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"Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise… but what about the Vermilion Bird deity?"

"The Vermilion Bird deity… that brings us to some of the events of the past."

"Once, in the Divine Realm of the Dragon God, the dragon race was the strongest of all, followed by the phoenix race. At that time, the Phoenix God's power was on par with the Dragon God of the same era. The two races called each other brothers. However, the Phoenix God later rebelled for reasons unknown."

"Under the Dragon God's command were the Nine Dragon Kings, the Dragon Queen, and his brother, the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon. The Phoenix God also had the Five Phoenix Divine Kings, all of whom were direct descendants of the Phoenix God: the Vermilion Bird, Wanchu, Luansi, Qingluan, and Honghu."

"The war between the two sides nearly tore the Divine Realm apart. However, the dragon side was stronger, and in the end, the phoenix lineage was wiped out."

"As an equal to the Dragon God, the Phoenix God was subdued by the Dragon God and his brother, the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon. But shortly after the Phoenix God's rebellion, the Dragon Crown Prince was born. Not long after the Dragon Queen's death, the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon—brother to the Dragon God—rebelled against the Dragon God for unknown reasons and was ultimately destroyed by him."

"After that battle, the Dragon God devoured the core power of the Phoenix God's divine position, gaining the power of creation. This allowed the Dragon God to ascend to the rank of the Supreme Divine King, wielding both destructive and creative powers, becoming an unstoppable force."

"The Phoenix God, like the Dragon God, was originally a partial manifestation of the Vermilion Bird. Their firstborn child, like the Dragon Crown Prince, inherited the full Vermilion Bird bloodline."

"The Phoenix God was once a mighty Divine King, close to the level of the Supreme Divine King, wielding the power of creation. However, after losing the core of their divine position, devoured by the Dragon God, they were reduced to the level of a secondary deity. From that point on, the phoenix—a race second only to the dragons in strength and status in the Divine Realm—completely vanished."

"It can be said that there were originally Four Celestial Spirits in the Divine Realm, each corresponding to a Divine King. However, due to internal conflicts, their balance was broken. When the Four Celestial Spirits coexisted, the stability of the Divine Realm surpassed even the material universe, remaining unaffected by phenomena like spatial storms or black holes."

The God of Arrogance explained all of this in one breath, only to find Chen Ming lost in thought once again.

In the original setting, it was indeed established that the Dragon God devoured the Phoenix God's divine position and gained the power of creation. Chen Ming also remembered that this event marked the beginning of the Dragon God's descent into madness.

In the Douluo 4 setting, the Dragon God originally only possessed the power of destruction. By devouring the Phoenix God, the resonance between the stolen creation power and the Dragon God's destructive power allowed them to ascend further.

However, since the creation power was not something the Dragon God gained through cultivation, and it clashed with their own attributes, the Dragon God developed a split personality: one side was violent and wrathful, while the other was calm and wise. These two aspects were later inherited by the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King, respectively.

But considering the split personality of the Dragon God, which side was closer to their original nature?

Chen Ming thought that the side driven by destruction was more likely the Dragon God's true self. After all, the creation power was forcibly acquired by devouring the Phoenix God, so it might have significantly influenced the Dragon God's personality.

Moreover, Chen Ming recalled something important.

"Senior, I once heard of the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon martial soul on another continent. Since the Douluo Continent is related to dragons, I think this martial soul might be connected to the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon you mentioned. If I'm not mistaken, it's destruction-attributed, right?"

Hearing this, the God of Arrogance couldn't help but marvel at how peculiar the Douluo Continent was—somehow always linked to things hidden in the Divine Realm. It seemed that remnants of the past always found echoes in the Douluo plane.

"No one knows where the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon ultimately fell. But based on your description, the martial soul in your world might have originated from its bloodline or something similar. And yes, you're correct—the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon, like the Dragon God, wielded the power of destruction."

"The Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon was the progenitor of sub-dragons, but in terms of bloodline purity, they were second only to the Dragon God. The reason they were classified as sub-dragon was simply because they were subordinate to the Dragon God. As the Dragon God's siblings, they were like two sides of the same coin and held a position in the Divine Realm second only to the Dragon God and the Phoenix God."

"After the Phoenix God's death, the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon became the second most powerful being in the Divine Realm, often taking command of the dragons in the Dragon God's stead. They were regarded by the Dragon Crown Prince and the Nine Dragon Kings as second only to the Dragon God. No one knows why the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon rebelled or where they ultimately perished."

