Douluo Continent: Copying Ya Li, the Carefree King of the Sun and Moon

Night quietly falls, and the stars light up one by one.

As the ancient city lights began to twinkle and illuminate the myriad homes, they intertwined like stars fallen to earth. In the distance, scattered torches moved slowly across the open fields, carrying travelers from afar on their journey home under the cover of night.

Xu Yanli stood alone on the high platform, his silver-white divine armor gleaming faintly in the night.

Like the world's only guardian deity.

He guarded this land that had been reborn from the ashes and finally found peace, and this vast land that he had never coveted but had to shoulder.

He desires peace and prosperity throughout the land, and lasting tranquility for all.

As for reform and restructuring, it cannot happen now; it must be done gradually, like boiling a frog in warm water.

Xu Yanli looked at the kneeling man, feeling a mix of pleasure and bitterness, but mostly a sense of pride in unifying the world.

For some reason, I want to carve an imperial seal with the inscription "By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous."

The excitement of the coronation ceremony lasted for three whole days before it finally subsided.

Xu Yanli neither stayed in the Xingluo Imperial Palace nor returned to Mingdu.

He left an avatar sitting on the dragon throne in the mortal realm, dressed in an elaborate black imperial robe and wearing a heavy crown, handling the trivial matters of the court for him day after day.

He listened to reports from court officials, reviewed mountains of memorials, and dealt with countless squabbles and intrigues in the court.

His true form went straight back to his private realm.

This small world, half alive and half dead, where life and destruction intertwine, still retains the appearance it was when he left.

The ancient trees on the east side are lush and verdant, with tiny, scattered green lights like fireflies in the sky.

The destructive lightning domain to the west surged ceaselessly, purple lightning tore through the sky, and thunder dragons roared and darted about, their power terrifying.

The old locust tree in the center of the secret realm still stands tall, and the stone table and benches under the tree are as good as new.

A pot of tea sat on the table, long since cooled, the tea liquor a dark brown, devoid of any warmth.

Xu Yanli sat cross-legged under the locust tree, slowly closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank directly into the deepest part of his spiritual sea.

This is the passage to the realm of the gods.

Xu Yanli stood up and gently placed his hand on the light gate.

Silently, the gate of light slowly opened.

Behind the door was neither a vibrant Temple of Life, nor a majestic Temple of Destruction, nor any of the divine temples he had envisioned.

There is only one simple and rustic stone pavilion.

With its hexagonal eaves and bluestone paving, the pavilion features a stone table with a few scattered chess pieces, a game of chess that has been lying idle for countless years, its pieces intertwined and locked in a stalemate.

Beyond the stone pavilion lies an endless, hazy void, where nothing can be distinguished in any direction, near or far, deep or shallow.

Occasionally, streaks of light would flash across the void, trailing long fiery tails, before instantly dissolving into nothingness.

The God of Destruction was leaning lazily against a stone pillar in the pavilion.

Shedding his majestic and solemn demeanor as a god-king in the temple, he casually crossed his legs, holding a cup of dark purple divine wine in his hand. The wine swayed gently, highlighting the nonchalant, almost mocking smile on his face.

The goddess of life sat opposite him, a pure white chess piece between her fingers, her brows furrowed as she stared at the unfinished game on the table, as if considering her next move.

"You're here?"

The God of Destruction glanced over, his tone as casual as greeting an old friend who had come to visit, and gestured with his hand, "Sit."

Xu Yanli stepped into the stone pavilion and sat down at the stone table.

He glanced at the unfinished game on the table, where black and white pieces were locked in a fierce battle, the situation extremely deadlocked, with neither side able to gain the slightest advantage.

Xu Yanli remained silent for a moment, then inexplicably felt that the scene looked somewhat familiar.

"You've come at the perfect time."

The God of Destruction put down his wine glass, leaned lazily against a stone pillar, and smiled faintly. "There's something I need to tell you."

Xu Yanli looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.

"The God of Destruction," the God of Annihilation said slowly, enunciating each word clearly, "intends to pass his divine position to Xu Tianran."

Xu Yanli's fingertips paused almost imperceptibly.

The Path of Destruction should be considered a branch of the Path of Annihilation, belonging to the subordinate divine positions of the God of Destruction.

"The God of Destruction is tired of staying in the realm of gods." The God of Destruction spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about something trivial. "I have long been bored and just want to find a suitable successor, pass on the divine position, and go out and have some fun."

Chapter 206: Kill the Golden Dragon King

He paused briefly, then his gaze returned to Xu Yanli.

"It was me who recommended Xu Tianran to him."

Xu Yanli was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "Has the God of Destruction agreed?"

"Agreed." The God of Destruction nodded, then changed the subject, "However, there's a condition."

"What premise?"

"The God of Destruction will personally test his character. If he passes the test, the divine position will be his destiny; if he fails, it will be invalidated, and another successor will be found. But before that, you need to get your brother to level up to 99 as soon as possible."

