Douro Continent

Chapter 583 Angels and Rakshasa

In the center of the Douluo Hall stood a statue, ten meters tall, entirely golden, with three pairs of wings spread out on its back, and a huge golden sword held aloft, pointing straight to the sky. Most peculiarly, a faint layer of golden flame seemed to swirl around the golden sword.

In the Elder Hall of the Spirit Hall, there is a similar statue, but if there is any difference between the two, it is the soul.

Yes, the statues in the Elder Hall are equally enormous, but they lack a soul. The enormous statue in front of us, however, gives people the feeling of an absolute powerhouse. The title plaques of the hundreds of titled Douluo around us are all sleeping peacefully under its aura.

This is the supreme hall for Soul Masters. Every Soul Master considers it an honor to enter the Douluo Hall, because it signifies that they have reached the level of a Titled Douluo. Only those who have obtained a title have the possibility of entering this place.

The Douluo Hall was not actually built by the Spirit Hall. According to legend, the Douluo Hall existed long before the Spirit Hall appeared. The earliest Spirit Hall was established by gathering a group of powerful spirit masters who revered the Douluo Hall, under the name of worshipping the Douluo Hall.

The Douluo Hall has a Hall Master who must be the most respectful person to the Douluo Hall. This Hall Master is responsible for enshrining the golden plaques of Douluo here and also presiding over the investiture ceremony for all newly promoted Title Douluo.

At this moment, kneeling silently before the colossal statue in the center of the Douluo Hall, was a person. She was neither a Title Douluo who had come to receive her title, nor the Hall Master of this Douluo Hall. She had another identity, and it was because of this identity that she was able to remain here, kneeling before the massive, symbolically significant six-winged angel statue.

Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back, reaching the ground. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest in a strange pose, with her thumbs interlocked, her index fingers touching, and the other six fingers spread out to the sides, making her look like a six-winged angel spreading her wings.

Her delicate face was filled with reverence, her eyes were closed, and she was always enveloped in a faint halo.

This person is none other than Qian Renxue, who was defeated by Tang San in the Heaven Dou Empire's palace, causing the failure of her more than ten-year infiltration plan. She is the daughter of the previous Pope of the Spirit Hall.

She has been kneeling here for a full 108 days, without eating or drinking.

"Has your heart calmed down?" A dignified yet calm voice echoed throughout the Douluo Hall.

Qian Renxue, who seemed to have turned into a statue, did not move or speak. She remained kneeling there quietly, maintaining her original posture.

Golden light surged, and a figure appeared between her and the colossal statue, appearing almost imperceptibly. The figure gradually became clearer, and the surrounding golden light intensified noticeably, especially on the enormous six-winged angel statue. A massive golden sword spewed forth flames over ten feet long, filling the area with an indescribable aura of holiness.

The figure that appeared before Qian Renxue was none other than Qian Daoliu, the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall and the Hall Master of the Douluo Hall. He was one of the three great Title Douluos of the current era, each at level ninety-nine.

"Open your eyes." Qian Daoliu raised his hand and pointed. Golden flames released from the long sword in the hand of the statue behind him descended from the sky, completely enveloping Qian Renxue's body.

Golden flames swirled, and Qian Renxue's body was slowly drawn to rise under the light's embrace. The golden light remained unchanged, but nine golden light screens gradually appeared before Qian Renxue.

Upon seeing these nine light screens, a peculiar glint appeared in Qian Daoliu's eyes. "The Nine Trials of the Angels, the Nine Trials... the Nine Trials that countless generations of Douluo Hall Masters have been waiting for have finally appeared."

With a slight difficulty, Qian Renxue opened her eyes and looked at her grandfather in confusion.

A gentle light shone in Qian Daoliu's eyes. "I was about seventy years old when your father was born, and your father was fifty when you were born. The person that the successive Douluo Hall Masters have been waiting for is you. Xiaoxue, Grandpa is so proud of you."

Qian Renxue stared blankly at Qian Daoliu. "Grandpa, I don't understand what you mean." Perhaps because she hadn't spoken for a long time, her voice sounded somewhat strained.

