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

……

Nighttime at Poseidon Island.

Poseidon sat alone in the temple of Poseidon, recalling her misunderstanding "heart-to-heart talk" with Xuanming during the day, feeling frustrated and a little aggrieved.

She finally mustered the courage to put on a long dress that she would never normally wear, a dress that would accentuate her feminine grace, attempting to express her feelings in a subtle way, but the result was...

"Sigh..." She sighed softly and rubbed her temples. The initiative Gu Yuena spoke of seemed even more difficult than she had imagined.

Just then, a familiar aura rapidly approached.

Poseidon's heart tightened, and she subconsciously straightened her appearance.

The next moment, Xuanming appeared at the palace entrance. He had a bright and enlightened expression on his face, as if he had figured out some difficult problem.

Poseidon's heart stirred slightly. Could it be that he... had finally seen the light?

Xuanming entered the hall, but instead of discussing "Battle Royale in Another World" as he had during the day, he looked at Poseidon with serious eyes and asked, "High Priest, have you ever thought about... becoming a god?"

Poseidon paused slightly, the glimmer of hope that had just risen in her heart instantly replaced by doubt.

Why did he suddenly ask this? Could it be that the Sea God has already told him about the hidden divine test?

She cautiously refrained from answering directly, instead asking, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Seeing that she didn't deny it, Xuanming became even more certain of his guess. It seemed that Poseidon's information was true; Poseidon was indeed facing both an opportunity to become a god and... a crisis.

He organized his thoughts, trying to make his suggestion sound natural and not expose Poseidon's secret: "I just feel that with your strength and qualifications, it's a bit of a waste to be confined to this Seagod Island as a high priest. If you intend to challenge for the Seagod's throne..."

He paused, then said sincerely, "I can give you the Heart of the Sea God."

Poseidon was completely stunned, her sea-blue eyes filled with disbelief. He... he was going to give her the Heart of the Sea God? Why?
But immediately afterward, as a warm feeling welled up in his heart, an even stronger sense of worry and a hint of inexplicable anger also rose up.

She immediately shook her head, her tone urgent and reproachful: "What nonsense are you talking about! The Heart of the Sea God has already merged with you. Forcibly separating it will cause irreparable damage to your foundation! It could even endanger your life! How could I possibly want it!"

She gazed at Xuanming with a complex expression: "I never intended to take your Heart of the Sea God."

This was the truth. The so-called hidden divine test, obtaining the Heart of the Sea God, was, from the very beginning, just an excuse and reason for her to force herself to face her inner self and take a step forward.

She had witnessed the hardships this young man had endured, and knew how much he had carried. How could she possibly hurt him for her own selfish reasons?
Xuanming was somewhat puzzled by Poseidon's intense reaction. In his view, since Poseidon needed the Heart of the Sea God to become a god, and he was willing to give it to her, wasn't this a win-win situation? As for the damage... he had his own way to minimize the risk.

He thought for a moment and changed his approach, trying to define the matter as a "transaction," which might be more acceptable to Poseidon and would not seem so abrupt.

Xuanming continued calmly, "High Priest, please don't be in such a hurry. I actually have my own reasons for bringing this up."

He looked at Poseidon, his gaze candid: "What I'm about to do is extremely risky, and the success or failure is uncertain. If something unexpected happens to me in the future... I can't even completely trust Bibi Dong, let alone Qian Renxue, who is eyeing us covetously on the mainland. Hu Liena, Ning Rongrong, and the other girls are talented, but they are still young after all..."

His voice lowered slightly: "So, I want to make a deal with you. If I give you the Heart of the Sea God to help you become a god, then if something happens to me in the future, I hope you can take care of them for me, out of consideration for this friendship."

Xuanming felt his suggestion was perfectly reasonable. Poseidon obtained the key item for becoming a god, and in return, he found a powerful guardian for someone he cared about—a fair trade where each got what they wanted.

However, he had barely finished speaking— "A deal?!"

Poseidon abruptly stood up, her once gentle sea-blue eyes instantly blazing with fury! An indescribable heartache and immense disappointment overwhelmed her like a tidal wave!
She worried about him, thought about him, and even tossed and turned at night because of the feelings that were quietly growing between them! But in his eyes, everything between them could ultimately be reduced to a cold "transaction"?!

