Half a year later, at the foot of Seagod Mountain.
The Shrek Seven Devils stood in a neat line, silently watching the white figure struggling to ascend the stairway leading to the Seagod Temple.
Today was the final day of the first trial of the Seagod's test they needed to pass. They had left themselves no way out — they would only have one chance to clear it. Neither Tang San nor any of his companions dared say they could complete this trial with absolute certainty. That was precisely why they had to burn their boats and launch this final assault. Only when there was no retreat could they draw out their potential to the fullest.
A full year had passed, and the Shrek Seven Devils' spirits had improved dramatically. In each of their eyes burned a steadfastness that had not existed before they came here.
Enduring tremendous pressure and cultivating relentlessly until now, they had made tremendous progress in body, Soul Power, and willpower alike.
Just one month ago, Dai Mubai had finally completed his qualitative transformation. With the help of the god-granted Soul Ring, he had broken through the bottleneck of the seventieth rank, reaching the same Soul Saint realm as Tang San. The others had all made varying degrees of improvement as well.
The current Soul Power levels of the Shrek Seven Devils were:
Evil-Eyed White Tiger Dai Mubai — seventy-first rank, Soul Saint, Assault Type Battle Soul Master.
Uncle Big Sausage Oscar — sixty-eighth rank, Soul Emperor, Food Type Tool Soul Master.
Thousand Hand Asura Tang San — seventy-sixth rank, Soul Saint, Control Type Battle Soul Master.
Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun — sixty-eighth rank, Soul Emperor, Assault Type Battle Soul Master.
Soft Bone Bewitching Rabbit Xiao Wu — Soul Power unknown, physical resistance greatly increased.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Ning Rongrong — sixty-ninth rank, Soul Emperor, Support Type Tool Soul Master.
Nether Spirit Cat Zhu Zhuqing — sixty-ninth rank, Soul Emperor, Agility Assault Type Battle Soul Master.
A full year of bitter cultivation within the Seagod's Light had allowed each of them to grow enormously, with Soul Power increases of at least seven ranks. At their level of cultivation, this was a task that was virtually impossible to accomplish.
At the same time, over this year they had put in tremendous effort, cultivating almost without sleep or rest. Even so, they had still fallen short of their original goal. Apart from Tang San and Dai Mubai, the others had failed to break through to the seventieth rank and achieve that qualitative leap. Still, even so, they believed in themselves — they absolutely had the ability to pass this first trial.
Right now, the one climbing the stairway was Bai Chenxiang. Before the Shrek Seven Devils officially began their assault on the first trial, Bai Chenxiang was testing her own progress.
Although she had long since reached the fiftieth rank in Soul Power, she had been unable to continue improving because she lacked a Soul Ring. Yet the months of bitter cultivation had greatly enhanced her body's resistance to pressure. Tang San was certain that once she obtained her fifth Soul Ring, her Soul Power would experience a leap in growth. As for exactly how far it would rise, even he couldn't guess. But what Tang San could be sure of was that over the past year, Bai Chenxiang's quiet efforts had been no less than those of the seven of them. Or rather, under the influence of the Shrek Seven Devils, Bai Chenxiang had gained an entirely new understanding of cultivation. She was no longer the pampered young lady of the Agility Clan.
"Fatty, how far do you think Xiangxiang can climb?" Oscar nudged Ma Hongjun, who was watching Bai Chenxiang with complete concentration.
Ma Hongjun shook his head. "Hard to say. I've never seen her push herself to the limit before. But I believe her gains this year have been enormous. Not just improvements to her body and Soul Power — more importantly, the tempering of her heart. With a year of experience in the Seagod's Light, whether it's her or us, the way we face hardship is completely different from before. No more fear, no more retreat — only the will to conquer."
Hearing the Fatty's words, Oscar looked at him as if seeing him for the first time, startled. "Well, I'll be! Fatty, since when did you start talking so philosophically?"
Ma Hongjun's gaze never left the climbing Bai Chenxiang. He gave a snort. "Don't worship me, bro. I'm just a legend."
"A legend, my foot. Xiangxiang's about to hit her limit."
