Just as Xiao Wu was sprinting within the Seagod's Light, in the Seagod Hall at the summit of Seagod Mountain, Bo Saixi suddenly opened her closed eyes, disbelief flashing in her beautiful gaze.
When Chu Chengzhou and the others entered the inner island where Seagod Mountain stood, Bo Saixi had already noticed and had kept her attention on them.
After all, Xiao Wu had obtained the Seagod Nine Trials and was the successor chosen by Lord Seagod. This was also her first attempt, so Bo Saixi naturally wanted to see what Xiao Wu was made of.
At first everything was fine. Xiao Wu had used every method and climbed to the eightieth step, seemingly at her limit. In the blink of an eye she "took off" and started flying up the steps. What was going on?
Could it be that the Seagod's Light had malfunctioned?
No, impossible. Even if she, Bo Saixi, were to fall, the Seagod's Light set by Lord Seagod could not possibly go wrong.
If the Seagod's Light had no problem, then the problem lay with Xiao Wu herself.
From the vantage of spiritual power, Bo Saixi's gaze fell on the flower of spirit power above Xiao Wu's head.
As Xiao Wu passed the three hundredth step and Chu Chengzhou was preparing to call out to stop her—so she wouldn't clear the trial outright—Xiao Wu's spirit power ran dry, the flower above her head withered, and the protective divine light shrouding her body vanished.
The higher the step, the greater the pressure formed by the Seagod's Light. The spirit power consumed by Bloom in an Instant to resist that pressure rose accordingly. With Xiao Wu already low on spirit power, she was drained completely.
In the next instant the immense pressure struck. Xiao Wu was flung away like a cannonball.
Splash—
With a string of sonic booms in midair, Xiao Wu crashed into the ring sea like a fired shell, throwing up a water pillar more than ten meters high.
Fortunately, a spirit master's physique far surpassed an ordinary person's, and Xiao Wu was no ordinary spirit master. Otherwise she might have been seriously hurt.
At once Chu Chengzhou circulated Golden Light Ground-Shrinking, turning into a streak of light skimming across the surface of the ring sea to fish Xiao Wu out.
Before the sea spirit beasts guarding Seagod Island in the ring sea could react, Chu Chengzhou, having hauled Xiao Wu up, brought her back to shore.
"How is it? Xiao Wu, are you alright?"
Seeing Xiao Wu's pale face, Ning Rongrong and the other two hurried over, concern all over their faces.
"I—I'm fine."
A smile appeared on her pale face. Xiao Wu forced herself to wave a hand.
Fortunately, the Seagod's Light did not deliver lethal attacks to candidates. If a candidate could not withstand the pressure, it would eject them immediately. She had not suffered injuries, only the discomfort from her spirit power being rapidly drained.
With a spirit core in her body, her spirit power was already recovering quickly. Nothing serious.
"You've got some nerve. If the Seagod's Light could deliver fatal wounds, you'd be finished."
Chu Chengzhou glared at her.
"Hehe, at least we don't have to worry about failing this trial anymore."
Xiao Wu gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject.
"That's true."
Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena nodded.
Both could tell that without the earlier consumption climbing to the eightieth step, if Xiao Wu had activated Bloom in an Instant from the start, she would have reached the three hundred sixty-fifth step and completed the first test of the Seagod Nine Trials outright.
"So that means we're about to finish the first test?"
Ning Rongrong said with a grin.
All four of them had learned the defensive ultimate art Bloom in an Instant. The difference lay only in their respective levels of mastery.
"You and your little schemes."
Chu Chengzhou shot Ning Rongrong a look, then said to the four, "Alright. I'll explain what the Seagod's Light actually does.
The Seagod's Light forms tremendous pressure. Climbing the steps rapidly consumes your spirit power and pushes you to your limit without side effects in a short time, which then yields twice the result with half the effort in cultivation.
So you cannot use Bloom in an Instant to cheat, much less clear the whole thing at once. You should delay passing the test until the last day to maximize the benefits of Traversing the Seagod's Light."
As soon as he finished, the slightly recovered Xiao Wu said, "I get it. Brother, you mean we should use the pressure of the Seagod's Light over this year to improve our strength quickly, so we can face the harder trials later?"
"Correct. This is less a test than a reward.
The subsequent trials will not be easy, especially for you, Xiao Wu. It's not out of the question that later tests will involve opponents at the Seagod Douluo level. The stronger you are when you take them, the better."
Chu Chengzhou nodded, his expression serious.
Although Xiao Wu did not have twin martial souls, he figured the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was most likely one of the Seagod Nine Trials, just as in the original.
