Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Eva didn't care whether she answered or not, and continued talking to herself, her tone as calm as if she were stating a truth that had been repeatedly verified.

"There's only one reason: youth. The gods also favor youth. Leah, Merida, Cinderella—they were all young, but we are different. We came into this world in our complete form, and we are no longer young."

Ge Duo crumpled up the silk handkerchief she had used to wipe her fingers and casually tossed it onto the table.

She raised her eyes, her deep green eyes churning with extremely complex emotions: resentment, anger, and a sense of powerlessness that even she herself was unwilling to admit.

"So you came here just to tell me that I'm destined to never become a god?"

"If I were here to tell you this, would I have bothered making this trip myself?"

Eva paused, leaned forward slightly, and stared directly at Godot with her emerald green eyes.

"The divine examination does indeed depend on first impressions. But who says that if you want to become a god, you can only sit at home and wait for some blind god to take a liking to you?"

Ge Duo finally raised her head, her eerie green eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

Eva raised her hand and pointed to her temple. The gesture was casual, but Godot understood it.

system.

"The divine test is the selection of people by the gods, but there is never just one path to becoming a god."

Eva lowered her voice, but every word felt like a hammer blow to Godot's heart.

"After Lin Wan opened the system shop to us, did you browse through it? It has everything. Pill recipes, rare materials, martial spirit evolution guides, and even clues to becoming a god."

Of course, divine essence can also be exchanged directly, but the price is so high that you'd feel like the system is mocking you.

Of course, Ge Duo had looked through it. Not only had she looked through it, but when she got to the page labeled "Divinity," she stared at that astronomical number for a full quarter of an hour before silently closing the system interface.

That number isn't something you can accumulate by selling a few potions or making a few transactions. Over the years, she's worked hard at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, and while she has indeed accumulated a considerable amount of reputation points, she's still several zeros short of exchanging for even the lowest-grade divine essence.

Eva spoke again: "So, if the Divine Exam doesn't come, then go find it yourself. What do you need to find the Divine Exam? You need reputation points."

"How do you gain reputation points? In this world, the fastest way is through war. Win a battle, and your name will spread throughout the continent, increasing your reputation points accordingly."

By incorporating an army from the Spirit Hall, those you defeated will remember you, and your reputation will rise again.

Demonstrating overwhelming strength befitting a Title Douluo on the battlefield, letting everyone know that Ge Duo was not just an alchemist, but a top-tier combatant capable of influencing the course of battle, resulted in a massive amount of reputation points.

Ge Duo was silent for a moment. "Is this what you did with the Anti-Soul Alliance?"

“Of course.” Eva leaned back on the stone bench, crossed her legs, and sat as casually as if she were already sitting in the main seat of the Alliance Council.

"I now have a dozen or so private soldiers from the old noble families of the Northern Frontier under my command, plus a fully equipped Northern Frontier Legion. Every piece of territory I take from the Spirit Hall and every battle I win raises my reputation level by one step."

How do you think I went from being a 'descendant of a fallen kingdom' to someone in the alliance who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the three major factions?

Godo squinted at her, "Eva, with that mouth of yours, it's a waste that you're not a persuader."

"I really am here as a persuader." Eva laughed, a smile that carried a hint of frankness and a touch of slyness.

"You don't need to answer me now. But I can lay out the conditions here."

Eva raised a finger, its slender, white tip gleaming with a jade-like luster under the red and blue halo of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye.

"First, after you join the alliance, your status will be equal to mine. You are not my subordinate, nor are you a vassal of the alliance. You are a core decision-maker just like me. In the council chamber, my chair is on the left, and yours is on the right, with a table between us. Neither of us needs to look up at the other."

She raised her second finger, her tone still unhurried, as if she were reading out a pre-prepared contract.

