At this moment, because the commotion on the Sea God Island had grown too large, and Ye Wen had previously instructed that he should not be disturbed unless a battle broke out, Dugu Bo found himself in a dilemma, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, his vision blurred.
"Xiao Wen!?"
Seeing the person before him, whose hair color and demeanor were somewhat unusual but unmistakably Ye Wen, Dugu Bo tentatively asked.
Ye Wen was also reflecting on how losing his God King memories had made him even more formidable than his original self. At less than 20 years old, he had already built an extensive network and established a significant power base.
But…
Thinking about how Dugu Bo, who was once his sworn brother, was now his father-in-law, Ye Wen couldn't help but marvel at the unpredictability of life.
Fortunately, time had passed, and the Dugu Bo from his original world had long perished while fighting external enemies. Otherwise, facing two Dugu Bos upon his return would have been awkward.
The most pressing issue, however, was the thought of all the women he now had. Ye Wen felt a pang of discomfort in his newly rejuvenated waist. He could only pray for the best when he returned, wondering how much energy he'd be drained of.
"It's me, Grandfather Dugu," Ye Wen said warmly.
Having experienced numerous timelines, Ye Wen's perspective was no longer constrained by mere age. Moreover, Dugu Bo had genuinely cared for him, treating him like a grandson and protecting him.
Thus, the title of "Grandfather" was well-deserved.
However, Ye Wen's origins were far too extraordinary to explain outright. Instead, he lied, claiming that he had received the Sea God's inheritance and passed the trials. Once his cultivation reached rank 100, he could ascend with his family to godhood, enjoying eternal peace.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's face lit up with joy. Setting aside other considerations, having a future god on their side was a tremendous advantage—a solid foundation for survival in the increasingly turbulent Douluo Continent.
What troubled Ye Wen, however, was that on the way back, Dugu Bo brought up the topic of great-grandchildren again.
Not wanting to offend Dugu Bo, Ye Wen could only repeatedly assure him that he would make an effort once he returned.
After all, Dugu Bo was over eighty years old and had reached the level of a Super Douluo. With a disciple and son-in-law like Ye Wen, he could confidently claim to be a life winner. Now, all he wanted was a great-grandchild—what was wrong with that?
!?
Suddenly, Ye Wen realized something amiss. He was both Dugu Bo's disciple and his son-in-law—this was a clear breach of generational hierarchy!
But Ye Wen had already done everything he shouldn't have, so even with his current divine-level strength, he didn't dare say anything.
Because he was afraid of being beaten.
During the return journey, Ye Wen, just as in his previous life, sought out the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's family.
Though the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's wife and daughter were ordinary hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King himself had reached the near-divine level of nine hundred thousand years through unconventional means.
Whether in this era or in future iterations of Douluo, he could undoubtedly be called a peerless spirit beast talent. If not for being born in the aftermath of the Dragon God's madness, he would have undoubtedly ascended to godhood.
Sensing the divine energy emanating from Ye Wen, though only demi-god level, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King remained fearless. He surged upward from the depths of the ocean, breaking through the surface with a fierce gaze directed at Ye Wen.
"Poseidon, you son of a—"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was about to curse loudly, but when his remaining eye caught sight of Ye Wen, he froze in disbelief.
Though the divine energy carried the essence of the Sea God…
This person wasn't Poseidon!
Yes, Poseidon had blinded one of his eyes, but he still had the other—he wasn't blind!
However, having lived for tens of thousands of years, possibly even tracing back to the era of the Dragon God, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King quickly understood the situation and roared angrily:
"You brat, are you Poseidon's successor? How dare you come to me with such paltry cultivation—I see you don't want to live!"
Ye Wen was all too familiar with the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's temperament, having subjugated him before. Without wasting words, Ye Wen raised his hand and summoned heavenly lightning through the plane's consciousness, intending to give the Deep Sea Demon Whale King a "welcome gift."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was momentarily stunned. You're supposed to be the Sea God—since when do you use lightning?