Qian Daoliu smiled calmly and said, "If the light screen in front of you had eight beams, then you would be the next Lord of the Douluo Hall. However, the light screen in front of you has nine beams. Don't ask why; I will tell you when the time is right. From now on, for a long time to come, you will have to complete nine trials from the angels. Grandpa will always be with you."

"Yes."

……

The Papal Palace. The Pope's private chamber.

Bibi Dong, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, slowly opened her eyes. If anyone were in front of her at this moment, they would be astonished to find that Bibi Dong's eyes were completely blood-red, the vivid blood color as if it might drip blood at any moment. On her hands, each fingernail was five inches long and jet black, forming a stark contrast with her fair skin.

Her once noble and beautiful face now appeared distorted and terrifying, even bearing streaks of blood. Behind her, an indistinct black shadow loomed.

Opening her eyes, Bibi Dong took a deep breath. A layer of dark purple light surged, and the changes on her body gradually disappeared, restoring her original appearance. However, she looked somewhat pale.

"Qian Daoliu, you are very clever. In order to prevent me from devouring the descendants of your angel clan, you chose my daughter." A series of dense air explosions rang out around Bibi Dong's body.

She rose into the air, golden light shimmering, and the papal robes had already enveloped Bibi Dong's body. She appeared to have transformed back into the noble and decisive Pope.

"So what if you let Xiaoxue inherit your position? One day, I will destroy the foundation of your angelic race. Qian Daoliu, you still underestimate me. Ever since I devoured your son's body and soul, changed my cultivation method, and entered the Rakshasa Secret Realm, you have been unable to see through me. Only one last step remains. The last step that you cannot complete in this life, I will definitely break through in ten years at most. When that time comes, no one will be able to stop me from doing anything. Your son destroyed me, and I will destroy everything of your angelic race."

"Hahaha, hahahahaha..." A terrifying laugh, like that of a night owl, echoed through the secret chamber. The huge black shadow that had disappeared earlier reappeared behind Bibi Dong, appearing and disappearing in an instant.

……

A month later.

With a ripping sound, his bulging muscles burst open his clothes. Dai Mubai roared and soared into the air, his incomparably strong body displaying unparalleled muscle strength. His body, propelled by the immense elasticity of the Sea God's Light, shot skyward. However, he was no longer the Dai Mubai who had lost control of his body during the rebound of the Sea God's Light. He spun twice in mid-air, a flash of golden light, and landed calmly.

A month has passed, and the Shrek Seven Devils have been training here for a full month.

But this one month brought them a feeling of being in another world. At this moment, they were cultivating on the tenth step of the stairs leading to the Temple of the Sea God. They were cultivating amidst the pressure from all directions.

A month later, the Light of the Sea God, while still a source of pressure for them, has also become their greatest enjoyment. Imagine, after each day's training, clearly feeling a significant improvement in their soul power; no matter how great the pressure, how could that sense of accomplishment and overwhelming power not be a source of enjoyment?

Apart from Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Xiao Wu, who was unable to cultivate, everyone else's soul power increased by one level. This included Bai Chenxiang, who had already increased by one level when she first arrived. She has now reached level forty-eight.

The results of training within the Sea God's Light were immense. The immense pressure became the best catalyst for cultivation; even while sleeping, one's soul power would circulate automatically within the Sea God's Light. Moreover, how could the Shrek Seven Devils waste such a precious time? A month of diligent effort, stimulated by the exhilarating feeling of continuous progress, meant that not a single person complained. With unwavering perseverance, their strength steadily improved.

Moreover, they have gradually adapted to the pressure brought by the Sea God's Light. The number of steps they can climb has increased dramatically. Dai Mubai can now climb sixty steps on his own. Tang San, when going all out, is approaching eighty steps.

For them, the most exhilarating experience was climbing the stairs to their physical limits and then retreating to the lower steps to cultivate. Although they could only do this a maximum of three times a day, the result of these three sessions was a leap in their soul power. Otherwise, they wouldn't have achieved such tremendous results within a month.

Cultivating amidst the light of the Sea God felt like transporting the Shrek Seven Devils back to the era of their first gathering at Shrek Academy, a time of rapid training. At their current pace, each of them could improve by at least six or seven levels, or even more, during this year of the first trial. Under normal training conditions, at their current levels, it would take them at least three times longer to achieve the same results.

