Douluo Continent: Heavenly Pill Demon Tiger

Chapter 232 The God of Jealousy's Test: "On What Basis?"

The god of jealousy took over the conversation, his tone subtly carrying a complex emotion towards the fallen deity, perhaps out of jealousy of his pure, unyielding spirit.

"In the end, the Ice God was critically injured and on the verge of death. But he stood proudly amidst the ruins, his divine blood scattering like ice crystals, his divine body broken, yet his spine remained straight."

"Before his death, he uttered these words," the God of Jealousy mimicked that resolute and icy tone, "I, the God of Ice, would rather have my divine position shattered and my soul returned to heaven and earth than kneel in slavery!"

"The next moment, he made the most resolute choice: to destroy his own divine position!" The God of Jealousy's voice suddenly rose, as if recreating the shocking scene. "How terrifying is the power of a first-level main god self-destructing the core of his divine position? We seven gods were also instantly blasted away by that violent energy. And in the final instant of the divine position's collapse, the Ice God burned his last divine will and essence, forcibly splitting the divine position and divine spark he had condensed through a lifetime of cultivation into three!"

"Two of the larger fragments were intercepted by us in our haste. But the smallest one, which contained a trace of the Ice God's most primal spirituality and divinity—" The God of Jealousy's gaze seemed to pierce through endless space, looking towards the Douluo Continent, "was broken through the barrier of the God Realm by the Ice God with his last strength, turning into an ice meteor that fell towards your far north, and has been missing ever since."

As the God of Jealousy narrated, a scene seemingly from ancient times unfolded before Dai Youheng and Xue Di's eyes.

In the endless void, a majestic god, his entire body composed of pure ice crystals, stood proudly, surrounded by seven-colored evil light. Beneath his feet lay a shattered divine palace, and around him raging primordial sin energy.

At the last moment, he roared to the sky, and his entire divine body emitted an ice-blue radiance more dazzling than starlight, before exploding with a bang! Three fragments, each shining with a different luster, shot off in different directions. The smallest but most solid fragment, trailing a long blue tail of light, was like an indomitable flame in despair, crashing headlong into the vast snowfield of the lower realm.

"Accompanying that fragment as it fell was the Ice God's final prophecy: With my divine essence, the North will be forever frozen! Waiting for the destined one to recast the divine position!" The God of Sloth said slowly, "Since then, the core area of ​​the far north has been shrouded in an endless blizzard for ten thousand years, which is the manifestation of the Ice God's final divine power and will."

"And those two fragments we obtained," the God of Jealousy composed himself, reverting to his indifferent tone, "though containing powerful authority over extreme cold, are incomplete due to the missing core and the lingering resistance of the Ice God's will, meaning none of us Gods of Original Sin can truly control them. For many years, these two fragments have been kept separately by the God of Pride and this lazy fellow beside me, considered spoils of war, or perhaps useless trifles or hot potatoes."

The God of Sloth yawned and replied, "Anyway—it's useless to keep it—since you've passed the test—you're our chosen candidate to be the Lord of Sin—consider this fragment—an investment in advance—if you can collect all three fragments, perhaps—it can help that little girl beside you—rebuild the position of the Ice God—"

Upon hearing this, the Ice God fragment in Dai Youheng's hand seemed to sense the presence of the Snow Emperor, trembling slightly. The chill emanating from it was no longer bone-chilling, but instead carried a strange affinity and call.

The Snow Emperor's soul trembled violently as she gazed at the fragment, her eyes filled with incredibly complex emotions: awe at the ancient faith, sorrow for the tragic end of the Ice God, and a yearning stemming from the very instinct of life.

Rebuild the Ice God's divine position!

This is not merely an increase in power, but also a supreme mission to continue the legacy of the far north and to comfort that fallen ancestor. She finally understood how heavy and precious the reward the God of Sloth had spoken of was.

Dai Youheng gripped the Ice God fragment tightly in his hand, feeling the vast power within it and the faint resonance that had formed between him and the Snow Emperor.

