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

……

Gu Yuena could tell from the ever-changing expression on his face, which ultimately came down to "I must have been wrong," that he hadn't figured it out yet.

She shook her head, offering no further explanation, but patted his shoulder, her tone tinged with a resigned pity: "Forget it, let nature take its course. Perhaps... when Poseidon comes to you, you'll have a little bit of an epiphany?"

Poseidon? What does this have to do with Poseidon?

Xuanming was increasingly puzzled.

He looked out the window and began to seriously consider whether he had cultivated too quickly, causing a kind of cognitive disconnect from the outside world.
But now, with this obviously deliberately difficult fourth test and the ever-present danger of a complete breakdown in relations with the divine realm, isn't his thinking the most reasonable?

Meanwhile, inside the Temple of Poseidon.

Having made up her mind to "take the initiative," Poseidon was facing a water mirror, repeatedly practicing her words and expressions.

Her stunning face was tinged with a girlish nervousness and blush, and her sea-blue eyes sparkled with a determined yet shy light.

She gently stroked the necklace on her chest that emitted a faint power of the sea god, recalling Xuanming's figure as he repeatedly challenged his limits on Seagod Island, recalling the composure he occasionally revealed that was beyond his years, and the moment when he stiffened slightly as she approached. She had previously thought it was respect, but now she thought it might not be entirely true.
"For the sake of the Sea God's legacy, and for my own sake..." Poseidon murmured to herself, trying to encourage herself, "I can't wait any longer."

She took a deep breath, imagining tomorrow, when she would set aside nearly a century of reserve and the dignity of being a high priest, and take the initiative to approach the young man who stirred her heart...

She could never have imagined that her carefully prepared and courageous "initiative" would soon confront an indestructible "rock" reinforced by "crisis awareness" and "cultivation of mindset."

The next day, as dawn broke, golden ripples spread across the sea.

Xuanming sat alone on a black rock by the shore, his aura deep and concentrated. Since he couldn't untangle the complex interpersonal relationships for the time being, he chose to focus his energy on the most fundamental aspect: the control of power.

The Ring of Slaughter, the Ring of Evil, and the Ring of Destruction. These three special soul rings, originating from a god-king level being, brought him a revolutionary boost. They were not merely soul rings; they also contained a fragment of the laws corresponding to a god's position. Though faint, they pointed him in the right direction.

However, aside from the Killing Ring he acquired earliest and which was deeply fused with the Blood Spear, he primarily relied on his powerful soul force and willpower to forcibly wield the powers of the Evil Ring and the Destruction Ring, far from achieving a level of effortless mastery or complete understanding. It was like a child wielding a heavy hammer—powerful, but lacking in finesse.

"Inheriting the divine position..." Xuanming murmured to himself, then shook his head. He had essentially rejected this path. The divine realm's attitude was ambiguous, and the assessments were rigorous and full of "difficulties." Placing his hopes on someone else's bestowal was not in line with his character.

Therefore, the only remaining path is to forcibly break through level 100 and create one's own godhood!

But this was by no means an easy task. Gu Yuena had solemnly warned him that because of the ancient Dragon God's chaos, their divine star field had suffered severe damage, with many subordinate planes destroyed and the divine realm itself also suffering considerable losses. This meant that the "divine energy" that this star field could currently generate was limited.

Divine energy is the basic raw material for constructing divine positions. It is generated by the laws of the universe, and its quantity is closely related to the territory covered by the divine realm and the degree of prosperity of life.

In the present divine realm, after a long period of time, the power of the five great god-kings may be more profound than in the era of the dragon god, but the energy reserves of the lower-level gods may not have been fully recovered, and may even be more scarce, or even completely exhausted.

However, if one were to leave this relatively familiar star field and venture into the unknown deep space to search for sufficient divine energy... the risks would be immeasurable.

Gu Yuena explicitly stated that even during the Dragon Clan's heyday, few chose this path. The vast starry sea beyond the God Realm harbors too many unpredictable dangers: spacetime turbulence, ancient ruins, and even other unknown powerful beings…

The road ahead is long and fraught with difficulties. Xuanming was lost in thought about the future, his brow furrowed.

