A special thank you to my patrons:
—Cain, Shahzaam, Varun Madhu, Mp Gaming, kevin Williams, Jose Carrillo, ZaberZ, Jose Sierra, Salim, Silver, ManyEB, Александр Радняный, John Doe, Kyle Bates, Acedia.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lesaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
An Unnamed Place.
Bai Xu sat cross-legged atop a mountain peak, his body pristine and unblemished. His upper torso was bare, and his entire form appeared almost translucent, with his internal organs clearly visible. Five colors—green, red, yellow, white, and black—radiated from his organs, circulating through the Yin and Yang meridians of his limbs and spreading throughout his body. Mystical light erupted from him as his physique underwent a earth-shattering transformation.
At this moment, he could truly be said to have achieved great success in opening his meridians.
Once he cleared the final set of extraordinary meridians—the Eight Extraordinary Meridians—he would reach the pinnacle of meridian opening. At that point, he would be ready to forge his Five Elements Body.
But this final hurdle was also the most difficult to overcome.
"It seems I'll need to go into seclusion for a while to condense the Five Elements runes. After that... I'll make my final assault on the Eight Extraordinary Meridians," Bai Xu murmured with a sigh. With a casual wave of his hand, a streak of mystical light shot forth, splitting the mountain beneath him in two.
"Splitting mountains and shifting the earth—I suppose I've barely reached that level now." Bai Xu was testing his own combat prowess, recalling the descriptions of this realm in the ancient manuals. Now, he had finally put it into practice.
"My soul power has also reached level 83..."
---
Star Luo Empire.
Tang Sect.
That night, Tang Wulin lay in bed, bathed in the silvery moonlight, yet sleep eluded him.
Earlier that day, during the Five Gods' Duel, he had defeated the Qilin Douluo, securing his third consecutive victory. Yet now, his mind kept drifting back to the sight of Bai Xu battling the Qilin Douluo. Unconsciously, he began comparing himself—if he were to face Bai Xu, could he win?
Though he had been far away at the time, he knew it was Bai Xu who had altered the celestial phenomena over the imperial capital. Even the Smiling Douluo had admitted that Bai Xu had already stepped into the realm of a demigod. Currently, within the Tang Sect, only the Heartless and Amorous Douluo stood a chance against him.
But... was that really the case?
Even the Shrek Seven Monsters had fallen silent upon witnessing Bai Xu's power. Nearly a decade had passed since they last saw him, yet he had grown even more prodigious, leaving them all far behind. The memory of him single-handedly defeating the Seven Monsters was still vivid in their minds. Now...
Just as Bai Xu had once said, with the passage of time, they could no longer even glimpse his shadow.
And Bai Xu was the same age as Tang Wulin!
Both were only around 22 or 23 years old.
A demigod at such a young age...
Tang Wulin raised his arm, golden scales shimmering across his skin as razor-sharp dragon claws emerged, seemingly capable of rending all tangible matter. "If I unleash the full power of my Golden Dragon King bloodline... could I fight him now?" he muttered to himself.
"Child, there's no need to worry." A gentle voice echoed in his mind—Old Tang sounded more cheerful than usual.
"Old Tang!" Tang Wulin exclaimed joyfully.
"I know you're troubled by Bai Xu's existence. But now that you've reached a level where you can defeat even Super Douluos, it's time you learned the truth about certain things."
"What truth, Old Tang?" Tang Wulin asked, puzzled.
This time, Old Tang's form was no longer as hazy as before. His golden silhouette was dreamlike, clad in resplendent golden armor. His long blue hair cascaded down his back, with only two strands resting on his chest. Adorning his forehead was a golden trident-shaped helmet, its central gemstone radiant and dazzling. In his right hand, he gripped a golden trident that seemed to embody infinite majesty.
"Old Tang?" Tang Wulin stared blankly.
