Douluo Dalu: Lucky Star

What Gu Yue said aligned with Han Li's thoughts and reflected his perspective on the gods who had relinquished their divine positions. Take, for example, the Sea God with whom he had interacted—a standout among such beings. Compared to other gods, the Sea God could only be considered a young deity. Yet, judging by the legends he left behind on the Douluo Continent, his current strength, and the choices he made, it was clear this individual was truly ambitious. Upon reaching the peak of his abilities through his divine position, he decisively chose to pass on his divine title and venture into other parts of the cosmos in pursuit of new adventures and opportunities for breakthroughs. Since then, he had never reappeared. In the original storyline, could his association with Asura be due to this reason?

As for Rong Nianbing, he was an oddity among the gods. As an outsider, his life seemed to revolve around his family, warm meals, and cooking—perhaps this was what he truly loved. But forget it; overthinking this didn't help. Since Asura dared to offer it, Han Li would seize the opportunity. Weakening the enemy while strengthening himself? It's a win-win. Even if Asura didn't give it, he had already been covertly seeking access to Asura's authority. There was no reason to hesitate—just go for it! After all, a confrontation was inevitable sooner or later. He had a backup plan. What was there to fear? At worst, he'd end up like the Golden Dragon King. Wasn't that acceptable?

Suddenly, Han Li felt a clarity in his divine soul, as if it had slightly improved. Beside him, Gu Yue's eyes lit up with satisfaction, as if she believed she had contributed to Han Li's advancement. Naturally, Han Li wouldn't refute her thoughts.

"Time to cultivate."

He examined his condition, and his joy was evident. Moments ago, he noticed that the progress of his long-stagnant mastery of the Law of Fate had silently risen to 80%, leaving only the final leap to completion. Progress in the Law of Fate had always been abrupt, making it entirely distinct from other laws. This was enough to excite him.

He had been slightly concerned about Bibi Dong's insufficient influence, but now he sensed the path ahead. Fifteen percent of the remaining progress lay in the direction of Spirit Hall, while the last 5% resided in the City of Slaughter. At this point, there was no turning back.

"Yes, cultivation. I'm also just one step away," Gu Yue replied with a nod. She formed a Blue Silver Grass in her hand, but it disintegrated at the last moment, showing that she hadn't yet fully mastered it. In the tranquil space of their restorative domain, the two clasped hands. Their combined divine power radiated a kaleidoscope of colors, enveloping them in midair, with only their silhouettes vaguely visible.

...

On the Douluo continent, things were mostly peaceful. Everyone focused on soul power cultivation. Spirit Hall maintained order as always. Due to the influence of the Mysterious Heaven Technique, malicious incidents have significantly decreased over the past year. After all, no one could predict when they might face retaliation from those they had once oppressed. This surge in the general population gave rise to vitality among previously non-cultivating civilians. Many peculiar martial souls emerged, exhibiting unique effects across various domains. Most of these individuals voluntarily pledged loyalty to Spirit Hall, which caused dissatisfaction among the high-ranking members of the two empires. While the Heaven Dou Empire remained relatively composed, the atmosphere in the Star Luo Empire grew oppressive. Some astute individuals, upon joining Spirit Hall, promptly sought to leave their homelands, fearing imperial retaliation. After all, there had already been several small-scale skirmishes, some involving bloodshed. Though restrained, no one wanted to become collateral damage. Seeking benefit while avoiding harm is simply human nature.

Within the restorative domain, the divine energy surrounding the two suddenly flared. As green light swept across the grassland, the vegetation on the ground began to grow wildly. The Lake of New Life behind them became even more vibrant, exuding an intense aura of vitality. The domain was so rich in life force that it condensed into raindrops, sprinkling downwards. Soon, what had once resembled a plain began transforming into something akin to the heart of the Star Dou Forest. It was unclear how much time passed, but as the rain ceased and the winds calmed, the energy shrouding the pair turned transparent. Their once-vague forms became clear, their faces glowing with vitality.

Pop!

The energy barrier surrounding them shattered like a bubble, flowing back into their bodies. Gu Yue opened her eyes and gently landed on the ground. The confusion in her gaze vanished instantly, replaced by deep joy. She didn't speak but looked up at the sky. Han Li still floated in midair. Golden threads began to emanate from his body for the first time, forming a peculiar shape visible to Gu Yue's eyes. The golden threads danced around Han Li, weaving into a circular ring that connected end to end. Gu Yue could see it, but her divine sense couldn't detect a trace of it; it felt utterly intangible. She watched as the golden ring suddenly expanded and silently reversed itself. The once abundant life energy surrounding Han Li began to shift gradually. A faint trace of purple divine power, flickering with lightning, gradually lit up from Han Li's chest. Starting as a weak thread, it swiftly spread to envelop his entire body.

