Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

Chapter 311 The Nine Trials of the Sea God, First Trial

……

The vast golden light enveloping Gu Yuena did not condense into complex patterns or marks like Xuanming's, but slowly receded, eventually coalescing into a simple yet mysterious golden ring at the center of her smooth brow.

The ring wasn't dazzling, but it seemed to contain some ancient power of covenant, reflecting off her silver-purple eyes and adding a touch of holiness and profundity.

The Sea Maiden Douluo, Xiao Bai, and the six Holy Pillar Guardians who had rushed over from afar were all stunned, looking at each other with confusion and bewilderment in their eyes.

A golden light? A ring? What kind of assessment level is this? Such a peculiar sight has never appeared in the records of Poseidon Island!

Just then, a gentle yet profoundly majestic and ancient voice rang out:

"It's not the highest level of assessment, but rather the Nine Trials of the Sea God."

The moment the sound rang out, all the Soul Masters on Seagod Island, including the seven Holy Pillar Guardians and Little White, trembled, their faces instantly filled with utmost piety and reverence, and they all bowed in unison towards the direction of the Seagod Temple.

"Big offering!"

A figure appeared silently on the altar of the sea goddess.

She wore a magnificent red robe and held a scepter that was much longer than her own height. The scepter was entirely gold, with a huge gold gem set at its head.

Her face was stunningly beautiful, and she looked to be only about thirty years old, but her deep eyes seemed to hold endless years and wisdom, carrying a sense of worldly experience and gentleness.

She stood there, as if she were the center of the entire ocean, vast and majestic, yet with a gentle embrace that encompassed all things.

It was none other than the Grand Priest of Seagod Island, the Seagod Douluo—Poseidon!

Poseidon's gaze first fell on the clear golden trident mark on Xuanming's forehead. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, a mixture of relief, anticipation, and a hint of...感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion).

She nodded slightly: "The Nine Trials of the Sea God... I've finally waited for you."

Then, her gaze shifted to Gu Yuena, looking at the golden ring between her brows, and she slowly spoke, her voice gentle as she explained to everyone:

“Her assessment was not one of the ranking systems set by the Sea God. It was a ring of contracts, originating from an even more ancient rule.”

"Her assessment consists of only one thing: assistance. Assisting the successor of the Nine Trials of the Sea God to complete all of his trials."

Poseidon's gaze swept over the crowd, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "The contract is in effect, we are bound together by life and death. His success is her success. And if he fails..."

Poseidon paused slightly, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes that had seen the vicissitudes of life: "...They will share the consequences of failure."

With the total death!

Those four simple words sent a jolt through everyone!
This means that Gu Yuena has completely bound her fate to Xuanming.

On Xuanming's path to godhood, she will be his most steadfast companion and protector, sharing both glory and loss!
Xuanming listened quietly, his face showing no surprise. This outcome seemed to have been within his expectations.

He turned his head to look at Gu Yuena, who was also looking at him. Her silver-purple eyes were calm, even carrying a faint sense of relief.

This contract, which completely binds the fates of the two of them, is not a constraint for her, but rather the best possible outcome.

“Your aura is very strange.” Poseidon’s gaze fell on Xuanming.

"Can I see your martial spirit?"

Her tone was gentle; it was simply out of curiosity, not a demand.

Xuanming paused for a moment, then nodded.

He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing upward.

Om-!
An indescribable aura of ferocity and death suddenly spread out!
Dark red light gathered and condensed wildly in his palm. It wasn't the appearance of a soul ring, but rather the strange spear that seemed to be forged from solidified blood that appeared out of thin air!
The moment the blood spear appeared, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, the temperature plummeted, and a chilling killing intent that sent shivers down one's spine spread out as if it were a tangible force, even causing the skin of the surrounding holy pillar guardians to feel a bone-chilling cold.

The spear was dark red, as if countless souls were wailing and struggling within it, yet forcibly bound and melted into one.

It hovered silently in Xuanming's palm, trembling slightly and emanating an extremely dangerous aura.

However, in stark contrast to his terrifying and ferocious appearance and aura, Xuanming's eyes remained calm to the point of indifference, showing no signs of being corrupted by the desire to kill, as if what he held in his hand was not a weapon to slaughter all living beings, but just an ordinary tool.

This extreme sense of contradiction instilled a chill and dread in everyone who witnessed it.

A hint of undisguised surprise finally flashed across Poseidon's deep, calm eyes.

She stared at the dark red spear, her brows furrowing slightly, as if trying to sense and identify something.

After a moment, she spoke slowly, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty and deep solemnity: "This martial spirit... is quite peculiar. Its foundation seems to be built upon endless slaughter and death, condensing unimaginable ferocity and... fragments of resentment."

"What did you do to it?"

A Soul Master's Martial Soul is intertwined with their own, serving as an extension of their soul and power. Its growth is closely related to the Soul Master's own cultivation, temperament, and experiences.

This young man only had level 70 soul power. Although it was incredibly thick and pure, far surpassing others of the same level, it was absolutely impossible and impossible for him to nurture such a "monster" filled with such enormous killing energy and chaotic will!
The power level contained in this blood spear and the violent desire that almost tore everything apart have far exceeded the scope of the Soul Saint realm, and have even touched the edge of a higher level.

This is something that cannot be achieved through natural growth; it must have involved some unimaginable, almost taboo, "forced ripening"!
Xuanming was silent for a moment, then said, “I used it to kill tens of thousands of people in the City of Slaughter, and then I had it devour the blood pool that had accumulated in the City of Slaughter for thousands of years.” “The City of Slaughter?” Poseidon repeated in a trembling voice.

