Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

The earth-shattering energy fluctuations gradually subsided, and the city of slaughter fell into a deathly silence. Feng Yao landed back on the ground and looked at Tang Chen, who was kneeling on the ground, his aura extremely weak but his eyes clear.

At this moment, although Tang Chen had broken free from the control of the Nine-Headed Bat King and regained his senses, his face was withered, and a deathly aura emanated from beneath his skin. His soul power flickered like a candle in the wind. The years of erosion by the deadly poison of the City of Slaughter, as well as the primal trauma caused when he finally separated from the parasite, had pushed this once invincible land powerhouse to the end of his life.

He coughed violently a few times, coughing up black blood with a foul odor. He struggled to lift his head and looked at Feng Yao. His eyes, which had once looked down on the world, were now filled with complex emotions: gratitude, relief, regret, and a final plea.

"Thank you...thank you for your help, young friend..." Tang Chen's voice was hoarse and dry, each word as if he had exhausted all his strength. "I...Tang Chen...ow you my life...but unfortunately, this crippled body...is already exhausted...and my days are numbered."

Feng Yao could clearly sense the rapid loss of the other party's life force. It was not just an injury, but the result of the complete corrosion of his essence by the toxin. If it weren't for his extraordinary cultivation, he would probably have died on the spot. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Senior, there is no need for thanks. I am only doing what I was asked to do."

Tang Chen shook his head, a final glimmer of light flashing in his eyes—the light of unwavering resolve: "I... have lived a life of unparalleled glory, without shame before Heaven... only one regret... that I failed to fulfill my promise... to see... her one last time..."

He reached out his trembling hand, as if trying to grasp something: "Young friend... since you have come here... you must have extraordinary abilities... I... beg you... to take me... to Poseidon Island... to see Poseidon... one last time... this kindness... Tang Chen... will repay in the next life!"

By the end, he was barely breathing, but the pleading and expectation in his eyes were so heavy that no one could refuse.

Feng Yao looked at this once-powerful figure who had stood at the pinnacle of the continent, now reduced to such a state, and felt a pang of sorrow. He nodded: "Alright, I agree."

Having said that, Feng Yao no longer hesitated. With a thought, his soul power circulated throughout his body, and an ancient and profound compass appeared in his hand—the Primordial Eight Trigrams Compass. The "Kun" trigram, representing the earth, bearing, and nourishing, suddenly lit up, emitting a gentle yet profound earthy yellow light.

"The Kun hexagram signifies Earth's support and the revival of the earth's veins!"

Feng Yao let out a low shout, and the Kun hexagram shone brightly, as if the Earth Mother Goddess had opened her arms. The extremely pure innate Kun Yuan power surged towards Tang Chen like a tide, slowly pouring into his withered body.

This was not an offensive force, but rather the most primal nourishing and restorative power. Wherever the Kun Yuan power passed, the rampant killing poison within Tang Chen's body seemed to be absorbed and settled by the thick earth, temporarily suppressed; his riddled meridians and almost shattered soul core also received unprecedented nourishment and support. Although it could not reverse the primal corrosion, it greatly slowed the loss of his life force and restored some of his mobility.

Tang Chen groaned, a strange blush rising to his face, but his breathing had noticeably stabilized, and the deathly light in his eyes was temporarily suppressed. He was astonished by the vast, gentle yet incredibly powerful force within him, and his gaze towards Feng Yao was filled with emotion: "I have never seen... such a... powerful martial spirit..."

Feng Yao smiled slightly without explaining, but continued to output Kun Yuan power: "Senior, I can only temporarily suppress your injuries and buy you some time. But the poison in your origin is already deep, and I am powerless to reverse it."

Tang Chen felt a long-lost sense of relief and said with a wry smile, "That's enough... Being able to see her again while still sober... is already a great blessing. Young friend, your methods are unfathomable, I admire you."

During the period of recovery nourished by the power of Kunyuan, the two also regained the strength to talk. After learning that Feng Yao came from Seagod Island and knew Poseidon and Qian Renxue, Tang Chen was filled with emotion and no longer hid the truth.

He recounted his experience of undergoing the Asura God's test, and his painful failure during the eighth test when he was interfered with by the Rakshasa God's evil thoughts and parasitized by the Nine-Headed Bat King.

"The Asura God... wields the laws of the divine realm, representing slaughter and judgment... but at its core is not pure destruction, but... balance." Tang Chen gasped, his eyes revealing awe and profound understanding of that power. "His existence is to maintain the balance of order in the divine realm and even the lower realms... to eliminate imbalances..."

Feng Yao listened quietly, his mind racing. Balance... eliminating imbalances...

