"Zhuqing, what is your decision?"
Bo Saixi looked at Zhu Zhuqing.
She wanted to know how Zhu Zhuqing would choose—whether she would opt for a hundred-thousand-year eighth or ninth soul ring in the future, or settle for now.
"Senior, I plan to absorb it directly."
A confident smile appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face.
The hundred-thousand-year soul ring from a hundred-thousand-year soul beast might not necessarily be something she could absorb. After all, aside from the physical endurance test, absorbing a regular hundred-thousand-year soul ring also required overcoming the resistance of the soul remnants contained within it.
She wasn't sure if she could withstand the soul remnant's influence.
Since she was an agile offensive-type battle soul master, physical endurance was more critical than spiritual power for her. In the past, she had spent significantly more time cultivating Unbreakable Golden Body than practicing Eternal Thought.
But the divine-bestowed soul ring was different—it didn't contain any soul remnants, only testing one's physical endurance.
Upon hearing this, Bo Saixi couldn't help but look surprised.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's confident smile, Bo Saixi wondered if she was certain she could handle a hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring.
After all, no soul master wouldn't want to obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and with Zhu Zhuqing's talent, she was destined to become a Title Douluo in the future.
Choosing to absorb it now instead of saving it for later surely meant she had absolute confidence.
However, it was worth noting that even Bo Saixi herself, when she absorbed the Sea God's divine-bestowed soul ring as her seventh soul ring, had only managed to absorb a ring with around 60,000 years despite having completed several trials.
Perhaps there were still differences among top-tier eight trials?
At this moment, Ning Rongrong, who was nearby attempting to form her soul core, created a commotion.
The colorful solidified soul power spinning clockwise in front of Ning Rongrong began voraciously devouring the surrounding elemental energy.
The gathered elemental energy even formed a massive cloud of qi above the inner island.
'What kind of secret technique is this?'
Glancing at the rotating colored soul crystal in front of Ning Rongrong, Bo Saixi silently wondered.
This phenomenon wasn't new to her—it had occurred every day during this period.
There was no helping it; forming a soul core was inherently noisy. And if the process failed, the explosion caused by the compressed energy of the solidified soul power would create an even bigger disturbance.
Someone setting off several "firecrackers" daily outside her door—unless you were dead, you'd definitely notice.
Although Bo Saixi didn't fully understand the effects of this secret technique, observing the changes in Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena, she could tell that this technique at least accelerated soul power recovery and increased the total amount of soul power within a soul master.
Of course, Bo Saixi was merely curious.
After all, as a peak-level powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the world, she didn't place much value on this technique.
It wasn't as though learning this secret technique, which even Soul Emperors could practice, would elevate her strength to another level, right?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
What Bo Saixi didn't know was that if she could form Complementary triple soul cores, she might not only break through the limits of heaven and earth to achieve Level 100 but could at least dominate Qian Daoliu in the sky and overpower Tang Chen on land.
At that point, she wouldn't just be "Unrivaled in the Sea" but truly unrivaled in the world.
With Ning Rongrong causing quite a commotion, Zhu Zhuqing didn't absorb the divine-bestowed soul ring right away. Instead, she found a spot outside the circular sea to begin the absorption.
For Bo Saixi, Ning Rongrong, who was practicing the secret technique, was clearly less captivating than Zhu Zhuqing, who was attaching a hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring.
Thus, Bo Saixi guarded Zhu Zhuqing while Chu Chengzhou stayed by Ning Rongrong's side, ready to intervene if the solidified soul power went out of control. Meanwhile, Xiao Wu and Hu Liena returned to the stairs to continue their cultivation.
With her Nether Spirit Cat martial soul activated, her six soul rings shining brightly, and her Nether Realm unleashed, Zhu Zhuqing gripped the golden bead and began refining the divine-bestowed soul ring.
Pop—
As the martial soul drew in the energy, the golden bead in her hand shattered, releasing a dense golden mist that enveloped Zhu Zhuqing's body.
The golden mist shimmered with an enchanting glow, gradually submerging Zhu Zhuqing's body. Circles of light began to appear around her.
In an instant, a powerful oppressive force emerged. Zhu Zhuqing, enveloped in the golden mist, revealed traces of pain on her face.
Though the pain had already begun, Zhu Zhuqing knew that all she could do was persevere—persevere until her limit, until she could no longer endure.
Soon, the golden mist enveloping Zhu Zhuqing transformed into countless fine golden threads.
Then, these golden threads began to coalesce, forming nine golden halos that expanded around Zhu Zhuqing's body before contracting sharply, repeatedly colliding with her.
Each impact of the golden halos caused Zhu Zhuqing's body to tremble.
As time passed, the trembling of Zhu Zhuqing's body grew increasingly violent. An unhealthy flush spread across her pale skin, as if blood was about to seep out.
