"Ah? You're right. With my attribute, isn't joining the Sea God's Trial basically a death sentence?" Ma Hongjun had long heard of the Sea God Island's trial rules. Now that Seahorse Douluo reminded him, he instantly sobered up and murmured in despair, "I'm a fire-type soul master. What the hell am I doing training at sea? Water and fire don't mix! Flying in the sky and swimming in the sea are completely different. Fat Lord is really going to die here this time!!"
Seahorse Douluo looked at Ma Hongjun and nodded with pity.
Old Rabbit Xiao Wu, on the other hand, was far more optimistic. She slapped Ma Hongjun's shoulder and casually asked Seahorse Douluo, "Senior, now that I'm part of Sea God Island, can I go see the Sea Witch directly?"
"You land soul masters only get one-tenth the time of sea soul masters for your trials. Time is tight, so you'd better start your first trial quickly... As for the Sea Witch, she may not be too keen on meeting you. Perhaps you'll meet her in a later trial."
Xiao Wu was chatting merrily with Seahorse Douluo, while Ma Hongjun looked like he was about to cry. His nose wrinkled up, "Xiao Wu-jie, I could've waited for you outside. Why did I have to come here with you? I'm completely screwed this time…"
"You were the one eager to see mermaids at the start. Now you're regretting it?" Xiao Wu scoffed. "Fatty, life and death are fate. Fortune lies with the heavens. Is there any hardship you can't overcome with Xiao Wu-jie by your side? Let's go, time to face the Sea God's Light."
Not one to waste time, Xiao Wu dragged Ma Hongjun straight to the Sea God's Light for his trial.
Sea God Mountain, located at the center of Sea God Island, stood as a small hill surrounded by a lake. While not towering like famous mountains, it was still the island's highest point, making it the site of the Sea God's divine seat. Bo Saixi resided atop it within the Sea God Temple. The Sea God's Light surrounded this temple, and Xiao Wu's trial involved climbing the spiral staircase that wound its way up the mountain.
Seahorse Sacred Pillar was located at the island's edge, very far from Sea God Mountain. By the time Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun arrived, the sky had already begun to darken.
As the sun set, the western skies were painted red, and the orange sunlight filtered through divine energy, casting golden rays over Sea God Mountain, making it look sacred and majestic.
Walking out from the forest, Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up as he spotted the distant mountain. Sweeping away his gloom, he said excitedly to the old rabbit beside him, "Hey, Xiao Wu-jie, look, two people are climbing the mountain steps. From those graceful figures, they've gotta be two beauties!"
Xiao Wu gave him a side glance, her face full of disdain. "Look at your sorry self. Weren't you just panicking like a little chick? Now you see pretty girls and all your fear disappears?"
"Hehe, that's just me being mentally strong, Xiao Wu-jie. And their figures look familiar too. No time to waste. Let's go check it out."
As a Soul Ancestor and a Soul Saint, the two weren't weak. With a few leaps, they reached the foot of Sea God Mountain and stood before the divine staircase glowing with Sea God radiance.
Looking up at the two women in white on the stairs, Ma Hongjun gave a sly grin and whispered, "Xiao Wu-jie, we've run into some old acquaintances—those two are Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er from Tianshui Academy. Can't believe we're meeting them here on Sea God Island."
"Oh? Those sisters who used their martial soul fusion technique to one-shot us during the tournament?" Xiao Wu looked at the distant figures and smiled faintly. "They've improved fast. Reached Soul King and Soul Emperor levels already. But compared to your Xiao Wu-jie, they're still far behind…"
Over the past half year of training on Sea God Island, with the aid of the Sea God's Light, the Shui sisters had both obtained god-granted spirit rings and advanced swiftly. Notably, the one who bestowed these rings was not Bo Saixi, but Ah Zhi, who was only one step away from becoming the Sea God.
While Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun chatted, Shui Yue'er glanced down and recognized Ma Hongjun's perverted smile. She quickly turned to her resting sister and said, "Look, isn't that Ma Hongjun? I heard he went crazy if he didn't visit brothels because of his martial soul. After the tournament, he was arrested by Spirit Hall for being too... vigorous. Why is he on Sea God Island?"
Shui Bing'er's gaze narrowed, her expression growing cold. "Yue'er, stay away from that Evil Fire Phoenix. Doesn't matter how he escaped. Let's rest up tonight and finish our first trial quickly."
Yue'er nodded. "Don't worry, sis. But the girl next to him kinda looks like that ten-thousand-year soul beast. I'll go check if it's Xiao Wu."
———
At the top of Sea God Mountain, where the Sea God's Light completely veiled the temple, Ah Zhi stood within the Sea God Temple. Dressed in luxurious red robes similar to Bo Saixi's, her long blue-purple hair was tied back simply. She silently watched the four figures below.
Though once only a maid of Yu Tianming, Ah Zhi had already achieved the Title Douluo realm. Her graceful demeanor and divine aura radiated strength. The Sea God's inheritance gave her a subtle holiness.
Staring at Ma Hongjun, her frown deepened. "This Ma Hongjun is weak inside, unstable mentally, unsteady in cultivation. With all his flaws—even with the Rakshasa Domain and a few soul bones—he shouldn't qualify for a Black-level Five Trial. How did he earn such a high-tier assessment?"
Bo Saixi stepped to her side, calm and serene. As the Sea God's attendant for centuries, she had already guessed the unusual reason behind Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu's assessments.
But instead of saying anything sacrilegious, she smiled faintly and replied, "Who can truly understand the Sea God's intentions? His decisions always carry a purpose. We just need to guide them through his bestowed trials."
