Before this, Tang San had seen golden Soul Power before — the most notable example being Qian Renxue's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. However, the golden light before him now was entirely different from any gold he had ever witnessed. It was a regal radiance filled with majesty and grandeur. The instant it appeared, the entire Sea God Island — the Seven Sacred Pillars, the forests, the hills, and even the Sea Within the Sea — was completely suffused with golden light. Even the sea Soul Masters, the Shrek Seven Devils, and Bai Chenxiang were all bathed in that distinctive golden glow.
But this column of golden light had only one focal point: Tang San, standing beneath the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar, looking somewhat dazed.
Such a grand and magnificent spectacle was no less imposing than the majesty of nature itself. Could it be that gods truly existed in this world? That was the question swirling in Tang San's mind at that moment.
The golden pillar gave him a peculiar sensation, as though something deep inside him had been stirred. Immediately after, nine square panels of golden light materialized out of thin air and appeared before him. The first panel glowed the brightest, while the other eight appeared somewhat dim. Before Tang San could think further, these panels flew straight into his forehead like golden meteors.
In an instant, a massive surge of information flooded into his mind, though most of it was vague and indistinct. Only a single thread could be clearly discerned. Tang San understood — this was why Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai had sat down to contemplate earlier.
His mind became engulfed by that vast golden brilliance. Then, Tang San felt a wave of energy wash through him like an enbenedicting baptism, as if his entire body were immersed in a cool, refreshing liquid. It was indescribably comfortable. In that subliminal state, Tang San vaguely sensed that his body was undergoing some subtle transformation within the golden light. He couldn't say exactly what it was, but the feeling was magical — as though the very functions of his body were being realigned and harmonized, impossibly soothing.
Without thinking, he exhaled a breath of turbid air — presumably all the impurities the golden light had forced out of his system.
The golden light gradually faded, first from the sky and the Sea Within the Sea, then from all directions. Tang San's body was the final destination of all that radiance. And the last place where every trace of golden light converged was the center of his forehead. What remained there was not a star-shaped mark, but a golden trident symbol. The faint golden trident bestowed upon Tang San an air of dignified nobility. Even as he simply stood there, the trident carried an aura that looked down upon all living things beneath it.
Tang San slowly opened his eyes. His originally crystal-blue gaze now appeared even more limpid and clear. He raised a hand and instinctively touched his smooth forehead, then turned to the Sea Horse Douluo, who stood frozen like a statue, and asked, "Senior, red was the Supreme trial. So what kind of trial does this gold represent? It seems I need to complete nine trials in order to pass."
The Sea Horse Douluo shook his head vigorously and looked at Tang San again. What he saw was still that trident mark radiating brilliant golden light. No, this was no dream.
"I don't know either." Those five words seemed to come out with great difficulty from the Sea Horse Douluo's mouth.
Tang San looked at the Sea Horse Douluo with puzzlement. "Then what about her? Why did she receive a Supreme One-Trial situation?" He pulled Xiao Wu closer. The golden light had vanished from his body, and the red glow that had previously circled around Xiao Wu had silently disappeared as well. All that remained was a single round red dot.
The Sea Horse Douluo gazed intently at Tang San. "Why a Supreme One-Trial appeared, I don't know either. But I can tell you what her trial entails. Though it is only one trial, it absolutely qualifies as a Supreme trial in difficulty. Because her test is to stay by your side and complete the Nine Trials."
Hearing the Sea Horse Douluo's words, Tang San was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the Sea God's trials to produce such an outcome, but the Sea Horse Douluo's words had nonetheless put his mind somewhat at ease. As long as he could help Xiao Wu through this, he could rest easy. That was far better than Xiao Wu facing some trial on her own.
"What a beautiful trident. Third Brother, you look even more handsome now," Ning Rongrong couldn't help but exclaim.
Tang San couldn't see his own appearance. "A trident? You're saying the mark on my forehead is different from yours?"
Ning Rongrong nodded. "It's different. You have a golden trident on your forehead. It's beautiful. It looks especially noble."
Tang San was somewhat speechless at that. Clinging to a sliver of hope, he asked the Sea Horse Douluo again, "Senior, please think carefully. What exactly does that golden light from just now represent? Am I facing a Supreme Nine-Trial?"