But the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, having endured three heavenly tribulations and possessing the true strength of a thirty-thousand-year-old beast, reacted instantly. Opening his massive maw, he unleashed a low-frequency sonic wave that collided with the incoming lightning.
Just as the Deep Sea Demon Whale King resolved the immediate threat and prepared to attack Ye Wen, he realized Ye Wen had vanished.
!?
Though the Deep Sea Demon Whale King looked down on Poseidon, he knew the Sea God wouldn't choose a coward who fled as his successor.
As the Deep Sea Demon Whale King suspected, Ye Wen had already moved through a spatial channel and appeared on his back.
At this moment, Ye Wen, clad in armor, gathered all his strength and delivered a powerful blow to the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
Though his cultivation hadn't yet reached the divine level, Ye Wen could skillfully manipulate space to maneuver. However, since he chose not to use divine power, he relied on the terrifying physical strength of his former godly body to deliver a crushing blow.
In an instant, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, who had just leapt out of the sea to bravely face the heavenly tribulation, felt as though he had been struck by a mountain peak. It reminded him of being a small golden fish when he was crushed by underwater rocks.
But this pain far surpassed that memory. He nearly lost consciousness immediately, his massive form crashing into the sea below, creating towering waves that demonstrated the sheer power of Ye Wen's punch.
Ye Wen exhaled softly. "Not bad. Though my body hasn't fully recovered, it's already at five percent of its peak strength. If I hadn't held back slightly at the end, I might have killed him."
Though Ye Wen spoke casually, the blow rendered the Deep Sea Demon Whale King unable to rise again. His breathing grew labored, and he appeared on the verge of death.
Ye Wen realized that even holding back, a fraction of his former God King physique was enough to kill a quasi-god. With no choice, he summoned the Sea God's divine power to begin healing the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
Fortunately, Ye Wen had targeted the physical body and hadn't attacked the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's soul. Otherwise, even divine power wouldn't have been able to heal him quickly.
After a short while, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King regained consciousness, his remaining eye gazing at Ye Wen with complex emotions.
Though his body had been knocked unconscious, his soul remained intact. Just as in the original storyline, he had always lurked within his soul ring, attempting to possess Tang San, demonstrating the resilience of his soul.
In this brief moment, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King had thought deeply.
"What do you want, heir of the Sea God? If you wanted my soul ring, you could have just killed me. Why go through the trouble of healing me?" the Deep Sea Demon Whale King muttered in confusion.
Ye Wen smiled faintly. "When did I ever say I wanted your soul ring? Before I even got to the point, you were already radiating hostility toward me. If I hadn't subdued you, do you think you'd be speaking to me so honestly now?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was speechless, feeling an unsettling familiarity with this individual.
"Fine, you're right—it's my fault. So, heir of the Sea God, why have you come to me?"
"First, let me correct you. I'm not the Sea God's successor—I directly seized his god position. If you must address me by a divine name, you can call me the Vast Sea God.
However, my cultivation hasn't yet reached the divine level, so you may also call me Mr. Ye," Ye Wen said indifferently.
Shock flickered in the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's eyes. Even fighting Poseidon before he became a god had cost him an eye. After so many years, Poseidon surely hadn't stood still.
Yet, this young-seeming individual claimed to have snatched Poseidon's god position.
If not for the beating he had just endured, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King would have thought he was dreaming. How could such a thing happen?
But sensing the familiar yet alien divine energy emanating from Ye Wen, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King eventually fell silent.
Fine. Regardless of what this Mr. Ye said, he was stronger than him, so whatever he said made sense. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King stopped dwelling on it and grumbled:
"So, Mr. Ye, why have you come to me? You're so strong—you don't need my soul ring. I can't figure out why you're here."
Ye Wen didn't beat around the bush. "Deep Sea Demon Whale King, do you want to become a god?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King, who had been contemplating giving up, widened his eyes in disbelief.
"What do you mean?"
"It's simple. I can help you ascend to godhood, but in exchange, you must pledge loyalty to me and work for me."