Who was stronger, the million-year Deep Sea Demon Whale King or the demi-god-level Bo Saixi?
Around Seagod Island, Bo Saixi was stronger, since she could casually use amplification spirit skills to step into the threshold of god-level power and draw on the Seagod's power.
But far from Seagod Island, especially if the battlefield was beneath the sea, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King would be stronger.
Bo Saixi's configuration of eight black and one red spirit rings was good, but to a super vicious beast like the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, it was still lacking. Add up the ages of those nine spirit rings and they were far short of half the age of that creature alone.
To be fair, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King in the original really was foolish. As a sea spirit beast, it insisted on going to the sea surface to fight Tang San and never took advantage of its home field.
Of course, given that the whale had no backing while Tang San had two, one of them a God King of the highest rank, the whale's end was sealed.
Hearing this, the four girls widened their eyes.
Xiao Wu in particular stared the widest.
A powerhouse at the Seagod Douluo level?
With the Seagod Nine Trials requiring at least one test per year, that meant within nine years she would have to raise her strength from a seven-ring Spirit Sage to the point of defeating a Rank 99 Limit Douluo?
Were the Seagod Nine Trials really that difficult?
Well, since completing them meant becoming a god at rank 100, a higher difficulty was normal.
"Ahem. If it's too hard, the Seagod Nine Trials don't forbid hiring outside help."
Seeing that the four seemed a bit intimidated, Chu Chengzhou added.
The four: "…"
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes at him and began meditating to cultivate, while Ning Rongrong and the other two started their first attempts.
Not counting the effect of Bloom in an Instant, Xiao Wu had climbed to the eightieth step on her first try.
But the other three could not match Xiao Wu, as their spirit power ranks were lower.
Ning Rongrong reached the sixtieth step, Hu Liena the sixty-fourth, and Zhu Zhuqing the sixty-sixth.
No need to say it. The powerful physique forged by the Indestructible Golden Body and the high-quality spirit power refined by the Nine-Breath Breathing were the major reasons they could reach the sixtieth step and above on their first try.
Of course, none of the three had used attribute-amplifying spirit skills or released domain power.
With Bloom in an Instant in hand, passing the test was no longer a problem, and how many steps they could reach was not what they were after.
Leveraging the immense pressure of the Seagod's Light to reach their limits quickly so cultivation would yield twice the result with half the effort was what they needed and pursued.
After two tries, the four directly began cultivating on the steps under the pressure of the Seagod's Light.
The effect of cultivating under the Seagod's Light was clearly better than cultivating after stepping down when the body reached its limit.
Moreover, under the Seagod's Light, actively running their cultivation methods increased the speed of spirit power recovery far beyond what it was off the steps.
Of course, to maintain normal cultivation under the pressure, the positions they chose on the steps were not high. Otherwise recovery could not keep up with consumption and cultivation would be impossible.
Watching the four circulate the Nine-Breath Breathing, cultivating at high efficiency on the steps like they had turned on a cultivation accelerator, Chu Chengzhou felt a pang of sourness.
He wanted such good cultivation conditions too.
But to use the Seagod's Light for cultivation, the first prerequisite was to become one of Seagod Island's own and receive a trial.
He was running cheats, but he did not dare let the Sacred Pillars examine his body, nor expose himself under Poseidon's gaze. Otherwise the skyrocketing spirit ring ages would make it obvious something was off.
Forget it. Big Sister Yuehua is also a cultivation accelerator, and I still have the whale brain.
Chu Chengzhou mused sourly to himself.
"Brother, build us a hut. We're staying here this year."
At this moment Xiao Wu ended her cultivation, discussed with Ning Rongrong and the others, stepped down from the steps, and spoke to Chu Chengzhou.
With the Seagod's Light helping, and paired with the Nine-Breath Breathing, their cultivation speed was too fast. A year was not short, but none of the four wanted to waste it.
With such a good cultivation environment, even the laziest spirit master would cherish it, let alone them.
They also knew Chu Chengzhou would return to the continent in a while. If they went back to Sea Dragon City to rest every day, they would waste a lot of time on the road. It was better to live here.
No problem. Chu Chengzhou agreed at once.
But he had no intention of building the hut himself. It looked simple, but he couldn't do it, at least not well. He left the ring sea and found the purple-robed sea spirit master waiting outside.
Time flew. In the blink of an eye a month had passed.
It was only a month, but with the help of the Seagod's Light, the four had seen clear gains in spirit power ranks.
Xiao Wu, originally a rank 76 Spirit Sage, advanced to rank 77.
Ning Rongrong, who had been in the upper range of rank 65 Spirit Emperor, advanced to rank 67 two days ago.
