The age of gods had returned—on Tang San's terms.
After twenty-five years of silent rule, he finally released a decree that sent shockwaves through every corner of the new Douluo Plane and its connected realms.
> "Only those who forge their own godhood shall be allowed to ascend to level 99. Any who borrow, inherit, or steal another's divine path shall be struck down—by my hand."
The words were carried by divine decree across all spirit communication tools, carved into the skies of every sect, empire, and divine gate. Cities went still. Sects froze. Empires bowed.
No one doubted his ability—or his will—to enforce this rule.
The meaning behind the words was terrifying.
No more shortcuts.
For centuries, spirit masters dreamed of godhood through inheritance—borrowing divine thrones and principles left behind by ancient gods. Tang San himself had once taken this path, guided by the will of the Sea God and Asura God.
But now? He denied that possibility to the entire plane.
> "Godhood must be earned, not borrowed. The laws of the new Douluo Plane no longer allow shared thrones. You must carve your own. Or die in failure."
He enforced it with a single terrifying example.
A former genius—ranked 98, already blessed by the remnants of an ancient god's inheritance—attempted to reach level 99 through that path.
The moment he tried…
His body ignited from within, his divine essence shattered, and before his soul could flee, Tang San's gaze alone reduced him to dust.
Billions saw it happen through divine sense networks across the realms.
Fear settled in instantly.
The Age of Talent and Law had begun.
Reaching level 90 had become common. The massive increase in spirit energy, divine inheritance fields, and realm connections had elevated the base cultivation level of the world.
Even civilians had begun awakening minor spirit roots. Many noble clans could now raise one or two Spirit Douluo without sect help. It was said that in the most prosperous cities, 1 in 5 cultivators could break level 70. Some lucky families even had a titled douluo among their ranks.
But now… the path forward had been sealed by one terrifying truth.
> Level 99 required self-forged godhood.
A task nearly impossible even for geniuses.
Tang San's analysts released projections across the planes:
99.9% of cultivators, despite breaking level 90, would never be able to forge a true godhood.
Only 1% of cultivators were capable of forming low or high-level godhoods.
Only 0.001%—one in a hundred thousand—had the comprehension, cultivation, karmic fortune, and will to forge Elite-level godhood.
Supreme Godhood was now deemed impossible by all known standards—only Tang San had succeeded, and no one had ever replicated his path.
Still, hope remained.
With this shift, a new generation of geniuses was rising.
Talent tests became more brutal, and spirit awakening ceremonies now included "godhood potential" measurements. Only those with the rarest soul bodies, karma roots, or plane affinity could even qualify for elite-level trials.
Spirit Halls, Tang Clan satellite sects, and divine cities began building Godhood Training Arenas, where individuals could undergo dangerous simulations to test their will and understanding of law.
Tang San didn't stop there.
He opened an elite list—a ranking of all cultivators below level 99 who had shown signs of forging their own godhoods. The list changed daily. At the top sat only one name:
> Rank 1: Xiao Wu – Elite Godhood (Beast-Origin Variant)
The rest of the list fluctuated between promising young talents, plane travelers, and secret clan heirs.
But not even the second rank had stepped into true elite-tier godhood yet.
The pressure on the world intensified. Families pushed their heirs. Clans sent spies and assassins to sabotage future threats. Even lower realms connected to the Douluo Plane began importing talent to compete in the divine age.
And through it all…
Tang San remained silent atop his floating divine fortress—Tang Domain, a hovering continent-sized realm containing his soul, weapon, law chambers, and karmic sea.
He never spoke again after the announcement.
Not because he feared defiance.
But because no one dared defy him.