Zhu Ziyang and his party of four set off from the Moon South Archipelago. On the way, they passed through Heishan City in the Star Luo Empire and decided to rest there for the night before continuing their journey.
They checked into a hotel in the city. For once, Zhu Ziyang finally had time to himself—Jiang Nannan didn't cling to him as usual due to her body still recovering, and Qian Lingyi, having gotten along well with Zhang Lexuan, didn't come to disturb him either.
So, Zhu Ziyang entered the Divine Inheritance Realm and found Xiao Bai. He got straight to the point, asking, "Xiao Bai, why is Nannan's god trial connected to mine? Could it be that the Death God and the Goddess of Moonlight have a close relationship?"
"The Death God has nothing to do with the Goddess of Moonlight," Xiao Bai replied. "The content of a divine trial is entirely determined by the god or the god's inheritor. The purpose is always to strengthen the inheritor. Since the Goddess of Moonlight sensed your close relationship with her inheritor, she issued related trials to help strengthen them. That's all."
"Is that so?" Zhu Ziyang was half-convinced. "Then why don't you give me a trial related to the Goddess of Moonlight?"
"Hah?" Xiao Bai's voice dripped with disdain. "The Goddess of Moonlight is just a mere high god. She's not worthy of… the Death God, a God King, to stoop so low!"
"High god? God King?" Zhu Ziyang looked surprised. "That's how gods are ranked?"
"Your god affinity has reached seventy percent. You're qualified to know this now," Xiao Bai said after a short pause. "In the Douluo Divine Realm, gods are ranked simply. From lowest to highest: Divine Officer, Third-class God, Second-class God, First-class God, and God King. The last three make up most of the divine realm, but the top two are its true core.
"A First-class God is also known as a High God. The Goddess of Moonlight is one, as are the Sea God and the Angel God. These later-born gods all fall into this category. They possess seven-colored god rings and command at least one law or domain of faith.
"God Kings are the ultimate rulers of the divine realm, few in number, but each possessing the power to traverse the stars. The Death God is one of the original God Kings of the Douluo Divine Realm, governing the domain of death."
"I see," Zhu Ziyang mused. Then a thought struck him. "The Sea God and Angel God are High Gods. What about the Rakshasa God? Is that a High God too?"
He recalled the last Pope, said to have inherited the evil god known as the Rakshasa. She once shattered the Sea God's heart in the Second Twin Gods War and killed Tang San. If not for the Nine Treasure Douluo and Food God Douluo reviving him with their Martial Soul Fusion Ability, history might have been rewritten.
"Rakshasa…" Xiao Bai sighed. "She is now a High God, but she wasn't always."
"She wasn't? What do you mean?" Zhu Ziyang asked in confusion.
"Do you know how the Death God fell?" Xiao Bai answered with a question of his own.
"The Death God? Didn't you say he died in some great divine catastrophe?" Zhu Ziyang recalled.
"Yes," Xiao Bai confirmed. "That catastrophe didn't just claim the Creator and Death God, but also damaged the Rakshasa God's divinity, demoting her from a God King to a High God. Even one of the two Divine Chains holding the divine realm together snapped."
"You mean she was once a God King, but fell to a High God due to damage to her godhood?" Zhu Ziyang was stunned. He hadn't known that godhood could be 'damaged'—it was an entirely new concept to him.
"That's right," Xiao Bai said. "There are many secrets about the divine realm I can't share yet. Once you complete all your trials, I'll tell you more. For now, unless there's something else, leave the Divine Inheritance Realm."
"Wait! I still have a question!" Zhu Ziyang said hastily.
"Speak," Xiao Bai said indifferently.
"Why is it that the Goddess of Moonlight's trial rewards include soul power, soul ring years, and even God Bestowed soul rings… but the Death God, a God King, gives such stingy rewards?" Zhu Ziyang asked with clear resentment.
