrier surrounding Han Li and Gu Yue flared suddenly.
A surge of green light swept across the grass, causing the vegetation to grow wildly. Meanwhile, behind them, the Lake of New Life became even more vibrant, radiating an overwhelming aura of vitality.
Throughout the training space, the life energy became so dense that it condensed into droplets of rain, gently falling from above.
Before long, what was once an open grassland had begun to transform, resembling the core of the Star Dou Forest.
No one knew how much time had passed before the winds calmed and the rain ceased. The energy barrier that had enveloped them became increasingly transparent. Their figures, once hazy, now became fully visible. Both of them had a healthy glow to their faces.
Pop!
The energy barrier around them burst like a bubble, retracting into their bodies.
Gu Yue opened her eyes and landed softly on the ground. The brief confusion in her gaze vanished, replaced by overwhelming joy.
She didn't speak, instead tilting her head to look up.
Han Li was still floating in midair.
For the first time, golden threads emerged from his body, weaving together in a unique pattern.
They circled around him, intertwining into a seamless ring.
Gu Yue could see it clearly with her eyes, yet when she scanned it with her divine sense, she couldn't detect a thing. The threads remained intangible, like an illusion.
She watched as the golden ring around Han Li suddenly expanded, then silently reversed. The once dense life energy surrounding him so similar to her own began to shift.
A faint strand of purple divine power, crackling with lightning, emerged from his heart. It was just a wisp at first, but it rapidly spread, enveloping his entire body.
"Destruction…?"
Gu Yue's eyes widened, as if trying to decipher something, but to her disappointment, she found no answers.
After all this time cultivating together, she knew Han Li had his secrets. She was also aware that he had been researching other laws. But she never expected him to hide it so well just as she had mastered the power of Creation, he had simultaneously grasped the power of Destruction.
However, she quickly realized that life and destruction energies within Han Li were intertwining, coiling around each other before gradually dissipating. They returned to his usual aura, as if what she had just witnessed was nothing more than an illusion.
The ethereal golden ring that had once surrounded Han Li vanished as well. He opened his eyes and descended to the ground.
"You… when did you master the power of Destruction?"
Gu Yue's gaze was complex. She knew exactly what this meant.
"Just now. You saw it, didn't you?"
Han Li was in an excellent mood and didn't mind answering her.
It had been three months since the last major event Gu Yue's calculations had been fairly accurate. She had predicted that fully mastering the power of Creation would take between three to six months, and in the fourth month, she had achieved her breakthrough.
Riding that momentum, Han Li had successfully gained control over both the power of Creation and its opposite, the power of Destruction.
Even if, in the end, his Fate Law didn't fully evolve as planned, just with these two combined forces and his carefully laid backup plans, he would still stand at the pinnacle of this world.
Once he took the final step, none of the five God Kings of the Divine Realm would be able to match him individually.
Of course, that was merely theoretical data it didn't necessarily reflect actual combat strength.
But without a doubt, this strengthened his foundation, making him more confident. Still, his ultimate expectation remained the Law of Fate. That had been the pillar supporting him on his journey so far.
"From now on, the destiny of the soul beast race is officially being rewritten. Wouldn't you agree?"
Han Li smiled at Gu Yue. If possible, he preferred not to betray his allies. Since he had taken the power of Creation from her people, making a promise in return wasn't a problem.
"Of course."
Gu Yue nodded enthusiastically.
They might still fail, but at the very least, the soul beast race had escaped the fate of extinction.
If Han Li willed it, once he fully ascended, he could create a small independent plane at the cost of some of his power. While it wouldn't be anywhere near the level of the Divine Realm, it would at least be comparable to the original Douluo Plane. He could relocate all the soul beasts there, exiling them into the vast universe. They might still face other dangers, but it would be far better than their current slow demise.
He had already reached the bare minimum required to save the soul beast race. And if this plan were to be realized, the cost would naturally fall on Gu Yue.
"And congratulations to you as well you now hold the key to stepping into the God King realm."
Han Li looked at Gu Yue. She simply hadn't revealed her full potential yet. Once she successfully integrated the power of Creation into her divine core, she, too, would break into the next level.
And failure?
That was out of the question.
For Gu Yue, it wasn't so much "integration" as it was reclaiming what was once hers. Her breakthrough would be even smoother than Han Li's.
Her lineage had truly flourished in the past.
"Thank you."
Gu Yue's gratitude was genuine. Then she added, "As for the soul beast race, let's wait a bit longer. I still need time to adapt to the new law, and besides, we should see how your next moves play out. We might not need to go through so much trouble."
Her confidence was at an all time high.
From her perspective, as long as both she and Han Li ascended, the five God Kings wouldn't be a threat at all.
The only issue she foresaw was Han Li's divine weapon. In her opinion, while his martial soul had transformed into a decent artifact, it was still lacking in certain aspects.
But now wasn't the time to bring that up. They should celebrate their progress first she could discuss it later.
"Mm, do as you see fit."
Han Li nodded.
Technically, the soul beast race was his people too. But in truth, he wasn't particularly attached to them. Letting their leader decide was the best option.
"Also "
Just as Han Li was about to continue, he suddenly stopped. His gaze seemed to pierce through the training space, locking onto the direction of Spirit City.
Gu Yue did the same, though she reacted just a fraction of a second later. Her eyes, too, shifted toward Spirit City.
"This is ?"
"Mm. Exactly what you think it is."
"You should focus on adapting to your new law. I'll be leaving for a while. If I don't make an appearance now, it'll only make things worse."
Han Li's voice rang out, but before Gu Yue could even react, he was already gone.
(End of Chapter)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen