In the divine realm, within the Sea God's Palace.
Two colossal figures sat solemnly—one blood-red, the other deep blue—the Sea God and the Asura God.
The Sea God's expression remained troubled, and he eventually sighed in resignation.
"Asura, do you really enjoy staying in my Sea God's Palace so much? I remember you're usually quite busy."
The Asura God snorted coldly: "It's not that I don't trust you—I just can't let you interfere with my plans. My chosen inheritor finally appeared, and I can't risk you taking him from me."
The Sea God shook his head: "You are truly strange. On one hand, you've been exceptionally strict with Yang Xiong. If it weren't for your interference, his Sea God trials wouldn't have been so difficult. Yet on the other hand, you seem determined to claim him as your own. What exactly are you worried about?"
The Asura God replied: "Yang Xiong carries your Sea God's Heart and resides within your palace. With your power, you could easily ensure he inherits your divine position if you wished."
"Just now, you repeatedly tested him—didn't you consider claiming him as your successor? If this young man were to fully commit to inheriting your divine seat, even I might not be able to stop you. After all, I haven't bestowed my true inheritance trials upon him yet."
The Sea God responded helplessly: "You're overthinking things. I've followed our agreement to the letter. Ultimately, it depends on Yang Xiong's choice. He seeks ultimate strength and has chosen the path of the Asura God. I can't say much more than that."
The Asura God snorted again: "This kid still has a long way to go. He's only just reached the Title Douluo level and hasn't even obtained his ninth soul ring. Who knows how long it will take for him to reach Level 99?"
The Sea God seemed to recall something: "Asura, lately I've sensed something unusual about Douluo Planet. There seems to be an unpredictable change. Based on my calculations, my inheritor should have already appeared by now. Why hasn't anyone emerged who can bear the inheritance of the Sea God?"
After a brief pause, the Asura God spoke: "Your instincts are correct. The trajectory of Douluo Planet has indeed shifted. You should know that Douluo Planet is the foundation of the divine realm, and its importance cannot be overstated. However, I can't pinpoint exactly where the change has occurred."
"Based on my predictions, this is an extraordinarily brilliant era. It's likely that gods will emerge on Douluo Planet, heralding unprecedented changes that may even influence transformations in the divine realm itself."
"By my calculations, both the Angel God and the Rakshasa God's inheritances should be nearing completion. However, something unforeseen has delayed their progress significantly, and certain changes have occurred."
The Sea God was puzzled: "How is this possible? You are a Supreme God King. Is there anything in this world capable of deviating from your predictions?"
The Asura God shook his head: "Predictions are just that—predictions. In reality, countless variables exist. You should understand that whether it's the Angel God or the Sea God, passing down your legacy requires faith energy."
"The faith energy supporting the Sea God hasn't diminished, but the Angel God's faith energy is far lower than I anticipated. This might be one reason why the Angel God's inheritance has slowed."
"As for the Rakshasa God, that psycho is unpredictable. But darkness and light are opposites. Only after the Angel God's inheritance is complete, under the most extreme light, will the darkest shadows emerge, allowing the Rakshasa God to truly pass down his legacy."
"Regardless of these variables, everything is nearing completion. Within one to three years, the Angel God should finish their inheritance. That will mark the beginning of the emergence of gods and the transformation of Douluo Planet's structure."
The Asura God's words broadened the Sea God's understanding. Even the Supreme God King's analysis exceeded his expectations.
Finally, the Sea God couldn't help but ask: "Asura, if that's the case, then my inheritance shouldn't face any issues, right? I feel uneasy about the changes occurring on Douluo Planet."
The Asura God shot the Sea God a glance: "Didn't you already have a plan? Though you missed out on Yang Xiong this time, you still gave him the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud and bestowed your trials upon him. Within twenty years, your divine position should be successfully passed down."
"Don't think I didn't notice—there are several promising candidates on the Sea God Island. Though their current strength isn't sufficient to undertake your nine divine trials, given time, they all possess the potential to ascend to godhood. At that point, you'll have plenty of choices."
"For instance, Tang San, who is still undergoing trials, and Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er, who have completed the Red-Level Seven Trials—they all possess the potential to become gods. And let's not forget your devoted servant; her qualifications are also exceptional, and she's only one step away from ascending to godhood."
The Sea God shook his head: "A small difference can lead to vastly different outcomes. While their talents are commendable, I still feel a sense of regret. I've ruled the seas of Douluo Continent for a thousand years. My inheritor must not tarnish my reputation, or the seas will never know peace."
"By the way, Asura, Yang Xiong has only just entered the Title Douluo level. He's still far from reaching Level 99. Without the aid of divine trials, can he catch up to the pace of the Angel God's ascension?"