Tang San's training was undoubtedly the most arduous, because he possessed a motivation that no one else had—not from the Nine Trials of the Sea God, but from Xiao Wu. To revive Xiao Wu as soon as possible, he wouldn't allow himself even the slightest slackening.

Aside from eating and cleaning, he devoted all his time to cultivation, working tirelessly to improve his soul power. Although he hadn't reached level 69 in the first month, his relentless efforts and the opening of his eight extraordinary meridians had brought him to the bottleneck of a breakthrough. In at most five more days, he would surely be able to make another breakthrough.

The Light of the Sea God only grants them one year. How much they can improve within that year depends on their own efforts. How can they repay the Sea God's arrangement if they don't maximize the benefits of this year?

Every morning, a dedicated Sea Soul Master would deliver fresh food and then quietly leave. No one else would disturb them. It could be said that over the past month, the Shrek Seven Devils and Bai Chenxiang had soaked at least the first fifty steps with their sweat. Except for Bai Chenxiang, who could only barely climb to the nineteenth step, the Shrek Seven Devils could now climb more than fifty steps. Among them, Ning Rongrong, who was the weakest, had made the most significant progress.

Under the pressure of the Sea God's Light, her body's resilience has been increasing significantly every day. Now, when she releases her Martial Soul, a layer of misty, precious light can even be faintly seen emanating from her body.

Time passed in this almost frantic, spontaneous, hellish training. Another two months went by. Bai Chenxiang finally broke through to level fifty. Although she had no chance of receiving a divinely bestowed spirit ring, Tang San told her that the effects of continued training would naturally appear once she obtained one. There was no need to rush to acquire a spirit ring; she just needed to continue her diligent training.

On the last day of their third month here, Tang San, who was sitting on the twentieth step cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes. A crystal-clear blue-gold light surrounded his body and shone brightly with the golden mist generated within the light of the sea god. His unparalleled powerful aura startled the others who were cultivating.

When everyone's gaze fell upon Tang San, they were astonished to find that his entire body seemed to radiate a special brilliance. Dozens of Blue Silver Emperor streaks, as if carved from crystal, extended from beneath him, arranging themselves into neat spirals. Around Tang San's body, a mist of blue and gold light twisted together and slowly rose into the air, while Tang San's skin also completely turned blue-gold at this moment.

"Xiao San, you..." Dai Mubai stared at Tang San with wide eyes.

Tang San didn't answer, but the light emanating from his body became even more dazzling. With a soft thud, he was propelled into the air by the elasticity of the Sea God's Light. In an instant, thousands upon thousands of Blue Silver Emperor rays suddenly burst forth from his body. They were like streaks of blue-gold light, and Tang San was their starting point, a dazzling blue-gold sun.

Three months of tireless training in the light of the sea god finally brought Tang San what he needed most: he broke through, he finally broke through the most crucial bottleneck in a soul master's life.

Quantitative change led to qualitative change. Six spirit rings were no longer enough to satisfy Tang San's release of spirit power. He finally broke through the bottleneck of level 70 and reached the next peak.

He tilted his head back, and the golden trident mark on his forehead suddenly shone brightly, each of its hundred-meter-long blue silver rays dancing in the air. Bathed in sunlight, they appeared as if a thousand auspicious rays were guarding the blue silver emperor. In that instant, all six spirit rings released from Tang San's body turned blue-gold, pulsating violently.

As if summoned, all the plants on Poseidon Mountain, protected by the light of Poseidon, swayed gently, especially the Blue Silver Grass on the ground, each one revealing a blue-gold radiance, as if they were paying homage to their emperor.

The golden trident mark seemed like a summoning instrument, and a red figure, as ethereal as a cloud, appeared silently before everyone without any warning.

Poseidon, the Sea Goddess Douluo, appeared silently in mid-air, her feet treading on the void, yet she released not a trace of soul power. Facing Tang San, whose entire body was radiating countless Blue Silver Emperors, a smile of satisfaction appeared on her noble and dignified face. With a flick of her wrist, a golden bead flew out of thin air, landing directly on the golden trident on Tang San's forehead.