Combined with the fact that Shura God Power had personally intervened to rescue Tang San, a startling thought flashed through Feng Yao's mind like lightning!

In the original story, Tang San inherited both the Sea God and the Asura God, which in itself broke a certain balance! And now, he and Qian Renxue are also rapidly approaching the god level!
"Could it be because the world's carrying capacity is limited, and it cannot accommodate too many god-level powerhouses at the same time? After Shura and the Sea God passed down their godhood, they left the Douluo God Realm and traveled the universe together to explore unknown areas, which is equivalent to making room for Tang San. After evil and good passed down their godhood, they also went to other worlds to experience reincarnation..." Feng Yao thought of this and his eyes flashed with understanding and shock.

As an enforcer, the Asura God is inherently a force for maintaining stability and balance. Its true purpose may not simply be to select a successor, but rather, in the process, to control the number of god-level powerhouses! Perhaps even... to eliminate any "extra" factors that could disrupt the balance!
The divine position was indeed passed down, but was Tang San in the original story also a chosen maintainer of "balance"? Or was he a tool used by the God of Asura to eliminate other potential gods in order to maintain the world's energy balance?
If I successfully inherit the position of Sea God, perhaps nothing will happen, but in the eyes of the Asura God, Qian Renxue and even Bibi Dong are "unbalanced factors" that need to be eliminated?! In that case, it makes sense that there are no angels or Rakshasa in the God Realm.

"No wonder that even though that strange God of Slaughter intervened so much, the Asuras in the lower realm did not appear. The same logic applies to the original story. The Sea God intervened in the lower realm to save Tang San, and the Seven Devils in the original story inherited a divine position that already existed in the God Realm..."

The truth is so cruel! The path to godhood is not just a competition of talent and opportunity, but a life-or-death struggle for survival dominated by a higher level of will!
Feng Yao took a deep breath, suppressing all his shock and chill. His gaze became even more determined and sharp.

Since that's the case, then so be it! Whether it's the Sea God's test or the Asura's killing trap, Feng Yao will accept it all! Want to eliminate him? Even if it's the God King enforcing the law, he'll have to ask the divination plate and soul bone in his hand for permission!
"Senior, it's time for us to set off." Feng Yao said in a deep voice. The light of the Kun hexagram subsided, and Tang Chen's condition temporarily stabilized.

Tang Chen nodded, his eyes filled with longing for his old friend and a final, resolute determination.

Feng Yao helped Tang Chen slowly leave the City of Slaughter. Given Tang Chen's current weakened state, and in pursuit of speed, Feng Yao decided to use the fastest method—flying back to Seagod Island.

He released a slight burst of soul power, and a gentle yet immense force lifted the two of them, slowly ascending into the air. To avoid the wind pressure from high-speed flight putting a strain on Tang Chen, Feng Yao even created a thin sonic barrier around himself, completely isolating him from the fierce gale.

Soon, the two came to see the vast and boundless sea, with azure waves stretching to the horizon. Sunlight shone down, scattering golden glints on the surface, and occasionally a huge sea spirit beast would leap out of the water, letting out a long, drawn-out cry.

Protected by Feng Yao's soul power, Tang Chen weakly looked down at the magnificent scenery, his cloudy eyes revealing complex emotions. He had once been an invincible powerhouse on land, dominating all, but he never imagined that he would be carried across the ocean in such a frail state.

The sea breeze carried a salty, damp scent, and also a strange sense of familiarity and pull—the direction of Poseidon Island, the direction where Poseidon was. This pull sustained his remaining life force, keeping his eyes clear and yearning.

"The sea... is still so magnificent..." Tang Chen spoke hoarsely, his voice carried by the wind to Feng Yao's ears, "Back then... it was from here... that I fought my way to Seagod Island... and finally saw her..."

His words were fragmented, as if he were recalling the most precious treasure.

Feng Yao listened quietly, without disturbing him. He could feel the old man beside him rapidly losing his life force, like sand slipping through his fingers, impossible to grasp or hold onto. For him, every moment of this final journey was a farewell to the past and to his expectations. "She stood atop Mount Poseidon…like a goddess of the ocean…noble…powerful…yet so lonely…" A tear welled in Tang Chen's eyes, a mixture of happiness and pain. "I promised her…after becoming a god…I would definitely return…"

"I have broken my promise after all..." A long sigh, filled with endless regret, dissipated in the sea breeze.

The flight lasted for quite some time, but to Tang Chen, it felt like only a moment. As the sacred and beautiful island, shrouded in a golden halo, gradually appeared on the horizon, his breathing suddenly quickened, and his withered hand gripped Feng Yao's arm tightly.

"We're here...we're here..." he murmured to himself, his eyes shining with an unprecedented light, a kind of excitement like a final burst of energy before death.

