Douro Continent

Chapter 581 The Mystery of the Light of the Sea God

Bai Chenxiang, born into the Min clan, excelled at speed, but her expression changed drastically the moment she took her first step into the Sea God's Light. With just that one step, she felt as if she could barely move. A tidal wave of pressure repelled her body, and a faint golden mist began to rise beneath her feet.

No wonder, no wonder they couldn't climb more than a few dozen steps. It seems I'll struggle even to climb ten steps. No, no, I can't fall behind. We're all about the same age, why can they do it but I can't?

Clenching her teeth, Bai Chenxiang began her climb with a determined look in her eyes.

Tang San looked at Bai Chenxiang's difficult but determined steps and a smile of relief appeared on his face. He hoped that she could gain something here.

Raising his right arm, Tang San slowly channeled his spiritual energy into it, calling out to Xiao Wu's soul, which was sleeping within the soul bone of his right arm.

This was the first time he had actively called upon Xiao Wu's soul. In the past, he was afraid that Xiao Wu's soul would harm her, but this time was different. Without effective communication with Xiao Wu, climbing the mountain with her body could easily cause irreparable damage.

As the Blue Silver Emperor was released, Xiao Wu's dormant soul within the soul ring and soul bone was quietly released under Tang San's spiritual guidance. Xiao Wu's delicate body in Tang San's arms trembled slightly, and the originally bewildered light gradually shone with dazzling brilliance.

"Brother—" A soft call deeply touched the softest spot in Tang San's heart. Suppressing the urge to kiss her, Tang San said, "Xiao Wu, we've arrived at Seagod Island. Can you feel everything we've been through?"

To Tang San's surprise, after Xiao Wu called his name, her expression suddenly changed, becoming frosty. She broke free from Tang San's embrace and turned her head away from him.

This was the first time such a situation had occurred since Tang San and Xiao Wu met. Tang San was quite puzzled.

"Xiao Wu, what's wrong with you?"

Xiao Wu snorted and ignored Tang San. Instead, she walked directly toward the stone steps. Clearly, although her soul was hidden within Tang San's soul ring and soul bone, she was still aware of everything in the outside world and understood the purpose of Tang San calling her out.

Watching Xiao Wu begin to climb the stone steps, Tang San scratched his head. Even as clever as he was, he couldn't understand why Xiao Wu was suddenly ignoring him and seemed quite angry. They had known each other for so many years, and Xiao Wu had never lost her temper with him before. What was the source of her anger today?

Not daring to delay, Tang San hurriedly followed and climbed the stone steps alongside Xiao Wu.

Bathed in the light of the Sea God for the second time, Tang San felt differently. Having learned from his previous experience, he found that his body's endurance seemed to have increased. Especially the first few steps; although the pressure remained, it didn't seem as terrifying.

"Xiao Wu, don't ignore me! What's wrong?" Tang San asked anxiously in a low voice as he climbed upwards, ignoring the fact that talking would affect the flow of his soul power.

Xiao Wu had already stepped onto the third step. After giving Tang San a sidelong glance, her lips visibly pouted as she continued upwards.

Golden mist filled the air, and as they climbed higher, the pressure gradually increased, causing Tang San's Xuan Tian Gong to accelerate its circulation. To his surprise, Xiao Wu climbed very quickly, continuing upwards without hesitation. In no time, the two caught up with Bai Chenxiang ahead.

Bai Chenxiang's movements had slowed considerably. Standing on the fourteenth step, she struggled to take a step forward. Her pretty face was flushed red, and the four spirit rings on her body flashed continuously. Her body twisted slightly, as if searching for a weakness in the pressure. A layer of mist mixed with the golden light swirled around her body; clearly, she had reached her limit.

This is the difference in strength. Physical strength, martial spirit, soul power, soul bones—all aspects combined create an insurmountable gap between her and the Shrek Seven Devils. But she did not give up and continued to grit her teeth and persevere.

Tang San suddenly remembered something and, as he passed by Bai Chenxiang, said to her, "Don't push yourself too hard. You absolutely mustn't let the Sea God's Light bounce your body back into the ring-shaped sea. Without the protective light of that trial, you'll be attacked by the sea spirit beasts in the ring-shaped sea."

