While Fang Chang was enjoying his carefree days in the lower realm, a dark undercurrent was surging through the Divine Realm.
Fang Chang had calculated everything, yet he had missed one crucial step. The Silver Dragon King, Gu Yue, and the Golden Dragon King were both born from the same body of the Dragon God, and they shared a close connection.
The moment the Golden Dragon King perished, she sensed it. Coupled with the fact that Fang Chang happened to be away during this period... all the signs forced her to connect the two events.
However, she was mindful of the bigger picture and did not publicize the matter. Instead, she waited for Fang Chang's return, planning to confront him face-to-face.
But unexpectedly, the first to return were Xiao Bai and the others, bringing news that Fang Chang would be delayed for a few more days.
Enraged, she immediately focused her divine sense, locking onto the Douluo Plane. When she found Fang Chang enjoying a romantic escapade with the Ice Empress, the fire in her heart could no longer be suppressed.
She was about to descend to the lower realm to deal with Fang Chang herself when Xiao Bai and the others quickly intervened, and a chaotic battle ensued between the two sides.
"Hmm?" Still in the Land of Extreme North, Fang Chang's brow furrowed as he looked towards the horizon.
Just a moment ago, he had received a signal from Xiao Bai. A major incident had occurred within the Divine Realm, urging him to return immediately.
"I have to go. Absorb the things I left for you well; they will help you achieve godhood sooner," Fang Chang said hurriedly. He was about to fly into the sky when the Ice Empress grabbed him.
"You're leaving already?" she pouted. "Is there trouble at home?"
Fang Chang nodded.
"Is it that fierce dragon big sister from last time?"
Fang Chang nodded again. "Most likely it's her."
The Ice Empress pouted without speaking for a long while before finally muttering, "Fine, go on, go on."
With that, she transformed into her true form and burrowed into a snowdrift.
Fang Chang gave a wry smile and then quickly departed. He tore open a spatiotemporal rift in the air, his body slipping through. The next moment, he was back in the Divine Realm.
At this moment, Gu Yue and Xiao Bai were locked in a fierce battle in the sky. On the ground, Di Tian had gathered the elites of the Dragon Clan and was in a standoff with the three Little Gold sisters and their group.
They didn't yet know about the Golden Dragon King's death. They were simply supporting their master in her fight, ensuring Gu Yue wouldn't be bullied.
Seeing Fang Chang return, both sides ceased their fighting and retreated to their respective camps.
Xiao Bai shot Fang Chang a meaningful look, signaling him not to follow Gu Yue and not to provoke her.
On the other side, Gu Yue slowly walked towards Fang Chang, her eyes fixed on him. "What have you been hiding from me?"
Fang Chang gave a sheepish laugh. "I just made a quick trip back to the Douluo Plane, that's all."
"And..." Gu Yue's voice was hollow as she stood right in front of Fang Chang, not yielding an inch.
"And... I looked up a few old friends," Fang Chang said, his confidence already wavering.
"Old friends? Female? A female scorpion, perhaps?" Gu Yue's words were laced with ice, her tone growing heavier with each word.
Fang Chang chuckled awkwardly, not daring to reply. He figured Gu Yue must have used his aura to locate him just now.
The expected explosion of rage did not occur. Gu Yue gradually calmed down and asked again, "What else?"
"What else? Nothing, really, nothing else," Fang Chang insisted, trying to prevaricate.
"Do you need me to remind you?" Gu Yue stared intently at Fang Chang, her voice dropping lower. "Did you kill the Golden Dragon King?"
Hearing this, Fang Chang's pupils constricted. How could she know about this?
The Golden Dragon King's status within the Dragon Clan was no less than hers. If the dragons learned of this, they would undoubtedly throw the Divine Realm into chaos.
But Gu Yue's current behavior suggested she had no intention of telling the other dragons, even deliberately lowering her voice.
"Answer me, did you or did you not?" Gu Yue continued to press, her expression becoming agitated.
Fang Chang took a deep breath and nodded heavily, continuing in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Gu Yue, listen to me explain. The Golden Dragon King's existence..."
"Enough!" Gu Yue interrupted him, her voice sharp as she questioned him, "You clearly knew the relationship between him and me. Why would you do this?"
"Do our many years of affection mean nothing to you? And you actually hid such a huge matter from me?"
Her sudden outburst confused the others. Xiao Bai and her group quickly understood what she meant, but the other gods watching, especially those from the Dragon Clan, were completely bewildered.
Who could make Gu Yue so agitated? Although she had a fiery temper, she rarely lost control in public like this.
"I... sigh." Fang Chang sighed. "I know I've let you down by doing this, but I had no other choice."
"You should also be well aware that if I had told you, you would never have agreed."
"But if I hadn't done it, that fellow would have sooner or later brought disaster upon the Divine Realm, disrupting the balance between the various planes. Countless lives would have been lost."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Tears welled up in Gu Yue's eyes, her voice choked with sobs. "He and I are from the same body. Fusing with him to bring about the return of the Dragon God has been my lifelong pursuit!"
"But you... you personally destroyed it all!"
"I was afraid you wouldn't be able to suppress him! I was afraid that at that point, you would no longer be you! I was afraid... I was afraid I would lose you!" Fang Chang no longer held back, shouting the words he had kept bottled up inside.
Gu Yue froze, a flicker of hesitation appearing in her heart. But in the end, emotion triumphed over reason. She struck out at Fang Chang with her palm.
The palm wind, carrying immense force, slammed into Fang Chang's chest. Caught completely off guard, Fang Chang was sent flying, crashing into a stone pillar behind him.
"Fang Chang!" Xiao Bai cried out, her body instantly shooting forward to engage Gu Yue in battle again. But this time, she held nothing back, unleashing a killing blow from the start, leaving a half-foot-long gash on Gu Yue's body.
"Your Highness Gu Yue!" Seeing her injured, Di Tian's eyes turned red. He immediately led the other dragons to attack, clashing with the high-level members of the Spider Clan opposite them.
The battle quickly escalated, soon engulfing the entire Divine Realm.
Many of the Dragon Clan gods had always prided themselves on their noble bloodline, considering themselves superior to the spiders. But in reality, because of Fang Chang, the entire Divine Realm was under the control of the Spider Clan.
Even Gu Yue, the common lord of soul beasts in the eyes of the Dragon Clan, had ended up as one of his concubines. This had long been a source of pent-up frustration for the Dragon Clan gods.
Taking advantage of the escalating situation, they threw all caution to the wind and launched a direct war against the Spider Clan, to see who was stronger—the Spider Clan or their Dragon Clan!
On the other side, the Spider Clan, having been arrogant and dominant for so many years, would not tolerate such a provocation. A swarm of smaller spiders immediately surged forward, surrounding the Dragon Clan gods. The battle grew increasingly fierce.
Outside the two clans, the few other soul beast groups and human-aligned gods, like Er Hei and Bibi Dong, were in a difficult position.
If they helped the Spider Clan, it would only escalate the war. But if they did nothing, it felt like a betrayal to Fang Chang...
Just then, Fang Chang, propping himself up with his hands, struggled to his feet. Then, ignoring his injuries, he once again charged towards Gu Yue, who was still fighting with Xiao Bai.