Suddenly, the sharp-eyed Xiao Wu noticed a trace of crimson light within the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. In the next moment, a beam of blue light shot toward her forehead.
Instantly, Xiao Wu's body trembled slightly as an immense amount of information flooded her brain through a spiritual transmission.
Her surroundings changed; Xiao Wu's consciousness was immersed in a wondrous world.
It was an endless expanse of azure seas and skies. Beneath her feet surged the roaring ocean, while above her stretched a cloudless blue sky.
The sensation of complete clarity overwhelmed her with comfort, and the lingering weakness caused by digesting the whale gel vanished completely at that moment.
Bit by bit, clear information flowed into her mind. Each piece was distinct, and the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud gradually unveiled its mysterious veil before Xiao Wu.
As the influx of information continued to shift, the method to use the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud effortlessly imprinted itself into Xiao Wu's mind.
Outside, under the watchful eyes of Chu Chengzhou and the others, as a beam of blue light from the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud entered Xiao Wu's forehead, her entire body became enveloped in dazzling blue light. Like the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud itself, she slowly floated up from the bed.
Her right hand rose naturally and elegantly, and the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud drifted into her palm, spinning rapidly. With each rotation, the blue light surrounding Xiao Wu grew more intense.
The brightest spots were on her right arm and head—precisely where she possessed soul bones.
Ripples of blue energy continuously solidified around Xiao Wu's body, dyeing everything about her in shades of blue.
Suddenly, Xiao Wu's Wind Ear external soul bone extended from her head. Under the influence of the blue light, the originally long, green Wind Ear began to shrink gradually, its color shifting toward a translucent azure hue.
When Xiao Wu awoke from that wondrous world, the first rays of dawn had already broken through the horizon outside the window.
At this moment, the once elongated Wind Ear atop Xiao Wu's head had shrunk to the size of her rabbit ears, matching their shape perfectly. However, while her rabbit ears were pinkish-white, the Wind Ear now gleamed with a crystalline azure hue.
Chu Chengzhou: No longer can I be a noble knight!
Seeing Xiao Wu wake up and quietly land on the ground, Chu Chengzhou reached out to touch the azure external soul bone atop her head.
"Feels a bit different from rabbit ears?"
Clicking his tongue, Chu Chengzhou remarked.
Xiao Wu glared at him, then smirked, a triangular blue mark appearing on her forehead. In the next instant, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud in her hand flew into the air, hurtling toward Chu Chengzhou at high speed.
All Chu Chengzhou saw was a flash of blue light before the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud suddenly expanded, enveloping his body entirely.
In that moment, Chu Chengzhou found himself completely immobilized under the Shroud's influence.
"Hmph~ Can't move, can you?"
Xiao Wu proudly raised her head.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
"Xiao Wu, does your Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud have the ability to control opponents?"
Blinking, Ning Rongrong asked.
"Not just that~ The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud has four abilities. This one is called the Cosmic Stasis Barrier, capable of immobilizing any opponent whose spiritual power is within three times my own. Right now, Little Chu can't move at all!"
Xiao Wu said smugly.
Though Chu Chengzhou's spiritual power was somewhat stronger than hers, it wasn't triple her level. Once the Cosmic Stasis Barrier activated, Little Chu Scum was instantly subdued by Big Sister Xiao Wu.
"So powerful?!"
Zhuqing couldn't help but exclaim.
Xiao Wu's spiritual power wasn't weak. Those whose spiritual power exceeded hers by three times were basically high-level Title Douluos, and such experts were few and far between across the continent.
And once immobilized, they were utterly defenseless. Did this mean that the vast majority of Title Douluos on the continent wouldn't stand a chance against Xiao Wu?
"Mmm, it's not that exaggerated. While this technique can immobilize opponents, the Shroud itself has very strong defensive capabilities. Unless the barrier is forcibly broken, no harm can reach the opponent inside.