Hu Liena, originally rank 68 Spirit Emperor, rose to rank 69.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, after refining the Dark Devilgod Tiger's black bead she had reached rank 68 and was close to a breakthrough. After a month of cultivation, barring accidents, she would break through to rank 70 in at most two or three days.
At the foot of Seagod Mountain, outside the wooden hut by the ring sea, Chu Chengzhou was instructing Ning Rongrong on condensing a spirit core.
Chu Chengzhou had not left Seagod Island for the moment. He planned to wait until Zhu Zhuqing advanced to seven rings and all his girls had condensed spirit cores before returning to the continent.
For Xiao Wu and the others now, the spirit core most obviously accelerated cultivation and rapidly restored spirit power.
Therefore, aside from Xiao Wu, who already had a spirit core, the other three were eager to condense their own.
Chu Chengzhou taught Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena first because both had reached rank 69, and Hu Liena's spiritual power was strong while Zhu Zhuqing wielded domain power. Both had good control over spirit power.
A few days ago the two had successfully condensed spirit cores in succession.
As for Ning Rongrong, after much coaxing he agreed a week ago to teach her as well.
But while she could multitask, her spirit power control was mediocre. To date she still had not succeeded.
At this moment the solidified spirit power forming in front of Ning Rongrong and spinning at high speed looked like it would collapse into a spirit core, but at the critical moment a trace of turbulence appeared.
Two seconds later, seeing that Ning Rongrong could not keep it stable and it was about to lose control, Chu Chengzhou immediately activated the ultimate art Absolute Control, reached out to scoop up the soon-to-be spirit power bomb, and flung it high into the distance.
Boom—
A violent explosion sounded. A small mushroom cloud blossomed in the sky.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong blushed, stuck out her tongue, squinted one eye, and gestured a tiny gap with her fingers. "A little more. Just a tiny bit more."
"Mm. Every time you're just a tiny bit short."
Chu Chengzhou nodded solemnly.
If he hadn't been watching to catch it each time, she would have blown herself up with the runaway solidified spirit power long ago.
Of course, this time was different from the "countless tiny bits" before. It really was just a little bit short.
"It really was just a little bit."
Ning Rongrong pouted.
"Recover your spirit power. You'll likely succeed next time."
He pinched her rosy cheek and smiled.
After shooting him a resentful look, twenty minutes later, running the Nine-Breath Breathing and relying on the passive recovery spirit bone skill Fountain of Soul Power from the Source of Soul Power left arm spirit bone, Ning Rongrong fully recovered her spirit power and tried to condense the spirit core again.
Before long, with "practice makes perfect," the liquid spirit power in Ning Rongrong's hands turned solid, hovering before her, stably rotating and compressing.
Just then, a figure streaked through the air and was about to fall into the ring sea. Quick as lightning, Chu Chengzhou employed Golden Light Ground-Shrinking and caught Zhu Zhuqing before she hit the water.
"Huh? Zhuqing, you broke through to rank 70?"
Back on shore, sensing her aura was a notch stronger than before, Chu Chengzhou asked with surprise.
"I broke through under the pressure of the Seagod's Light."
Zhu Zhuqing flushed. After breaking through she had felt a surge of excitement and relaxed her mind, and the powerful pressure of the Seagod's Light had bounced her out.
"Very good."
Chu Chengzhou nodded in satisfaction. With Zhu Zhuqing's current physique, she would certainly be able to take a hundred-thousand-year seventh ring from a God-bestowed Spirit Ring.
"Eh, Zhuqing, you broke through?"
Ning Rongrong, in the middle of condensing her spirit core, split her attention and asked happily.
"Mm."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
"Rongrong, focus on condensing your spirit core. Don't fail this time."
Seeing Ning Rongrong distracted in the middle of condensing, Chu Chengzhou hurried to remind her.
Fortunately the solidified spirit power had just formed, and after many attempts Ning Rongrong had "rich" experience. Otherwise she would have failed again.
"Okay."
She answered, withdrew her gaze, and refocused on the solidified spirit power before her.
"Zhuqing, congratulations."
Having sensed Zhu Zhuqing's breakthrough on the steps, Xiao Wu and Hu Liena stepped down from cultivation, came over, and offered congratulations.
"Xiao Wu, you're already rank 77. I had to hurry to catch up. Nana, you'll break through soon too, right?"
Zhu Zhuqing smiled.
"Probably… still needs more than half a month."
Hu Liena thought for a moment.
