In the future foreseen by the Asura God—
Although Qian Renxue still relied on poison to bring down Emperor Xue Ye, she had never truly placed Xue Beng in her eyes. Because Xue Beng played the role of a useless playboy so convincingly, she never considered him a threat. She also didn't bother to target either Xue Beng or Prince Xue Xing.
According to the script designed by the Asura God—after guiding Tang San to reincarnate into Douluo Continent as the son of Tang Hao and Ah Yin—he had originally planned for Tang San to "accidentally" uncover Qian Renxue's identity right when she moved to usurp the throne.
At that time, Tang San could expose her regardless of who stood by his side. At the very least, he could bring Tang Hao to reveal her disguise. That would ruin her plan to steal the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire and ensure Xue Beng's coronation as emperor.
On top of that, Shrek Academy's Dai Mubai would be supported to become crown prince of the Star Luo Empire. With both empires in hand, they could join forces against Spirit Hall.
Yet after sending Tang San into Douluo Continent, the Asura God realized something was going wrong.
First, Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao suddenly disappeared without reason.
Originally, he intended to guide Tang San to meet Dugu Bo. By curing the Jade Phosphor Poison, Tang San would gain the chance to obtain the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
But unexpectedly, Dugu Bo already knew how to resolve his poison, and he was already aware of the herbs' true effects.
Worse still, with Tang Hao's disappearance, the Asura God didn't dare push Tang San into crossing paths with Dugu Bo. With Dugu Bo's eccentric and dangerous temper, without Tang Hao to hold the balance, who could say he wouldn't kill Tang San outright?
And now—the Asura God discovered that Qian Renxue had completely diverged from destiny. She had killed both Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing.
For the first time, the Asura God felt truly pressed.
This won't do! Emperor Xue Ye won't last much longer. Tang San must return quickly to save him and stop Qian Renxue's coup.
Otherwise, once Qian Renxue ascends the throne, exposing her identity later will be all but impossible—unless he himself intervened directly.
But as he peered into Heaven Dou City through the Mirror of the Void, his attention was caught by the figure beside Qian Renxue: Ye Yu.
He saw that it was Ye Yu who pushed Qian Renxue to execute Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing. And Tang Hao—he hadn't simply vanished, but had been heavily injured by Ye Yu, sealed inside a storage-type soul tool, and taken away.
The Asura God's face darkened. His heart burned with fury.
—That damned brat!
In the future I foresaw, you were never part of the script! Where did you come from?!
Could it be… the will of Douluo itself has birthed another child of destiny?
Impossible!
The will of Douluo is still only a planetary consciousness. It would take at least a thousand years to nurture even an ordinary child of destiny, and ten thousand years to birth one who could alter an entire era.
And yet, it has only just birthed Qian Renxue! How could there be another so soon?
But regardless, the Asura God knew he could no longer remain idle.
Ye Yu had already entered the Hell Road and slain both the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent and the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King, clearing the two trial stages.
Thus, when Tang San entered the Hell Road, the Asura God custom-built two new stages for him: one to dramatically strengthen his power, and another to push his Purple Demon Eye to its ultimate realm.
At the same time, to ensure Tang San would later travel to Heaven Dou City and thwart Qian Renxue's coup, the Asura God finally resolved to act against Tang Chen!
Outside the Slaughter City, within the newly rebuilt haunted castle—
In a shadowed chamber, the Slaughter King drank his blood-red wine like a man drowning his sorrows.
The thought that yet another potential Slaughter God—someone who could threaten his rule—was about to be born left him in turmoil.
—Damn that Hammer of Death! Why did your Martial Soul have to be the Clear Sky Hammer?!
If it weren't for that, I'd have killed you already!
But just then, the Slaughter King suddenly felt a powerful divine sense descend upon him. His expression drastically changed, and he cried out,
"No! Great Asura God, please grant me another chance! I can also be your chosen one!"
But in truth, the Slaughter King was nothing more than the fused spirit of the Nine-Headed Blood Bat King.
After the Dragon God's Catastrophe, no deity in the Divine Realm would ever allow a mere soul beast to inherit their throne.
And in the Asura God's plan, there was room only for Tang Chen—not for the Slaughter King.
Thus, without hesitation, the Asura God erased the Slaughter King's soul and awakened the sleeping spirit sealed within: Tang Chen.
"Tang Chen. Awaken."
The divine command reverberated like thunder.
Slowly, the long-dormant soul stirred. Tang Chen opened his eyes, confusion clouding his gaze.
"Who am I? Where… is this?" he murmured.
But as memory surged back, recognition dawned. Tang Chen's expression twisted into a bitter smile. He clasped his hands toward the void and bowed deeply.
"Tang Chen greets the great Asura God. Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving me. Without you, I would have slept until death itself claimed me."
A cold, imperious voice echoed in his mind:
"You have already failed the Nine Trials of Asura. By rights, you should have perished in endless slumber.
But now, a darkness rises on Douluo Continent. Left unchecked, it will engulf the land in chaos, plunging all into misery and endless war.
As a deity, I cannot stand by and allow this. That is why I have awakened you—to save the world."
"Darkness? What darkness?" Tang Chen asked in puzzlement.
"The darkness," the Asura God declared, "is your Spirit Hall."
With that, he cloaked himself in the guise of a sorrowful, compassionate god, and began denouncing Spirit Hall's ambition.
According to his accusations, Spirit Hall sought to unite the continent for its own revenge, no matter the cost. It cared nothing for the suffering of the people.
They had already exterminated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, gravely injured the Clear Sky Clan, and forced them into seclusion. Even Tang Chen's grandson, Tang Hao, had supposedly been crippled—his limbs severed, his Spirit Power destroyed—by Spirit Hall's hands.
Of course, the Asura God had no idea that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had actually been wiped out by Ye Yu, nor that Ye Yu himself knew Qian Renxue's true identity.
But to paint himself as a shining god of justice, he simply shifted the blame. Since the world already believed Spirit Hall guilty of the Blue Lightning Clan's destruction, he added that crime to their name.
As for Tang Hao's crippling? That too must be Spirit Hall's doing. After all, Qian Renxue belonged to Spirit Hall, and Ye Yu—her ally—was surely one of them as well.
Whether or not he knew Qian Renxue's true identity was irrelevant. By association, the crime fell upon Spirit Hall's shoulders.
And so, the weight of every black deed was pushed onto Spirit Hall, neatly tying the noose of guilt around their necks.