Feng Yao could clearly sense that Tang Chen's life force was burning even faster due to the extreme emotional fluctuations. He silently increased his speed, transforming into a streak of light and speeding towards Seagod Mountain, the core of Seagod Island.

The closer they got, the stronger the sacred and majestic aura became. The residents and soul masters on Seagod Island all felt this undisguised and powerful aura approaching, and they all looked up.

Feng Yao ignored everything below; his only target was the foot of Sea God Mountain.

Just as he and Tang Chen were about to descend to the foot of the mountain, a streak of azure light shot up from the temple, carrying unparalleled excitement and disbelief, and instantly stopped not far in front of them.

As the light faded, Poseidon's stunning beauty was revealed. Her gaze immediately locked onto the aged, hunched, and dying figure beside Feng Yao.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The sea breeze blew, ruffling Poseidon's long, azure hair and priest's robes, but she remained oblivious. Her eyes were wide open, her pupils trembling violently, as if she were witnessing the most incredible, most desired, and most terrifying sight in the world.

Her red lips parted slightly, a silent name trembling on her lips, but she couldn't utter a sound.

Tang Chen saw her too. His eyes, which had almost lost their light, were instantly filled with endless tenderness, guilt, longing, and love. He struggled to stand up straighter, wanting to give her a smile.

“Xiao…Xi…” he hoarsely, using all his strength, finally called out the name etched deep in his soul.

This call, like a thunderclap, completely shattered Poseidon's reason and strength.

Tears, like pearls from a broken string, surged from her eyes and streamed down her smooth cheeks.

Unable to restrain herself any longer, she flashed and instantly crossed the final distance, appearing in front of Tang Chen.

Trembling, icy hands carefully touched Tang Chen's wrinkled and lifeless face.

The real touch, the warmth of the body (though faint), and the soul-stirring resonance etched into the heart...

Not a dream!
“Chen…!” A heart-wrenching cry finally broke free of her restraints. Poseidon threw herself into Tang Chen’s arms, holding him with all her might, as if she wanted to meld him into her very bones, as if he would disappear again if she let go.

Tang Chen's eyes, which had once looked down upon the world, were now filled with endless vicissitudes, guilt, and an almost overflowing tenderness. He broke free from Feng Yao's support, straightened his spine that had long been bent by the years and poison, and gave Poseidon a pale but extremely sincere smile.

With his last remaining strength, Tang Chen embraced the woman before him, who had waited a lifetime for him, tightly, tightly. His arms trembled, his body swayed, but this embrace seemed to pour out all the longing and guilt he had ever felt.

Tang Chen gently patted her back with his withered hand, his voice choked with emotion: "I'm sorry... Xiao Xi... I'm sorry..." He buried his face in her ocean-scented hair, his voice hoarse and filled with endless regret, "I broke my promise... I made you wait so long... I'm so sorry for what you've suffered..."

“It really is you… Chen…” Poseidon choked, her words incoherent, tears streaming down her face. “I’ve waited for you for so long… so long… I thought… I thought I would never…”

Tears, like a burst dam, surged from her beautiful eyes, streaming down her smooth cheeks and dripping onto the cold stone slabs of the sacred mountain. She didn't wipe them away, but simply gazed at him intently.

She felt the coldness of his body and the rapid passing of his life, her heart breaking, yet she held him even tighter, as if trying to warm him with her own body heat and life force, to keep him alive.

The two embraced in the sky atop Poseidon Mountain, below them the vast ocean and sacred islands, the sunlight casting a golden glow on their silhouettes. Decades of waiting, longing, despair, and deep love erupted in this moment, transforming into silent tears and a trembling embrace.

Feng Yao hovered quietly to the side, silently watching this sorrowful yet incredibly precious scene. He had done all he could. This final moment together belonged to them.

After a long while, Poseidon finally calmed down a bit. She gently released Tang Chen, but still held his hand tightly, as if he would disappear if she let go. She looked at Feng Yao, her eyes filled with endless gratitude: "Feng Yao... thank you... thank you for bringing him back... to my side..."

Feng Yao shook his head slightly: "Senior, there's no need to be so polite. I'm just fulfilling my promise."

Poseidon helped Tang Chen up, nodded to Feng Yao, and said softly, "Feng Yao, you should go back and rest first. I want to... spend some time alone with him."

Feng Yao bowed respectfully and quietly withdrew, leaving this space to the lovers who had endured hardships and were finally able to have a brief reunion.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty scent, also carried the soft whispers of a couple embracing in the distance—a confession that transcended life and death, a love that lasted a lifetime, burning with its final and most radiant brilliance in the last rays of their lives. (End of Chapter)