A faint light flickered in Tang San's blue eyes. "Mubai, I don't know if you noticed, but when that purple-robed Sea Soul Master heard that our first trial was the Light of the Sea God, there was even a hint of pity in his eyes. That tells you just how terrifying the Light of the Sea God must be."
Dai Mubai laughed despite himself. "Little San, you really are something. How about this—why don't you bring your Tang Sect over to the Xing Luo Empire? You can pick whatever position you want. What do you say?"
Tang San smiled. "Are you really trying to tempt me? Aren't you afraid the Tian Dou Empire would go to war with you over it? Transferring the Tang Sect to your Xing Luo Empire wouldn't be easy." Before he had left, Emperor Snow Night had gifted him the Vast Sea Cosmic Cover, and Snow Plum's attitude carried a subtle weight—there were undertones of the Emperor entrusting his legacy. From any perspective, Tang San could not leave the Tian Dou Empire for the Xing Luo Empire. He couldn't just think of himself; he had to consider the entire Tang Sect and how the Tian Dou Empire would react.
Dai Mubai sighed softly. "It seems all I can do is lament that Shrek Academy wasn't established in our Xing Luo Empire."
Once they had left Seahorse City, the purple-robed Sea Soul Master addressed the group. "From Seahorse City to the forbidden area, there is still a considerable distance ahead. Honored guests, shall we pick up the pace?"
Tang San asked, "How far is it from here?"
The purple-robed Sea Soul Master replied, "The forbidden area is located at the very center of the Ring Sea, in the middle of Sea God Island. From here, it's roughly two hundred li."
Hearing this, the group finally gained a concrete sense of the island's scale. This enormous landmass had a diameter of four hundred li—its sheer size was staggering.
"Then let's hurry along. We'll have to trouble you to lead the way." Two hundred li wasn't exactly far, but on foot, it would take at least a full day. Only by moving at full speed could they reach their destination in a reasonable time.
The purple-robed Sea Soul Master had directed all his questions to Tang San, which was clearly due to the golden trident mark on Tang San's forehead. With Tang San's approval, the Soul Master immediately released his Martial Soul. White, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black—seven Soul Rings materialized around him in stunning clarity. He was a Soul Saint.
Once his Martial Soul was released, his entire body was covered in a layer of fine scales, grey and lustrous. Since the group knew little about Sea Soul Masters, they couldn't identify what his Martial Soul was. After signaling to them, the purple-robed Soul Master suddenly accelerated. His method of movement was peculiar—his feet barely left the ground, yet his speed was astonishing, shooting forward like an arrow.
None of them dared to dawdle. They all released their own Martial Souls. Bai Chenxiang spread her wings and, in the blink of an eye, caught up behind the purple-robed Soul Saint. The others weren't far behind either—accelerating simultaneously as their Martial Souls manifested, they gave chase.
After the purple-robed Sea Soul Master had been traveling for a short while, he worried the group might not be able to keep up. After all, even though these were honored guests whom Seahorse Douluo had instructed them to respect, they were simply too young. But when he glanced back, he couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. Without holding anything back, he pushed himself to full speed. The image burned deepest in his mind was, of course, the one with the golden trident mark on his forehead and the brilliant red Soul Rings—Tang San.
Before long, the Shrek Seven Devils began to appreciate the differences between Sea Soul Masters and land-based Soul Masters. Generally speaking, once a Soul Master reached the rank of Soul Saint, they experienced a qualitative leap in power. This held true for both Sea Soul Masters and land-based Soul Masters. Naturally, this purple-robed Sea Soul Saint possessed far greater Soul Power than any of them. Yet even at full speed, he couldn't shake them—let alone the agility-type Zhu Zhuqing and the pure-speed Bai Chenxiang. Even the others kept up with ease. The strength a Sea Soul Master could exert on land was simply incomparable to that of a land-based Soul Master. Only the open sea was their true stage.
As a result, the group essentially matched the purple-robed Soul Master's top speed the entire way. Two hundred li would take an ordinary person two full days on foot, or an entire day on horseback. But for high-level Soul Masters sprinting at full power, it was barely an hour's journey. Since they had rested for an hour after lunch and it was already winter with early sunsets, by the time the setting sun dyed the horizon with a faint crimson glow, the Shrek Seven Devils finally arrived at their destination.
Passing through another stretch of dense forest, the moment the purple-robed Soul Master halted, the Shrek Seven Devils froze, stunned by the sight before them.