The Sea Horse Douluo was about to speak when a leisurely voice drifted over from the distance. It sounded as though it came from the heavens — beautiful and melodious, as if descending from the celestial realm, yet brimming with warmth and benevolence.
"There's no need to press him. Since the creation of Sea God Island, this situation has never occurred before. What you must face is not a Supreme Nine-Trial. It is the Nine Trials of the Sea God."
The voice drew closer with each word. By the time the final syllable reached the ears of the Shrek Seven Devils, a red point of light in the distance slowly expanded. Everyone felt the space around them distort ever so slightly, and in the next instant, a figure stood before the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar.
She appeared to be about the same height as Xiao Wu, her entire body draped in a crimson robe. Sea-blue hair cascaded down her back — not as long as Xiao Wu's, but when spread out, it nearly reached the ground. Her gentle features suggested an age of no more than thirty, though her beauty derived more from her bearing: noble, elegant, and suffused with a gentle warmth. In her right hand, she held a scepter three meters long. It was golden — the same gold that had appeared in the sky moments before. Magical runes were carved along its entire length, and its tip rose into a diamond-shaped point like a lance. Set into the shaft, five inches below the lance point, was a diamond-shaped golden gem.
Judging by her face alone, she was undoubtedly a rare beauty. But her aura was something no one could compare to. Even Pope Bibi Dong, whom Tang San had once encountered, fell short of her in presence.
Most striking of all were her eyes. Her crystal-blue irises were deeper than the ocean itself, and within them lay a compassionate antiquity that seemed to span the endless ages. How could such eyes possibly belong to a thirty-year-old woman?
"Greetings, High Priest." The Sea Horse Douluo bowed slightly, saluting the woman in red. "This subordinate has failed to properly carry out the Sea God's guidance. Please punish me, High Priest."
The woman in red smiled gently, and the Sea Within the Sea seemed to ripple in response to her expression.
"This is not your fault. This is the first time I have seen such a thing as well." Her gaze swept across the area, and every person present felt as though she were looking directly at them. But her eyes ultimately came to rest on Tang San — or more precisely, on the golden trident mark upon his forehead.
"Young man, I have waited over a hundred years, and finally, in my twilight years, I have found you. May I ask where you come from?"
Listening to her voice at such close range, Tang San felt his heartbeat accelerate sharply. It was not because of her beauty, but because her voice carried a resonance that stirred the very depths of his soul. She appeared to be an ordinary human woman, but Tang San knew with absolute certainty that the person before him was none other than the Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi — the woman who had once shared fame with his great-grandfather Tang Chen, and who had defeated both Tang Chen and Spirit Hall's High Priest Qian Daoliu.
Just as Tang San hadn't expected the five lords under Bo Saixi's command to have become seven, he also hadn't imagined that this peerless powerhouse of the ninety-ninth rank would be a woman — one who had preserved her youth, appearing no older than thirty. Her true age had to be at least over a hundred and twenty years.
"Junior Tang San greets the Senior. My great-grandfather's name was Chen." Tang San bent nearly ninety degrees at the waist, bowing with deep respect to the Sea God Douluo, the supreme authority of Sea God Island.
But to his surprise, Bo Saixi shifted slightly and appeared at his side, refusing to accept his bow.
"There is no need for such formality. You are Tang Chen's great-grandson?" A note of surprise colored Bo Saixi's voice.
Tang San replied respectfully, "Yes."
A glimmer of distant wistfulness appeared in Bo Saixi's deep blue eyes. "How quickly time passes. His great-grandson is already grown. I never imagined that the one I was waiting for would turn out to be his great-grandson."
Tang San said nothing, simply listening quietly to Bo Saixi's words. Though his strength was nowhere near that of this ninety-ninth-ranked Sea God Douluo, he could still sense that she harbored no ill will toward him whatsoever.
Bo Saixi quickly composed herself and fixed her eyes on Tang San. "Tang San, look at me."
Tang San met Bo Saixi's gaze directly, his eyes clear and without a trace of retreat. Bo Saixi spoke solemnly, "From this moment on, you must remember: on Sea God Island, no one has the right to accept your bow. That includes me."
"What?" Tang San stared at the Sea God Douluo in astonishment, unable to understand why this pinnacle powerhouse would say such a thing to him.
