Ma Hongjun grinned lewdly and said in a low voice, "I remember that book's cover had a scantily clad mermaid on it, and the title read The Soul Manual of the Sea Witch. That's why it stuck with me. I heard the Sea Witch lives on Seagod Island, and the island is known as a chosen land with opportunities to inherit divinity. I've grown tired of staying in Shrek. I figured I'd head to the seaside and check out the exotic women. Sister Xiao Wu, if you're looking for that book, want to come to the coast with me?"
Hearing Ma Hongjun's words, the despairing Tang San in the spiritual world rekindled a glimmer of hope. Perhaps I really can find a way to fuse my soul and body from the legendary mermaids. And if I'm lucky enough to gain the Seagod's inheritance, I can ascend to godhood myself.
"Xiao Wu, quickly ask Fatty about Seagod Island. This is important. If we can get a divine inheritance, we'll be together forever."
"I got it, San-ge."
Xiao Wu blinked brightly, putting on her most innocent look, her eyes sparkling as she asked Ma Hongjun, "Fatty, what is the Sea Witch, and where did you hear about the divine inheritance on Seagod Island?"
"Don't look at me with those big eyes. Your tricks won't work on Fatty here." Ma Hongjun shivered. Back in Shrek Academy, Xiao Wu had pulled this act plenty—pretending to be naive to lower her opponents' guard, then turning vicious in a flash. She's not planning something shady again, is she?
"I'll just tell you straight. That book's cover caught my eye, so I skimmed a few pages. It said that deep in the ocean, there are mermaids who can manipulate the souls of sailors. Their leader, the Sea Witch, serves the Seagod on Seagod Island. The book is about the soul techniques used by these mermaids. As for the divine inheritance—just some gossip I heard in a secret realm a couple years back. Probably fake. Don't get your hopes up too high."
Xiao Wu crossed her arms and nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So, Fatty, when are you planning to head to Seagod Island?"
Ma Hongjun glanced at the fading sky and handed Xiao Wu a piece of roasted venison. "What's the rush? It's getting late. Let's head to Nuoding City tomorrow and find a carriage."
Grown up in the forest, Xiao Wu didn't know the meaning of restraint. She scanned the crude dormitory and looked at Ma Hongjun with a grin. "Fatty, then where is your Sister Xiao Wu sleeping tonight?"
"Obviously right here. It's all wilderness around, and my dorm's the fanciest one available."
The old bunny gave Ma Hongjun a once-over, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed. She scoffed, saying something very different from what she'd told Tang San when they first met. "It's not that I don't trust you, but with your Evil Fire Phoenix, what if you get a nocturnal urge? Do you expect your Sister Xiao Wu to relieve it for you?"
Hearing Xiao Wu's classic tease, Tang San chuckled nostalgically in the spirit realm. After all these years, she's still as straightforward and unfiltered as she was at the junior academy.
Ma Hongjun chuckled like a well-behaved chubby kid. "Rabbits don't eat grass at their own burrow. I wouldn't dare touch you, Sister Xiao Wu. Besides, I'm not even capable. You take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."
"That's more like it."
At midnight, bloated from venison, Ma Hongjun rolled on the floor, scratched his crotch from the heat, and gave a sneaky glance at Xiao Wu in bed, a lewd grin creeping onto his face.
—
Meanwhile, as Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun rode their carriage toward Hanhai City on the eastern edge of the continent, two graceful figures descended from the sky, retracting their icy crystal wings and stepping onto the shores of Seagod Island.
The moment they set foot on the island, they sensed its uniqueness. Though it was midsummer, and Seagod Island shared the same latitude as Heaven Dou City, instead of being hot, it felt as mild as spring.
"Jiejie, the climate here is so much cooler than outside. Even the sun isn't scorching like it was over the sea. Your spirit skills won't be weakened here."
Shui Yue'er looked around in amazement. The island was lush with unknown plant life, the air thick with a refreshing sea breeze that soothed the soul. She could faintly hear the ocean's whispers.
"Enough. Our mission is to find the island's priests and accept the Seagod's trials." Shui Bing'er's voice was calm, but even she couldn't hide her delight at the sight of blue skies and soaring seabirds.
Shui Yue'er skipped over and leaned playfully toward her sister. "Heh, we went through so much to get here. I want to see if this island really has the big opportunities Tianming mentioned."
Five years ago, after being invited by Yu Tianming during the Soul Master Tournament, the Shui sisters had kept Seagod Island in mind. Now, Shui Bing'er had reached Soul King level, and Shui Yue'er was a Soul Ancestor. With their progress slowing, they came here seeking breakthroughs. They'd sailed near the island, then used their Spirit fusion skills—dolphin swimming and phoenix flight—to rotate rest and travel until they reached the island.
As they chatted, a group in yellow robes emerged from the distant woods. Their leader gazed at Shui Bing'er and asked solemnly, "Are you two here to take the Seagod's trial?"