Xu Yanli remained silent.

He knows Xu Tianran too well.

In terms of forbearance, methods, and mental fortitude, Xu Tianran has few rivals across the entire continent.

He will most likely pass the mere test of character and temperament in the divine realm with ease.

But the trouble is never here.

“Your elder brother,” the God of Destruction suddenly spoke, his tone tinged with amusement, “is far more capable than you in terms of scheming and planning.”

Xu Yanli looked up and met his gaze.

The God of Destruction made no attempt to hide his feelings, looking directly into his eyes and saying bluntly, "You've always been straightforward and simple in your actions. Whenever you encounter trouble, you habitually crush it with absolute power, saving you time and effort. But Xu Tianran is different."

"His greatest strength lies in his ability to patiently plan and strategize, taking each step carefully and treating everyone as a piece on a chessboard, meticulously maneuvering and precisely pushing them into the situation he desires."

He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and continued slowly, "In terms of fighting, even a hundred Xu Tianrans working together wouldn't be enough to defeat you. But when it comes to political maneuvering, court intrigue, and scheming, you might not be able to outmaneuver him. You could say that many of your plans can only be used safely because he has a backup plan."

Xu Yanli did not refute.

This is the truth.

He swept away powerful enemies and reached the top along the way, partly due to the combination of strength and intelligence, but in fact his calculations were quite obvious.

But Xu Tianran is different.

With both legs disabled, no superhuman combat power to rely on, no top-tier power to back him up, and no inherited talent to enhance him.

Having nothing, he relied solely on his meticulous and cunning mind to carve out a path to becoming an emperor amidst the treacherous court and chaotic world.

He was truly ashamed of his own lack of forbearance and shrewdness.

Actually, if the other party hadn't been born during the era of Douluo Continent II: The Peerless Tang Sect, and if his legs hadn't been broken, he should also be considered a powerful and ruthless figure.

“So,” the God of Destruction put down his wine glass, his expression becoming more serious, “if you encounter any major events in the future that you are unsure about, you can listen to your brother’s opinion. He won’t harm you, at least not now.”

Xu Yanli nodded slightly and noted down these words.

"but."

The myth of destruction suddenly shifted, his tone instantly turning several degrees colder.

You need to give him a heads-up beforehand.

Xu Yanli raised an eyebrow slightly, waiting for what was to come.

"Xu Tianran is too cunning and too ambitious."

The God of Destruction stood up and walked to the edge of the stone pavilion. With his back to him, he looked out at the desolate and boundless void. "He has no ill intentions towards you now because you are too strong. So strong that he cannot even muster the slightest thought of resistance. You even have resources that tempt him."

"But people's hearts are most fickle, especially when they are at the pinnacle of power and have supreme authority. Their temperament and desires will quietly change."

He turned around and looked at Xu Yanli with a deep gaze.

"Tell him to behave himself; the destruction of the divine position was his opportunity, and no one will fight over it. But if he dares to resort to underhanded tactics or have any ulterior motives..."

He didn't finish the second half of his sentence, but the coldness in his eyes already spoke volumes about the consequences.

Xu Yanli was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "I will remind him."

Upon receiving the reply, the coldness in the God of Destruction's eyes vanished, and he returned to his lazy and nonchalant demeanor, turning back to lean against the stone pillar and leisurely sipping his wine.

The goddess of life remained silent throughout, staring down at the unfinished game on the table, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

Just when Xu Yanli thought she wouldn't say a word, a gentle and clear female voice slowly rang out.

"That child is thoughtful and has many desires, but his feelings for you are genuine."

Xu Yanli was slightly taken aback.

“I have lived through countless years and seen too many treacherous people.” The goddess of life finally raised her eyes, her clear and gentle gaze looking at him. “I can see through who is sincere and who is deceitful at a glance. Xu Tianran’s feelings for you are genuine.”

"But this sincerity is too complicated, mixed with power, desire, ambition, and deep-seated fear."

She sighed softly, her tone carrying a mixture of understanding and helplessness.

"But in this mortal world, in the eternal path of the gods, where can one find a truly pure heart, untainted by any impurities?"

Xu Yanli remained silent for a long time before finally responding softly.

"I understand."

The God of Destruction waved his hand, dispelling the slightly heavy atmosphere in the pavilion, and casually asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

After a moment's thought, Xu Yanli asked the question that had been lingering in his heart for a long time.

"What is the root cause of the decline and decay of the Soul Beast race over generations?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the stone pavilion fell into a deathly silence.

The God of Destruction's hand, holding the cup, suddenly paused, and the Goddess of Life's fingertips, which were holding a chess piece, also stopped in mid-air. The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with complex emotions and sighs.

"Soul Beast..."

The God of Destruction slowly put down his wine cup, closed his eyes, leaned against the stone pillar, and remained silent for a very long time.