"You should call me 'Father,'" the man said softly, planting the golden trident upright. His gaze was tender as he looked upon Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin's adoptive parents, Tang Ziran and his wife, were still alive. While living with them, they had already revealed the truth—he was not their biological son, and his real father was someone else.
Tang Wulin's heart grew chaotic. Truthfully, he had never planned to seek out his birth parents. Never had he imagined that Old Tang, who had always been by his side, was actually his father.
"My name isn't Old Tang. 'Old Tang' was a fragment of my divine sense left behind to guide and protect you, ensuring your smooth growth. Now that you've grown up, I've finally been able to reach you through the Sea God's Trident. My call resonated with that fragment, allowing me to sense your presence at last. Do you know how happy your mother and I were that day? Now, it's time you learned who your true father is. My name is Tang San!"
"Tang San, the founder of the Tang Sect!"
"One of the five Divine Kings of the Divine Realm Committee!"
"Tang San, the Sea God!"
"Tang San, the Asura God!"
"I am your father."
Tang San!
Two simple words, yet in this moment, they struck Tang Wulin's heart like a sledgehammer. He gaped at the figure before him—adorned in magnificent golden armor, exuding the aura of a deity. No, he was a deity.
Tears welled in Tang Wulin's eyes as Tang San recounted the origins of the Golden Dragon King's seal within him. He explained how he had been forced to send his son to the Douluo Continent, how the Divine Realm had suffered calamity, and how his parents had never forgotten him.
"Father!" Tang Wulin cried out from the depths of his heart.
"My good child!"
Tang San's form had already begun to fade, his eyes brimming with emotion.
He raised his left hand as if to touch his son, but his fingers passed through empty air.
"My time is short. Maintaining this cross-dimensional connection requires immense energy and precise coordinates. Contacting you today means the fragment of my divine sense—Old Tang—will no longer be able to protect you. The Sea God's Trident will also shatter. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself. My child, the dangers you face are many—far greater than I anticipated. You must be wary of Bai Xu."
Tang Wulin froze. "Bai Xu? Father, what about him?"
"From what I've observed through your connection, he... is likely not a native of the Douluo Continent. He may be an outsider from another world."
"What?!" Tang Wulin's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"Don't be alarmed, child. His combat style is fundamentally different from that of Douluo Continent's inhabitants. Even at the Title Douluo level, the energy he wields isn't soul power, nor does it stem from a martial soul. It may be an innate cultivation method from his original world. That's why he stands out so starkly, unable to integrate into this world."
"My child, in the Divine Realm, we refer to such individuals as... Otherworldly Demon!"
Tang Wulin was speechless, his mind reeling from the overwhelming revelation.
"Don't panic. I've already contacted your grandfather. He will aid you from the shadows. If you encounter Bai Xu again, face him without hesitation. Otherworldly Demon are suppressed by the Douluo World's laws. As the Son of the World, you can invoke a portion of its authority to weaken him."
"Father, are Otherworldly Demon a threat to Douluo Continent?" Tang Wulin asked. So far, Bai Xu had never clashed with him directly. Though their relationship was distant—and Tang Wulin admittedly resented him for taking Na'er—he had never considered killing him.
Tang San nodded gravely. "He is like the Abyss Plane..."
!!!!
In an instant, Tang Wulin's pupils constricted. "Is he planning to invade Douluo Continent too?"
"Perhaps. Or perhaps not. But we cannot gamble on the benevolence of an Otherworldly Demon. Moreover, given his strength, he may not even be the mastermind in his original world. If his plane were to use him as a spatial anchor to launch an invasion... the consequences would be unimaginable."
Tang Wulin lowered his head in contemplation. He understood the logic—even if Bai Xu meant no harm, others might exploit his presence. In the end, Douluo Continent would suffer.
As his son pondered, Tang San also fell into deep thought. Bai Xu was an anomaly.
Tang San had already contacted his father, the Master of the Douluo World, who had quietly awakened to scour the world for Bai Xu's traces. Yet, no matter how many times he searched, Bai Xu remained unfindable. Were it not for the fear of alerting the Abyss Sage—and jeopardizing Tang San's millennia-spanning plans—Tang Hao would have already emerged.