But if the barrier is broken, the immobilization effect disappears, so it's only useful for control."
Xiao Wu explained sheepishly.
"Ah, isn't that like throwing bones at dogs?"
Ning Rongrong said regretfully, glancing at the immobilized Chu Chengzhou.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
What do you mean by that?
However, at this moment, Chu Chengzhou's imagination ran wild, conjuring up a delightful scene.
One day, when fighting Hammer King, he would unleash all nine rings simultaneously, transforming into the ultimate godlike Hammer King who could obliterate everything. But in the next second, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud would descend, trapping him. The scene would undoubtedly be beautiful.
Exploding rings didn't increase spiritual power intensity, so whether or not the rings exploded made no difference in that regard. As long as he could restrain the opponent, he could simply wait until the side effects of the exploding ring technique kicked in, then release the Shroud. At that point, he wouldn't be facing the omnipotent Hammer King, but rather a severely injured cripple.
Hmm, hopefully his "good nephew" Tang San would show some filial piety in the future, sparing his uncle-in-law from having to take drastic measures.
"That won't happen. After the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud bonds with me, no matter how far away it is, I can summon it back with a thought. Ordinary means can't stop a divine artifact like this."
Xiao Wu shook her head and continued, "Besides the Cosmic Stasis Barrier, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud also has the Vast Sea Protective Barrier for group invisibility, the Vast Sea Wild Wave for group attacks, and the Cosmic Demon Breaker for single-target attacks.
Though I haven't tested them specifically, these two attack skills are extremely powerful. At my current soul power level, using either of these skills would drain all my soul power."
"Impressive! By the way, Xiao Wu, your external soul bone changed drastically. Did your soul skill change too?"
Thumbs up, Ning Rongrong asked.
"Of course! The type of soul bone skill hasn't changed—it's still perception-based—but the attribute of the soul bone shifted from wind to water. In places rich with water elements, the range of perception increases significantly, and the clarity improves as well."
"Then finding hundred-thousand-year soul beasts in the ocean will be easy, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuqing couldn't help but ask.
No soul master didn't yearn for a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. Zhuqing was no exception.
After all, soul masters who possessed hundred-thousand-year soul rings were all unparalleled powerhouses. Even if they weren't at the moment, they would undoubtedly become so in the future.
Of course, it wasn't that only those with hundred-thousand-year soul rings could be considered strong—it was that such rings made it easier for soul masters to become powerful and achieve greater heights.
Clearly, Zhuqing didn't yet know that in the future, she wouldn't need to hunt marine soul beasts to obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. The Sea God Island would simply bestow divine soul rings.
"Don't worry, Zhuqing. Bread will come, and milk will come too!"
Mimicking Chu Chengzhou's tone, Xiao Wu said with a smile.
Afterward, Xiao Wu retracted the external soul bone atop her head. Her pair of azure rabbit ears turned back to their original pinkish-white hue. With a wave of her hand, she retrieved the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
This time, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud transformed into a streak of blue light, vanishing into Xiao Wu's forehead and merging into her brow.
The moment he was freed, Chu Chengzhou immediately sought "revenge," which inadvertently affected the "innocent" bystanders as well.
The next second, four figures appeared in a dreamlike environment.
Thoughtful Chu Chengzhou immediately unleashed all his skills, and before long, an intense battle erupted within the fantastical illusion.
Ten days later, outside the western gate of Tian Dou City, a massive winged black tiger took flight, carrying five figures on its back as it soared westward.
"Brother Zhou, do you know where the Sea God Island is?"
On the broad back of the ten-meter-long Dark Demon Evil God Tiger summon, Little Black, Ning Rongrong asked Chu Chengzhou.
With Hu Liena, an "outsider," present, Ning Rongrong refrained from calling Chu Chengzhou a jerk.
In Ning Rongrong's eyes, in terms of intimacy, Hu Liena, the fourth sister, couldn't compare to the two close sisters at home.