To Tang San's surprise, after struggling for half a day, Bai Chenxiang finally stepped onto the fifteenth step, though her body trembled and swayed precariously. A hint of joy appeared on her flushed face; only she knew that this step had pushed her past limits. She clearly felt that her soul power, which hadn't improved for a long time, had broken through, reaching level forty-six.

Without forcing it any further, Tang San's reminder made her afraid to try again. Following Tang San's example, she slowly backed away.

While Tang San was talking to Bai Chenxiang, Xiao Wu had already continued climbing upwards, reaching the twentieth step. Tang San was surprised to find that Xiao Wu's climbing speed was now even faster than when he first entered the Sea God's Light.

What's going on? Could it be that Xiao Wu's strength has surpassed his? No, that can't be. Tang San clearly remembers that when Xiao Wu sacrificed herself for him, her soul power level was around sixty-one to sixty-two. And since she hasn't been able to cultivate these past few days, how could she possibly be stronger than him?

Quickening his pace and regulating his internal energy, Tang San chased after Xiao Wu. Under the immense pressure of the Sea God's Light, his soul power, which had just recovered to its peak, began to deplete rapidly again. But this time, Tang San was wiser. To conserve soul power, he simultaneously unleashed his Killing God Domain and Blue Silver Domain upon reaching the twentieth step. As he had anticipated, the pressure was greatly reduced under the influence of the two domains, making the climb from the twentieth to the thirtieth step significantly easier than the first time, and naturally, the consumption of soul power also decreased considerably. Domains consume soul power and mental energy, but since they are both innate domains, the consumption is actually not very large, at least much less than the pressure brought by the Sea God's Light.

Nevertheless, Tang San only caught up with Xiao Wu when he reached the thirty-fifth step.

Xiao Wu's steps became increasingly difficult, each one extremely slow. Tang San clearly remembered that when Dai Mubai first climbed, he collapsed at the thirty-fifth step, while Xiao Wu had already reached the thirty-sixth step.

What's going on? Xiao Wu's strength has surpassed Mu Bai's? Tang San was shocked. His control over his soul power loosened slightly, and he immediately felt a surge of pressure, causing his progress to slow down. Fortunately, this was only the thirty-fifth step. He quickly regained his composure and followed Xiao Wu forward.

He could have been faster than Xiaowu by now. But he didn't overtake her; he simply stayed by her side, not wanting anything to happen to her. By being with her, he could react quickly if anything went wrong.

To Tang San's astonishment, although Xiao Wu's progress was difficult, she gradually surpassed forty steps.

This was her first time climbing, and she didn't use any special skills. Why did this happen? You know, once the human body reaches its limit, even taking another step is extremely difficult. Xiao Wu's body couldn't possibly be better than Dai Mubai's, right?

Filled with doubt, Tang San wanted to remind Xiao Wu not to push herself. However, after exceeding forty steps, the pressure he was under was immense, making it impossible for him to utter a word to warn Xiao Wu, otherwise he would be unable to continue.

However, the surprises Xiao Wu brought him were not over yet. Her body began to twist slightly, seemingly a change caused by the pressure, but Tang San quickly realized it wasn't that simple. Xiao Wu's slightly twisting body maintained a fixed rhythm, as if with each twist, the pressure from the Sea God's Light would slide past her, and she would still maintain her forward momentum.

At the same time, a golden-red glow began to appear on Xiao Wu's fair skin. Seeing this golden-red glow, Tang San suddenly realized why Xiao Wu was able to continue climbing with him to this place.

That's right, Xiao Wu sacrificed her soul to herself, but her body also consumed two kinds of celestial herbs later on.

If the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was merely a medicinal ingredient, then the Acacia Heartbreak Red was the finest of the finest. Among the medicines Tang San brought back from the Yin-Yang Well, the most precious was this emperor-level celestial herb, the Acacia Heartbreak Red. When Xiao Wu obtained this herb, she hesitated to consume it out of pity, causing her soul power to drop far below that of the others for a time.