"Secondly, no one will force you to refine medicine after you join the Alliance. But if you want to, you'll have plenty of raw materials. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is incredibly wealthy, the Blue Lightning Tyrant School has a profound foundation, and the Clear Sky School has been closed for many years, so you don't know how many good things are piled up in its warehouse. In the past, you had to rely on trading to get these materials, but in the future, you just need to make a list, and the Alliance will collect them for you."

She withdrew her finger and looked directly at Gedo.

"These are the conditions. You can take your time to consider them; I'm not in a hurry to leave."

Gedo stared at her for a while.

His deep green eyes swept back and forth across Eva's face twice, as if he were calculating the accounts of this deal.

How much is invested, how much is produced, how much risk is involved, and are there any hidden pitfalls in the clauses waiting for her to fall into?

"Your offer is more generous than I expected." She finally spoke, her tone neither cold nor warm, simply stating a fact.

Eva put down her teacup, and the ever-present lazy smile on her lips deepened even further.

When have I ever been stingy with you?

Ge Duo gave a soft snort and didn't reply.

Of course she remembered. When they first collaborated in Tiandou City, Eva promised her a share of the profits, making all sorts of promises. But later, the pricing of that batch of pills at the auction almost caused them to fall out on the spot.

The scene that day was far from pleasant. Gothel slammed the ledger on the table, while Eva leaned back in her chair, holding a cup of tea. The two women faced off for a full half hour, separated by three auction lists, before finally managing to settle the accounts.

However, although the two have been very meticulous in their transactions over the years, neither of them has ever truly cheated the other.

Eva's promised share, even though it was delayed by a few days, was finally settled in full. And Geduo's promised quality of pills, no matter how high the cost, was never compromised; she never cut corners.

Ultimately, they are the same kind of people. Intelligent, selfish, and profit-driven, but they are never ambiguous when it comes to keeping their promises.

A partner like that is far more reliable than someone who spouts platitudes about morality but stabs you in the back. At least you know where her knife is—it's out in the open, clearly priced, and never hidden.

Light footsteps came from the direction of the Crystal House. The two turned their heads at the same time.

Rapunt walked over carrying a wooden tray. On the tray were three exquisite porcelain cups, the tea in them was emerald green and clear, with wisps of steam rising and a faint herbal fragrance.

Today she wore a simple light gold dress, and her signature long gold hair was braided into a loose braid that hung down in front of her, the ends of which almost touched the ground.

Eva's gaze lingered on her for a moment.

After several years apart, her demeanor was completely different from the girl Eva remembered who participated in the Soul Master Competition. Her steps were more steady than before, her eyes were brighter than before, and she was surrounded by a very faint, almost imperceptible aura of life.

That was a blessing from the God of Life, an outward manifestation of the progress of the divine test. Others might not have noticed, but Eva recognized it at a glance.

Rapunzel walked to the stone table and arranged the three porcelain cups one by one. She first offered one to Eva, then to Godot, and finally picked up the last cup for herself, stepping aside to stand quietly.

Her position was carefully chosen; it was neither too distant nor too intrusive, striking the perfect balance of "I'm here, but you can pretend I'm not."

Eva picked up the porcelain cup, glanced down at the clear, bright tea inside, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Rapunzel, it's been years since I last saw you. Your tea-making skills have improved a lot."

Rapunzel lowered her head slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Having stayed at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for a long time, I've found that the water here is perfect for making herbal tea. Teacher Geduo also taught me a few recipes. This one is for calming the nerves; it contains powdered moonflower and a few other mild and nourishing herbs."

Eva took a sip. The tea was slightly bitter at first, but the aftertaste was sweet and warm, sliding down her throat and slowly spreading in her stomach. It was indeed a good tea.

She put down her cup and looked Rapunzel over again.

His aura was harmonious and restrained, clearly indicating that his foundation was extremely solid.

“The God of Life has chosen you,” Eva said, her tone carrying a hint of genuine approval. “It’s a good match. The God of Life is one of the five great god-kings in the divine realm. Although he is not as skilled in combat as the God of Destruction and the God of Asura, his rules of life are all-encompassing. Healing, revival, and growth are all extremely practical fields.”

