Chapter 25: The Descent of the Spirit

The Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape watched the aromatic food, both swallowing hard. They had been waiting anxiously; in truth, they would have been content to eat it earlier, as they had always been accustomed to consuming raw meat, and even undercooked would have sufficed.

After another ten minutes, the meal was finally ready. The Titan Giant Ape immediately grabbed a piece of roasted meat and tore into it with its massive maw. The delicious food made it dance with joy. The Azure Bull Python also used its spiritual power to lift roasted fish into its mouth. Although the fish were quite large, the creature’s own size was so immense that it finished each one in just a few bites, and soon, all the fish were gone.

Ling Xiao also used a small knife to carve off slices of tiger meat, enjoying a bite of meat followed by a sip of broth. Although the tiger leg was huge, Ling Xiao finished every bit of it.

The Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape looked at Ling Xiao in astonishment. Given his slender frame, they could never have imagined he could consume so much food. Even they could only manage to eat about a quarter of their own body mass in one sitting! Watching Ling Xiao’s stomach, which remained completely flat, the two soul beasts wondered where all that food had gone.

*Burp!*

Ling Xiao let out a satisfied sigh, leaned back against a giant rock, and rubbed his stomach. Beside him lay the picked-clean bones of the tiger leg. After resting for a while, Ling Xiao used a chain to store the remaining tiger meat in his system space. Within the system space, time stood still in certain areas, ensuring the meat would remain fresh regardless of how much time passed in the outside world.

After finishing his meal, Ling Xiao walked to a small wooden cabin near the Star Dou Lake—the place where Rabbit Ruo and Xiao Wu used to live. Since it was already quite late, Ling Xiao decided to rest there for the night before heading back.

...

"You two stay here in the Star Dou Great Forest! I’m leaving now," Ling Xiao said, waving goodbye to the two soul beasts early the next morning.

"Understood, take care on your way!" the Azure Bull Python nodded.

However, just as Ling Xiao departed, the sky suddenly shifted. Thunder roared and storms raged. The previously bright sky turned gloomy, and an immense pressure blanketed the Star Dou Great Forest. Under this crushing aura, the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape could only collapse to the ground, shivering. Ling Xiao, however, remained unaffected, sitting calmly upon his sword and looking curiously toward the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"What is that?"

Soon, the sky was torn open, and two figures exuding terrifying auras stepped through.

"Evil, is this the location where the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger died?" the God King of Goodness asked, looking down.

"Indeed. I can sense the final traces of the Evil God Pearl dissipating in this vicinity," the God King of Evil replied, his expression focused.

"But aside from those two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, there are no other powerful beings here. I do not sense the presence of any gods," the God King of Goodness remarked, scanning the surroundings.

"Impossible. Aside from a god, who else could destroy my Evil God Pearl? It seems this god is quite adept at hiding! No wonder they dared to provoke me," the God King of Evil narrowed his eyes.

"Let us go down and see!"

The two God Kings descended above the head of the Azure Bull Python. With just a single glance, the Azure Bull Python felt the chilling touch of death.

"Little creature, you live in this place, do you not? Tell me, who killed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!" the God King of Evil demanded coldly.

"I... I don't know!" the Azure Bull Python stammered, trembling under the immense pressure.

"You wretch, you lie. Do you know the price of deceiving a deity?"

The God King of Evil took a single light step forward, and the body of the Azure Bull Python instantly erupted in blood, bringing it to the brink of death. The Titan Giant Ape’s eyes turned blood-red, and it roared in rage, but it was powerless to intervene.

"Little creature, concealing the truth will do you no good. It would be better to speak the truth! Perhaps if we are pleased, we might allow you both to become soul beasts surpassing a hundred thousand years, whereas deception will only lead to death!" the God King of Goodness added in a persuasive tone.

"I have nothing to say!" the Azure Bull Python rasped.

"Very well! It seems you have chosen death!" the God King of Evil said coldly, preparing to execute the two beasts.

Just then, a voice rang out.

"Who are you things!"

"Who goes there!"

Hearing this, the God Kings of Evil and Goodness narrowed their eyes in shock. They had not sensed anyone approaching! They turned to see Ling Xiao sitting on his sword, observing them with a mix of confusion and gravity.

To their astonishment, they could not discern the strength of the person before them—and they were God Kings!

"Who are you?" The God King of Evil stepped forward, unleashing his divine pressure, but to his surprise, the person before him remained completely unmoved.

Ling Xiao did not look at him, but instead looked at the heavily injured Azure Bull Python on the ground.

"Sigh! Why be so stubborn? Since these two came looking for the person who killed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, you should have just told them it was me. Now look at you, covered in wounds!"

"Human, they are gods! You... you must run!" the Azure Bull Python wheezed, summoning its remaining strength.

"No rush. Since these two hurt you, they shall pay for it with their lives. You focus on healing first!" Ling Xiao said with a light smile, pulling out two bottles of Life Water.

"Human, you are too arrogant! We are gods; how dare you be so disrespectful!" The God King of Evil’s face twisted. Not only had Ling Xiao ignored him and the God King of Goodness, but he had dared to refer to them as "things."

Ling Xiao placed the Life Water beside the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape before finally turning his gaze toward the gods.

"Two pieces of trash, daring to hurt my friends—you have quite the audacity!" Ling Xiao said, his eyes turning icy, causing the very space around them to seem to solidify.

The two God Kings did not notice, blinded as they were by their own rage.

"Wh-what! You dare address us, the noble gods, in such a manner?"

The God King of Evil’s expression was incredibly dark, and the God King of Goodness looked equally incensed. It had been an eternity since anyone dared to speak to them this way!

"Ding! Task issued: Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Trials of the God of Judgment. Battle the God King of Evil, injure the God King of Evil, seize the Scales of Judgment, and usurp the throne of the God King of Evil!"

"Ding! Task issued: Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Trials of the God of Devouring. Battle the God King of Goodness, injure the God King of Goodness, seize the Heart of Goodness, and usurp the throne of the God King of Goodness!"

"Ding! Task issued: Sixth and Seventh Trials of the God of Death. Slay the God King of Evil and the God King of Goodness!"

"Ding! Task issued: Fifth and Sixth Trials of the God of Life. Heal the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape."

Perhaps sensing the fury in Ling Xiao's heart, the system issued these tasks directly. The fate of the two God Kings had been sealed.