"I know this. The Spirit Hall once sent people to attack the Sea God Island, and I prepared a map a few days ago."
Before Chu Chengzhou could speak, Hu Liena pulled out a scroll from her storage soul-guidance device. It was the Spirit Hall's recorded sea chart leading to the Sea God Island.
"The ocean is so vast, and there aren't many landmarks. Won't it be difficult to find with just a map?"
Zhuqing hesitated.
"No problem. A rough direction is enough. Xiao Wu's external soul bone has a very large detection range."
Chu Chengzhou waved his hand, showing no concern about finding the Sea God Island.
Even without a map, it wouldn't be a challenge for him. If he couldn't find it himself, surely the guide party could.
There were plenty of ordinary people from the Sea God Island among the islands in the western seas, and countless hundred-thousand-year marine soul beasts in the vast ocean knew the location of the Sea God Island.
"By the way, Nana, have you informed your teacher about going to the Sea God Island for training?"
Chu Chengzhou asked Hu Liena.
The Sea God Island wasn't a bus stop for casual entry and exit. Training there would likely take two to three years, so it was necessary to inform Bibi Dong. Otherwise, if her precious disciple went missing, Bibi Dong might come wielding the Reaper Scythe to demand answers.
Though he hadn't formally announced his relationship with Little Fox to Bibi Dong, Chu Chengzhou didn't think Bibi Dong was unaware of his connection with Hu Liena.
After all, when it came to intelligence capabilities, the Spirit Hall was unmatched on the continent—even the two empires paled in comparison.
They say ancient imperial authority didn't extend to villages, but the Spirit Hall not only reached villages but even had outposts at the village level!
Take the lowest-ranked sub-branch like the Holy Soul Village in the original storyline—a mere wooden hut bore the Spirit Hall's emblem.
"I've written a letter, but it'll probably take three days to reach my teacher."
Hu Liena stuck out her tongue.
Fearing her teacher's disapproval, Hu Liena chose to act first and report later.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
Truly worthy disciple of the Pope!
Hu Liena: Spoiled and fearless.
Qian Renxue: Unattainable, forever restless.
At this moment, if Bibi Dong were to come knocking in the future, Chu Chengzhou hoped it would be later, giving him more time to train, lest he find himself unable to fight back.
Little Black's speed was incredibly fast, surpassing Little Red's. As a summoned being, its body wasn't flesh and blood, so as long as soul power was sufficient, fatigue was nonexistent.
Under subsonic cruising, in less than two hours, the five crossed the western coastline of the continent and entered the vast airspace over the ocean.
To shield them, Chu Chengzhou activated his golden-tier defensive technique: Instant Bloom. A flower of soul power blossomed above his head, showering protective divine light upon him and the four girls, blocking the howling winds around them.
As for supersonic cruising? Though Little Black, as a summon exceeding a hundred thousand years, could fly that fast, the resulting sonic boom would make the experience unbearable for the "passengers" on its back.
Perhaps because Little Black flew high enough, despite the numerous formidable creatures in the vast ocean, they encountered no trouble along the way.
Three days later, after circling a wide area, Chu Chengzhou and the others finally located the Sea God Island.
There was no helping it—the Spirit Hall's sea chart wasn't very precise, at least not the copy Hu Liena received. And since the Sea God Island wasn't a large landmass, even a slight deviation in direction would result in a significant offset.
Fortunately, there were many powerful individuals on the Sea God Island, and Poseidon had left behind divine traces, making it extraordinary. Coupled with Xiao Wu's external soul bone, the Favorable Wind Ear, and its soul skill Ten-Thousand-Mile Pursuit, which had an extensive detection range, it wasn't difficult for Xiao Wu to pinpoint the exact location.
After bonding with the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, also known as the Heart of the Sea God, Xiao Wu's external soul bone, the Wind Ear, underwent changes. Its attribute shifted from wind to water. To avoid mismatched names, the Wind Ear was renamed Favorable Wind Ear, and its soul skill Eight Direction Hearing was renamed Ten-Thousand-Mile Pursuit.