Sure enough, Bai Chenxiang had now climbed to the fifty-seventh step — a height she had never reached before. Her ascent relied on no one's help; it was entirely under her own power. Her body trembled as she pressed forward. Each step had become extraordinarily difficult.
Yet there was not a shred of surrender in Bai Chenxiang. She clenched her teeth, tilted her body slightly, and pushed the Soul Power within her to its absolute limit. The wings that appeared upon releasing her Martial Soul were folded tightly against her back to minimize resistance as much as possible. She continued upward.
Fifty-eight. Fifty-nine. Sixty. Those three steps took her an entire incense stick's worth of time. It was no longer just the golden glow surrounding Bai Chenxiang — dense mist had enveloped her as well, born of the sweat her body was evaporating under the strain.
This was her final chance to push forward. Bai Chenxiang had no intention of giving up easily, but her body had reached its absolute limit. At the sixtieth step, she lifted her leg time and again, only to set it back down each time.
No — I can still go further, even if it's only one more step. Bai Chenxiang screamed silently in her heart.
She did not possess the monstrous talent of the Shrek Seven Devils, but after spending all this time with them, her heart had been thoroughly infected by their spirit. In particular, Tang San's never-say-die attitude while enduring the god-granted Soul Ring's trial had struck her deeply. She had come to understand just how important effort after birth was to becoming a truly powerful Soul Master.
From sixty to sixty-one — just a single step, yet for Bai Chenxiang it represented a breakthrough of the heart. Her strength was not enough, but she would absolutely not give up.
Below, Ma Hongjun watched her with fists clenched unconsciously tight. Come on, Xiangxiang. You can do this. You definitely can.
For the ninth time, Bai Chenxiang raised her right leg. This time, she did not lower it. Instead, she forced it forward in a agonizing step. It felt as though countless invisible forces were pulling her back from behind — even advancing a single inch was impossibly hard.
A faint redness began to appear on Bai Chenxiang's snow-white clothing — blood seeping from her pores under the crushing pressure. It was clear just how severely she was overtaxing her body. And yet, even so, that raised leg of hers continued to push forward, forward…
"Xiangxiang, give up!" Ma Hongjun could no longer endure the torment. He surged a step forward and screamed hoarsely.
"No—!" Bai Chenxiang suddenly roared aloud. A burst of blood mist erupted from her body. In the next instant, her foot finally landed on the sixty-first step.
Bang! That blood-tinged white figure shot skyward like a cannonball. Having reached the sixty-first step, Bai Chenxiang could no longer withstand the Seagod's Light's immense pressure, and her body was hurled upward.
A sorrowful phoenix cry rang out almost simultaneously. A gold-and-red figure soared into the air, catching the swallow-like figure — as though its wings had been clipped — in mid-flight. He held her delicate body tightly as they descended. Tears streamed uncontrollably down the Fatty's face as he let out a roar of fury at the woman he loved — for the first time.
"You idiot, why did you push yourself that far?"
Falling into Ma Hongjun's warm and broad embrace, Bai Chenxiang's entire body went limp. She could not muster a shred of strength, but a smile of release graced her pretty face. "I… I don't want to fall too far behind all of you… You need to… keep going too."
Those were the only words she managed before losing consciousness in Ma Hongjun's arms.
Just then, the direction of the Seagod Temple suddenly blazed with light. A beam of purple radiance descended from the heavens, striking Bai Chenxiang's forehead in a straight line.
The yellow point of light that had reappeared after completing the trial now shifted under the purple glow, gradually transforming from yellow to purple.
"Your perseverance and your effort have exceeded the limits of the yellow tier. Lord Seagod has granted you purple-tier authority as an exceptional honor. Your trial has been upgraded to the purple tier."
The voice of Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi drifted over, ethereal and faint. Though the foot of the mountain was hundreds of meters below the Seagod Temple, her voice sounded as though it were right beside their ears.