Xiao Wu turned to Chu Chengzhou. "Brother, Zhuqing broke through. Will you go find a spirit beast for her, or—"
Just as Xiao Wu was about to ask where to receive a God-bestowed Spirit Ring, a voice came from the summit of Seagod Mountain.
"No need."
Following the sound, they saw a regal figure holding a scepter appear on the steps leading to the Seagod Hall. It was Bo Saixi.
She descended slowly and came to stand before them.
"Greetings, Seagod Douluo."
Except for Ning Rongrong, who was condensing her spirit core, Chu Chengzhou and the other three bowed.
"I must admit, you are the finest young people I have seen. Perhaps you really can complete the Seagod Nine Trials."
Looking at the four young girls before her, especially Xiao Wu with the golden trident mark on her brow, Bo Saixi could not help but sigh.
Over the past month she had seen all of Xiao Wu's group's effort and achievements.
Since Lord Seagod had chosen such an excellent successor, perhaps… this was her fate.
For Bo Saixi, if the day of sacrifice truly came, the more outstanding Lord Seagod's successor was, the more worthy her sacrifice would be.
"I don't dare accept senior's praise, but I will do my best."
Not knowing the inside story, Xiao Wu spoke with a hint of proudness.
"Hehe."
Bo Saixi smiled, then turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, I brought you an opportunity today."
As she spoke, Bo Saixi raised her right hand, turned her wrist, and faced her palm upward, revealing a golden bead.
The golden bead looked as though it had been carved from the most precious golden crystal, without the slightest flaw. Most curious of all was the faint golden mist fluctuating inside it, just like the golden mist that appeared around their bodies under the pressure of the Seagod's Light.
With a flash of gold, the bead rose into the air and flew in front of Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing reflexively raised her hand and caught it.
"Senior, what is this?"
She glanced at the bead in her hand and asked.
Bo Saixi smiled slightly. "Anyone who has received a black-level or higher trial from Lord Seagod, upon reaching their first bottleneck, can receive a God-bestowed Spirit Ring.
You need not hunt a spirit beast. The God-bestowed Spirit Ring will grant you the spirit skill you most need and a spirit ring age up to the maximum your body can bear."
"This is a God-bestowed Spirit Ring?"
Xiao Wu could not help exclaiming.
"Oh? You've heard of it?"
Bo Saixi was a bit surprised. It seemed Xiao Wu and the others already knew about God-bestowed Spirit Rings.
Hearing this, the three girls looked at Chu Chengzhou.
They had long heard from Chu Chengzhou about the function of God-bestowed Spirit Rings and knew they could get one for free on Seagod Island. They just had not expected an unabsorbed God-bestowed Spirit Ring to look like a golden bead.
"Hehe."
Chu Chengzhou smiled and said nothing.
"It seems you are a man of opportunity as well. No wonder you refuse to join my Seagod Island."
Bo Saixi spoke with meaning.
"Senior, may I ask something?"
This was awkward to answer, so Chu Chengzhou changed the subject.
"Oh? Go ahead."
Bo Saixi smiled and nodded.
"Just now you said that anyone with a black-level or higher trial can obtain a God-bestowed Spirit Ring. In that case, the Douluo on Seagod Island should all have hundred-thousand-year rings, right?
If they reserved it for rank 90, even without any spirit bones, they could still bear a hundred-thousand-year ninth ring."
Chu Chengzhou could not figure this out. Although the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo had not shown their ring configurations in front of him, in the original work they did not have hundred-thousand-year spirit rings.
After a moment's thought, Bo Saixi said, "In theory, yes. I do not know the exact upper limit of a God-bestowed Spirit Ring's age, but it can at least reach a hundred thousand years.
But theory is theory. Reality is reality. When Hai Yi and the others took their trials, their spirit power ranks were not high and far from Titled Douluo. The trials were not easy. They could only choose the present, not gamble on the future.
Also, who can say for sure that they will definitely cultivate to Titled Douluo?"
"I see."
Chu Chengzhou understood.
Seagod Island's population was limited, only seven to eight thousand in total.
With such a small base, even if most were spirit masters with good "genes," how many highly gifted talents could it produce?
Not to mention Bo Saixi herself. The Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo were probably born with innate spirit power of only rank seven or eight.
If their innate spirit power had been rank nine or full rank, then with divine trials they would not all have stalled below rank 95.
Facing very difficult trials with over seventy percent mortality, and with only rank seven or eight innate spirit power, they naturally would not save the God-bestowed Spirit Ring for later. They would use it immediately to gain stronger rings and skills to face subsequent trials.
Otherwise if the person was gone while the God-bestowed Spirit Ring remained, they would die with regrets.
T/N: For up to 30 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle