( Author notes: Shura previously is changed to Asura)
The nearest city to the battlefield was no less than 80 kilometers away. Life here went on undisturbed, by the clash of Titled Douluos.
In one of the city's most reputable restaurants, the morning bustle filled the air. The aroma of fried dumplings and spiced broth drifted between tables as customers raised their cups and laughed over idle chatter.
"Hey, owner! Your mutt Rono looks sleepy today!" a regular customer called out, pointing toward the counter.
The burly owner turned his head and noticed his brown-furred dog curled by the wooden counter, eyes shut tight. Normally, Rono would be barking, chasing after scraps, or weaving between the patrons with boundless energy. But today, he had barely moved since sunrise.
"Hah, he's just tired," the owner replied with a forced laugh, scratching his head. "Exhausted himself playing yesterday, that's all."
Yet inwardly, a hint of unease coiled in his chest.
'Rono's never this still… If he doesn't wake by afternoon, I'll have to bring him to the vet…'
But neither the owner nor the customers noticed how the entire restaurant—its rowdy conversations, its laughter, its warmth—seemed to blur around a single corner table by the window. It was as if some subtle instinct urged everyone to ignore it, to overlook the presence sitting there.
A blonde-haired girl sat with her chin slightly lifted, purple eyes fixed on the stretch of pale blue sky beyond the glass. The steaming cup before her remained untouched, its surface rippling faintly though no wind blew inside.
Qian Renxue thought ' I have already left many anchors to travel through dream, this dog Rono is just one of them.'
Then she shifted her gaze ever so slightly, her thoughts sharper than the gleam of her eyes.
'That throw… it wasn't mere instinct. Tang Hao almost sensed me even from two mountains away even when I was hiding using my 3rd soul skill Illusion. That attack was no coincidence.'
Her hand extended toward the cup. The porcelain rattled softly as she lifted it, her fingers trembling. Not from fear, but from exhilaration.
The moment she raised the tea to her lips, her smile deepened.
'That killing intent… it was not the aura of a Titled Douluo. No… it was heavier, darker, like a shadow cast by a being who dwarfs even Grandfather. If Qian Daoliu's strength is a mountain, then this was a world-crushing sea.'
She exhaled slowly, disappointment flickering in her gaze.
'And yet… I am still not strong enough, against such power.'
Then her lips curved upward, forming a smile so radiant that for a moment, the sun seemed to pale in comparison—yet in its radiance lay an undertone of ice.
'But that day is not far away, when I will not fear the true wielder of that power.'
---
Divine Realm – Temple of Asura God
Within the endless crimson expanse, where rivers of blood and broken chains stretched as far as the eye could see, a throne of jagged obsidian stood above all. Upon it sat a figure draped in scarlet armor, his eyes burning like molten coals, his very presence exuding judgment, slaughter, and inevitability.
The Asura God. Arbiter of Judgment. Master of the Blade of Slaughter.
His voice whispered across the void, within the temple walls.
"Tang San, An outer disciple of the Tang Sect… insignificant among mortals, yet your perseverance, your sense of justice, your dedication towards your sect… have touched me. Your character deserves more than obscurity. Your destiny… will not be bound by mediocrity."
The crimson throne pulsed.
"You are suitable to inherit my mantle. But before you may ascend, you must temper yourself in the crucible of blood and suffering. You will earn the throne of Asura God King in the heavens, after the ordeal."
The god's gaze turned downward, toward the mortal realm shimmering faintly in the void. A trace of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.
"It was due to mine plan that Tang Hao and Ah Yin fell in love. The child born from both should have a good potential. Tang San's soul was put in that child by me."
Yet, even as he declared this, a frown crept across his face. His aura, heavy as judgment itself, grew sharper.
"…But during the battle… someone was watching. A mouse daring to peer."
His fingers tightened around the hilt of his divine blade. Tang Hao's Death God Domain, bore his divine imprint and with his senses as a God he felt watched
The Asura God leaned back into his throne, his crimson eyes narrowing. He let out a deep sigh, the fate of Douluo Continent is blurred and he cannot predict the future.
Two days prior, he had summoned the Council of the God Kings.
The five sat upon their thrones—God of Destruction, Goddess of Life, Goddess of Kindness, God of Evil, and himself.
"The fate of Douluo is blurred," he had told them. "The entire plane trembles, and I cannot see its path. For such distortion to occur, it is not the work of mortals. I propose that we dispatch a Second-Level God to investigate and stabilize the continent."
But the council had not agreed.
The God of Destruction had thundered in refusal."Interfering with the mortal realm violates the laws of the Divine Realm! We gods must uphold order, not trample upon it for suspicion alone!"
The Goddess of Life, his eternal partner, had calmly nodded in support."The balance of realms is delicate. To break rules for one world invites chaos upon all."
The Goddess of Kindness had withdrawn into silence, her compassion turned inward, unwilling to move.
And the God of Evil, the most unpredictable among them, had smiled strangely."…I vote in favor of Asura. Let us see what secrets Douluo hides. The scent of corruption is alluring."
Three against two. The decision was sealed and the Council forbade divine intervention.
Thus, when Asura God sent his power to strengthen Tang Hao, when he wove Tang San's soul into flesh, he had done so in secret, carefully, using Tang Hao's Death God Domain as a bridge. Just a flicker of power,—but enough to change the course of fate. Any more, and the other God Kings would notice.
Now, his crimson eyes glowed with calculation.
"…Poseidon cannot move freely in the mainland."
"…But the Rakshasa… yes, the Rakshasa's inheritor is useful. Isn't Bibi Dong and Spirit Hall a perfect whetstone for my inheritor"
A rare smile flickered across his stern face, cold and bloodthirsty.
"And the enemy Tang Hao fought… was a descendant of the Angel Goddess"
He rose from his throne, with the divine blade strapped to his back pulsed, eager, alive.
"This information will be of interest to Rakshasa. She has always despised the Angel Goddess."
With that, the Asura God vanished, from his temple.
( Author notes: Time flow of the divine realm is much different than the Douluo Dalu world. 1 year in Douluo Continent is equal to only 1 day in the Divine Continent)