Tang San reached out and slowly picked up the palm-sized metal fragment. As it rested in his hand, a profound sense of weight emanated from it.
"Is this part of a Rakshasa Divine Artifact fragment?"
Tang San examined the piece carefully. This was a genuine divine artifact, not like those self-proclaimed "divine artifacts" auctioned off in trading houses.
After weighing it in his hand, Tang San inspected the edges. He could clearly see that the interior wasn't simply solid metal—it contained intricate patterns of special runes.
Frowning slightly, Tang San murmured to himself, "Could the Rakshasa God's divine artifact actually be a Soul Guidance Device?"
His thoughts drifted back to the Demon Sword wielded by the Slaughter King. After their battle, Tang Hao had mentioned that although the Slaughter King possessed ninety-ninth rank Soul Power, he had never once used his Martial Soul throughout the entire fight—not even summoning a single Soul Ring.
Tang Hao speculated it wasn't that the Slaughter King didn't want to use them, but that he couldn't for some reason. Yet what truly made Tang Hao feel powerless wasn't the Slaughter King's cultivation level, but that Demon Sword in his hand.
After just a few exchanges, Tang Hao had recognized the sword's extraordinary power. It wasn't an ordinary weapon forged from common metal—that Demon Sword seemed to possess its own will. The Slaughter King could expend his Soul Power to unleash some of the sword's formidable abilities, much like how one would consume Soul Power to execute Soul Skills from Soul Rings with a true sword-type Martial Soul.
At the time, Tang San had wondered if the Asura God's Demon Sword might have a structure similar to a Soul Guidance Device, capable of storing Soul Power within its blade.
Now, holding this fragment of the Rakshasa God's divine artifact, Tang San had his answer confirmed. Even without a Martial Soul, the Rakshasa God's divine artifacts could unleash powerful Soul Skills.
"Rakshasa God Eye."
Tang San's left eye transformed into a golden pupil as he examined the fragment.
[Rakshasa God Demon Armor (Broken) (God-level)]
"This is just one palm-sized fragment? How long would it take to collect an entire set!" Tang San was dumbfounded. He owned a set of soft silver armor himself—though far inferior to divine artifacts, it could still absorb some attacks. At this size, he'd need hundreds of fragments to complete the set.
Just as Tang San was puzzling over this, the metal fragment in his hand suddenly emitted a bright light. To his astonishment, it rapidly expanded and attached itself to his right arm, transforming into a purple armguard.
"This is...! So that's how it is. The divine artifact can freely change its size. I was wondering why the Rakshasa God wouldn't walk around wearing full armor every day."
Tang San raised his right arm, now completely encased in the armguard. The purple-gold surface was engraved with strange patterns resembling those on the Ghost Tower in Rakshasa's Ghost City.
However, the armguard was incomplete—it ended abruptly at the shoulder in a perfectly clean cut.
"Severed by the Asura Sword..."
Tang San's expression grew solemn as he examined the clean break. It wasn't hard to imagine what could have caused such a precise cut—especially since the Asura God's weapon happened to be a sword.
"The battle between two gods... it must have been extraordinarily brutal."
However, before Tang San could even finish speaking, the white Ghost Ring appeared before him once more, its center swirling like a vortex.
Tang San had seen this before. Back when the God Trial demanded he sacrifice a Spirit Bone, the Ghost Ring had manifested a similar vortex—essentially serving as an altar. There was no doubt about it: the Rakshasa God wanted Tang San to sacrifice the gauntlet he had obtained.
Tang San stroked his chin with his gauntlet-clad right hand, pondered for a moment, and then decisively refused. "I decline."
!!?
With his hands clasped behind his back, Tang San declared, "This is something I earned through my own efforts. Why should I give it to you? Moreover, completing the first trial only rewards me with a single God-given Spirit Ring. Not only do I have to scour the world for Divine Artifact Fragments for you, but I also have to sacrifice them just to receive one measly God-given Spirit Ring. That's completely unreasonable."
Thud, thud, thud—
As if enraged by Tang San's audacious words, the Ghost Ring began to tremble violently, as though some presence within it was seething with fury.
It was a god—the Rakshasa God! Countless devotees would kill for even a sliver of its divine power. In the past, innumerable Soul Masters had willingly committed atrocities to earn its God-given Spirit Rings and complete its God Trials. Yet now, someone dared to refuse?
Tang San pulled out the token he had obtained from passing the Holy Spirit Sect's trial and said with a smirk, "I just defeated a Godhood Ascension candidate of the same level. Doesn't that mean I can ascend to godhood even without your God Trial?"
"The reward for your first trial doesn't match the effort required. There's no way a full set of divine equipment is only worth one God-given Spirit Ring."
"I'll give you time to reconsider. This first trial is unfair. You—revise it."
If the Rakshasa God were still alive, it would have cursed him out by now. Who's the examiner here—you or me?! You're telling me to change the trial?!
Ignoring the half-dead Rakshasa God's fury, Tang San withdrew his Soul Power, causing the gauntlet to shrink back to palm-size. He then took out a rope from his Storage Soul Guidance Device and tied the Divine Artifact Fragment to his wrist—it would serve as a decent defensive Soul Guidance Device in a pinch.
"Leave."
As soon as Tang San uttered the word, a flash of light above his head transported him out of the trial chamber.
Tang San knew it—he had finally succeeded in completing the Godhood Ascension Ladder's trial, and in doing so, he had indirectly fulfilled part of the God Trial as well.
"He's out, he's out!"
"It's Tang San!"
The doors of the Godhood Ascension Ladder creaked open slightly before spitting out a lone figure—who else could it be but Tang San?
"Young Master San!"
Seeing Tang San emerge, Tailong and the others, who had completed their trials earlier, rushed to greet him. However, their expressions were less celebratory and more bewildered and anxious.
"Ah, Tailong, you made it. Hm? Wait—why are there so many people here?"
Tang San immediately sensed something amiss. At least several hundred Soul Masters had gathered in front of the Godhood Ascension Ladder's entrance, far more than the ten Clear Sky Sect disciples who had entered with him.
Hearing Tang San's question, Tailong sighed helplessly and explained, "Young Master San, it's those Sacred Dragon Sect members."
"The Sacred Dragon Sect? All of these people are from the Sacred Dragon Sect? What mischief are they up to now?" Tang San asked.
"No. Not all of these are Sacred Dragon Sect disciples. The Sacred Dragon Sect shared the entrance to the ruins, which caused a large number of Soul Masters from Spirit Hall City and Spirit Academy to rush in. If the Soul Guidance Device at the ruins' entrance could withstand power beyond Soul Saint level, there would probably be even more people," Tailong said helplessly, glancing toward the Soul Guidance Device entrance.
At this moment, Tang Long and Tang Hu, having entered the trial earlier, had emerged slightly before Tang San. The two stood guard like gate gods at the Soul Guidance Device platform leading to the Godhood Ascension Ladder, their Clear Sky Hammers resting on their shoulders.
"Hey, don't think the Clear Sky Sect can monopolize this Ancient Ruins! The Ancient Ruins belong to all Soul Masters under the rules issued by Spirit Hall. What right does your Clear Sky Sect have to block our entry?"
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