Shimmering waters reflected countless prismatic lights under the evening glow, and nestled within the embrace of that water lay a small island at the very center of the Ring Sea. The island's terrain rose high—roughly five hundred meters—and most remarkably, a faint golden luminescence enshrouded it. Though the glow was not intense, the Shrek Seven Devils could tell it was no reflection of the sunset; it was a radiance that belonged to the island itself.
At the island's summit stood a structure carved as if from white jade—square in shape, with a domed roof. From where they stood, they could only see the outermost perimeter composed of enormous white pillars. The entire building gleamed with a translucent, crystalline quality, suffused with a sacred brilliance.
"This is the forbidden area?" Dai Mubai murmured.
Devout reverence filled the purple-robed Sea Soul Master's eyes. "Yes. This is the forbidden area of our Sea God Island—the Sea God Temple, which enshrines the great Sea God. It is the sole structure atop Sea God Mountain, and it is the true Sea God Island, also known as the island within the island. Please look—directly before us is the stairway leading up the mountain. That is where you must undergo your trials: a total of one thousand and one steps. Only Sea God Island guardians who have passed the Sea God's trial at the purple rank or above are permitted to ascend those steps and enter the Sea God Temple to pay their respects. Otherwise, they will be blocked by the Light of the Sea God. If you wish to attempt the trial, you may go now. I will wait here for you. But please, do not make any noise on Sea God Mountain, lest you disturb the great Sea God."
The group looked in the direction he pointed. Indeed, from directly in front of the Sea God Temple, a stone stairway descended downward. Under the glow of the evening sky, the white steps reflected a soft radiance, like a jade ribbon draped gently across Sea God Mountain.
Exchanging glances, the Shrek Seven Devils were about to set off when the purple-robed Sea Soul Master seemed to remember something and hastily called out, "Honored guests, if the trial proves too much, do not force yourselves. As long as you quickly retreat down the mountain, you will come to no harm. The Light of the Sea God is likely the only non-lethal trial among those that await you in the future. So please don't worry too much about it."
Tang San smiled and nodded. "Thank you for the guidance. But there's no need for you to wait here for us. We have no idea how long this attempt will take. We've brought rations with us."
The purple-robed Sea Soul Master hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's quite all right—please don't concern yourselves with me. In truth, being permitted by the great Sea God to undergo the trial of the Light of the Sea God is a blessing. Only the black-rank trial includes this test. Without the Sea God's permission, even we Sea Soul Masters who have already passed our trials cannot enter the forbidden zone."
His words stirred something in Tang San's mind, but he said nothing more. He called to his companions, wrapped his arm around Xiao Wu's slender waist, and soared into the air first, heading straight for the Ring Sea.
The Ring Sea was roughly two hundred meters wide. The waves within were mild—though it was called a sea, it was essentially a ring-shaped lake. Of course, the water was still seawater. The only question was how one entered the island from here.
Since this was not a trial given by Seahorse Douluo, reaching the opposite shore of Sea God Mountain was far easier. Those who could fly did so, and those who couldn't simply relied on a single flight mushroom sausage from Oscar to reach the other side.
As they flew over the Ring Sea, they suddenly noticed that the moment they entered its boundaries, a faint layer of luminescence had emerged on everyone's body—everyone except Bai Chenxiang.
On Dai Mubai, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun, the glow was black. On Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu, it was red. And on Tang San, a pale golden light. The colors were identical to those that had finally stabilized when they received their trials.
And the very instant this light appeared on their bodies, the purple-robed Sea Soul Master on the shore turned pale and shouted, "This is bad!"
But his warning came too late. The moment the Shrek Seven Devils and Bai Chenxiang had just entered the Ring Sea's boundaries, they simultaneously felt an indescribable pressure surge upward from the water beneath them. Then, a massive dark shape burst from the surface, targeting Bai Chenxiang directly.
It was a fish, roughly five meters in length. Its front end bore a mouth shaped like a razor-sharp lance, accounting for more than a third of its body. Having lunged out of the water in an instant, its entire body shimmered with a black radiance as it accelerated once more, streaking toward Bai Chenxiang like a bolt of black lightning.
Tang San and the others had never anticipated such an ambush, and with Bai Chenxiang flying at the very front, there was no time to mount a rescue.
Fortunately, Bai Chenxiang had spent these past days with the Shrek Seven Devils, and both her knowledge and practical experience had grown considerably. Sensing the danger abruptly, her body jerked sideways in midair, shifting into an angled trajectory that barely, just barely, allowed her to dodge the black lightning's strike.
The purple-robed Sea Soul Master's shout had, of course, also reached the Shrek Seven Devils' ears. In this moment, their ability to adapt showed its worth.