Of course, though it was called Ten-Thousand-Mile Pursuit, its actual range fell far short of ten thousand miles. Even in the ocean's abundant water element environment, Xiao Wu's current perception only extended a few hundred miles.
But people always needed aspirations. Perhaps one day, upon ascending to godhood, perceiving ten thousand miles wouldn't be impossible.
Having found the Sea God Island, Chu Chengzhou didn't let Little Black fly directly in. He could ignore others' faces, but he had to respect the invincible of the oceans, Bo Saixi, because he couldn't defeat her.
Chu Chengzhou: Against the weak, I strike with overwhelming force. Against the strong, I choose to grovel.
"Little Black, let out a roar and unleash your presence."
Chu Chengzhou instructed the Little Black beneath him.
"Roar—"
Instantly, an ear-splitting tiger roar and an evil, terrifying aura swept across the skies above the Sea God Island.
Bo Saixi: Is this what you call respecting me?
"One, two, three, four..."
Chu Chengzhou began counting silently.
When he reached "ten," he saw a figure with an exceptionally profound aura swiftly flying toward them through the air.
"How evil a soul beast! Who are you?"
Standing a hundred meters away in mid-air, wearing a star crown, holding a golden scepter, dressed in an elegant gown, and appearing about thirty years old, the woman frowned at Little Black and asked Chu Chengzhou and the others.
The newcomer was none other than Bo Saixi, the grand priestess of the Sea God Island, nicknamed the "Invincible of the Sea," one of the strongest beings in the world.
Bo Saixi could tell that this unknown black tiger was an extremely evil soul beast, even more so than the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
However, she could also see that this black tiger with an evil aura wasn't a wild soul beast. Its presence seemed off, and it was likely obeying the five youths and girls on its back.
Moreover, these five likely weren't here to cause trouble for the Sea God Island; otherwise, they wouldn't have obediently stayed outside.
Though Bo Saixi didn't reveal her presence, Chu Chengzhou could sense that this woman was undoubtedly the "Invincible of the Sea," Bo Saixi. If nothing else, the vast and profound aura emanating from her was proof enough.
"Greetings, Sea God Douluo. I am Chu Chengzhou, and we've come from the continent, admiring the Sea God. We wish to pay our respects."
Chu Chengzhou clasped his hands and bowed.
Tang Monk: I hail from the Great Tang in the East, heading to the West to ask Buddha to step down.
"Greetings, Sea God Douluo!"
Xiao Wu and the others respectfully bowed as well.
"You know me?"
Bo Saixi furrowed her delicate brows, looking surprised.
She rarely left the Sea God Island and had never set foot on the continent. She didn't expect young people from the mainland to have heard of her name.
"Yes, I've heard of the 'Invincible of the Sea.'"
Chu Chengzhou nodded.
At the mention of the "Invincible of the Sea," Bo Saixi's heart stirred, recalling Tang Chen, the "Invincible of the Land," and Qian Daoliu, the "Invincible of the Sky," with whom she was once famous.
Of course, Qian Daoliu was merely an afterthought, part of the background story.
So many years had passed... Sigh!
Thinking of that towering figure, Bo Saixi sighed inwardly.
"Why have you come to the Sea God Island?"
Composing herself, Bo Saixi asked.
"Elder, we admire the reputation of the Sea God Island and hope to pass the trials to join."
Xiao Wu answered without hesitation.
Hearing this, Bo Saixi's expression tightened, and she frowned. "Are you certain you want to join the Sea God Island? Do you know that once you join, you can never leave?"
Xiao Wu and the others didn't suppress their soul power auras, allowing Bo Saixi to instantly discern their soul power levels.
Youngsters with six or seven rings were rare geniuses. Bo Saixi found it hard to believe they genuinely wanted to join the Sea God Island.
