Douro Continent

Chapter 582 Divinely Bestowed Soul Ring

Poseidon, the Sea God Douluo, looked at Tang San with admiration. "Very good. As expected of someone chosen by the Sea God through the Nine Trials. To find the true secret of the Sea God's Light so quickly is truly commendable. The high-level trials bestowed upon you by the Sea God have not been in vain."

Upon hearing the praise from the strongest person on Seagod Island, everyone immediately understood that Tang San's guess was entirely correct.

"I dare not accept your praise, senior. But I believe we will definitely be able to pass the Sea God's test." Tang San's voice was firm and resolute.

Poseidon nodded to them and said, "Only you can help yourselves. This is the only hint I'll give you. Of course, I wouldn't be sure of your guess if you hadn't already figured it out. Each trial that follows will be more difficult than the last. You will have to pay an even higher price."

"Thank you, senior. But, could I trouble you with something?" Tang San said to Poseidon.

"Tell me. As long as it's not related to the trials you need to endure, I will try my best to grant your request." Poseidon's eyes flickered, and the Shrek Seven Devils realized for the first time that even a noble aura could be intimidating. To them, the Sea God Douluo before them was no different from the sea itself—both were unfathomable depths.

Tang San said, "I hope you can have someone provide us with some food and water. Plenty of water would be best, as you can see." He gestured to himself, then to his companions. Their clothes were in a truly appalling state; Seagod Island, with its year-round spring-like climate, was vastly different from the outside world. As they climbed the stairs and traversed the Seagod's Light, everyone's clothes were soaked with sweat. Although they had changes of clothes, without enough clean water to bathe and wash their clothes, they feared they would soon begin to smell.

"If we have enough food and water, we can stay here and continue our cultivation, so as not to waste this precious year."

Poseidon looked at Tang San with some surprise and asked, "Are you planning to stay here indefinitely?"

Tang San took it upon himself to make the decision for everyone, saying, "Every minute and every second of this year is extremely important to us. Senior, please grant our request."

Poseidon smiled slightly and said, "Alright. I will have someone prepare it for you. Oh, by the way, the seawater in this ring-shaped sea in front of you has a very low salinity and is very clean, so it is perfectly fine to use it to cleanse your body."

Tang San was overjoyed, and without him saying a word, everyone bowed and thanked Poseidon.

Poseidon's gaze swept over Tang San and landed on Ma Hongjun. "I came to see you all, but the main reason is actually for him."

Ma Hongjun was stunned for a moment, then pointed to his own nose and said, "For me? This..." He didn't know what the fat man was thinking, but he blurted out, "Senior, you are indeed very beautiful, but I already have someone I love."

Even a powerful figure like the Sea God Douluo was momentarily stunned by his words. Then, a blush rose on Poseidon's noble face. "Fatty, what nonsense are you spouting? I'm old enough to be your great-grandmother. You're asking for a beating." As she spoke, she flicked her sleeve, and Ma Hongjun's body flew out like a ball, landing directly in the ring-shaped sea.

Before the Shrek Seven Devils could react, Poseidon waved his right hand again, and the fat man's body flew out of the ring-shaped sea and landed back in his previous position without the slightest error.

"Your mind is full of wild thoughts, let me soak you in the water to clear your head."

This was the first time everyone had witnessed Poseidon unleash her full power, and to their astonishment, from the moment the fat man was thrown out until he was pulled back, they hadn't sensed a single fluctuation of soul power. Was this the power of a level 99 super strong expert?

Ma Hongjun had accidentally swallowed a large mouthful of water and said with a pained expression, "Grandma, I was wrong. Please just pretend I was talking nonsense." The fat man appeared honest and kind, but he was actually extremely clever. He wouldn't resort to brute force against an opponent he could never defeat.

Poseidon, naturally, wouldn't hold it against him any longer. She smiled slightly and said, "No one on Poseidon Island has ever dared to speak to me like this before. It's quite a novelty. Little fatty, I've brought you an opportunity. Sit down."

Ma Hongjun paused for a moment, then looked at Tang San questioningly. Tang San quickly nodded, indicating that he should do as he was told. Digestion—if Poseidon wanted to deal with them, she could easily annihilate them with a wave of her hand. What is there to deceive?