Ye Wen chuckled, making the process of ascending to godhood sound as easy as buying two heads of cabbage at the market.
Rationally, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King didn't believe it.
But after being stuck at this stage for so long, his greed screamed at him that this man wasn't lying. If he could seize this opportunity, he might truly achieve eternal godhood instead of perishing in future heavenly tribulations.
Still, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King hesitated. Was he really going to submit to a human? What about all his struggles over the years?
Understanding the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's mindset, Ye Wen sweetened the deal. "Even if you don't care about yourself, think about your wife and daughter. I can grant them godhood too."
These words instantly tipped the scales of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's hesitation. Though he was rumored to be ruthless and heartless, he had his own vulnerabilities—his wife and daughter.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King might survive dozens of heavenly tribulations, but his wife and daughter lacked his strength.
Thus, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King ultimately chose to submit.
"Fine, I'll serve under you. But remember, if you break your promise, I'll make you pay, no matter what," the Deep Sea Demon Whale King declared solemnly.
"Don't worry. I've already invested the resources to help you ascend to godhood. How could I abandon your wife and daughter? However…"
Ye Wen began lightly but then explained the constraints the Dragon God had imposed on Douluo Planet, which sent the Deep Sea Demon Whale King into a rage.
His plan to follow the dragon transformation path to godhood was immediately extinguished. Dragon transformation—in Douluo, it was the most laughable path to divinity.
At the same time, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King realized that if he became a god, he would be standing against the Douluo Divine Realm, forever serving under Ye Wen. But compared to the constant fear of heavenly tribulations, facing the gods wasn't so bad—even if it meant certain death.
Rather than that, he might as well take a gamble on godhood. Perhaps under this former strongest god, there was still a chance to turn the tide.
With this, Ye Wen gained three more powerful subordinates.
However, Ye Wen didn't rush to elevate the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's family to godhood. Instead, he assigned the Deep Sea Demon Whale King a task: gather all the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts from the ocean and bring them to a designated location for his arrangements.
At present, the Douluo Divine Realm had not only the five God Kings but also dozens of 1st Class Gods, hundreds of 2nd Class Gods, thousands of 3rd Class Gods, and tens of thousands of God Officers. While Ye Wen wasn't afraid of these forces, if war broke out, lacking a base of god-level fighters would leave Douluo Planet vulnerable to destruction.
Even the weakest hundred-thousand-year soul beasts could hold their own against Super Douluos among humans. This was why it was difficult for humans of this era to absorb hundred-thousand-year soul rings.
First, the energy within hundred-thousand-year soul rings was immense. Second, the complete souls of these beasts were too powerful—not something ordinary Title Douluos breaking through to rank 90 could handle. Only prodigies like Jin E Tang Chen could absorb such soul rings.
But that wasn't the most important factor.
Ye Wen's reason for having the Deep Sea Demon Whale King gather these hundred-thousand-year soul beasts was their bloodline potential.
Unlike humans, who grow strong through cultivation, soul beasts inherit innate strength through their bloodlines. The more advanced a soul beast's cultivation, the more complete and powerful it's bloodline inheritance becomes. Some even undergo ancestral bloodline awakenings, potentially inheriting parts of divine beast legacies.
According to Ye Wen's plan, once these soul beasts were under his command and bound by contracts, they could be catalyzed with divine power into a ready-made army of divine officials. Those with concentrated divine beast bloodlines might even reach the level of tertiary or secondary gods.
In the future, Ye Wen also planned to recruit Title Douluos from Douluo Planet's continents and catalyze them similarly. Together, these forces would provide a foundation to oppose the god realm.
However, Ye Wen didn't elaborate on these details to the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. A tool fish should remain aware of its role.
He simply rewarded the Deep Sea Demon Whale King by transforming his demi-god body into a quasi-god state. They agreed: upon completing the task, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King would ascend to godhood.
Stuck at nine hundred thousand years for so long, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was thrilled. Without delay, he darted into the deep sea to begin his mission.
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