Later, she sacrificed herself to Tang San. As she was about to die, Tang San helped her consume this celestial herb, thus reviving Xiao Wu's body. The Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, besides having its own medicinal effects absorbed by Xiao Wu, also played a crucial role in fully unleashing the effects of the Acacia Heartbreak Red hidden within her body. The reason Xiao Wu had been so sleepy these past few days was likely because she needed to absorb the herb's effects while resting. Her soul power had not only increased, but the increase was probably quite terrifying, perhaps even comparable to her own. Those were two celestial herbs! Including the legendary Acacia Heartbreak Red, which could help one cultivate an indestructible body. No wonder Xiao Wu's body was so resilient, and her soul power had increased significantly. It was for this reason.

The golden-red light emanating from her body at this moment should be from the effects of the Acacia Heartbreak Red. It's just unknown whether her body has reached the level of indestructibility.

Having figured out the key point, Tang San felt much more at ease and continued upwards with Xiao Wu by her side.

Xiao Wu's rhythmic, strange twisting movements seemed to be quite effective. Although it couldn't compare to Tang San's domain, it greatly enhanced her ability to withstand pressure. After being improved by the Heartbreak Red's tendon-washing and marrow-rejuvenating effects, her body also reached a level of mechanical resilience. She actually moved forward step by step, gradually approaching the fiftieth step.

Upon reaching the fiftieth level, Xiao Wu finally stopped, a look of pain on her pretty face. She didn't continue forward but slowly began to retreat. Tang San also didn't try to move forward. Instead, he poured all his remaining soul power into his two domains, expanding their range to envelop Xiao Wu's body and accompany her as she descended.

With Tang San's support in two major domains, Xiao Wu's tightly furrowed brows relaxed. She glanced at Tang San and quickened her pace. Soon, the two arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Bai Chenxiang, her body soaked in sweat, had already sat down to the side and begun cultivating. As soon as Tang San came down, he immediately supported Xiao Wu's delicate body. Since he had not tried to break through his limits this time, he still had a lot of soul power left, and his physical condition was quite good.

"Xiao Wu, how are you? Are you alright?"

Xiao Wu gently shook her head. "My body hasn't reached its limit yet, but my soul is already feeling the strain. With the help of your domain, I think advancing to the sixtieth step shouldn't be a problem. So, if you're only carrying my physical body, you don't need to worry about my ability to withstand the first sixty steps. Actually, I might be able to endure even more. The transformation of my body by the Acacia Heartbreak Red is astonishing. When I look inward now, I can see that my meridians, blood, and bones all seem to have turned golden. They're not only hard but also exceptionally flexible. This might be related to the fact that I originally cultivated soft techniques."

Tang San nodded and said, "Quickly return to my body. Your soul must not be damaged."

Although Xiao Wu leaned on Tang San's shoulder, the tenderness in her eyes had vanished. "So what if I'm injured? You only worry about me, but what about yourself?"

"Me?" Tang San was stunned for a moment, looking at the angry Xiao Wu, he couldn't help but feel a little scared.

Xiao Wu said angrily, "Tang San, you just wait and see. If you try to stop my soul from leaving again when we're in danger, I'll never talk to you again."

Seeing the reproachful look in Xiao Wu's eyes, Tang San finally understood the source of her anger. That day, facing the final attack from the Deep Sea Demon Whale, Tang San was prepared to sacrifice himself to launch the attack to protect his companions. Moreover, to prevent Xiao Wu's soul from being damaged, he forcibly used his mental power to restrict her soul within her spirit ring and spirit bone, preventing it from escaping. This way, even if Tang San himself died, Xiao Wu's soul could still remain within the spirit bone, giving her a chance to survive.

"So that's what made you angry..." Tang San wanted to explain, but he, who was usually so clever, didn't know how to begin.

Xiao Wu opened her mouth and bit Tang San hard on the shoulder, making him wince in pain. "Brother, from now on, let me come out and climb with you every day. That feeling of pressure just now seems to have a tendency to temper my body and soul. If my guess is correct, after my soul is tempered, I should be able to possess other bodies for longer periods of time. I'm going back now. Don't forget what I said, hmph, if there are any more flaws, I'll..."

In the end, her gaze softened again, and her captivating eyes almost bewitched Tang San's soul. Amidst the surging red light, Xiao Wu's delicate body went limp, and her soul returned to the soul rings and soul bones within Tang San's body.