Bo Saixi turned to the Sea Horse Douluo. "Ouya, relay my command. These eight are honored guests of the island until they complete the Sea God's trials. No one is to show them any disrespect or offense. Aside from being forbidden from helping them complete their trials, provide them with whatever they need. They shall stay in your Sea Horse City. Also, summon the other six — we will convene at the Sea God Palace tomorrow."
"Yes." The Sea Horse Douluo Ouya answered with extreme reverence. Although he hadn't seen the High Priest in ten years, on this Sea God Island, Bo Saixi was the supreme existence. Only the Sea God descending in person could rank above her.
Bo Saixi's gaze settled on Tang San once more, and she offered him a warm smile and a nod. "Very good, very good. I believe you will certainly pass the Sea God's trials. If you need anything, you may address it to Ouya. Remember — you must complete at least one of your Nine Trials each year. Otherwise, all your progress will be forfeit."
Tang San asked, "If I fail the trials, is the consequence the same as a Black-level trial — death?"
Bo Saixi's expression changed. Tang San felt the world blur, and in the next instant, Bo Saixi was standing mere centimeters from him. The gentle warmth in her eyes had turned to ice. An overwhelming, incomparable pressure bore down on him, rendering him unable even to breathe.
"Tang San, remember this — never allow the thought of failure to enter your mind. I will tell you this: your trials are tied to the survival of Sea God Island itself. If you fail, the consequences will be far worse than death. Far, far worse."
The moment her words fell, a burst of red light flared before everyone's eyes. In the next instant, Bo Saixi had vanished completely.
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others all exhaled simultaneously, their faces pale, beads of dense sweat already forming across their foreheads.
"That was terrifying. Just that fraction of aura she released a moment ago — I felt like my body was going to be crushed," Oscar said, still shaken.
Tang San remained silent. Bo Saixi's parting words had been deeply branded into his mind, and he turned them over carefully, probing the weight behind her warning. He realized that the High Priest's appearance must have been triggered by his Nine Trials of the Sea God. For her to be alarmed — and to declare that his trials concerned the fate of the entire island — why? In terms of raw power, he was only slightly stronger than his companions, yet his trials were clearly far more difficult than theirs. Why? At this moment, Tang San's mind was filled with questions.
Just then, the Sea Horse Douluo spoke. "Honored guests, please follow me."
A rich blue glow ignited in the Sea Horse Douluo Ouya's hand. With a gentle wave, a wondrous sight appeared: water from one side of the Sea Within the Sea surged upward and condensed in midair. In just a short time, it had formed a bridge. It did not lead back to where they had come from, but deeper into the forests of Sea God Island.
The Sea Horse Douluo's demeanor was exceedingly respectful — clearly a result of Bo Saixi's earlier words. For a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse to address them with such deference, the Shrek Seven Devils couldn't help but feel somewhat uneasy. Their gazes all drifted to Tang San.
Tang San gathered his thoughts. He knew now was not the time for deep contemplation. He returned the Sea Horse Douluo's courtesy and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior."
When they stepped onto the bridge of condensed seawater, they were surprised to find it felt as solid as ground beneath their feet. Below them was crystalline seawater, and this strange sensation filled everyone with a sense of novelty and curiosity.
Upon reaching the shore, ten yellow-robed sea Soul Masters immediately came forward, standing respectfully on either side and following along as the group advanced.
The Sea Horse Douluo did not walk at the front. At his own insistence, it was Tang San who led the way.
As they walked, the Sea Horse Douluo smiled and said, "Honored guests, welcome to Sea God Island. You will likely be living here for quite some time. Sea God Island has few strict rules. Once you are settled in Sea Horse City, you may decide for yourselves when to begin your trials — with the exception of this young lady, who has already completed hers. The rest of you must each complete one trial per year. You will sense the trial tasks bestowed by the Sea God in your own time. The tasks must be completed in sequence — only after finishing one will the conditions for the next be revealed, until all tasks are complete. Should you need anything, honored guests, do not hesitate to ask, and I will do my best to accommodate you. One more thing to note: on Sea God Island, you may go anywhere except the central restricted area. However, please do not cover the mark on your forehead — it is the symbol of your identity."
Tang San nodded. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. We will be in your care going forward."
The Sea Horse Douluo Ouya smiled. "Mr. Tang, there is no need for such formality. You are a guest designated by the High Priest herself. Simply give an order, and it will be done."