It was clear how excruciating the pain she was enduring was.
But Zhu Zhuqing, being strong-willed, lacked nothing in perseverance.
Even when perseverance yielded only minimal gains in the past, she gritted her teeth and endured. How much more so now, when every bit of perseverance brought significant rewards?
Time slowly passed. Half an hour later, when Chu Chengzhou saw that his sister's body had begun to seep crimson blood, he immediately felt heartbroken.
Unfortunately, when a soul master absorbs a soul ring, others cannot assist. No matter how much Chu Chengzhou cared, he couldn't take her place in absorbing the soul ring.
On the other hand, Bo Saixi, watching Zhu Zhuqing persist, nodded approvingly.
Talented, strong-willed, willing to endure hardship, and hardworking—how could such a genius fail to become a powerhouse? If she couldn't, then who else deserved to be called strong?
At this moment, there was a new development with Ning Rongrong.
The previously floating colorful solidified soul power, which had been voraciously devouring external elemental energy, disappeared.
In its place was an egg-sized, multi-faceted colored diamond crystal, rotating steadily clockwise, gently absorbing the surrounding elemental energy. Under the sunlight, it emitted brilliant nine-colored light.
'Success!'
Seeing this colored soul core, Chu Chengzhou felt a surge of joy.
Now, Ning Rongrong was only one step away from successfully forming her first soul core—absorbing it into her body and ensuring it operated stably.
"Rongrong, next, draw it into your body."
Chu Chengzhou gestured.
Ning Rongrong didn't respond. She already knew this without Chu Chengzhou's reminder, having observed Xiao Wu and the others forming their soul cores. She wasn't inexperienced.
The next moment, following an inexplicable connection, Ning Rongrong guided the colored soul core into her lower dantian in her abdomen.
The moment the soul core entered her body, Ning Rongrong immediately felt an overwhelming pressure spread throughout her body.
But this was just pressure—an old acquaintance!
Let's not forget, during her time on the Sea God Island, she spent at least twelve hours a day under the pressure of the Sea God's Light, developing excellent resilience.
Coupled with her robust physique, the pressure from the soul core entering her body was only slightly stronger than what she experienced while cultivating under the Sea God's Light—far from reaching her limit.
Fifteen minutes later, Ning Rongrong found the balance point, and the first soul core integrated into her lower dantian began to operate stably.
"Hahahaha... This young lady has finally succeeded!"
Before Chu Chengzhou could congratulate her, Ning Rongrong, who had successfully formed her soul core, placed her hands on her hips, lifted her head, and burst into triumphant laughter.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
Suddenly, across the circular sea, Zhu Zhuqing's body erupted with a violent surge of energy.
The nine golden halos continuously colliding with Zhu Zhuqing abruptly turned red, merging into a single enormous blood-red halo surrounding her.
The next moment, the pain on Zhu Zhuqing's face vanished. Her serene expression starkly contrasted with the bloody sweat dripping down her cheeks and her clothes, now soaked in red.
Accompanied by a surge of intense energy, the massive blood-red halo transformed into a vivid hundred-thousand-year soul ring, aligning itself with the outermost layer of Zhu Zhuqing's original six soul rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, and black.
"Meow—"
An elegant cat-like cry echoed, and Zhu Zhuqing's aura surged dramatically. Her soul power advanced to Level 73, making her a Soul Saint.
Hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring, complete!
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou scooped up the elated Ning Rongrong and flew toward the opposite shore of the circular sea.
Feeling the surging soul power within her and gazing at the vivid hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring, Zhu Zhuqing was overwhelmed with joy.
"Zhuqing, congratulations! A hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring—I've never seen one before."
Bo Saixi smiled and said.
However, as she spoke, Bo Saixi glanced at Chu Chengzhou, who was rushing over with Ning Rongrong.
Though the youth had only displayed a standard optimal configuration of yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, and black soul rings in front of her, based solely on the formidable black tiger summon, Bo Saixi could confidently conclude that Chu Chengzhou's soul ring configuration was hiding something—likely a disguise.
"Thank you, Senior!"
Suppressing her excitement, Zhu Zhuqing bowed deeply to Bo Saixi.
"No need for formalities. When the next person reaches their bottleneck, I will appear again."
Glancing at Xiao Wu and Hu Liena, who were also heading this way, Bo Saixi shook her head slightly and prepared to leave.
"Wait, Senior, I have something I'd like to discuss privately!"
Seeing Bo Saixi about to leave, Chu Chengzhou quickly spoke up.
Upon hearing this, Bo Saixi turned to look at Chu Chengzhou. After staring for two seconds, she didn't return to the Sea God Temple but instead nodded slightly and flew away.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou activated his golden light and followed Bo Saixi.
In the air, two streaks of light shot forward before landing in the forest below.
