Douluo Dalu 3 | Divine Destruction

"I've never been better." A soft giggle escaped Ah Yin's lips as she gazed upon the garden. It wasn't at its pinnacle but it was healing, the new influx of energy helping soothe her aching bones and wounded core. The planet was healing.

"Jeez, mother. You don't have to scare me like that." Rolling his eyes, a droplet of sweat dropped down Wulin's brow as Tang San's worry manifested itself. Gently rubbing circles on Wulin's back, melodious laughter leaked from Ah Yin's lips.

"You should loosen up a little son, I'm not that weak." Smiling warmly, Ah Yin's smile dimmed for only a moment as those familiar eyes returned to their tyrannical crimson. "You should learn the same thing little one. I saw your little stunt, don't act like such a flippant use of annihilation was free of repercussion." Pinching Wulin's nose, Ah Yin frowned deeply.

"It was just a pinch, I'll live grandma." Chuckling warmly, Wulin didn't seem to mind that her reproachful glare grew a little harsher. Shaking her head, Ah Yin stepped away as her body slowly began to turn translucent.

"What's a pinch to you is incomparable suffering to most, little one. You need to learn to treasure yourself more." Rolling her eyes, Ah Yin gazed longingly at her grandson who she had seen far too rarely. She had not even seen her granddaughter in law yet! "But our time is growing short so I'll leave the nagging to that partner of yours. She seems like a sweet girl so treasure her."

"If I didn't treasure her my blood would become your sustenance." Laughing boisterously despite his gruesome words of a future that would surely result in the destruction of human life, Wulin's crimson eyes looked at her fondly yet there was a certain heaviness too it, a solemnity that made it undeniably clear that Wulin was Tang San's son. 

"…" Looking at him with conflicted eyes for a moment, Ah Yin sighed. It was inevitable, he would do it whether he told her or not. That was just the way the men in this family were, stubborn and stupid and yet they were far too courageous and just to be mad at for long. It did lead her to live a life of worry but… well they would walk their path with or without her consent, wouldn't they? 

She nodded her head with resignation tainting her features, her body transforming into teal light and shooting back into the tree from which she came. Wearing an apologetic smile, Wulin stood up and held a hand to block the light from the artificial sun that had suddenly increased in intensity just as everything in the room had. Ah Yin was angry but also saddened.

"…I'll be back soon, grandma." Patting the tree that served as her true body as well as the core of this planet softly, Wulin turned away. For a moment, he felt as though a ghastly hand that wasn't there was on his shoulder, desperately trying to hold him back but a gentle pat on his shoulder forced it away softly.

"How'd it go?" Wearing a curious expression as the exceedingly common blue silver grass vines along a simple walled surface parted for the Golden Dragon Emperor, Yun Ming was eager to hear the answer.

"She's healing. The merging has helped as we expected." Warmly patting Yun Ming on the arm with a smile, the Atlas Douluo could only roll his eyes as he disabled the barriers blocking their path before Wulin walked right through them. The youth had a habit of accidentally destroying important things. Arrays, buildings, attacks, the century long balance held on a global scale, stuff like that. 

But the merging, huh? That was a terrifying thing even for the battle maniac former strongest, Yun Ming. A merging between universes would shake the world balance more than Luslec ever could—scratch that, he wasn't so sure about that anymore. Either way, a merging was a big deal and Yun Ming was glad it happened this generation. If the whisp aura he felt that day belonged to the head honcho, the world would be glad Luslec was around.

"Well, at least there is some good news sprinkled in." Chuckling wrly, Yun Ming reactivated the arrays protecting the life core. Only the pavilion master could enter this sanctuary and though there had been a few exceptions throughout history, none revealed it. He was taking a risk by showing this sanctuary to an outsider but ultimately Yun Ming had faith. 

Many would doubt him, and rightfully so. For the last three years he had sheltered the God of Devils who threatened the safety of the world and even taught him a few things. It was foolish and irredemable.

But Yun Ming would dismiss those concerns as the babbling of a fool with his head so far up his ass he couldn't see reason. What about the world was just? What about it was fair? Each day people were slaughtered and history was written in the blood of soul beasts. Life being unfair was unavoidable however mindless slaughter was far from a necessary evil.

Yun Ming couldn't change that. The Spirit Ice Douluo couldn't change that. The Sea God couldn't change that. Human greed knew no bounds and was thus hard to reign in, Yun Ming knew that all too well. But he trusted Luslec to solve this problem, which was as old as history.

No, that wasn't quite true. He trusted Tang Wulin, the successor of the Sea God Pavillion and the herald of better times. Yun Ming had seen this boy grow and mature from a seedling to a proper flower and he would continue to grow until one day he was a giant tree whose branches protected the world from all harm. That was the boy who Yun Ming trusted.

[So she knew its location after all.] Sigh heavily, Tang San was just as conflicted as his mother and had even hoped this wouldn't come to pass. As a parasitical realm, it was natural the life core could detect the abnormality however it was still regretful.

Humming softly in response, Wulin was quite pleased about what was happening at this meeting. It was true that much of this journey was to confirm Ah Yin's health and by extension, the health of the planet but Wulin had another goal in mind. A more… personal goal.

Peace had been acquired even if only temporarily and the merging was halted for the time being, there was no need to rush. Instead, now was the time to prepare while they still had the luxury. War would come soon and the Phoenix God still loomed above them, there was much to prepare for.

That was why Wulin's declaration of their next destination had been so easily accepted, among other things such as loyalty and trust of course. To some extent it was true that the Star Luo continent was heavily connected to the Tang Sect and would thus be difficult to control, however, that wasn't the main reason. Instead, Wulin had a place to visit and a treasure to reclaim.

They would visit the Dragon Graveyard and reclaim the split divine core of the Dragon God.

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Hey there, hope you liked the chapter.

I wonder why Tang San and Ah Yin reacted that way? How strange, don't you think? Well, it's not like Wulin has much of a choice with the Phoenix God preparing for a battle just as much as they were, right?

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