"What did you say? Stingy?" Xiao Bai exploded. "Do you even understand how precious a God Sealing Pillar is?! And you're comparing it to some lousy soul rings and soul power?! I swear I want to burst out of here and punch you!"
"Ah, uh… I didn't mean it like that!" Zhu Ziyang quickly smiled awkwardly. "I'm not saying the God Sealing Pillar is bad—I just thought the rewards should be a bit more generous, to match the Death God's prestige!"
"Get lost!" Xiao Bai snapped. "The Goddess of Moonlight can grant soul power and soul rings because she has a massive pool of faith energy. If I had that much, forget soul rings—I could give you a martial soul too! But I don't have faith energy!
"Besides, as a Rule God, the Death God doesn't need faith!"
"Ah… well, I guess I've got nothing more to say. Bye!" Zhu Ziyang waved it off and exited the Divine Inheritance Realm, returning to his hotel room to rest.
—
At Shrek Academy.
Upon returning, Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan headed straight to Tianyuan Pavilion. Jiang Nannan and Qian Lingyi went off separately.
Inside the pavilion were Pavilion Master Xuanzi, Vice Master Elder Lin, Elders Elder Zhuang, Xian Liner, Cai Meier, Qian Duoduo, and others. Listening to Zhang Lexuan's report on the "Empress Descends" plan, they all smiled knowingly. When she mentioned her soul power had reached level 90, the elders even burst out in joyful laughter.
"Lexuan, so you're planning to hunt your ninth soul ring this time?" Xuanzi smiled. "We old fellows are free and at your service."
"Elder Xuan, I think she needs more than just a soul ring," Xian Liner winked at Zhu Ziyang.
"Exactly," Zhang Lexuan nodded. "If it were just a soul ring, I wouldn't trouble you elders. But Ziyang suggested I contract a soul spirit, so I've delayed acquiring the ring."
"Hahaha, so that's it!" Xuanzi laughed. "Ziyang, have you already found a soul beast suitable to become Lexuan's soul spirit?"
"We plan to head to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well first," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile. "Nannan needs a soul ring too. There's an immortal herb soul beast in the well that suits her. Hopefully, we'll find something for Sister Lexuan too. If not, I'll need your help to capture a hundred-thousand-year soul beast from the Great Star Dou Forest."
"Deal!" Xuanzi said without hesitation. "If you've made up your mind, we'll fully support you."
"Thank you all for your trust!" Zhu Ziyang smiled.
"Ziyang, how's your strength now? I can't even sense your soul power level," Elder Lin asked, frowning slightly.
"I've been lucky. My soul power's at level 85 now," Zhu Ziyang said modestly.
"What?!" The elders were stunned, staring at him in shock.
Even after Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan left the Tianyuan Pavilion, the elders were still reeling. An eighteen-year-old at level 85—truly astonishing. Xuanzi murmured, "Elder Mu, you really didn't misjudge him!"
Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan didn't immediately tell the elders about their upcoming voyage. The fewer people who knew, the better. They planned to inform only Xuanzi before they departed.
Back in his dorm, Zhu Ziyang found Xingcai still in cocoon form, glowing steadily, her aura calm. She would likely not awaken for at least another year.
Without lingering, he left the academy and returned to his new home in Shrek City.
Zhu Changhe and Liang Ying were both home, but his younger brother Zhu Ziguang was absent. It turned out that Ziguang, now six, had recently awakened his martial soul and was studying at the First Tianyuan Academy in Anyang City.
According to his parents, Ziguang had also inherited the family's scythe martial soul, and it had mutated too. While not as powerful as Zhu Ziyang's Stillness Fate Ending Scythe, his was a top-tier light-attributed martial soul—the Golden Saint Scythe. With an innate soul power of rank 8, even if he couldn't match his older brother's future achievements, he would at least become a Title Douluo.
Zhu Changhe now dreamed with a smile on his face every night. The Zhu family was truly on the rise!
(End of Chapter)
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