Thus, Tang Hao had granted Tang Wulin partial authority over the world's laws, enabling him to suppress Bai Xu's strength.
The next time Bai Xu appeared would be his last!
This wasn't the only contingency, either. If the opportunity arose, Tang Hao would also strike from the shadows!
Of course, he wouldn't reveal himself openly. If the Abyss Sage detected the awakening of the Douluo World's Master, the Abyss Plane might alter its invasion strategy. Tang Hao, a second-grade deity, stood no chance against the first-grade Abyss Sage—especially when the latter wielded a super divine weapon!
This was now a three-way game of strategy!
The question was—who would emerge as the ultimate victor?
As they spoke, Tang San's form grew increasingly faint, and the starlight around them dimmed.
"'A Thousand Clouds Over the Sea'—you must cultivate it diligently. Once you truly grasp the mysteries of time, you'll be able to transcend the limits of Douluo Continent, creating your own miniature world, even without the Divine Realm. The power I can transmit is limited, so aside from 'A Thousand Clouds Over the Sea,' I'll impart one more technique—a spatial art. Practice them together."
With those words, Tang San swung his right hand, sending the golden trident flying toward Tang Wulin. Simultaneously, a trident-shaped mark appeared on Tang Wulin's forehead, resonating with the weapon.
The golden trident plunged into Tang Wulin's brow, bringing with it a sharp pain and a crushing weight. He groaned as a flood of memories and imprints surged into his mind.
A faint, ethereal voice whispered in his ear:
"Take care, my child. Wait for our return. Oh, and one more thing—beware the Silver Dragon King!"
---
Elsewhere.
"Master, Tang Hao has retreated again... the probing sensation has vanished," the World Spirit reported.
"He's searched so many times... he must be looking for me," Bai Xu mused, stepping out from the void. Thanks to the World Spirit's concealment, he had remained undetected.
"Even if I were exposed, with the Five Elements Cosmic Formation, Tang Hao would need to reveal his true form to have any hope of capturing me. And that's wishful thinking." Bai Xu was confident. As his strength grew, so too would the formation's power.
The Five Elements Cosmic Formation, at its peak, was a divine-grade array capable of spanning the entire universe. What he wielded now was merely a diluted version.
Ding!
A silver dragon scale on Bai Xu's body shimmered as a mental transmission arrived.
"Why aren't you answering your soul communicator?" Gu Yuena's voice echoed in his mind.
"Tang Hao has awakened. He seems to be searching for me."
"What?!" Gu Yuena was stunned—she hadn't sensed anything.
"But he's retreated again. Perhaps he's given up for now," Bai Xu said lightly.
"It seems... the tides are shifting. Why hasn't he come for me?"
"Ha, maybe he doesn't see you as a threat," Bai Xu teased.
"You—! Well... I can feel the world's suppression now. In my past life, it might've been because of Tang Wulin. Since I kept saving him from danger, Tang Hao never acted against me. But now... reaching godhood again won't be easy." Gu Yuena's voice was uneasy.
Then, she smiled. "The Federation is convening a war council to deal with The Demon Lord of the Five Elements' Ultimate Law.' And they're using me as bait to lure you out!"
"Another martial competition for your hand?"
"Mm. Your attacks were flashy, but they didn't hurt me much. They think there's still something between us—that you won't stand by if I hold a competition. Moreover, Qiangu Dongfeng wants Qiangu Zhangting to win, hoping it'll make me forget about you. So, Zhangting will be participating too."
"Ah~ So my next appearance will be my last, huh? The World Master and the Spirit Pagoda? No one could escape that." Bai Xu's tone was light, as if joking.
"Are you sure? If we fail—"
"We're past the point of hesitation. But I have something to give you. We should also discuss our strategy. I might need your help when the time comes..."