Tang San handed Xiao Wu temporarily into Ning Rongrong's arms. The next instant, he had used Instant Transmission to appear beside Bai Chenxiang. A strand of Blue Silver Emperor lashed out, wrapping around her waist and securing her to his back. At the same time, he flung a Spider Web Binding toward the sea beast that had launched into the air. The others closed in rapidly as well. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing formed a triangular formation to shield Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu.
That strange fish was remarkably slippery. Despite Tang San's calculations being precise, it twisted its body with a subtle wriggle and actually changed direction in midair, transforming into a black streak that plunged back into the water. The surface grew calm once more.
"What just happened?" Ma Hongjun asked, his voice a mix of alarm and anger. The purple-robed Sea Soul Master hadn't told them that the Ring Sea contained Soul Beasts that would attack them.
Tang San extended his spiritual sense, carefully probing the energies within the Ring Sea, then glanced at the faint golden light surrounding his own body. His star-bright eyes flashed with understanding. "I've got it. This light on our bodies should be providing protective cover—it prevents the Soul Beasts in the Ring Sea from attacking us. But Xiangxiang doesn't have this task, so the Soul Beasts in the Ring Sea see her as an intruder and attacked her. Now that she's within the protection of my light, the Soul Beasts below shouldn't be able to sense her presence anymore, which is why they've stopped attacking. Let's move—let's get to shore first."
The others nodded at Tang San's analysis and immediately accelerated. Within a few breaths, they had successfully crossed the two-hundred-plus-meter Ring Sea and reached the opposite bank.
The purple-robed Sea Soul Master on the shore, however, stood frozen in bewilderment. He had indeed forgotten that one among Tang San's group had no eligibility to receive the Light of the Sea God trial. But what had just happened was still difficult for him to comprehend. In his memory, even Soul Masters who had been assigned the Light of the Sea God trial could not use their protective light to shield others safely through the Ring Sea. So how had Tang San managed it?
In truth, he had overlooked a crucial detail. The trident mark on Tang San's forehead had appeared for the very first time. How could the Sea God's trial possibly be equivalent to a mere black-rank trial?
They landed safely at the foot of Sea God Mountain, and Tang San released the Blue Silver Emperor strand that had been wound around Bai Chenxiang.
"Thank you, Third Brother." Bai Chenxiang glanced at Tang San and sighed inwardly. Deep in her heart, she believed Tang San was the most perfect man there was. But over these past days, she had heard the full story of Tang San and Xiao Wu from the others, and she understood that his heart belonged to one person alone. Perhaps it was precisely because the comparison was so stark that she found herself even less willing to accept Fatty.
"Don't mention it—we're all on the same side. Mubai, shall we give it a try first?" Tang San said to Dai Mubai.
The stairway leading up Sea God Mountain was just a few dozen meters ahead. The reason Tang San called Dai Mubai along rather than going alone was that his trial differed from the others' to some degree. Testing together would yield a more accurate answer.
The moment they set foot at the base of Sea God Mountain, they immediately sensed an atmosphere of majesty and solemnity pervading the area. It felt as though some peculiar energy was pressing down on them, and a heavy, oppressive feeling settled over their hearts.
"Let's go," was Dai Mubai's only reply. In the next instant, the two of them launched into the air, charging toward the stairway.
Bam—bam—two muffled impacts rang out almost simultaneously. The instant Dai Mubai and Tang San reached the base of the steps, they struck something invisible, and the next moment they were flung backward, sent tumbling more than ten meters. Fortunately, neither had charged with full force. Even so, they staggered back unsteadily before finally managing to plant their feet.
The two looked at each other and saw the same shock reflected in each other's eyes.
"What happened?" The others rushed over, and Oscar asked the question.
Dai Mubai said, "It was like slamming into an elastic wall. Whatever force I put into the charge was reflected straight back at me. There was no way to resist it at all. Little San, what about you?"
Tang San nodded. "Same here. It seems that from the stairway onward, we're within the true domain of the Light of the Sea God. Mubai, try firing a White Tiger Blazing Light Wave in a diagonal upward direction. Just use a small amount of Soul Power."
Dai Mubai nodded. He already had his Martial Soul released, and as his second Soul Ring blazed, he opened his mouth and spat—a beam of white light shot diagonally upward.
A wondrous scene unfolded. Everyone watched as a flash of faint golden light appeared, and Dai Mubai's White Tiger Blazing Light Wave merely paused for the briefest moment before being reflected back like lightning—even faster than when Dai Mubai had fired it. The target was Dai Mubai himself.
Tang San seemed to have anticipated this outcome all along. He threw a punch, and the internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill struck the air with a thunderclap-like boom, blocking the reflected White Tiger Blazing Light Wave.