Ma Hongjun finally sat down, but Poseidon still caught his extremely subtle glance. She glanced at Tang San with her deep gaze, then raised her right hand, flipped her wrist, and revealed a golden bead with her palm facing upwards.

The golden bead seemed to be carved from the most precious golden crystal, transparent and flawless. Most peculiarly, there was a faint layer of golden mist constantly fluctuating within the bead, just like the golden mist that appeared around Tang San and the others when they were subjected to the pressure of the Sea God's Light.

With a flash of golden light, the golden bead flew out and slowly arrived above Ma Hongjun's head. Poseidon flicked his finger, and with a soft pop, the bead shattered above the fat man's head. Instantly, a thick golden mist poured down and enveloped Ma Hongjun's body.

Poseidon's voice rang in everyone's ears, "Anyone who has undergone the Black-level or higher assessment bestowed by Lord Sea God will have a chance to obtain a divinely bestowed spirit ring upon reaching their first bottleneck. There's no need to hunt spirit beasts; the divinely bestowed spirit ring will grant you the spirit skills you most need and the highest level spirit ring you can withstand. Everyone only has one chance. Little Fatty, carefully feel it, and endure the baptism of the divinely bestowed spirit ring with your utmost perseverance to gain the greatest benefit."

A divinely bestowed soul ring?

These four simple words left the Shrek Seven Devils completely stunned, even Tang San was no exception.

In Tang San's mind, he always believed that gods were simply powerful humans, or rather, powerful Soul Masters. How could gods exist in this world? However, when Poseidon bestowed the divinely granted Soul Ring upon Ma Hongjun, he was somewhat bewildered. Was this something human could achieve? The most suitable Soul Ring—didn't that mean the stronger one was when they received this divinely granted Soul Ring, the more advantageous it would be? How did Poseidon know that Fatty had already reached level sixty? She must have sensed it when Fatty was attempting to break through to the Sea God's Light. But regardless, this divinely granted Soul Ring was a great thing for them. After all, they were land-based Soul Masters; this was the sea, and sea beasts weren't suitable for everyone. It was just a pity that each person only had one chance.

The golden mist, with its hazy colors, gradually engulfed Ma Hongjun's body. Rings of light began to appear around him. Tang San was only able to barely see through the golden radiance with his Purple Demon Eye and make out the painful expression on Ma Hongjun's face.

If this golden light could grant him a spirit ring, then his current expression was perfectly normal. When Tang San first absorbed a spirit ring beyond his level, the pain was far greater than what he was experiencing now. Thinking of this, Tang San recalled Xiao Wu's disappearance. It was because of Xiao Wu that his heart became so resolute, allowing him to endure the pain of absorbing the Human-Faced Demon Spider spirit ring beyond his level. It was from that moment that he truly became powerful.

The fat man's body gradually began to tremble, the trembling becoming more and more intense, and an unhealthy flush appeared on his skin. One can imagine how intense the pain he was enduring was.

With a soft "poof," a burst of golden-red flames rose from behind him, instantly transforming into a gigantic phoenix that swayed behind Ma Hongjun.

Poseidon, the Sea God Douluo, had been watching Ma Hongjun's expression closely. When Tang San occasionally glanced at her, he could see a hint of approval in her eyes. Clearly, the fat man was already at his limit in terms of pain. Tang San silently cheered for the fat man. Having tried absorbing spirit rings of a higher level more than once, he knew all too well that every second the fat man endured would amplify the effect of the spirit ring.

Ma Hongjun was indeed enduring immense pain; his willpower was originally the weakest among them. Since the Shrek Seven Devils reunited, he was the only one who hadn't reached level sixty, the Soul Emperor level. Although he didn't say it out loud, the fat man was actually struggling with himself. Even Oscar, with the most disadvantageous martial soul, had broken through to level sixty and reached the Soul Emperor level. Why was he, with the top-tier martial soul, the Fire Phoenix, lagging behind?