Bai Chenxiang had earned the Seagod's recognition through her perseverance. Her trial had been elevated directly from a yellow-tier first trial to a purple-tier first trial. Her own Soul Power had undergone subtle changes as well. However, the true benefits would only manifest after she obtained her Soul Ring. At the same time, having passed the purple-tier trial, she would no longer be attacked when crossing the Ring Sea, and she had also earned the right to ascend Seagod Mountain.
Watching the Fatty hold Bai Chenxiang tenderly in his arms, the gazes of Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing converged in midair. Tang San slowly raised his clenched right fist, looking at each of his companions, and spoke in a deep voice: "It's our turn. Xiao Ao, you go first. Mubai second, Zhuqing third, Fatty fourth, Rongrong fifth. I'll be last. Let's begin."
Tang San's arrangement had been carefully considered. Oscar was placed first because he would need to produce recovery sausages for everyone afterward — the Clone Mirror Sausages he needed had already been prepared in advance. Dai Mubai was undoubtedly the one who needed the least assistance; while he was clearing the trial, Oscar could also rest and then continue making sausages for the others. Each person's trial would require Ning Rongrong's help, so she was placed second to last. After the first several people completed their trials, she could recover her Soul Power before facing her own test. Tang San was placed last because his trial was the most grueling. He would also need continuous support from his companions. Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Light had limited range; unless she passed her trial first, she would not be able to provide sustained assistance to Tang San, who needed to climb three hundred and thirty-three steps. Of course, there was one other critical reason — everyone also needed the support of his two great Domains.
Oscar stretched his body vigorously and sent everyone a confident look before walking to the base of the stairway.
"Xiao Ao, remember — when you need to take another Clone Mirror Sausage midway through, do it in advance. You can't afford any pauses in your advance. My Domain and Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Light will accompany you all the way. You can do this."
Oscar nodded firmly, took out a Clone Mirror Sausage, and ate it. Accompanied by a series of cracking sounds from his bones, his muscles instantly swelled, and his entire demeanor turned sharp.
He had, naturally, consumed a Clone Sausage made from Dai Mubai's blood. The moment its effects took hold, he wasted no time casting Dai Mubai's three great enhancement skills upon himself — White Tiger Body Shield, White Tiger Diamond Transformation, and White Tiger Ghost God Transformation.
Shrouded in brilliant golden light, Oscar began his ascent. The very instant he took his first step, Ning Rongrong — who had been ready and waiting — launched the radiance of her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Tower. Strength, Agility, Soul Power, and Defense — four enhancement skills struck Oscar simultaneously, causing the golden light around his body to flare even brighter. At the same moment, one blue and one white beam of light surged outward from beneath Tang San's feet, enveloping both himself and Oscar in an instant, completing the most powerful enhancement effect possible.
Oscar felt as though he had stepped into a world where blue and white light alternately dazzled. Without a moment's hesitation, he began to climb.
The Evil-Eyed White Tiger's three great enhancement Soul Skills, Ning Rongrong's four Nine Treasure Glazed Tile support abilities, and Tang San's two Domains that had already attained their seventh Soul Rings — with this many buffs layered upon him, Oscar practically flew up the steps.
For the first fifty steps, he barely expended any effort. Tang San followed closely behind him the entire time; the closer the distance, the stronger his Domain's effect. To give Oscar the best possible boost, Tang San did not hesitate to spend extra Soul Power climbing alongside him. Though for Tang San now, even a hundred and eight steps were nothing.
After fifty steps, Oscar's speed slowed noticeably. His stride became solid — firm and powerful, yet without a single pause as he continued upward. He knew that for him, the real trial was only just beginning.
Sixty, seventy, eighty — the next thirty steps posed no obstruction either. When he reached the eightieth step, more than half of the Clone Mirror Sausage's three-minute duration had elapsed. Oscar took out a second Clone Sausage and ate it.
From here, his climb became visibly more difficult. With each step forward, his body swayed slightly. But his stride remained stable, right up until the ninetieth step, where Oscar took his first pause.
The overwhelming pressure, combined with the hazy glow surrounding his body, had drenched him in sweat. Fortunately, the Blue Silver Domain was constantly stimulating the life force within him, and the Killing God Domain bestowed upon him an unparalleled sense of confidence, allowing him to press on.