Shui Bing'er nodded slightly. "We admire Seagod Island's reputation and wish to take the trials to join."
"Your companion, being a sea-type Spirit Master, is more suited to the trials. But you, land-type though water-attribute, will face challenges ten times greater. I advise you to consider carefully."
"Doesn't matter," Shui Bing'er replied flatly, ignoring her sister's tug at her arm.
"Very well. I hope you truly have the strength to face it." With that, they led the two into the island's depths.
Soon, they arrived at a vast pool like a sea within a sea. At its center stood a massive stone pillar carved with a sea dragon, atop which sat a burly man. As if sensing their arrival, a sea dragon's head surfaced from the water. When the two sisters took their places around the pool, blue light erupted from beneath them. The Sea Dragon Douluo raised a finger, and two beams of light descended from the heavens, enveloping the sisters.
"Black-rank Five Trials!"
"Red-rank Seven Trials!"
—
Elsewhere on Seagod Mountain, in the Seagod's shrine, Ah Zhi slowly opened her eyes.
She sat cross-legged on the high platform where the Seagod's trident once stood. Blue divine light shimmered around her, and the golden Seagod trident, now shrunken, floated with her breath.
Seeing her awaken, Bo Saixi looked out toward the sea and said softly, "Ah Zhi, the two girls Tianming mentioned have begun their trials. Shall we interfere?"
"No. They're talented and have a Spirit Fusion ability. When I become Seagod, I'll be a first-level god and will have two slots to bring people to the God Realm. I grew up with my sister, with no close relatives. If they pass the trial, I'd like to make them my divine envoys."
Bo Saixi nodded. Though the girls only received Black-rank trials, even the Shrek group only had one Red-rank—Ning Rongrong. Their talent was undeniable.
"These years, the Seagod's lingering threats—the Deep Sea Devil Whale King and Evil Demon Orca King—have been slain. The Devil Whale became Tianming's ninth ring, and the Orca became your eighth. Once you become the Seagod, the sea will finally be at peace."
Ah Zhi's expression dimmed. In order to become Seagod, she would need Bo Saixi to sacrifice herself to activate the final divine trial. "High Priestess, after I ascend... I'll never see you again."
"I was born to be the Seagod's priestess. My life's worth lies in finding the Seagod's heir. Giving my life to help you inherit it is the greatest honor. I'm happy to do so. Why should you grieve?"
Though Bo Saixi said this calmly, her eyes remained on the eastern continent. Even now, about to sacrifice herself, she still hadn't sorted out whether she loved Tang Chen or Qian Daoliu.
Tang Chen had been a rare genius—wild and domineering, with too many lovers and children. But he had a charm Bo Saixi couldn't deny. Had he become a god, she might've left her fate behind to follow him.
Qian Daoliu, refined and noble, was another divine priest like her—thus, impossible for them to be together. Yet his gentlemanly grace still drew her in. He had never taken a wife since their parting decades ago.
Though over a hundred, Bo Saixi's heart still fluttered like a young girl's. But this was hardly unusual in the Douluo Continent. Even the ten-thousand-year-old Silver Dragon King had fallen for Tang San's son Tang Wulin and called Tang San "father-in-law."
—
On the road from Nuoding to Hanhai City, a broken-down carriage lay in a bush.
Xiao Wu, now a Soul Saint, stepped on a groaning bandit and smirked. "These bandits only have Soul Elder or Soul Ancestor strength. They must've eaten leopard guts to try robbing me. Don't they see I'm broke enough to be driving my own cart?"
Ma Hongjun looked at the bloodied robbers and mumbled, "Sister Xiao Wu, they weren't after your money... they were after your body."
Xiao Wu ignored him. She grabbed the bandit's hair and made him meet her gaze. "Robbing Sister Xiao Wu comes with consequences."
As her words fell, Tang San's spirit skill—Absorb—activated. A soft light representing life force drifted from the bandit's eyes into Xiao Wu's. Within moments, the Soul Ancestor was reduced to a pile of bones.
In the spiritual world, Tang San cheered. "Xiao Wu, looks like this skill became even stronger through you. It now drains both life and a bit of soul energy. My revival is within reach!"
Xiao Wu giggled like she'd been drugged. "It's all thanks to your ten-thousand-year head bone. Don't worry, once I finish absorbing these thugs, I'll pour all the life force into your body and give you the soul energy too."
While she chatted with Tang San, Ma Hongjun stared in horror from the side. This terrifying scene of draining someone dry—he'd only seen it from Tang San. Now that Xiao Wu had it, and hers seemed even stronger, something fishy was definitely going on.
With his years of bootlicking experience, Ma Hongjun didn't let his shock show. He smiled as always and casually began packing the carriage's wreckage.
(End of Chapter)
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T/N: I am So Sorry Guys I Forgot that the Drafts for Scheduled are already published and I forgot to Schedule new Chapters.
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