As if a switch had been flipped, the moment the golden bead landed on the trident mark on Tang San's forehead, the Blue Silver Emperor energy released by his entire body surged back, transforming into rays of light that returned to Tang San's body. Tang San then sat cross-legged in the air, his body slowly descending and landing on the ground.

With a snap, the golden bead shattered, and a rich golden weapon spread like a poured liquid, covering every corner of Tang San's body and obscuring his figure. Only the trident imprint on his forehead shone brightly, still so clearly visible.

Just as the golden bead shattered, two halos of light, one blue and one white, were simultaneously released from Tang San's body. Both halos only expanded to a diameter of one meter beneath him before ceasing their expansion, instantly filling him with a vibrant aura and an incomparably sharp killing intent. Like climbing stairs bathed in the light of the sea god, Tang San directly unleashed his Blue Silver and Killing God domains. He was going to use his best condition to accept the test of this divinely bestowed soul ring bead.

In this world, spirit beasts are numerous, and most are ferocious and harmful to humans. Although hunting by spirit masters reduces the number of high-level spirit beasts, if they are not hunted, their numbers will eventually reach a certain level, causing them to leave their territories and attack humans. Therefore, spirit masters and spirit beasts are essentially what maintain the balance of the continent.

Even with the largest number of spirit beasts, 100,000-year-old spirit beasts, being among the strongest, are extremely rare. Tang San was quite lucky; including Xiao Wu, he had only ever encountered four 100,000-year-old spirit beasts: Xiao Wu, Da Ming, Er Ming, and the deep-sea demon whale that had saved his life. His mother, and Xiao Wu's mother, had already perished in the persecution by the Spirit Hall.

When Ma Hongjun received the divinely bestowed spirit ring last time, Tang San had already figured out his goal. The 100,000-year spirit ring Xiao Wu gave him was an accident. But a divinely bestowed spirit ring was definitely within his grasp. He had already decided that when he broke through level 70 and obtained a divinely bestowed spirit ring, he would have only one goal: to use all his strength to gamble and try to obtain a 100,000-year spirit ring.

Ten-thousand-year spirit beasts are extremely rare, and they are incredibly powerful. Obtaining a ten-thousand-year spirit ring by hunting them is nearly impossible. The divinely bestowed spirit ring before Tang San is an excellent opportunity. For a spirit master, possessing an additional ten-thousand-year spirit ring would undoubtedly make them significantly stronger than other spirit masters of the same level. Especially since what Tang San is about to obtain is his seventh spirit ring.

For ordinary Soul Masters, the seventh Soul Ring represents a qualitative leap, allowing them to unleash their Martial Soul True Form and unleash the most powerful force of their Martial Soul. But for Tang San, the significance of this seventh Soul Ring goes far beyond that. Because he still possesses those two great domains.

After his battle with Qian Renxue, Tang San deeply understood the importance of the seventh spirit ring for a domain. Only after possessing a Martial Soul True Body could the power of one's innate domain be truly unleashed. And the quality of the seventh spirit ring clearly determines the magnitude of the innate domain's power.

Because he had planned ahead, when Tang San broke through the level 70 bottleneck and Poseidon, the Sea God Douluo, appeared at the opportune moment and released the divinely bestowed spirit ring upon him, he immediately used his full strength. For him, the test given by the divinely bestowed spirit ring was even more difficult than his first Sea God trial: crossing, double trials, and the Light of the Sea God.

With the emergence of two major domains, the golden light surrounding Tang San instantly intensified, expanding to encompass the entire range of his domain. Within that golden mist, faint golden threads could be seen beginning to compress and coil around Tang San's body.

Seeing this, the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils might not have felt much, but Ma Hongjun, who had once undergone the test of the divinely bestowed spirit ring, gasped in shock. He was horrified to discover that Tang San's starting point for enduring the test of the divinely bestowed spirit ring was actually the endpoint when he obtained his sixth spirit ring. He had persevered with all his might until the very end, only then did some of these golden threads appear. And in the end, he obtained a spirit ring equivalent to that of a 40,000-year-old spirit beast. Tang San's starting point was here; so where would his endpoint be?