Most likely, they had heard of the Sea God's legends on the continent and came seeking training on the Sea God Island.
But the Sea God Island wasn't a place for casual entry and exit. Once they chose to join and passed the trials, they would be bound to the island for life.
"Are you sure?"
Bo Saixi pressed.
"We're sure!"
Xiao Wu and the others nodded.
"And what about you?"
Bo Saixi turned to Chu Chengzhou.
"Hehe, I won't join. However, I've heard that the Sea God is benevolent to all. May the Sea God Island welcome visitors to tour?"
Chu Chengzhou waved his hand.
Bo Saixi: "..."
So if you don't let me in, the great Sea God isn't benevolent to all?
"What about this black tiger?"
Bo Saixi didn't respond directly but looked at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger summon, Little Black, beneath Chu Chengzhou and the others.
"Oh, this is a summon created by one of my soul skills. Its name is Little Black, and it can barely handle a few mediocre Title Douluos."
Chu Chengzhou released a hint of his aura, allowing Bo Saixi to discern his soul power level, then spoke humbly.
Unsurprisingly, Bo Saixi's expression shifted slightly.
This youth's soul power level was only at the Soul Saint stage, yet the summon created by his soul skill reached such strength?
Though Bo Saixi didn't recognize the species of this evil black tiger summon, she could tell Chu Chengzhou wasn't lying. This evil black tiger's strength was at least at the Title Douluo level, likely surpassing Hai Long (Sea Dragon) Douluo, the leader of the Seven Holy Pillars of the Sea God Island, whose soul power reached Level 95.
A mere Soul Saint possessing such strength—what would happen when he advanced to the Title Douluo stage?
Such a peerless genius—if there were no enmity between them, it would be best for the Sea God Island to maintain friendly relations.
"I'm an old friend of Qian Daoliu from the Spirit Hall. Have you heard of him?"
After pondering for a moment, Bo Saixi asked the five.
She had no ulterior motive; she simply wanted to see if these five were from the Spirit Hall.
If they were from the Spirit Hall, they'd likely try to climb the ranks and cozy up to her.
Years ago, the Spirit Hall sent people to attack the Sea God Island. Though she and Qian Daoliu eventually became acquainted through battle, it didn't mean Bo Saixi harbored no ill feelings toward the Spirit Hall.
After all, the Spirit Hall worshipped the Angel God, making them heretical to the Sea God-worshipping Sea God Island.
For heretics, Bo Saixi naturally wouldn't welcome them. Not killing them outright was already giving Qian Daoliu, her old friend, face.
"Qian Daoliu, the Grand Worship of the Spirit Hall? I've heard he's currently the strongest on the continent, nicknamed the 'Invincible of the Sky,' but we're not familiar with him. We're from the Tian Dou Empire, and Rongrong is from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan."
Chu Chengzhou pointed to Ning Rongrong.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong materialized her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul.
"Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan?"
Looking at the Glazed Tile pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand, Bo Saixi raised an eyebrow.
Since this girl hailed from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, these five youths clearly weren't from the Spirit Hall.
Though the Sea God Island had little contact with the continent, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan was one of the three great clans, and she knew they were at odds with the Spirit Hall.
"I'll ask you one last time. Once you join the Sea God Island, you'll belong to it for life and cannot leave. Leaving would make you enemies of the Sea God Island. Are you still determined to join?"
Bo Saixi asked solemnly once more.
She guessed Chu Chengzhou's hidden intentions. He likely knew that joining the Sea God Island meant undergoing the Sea God's trials to quickly boost strength.
As for the rule forbidding departure after joining?
Presumably, this youth planned to rely on his strength to forcefully take people away from the Sea God Island in the future?
In short, these four girls were here to freeload off the Sea God Island!
However, though the youth had grounds for arrogance, violating the rules of the Sea God Island and taking people away… unless he ascended to godhood and defeated her, Bo Saixi, it would be utterly impossible!
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