He looked at the two Gods of Original Sin, his gaze profound. This path seemed far longer and more turbulent than he had imagined.

Collecting the fragments of the Ice God and rebuilding his divine position is not only an opportunity for the Snow Emperor, but also a crucial asset in his fight against potentially higher-level enemies in the future.

There was something he didn't understand: the divine realm shouldn't welcome beasts becoming gods now. If they helped the Snow Empress become a god, weren't they afraid of being blamed by the five great god-kings afterward?

However, he didn't ask. Whatever the reason, since the other party was willing to help, there was no need to ask such a pointless question.

In reality, the Seven Deadly Sins were not worried, because if the Snow Empress could become a god, the prerequisite was that Dai Youheng also had to become a god. His failure meant that the Snow Empress had failed. Since they had failed, the Seven Deadly Sins would naturally not bear the sin of helping beasts become gods.

If successful, the Seven Deadly Sins will also get what they want. The Seven Deadly Sins are helping Youheng become a god, not just to help him. These seven guys will not do anything that is thankless. In fact, when Youheng becomes a god, the seven of them will also receive unimaginable benefits.

At that time, they will not have to worry about the God King's accountability. How to get the God Realm to accept the fact that beasts can become gods is something that Dai Youheng needs to worry about himself. In any case, the trouble will not fall on them in the end.

The figure of the God of Sloth grew increasingly blurred on the throne, as if about to sink into an eternal dream. After handing the fragment concerning the Ice God's throne to Dai Youheng, he fell silent, and the somber aura representing the original sin of sloth gradually permeated the surroundings. However, this silence was soon shattered by another, sharper, and more scorching aura.

"Enough!" The voice of the God of Jealousy suddenly rang out, breaking the silence. No longer was it the gentle, reminiscent tone he used when recounting the Ice God's past; instead, it became sharp, urgent, and filled with barely suppressed agitation. "The old story of the God of Sloth and his tedious test are over! Whether the Ice God lives or dies is irrelevant now! Now!"

Her voice rose, "It's my turn! I, the test of the god of jealousy!"

Dai Youheng's heart skipped a beat, and he listened intently. He had already anticipated that this test would not be easy, but judging from the aura emanating from the God of Jealousy at this moment, its severity and "evil" probably far exceeded the God of Sloth's "easy win".

"My assessment has a very simple name, only three words." The God of Jealousy enunciated each word clearly, each syllable seemingly carrying a corrosive, sour taste: "By tithe!"

"Why should I?" Dai Youheng murmured to himself, his brows furrowing slightly. This name, like the god of laziness's "lying down and winning," indeed carried a straightforward yet eerie flavor, directly pointing to one of the darkest corners of human nature.

"That's right! It's all because of what!" The voice of the Goddess of Jealousy suddenly became impassioned, and the mist around her surged and rolled. She leaned forward slightly from her throne, and the invisible pressure surged toward Dai Youheng like a tide.

"Tell me, Dai Youheng, as you walk through this world, have you ever had such thoughts? Why are some people born with exceptional talent and enjoy all the world's riches? Why are those so-called chosen ones able to obtain the opportunities you've been desperately seeking without lifting a finger? Why are some able to possess unparalleled martial spirits, while ordinary people have to put in ten or a hundred times the effort to transform themselves? Why are others able to possess mountains of soul bones and seas of wealth, while you have to carefully calculate and proceed cautiously every step of the way?"

His speech became faster and faster, and his emotions became more and more agitated. The question "Why?" was no longer a simple three words, but transformed into countless concrete and sharp images, like cold needles piercing the hearts of the listeners.

Why is it that he comes from a distinguished family and is born superior to others? Why is it that he is handsome and can easily win the favor of others? Why is it that he can gain the favor of the gods and inherit a powerful divine position? Even more hateful is that he can have a partner who is stunningly beautiful and enjoy sincere and unwavering affection? Why? Why can't I have all the benefits in this world? Why...

Why...why—

!!

In the end, the god of jealousy almost roared, and the space of the temple trembled slightly at his angry roar filled with resentment and unwillingness.

