Seeing the God Trial Light Screen suddenly appear, Tang San's expression remained calm, as if he had anticipated it all along.
"I knew it. These evil things always have some connection to you, Rakshasa God."
Such is reputation!
Tang San had carried this Rakshasa God Trial for several years now and had come to understand some aspects of the Rakshasa God.
The Rakshasa God—evil, darkness, absorbing the power of death—like the Asura God, ascends to godhood through slaughter. In a sense, the Rakshasa God is the very origin of evil!
Tang San had suspected that the Holy Spirit Sect's extermination of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul wasn't merely about forging Spirit Bones but might also be linked to the Rakshasa God.
The Holy Spirit Sect's methods bore a striking resemblance to the Rakshasa God's—both derived power from death and slaughter.
Had the Rakshasa God suddenly issued a trial demanding the sacrifice of ten thousand Soul Masters to obtain Spirit Bones, Tang San wouldn't have been the least bit surprised. That was exactly the kind of thing the Rakshasa God would do.
What Tang San didn't know was that each god's trials differed, and the Rakshasa God's trials revolved around two words: sacrifice.
Three trials. The first: to seek the Rakshasa Divine Artifacts left behind by the Rakshasa God—essentially sacrificing divine artifacts. The second: to evolve Ghost Rings by sacrificing lives. The third: Godslaying—sacrificing a god-level body and soul.
Not one of these trials was normal; all required sacrifices to obtain something. Of course, obtaining these things was also part of the trial.
Had Tang San known about the Angel God Trial or the Sea God Trial, he would have cursed the Rakshasa God's trials relentlessly.
Other gods granted rewards simply for passing their trials—all you needed was talent and effort. The Rakshasa God demanded specific sacrifices. Not only did you have to work hard to obtain these things, but you also had to give them to the Rakshasa God in exchange for rewards.
No free rides here!
"Ah..." Tang San sighed deeply before finally focusing on the God Trial Light Screen.
"Hmm? This isn't an additional trial?" Tang San frowned. He had assumed it would be like when he obtained the Wolf Raider's Spirit Bone—sacrificing something to complete an extra trial. But upon closer inspection, he realized this wasn't the case.
[Clearance Difficulty: Godhood.]
Just six words and two punctuation marks—nothing more. Unlike last time, this wasn't an additional trial.
"If it's not an additional trial, then... is this a hint? It's hinting at me? Why would this suddenly appear?" Tang San's expression shifted as realization dawned. "Because this is part of the trial's content!"
"The third trial, Godslaying, is impossible. There's no way I can defeat a god-level being with my current strength. The second trial, evolving Ghost Rings? That doesn't seem right either—there aren't any living beings here. That leaves only the first trial. Could this Godhood Ascension Ladder actually reward something god-level?"
"Wait, the Holy Spirit Sect isn't part of the Rakshasa clan from Ghost City. They're simply devotees of the Rakshasa God."
"These Holy Spirit Sect members... Their real goal isn't to create Spirit Bones—they're researching how to resurrect the Rakshasa God?!"
Tang San's mind exploded with realization. He knew more now—the additional God Trial from last time: sacrificing the 'Bloodthirsty Berserking Hurricane Right Leg' Spirit Bone. He had speculated that this ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone could stabilize the Rakshasa God and provide some aid to the disembodied deity.
Recalling his first God Trial, Tang San muttered to himself, "My first trial was to collect the divine artifacts shattered and scattered by the Asura God when he defeated the Rakshasa God. The Holy Spirit Sect must have found some of those artifacts or fragments."
He looked up at the difficulty options displayed above the Soul Guidance Device metal figure: Saint, Soul Douluo, Titled.
"And there's a hidden difficulty!"
Godhood Ascension Ladder—ascend to godhood, obtain fragments of the Rakshasa God's divine artifact.
"Tch, playing word games now, are we?" Tang San was both exasperated and impressed. Who would've thought there'd be wordplay and a hidden difficulty here?
"No wonder this metal Soul Guidance Device contains such immense Soul Power. It's designed for god-level combat at full power."
Though Tang San had pieced everything together, he had to admit the difficulty seemed beyond his expectations.
"Godhood difficulty means facing the combat prowess of a god-level expert at level 39? Could this metal figure be simulating the Rakshasa God's strength at level 39? But that doesn't make sense—how could the Holy Spirit Sect have witnessed the Rakshasa God's power at that level? Is this just speculation? Or is there another reason?"
After a moment of contemplation, Tang San glanced at the difficulty options above and then at the God Trial Light Screen's reminder. He sighed. "Fair enough. God Trials aren't meant to be easy. If you can't match a god's combat prowess at the same level, how could you ever ascend to godhood?"
"Let's see just how powerful the Rakshasa God was at level 39."
With a wave of his hand, Tang San dismissed the God Trial Light Screen and addressed the metal figure: "Select difficulty—Godhood!"
The moment he spoke, the surroundings trembled violently. Tang San's pupils contracted as he watched the words above the metal figure distort, accompanied by a crackling sound. In the next second, the text vanished entirely.
A voice emanated from the metal figure: "Hidden difficulty activated. Soul Circuit Fully Open. Soul Guidance Device Full Power restrictions lifted. Level 39 Soul Elder, God-level combat initiated."
Abandoning any pretense of martial etiquette, Tang San summoned his Clear Sky Hammer. Seizing the moment before the metal figure fully awakened, he sprinted forward with a thunderous boom. In an instant, he leaped high, appearing before the metal figure, and swung his hammer down at its head, aiming to split it open with a single strike.
As the Clear Sky Hammer descended, the metal figure's right hand shot out like a black tiger seizing its prey, its five fingers clamping onto the hammer. A metallic clang rang out as the fingers firmly grasped the incoming weapon.
"You've got to be kidding me! A god-level expert at level 39 could catch the Clear Sky Hammer one-handed?!" Tang San couldn't help but curse aloud at the sight.
With a sudden burst of strength, the metal figure hurled Tang San and his hammer aside.
"This is downright unfair. That special metal body is ridiculously durable. What kind of Soul Master at level 39 has physical defenses like this?" Tang San was speechless. The metal figure's defensive capabilities rivaled those of a Defense Clan Soul Emperor at full Soul Avatar strength—maybe even surpassed them.
Of course, the metal Soul Guidance Device wouldn't answer Tang San's doubts.
Not long after repelling Tang San, a glow emanated from the metal figure. Within moments, it seemed enveloped in golden light, and a black spear appeared in its hand.
"A spear? Not an imitation of the Rakshasa God?" Tang San naturally knew the Rakshasa God wielded a scythe-like weapon, akin to a reaper harvesting lives.
The metal figure didn't give Tang San time to ponder. With a burst of force from its feet, a cold glint flashed first—then the spear shot forth like a dragon, aimed straight for Tang San's throat.