Three years later.
Ever since Na'er came to live with them — and since Tang Wulin awakened his Spirit — the family's modest living conditions had been stretched to the breaking point by his outrageous appetite.
Fortunately, there was the monthly subsidy from the Spirit Transfer Pagoda and funding from the Genius Cultivation Program. Without those, the family might literally have had nothing left to eat.
In Na'er's small room, Tang Wulin watched curiously as she tapped away on her phone."Na'er, are you chatting with Brother Jiang Chen again?"
Mobile phones weren't common in the Federation. You couldn't just buy one — there were no public channels. Even his master, Mang Tian, had told him you needed both a recommendation from a high-ranking Federation member and an eye-watering sum of Federation coins.
The reason was simple: the Soul Network itself needed Evil Eye Tyrants to maintain it. Their numbers were limited, and without them, the network couldn't cover the whole continent.
The Federation didn't even have satellites — something was subtly blocking the Douluo Continent, preventing even demigods from entering space.Otherwise, with mechs already commonplace, why wouldn't they explore the stars?
Several times the Federation had tried to break through into the universe, but every attempt had failed. In the end, they'd quietly shelved their plans.
Na'er wordlessly turned her phone toward Tang Wulin.Her contact list contained exactly two names:
[This life, I shall suppress everything]
[Charging Towards a God-Rank Blacksmith] — Mang Tian.
When she'd first seen Ditian's profile picture, something in her memory had stirred. Acting on Jiang Chen's advice, she'd "run away from home" and blacklisted everyone she knew… except him. Just in case.
(Ditian, somewhere: "…")
In her chat with Jiang Chen:
[This life, I shall suppress everything]: Have you eaten?[Na'er]: I have.[This life, I shall suppress everything]: Doing well there? Why not come to my place? It's huge, with mountains of delicious food. Oh — and a cat that can do backflips.
An animated image followed — the Evil-Eyed Saint King gracefully flipping in midair.
[Na'er]: Can I bring my brother?[This life, I shall suppress everything]: Grin!
The last message had been a lonely "Are you there?" from Jiang Chen, sent seven days ago. Na'er had never replied.
"That's great," Tang Wulin said with a sigh of relief.
After a moment, Na'er said quietly, "Want me to ask him to get you one?"
"No!" Tang Wulin refused instantly.
Anyone with a phone was clearly Federation elite — higher even than his master. He didn't want Na'er owing someone like that just for his sake.
He believed that if he worked hard, he could surpass anyone and become a self-made success.
And besides… When Na'er was six, his family had taken her to awaken her Spirit, but she'd failed. Her family hadn't come back for her since — meaning they must have known she couldn't awaken, and had simply abandoned her.
The thought made him burn with anger."Na'er, don't worry. I'm almost done saving for a Soul Spirit. Once I become a one-ring Spirit Master, I'll beat the crap out of everyone who abandoned you and make them regret it!"
(Ditian, far away: "Achoo!")
"Mn. I believe Brother will become strong."
"Brother, I want a lollipop."
"Alright, I'll go get one right now!"
The moment Tang Wulin left, Na'er's innocent, childlike smile vanished. Her gaze turned cold — the look of someone owed eight million coins.
She typed:
[Na'er]: Lend me money.
[This life, I shall suppress everything]: ?[This life, I shall suppress everything]: How much?
Na'er hesitated.
[This life, I shall suppress everything]: Oh~ Little Wulin wants to contract a Soul Spirit, huh?[This life, I shall suppress everything]: No.
[Na'er]: Why?
[This life, I shall suppress everything]: You only come to me when you want something. What am I to you — a clown?
[Na'er]: I'm sorry.
[This life, I shall suppress everything]: If "sorry" worked, why would we need the police?
[Na'er]: Please. Just lend me the money.
In East Sea City, inside a small, unassuming building whose interior was anything but plain, Jiang Chen lounged on a sunlit balcony, legs crossed, soaking in the warmth.
It had been so long since he'd felt this comfortable.
In the past, with the God Realm always looming overhead, he'd lived under the constant threat of Tang God King's divine justice. After all, he'd already ruined Xiao Wu — an irreconcilable grudge if there ever was one.
He'd spent his days hiding, weaving through shadows, never able to rest. Was that even living?
Now?Now was living.Pure enjoyment.
Seeing Na'er's message, Jiang Chen's lips curved in amusement.
She didn't even need to ask — he had already prepared a Soul Spirit for Tang Wulin. A Dragon Clan creation, tailored to probe the Golden Dragon King's bloodline.
For that, he'd nearly taken a Dragon God Claw to the face from Ditian.
He couldn't touch Tang Wulin directly — not with Tang God King's consciousness hanging around — but there were always other ways.
In the original timeline, Wulin's ten-year Soul Spirit had evolved into a Dragon Clan entity under his bloodline's influence. Jiang Chen could simply accelerate that process… for his own ends.
As for letting Tang Wulin walk off with Na'er? The complete Silver Dragon King was far too strong — even split from the Dragon God, she was God King-tier. And she was not a Spirit Beast's ally; she was Dragon Clan to the core.
And in love, she'd made Ditian's millennia of loyalty into a joke — even ending up as someone else's spaceship.
So, instead of one intact Silver Dragon King, Jiang Chen preferred two smaller ones. Much easier to manage.
First, give Tang Wulin half a Silver Dragon King.Then win one side over… and suppress the other.
Now, with a fragment of the Silver Dragon King coming to him for help?
He'd be a fool to refuse.
He wanted both.
[Na'er]: Are you lending it or not?[This life, I shall suppress everything]: Send me a voice message. Call me "Brother." Then I'll lend it.
Na'er almost dropped her phone.What kind of disgusting fetish is that?!
The first time she'd met Jiang Chen, she'd sensed it — this man was evil.
And now it was confirmed: he was the worst kind of evil.
Na'er seethed.