The extreme emotions contained in that voice were enough to instantly assimilate those with weak minds, plunging them into an endless frenzy of jealousy.

After the roar, there was a brief, suffocating silence. The mist of jealousy slowly dissipated, but the chilling malice only intensified.

Her voice deepened again, carrying a chillingly instructive tone, "Therefore, the core of my test is this: 'Why?' What you need to do is find those beings in every aspect of this world who surpass you in some way. Then, in your own way, answer this 'Why?'!"

"If someone's opportunities and fortune far surpass your own, then you must sabotage their chances, causing them to miss out on crucial immortal herbs and soul bones. Plant a demon in their heart during their divine trials, making their seemingly smooth path to immortality fraught with thorns, ultimately forcing them to watch their opportunities slip away and fall from grace!"

"You will tarnish the reputation of a hero who is famous and revered throughout the world. With the most ingenious schemes and the most vicious rumors, you will tear off his glamorous facade, turning him from someone admired by thousands into someone condemned by everyone. You will turn his former glory into shackles, and make the people who believe in him despise and scorn him!"

"To someone who possesses beautiful women and genuine affections, you must take away their love and destroy their bonds! Find a way to make them desert everyone, to alienate their lover, and to utterly disillusion them with their closest friends, ultimately leading them to your side. Or at least, make them taste the excruciating pain of being betrayed by the most important person in their life! You must make them understand how fragile everything they cherish is in the face of true ruthlessness!"

"You shall squeeze every last penny out of the man who is richer than a country and controls endless wealth! Through schemes, fraud, and cunning, you shall completely dismantle his proud empire of wealth, turning him from a spendthrift tycoon into a penniless beggar, letting him experience the despair of falling from the clouds into the mire!"

"You shall disfigure him, for his beauty alone makes him invincible! Make his enviable appearance hideous and terrifying, so that he may taste the horror and disgust he feels when he reveals his true face!"

"If someone possesses a powerful martial spirit and extraordinary talent, and is hailed as an unparalleled genius, then you must cripple their foundation! Find the weakness in their martial spirit, or directly use absolute power to completely shatter their proud martial spirit, turning them from a prodigy into a cripple who cannot even muster soul power, letting them experience the immense fall from heaven to hell!"

The goddess of jealousy, as if reciting a familiar list, enumerated a variety of chilling ways to destroy, each one targeting the very essence of a person's life, the very foundation upon which they cherish most. Her voice was alluring, as if instructing Dai Youheng on how to right the injustices of the world with her own hands.

"————" Dai Youheng listened in silence, his heart churning. He didn't consider himself a good person; he could stop at nothing to achieve his goals. But the way the God of Jealousy described systematically destroying the best things in others out of pure "jealousy" still shocked him deeply.

This is indeed utter "evil," the most extreme manifestation of the dark side of human nature.

"My assessment isn't complicated," the God of Envy concluded, his tone regaining its calm, but the cruelty hidden beneath remained undiminished. "From these aspects, you only need to choose any two. Find two entities that truly surpass you in their respective areas, and then, in the most effective and thorough way you deem it, complete my answer to 'Why?'. When you successfully destroy their advantage in that field, you pass my assessment, and the more excellently you destroy them, the greater your reward. Go ahead and do it!"

Silence fell once more within the temple, broken only by the faint snoring of the god of sloth and the unsettling presence of the god of envy.

Dai Youheng took a deep breath, his gaze profound. He understood that once this "Why?" test began, it would push him deeper into an even more sinful abyss.

But this also seems to be a shortcut to quickly gain power, and it vaguely overlaps with the path he may take in the future. Those geniuses and prodigies who stand in the way of his ambition are destined to be crushed.

"This junior understands." Dai Youheng slowly raised his head, a resolute and cold glint in his eyes. "I will personally write the answer to 'Why should I?'"

The mist surrounding the god of jealousy seemed to ripple slightly, conveying a sense of satisfaction. And thus, Dai Youheng's path of trial by the god of sin gained two more concrete and darker tasks.

>