If he had only cultivated on his own, reaching this level at his current age would already be described as genius. But everyone around him is a genius among geniuses, or rather, a monster among monsters. Being with Tang San and the others, it's impossible to say there's no pressure. The fat guy is absolutely unwilling to fall behind.

Moreover, Bai Chenxiang was also involved. Although she had kissed him to complete a test, it had only strengthened the fat man's resolve to pursue her. That kiss had made him deeply understand the truth that a virtuous woman was the true path. How could he easily compromise with pain in front of Bai Chenxiang? Who knew when she would wake up while she was cultivating?

At this moment, Ma Hongjun truly understood why Tang San had said that the Sea God's Light was an opportunity for them, the most crucial part of the Sea God's Trial. Although he had only experienced the pressure of the Sea God's Light once before, Ma Hongjun himself was surprised by his own endurance in the face of the pain before him. It seemed that his endurance had increased precisely because of the pressure he had endured from the Sea God's Light yesterday.

Under the combined influence of these factors, the fat man teetered on the brink of collapse. The intense pain even caused a layer of oily substance tinged with blood to appear on his skin.

Just then, Tang San waved to the others, drawing their attention to himself, and then pointed to the staircase leading to the Sea God's Temple. It was unclear how long it would take for Fatty to absorb the spirit ring, but with Sea God Douluo Poseidon present, this was arguably the safest place. Rather than continuing to watch from here, it was better to seize every opportunity to cultivate.

Tang San's suggestion was immediately met with a positive response from everyone, and they all walked to the steps. Poseidon did not look in their direction, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Tang San said, "Let's test our individual limits. Before climbing, apply all your auxiliary abilities to yourselves, and then withstand the pressure from the Sea God's Light. This way, we can climb as many steps as possible. Don't help each other; climb solely on your own abilities. See where our limits are now. When you feel your body can't take it anymore, immediately step back, but don't step back too quickly. Feel your body relax as the pressure decreases. This is like a triangular training method (actually, it should be a pyramid training method, but Tang San in the book couldn't possibly know about pyramids...), from the lowest to the highest, and then from the highest to the lowest. This should be the most effective. After you come down, don't rush into a cultivation state. I have another idea we can try."

Tang San's displayed wisdom had already earned the approval of his companions. He instantly released his martial spirit, and since Xiao Wu had already climbed it once before, Tang San put her into his Ruyi Hundred Treasures Pouch for cultivation. Although his soul power had been greatly depleted earlier, he had recovered some through the rest he had just taken, and with his original reserves, his strength was now close to 70%.

Dai Mubai immediately unleashed his three support skills—White Tiger Protective Shield, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, and White Tiger Demon God Transformation—before confidently stepping into the Sea God's Light before him.

Oscar consumed a replica mirror sausage made from Dai Mubai's blood and unleashed the same three skills. Although the power was only about 80% of Dai Mubai's, it was still far superior to his own climbing ability. Oscar also had his advantages: he could continuously replenish his physical strength and soul power by consuming recovery sausages during the climb, and enhance himself with stimulating pink sausages. However, even this wasn't his limit. He possessed another extremely useful amplification skill—his fifth soul skill, his first ten-thousand-year soul ring skill. Even the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils had never seen this soul skill before.

Oscar is also very intelligent. Like Tang San and Ning Rongrong, they all possess head spirit bones, giving them a much sharper mind than the average person. The reason he hasn't brought it up yet is that he wants to give his companions even greater motivation to train. As Tang San suggested, they should attempt the test at the last minute. Then, he can reveal the power of his fifth spirit skill, which would undoubtedly be a double guarantee for his companions to pass the test.

Tang San, along with Dai Mubai and Oscar, stood in the first row and began climbing. Upon reaching the top, he immediately activated his dual domains again, simultaneously unleashing the Eight Spider Lances, reaching his strongest amplification state.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were behind them. A layer of black light surged from Zhu Zhuqing's body, and her sixth soul ring quietly appeared. Although she was bathed in sunlight, she seemed to be hidden in a special kind of darkness. This was Zhu Zhuqing's sixth soul skill, Netherworld Possession.

Possessed by the Netherworld, Skill Ultimate: Increases evasion chance by 50%, increases own resistance by 20%, and increases attack piercing effect by 30%.