For the first time since arriving here, the Shrek Seven Devils took a break. Tang San, the strongest and core of the group, was absorbing his seventh spirit ring. How could his companions not pay attention? Besides worrying about Tang San's safety, the other four, excluding Ma Hongjun who had received a divinely bestowed spirit ring and Xiao Wu who couldn't cultivate, would also face the same test as Tang San. Their divinely bestowed spirit rings would also appear on their crucial seventh-ring spirit bodies. Tang San's absorption process would undoubtedly serve as valuable experience for their future absorption efforts.

The collective goal of the Shrek Seven Devils during their year of training in the Light of the Sea God was to reach level 70. Only by possessing a true martial soul form would they be more confident in facing the difficult trials that lay ahead.

Tang San's expression remained calm. As the golden threads appeared, a bulge rose behind him, and he unhesitatingly released his Eight Spider Lances. At the same time, his right arm, right leg, and head emitted faint halos, and through the stimulation of soul power, his four soul bones simultaneously took effect.

Tang San did this for a reason. By unleashing his full power right from the start, he didn't need to gradually release it under the pressure of the divinely bestowed spirit ring. That would have caused him to consume more spirit power and suffer more pain in the early stages of the trial.

By unleashing his full power right from the start, Tang San will face a higher starting point in the test of the divinely bestowed spirit rings. Being tested from a higher angle will inevitably shorten Tang San's overall test time, and the period of suffering will naturally decrease accordingly.

As expected, when he unleashed the abilities of his four soul bones, the golden mist surrounding his body completely transformed. Previously, only one-tenth of the golden light had turned into threads, but this time, the mist vanished, and all the golden light transformed into concentric circles of golden threads, weaving around Tang San's body as if being woven. As these golden threads moved, subtle fluctuations appeared on Tang San's face. His soul power was released without reservation.

The Wisdom Skull, which concentrates spiritual energy, allows Tang San to focus his mental power entirely within his mind. This unprecedented concentration of spiritual energy will make him even more resilient.

The Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone activated its self-repairing ability. Even under the immense pressure from the divinely bestowed spirit ring, it was able to repair itself even as Tang San's body began to break down.

Although Xiao Wu's invincible golden body from her soul bone did not appear, as a 100,000-year-old soul bone, its amplification of Tang San's physical attributes, together with the Eight Spider Lances, was extremely terrifying.

Under the influence of these four soul bones, they continuously resisted the pressure from the divinely bestowed soul rings.

Time passed second by second. In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed. Tang San's forehead was covered with a fine layer of sweat, and to everyone's surprise, these sweat beads were actually golden.

At this moment, the golden energy surrounding Tang San's body changed form again. Golden threads began to coalesce, forming nine golden halos. These halos first expanded around Tang San's body, then contracted, striking him heavily. The cycle repeated itself.

Each impact of the golden halo against Tang San's body caused him to tremble, and more sweat to bead on his forehead. The constantly trembling, blood-red Eight Spider Lances on his back revealed the immense pain Tang San was enduring.

A 100,000-year spirit ring is something only a Soul Douluo-level expert can withstand when advancing to the Title Douluo level. Tang San, however, is currently only advancing from Soul Emperor to Soul Saint.

However, as the number one genius of Shrek Academy, the key figure who led the Shrek Seven Devils to defeat the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall and win the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, how could he be an ordinary person?

He possesses four soul bones that ordinary soul masters lack, had once received a sacrifice from a 100,000-year-old soul beast, and had consumed three celestial-grade medicinal herbs, tempering his golden body in the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire. Judging solely from his physical condition, he has even surpassed the strength of a Title Douluo. Although his soul power is far inferior, these numerous factors combined have indeed qualified him to attempt to obtain a 100,000-year soul ring. The rest depends on his determination and perseverance.

How much determination and perseverance did Tang San possess? Even he himself didn't know. When he was enduring the test of the divinely bestowed spirit ring, his mind was crystal clear, with only two words present. These two words represented his greatest determination and unwavering perseverance.

Xiao Wu.

These two words represented his lover's name, and also everything Tang San could think of at that moment. With just these two words, he cleared his mind of all distractions. It was as if the intense pain, like being stabbed by a thousand blades, wasn't actually happening to him.