Ah Zhi nodded, then turned back and sat in the temple's center to meditate on divine power.
———
After learning of Xiao Wu's resurrection, the Shui sisters, disinclined to stay near Ma Hongjun, continued their climb up Sea God Mountain. By the time they completed their trial, it was late into the night. Exhausted, they didn't even rest and quickly left the mountain.
Their reunion had lasted only hours, and now only Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun remained.
Moonlight hung low over Sea God Island. The gentle glow bathed Sea God Mountain, casting silver light on the Shui sisters' fading silhouettes. Ma Hongjun stretched his neck to watch them disappear into the distance, stunned.
"Fatty, quit staring like a perv. They're long gone. You're here now, so get on with your trial already…"
Ma Hongjun forced a smile. "Xiao Wu-jie, you know I'm the Evil Fire Phoenix. My martial soul has defects. I've been celibate for almost two months at sea. Watching pretty girls is all I've got to keep sane."
"Well, you're here now. Might as well finish the trial early. Once you pass, do whatever you want." With that, Xiao Wu began ascending the stairs under the moonlight, step by step.
Ma Hongjun's eyes reddened, and he muttered, "I'm close to the edge... There's not a brothel in sight on this wild island. Am I gonna die from the trial or from the damn fire first?"
As a Soul Saint-level beast soul master, Xiao Wu's physical body was immensely strong. The lower steps of Sea God Mountain posed no challenge. With each step, her waist swayed slightly, and despite being a Soft Bone Rabbit, she moved with the grace of a leopard.
Ma Hongjun stared at her back, his mind clouded by the Evil Fire. He gulped, slapped himself, and turned toward the woods.
'Ma Hongjun, don't be stupid. You already messed up once in the Road to Hell. Tang San was unconscious then, and you slipped away. But Xiao Wu is awake. If she catches you, nobody will save you!'
Fully aware of his limits, Ma Hongjun didn't want to end up as a pile of bones sucked dry by Xiao Wu. Shaking off his wild thoughts, he followed her, waddling his bulky frame up the divine staircase.
Sea God's Light—divine energy scattered over Sea God Mountain—exerted immense pressure on ordinary soul masters. Just like Bu Jingyun training beneath a waterfall, Tang San had once used this pressure to rapidly increase his level.
The moment he stepped onto the stairs, Ma Hongjun felt that crushing force. A trace of blood-red gleam appeared in his eyes. He quickly activated his martial soul. His chubby arms turned into wings covered in feathers, and he began flapping awkwardly upward.
The beast soul master transformations in Douluo World were odd. Male types like Dai Mubai turned into beast-men covered in fur. Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing's feline form just gave her cute ears and a tail, more alluring than fearsome.
Xiao Wu was similar. After transformation, she only had rabbit ears and a tail, with a slightly more graceful figure. Climbing the stairs, her fluffy tail swayed, completely hypnotizing Ma Hongjun below.
Giving Ma Hongjun this trial was like letting a monkey guard the Peach Garden. If Xiao Wu weren't far stronger, he might've pounced already.
———
Time passed unknowingly in cultivation.
In the process of climbing Sea God Mountain, Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu spent three months on Sea God Island.
Since awakening his martial soul, Ma Hongjun had always followed Flender's method of visiting brothels to vent his Evil Fire. But on the journey to Sea God Island and during training at its base, he was alone with Xiao Wu. To preserve his life, he had refrained from women for six months.
Under the Evil Fire's corrosion, his eyes were now permanently bloodshot. He looked like a devil.
But Xiao Wu, a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast from the Star Dou Forest, had seen every strange thing imaginable. She didn't even ask about his state. When night fell, she simply rolled on the ground and began snoring.
Under the moonlight, Ma Hongjun panted heavily. His bloodshot eyes refused to close. Restless, he finally stood up and quietly walked over to Xiao Wu, his thick palm slowly reaching toward her.
"Hm? Fatty, what are you doing?" Xiao Wu, feeling something strange, blinked her sleepy eyes and looked up at his face, her expression shocked.
At the same time, in the spiritual world, Tang San roared, "Xiao Wu, what are you waiting for?! Attack! That fatty's lost his mind to the Evil Fire. He's our teammate, but if we don't deal with him now, he'll bring disaster!"
'Finally! A chance to get rid of that dead fatty!' Tang San was ecstatic. He'd been terrified this past half-year that Ma Hongjun would spill the truth about what had happened between them. If he died now, Tang San's "pure and noble" image would be preserved forever.
If anyone else had told her, Xiao Wu might've hesitated. But hearing Tang San's order, she didn't think twice. She immediately activated her soul bone ability and locked eyes with Ma Hongjun.
What was a hundred-thousand-year soul bone skill like? In the instant their gazes met, red light burst from Ma Hongjun's eyes, surging into Xiao Wu's.
Not even a scream escaped his lips. Ma Hongjun's fat body shriveled like dried fruit, collapsing into a heap of skin and bone.
Xiao Wu stood up, picked up a discarded arm bone of mediocre quality, and gently touched her chest, falling into deep thought.
Far above in the God Realm, the Sea God sensed the change in Rakshasa's chosen successor and was briefly stunned—then burst into a perverted grin.
"Rakshasa... oh Rakshasa, she's perfect for your godhood. You've really picked up a treasure this time. Hehehe… hehehehehe…"
But the most shocked of all wasn't Xiao Wu or the Sea God—it was Tang San in the spiritual world. Staring at the suddenly reappeared Fatty, his expression froze.
And then he instinctively clutched his backside.
(End of Chapter)
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