This is Zhu Zhuqing's only support skill among her six soul skills. She is an agility-based soul master, renowned for her speed and attack power, unlike Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who are power-based soul masters where physical strength is more important. Having such a support skill is already quite remarkable. While this Netherworld Possession might be useless to others, for Zhu Zhuqing, the 50% evasion rate and 20% resistance greatly enhance her survivability in battle. Furthermore, the 30% piercing effect makes her attacks even more terrifying.

At this moment, she used this support skill precisely because of the 20% resistance boost. As for whether the evasion effect could withstand the pressure of the Sea God's Light, she didn't give it much thought.

Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, was extremely extravagant. She directly bestowed upon herself the four most useful amplification abilities for advancing in the Sea God's Light: Strength Amplification, Agility Amplification, Soul Power Amplification, and Defense Amplification. Only then did she set off together with Zhu Zhuqing.

Just as Tang San had predicted, after applying various amplification effects beforehand, everyone's resistance to the Sea God's Light increased significantly. Furthermore, having already gained experience, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Oscar, who were at the front, maintained a good pace during the first twenty steps, climbing them like ordinary people hiking.

Beyond the twentieth step, the difference in strength began to show. Tang San and Dai Mubai maintained their climbing speed, while Oscar slowed down. Although he had undoubtedly used Dai Mubai's three amplification skills to bring his physical condition to an unprecedented level, he could only utilize 80% of their effectiveness, and his own body was no match for Dai Mubai's.

However, even so, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't surpass Oscar. This demonstrates just how terrifying the three amplification skills of the White Tiger Martial Soul are. At the same time, Oscar's situation fully illustrates his crucial role within the Shrek Seven Devils. As long as his Mirror Image Sausage exists, any one of the Seven Devils can possess Dai Mubai's three amplification abilities at any time. This is a key reason why Tang San was confident they could successfully pass the Sea God's Light trial.

When Ning Rongrong reached her previous limit of twenty steps, her speed had become extremely slow. Despite having boosted her abilities from the start, her physical strength was still significantly weaker than her companions. Had she not consumed a rare celestial herb before, it would have been impossible for her, a support-type Soul Master, to even reach this point.

Finally, Ning Rongrong stopped at the twenty-sixth step and began to descend. Although she had only ascended six steps, it was enough to prove that Tang San's suggestion was very effective.

At this time, Tang San and Dai Mubai had already surpassed the fortieth step, and Oscar had climbed to the thirty-third step. Only then did Zhu Zhuqing catch up with him and keep pace with him.

Soon, both of them reached their limits. Oscar, relying on Dai Mubai's Evil Eye White Tiger Martial Soul's three auxiliary skills, finally stopped at the thirty-eighth step, only one step behind Zhu Zhuqing. Zhu Zhuqing, who had used the Netherworld Possession technique, also climbed to the thirty-ninth step. Due to the large consumption of their soul power, they dared not delay at all and slowly retreated.

Dai Mubai and Tang San continued forward. Golden light flickered in Dai Mubai's tiger eyes. Among the Shrek Seven Devils, his physique was second only to Tang San. With the help of the three auxiliary skills, he was like a tiger demon god, his strong body powerfully breaking through the obstacles in front of him and continuing to rise.

Bang—Dai Mubai's movements visibly slowed as he stepped onto the forty-fifth step. He was nearing his limit, and his breathing became noticeably heavier. Tang San beside him also stopped, ceasing his forward movement and maintaining even breathing while adjusting his Xuan Tian Gong internally.

Under immense external pressure, Tang San discovered that his Xuan Tian Gong was circulating much faster than when he practiced on his own. This wasn't just due to his accelerated activation, but also because his body instinctively drew upon the Xuan Tian Gong to replenish itself under immense pressure. His bones, muscles, and meridians, struggling against the pressure, needed sufficient nourishment, and his internal energy was clearly the key to driving this replenishment.

If they were to strip naked at this moment, one would see Dai Mubai's muscles as hard as steel, bracing against the pressure, while Tang San's muscles and tendons would constantly undulate, contracting under the pressure and then rapidly springing back up, repeatedly performing a motion to release the force. Just like when Tang San used the Blue Silver Emperor to relieve the pressure exerted on him by a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse.