Under these intense emotions, wave after wave of impact gradually pushed Tang San's body to the brink of collapse, yet nothing could shake his unwavering belief. For Xiao Wu's sake, he had to persevere.

Bright red blood began to seep from under Tang San's skin. Unlike the fine beads of blood that had seeped from Ma Hongjun, the blood flowing from Tang San's body was continuous, staining his clothes and the ground beneath him. Blood even flowed from his seven orifices. Tang San's body swayed violently, as if it might topple over at any moment. Yet, his resolve remained unwavering.

As long as the belief remains unchanged, the trials of the divinely bestowed soul ring will not cease.

"Third Brother!" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but cry out, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Driven by an impulse, she wanted to rush forward and stop Tang San from continuing.

Not only did she cry, but Zhu Zhuqing and Bai Chenxiang were also sobbing uncontrollably. Bai Chenxiang, whose will was relatively fragile, buried herself in Ma Hongjun's arms, unable to bear watching any longer.

Oscar firmly gripped Ning Rongrong's shoulders, preventing her from rushing out. He only said one sentence: "Trust the mistress."

At this moment, Oscar's tone was devoid of its usual playful tone. He could also see how dangerous Tang San was.

At this moment, Dai Mubai's eyes were filled with nothing but sincere admiration. As the leader of the Shrek Seven Devils, he had always harbored a strong ambition. With his competitive nature, he was unwilling to remain inferior to Tang San forever. Therefore, he had been diligently cultivating, striving to one day surpass Tang San and once again become the strongest among the Shrek Seven Devils.

But at this moment, looking at Tang San's body completely stained with blood, Dai Mubai knew that even if he exhausted all his strength, he had no hope of surpassing Tang San. Tang San's strength did not come from luck, but from his perseverance and relentless effort. Behind his formidable strength lay countless painful experiences and arduous training paid for with countless drops of blood and sweat.

The Shrek Seven Devils all possess that one percent of success—talent. But if we're talking about who among them possesses the other ninety-nine percent—effort, then it's Tang San.

It is this complete perfection that has given Tang San his current strength, a strength that completely surpasses that of his peers. If the other six members of the Monster Association were to evaluate him, they would only be able to think of two words: perfect. Perfection that belongs only to Tang San.

Poseidon, the Sea God Douluo, had a furrowed brow. Her hand had risen at least three times, only to fall again each time. As the High Priest of Seagod Island, and the Sea God's most loyal and powerful servant, she hadn't shown such hesitation in over fifty years.

She was guided by the divinely bestowed spirit ring, and she knew best about Tang San's current physical condition. She could deeply feel Tang San's body constantly teetering on the brink of collapse. Every time she felt that Tang San's body could no longer hold on and wanted to stop him, she found that Tang San's unparalleled unwavering belief seemed to emanate a special power, forcefully helping his body to persevere.

Then came another brush with collapse and another moment of perseverance. Even a pinnacle Soul Master like Poseidon couldn't comprehend what kind of power was sustaining Tang San before her.

Yes, he was chosen by the Sea God through nine trials. Indeed! Only someone personally chosen by the Sea God could possess such perseverance. Let alone someone his age, Poseidon knew that even now, she herself would never possess Tang San's unwavering resilience.

Persistence and perseverance are the greatest secrets to success. Finally, when Poseidon couldn't help but raise her hand for the fourth time, preparing to stop the test of the divinely bestowed spirit ring, in an instant, Tang San's blood gushed out in a spray.

"Collapsed?" Poseidon was shocked. However, her outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air.

Because the spurting blood instantly stained the nine golden halos that were constantly impacting Tang San's body, and in the next moment, they had completely turned red. The nine returned to one, transforming into a huge blood-red halo that appeared around Tang San.

At this moment, Tang San's last conscious thought was that his body had shattered, turning into dust and drifting in the air. Yet, this very feeling of shattering brought him unprecedented pleasure. The next moment, all he could perceive was red. It seemed as if he was completely immersed in a blood-red world.

-

For those who like Douluo Continent, please vote for Xiao San! Thank you.

(End of this chapter)