With Xiao Wu's soul returning, Tang San couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He discovered that Xiao Wu's anger had an even greater impact on him than when he climbed the fifty-five steps under the light of the Sea God.

Just then, Tang San heard suppressed laughter coming from behind him. Turning around, he saw that, apart from Bai Chenxiang, his companions had all woken up from their cultivation and were looking at him with smiles, not without a hint of schadenfreude.

The ones laughing the loudest were naturally Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun, the three mischievous friends.

Tang San, somewhat embarrassed and angry, said, "What are you laughing at?"

Dai Mubai coughed and said, "Little San, it's like this. Actually, being afraid of your wife is a kind of happiness. We're all men, I understand you."

Tang San said irritably, "So, you're saying you're also afraid of Zhu Qing?"

Dai Mubai puffed out his chest and said, "How could I be afraid of my wife?" As he spoke, he secretly glanced at the Netherworld Cat beside him, whose expression was starting to change, and quickly added, "We treat each other with the utmost respect."

Oscar laughed and said, "Alright, Boss Dai, stop explaining. We brothers all know about you and Zhu Qing. It's just that I didn't expect the usually tough third party to have such a weak side, hahaha, hahahahaha."

"Xiao Ao." Tang San's expression suddenly calmed down.

Oscar paused for a moment, then asked, "What?"

Tang San cracked his knuckles, making a series of bone-crackling sounds. "Although you now possess the Mirror Image Sausage and can use any of our soul skills, you were originally a food-type soul master, and your combat abilities still need improvement. Come on, let me help you enhance your combat skills. I believe that the pressure I exert on you will greatly benefit your strength."

Seeing Tang San's serious expression, Oscar's smile froze instantly. "Tang San, this isn't fair! You're taking revenge for someone else's sake. Rongrong, save me!" As he spoke, he cowardly and quickly hid behind Ning Rongrong.

But to everyone's surprise, Ning Rongrong nodded in deep agreement and said, "I think Third Brother is right! Your combat skills do need to be improved."

Oscar's eyes darted around, and he said with a grin, "Then you'll have to boost my power, okay?"

Before Ning Rongrong could speak, Tang San said, "Okay. Let's go."

Oscar immediately jumped out from behind Ning Rongrong, "Hey mistress, let's start now, three minutes of actual combat time."

Tang San glanced at him. "The battle hasn't even started, and your momentum has already crumbled. Three minutes is enough."

How could he not see Oscar's thoughts? This guy clearly saw that he had just climbed fifty steps, his soul power was greatly depleted, and he himself had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda from Ning Rongrong amplifying his power, so he was confident of victory. But, just as Tang San said, could his combat ability, as a former food-type soul master, compare to Tang San's?

Three minutes later...

"Ah...you mistress, I hate you. This is blatant revenge, using your position for personal gain..."

Oscar looked utterly disheveled. In the three minutes of battle just now, he had directly consumed a replica sausage made with Tang San's blood as a catalyst, instantly creating another version of himself. The original body used the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, while the replica used the Clear Sky Hammer. Ning Rongrong's buff also fell on him at the same time.

Even so, the result was still a crushing defeat.

The only thing the Mirror Image Sausage cannot replicate is the skill attached to the Soul Bone. Tang San used a very simple method to completely defeat Oscar's original body and clone.

Instant teleportation, Ghostly Shadow Stalking, and a small grappling technique. Tang Sect's martial arts don't fall under the category of soul skills, and therefore cannot be copied. Under Tang San's unpredictable, storm-like attacks, Oscar only managed to survive briefly at the beginning thanks to Tang San's fourth soul skill before being instantly defeated.

Of course, Tang San didn't launch a strong attack on him; he simply slammed him to the ground a few times. Oscar felt like his body was about to fall apart from the impact.

Seeing Oscar's unconvinced expression, Tang San chuckled and said, "There's nothing I can do; those who are afraid of their wives are all strong."

Oscar looked at Tang San with a helpless expression, jumped up from the ground, and said with a bitter face, "The difference is really not small. It seems that my practical experience is indeed lacking. However, the key is that your soul bone skills are too abnormal. Instant teleportation is a cheating skill! And that absolute defense is too abnormal."