"However, there's a rumor in the Divine Realm that the Purple Radiance Heavenly Annihilation Dragon carried part of the Dragon God's malice. When they fell, that malice returned to the Dragon God, which ultimately led to the Dragon God's downfall."

"What a complicated web of relationships…"

Chen Ming pinched the bridge of his nose, feigning deep thought over the complexity, but in reality, his mind was racing with connections.

The Nine Dragon Kings derived their power from the Dragon God, making them excellent sources of nourishment for the Dragon God. Even at the brink of death, by devouring the Nine Dragon Kings, the Dragon God could restore themselves to their peak and possibly push their power even further.

As for the Four Celestial Spirits...

The Dragon God was a partial manifestation of the Azure Dragon and had devoured half of the Vermilion Bird through the Phoenix God. They might have even consumed the Phoenix God's child, making them close to a complete Vermilion Bird. If so, the White Tiger Divine King and Black Tortoise Divine King, who also embodied Celestial Spirit powers, could have been seen as prime targets for the Dragon God.

If the Celestial Spirits were transcendent cosmic beings, then gathering all their powers—especially at the Divine King level—might indeed allow someone to break through to a higher realm.

As for the Five Divine Kings, it was even more obvious. The attributes of destruction, life, evil, kindness, and judgment combined could create the Three Realms Judgment Sword, capable of splitting the Dragon God. Even Asura God sought a weaker version of this to break through. It was entirely logical for the Dragon God to target the Five Divine Kings.

Chen Ming realized that apart from the Dragon Queen and the Dragon Crown Prince, the Dragon God might have viewed all other Divine Kings as mere resources for their ascension. From a conspiratorial perspective, even the Dragon Crown Prince—being a complete Azure Dragon—might have been seen as the Dragon God's ultimate nourishment.

"Love, the phoenix, the Dragon Realm, the Divine Star, the unification of creation and destruction…"

"Don't trust the Dragon God. He's the greatest deceiver."

Chen Ming recalled the final words of the Fire Dragon King before their fall and began to understand why the Dragon God was labeled the greatest liar. He also understood why the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings were so desperate in their final moments—they unknowingly became pawns and accomplices to the Dragon God's schemes against the other Divine Kings.

Chen Ming remembered that the Dragon God's failure to upgrade the Divine Realm to a Divine Star was partly due to the Time Dragon King and Space Dragon King foreseeing the collapse of the Divine Realm after the Divine Star's creation. This prompted their betrayal, forcing the Dragon Crown Prince to sacrifice themselves to the Dragon God, driving the Dragon God into a frenzy.

The Dragon God claimed this was a result of interference by the universe's will, influencing the Time and Space Dragon Kings to betray them. The Dragon God even said they intended to pass everything on to the Dragon Crown Prince after achieving the Divine Star and then follow their wife into reincarnation.

But...

What if the Dragon God was the one lying?

What if the Time Dragon King and Space Dragon King foresaw the real future instead of an illusion? What if the Dragon God regained consciousness after the Dragon Crown Prince's sacrifice—or never lost it in the first place?

Perhaps the Dragon God always viewed the Nine Divine Kings as tools—sons in name but subordinates and pawns in reality. Maybe the Dragon God planned to consume them at the perfect moment—right after the Divine Star's creation.

The Time Dragon King might have realized this at the height of the universe's influence, hence their rebellion, setting everything into motion.

The rule that no soul beast could ascend to godhood before the next Dragon God was born—this seemingly illogical and foolish decree—was set by the Dragon God themselves.

But what if the Dragon God did it on purpose? What if they deliberately wanted to prevent soul beasts from creating a new Divine Realm outside their control, fearing it might affect their plans? If any soul beast discovered even a hint of the Dragon God's schemes, they would relentlessly hunt the Dragon God in their current state.

In that case, everything fits perfectly.

"By the way, the Nine Dragon Kings were killed by the Dragon God and the other gods, and the Dragon Crown Prince died from betrayal. How did the White Tiger and Black Tortoise Divine Kings die? Wasn't the Black Tortoise known for their powerful defense?"

"The Black Tortoise and White Tiger Divine Kings didn't trust the other gods, especially the dragon deities, and chose to join forces against the Dragon God. They inflicted significant damage on the Dragon God but were wounded by the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings. In the end, they were consumed by the Dragon God's 'Devour the Heavens and Earth' technique."

"At first, many believed the two Divine Kings were still alive. But after the war, when the Divine Realm's core was reassessed, it became clear that their divine positions were shattered beyond repair. Most of their essence was destroyed, leaving only fragmented remnants."

"Only then was it confirmed that the Black Tortoise and White Tiger Divine Kings were truly dead."