Using the heart of the sea god in exchange for protection of other women?!
This act of objectifying and quantifying emotions and concerns is like a cold needle, piercing the softest part of her heart!
"Xuanming!" Poseidon's voice trembled slightly with anger. She pointed at the palace gate, and the boundless light of the sea god erupted uncontrollably from her body, illuminating the entire hall in a deep blue. "I have no responsibility to take care of those little girls for you! Your life or death is none of my business! Now, get out of here immediately!"

Before he finished speaking, a powerful repulsive force suddenly erupted from Poseidon's body, like a surging wave, and crashed hard into Xuanming!
Xuanming never expected Poseidon to make a sudden move, and her reaction was so intense. Caught off guard, he was blasted away by the force, streaking across the night sky and crashing heavily onto the beach below Poseidon Mountain.

Xuanming lay on the beach, gazing at the night sky, his eyes filled with confusion and doubt.

The deal he proposed was clearly a win-win situation for Poseidon. She gained the opportunity to become a god, requiring only a promise of the future. Moreover, this promise was contingent on his "accident."

Why was she so angry? Why did she even resort to violence?
Inside the Temple of Poseidon, Poseidon leaned against the tightly closed doors and slowly slid down to the ground. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks, her heart filled with resentment, heartache, and an indescribable sense of powerlessness.

She was angry at Xuanming's slowness, and even more angry at his word "deal," which made everything so cold and... chilling.

……

Ice Crystal Castle, rooftop terrace.

Gu Yuena stood there quietly, her silver-purple eyes like the purest amethyst, reflecting everything that was happening on Poseidon Mountain in the distance.

She watched as Xuanming was blasted out of the Sea God's Temple by Poseidon's merciless attack, falling like a meteor onto the beach below. She watched him lie on the beach, gazing at the night sky, his face filled with pure, undisguised confusion and bewilderment.

Gu Yuena was silent.

She sighed softly, her silver hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. She realized that she seemed to have made a mistake.

She reminded Poseidon to take the initiative, but forgot a crucial premise: Xuanming's almost obsessive, habitual way of thinking.

Unless the other party provides an answer that is as clear as it gets, his mind, honed by countless crises, will always prioritize the worst-case scenario and solve the problem in the most "pragmatic" and "transactional" way.

Expecting him to understand those subtle emotional hints on his own is like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree.

She had assumed that Poseidon, as the high priestess, was experienced and would be able to understand and deal with Xuanming's traits. But now it seemed that Poseidon was also bewildered by Xuanming's bizarre and outrageous thought process, and even felt offended and hurt.

Thinking of this, Gu Yuena's figure once again transformed into a streak of silver light, silently traversing the night sky and arriving in front of the Sea God Temple, which was still shrouded in a faint golden light and low pressure.

Poseidon remained leaning against the door, her long, sea-blue hair slightly disheveled, and tear stains still clinging to the corners of her eyes. Sensing Gu Yuena's presence, she merely raised her eyelids, her voice hoarse and tinged with a hint of defiance: "If you're here to speak for him, then there's no need."

Looking at her like this, Gu Yuena calmly said, "I'm not here to speak for him, I'm just here to tell you a fact."

“Xuanming’s way of thinking is different from ordinary people. He has experienced too many conspiracies, schemes, and life-or-death crises, which has made his thinking extremely pragmatic, even somewhat… dulled. In his mind, any unclear intention may hide risks. He is used to defining relationships in clear ways such as transactions and cooperation, because for him, this means safety and control.”

She looked at Poseidon's slightly trembling eyelashes and continued, "He doesn't understand your subtle hints. You've interpreted his entrustment out of responsibility and trust as a cold transaction, which confuses him. Unless you tell him directly—that my concern for you goes beyond ordinary affection and that I am fond of you—he will always deal with things using his own logic for solving problems."

Poseidon remained silent, offering no response. She was still consumed by the hurt and anger inflicted by the word "transaction." (End of Chapter)