Tang San said, "Skills are one thing, but the person using them is another. How about I do it again without using Instant Teleportation and Invincible Golden Body?"

Seeing the cunning glint in Tang San's eyes, Oscar shuddered. "Forget it, don't try to bait me. I won't give you the chance to torture me. I'll practice more later. I definitely need to improve my combat experience, otherwise how can I protect Rongrong?"

Tang San's words were certainly partly motivated by personal revenge; after all, any man would be somewhat annoyed and embarrassed if someone said he was afraid of his wife, especially when it turned out to be true. But at the same time, he was also reminding Oscar that, being a food-type character, he needed to put in more effort to hone his combat skills if he wanted to unleash his full potential in battle.

"Fatty, what are you hiding for?" Dai Mubai reached out and pulled Ma Hongjun, who was hiding behind him, out of the way.

Ma Hongjun chuckled awkwardly and looked at Tang San, saying, "Third Brother, I didn't see anything just now. So I don't need to do any actual combat, right?" As he spoke, he glanced at Bai Chenxiang, who was cultivating nearby, as if afraid she would see him looking humiliated.

Seeing the comical expression on the fat man's face, everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Tang San plopped down on the ground and said, "Who wants to fight you? Can't you see I just came down from the mountain? I also fought with Xiao Ao, and my soul power is completely exhausted."

Upon hearing this, Oscar immediately urged from the side, "Fatty, this is a golden opportunity for you to take revenge on the mistress! Go for it, give him a real fight!"

Ma Hongjun immediately said indignantly, "Third Brother, I'm not one to stir up trouble. Look at Xiao Ao, he actually dared to mess with our brotherhood. If I were you, I wouldn't stand for it. It's alright, I'll protect you. You quickly recover your soul power, and then teach him a good lesson in real combat."

Oscar stared at the fat man in disbelief. "Damn, fat man, when did you become such a coward? And you're even trying to cause trouble."

Ma Hongjun chuckled and said, "A smart person knows to stand with the strong. Of course I'm on Third Brother's side. If you really think Third Brother's soul power is insufficient, why don't you go and join him? I'd be a fool to fall for your trick."

"You..." Oscar looked at Ma Hongjun speechlessly, raised his foot to kick him, but the fat man nimbly dodged it.

Frustrated by his failed attempt to cause trouble, Oscar tossed two large recovery sausages to Tang San, coughed, and put on a serious face. To be fair, he was quite handsome, and when he wasn't smiling, he really did have the appearance of a gentleman. "Enough fooling around. Come on, let's discuss our experience in climbing the stairs."

Everyone looked on with amusement at Oscar's attempt to change the subject, but no one dared to call him out on it. Tang San asked, "I was cultivating earlier. How many steps did you all climb?"

Oscar blushed and said, "I used a Mirror Image Sausage and barely reached level twenty-seven. Fatty is at level thirty, and Rongrong is the worst off, only reaching level twenty before giving up. Zhu Qing reached level thirty-two. To be honest, Rongrong and I are at a huge disadvantage crossing this Sea God's Light. Neither of us are combat-type Soul Masters. Although our Soul Power isn't bad, and our attributes were boosted when we obtained Soul Rings, we're still far inferior to you combat-type Soul Masters. This is mainly reflected in our physical resilience and auxiliary Soul Skills. Without Soul Skills, it's practically impossible to move an inch. I'm a little better off, with the Mirror Image Sausage to help me use your skills. But it's very difficult for Rongrong. Her body is the weakest, and even with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to boost her strength, she can't become stronger. Moreover, she has to climb more steps than either of us. One hundred and thirty-six steps, and with only one year, I'm afraid..."

At this point, Oscar was no longer changing the subject; his eyes revealed an undisguised worry.

Tang San hadn't expected Ning Rongrong to only be able to climb twenty steps. Oscar was right; due to the special nature of support-type Soul Masters, their Martial Souls didn't provide the same level of physical enhancement as Battle Soul Masters. Therefore, climbing the stairs naturally required much more effort than for others.

"I have endured the pressure of the Sea God's Light twice, and I have sensed some of the changes within it. It seems that this trial is extremely difficult for each of us. However, there are also loopholes. The trial bestowed by the Sea God is never impossible to complete. If my calculations are correct, I can even help one person complete this task right now."