Rapunzel didn't deny it, she just nodded slightly. Of course she knew the weight of the God of Life. She was also surprised when the divine test came down. Among so many talented peers, the God of Life chose her, a prisoner who was constantly having her hair cut and being used as a catalyst for potions.

Later, she gradually understood that perhaps it was because she did not give up her desire for light even in the darkest days that the god of life saw the resilience in her.

Godot glanced at Rapunzel, her eyes devoid of any particular emotion.

She picked up her cup of tea, then tilted her head back and gulped down half of it.

"This tea is indeed very good."

Rapunzel glanced at her and sighed inwardly. She had known Godot for so many years and knew this woman all too well.

When she says "the tea is good," it usually means she's not in a good mood. Because if she's in a good mood, she'll say "it's alright." If she's in a particularly good mood, she'll say "it's just so-so."

Today, she surprisingly said "not bad," which means that she was in such a bad mood that she didn't even bother with her usual awkwardness.

Rapunzel knew perfectly well why she was in a bad mood. When Eva mentioned the goddess of life, Gothia's fingers holding the teacup paused for a split second, so fast it was almost imperceptible. But Rapunzel, having stood beside her for so many years, knew her every subtle movement all too well.

That wasn't an ordinary pause; it was the instinctive reaction of someone clutching a substitute when they heard about something they desperately wanted but couldn't have.

Geduo wanted the Divine Exam. More than anyone else. But she never admitted it, not even on her face.

She suppressed all her resentment beneath that languid demeanor, using harsh words and a nonchalant expression to shield herself like a hedgehog, making it impossible to tell whether she truly cared or not.

But she just cared. She cared terribly.

Eva put down her teacup, her emerald green eyes lingering on Godo's face for a few seconds, as if confirming something.

"So," Eva began, "you've agreed?"

Godot did not answer immediately. Her fingers tapped lightly twice on the armrest of the wicker chair, her deep green eyes fixed on Eva, as if assessing an extremely complex transaction that required repeated calculations of costs and benefits.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Eva, but rather that Godot had to mentally calculate the costs and benefits before making any decision in her life; it was a habit ingrained in her very being.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice not loud, but each word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

"There's one thing you've convinced me about."

She paused, her fingers ceasing their tapping.

"If the gods won't come, then we'll make them ourselves. Relying on selling medicine to accumulate reputation points is too slow."

She raised her eyes, her deep green eyes churning with extremely complex emotions: resentment, anger, a hint of helplessness that she herself was unwilling to admit, but more than anything, a resolute determination that had been suppressed for too long and had finally found an outlet.

"So I agreed. I'll come find you after I've tidied up my things here."

Eva's eyes lit up. Those emerald green eyes, which always held a hint of languor and a touch of calculation, now shone as if someone had lit a lamp within them.

But her tone remained calm, only the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

“A wise choice,” she said, her usual languidness largely gone, replaced by a heavy solemnity.

"I won't let you down. I'm not talking about those empty shared ideals, I'm talking about real reputation points."

When you arrive on the battlefield, you will see a significant increase in your reputation.

She picked up the porcelain cup and slightly raised it towards Ge Duo. The movement was casual, but the rim of the cup was exactly level with the cup in Ge Duo's hand.

Chapter 509 Tang San

"A toast to us." Eva raised her porcelain cup, the rim of which gleamed with a warm, jade-like hue amidst the red and blue interplay of light from the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire.

Ge Duo picked up her teacup, and the bottom of the cup made a very soft, crisp sound as it collided with the stone table.

She looked at the tea in her cup, clear and bright, with a few tiny specks of moonflower powder slowly swirling in the water, much like the turbulent thoughts churning in her mind at that moment.

Resentment, anger, and a hint of reluctance that she herself was unwilling to admit, pried open by Eva's words.

“Respect for reputation,” she said.

Eva raised an eyebrow slightly.