NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 4: Goddess of Life
Two souls from distant universes, bound by a mysterious starlight, made a solemn pact under the vast universe.
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In the Douluo God Realm, at its furthest boundary, lies the majestic Forest of Life. This ancient forest serves as a silent guardian of the divine realm, its towering trees forming a canopy so dense it seems to hold up the heavens themselves.
Sunlight filters through the lush foliage, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor, imbuing the sacred grove with an aura of mystery and serenity.
The trees of this forest are unlike any other. Their trunks are a brilliant turquoise, appearing as though they were sculpted from jade, while their leaves are a deep, translucent green, radiating a faint life force. The sheer vitality emanating from these trees is as awe-inspiring as it is otherworldly.
At the heart of this forest lies a clearing, an oasis of emerald grass dotted with vibrant flowers in full bloom. Here, the air thrums with life, so rich and pure that every breath feels like an infusion of vitality. In the center of the clearing stands the Ancient Tree of Life, its colossal presence unmatched.
Its canopy stretches endlessly skyward, each leaf shimmering as if imbued with the essence of life itself. Sunlight trickles through the branches, creating a dance of light that feels almost alive, a reflection of the tree's role as the heart of the divine realm.
Beneath this mighty tree stands a figure of unparalleled grace: the Goddess of Life, one of the five God Kings who govern the divine realm. Her long, turquoise hair cascades down her back like a river of vitality, and her flowing aqua-green gown seems woven from the very essence of life itself. A soft, nurturing aura radiates from her, a testament to her role as the embodiment of life and renewal.
Standing beneath the tree, the goddess lifts her gaze toward its infinite branches. Closing her eyes, she begins to chant a prayer, her voice a melody that resonates with the rhythm of life.
Threads of turquoise light emanate from her body, intertwining with the tree's energy. Responding to her call, the Ancient Tree of Life pulses with immense vitality, its leaves glowing brightly as the entire clearing transforms into a world of luminous turquoise light.
Since the ascension of the Sea God, tensions have simmered between him and the God of Destruction. The God of Destruction, intent on expanding the divine realm, has clashed repeatedly with the Sea God, who warns of an impending crisis. Their discord has deepened over time, with the God of Destruction harboring animosity toward the Sea God. Only the birth of the Sea God's daughter has softened the destructive god's temperament, momentarily easing their strained relationship.
The Goddess of Life, unwilling to see conflict erupt between them, performs a Life Prayer Ceremony regularly beneath the Ancient Tree of Life. Through this sacred ritual, she seeks to divine the future of the divine realm. Despite her repeated efforts, her visions have yielded no clear sign of danger, leading her to question whether the Sea God's warnings are unfounded. Yet, her trust in his wisdom keeps her persistent.
As the goddess chants, the turquoise light shifts. Golden radiance begins to seep from the depths of the tree, spreading outward. It touches the branches, then the leaves, until the entire clearing is bathed in warm, golden light—a symbol of auspicious fortune. The Goddess of Life's heart swells with joy, for the ritual has foretold a positive outcome for the divine realm and, perhaps, for her and her husband, the God of Destruction.
Still, uncertainty lingers. What event could bring such fortune? Even as a God King, the Goddess of Life knows she can only glimpse fragments of the future. Full clarity remains elusive, even to beings as powerful as the Dragon God, whose inability to foresee his own fall led to his demise.
Suddenly, the goddess senses a disturbance in the fabric of space-time. Her eyes snap open, her serene expression replaced with concern as she gazes toward the cosmic void beyond the divine realm.
A ripple of space-time turbulence approaches—a phenomenon that poses a grave threat to the divine realm. Millions of years ago, such turbulence had caused catastrophic damage, collapsing a third of the realm and claiming the lives of countless gods. Now, only she and the God of Destruction remain from that era, while the younger God Kings—Good and Evil—have yet to reach their full potential.
The goddess braces herself, prepared to alert the other gods, but she quickly realizes that this disturbance is faint and poses no immediate danger. A wave of relief washes over her, and she wonders if this turbulence might be connected to the auspicious fortune foretold in her ritual.
As she continues to observe, a streak of starlight emerges from the turbulence, carrying with it a silver-haired girl and a faint spiritual presence. The light, dimmed by exhaustion, slowly drifts toward the divine realm.
"An outsider?" the goddess murmurs, her curiosity piqued. She is reminded of the Sea God's origins as an outsider who rose to prominence, eventually becoming a God King. Her gaze softens as she watches the starlight approach, wondering if this newcomer, too, is destined to alter the course of the divine realm.