The Sea Maiden Douluo and Xiaobai behind her, as well as the other Holy Pillar Guardians who had not yet left in the distance, all changed color upon hearing this, their faces filled with horror and disbelief!

The city of killing!
Although they were far away on Seagod Island, they still had some understanding of that forbidden place on the Douluo Continent. In fact, as the High Priestess, Poseidon knew more about the City of Slaughter than anyone else on the Douluo Continent.

Poseidon stared intently at Xuanming, trying to find even the slightest sign of wavering, lingering fear, or being corrupted by power in his eyes.

But all she saw was an unfathomable calm and a chilling, absolute self-control.

He knew perfectly well what he was doing and what it meant, but he still chose this path and... successfully mastered it.

That seems to be the case, at least for now.

Poseidon took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart.

She finally understood why this young man's aura was so peculiar, and why his martial spirit was so ferocious yet so "calm".

He took an unprecedented and extremely dangerous shortcut!
Using the accumulated resources of the entire Slaughter City as nourishment, his martial spirit was forcibly propelled to an extremely terrifying level!

This also explains why the Sea God descended with nine trials... Perhaps only divine power can truly purify or control this vicious weapon that has drunk its fill of the most evil power?

Poseidon's gaze became incredibly complex, containing shock, solemnity, worry, and even a very faint...admiration.

"You... are very bold."

In the end, all she could say was this.

The risks and costs involved are self-evident and need no further explanation from her.

Xuanming withdrew the blood spear, and the suffocatingly fierce aura dissipated: "I simply chose the fastest path."

Poseidon gave him a deep look and then stopped asking questions.

Everyone has their own path and choices. Since the Sea God has approved of him, then everything he has done may have its own reasons.

“The Nine Trials of Poseidon have begun, and your first test is…” Poseidon’s eyes looked somewhat unnatural.

As the high priestess of Poseidon Island and the Poseidon's representative in the human world, she could naturally perceive the content of the test that Xuanming was undergoing.

However, it was precisely because she knew the content of this first test that a doubt arose involuntarily in her heart, and she even began to doubt whether the Sea God truly fully recognized this young man.

Because Xuanming's first test was extremely unique, even... extremely harsh and dangerous!
[Poseidon's Nine Trials, First Trial: Reshaping Will, Absolute Control.]

[Content: Within three months, completely purify and reshape the chaotic pseudo-soul within the Blood Spear Martial Soul, formed from endless slaughter and resentment, endowing it with a new, absolutely loyal core will, achieving absolute control over the Blood Spear, and completely subjugating its ferocious nature, eliminating any risk of backlash.]

[Note: The Blood Spear's foundation has reached the limits of the mortal realm. The chaotic will within it is extremely dangerous. The slightest misstep during the reshaping process could trigger its complete rampage, turning against its master and annihilating both body and soul. Success will establish a divine foundation; failure will lead to eternal damnation.]

Three months!
Not only must we purify the terrifying, almost tangible, murderous resentment that has accumulated over countless years, but we must also reshape the martial spirit's will, endow it with a brand new core, and achieve absolute control!
Poseidon understood the difficulty and danger involved better than anyone else.

She had only sensed the ferocity and chaos of the blood spear a moment ago, yet she was already terrified.

That was practically a condensation of the filth and violence accumulated over a thousand years in a forbidden land! To completely purify, reshape, and control it within three months?
Even for a demigod like her, this was an impossible task!

Moreover, Xuanming's current soul power is only level 70, and he has not yet obtained his seventh soul ring, so he is still essentially at the Soul Saint realm.

To accomplish such a monumental task, which is almost divine, with the body of a Soul Saint?
Poseidon even felt that the content of this first test was not so much a test as a warning that was almost a punishment? Or perhaps a correction and coercion against Xuanming's "shortcut" behavior?

Does the Sea God really think so highly of him? Or is there a deeper meaning behind this?
……

Spirit world.

In a magnificent temple shrouded in mist and flowing with divine light, six figures gathered before a massive mirror formed from pure divine power.

The mirror clearly reflected everything that happened on Poseidon Island: the ferocious blood spear in Xuanming's hand, the shock and solemnity in Poseidon's eyes, and the golden trident mark that finally appeared on Xuanming's forehead and the contract ring between Gu Yuena's eyebrows.

Apart from Poseidon, the sea god who rules Poseidon Island, the other five are the five great god-kings who hold the order of the divine realm and possess boundless power—the god of goodness, the god of evil, the god of life, the god of destruction, and the god of asura.

"The Silver Dragon King's aura... though faint, and seemingly fragmented and reshaped by some force, remains unchanged in essence." The Goddess of Life's gentle voice carried a hint of worry, and her vibrant eyes revealed pity.

"Isn't it too... cruel to tie her fate to that child's in this way? The tragedy of the Dragon God should not be borne by his descendants."

She always felt uneasy about what happened to the Dragon God back then, believing that exterminating them was not the solution.

The God of Destruction was surrounded by a dark purple aura of destruction, his voice deep and oppressive: "The hidden dangers must be eliminated. The power of the Dragon God is too risky to be out of control."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Goddess of Life, his aura slightly subdued. "But... since Life believes it needs to be observed, then let it be observed. If he can truly control this power and guide the Silver Dragon King toward order, it won't be a bad thing for the divine realm."

His stance remained firm, but he clearly placed great importance on the opinion of the goddess of life.

(End of this chapter)