Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

Chapter 362 Regaining Life
……

"Me?" Xuanming asked, somewhat puzzled.

"why?"

“Instead of taking the easy road, you insist on courting death. I’m really curious what will become of a madman like you,” the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox said.

If he didn't concern himself with the Dragon Clan, Xuanming's future would be bright; he wouldn't have to suffer so much or face so many dangers.

The sea god chose him, and the god of asura also intended to bestow his inheritance upon him—what a bright path to godhood!

This was so different from the humans she knew. Humans always say that there is nothing that cannot be given up, it's just that the benefits are not enough, but Xuanming chose a path where the risks and benefits were completely disproportionate.

What will I gain by helping the dragons? Trouble! I'll just be asking for trouble!
"I also want to know, why?" the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox asked.

“If you just ignore the dragon clan’s mess, all these troubles will be gone, and you won’t have to face this deliberate difficulty from the divine test. Even if you really can’t let go of the Ice Dragon King’s matter, you can always find a solution after you become a god.”

Why did you choose this path?

Xuanming was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?" the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox asked.

“It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality,” Xuanming said.

"It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality..." The nine-tailed celestial fox repeated this sentence in a low voice, her fox eyes flickering with uncertain light. It seemed that for the first time, she was truly beginning to understand the way of thinking of the human in front of her.

Xuanming's spiritual thoughts continued calmly: "I am not a person who enjoys hardship or is keen on adventure. If I had chosen that seemingly easy road paved by the God-King from the beginning, if I had gotten used to relying on the arrangements and gifts of others, if I had gotten used to gaining power without risking my life... I'm afraid I would have become addicted to it."

“I’m afraid that when that time comes, when I find out that Sister Bing still has a chance to be resurrected, but it requires me to take huge risks and pay a heavy price to fight for it, I will hesitate, weigh the pros and cons, and calculate the gains and losses. I’m afraid I will think, 'They’ve already waited so long, it doesn’t matter if we wait a little longer,' or, 'I’ll try when I’m stronger and more confident.'”

"When will I become stronger and more certain? When will I become a first-level god? Or a god-king? Once I reach that position, there will be more entanglements and more concerns. Can I still gamble everything for a slim hope like I do now?"

His thoughts were devoid of passionate fervor, only a cold clarity: "I don't know. I don't want to test my humanity. So, I might as well choose the most difficult path from the beginning. Put all the pressure and dangers in front of me, force myself to face them and solve them. That way, I will have no way out and will not leave myself any excuse for future regrets."

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox fell completely silent.

She had lived for countless years and seen too many humans—greedy, cowardly, hypocritical, generous… but she had never seen anyone like Xuanming.

He didn't choose this thorny path for lofty ideals, for a great responsibility, or even to repay a debt of gratitude... The root cause of his choice was... "fear"?
Fearing that he would become weak in the future, and that he would become complacent, he simply cut off all possibilities of comfort from the very beginning, pushing himself to the brink.

What a... fanatical, insane, yet extremely clear-headed logic this is!

After a long while, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox let out a soft laugh that was hard to decipher. The laugh contained a hint of amazement, a touch of helplessness, and even a hint of...admiration?
"Madman... He's a complete madman. But I think... I'm starting to understand why those two arrogant old guys, the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King, would give up their remnant souls for you."

She flicked her fox tail, as if trying to shake off these complicated emotions and refocus on the problem at hand: "Alright, we can talk about your self-torture theory later. Now, let's deal with this problem first!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the illusory image of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox shone brightly once again. She no longer held back, absorbing and bearing the surging Rakshasa divine power with all her might, buying precious time for Bibi Dong's reshaping.

With the active guidance and sharing of the remnant soul of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, the originally violent, disorderly, and collapsing Rakshasa divine power seemed to have found its backbone and began to become orderly. Although it was still fiercely fighting against the Asura divine power, its destructive power suddenly decreased by a level!
Xuanming presented the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red to Bibi Dong, but she had to remove it herself.