Bang—another muffled thud. Dai Mubai barely managed to step onto the forty-sixth step. This time, he finally felt the same overwhelming urge he had experienced the first time he climbed. He glanced at Tang San, then his foot, which had just landed, began to slip backward. He slowly descended.

To Dai Mubai's surprise, Tang San didn't charge upwards again, but instead retreated with him. Dai Mubai had exerted almost all his strength in this attack, and although the pressure lessened as he retreated, he still felt his body was completely drained. Just when he thought he was about to be thrown back again, a cool sensation spread from his feet throughout his body, and a surge of vital energy coursed through him. At the same time, a strong hand grasped his shoulder, stabilizing his body with a gentle force.

Dai Mubai turned to look at Tang San, and the two brothers smiled at each other before successfully retreating.

After retreating down the mountain, the five men were once again soaked in sweat, looking utterly disheveled. However, the process of going from extreme pain to extreme relief gave them a sense of exhilarating relief.

Just as Tang San was about to say something to his companions, a violent energy fluctuation came from Ma Hongjun's direction, attracting the attention of the already exhausted group.

The golden aura surrounding Ma Hongjun had transformed, turning into rings of black light that swirled around him. Although Tang San and the others were dozens of meters away, they could clearly sense the immense power of his soul force. Each infusion of soul force caused subtle changes in Ma Hongjun's body; the pain on his face had vanished, replaced by a calm expression that contrasted sharply with the beads of sweat streaming down his cheeks.

Finally, the rings of black light coalesced, forming a massive black halo that slowly contracted towards his body, while his original five spirit rings shone brilliantly. The final moment had arrived.

A loud phoenix cry suddenly rang out, and the huge phantom of the fire phoenix behind Ma Hongjun seemed to solidify into a real phoenix. Amidst the clear and stirring cry of the phoenix soaring to the heavens, it soared into the sky. The golden-red flames almost engulfed Ma Hongjun's entire body. The phoenix fire shadow in the air continued to shrink, finally shrinking into a fire phoenix with a wingspan of about three meters, which soared around once in the air.

Where the fire phoenix passed, it left a distorted trail in the air. It descended from the sky, landing thirty meters behind Ma Hongjun, then suddenly surged forward, instantly plunging into his body from behind. In an instant, all of Ma Hongjun's clothes turned to ash, his entire back covered by the impact of the fire phoenix. The flames contracted, slowly disappearing into his back like a tattoo.

The fat man opened his eyes at the very moment the phoenix pattern disappeared behind him. In that instant, his eyes turned completely golden-red, and intense phoenix flames roared up from around his body, soaring ten meters into the air before slowly returning to their source.

Ma Hongjun let out a long roar, and the fat on his body strangely shrank a bit, making him look like he had lost weight. Although he was still obese, everyone could feel how powerful and explosive the energy contained in the fat man's body was at this moment.

It was done. Two yellow, two purple, and two black spirit rings were neatly arranged around Ma Hongjun's body. As the flames gradually died down, he finally obtained his sixth spirit ring.

The golden-red light in his eyes gradually subsided, and an uncontrollable excitement welled up from them. Facing the Sea God Douluo Poseidon in front of him, the fat man hurriedly bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, senior."

Poseidon did not respond to him. When the flames on the fat man disappeared, she turned around and walked step by step toward the Temple of Poseidon. Her steps seemed to be walking on clouds, and her body rose up. Her voice seemed to echo in every corner of the world, "When the next person reaches the bottleneck, I will appear again."

With a flash of light, Poseidon's figure had vanished without a trace.

The fat man looked up, staring blankly in the direction Poseidon had disappeared, and muttered, "Why did this senior ignore me?"

Despite his weakness, Dai Mubai laughed and said, "Fatty, you've got a good figure!"

Ma Hongjun froze for a moment. He realized that Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had turned around at some point. Tang San, Oscar, and Dai Mubai were looking at him with amused expressions. He subconsciously looked down at his body and let out a strange cry. He then realized that he was naked and quickly covered his private parts with his hands, running behind a large tree. He thought to himself with relief that Bai Chenxiang was still cultivating and hadn't seen his embarrassing situation.

