God Realm.
Asura God Hall.
"Xiao Wu, give me one more chance, please?"
Tang San pleaded, his eyes full of hope. "Just one more chance, and I promise never to repeat that mistake. Dong'er is my daughter—how could I ever let her come to harm? As long as I find Xiao Qi's soul fragment in the lower worlds, there will still be a chance to—"
"Brother San, you know as well as I do that broken mirrors are hard to mend. I have loved you all this time because of your loyalty in love, because I could trust and support you unconditionally. But now…?" Xiao Wu's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head heartbreakingly.
"You broke my trust. You made Da Ming and Er Ming take Xiao Qi to the lower world, and even shattered her soul—just for your grand scheme."
"That is your daughter! How could you—"
Tang San hung his head in silence.
Maybe after all the scolding, things would calm down.
His greatest fear was not Xiao Wu leaving him, but that she would spread this throughout the God Realm, ruining his lifelong reputation in an instant.
Did Tang San care about his face?
Of course he did. Not to mention, even Destruction and Life particularly liked Xiao Qi. If they found out…
"As for Xiao Qi," Xiao Wu slowly closed her eyes. "You can stop your plan. Even if you somehow remake another Xiao Qi, she'll never be the same. In my eyes, Dong'er is Xiao Qi now."
"But…" Tang San hesitated.
"That's it." Xiao Wu shook her head, deeply disappointed, and walked away.
"No…" Tang San half-kneeled, snowflakes seeming to fall from the sky; he was unwilling, angry, but nothing could be changed.
The deed was done.
He'd personally pushed his wife and daughter to the other side.
"You'd better reclaim the Asura God position soon." Tang Hao spoke coldly from the side.
"Let her go. A woman isn't as important as the Asura God position. That is your foundation for all future plans. While her heart still has you… don't dawdle."
"Understood, father," Tang San nodded slowly.
"There's something else…"
Tang San hesitated a long while before speaking again.
"Hm?" Tang Hao looked puzzled.
"I recently went down to the mortal world. In the Golden Ancient Tree, I sensed a familiar aura—it was like my Blue Silver Emperor… No, it was even purer, almost sacred." Tang San's face was awkward as he tested Tang Hao's reaction.
Tang Hao: "…"
"What do you mean?"
Tang Hao's face darkened.
"I mean… it feels like mother's inside the Golden Ancient Tree, and almost at the demigod level—just a step away from true godhood. From what I've observed, every soul beast that enters this Poke Ball evolves. If I'm not mistaken…"
"Get out!!!"
Tang Hao's face reddened like a pig's liver as he roared at Tang San.
"You bastard, you can't even save your own mother! What good are you?!"
Tang San: "…"
How is this my fault?! Wasn't it your own failure back then, watching as they took her, then running to the Spirit Hall for revenge and targeting the wrong enemy? And now you're blaming me?
Still, Tang San was a filial son and respected his teachers, so he bit his tongue.
But the next day, the entire God Realm seemed to be in an uproar.
Tang San had just woken up, only to suddenly feel his Asura God power drastically decreasing, draining away at a shocking pace. Previously, it had been seized and forcibly controlled by Xiao Wu, but as long as she relinquished it, he was still the Asura God.
Now, though, his root connection was being severed.
His Asura Godhood—
Was gone…
"No, that can't be…" His eyes went wild as he desperately tried to hold onto the last traces of Asura God power, but to no avail.
Like when the Sea Godhood was taken and passed to Wang Dong'er, he felt only helplessness.
Now the Godhood was in Xiao Wu's hands.
In other words… she had voluntarily given up being Asura God, and because he was so tightly bound to her, he lost the qualification as well.
"No, no!!!!"
Tang San howled at the sky.
His eyes were bloodshot, breath coming in gasps.
"Brother San, this is the last message I'll leave you. Next, I plan to wander other planes for a while. Let's give each other some peace. The Asura Godhood is nothing but a burden for us both. It's turned you into someone I don't recognize anymore. Don't wait for me. If I ever get over it, I'll return…"
"Besides you, my only tie here is Dong'er."
"…"
Xiao Wu's phantom gently caressed Tang San's head as her eyes showed a trace of longing, then her figure slowly dissipated.
"No!"
"…"
All that remained was Tang San's powerless rage. He was angry, he roared, but changed nothing.
From afar, the deities of Destruction and Life watched this scene, their eyes a mix of emotion and pity. Even Destruction, usually at odds with Tang San, said nothing.
As for Xiao Qi and Wang Dong'er.
Xiao Wu was right. Xiao Qi would never return. Thus, Wang Dong'er was Xiao Qi.
At a later meeting…
Electrolux proposed shelving the Asura God position and letting all the God Kings vote for the next candidate—merely for the qualification to attempt the God Trial.
Who the Godhood would choose was beyond the control of even Asura God.
Whether in this generation or before, it was never up to them.
Tang San became little more than an idle being, without purpose or majesty.
Upon hearing this from Elder Yi, Su Wen just chuckled and said nothing.
This God Realm's Tang San was already a spent force in his eyes.
The coming Great Era in ten thousand years was far more interesting—a true twilight of the gods.
There were beasts in there far worse than just Tang San…
Ten Thousand Years Later
Heaven Dou Auction House
Su Wen idly played with two Vast Sea Cosmic Shrouds, a white-haired elder standing beside him, looking nervous and glancing repeatedly at the door as though waiting for someone.
"And you've finally arrived—what an honor for my humble shop!" Dong Zi'an's broad figure appeared in the doorway, his voice excited.
He exchanged a look with the elder, who shook his head in confusion, clearly not understanding why they were here.
After all, their guest had demanded to see the person in charge straight away—and at present, no one in the various factions did not recognize that face or status.
...