Chapter 227: The Hidden Room Douluo, Part 1
Ye Wen made himself comfortable, grabbing a seat near Bibi Dong. To an observer, they might have looked like old friends sharing a conversation. After settling in, Ye Wen recounted the recent beast tide incident, explaining it in full.
After a while, Bibi Dong's pen halted mid signature, her lovely eyes flashing with anger as she spat, "That damned Tang Hao. Even after all these years, he's still as despicable as ever, dragging countless innocents into his mess. Leave it to me, Ye Wen. This time, Tang Hao won't get away so easily. Not even the Great Worshipper can protect him now. He will pay, and pay dearly."
Ye Wen nodded in agreement. He'd allowed Tang Hao to roam free thus far primarily to avoid provoking the wrath of the God of Shura, who lurked behind Tang Hao. After all, the title of "Slaughter King" was no small thing of all the contenders who had entered the Slaughter City, only eight had ever emerged as "Slaughter Kings" over the millennia. With Bibi Dong now among the few, that left just seven with such status.
If Tang Hao didn't rely on the augmentation of a battle armor, very few besides the offerings of the Supreme Hall could claim any certainty in defeating him. But this time, Tang Hao had gone too far, inflicting harm upon nearly half the Douluo Continent. Such audacity was a clear death sentence.
At this point, however, Ye Wen wasn't yet aware that Tang Hao had already sent Tang San to the Slaughter City. Had he known, he would have arranged for the guards posted there to eliminate Tang Hao on the spot, cementing Bibi Dong's reputation.
Why station guards at the Slaughter City, you ask? The Slaughter City marked a critical turning point in the Douluo storyline. Ye Wen was also curious to see if Tang San could manage to destroy it without the Scarlet Swan Kiss as he did in the original story. If Tang San did end up obliterating the city, Ye Wen wouldn't mind taking over the remnants himself; perhaps the event would even bring him closer to acquiring a new divine authority.
And the Slaughter City's fate itself was perplexing. Though it served as a main source of faith for the God of Shura, Tang San was able to eradicate it completely. Just how much did the God of Shura detest his own godhood? Ye Wen thought, chuckling. Could it be that Tang San, after his ascension, fueled his progress almost entirely on Sea God's power? The idea was amusing, but it underscored the oddity of the God of Shura.
In mythology, the Shura was akin to a divine enforcer or god of war hardly exalted in status and more of a grim overseer. But if he was anything like the original tale of Aśura from the ancient world, he might have been more accurately portrayed as a restless spirit of violence and combat, an embodiment of wrath and power within the heavenly hierarchy.
Perhaps that explains his distaste, Ye Wen mused. But even with such a burden, the Shura God managed to reach the level of a God King. If nothing else, his comprehension and talent were astounding, surpassing even the deities of primal sin and elemental forces.
The deeper Ye Wen delved into divine understanding, the clearer it became: advancing beyond the godly realms required both amassed faith and a deep personal comprehension of one's corresponding laws. As a new god himself, relying heavily on the "god tests," Ye Wen's foundation was comparatively thin.
But, in the end, the system of divine inheritance in Douluo was deeply flawed. In terms of raw talent, every Titled Douluo at level 95 and above could be considered a genius of the highest order. Yet, without a god's inheritance, they were doomed to die on Douluo, no matter their potential. Had it not been for luck, the current period of gods wandering the outer universe would not have provided any opportunities to ascend at all. Success in the divine realm wasn't just a matter of talent it required luck, connections, and timing.
Without Tang San's divine intervention, Ye Wen reasoned, the legendary Seven Shrek Monsters could at best only reach the level of Titled Douluo, even with the help of celestial herbs. Only Tang San's ascension and his pull within the divine realm allowed them to receive godly inheritances.
Reflecting on it all, Ye Wen found it both ironic and amusing. The Shrek Monsters' next generation was the last group to achieve collective ascension. After them, the Douluo Continent's champions were merely a lineage of Tang Clan descendents, with no support to bring close friends or allies with them.
But for now, he had more pressing matters. Though he and Bibi Dong corresponded often through letters, his rare personal visit warranted further discussion. Spirit Hall's leadership was already seventy percent under Bibi Dong's influence, but in Star Luo Empire, some traditionalist factions within Spirit Hall still clung to their positions due to their seniority. Unable to depose them outright, Bibi Dong had no choice but to tolerate them for the time being.
Ye Wen nodded, satisfied with her progress. "In Star Luo Empire, there's one Spirit Hall leader who stands out a bishop named Miles in the city of Gengxin. A particularly vile character."
Though Spirit Hall's influence over Gengxin's blacksmith guild had yielded much needed talent, Ye Wen hadn't paid attention to the specifics of its operations. Bibi Dong furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar name but quickly replied, "Gengxin has been stable in recent years. I haven't received complaints about Bishop Miles. Has he been causing trouble?"
Ye Wen shook his head, disappointment flickering in his eyes. Though Bibi Dong had achieved impressive results in Spirit Hall, its growth had been too rapid to catch all these unsavory characters who exploited their power.
"I've heard that Miles has a reputation for forcing himself on young women and inflating prices at auctions, only to steal away the winning items without payment. Such acts tarnish the name of Spirit Hall. When you return, see to it that he's investigated thoroughly. Vermin like him have no place in our future plans."
Bibi Dong's beautiful brow creased in anger. "If these rumors are true, then that scum deserves death," she said coldly. Long accustomed to wielding authority, Bibi Dong understood the importance of reputation for any powerful institution. For the sake of their grand plan, such filth even Titled Douluo needed to be purged without mercy.
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