"Power of Destruction?"

Gu Yue's eyes widened as she tried to discern what was happening. Yet, to her disappointment, she found no answers. After so much time cultivating together, she knew Han Li had his secrets and had been studying other laws, but she never expected him to conceal so much. While she was mastering the Power of Creation, he had quietly grasped the Power of Destruction as well. Soon, however, Gu Yue noticed the forces of life and destruction within Han Li beginning to intertwine. The two powers merged and gradually dissipated, leaving only his usual aura, as though nothing had happened and she had simply imagined it. The faint golden ring that had encircled Han Li vanished entirely as he opened his eyes and descended to the ground.

"When did you also master the Power of Destruction?"

Gu Yue's gaze was complex. She clearly understood the implications of such a feat.

"Just now. Didn't you see it happen?"

Han Li's mood was excellent, and he didn't mind answering her question. Three months had passed since their last breakthrough. Gu Yue's estimate had been accurate: it took her between three and six months to fully master the Power of Creation. By the fourth month, she had achieved it. Riding this momentum, Han Li succeeded in mastering both the Power of Creation and its opposite, the Power of Destruction. This development meant that even if his reliance on the Law of Fate failed to fully evolve as planned, he could still become the strongest in this realm by wielding the combined power of Creation and Destruction, along with the contingency plans he had carefully prepared. Once he took the final step, even the Five God-Kings of the Divine Realm would no longer be his equals individually. Of course, this was only theoretical power and not reflective of actual combat performance. Still, it boosted his confidence. His ultimate hope remained the Law of Fate, which had been his foundation on this journey.

"Now, the fate of the soul beasts' abandonment is officially being rewritten. Isn't that right?"

Han Li smiled at Gu Yue. If possible, he had no desire to betray an ally. Since the Power of Creation was something he had obtained from another, offering a promise in return was reasonable.

"Of course," Gu Yue nodded enthusiastically. They might still fail, but the soul beasts had already escaped the fate of total annihilation. If Han Li desired, he could expend some effort to create a small plane once he fully ascended. Though it wouldn't rival the Divine Realm, it would reach the level of the original Douluo Plane. He could then relocate all soul beasts there, banishing them into the vast cosmos. While they might face other dangers, it was a far better fate than slow extinction. He had met the minimum threshold to save the soul beasts. If such a cost were necessary, Gu Yue was willing to pay it.

"Congratulations on obtaining the stepping stone to becoming a God-King," Han Li remarked, glancing at Gu Yue. She was merely concealing her strength for now. Once she successfully integrated the Power of Creation into her divine core, she could ascend to the next level as well. Failure wasn't a possibility. For Gu Yue, it wasn't so much about fusion as it was about reclaiming something she had lost. Her breakthrough would likely be even smoother than Han Li's, as her ancestry was deeply rooted in grandeur.

"Thank you."

Gu Yue's gratitude was genuine. Then she added, "As for the soul beasts, let's hold off for now. I still need time to adapt to the new laws. Besides, we should wait for your next move. Perhaps we won't need to take such drastic measures."

Her confidence had never been higher. In her view, once both she and Han Li broke through, even if the opposition had five individuals, they would pose no real threat. The only concern she had was with Han Li's divine weapon. While it was decent and derived from his martial soul, it wasn't quite up to par. However, this wasn't the time to bring it up; they were in high spirits, and addressing it later wouldn't be too late.

"Alright, you can decide for yourself."

Han Li nodded. Strictly speaking, the soul beasts could be considered his people, but he didn't place much importance on them. It was best to leave such decisions to their leader.

"Also—"

Just as Han Li was about to continue, he abruptly stopped. His gaze seemed to pierce through the restorative space, locking onto Spirit Hall's direction. Gu Yue did the same, reacting only a moment later as her sight turned toward Spirit Hall.

"Is that?"

"Yes, it's exactly what you think."

"You focus on familiarizing yourself with the new laws. I'll step out for a moment. At this point, if I don't keep myself hidden from the Divine Realm's gaze, it'll only cause greater problems."

As Han Li's voice trailed off, his figure had already vanished without a trace.