The Asura God smirked: "That's nothing to worry about. Yang Xiong's body is unique. He still lacks his ninth soul ring and torso soul bone. Moreover, this is the era of the rise of gods on Douluo Planet, and the soul beast race is growing restless. Haven't you noticed the peculiarity of Yang Xiong's arms?"
The Sea God pondered: "I did find them strange. His arms lack soul bones, yet they feel unusual. Given Yang Xiong's resources, he clearly doesn't lack top-tier soul bones. Yet his arms remain unabsorbed, which is highly irregular."
The Asura God explained: "There's nothing irregular about it. Ordinary soul bones contain traces of a soul beast's essence and soul. Yang Xiong's arms already possess a soul beast's essence, so he cannot absorb other soul bones. Even attempting to do so would result in rejection."
"Besides, even if the Angel God's inheritor ascends first, don't forget I still have a contingency on Douluo Planet."
The Sea God suddenly understood: "So that's why you're not worried at all. You left the Asura Sword on Douluo Planet for this moment. However, the sword is currently in the possession of your previous inheritor, whose strength has nearly reached the limits of Douluo Planet. For Yang Xiong to reclaim the Asura Sword won't be easy."
The Asura God snorted: "If it were that easy, what would be the point of having him as my inheritor? To become my successor, one must prove themselves the strongest. If he can't even handle someone half-dead, he doesn't deserve to inherit my divine seat."
The Sea God felt a bit exasperated. Somehow, the Asura God's words sounded boastful, yet also subtly provocative.
…
On the Sea God Island, Yang Xiong's group, along with Tang San and the others, gathered for a barbecue and drinks.
After such a long period of trials, all eight members of Yang Xiong's team had completed their tests. According to the rules of the Sea God Island, as a team, they were now eligible to leave with Yang Xiong.
Tang San and Xiao Wu, however, were still in the midst of their fifth trial. Though their strength was impressive, they still fell short against Title Douluos. Recently, they had been honing their combat skills underwater, striving to complete their trials as quickly as possible.
As everyone drank and ate, each person reflected on their journey. Nearly three and a half years had passed since they arrived on the island, and their growth had far exceeded their expectations.
Tang San and Xiao Wu had already completed the fourth trial of the Red-Level Seven Trials. During their battle against the Black Scaled Merfolk, they defeated the leader and obtained excellent soul rings.
Tang San had reached Level 82, Xiao Wu Level 81, Dai Mubai Level 75, Yu Tianheng Level 74, Dugu Yan Level 72, and even Zhu Zhuqing had reached Level 71. Even those who underwent the Black-Level Four Trials experienced soul power increases of sixteen to seventeen levels.
However, Tang San's eighth soul ring still hadn't reached the hundred-thousand-year tier, as the Black Scaled Merfolk leader was only ninety-thousand-years old.
Tang San had originally hoped to absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, but their mission lacked such high-level soul beasts. Even the area around the Sea God Island didn't have any. Moreover, Tang San and Xiao Wu's fifth trial required them to fight a Title Douluo. Without absorbing new soul rings, passing the fifth trial would be impossible.
Fortunately, Tang San's luck held. From the Black Scaled Merfolk leader, he obtained a ninety-thousand-year soul bone—a rare find, given the high probability of such powerful soul beasts dropping soul bones.
This was why Yang Xiong had earlier encouraged Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and Shui Bing'er to absorb the Evil Tiger Whale soul rings. Without reaching Level 80, they wouldn't stand a chance against a Title Douluo.
After a hearty round of drinking, though everyone had their own thoughts, it was a rare opportunity for everyone to let loose. Even Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan drank generously.
Yang Xiong, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Tang San, and Ma Hongjun—veterans of Shrek Academy—were completely drunk, shedding their usual reserved demeanors.
Even Tang San indulged in a rare bout of drunkenness. Though he still had trials ahead, the pressure weighed heavily on him compared to the others.
According to the Sea God Island's division, Tang San's group of seven formed one small team, while Yang Xiong's group of eight formed another.
Yang Xiong could only lead his team to leave, while the others needed to complete their trials with Tang San before departing.
This gathering was also a farewell. Early the next morning, Yang Xiong's group boarded the supply ships, leaving the Sea God Island. By now, Yang Xiong and his companions possessed both Red-Level and Black-Level privileges on the island. The supply ship crew, all soul masters who worshipped the Sea God, held great respect for Yang Xiong's group.
After spending half a month at sea, they finally returned to Hanhai City.
Reuniting with Hanhai City felt surreal. Everyone felt invigorated, as nearly all of them now possessed combat abilities rivaling Title Douluos. Their training on the Sea God Island had significantly improved their soul power and physical conditioning. Additionally, they had acquired two top-tier soul rings, making their journey incredibly fruitful.
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