Just then, a light, familiar footstep interrupted his thoughts.

Xuanming looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The person who had arrived was Poseidon. But today, she was completely different from usual.

Instead of wearing the magnificent red priest's robe that symbolized her status and authority, she donned a flowing blue and gold gown. The skirt flowed like gentle waves, outlining her mature and graceful figure.

She possessed less of the solemnity and dignity of a high priest, and more of a woman's gentleness and grace. Sunlight bathed her, making her long, sea-blue hair seem to flow with radiance, softening her overall appearance and even giving her a hint of… barely perceptible tension?

"High Priestess?" Xuan Ming stood up, looking at her unusual attire with some confusion. "Is something the matter?"

Poseidon stopped a short distance in front of him, the sea breeze ruffling her skirt and hair. Looking into Xuanming's still clear but thoughtful icy blue eyes, her heart pounded uncontrollably. She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm and natural:

"It's nothing important. I just saw you cultivating here, so I came to check on you." She turned slightly to the side, looking at the vast and boundless sea, her tone carrying a hint of emotion. "Having guarded this ocean and Poseidon Island for nearly a hundred years, many times I feel like a reef on this shore, seemingly solid, but forever stuck in the same place, watching the tides rise and fall, the sun rise and the moon set."

Her gaze returned to Xuanming, her sea-blue eyes shimmering with a complex light, and her voice softened slightly: "Until you appeared... Xuanming, you were like an unpredictable storm, a monstrous wave that swept everything in its path, crashing into this seemingly eternal sea."

She paused, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she still mustered her courage and continued in a subtle yet suggestive tone, "You showed me a different possibility, and made me feel... a long-lost thrill. Perhaps this ocean... also needs a master who can stand shoulder to shoulder with it, rather than forever remaining confined to a corner?"

After Poseidon finished speaking, she felt her cheeks burning hot.

She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Xuanming again, her heart pounding, waiting for his response.

She's made it clear enough, hasn't she? Will he... understand?
Listening to Poseidon's words, looking at her unusual attire and flushed cheeks, and combined with her "artistic" and suggestive words, Xuanming indeed felt that Poseidon was very different today.

He thought about it carefully, considering the meaning behind her words—"an unpredictable storm," "a monstrous wave that sweeps everything away," "side by side rather than standing still"...

A moment later, Xuanming suddenly understood, and looked at Poseidon with a serious expression, his tone filled with understanding and a hint of relief at finding a "like-minded person":

“I understand, High Priest. You also feel that being confined to Seagod Island is limiting your development and future, don’t you?”

“?” Poseidon paused slightly, then looked up at him.

Xuanming continued to interpret things according to his own thoughts: "You want to break the status quo, seek a breakthrough, and even... be willing to leave this star field with me to explore a wider world, to find stronger power and more possibilities? Just like you said, to walk side by side?"

The more he spoke, the more reasonable it seemed. It appeared that Poseidon had also realized the limitations of this world and wanted to break free from its constraints! This coincided with his own plan!

“If that’s the case,” Xuanming looked intently at Poseidon and extended what he considered the most sincere invitation, “when I’m ready to forcefully break through to the God Realm and leave this star field, I can take you with me if you’re willing. The outside world is dangerous, but the opportunities are equally immense. With your aptitude and strength, you might be able to forge your own Sea God position in the outside world, or find a more suitable path!”

Poseidon: "..."

She froze, looking at Xuanming's earnest expression that said, "I understand you, let's do something big together," and listening to his invitation that had completely veered off course towards interstellar exploration.

The blush on her face quickly faded, replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness and... an urge to smash the scepter in her hand.

She opened her mouth, but found that all her shyness, all her expectations, and all her carefully prepared hints turned into a suffocating sigh stuck in her throat when she met Xuanming's clear, unadulterated, battle-obsessed gaze.

Gu Yuena...you're right...

This rock... it's more than just a rock... it's practically... an extraterrestrial meteorite! (End of Chapter)