Regarding Asura's threat, the God of Fire, though furious, didn't take it to heart.
No matter what, Asura couldn't possibly attack him within the Divine Realm. All he needed was to bide his time a little longer, or wait for Asura to make a mistake...
"After cultivating for so many years, you're the first god who dares to threaten me like this."
"If I don't mess with you, my heart won't be at peace!"
If given the chance, he would definitely stab Asura in the back, letting him experience the wrath of the God of Fire!
The divine flames surrounding the God of Fire's temple blazed violently, as if venting his rage.
In Asura's temple, the world was dyed blood-red. Asura's eyes burned crimson with fury. He never expected the God of Fire to feign compliance while secretly playing both sides!
In his life, betrayal was what he despised the most, this God of Fire had signed his own death warrant!
The God of Fire's "betrayal" left Asura deep in thought and disrupted his plans.
Losing the support of a peak-level first-grade god meant losing a crucial combat force, and the loss was devastating.
In the past, Asura wouldn't have cared so much, but now, things were different. He had to secure every bit of strength he could.
After all, his "contest" with that person had begun the moment he first aided Tang San.
A divine war was inevitable, and gathering as much power as possible was his only option.
This time, not only had he lost the God of Fire's support, but he had also allowed his opponent to gain an incredibly powerful god's successor...
"What should I do?"
Even with Asura's unshakable mental fortitude, he couldn't help but feel restless.
Losing a peak-level first-grade god meant he now had to recruit two such gods to turn the tide.
On the surface, many gods in the Divine Realm claimed to support him, but few among them were truly powerful.
This was largely due to his personality, divine authority, and the laws he governed.
Asura was the most formidable Asura, and few gods were willing to associate with such a being, this was only natural.
The only exception was Poseidon, the God of the Sea, as they were "fellow countrymen."
Thanks to this connection, they were somewhat familiar with each other.
Of course, their relationship wasn't particularly close, they were merely allies in name.
"The Angel God? The Rakshasa God?"
The moment these two crossed his mind, Asura shook his head. If these two didn't join forces to target him, he'd already be thanking his lucky stars.
There was a good chance they might even side with that Rock God.
If possible, he'd prefer to prevent Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong from ascending to godhood, or at least delay their ascension until after the divine war.
Unfortunately, when they became gods wasn't something he could control, especially in the case of the Rakshasa God.
As for the Angel God, he could still interfere, given that the original Angel God had fallen. The remnants of her will were too weak to protect anything.
If the Angel God truly sided with the Rock God, he wouldn't hesitate to reduce Qian Renxue to a state similar to Tang Chen's, neither human nor ghost.
For Asura, achieving this was no difficult task.
"First, I must resolve the matter of the second-grade gods. As for the God of Fire... I will make you regret today's decision!"
Challenging a God King? The God of Fire wasn't even qualified!
In his original plan, all members of Shrek's Seven Monsters, except Xiao Wu, were destined to inherit godhood.
Though there had been some unexpected developments, it wasn't beyond remedy.
Asura chose individuals he deemed to possess "great destiny," and every member of Shrek's Seven Monsters fit this criterion.
However, their destinies had shifted somewhat, especially Ning Rongrong's, whose fate had plummeted to rock bottom. She had lost her value and was no longer suited for godhood.
Apart from her, Zhu Zhuqing was another anomaly.
The conflict between her and Dai Mubai seemed almost irreparable, but things hadn't yet reached a point of no return.
After all, they were still young, and there was plenty of time for reconciliation.
Zhu Zhuqing's destiny hadn't been negatively affected, in fact, it had grown stronger, which was why Asura still held high hopes for her.
However, there was a chance Zhu Zhuqing might side with the Geo God. Before making any moves, he needed to carefully assess the situation to avoid empowering an enemy...
Asura was no charity worker, he wouldn't make such a foolish mistake.
"As for Ma Hongjun, a second-grade godhood like the Phoenix God should suffice."
Asura sighed. If the God of Fire hadn't "betrayed" him, things would have been so much better.
At this thought, his desire to kill the God of Fire grew even stronger.
---
Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou City, Zhongli's Residence.
While sipping tea, Zhongli suddenly sensed something and frowned, gently setting his cup down on the table.
"So many godhoods have been bestowed... It seems Asura holds quite a grudge against me."
Zhongli spoke impassively, his expression unchanging.
Even if all these gods descended to the mortal realm, they wouldn't be enough to stir any strong emotions in him.
The so-called gods of this world were nothing more than slightly larger ants.
The real threat wasn't these gods but the other Archons.
Something told him the situation wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Suddenly, Zhongli waved his hand, and the gates of his residence swung open.
The visitor was "Xue Qinghe," her face clouded with worry, as if she were grappling with some major issue.
Seeing the gates open, "Xue Qinghe" entered without hesitation.
A moment later, she stood before Zhongli.
"Please, have a seat."
"Mm."
As "Xue Qinghe" sat down, their eyes met. Hers were filled with unspoken words, as though she had countless things to say.
Zhongli's amber eyes flickered with confusion. After "Xue Qinghe" ascended to the throne, hadn't everything gone smoothly?
What was troubling her now?
After "Xue Qinghe" successfully became emperor, Xue Ye, the previous emperor, had vanished from public view.
Even when "Xue Qinghe's" second wave of reforms targeted the imperial family, he hadn't made an appearance.
There were things Xue Ye wished to change, but he knew his power alone wasn't enough.
"Xue Qinghe" was different, "he" had the backing of a powerful figure, capable of crushing any resistance before it could take root.
This was why Xue Ye hadn't reappeared, not because he was dead.
"Xue Qinghe" hadn't harmed the former emperor. Instead, she ensured he lived comfortably, just as before.
To this, Xue Ye was quite satisfied. It was rare for Qinghe to show such filial piety while also wielding such firm authority.
He had misjudged "Xue Qinghe" before, and he might misjudge again in the future.
But no matter what, "Xue Qinghe" had the bearing of a true emperor.
"Qinghe, what's the matter?"
What could have happened to leave "Xue Qinghe" looking so troubled?
Hearing this, "Xue Qinghe" parted her lips slightly, hesitating. Right now, she was lost and desperately needed guidance.