Tang San's words immediately surprised everyone, who couldn't understand where his confidence came from.

Tang San continued, "When Xiao Wu and I were climbing the stairs together, I used the power of my domain to help her descend. My domain can also be used on her. And after our previous investigation, we discovered that although the Sea God's Light is powerful, it cannot block support-type soul skills or soul skills that amplify the user. We are not here alone to undergo this test; do not forget that we are a whole."

Ning Rongrong said, "Third Brother, do you mean that if we concentrate all our strength on one person, we can help him complete this test?"

Tang San nodded and said, "That's exactly what I mean. Although not all of us can use skills to assist others, Xiao Ao's sausages, your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's various support abilities, and my God of Slaughter and Blue Silver Dual Domains can all amplify our companions. Especially since Mu Bai himself has three body-strengthening skills. As long as he uses all his amplification skills before entering the Sea God's Light, coupled with the bloodlust effect of his soul bone and the full support of the three of us, I believe we can help him complete the test."

Dai Mubai's evil eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he suddenly jumped up from the ground. "So that's how it is. Then what are we waiting for? Let's try it now."

Tang San said, "No, don't rush. Although I'm 70% confident I can help you complete the test, we absolutely cannot do it now. Moreover, you not only can't be the first to complete the task, you should be the last, and we should finish it together. I need to think carefully about the specific order."

Ma Hongjun said, "Third Brother, why don't we help Boss Dai complete his mission first? The more people who complete the mission, the easier it will be for us, right?"

Tang San glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "I just don't want any of us to feel relaxed prematurely. I've thought about it carefully. From the expression on Seahorse Douluo's face when he saw you appear in the Black-level assessment, you can tell that this Black-level assessment is extremely terrifying. Moreover, it's clearly an impossible task for someone of our level. It takes them ten years to complete each trial, but we only have one year. But would the Sea God give us a task that's truly impossible to complete? The answer is definitely no. Therefore, there must be some secret in the trials that the Sea God has given us that can help us pass them. And that secret lies in our identical first trial: crossing over, the Light of the Sea God."

"Regardless of whether the Sea God is a true deity, the situation on Sea God Island shows that he possesses power beyond our comprehension. If so, why would the Sea God's Light give us a chance to cheat? Since the Sea God's Light appearing on the Seahorse Pillar can assess us differently based on our individual circumstances, it's impossible that he doesn't know we can help each other. As a god, he wouldn't overlook anything we can think of. Therefore, this loophole is actually a temptation for us. If we can't resist this temptation, perhaps the second test will be our death."

Even Dai Mubai was somewhat bewildered. "Mistress, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

Tang San smiled calmly and said, "No. Boss, let me finish. What I'm saying is not an exaggeration, and I'm over 90% confident that my guess is correct. I ask you, after the previous climb, did you feel a significant increase in your cultivation speed, and did your body also have a good reaction?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, as they all exhibited similar symptoms to Tang San.

Tang San said, "That's right. The Sea God's Light here is a huge pressure for us, squeezing out a significant amount of our soul power. Under this pressure, our cultivation speed will be twice as effective. At the same time, it will continuously enhance our body's resilience. So, after completing the trial, will the Sea God's Light still prevent us from ascending to the Sea God's Temple? The answer is also no. In other words, as long as we complete the first trial, we will lose the pressure brought by the Sea God's Light. Therefore, I can tell you with certainty that the significance of the Sea God's Light as the first trial in this journey is not to make things difficult for us, but to give us an opportunity to enhance our own strength. Only by improving our strength as much as possible with the help of the Sea God's Light in this first year can we have a chance to pass the subsequent trials. Therefore, we not only cannot complete this trial in advance, but we must also delay its completion until the last day, maximizing the benefits that the Sea God's Light brings us."

Clap clap clap! Just as everyone was deep in thought after listening to Tang San's words, applause rang out. Sometime later, the red figure reappeared, but this time she appeared on the steps leading to the Sea God Temple.

Poseidon, the Sea God Douluo, descended slowly, her noble face filled with admiration. The applause came from her delicate, white hands.

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(End of this chapter)