Chapter 278: The Overconfident Tang San
The Next Day
Emperor White Tiger stood atop the fortress wall of Jialing Pass, his expression tense as he looked out over the seemingly endless sea of troops assembled a thousand meters below. Although Tang San, the Asura God, now bolstered his ranks, Emperor White Tiger couldn't completely banish his anxiety, lacking firsthand experience with such overwhelming power.
Sensing his apprehension, Tang San placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and stepped forward, his gaze cold and disdainful as it swept across the hundred thousand soldiers assembled below.
"A pitiful swarm of ants. If I wanted, I could slaughter them all in less than thirty seconds," he scoffed.
The trace of killing intent that leaked from Tang San sent a shiver of terror through Emperor White Tiger, who quickly responded with praises for Tang San's might.
At the heart of the Spirit Empire's ranks stood a formation of soldiers clad in gleaming gold armor, each gripping a tall, blood red flag stitched with two golden characters that spelled out "Holy Spirit" in bold strokes. It was a simple yet unmistakable design.
A deep horn echoed through the air as the soldiers raised their banners high, standing shoulder to shoulder. Emperor White Tiger's gaze sharpened as he spotted eleven figures confidently approaching from the Spirit Empire's side.
"Is that...?"
It had been many years, but Emperor White Tiger immediately recognized the man in the lead it was Ye Wen. When Ye Wen reached the front of the formation, he was dressed in a lavish marshal's uniform, gold threaded and impeccably tailored. The tension in the air grew as Ye Wen's and Tang San's eyes met.
Tang San, too, felt an odd surge of nervousness. Though he tried to hide it, he could not deny the impact of seeing Ye Wen again.
Unlike the nervous Tang San, Ye Wen seemed at ease, his movements relaxed as he cast an appraising glance toward Emperor White Tiger, though the emperor himself was not the main commander of the fortress. Ye Wen's voice rang out clearly.
"Emperor White Tiger, this is your final warning: surrender, or face death."
The White Tiger Emperor's face twisted with indignation. This young man, who had once shown him such respect, now dared speak to him so arrogantly. Even though there was no malice in Ye Wen's expression, the emperor could not suppress the sting of humiliation. Just as he was about to retort, Tang San held him back with a hand.
"Ye..." Tang San began, almost calling him Principal Ye Wen, but remembering the occasion, he quickly corrected himself.
"Marshal Ye, it's you who should be surrendering. I know you're serving the Spirit Hall under duress, but that time has passed. Now that I've become a god, you no longer need to fear the Spirit Hall's retaliation. Swear allegiance to me, and I will guarantee Tianxing Academy's continued place of honor."
Ye Wen's expression turned briefly quizzical. Had Asura not informed Tang San of his true identity?
In the Divine Realm, a rare gathering of gods had convened to watch the battle unfold on the Douluo Continent below. Even though there were hundreds of lower realms under the Divine Realm's jurisdiction, it was rare to see two heirs to divine thrones clash.
Seagod glanced over at Asura God with an amused smirk.
"Say, Asura... doesn't your successor seem a bit dense? He doesn't even recognize my successor."
Asura's expression soured, and he pushed Poseidon back irritably. He knew he might have rushed Tang San's ascent a bit, which left some gaps in his judgment. And because he had to send Tang San over to save the Clear Sky Clan from collapse, he had overlooked a few key details in his briefing. But none of this, Asura thought, justified Poseidon's mockery.
Undeterred by Asura's irritation, Poseidon leaned back, amused, and glanced around at the other gods.
"Huh?" He suddenly exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention.
God King Destruction raised an eyebrow.
"Is something the matter, Poseidon?"
Poseidon scratched his head.
"Where's that lunatic Rakshasa?"
The gods exchanged looks, just now realizing that their usual companion was absent. Speculation broke out among them. In the Divine Realm, every deity belonged to one faction or another, and Rakshasa had long been associated with the faction led by Destruction. They now looked to him for an explanation.
Calmly, Destruction's deep voice answered.
"Rakshasa found a successor and passed on her godly mantle some time ago. She's already left."
The gods murmured in understanding, though their tones hinted at envy. For them, ascension was both freedom and confinement a larger cage than mortal worlds, true, but a cage nonetheless. Those who found worthy successors were allowed to leave their posts and roam freely through the universe, a fate most of them yearned for. Only two others present had this opportunity Poseidon and Asura and they, too, were preparing to leave.
Asura's brows furrowed. He had hoped to leave the Divine Realm first and wait outside for a chance to settle a long standing score with Rakshasa. But her quiet departure had thwarted his plan, and his frustration was clear.
"That reckless, irresponsible woman!" he growled. "Couldn't she at least have the decency to finish her duties before running off?"
"Exactly!" Poseidon chimed in mockingly. "That crazy woman has no respect for the rules of the Divine Realm."
Though his tone was playful, Poseidon's smirk betrayed his amusement. As a deity free to depart, he relished the jealousy of the gods still bound to their domains, and he wasn't in a hurry to leave, savoring their reactions.
The God King Destruction cut their banter short.
"Enough," he commanded. "Let's return our attention to the battle below. Rakshasa was never a key player here. Let her run if she wants. However, for those of you considering the same path, keep in mind that I will not tolerate rule breaking."
With the Divine Realm's most influential figure speaking, the gods could only nod in acquiescence.
The focus shifted back to the battleground below
Ye Wen's gaze remained steady as he responded to Tang San's offer.
"I'm not being coerced by anyone, Tang San," he said calmly.
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