Oscar laughed and said, "Why are you running? Don't worry, we're not interested in your big, white ass."

Dai Mubai supported Tang San's shoulder and said, "Little San, I can't go on anymore, I'm terribly weak. I need to start cultivating."

Tang San said, "Don't rush, I have an idea. What would happen if we placed our cultivation within the Sea God's Light? Have you thought about that?"

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong turned around. Although they were also weak, their condition was not as severe as the side effects of Dai Mubai's three major skills. They looked at Tang San with surprise in their eyes.

Oscar smiled wryly, "Mistress, you really have a knack for coming up with new ideas! You're going to suffer again."

Tang San said, "When cultivating in the Sea God's Light, we are constantly under external pressure. Moreover, I've discovered that under the pressure of the Sea God's Light, our own soul power circulates faster than when we activate it ourselves, just like using a soul skill. If all goes well, our soul power cultivation speed will become even faster."

Dai Mubai said, "Alright, let's give it a try. Which step would be most suitable for cultivation?"

Tang San pondered for a moment and said, "Let's start with the first step. If it works, we can gradually increase the number later. We can't expect to get fat in one bite."

"Third Brother, you can't do this! I may be a little chubby, but you can't use me as a negative example." Ma Hongjun, who had already changed his clothes, rushed out and happened to hear Tang San's last words.

Tang San chuckled and asked, "Fatty, what's your sixth soul skill?"

Upon hearing Tang San's question, the fat man immediately became smug. "It's a single-target ranged attack skill called Phoenix Piercing Cloud Strike. I don't know how powerful it is, but I can sense that the divinely bestowed spirit ring is at least equivalent to a spirit ring formed by a spirit beast that is over 40,000 years old. This power, hehe."

Tang San said, "You expended a lot of energy just now. Let's cultivate together in the Sea God's Light. Let's see if it's effective. If there are any adverse reactions, stop immediately."

Before starting, Tang San channeled some of his remaining soul power into Oscar, allowing him to create several recovery sausages, which slightly restored everyone's soul power before they re-entered the range of the Sea God's Light.

The staircase leading to the Sea God's Temple was ten meters wide, enough for six people to sit side by side. Tang San also took Xiao Wu out of his Ruyi Hundred Treasures Pouch and placed her beside him. Just as Xiao Wu herself had said, her current body would not suffer any damage under normal pressure.

Although it was only one step, the omnipresent pressure of the Sea God's Light still completely squeezed everyone's bodies. They slowly sat down and began to gather their soul power according to their own cultivation methods.

As soon as they began cultivating, they noticed what Tang San had described. Under the pressure of the Sea God's Light, the speed at which their soul power circulated increased significantly. Even without conscious control, it was faster than when they cultivated on their own. It was as if their soul power was circulating and cultivating on its own under external stimulation.

Soon, everyone was pleasantly surprised to find that cultivating on the first step allowed their soul power to recover faster than when they cultivated outside the steps. Gradually, they entered a meditative state, and at the same time, they all realized that this first trial, the crossing, and the Light of the Sea God would likely be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them.

……

Spirit Hall, Douluo Hall.

The Douluo Hall is located at the very top of the Spirit Hall's sacred mountain, exuding an aura of supreme grandeur. Compared to the Pope's Hall, the Douluo Hall is somewhat smaller. However, it houses the titles of all the Title Douluos.

Inside the Douluo Hall, there are no ornate decorations; the entire structure is built from ancient, rustic rocks. However, upon closer inspection, one can see a faint golden glow emanating from these rocks. Touching them reveals a strange energy coursing through the palm.

Aside from the entrance, the three high walls of the Douluo Hall are adorned with numerous gleaming golden square plaques. Each plaque is about half a meter high and a foot wide, bearing only three or four large characters. Looking around, the total number of these golden plaques on the three walls is no less than several hundred. Each plaque symbolizes a Title Douluo who received their title after the Douluo Hall was built.

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Fans of Douluo Continent, please vote for Xiao San! Thank you.

(End of this chapter)