The reason he suddenly became a rogue on Poseidon Island was because of this.

He had originally intended to ask Hu Liena to help him pick the plant, as the girl's feelings for him were beyond doubt. However, Gu Yuena told him that the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red was very special, and only the person who picked it and the person loved by that person could consume it.

If Hu Liena were to pick this, only she and he could consume it.

If he wanted Bibi Dong to take this, he would have to either pick it himself or have Bibi Dong pick it. He was worried that Bibi Dong still couldn't let go, so he thought of getting it himself, but the result was predictable: this love-struck fool completely ignored him, this shameless scumbag.

Bibi Dong weakly opened her eyes and looked at the Acacia Heartbreak Red in front of her. She had heard Yue Guan mention this thing countless times before.

However, when she actually saw it, she backed down.

There's still a hurdle she can't overcome in her heart; she can't face this love with complete equanimity, without a trace of gloom. She simply can't.

She can be impulsive, yet she can also pluck the red petals of love-sickness, requiring complete decisiveness.

Just as Bibi Dong was struggling internally, gazing at the vibrant acacia blossom, yet unable to reach out due to the lingering gloom in her heart, Gu Yuena's cool and calm voice directly entered her mind:

"The Love-Sickness Red, combined with the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng and my power of creation, can help you be reborn."

“I can help you erase that… unclean psychological barrier on your body.”

These words struck like a thunderclap in Bibi Dong's chaotic mind!

Erasure... that psychological barrier that prevented her from facing Xuanming with equanimity and fully accepting herself? That nightmare that originated in the secret room, haunted her for half her life, and made her feel dirty?

Her purple eyes narrowed suddenly as she looked incredulously in Gu Yuena's direction.

She didn't understand why Gu Yuena would help her to this extent. They were clearly... rivals in love.

Seemingly sensing her doubt, Gu Yuena's thoughts came again, still with that detached calmness, carrying an undeniable certainty: "My love for Xuanming needs no competition."

It was the same sentence she had said to Qian Renxue back then. But now, it carried a completely different weight in Bibi Dong's ears.

That wasn't a feigned act of magnanimity, but a declaration stemming from absolute self-confidence and unique understanding.

Gu Yuena's love is independent and complete; she does not need to prove or solidify her position by excluding others.

She helped Bibi Dong perhaps simply because... it was the best choice for Xuanming, and also an acknowledgment of Bibi Dong's own potential.

This detached attitude was like a key, gently knocking on the tightly closed door in Bibi Dong's heart.

If even her "love rival" can so readily clear obstacles for her, then what reason does she have to continue wallowing in the shadows of the past, letting that gloom prevent her from seizing the only chance for survival and... a possible future?

The obstacles in my heart have quietly loosened.

Her gaze returned to the acacia blossom, a symbol of unrequited love. Her mind flashed back to Xuanming's kiss at the foot of Sea God Mountain, a kiss filled with both resolve and greed; to everything he had done for her; to his words, "I'm greedy, I can't bear to let go..."

Yes, he has already so shamelessly taken her hold, so why should she cling to that past that should have been buried long ago? What does that so-called "impurity" matter in the face of life, death, and true love?
An unprecedented sense of determination welled up from the depths of Bibi Dong's heart! It was a pure belief that she would let go of all burdens, cut off all escape routes, and seize what was in front of her!

Slowly, yet with unwavering determination, she raised her trembling hand and reached out to the herb that symbolized the deepest emotions and truest nature.

The moment her fingertips touched the petals, her mind went blank, leaving only the image of Xuanming and that complex yet incredibly real love—a love that was a mixture of pain, resentment, dependence, and eventual confirmation.

Without hesitation, without wavering.

She picked it gently.

The delicate acacia blossoms trembled slightly, then detached from their roots and fell perfectly into her palm.

(End of this chapter)