"What do you want to discuss with me?"
Bo Saixi turned to Chu Chengzhou and asked.
She was curious about what Chu Chengzhou wanted to ask her privately.
"Senior, is it absolutely necessary for someone to sacrifice their life to inherit a god position?"
After pondering for a moment, Chu Chengzhou asked.
Instantly, Bo Saixi's expression hardened, and an overwhelmingly vast and terrifying aura flashed briefly.
'Unstoppable!'
Feeling Bo Saixi's fleeting yet terrifying aura, Chu Chengzhou's pupils contracted, and his muscles involuntarily tensed.
A demi-god was indeed a demi-god. Based solely on this fleeting aura, Chu Chengzhou was certain that even a hundred Title Douluos like She Long wouldn't stand a chance against one Bo Saixi.
After all, the sheer soul power pressure, just a half-step away from godhood, was enough to immobilize ordinary newly minted Title Douluos.
Hmm, Snake Spear Douluo She Long~—he was just a Soul Emperor with one extra soul ring and skill.
Fortunately, this aura was fleeting and not directed at him. Though startled, Chu Chengzhou didn't make a fool of himself.
"You know?"
Bo Saixi said gravely.
"I've heard rumors."
Chu Chengzhou nodded.
"This is my fate as the Great Priestess of the Sea God."
Looking up at the sky, a trace of sadness flickered in Bo Saixi's eyes.
"Senior, I want to know—is the sacrifice required to open the path to godhood a life, or simply energy? If it's energy, how much is needed?"
Chu Chengzhou pressed further.
In the original storyline, Qian Renxue and Tang San inherited the Angel God and Sea God positions because Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi sacrificed themselves to pave the way. But Bibi Dong—surely there wasn't a half-god-level Rakshasa Great Priestess who sacrificed for her, right?
"It's energy—the entirety of a Limit Douluo's energy!"
Bo Saixi glanced at Chu Chengzhou.
In the current era, there was no concept of 'half-gods.' In Bo Saixi's view, she was merely a Level 99 Limit Douluo.
"What if I bring a soul beast with more energy than a Limit Douluo?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was enormous and ancient. In terms of internal energy alone, it likely surpassed Bo Saixi by a significant margin.
Bo Saixi undoubtedly harbored lingering feelings for Tang Chen. And Tang San was Tang Chen's great-grandson. With that connection, even in the original storyline, Bo Saixi had considered killing Tang San—let alone Xiao Wu, who had no ties to her.
It was certain that when the time came, Bo Saixi would harbor murderous intent toward Xiao Wu.
However, Chu Chengzhou's question wasn't just to find a way to dissuade Bo Saixi from harming Xiao Wu—it was also for the sake of Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue's grandfather.
Chu Chengzhou: Little Angel, if I save your grandfather, won't you repay me by bearing several children?
Bo Saixi shook her head: "Impossible, unless the soul beast you find has energy that resonates with the Sea God's divine power."
Pausing, Bo Saixi continued, "You don't need to concern yourself with this. I am the Sea God's servant—this is my fate. If Xiao Wu proves worthy, I will fulfill the mission bestowed upon me by the Sea God!"
At this moment, Bo Saixi's thoughts weren't as simple as her words suggested. After all, what she was sacrificing was her own life!
She had no prior connection with Xiao Wu. Who would willingly give their life for a stranger?
"Senior, this might help you."
After pondering for a moment, Chu Chengzhou handed Bo Saixi a page filled with writing.
"Soul Core?"
Taking the page and seeing the title, Method for Forming a Soul Core, Bo Saixi's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"The soul core Rongrong just formed is precisely what this method describes.
After forming a soul core, it continuously absorbs external elemental energy, enhancing soul power cultivation speed, purifying soul power, aiding in breaking through bottlenecks, and accelerating soul power recovery.
Though these benefits might not mean much to you, the soul core itself can store vast amounts of energy—at least equal to what a soul master possesses.
Moreover, in my vision, besides the lower dantian in the abdomen, soul cores can also be formed in the middle dantian in the chest and the upper dantian in the forehead.
If you possess three soul cores and the final sacrifice requires only energy, perhaps sacrificing just the soul cores would suffice."
Chu Chengzhou explained calmly.
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of insight flashed in Bo Saixi's eyes.
"Regardless of whether this technique ultimately helps you, it's a token of my goodwill. You may teach it to Sea Dragon Douluo and the others, but please don't share it with anyone outside the Sea God Island.
I'll be leaving the Sea God Island in a couple of days. Xiao Wu and the others are in your care, Senior."
With that, Chu Chengzhou bowed respectfully to Bo Saixi and then departed.
'Soul Core, huh?'
Watching the direction Chu Chengzhou had flown off, Bo Saixi stood lost in thought.
When Chu Chengzhou returned to the foot of the Sea God Mountain, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Hu Liena had already resumed their cultivation on the stairs.
As for Zhu Zhuqing?
Using her spiritual perception, Chu Chengzhou saw that she was bathing in the wooden house by the circular sea.
Bathing? Hmm, today's dust on the Sea God Island was a bit heavy—he should wash too.
Chu Chengzhou: Hehehe—
Without hesitation, he entered the house to help his sister scrub.
Opening the latch of the wooden door, what greeted him was a breathtaking sight of pure white.
"Don't come any closer~"
Zhu Zhuqing, washing away the grime in the bathtub, said shyly.
"Zhuqing, we're practically an old married couple. Let's bathe together—I'll scrub your back!"
Without waiting for Zhu Zhuqing's refusal, Chu Chengzhou closed the door, removed his clothes, and stepped into the tub.
As it turned out, he was prescient—the bathtub was large enough for both of them without feeling cramped.
But Chu Chengzhou didn't care whether they were crowded or not. He squeezed in beside Zhu Zhuqing anyway.
"Zhuqing, what's the effect of your True Body?"
Inside the tub, Chu Chengzhou asked as he scrubbed her back.
"It's pretty good. My Nether Spirit Cat True Body increases speed by 100%, amplifies all soul skills by 100%, and there doesn't seem to be any weakness period after using it."
Zhu Zhuqing smiled.
"Is that so? That's quite impressive."
After some thought, Chu Chengzhou nodded.
Generally speaking, after using a true body form, soul masters would enter a period of weakness.
However, the stronger the soul master, the higher the soul ring years, the better the martial soul quality, and the greater the compatibility between the soul rings and martial soul, the shorter and milder the weakness period would be—or it might even disappear entirely.
Clearly, the perfectly compatible divine-bestowed soul ring, with its hundred-thousand-year duration, had eliminated the weakness period after using Zhu Zhuqing's Nether Spirit Cat true body form.
Moreover, the amplification ratio of the hundred-thousand-year Nether Spirit Cat true body form was far from negligible. If he remembered correctly, in the original storyline, Zhu Zhuqing had also absorbed a divine-bestowed seventh soul ring, but due to its relatively low years, both the speed boost and soul skill amplification were only 50%.
Compared to the current hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring, the effects of the Nether Spirit Cat true body form had effectively doubled.
"By the way, my Nether Realm has evolved too. It gained a new domain skill: Nether Devour, which continuously consumes the soul power of enemies within the domain to replenish my own. If there are no enemies, it can also absorb the surrounding elemental energy to recover."
"Can it only replenish consumption, not increase the limit?"
Clicking his tongue, Chu Chengzhou asked with a hint of regret.
"I'm not an evil soul master."
Zhu Zhuqing shot him an exasperated glare.
"Right, right, my Zhuqing isn't an evil soul master, but this treasure of yours is quite evil!"
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou couldn't resist poking her ample treasures.
Zhu Zhuqing: "..."
Two days later, in the morning.
Amid Xiao Wu and the others' reluctant gazes, Chu Chengzhou mounted the summoned Dark Evil God Tiger, Little Black, and left the Sea God Island.
He had spent some time on Sea God Island. Returning to the mainland, he would help Little Angel ascend to the throne of the Tian Dou Empire, defeat the Star Luo Empire—or rather, usher in a new chapter for the continent.
The decaying Tian Dou Empire would welcome a new ruler, and the malevolent Star Luo Empire would meet its doom. A reunified Doulu Continent would enjoy long-lasting peace.
Indeed, long ago, apart from the soul beast forests, the entire Doulu Continent was ruled by an empire named 'Douluo.'
But as the ancient Douluo Empire collapsed, various powers rose, eventually evolving into the current dual empires in the north and south, with the Spirit Hall standing in the center—a tripartite balance of power.
As for the continent's seven great sects? If not for the declining strength of the Tian Dou Empire and the emergence of Tang Chen, the 'Unrivaled on Land,' mere sects with only a few thousand members couldn't possibly contend with the two empires and the Spirit Hall—they weren't even on the same level.
As Chu Chengzhou departed from the Sea God Island, Bo Saixi's figure reappeared before the Sea God Temple.
Watching the black dot disappearing into the horizon and glancing at Xiao Wu silently cultivating on the temple's steps, a smile appeared on Bo Saixi's face.
'Perhaps, it really is possible.'
Feeling the stable rotation of the azure crystal in her lower dantian, Bo Saixi thought to herself.
For a powerhouse like Bo Saixi, standing at the pinnacle of the world, forming the first soul core with a detailed method was a simple task.
One could say that at this moment, Bo Saixi's strength had surpassed that of Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu in their prime. Perhaps her title of 'unrivaled in the ocean' had truly become 'unrivaled in the world'!
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