Tang San looked at his companions and said, "We've finally passed the first trial. No matter how difficult the second trial might be, we should all take a good rest now. Everyone's been pushed to the limit this past year. Let's rest for three days, properly recover our physical condition, then begin cultivating again. Over the coming period, our main focus will shift from Soul Power improvement to skill application and coordination. After all, everyone's Soul Power has grown dramatically, and we've gained more powerful Soul Skills. You all saw how hard the first trial was — the second trial definitely won't be any easier. We not only need to master our own abilities, but also our partners'. The more perfectly we coordinate, the better our chances of passing."
Dai Mubai nodded. "I have no objections. Let's do it. We can finally relax. Haha. Let's rest up — come on, Zhuqing, let's find somewhere to take a nap…"
Zhu Zhuqing shot him a glare, a blush spreading across her lovely face.
Oscar hadn't even opened his mouth before Ning Rongrong's displeased gaze was already fixed on him, so he had no choice but to swallow the words that had been on the tip of his tongue.
Just as everyone was about to disperse and rest, the big guy suddenly jumped out. "Wait, wait — don't rest yet! Brothers, sisters, you all have to bear witness for me!" As he spoke, he turned toward Bai Chenxiang, his face stuffed with a smile so wide that his little eyes were squeezed into mere slits by his chubby cheeks.
Bai Chenxiang looked at him, baffled. "What are you up to, you fat idiot?"
The smile on Ma Hongjun's face froze instantly, his small eyes going wide again. "You can't be serious — don't tell me you forgot! What did you say when Third Brother was attempting the first trial?"
Only then did everyone understand what the big guy was after. Bai Chenxiang had said that if Tang San safely passed the first trial, she would give the fat guy a chance. Others might have forgotten, but how could the big guy possibly forget something like that?
Bai Chenxiang finally realized what he was after. Feeling everyone's eyes on her, she said matter-of-factly, "I did say that. If Third Brother safely passed the first trial, I'd give you a chance. So I'm giving you your chance now! Whether you can win me over — that depends on your ability."
The big guy was stunned. He suddenly realized that Bai Chenxiang's promise might not be as favorable to him as he'd thought, and muttered, "That's not the same as accepting me… just a chance?"
Bai Chenxiang giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. "Getting a chance is already pretty good. Don't be ungrateful."
Ning Rongrong chimed in. "That's right, fatty. If you want to pursue Xiangxiang, your first priority is to lose weight. Look at all that fat on you — perfect timing, really. We don't have any more logistical support now, so you might as well work on burning off those extra pounds."
The big guy declared with righteous indignation, "So what if I've got a bit more meat on me? Fine, I'll lose weight! Xiangxiang, you've got to save that chance for me!"
Over the next three full days, none of the Shrek Seven Devils did any cultivating at all. The prolonged mental strain had pushed their minds nearly to the breaking point, and a full three days of complete relaxation was exactly what they needed.
Following Tang San's suggestion, they would not rush to attempt the second trial until both Oscar and Ma Hongjun reached Rank 70. So after the three days ended, everyone embarked on a new phase of training.
Without the pressure of the Sea God's Light, their cultivation speed naturally dropped significantly. Moreover, they had already reached fairly formidable levels of strength. Even advancing a single rank had become extremely difficult. Tang San, already at Rank 76, could clearly feel that while his Soul Power was still growing at a decent pace during cultivation, the next breakthrough was still far off — he had no idea when he would reach Rank 77.
Oscar might joke around every day, but he was undoubtedly the most diligent among them. No matter how many years had passed, he had never forgotten the promise he once made to Ning Rongrong. He wanted to protect the woman he loved with his own strength. The Mimic Clone Sausage had given him that ability, but it was far from enough. And Tang San's words had struck a deep chord with him. As a Food Type Soul Master, reaching Rank 70 was already exceptionally rare across the entire Soul Master world. And precisely because cultivation was so difficult, once a Food Type Soul Master reached Rank 70, their abilities would undergo a qualitative transformation. He had already witnessed Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure True Body — it reduced Soul Skill consumption by a full fifty percent! If his seventh Soul Skill could produce a similar effect, then not only could his buffs to his companions last longer, but the duration of his Mimic Clone Sausage would also be extended. Naturally, that would allow him to better protect his beloved and help his companions through the trials ahead.
Therefore, the moment the three-day rest was over, Oscar immediately threw himself into cultivation, spending just as much time as he had before — even with the Sea God's Light gone.
Seeing Oscar work this hard, the big guy naturally felt too embarrassed to slack off. His Soul Power had finally caught up with everyone else's, and he couldn't afford to relax now either.
However, their efforts somewhat disrupted Tang San's original plans. Without the fat guy and Oscar joining in, the group's coordination practice naturally suffered a bit. But they understood how eager Ma Hongjun and Oscar were to push for Rank 70, so Tang San, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong trained together on their own. After all, the combined power of those four was already terrifying.
Ning Rongrong focused primarily on her Multi-Mind Control technique. After years of effort, she had continuously advanced it from its original Three Aperture Shepherd's Heart stage, progressing through the Four Aperture Constant Heart and Five Aperture Scattered Heart. The further she progressed, the harder the technique became to cultivate — no easier than creating a new Soul Skill from scratch. Her current goal was to reach the Six Aperture Intentional Heart. Though her Soul Power was already comparable to her father's, there was still a considerable gap between them in terms of skill application and control. After all, Ning Fengzhi's Multi-Mind Control technique had already reached the pinnacle — the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart — allowing him to direct his various buffs with effortless precision. It would take Ning Rongrong a long time of dedicated effort to catch up to her father in this regard.
Tang San currently couldn't even use his Soul Skills. He could only rely on his most basic abilities and his Spirit Bone skills to train with everyone. Though unable to employ Soul Skills, Tang San's self-created techniques were numerous and powerful — the Tang Sect's Crane Control Dragon Catch, the Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons, and the Clear Sky Hammer techniques were all formidable abilities in their own right. Combined with his Spirit Bone skills, even without the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Skills, he was still far stronger than an ordinary Soul Saint.
Tang San was fully confident that once his Soul Skills were restored, even against an ordinary Titled Douluo, he would absolutely have the strength to fight. Two hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings and two hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bones were no joke. And on top of that, he still possessed the evolving external Spirit Bone — the Eight Spider Lances.
As for Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, their leap in power was no less dramatic than Tang San's. This was not reflected in their base Soul Power, but rather in their terrifying Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Both had reached the Martial Soul True Body realm, and their Nether White Tiger fusion had naturally ascended to yet another level. Tang San asked himself honestly — even in his strongest state with every Soul Skill available, going head-to-head against the Nether White Tiger would be utterly impossible. That alone spoke volumes about the heights this Martial Soul Fusion Technique had reached.
Such a combination was naturally astonishing in power, especially when the Nether White Tiger received the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's amplification. Tang San was certain that even a Rank 95 powerhouse would find it extremely difficult to face them head-on. However, while the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support for the Nether White Tiger's explosive power was immense, the Soul Power drain on Ning Rongrong was equally terrifying. Even with her Nine Treasure True Body active, she could only sustain it for thirty seconds. The Nether White Tiger at the Martial Soul True Body level was simply too overwhelmingly powerful.
Days passed one after another. Despite the dangers lurking all across the surrounding Ring Sea, the group remained entirely unaffected, spending each day in various forms of training. This trip to Sea God Island had always been a rare cultivation journey for the Shrek Seven Devils. Training together, exchanging pointers, and pushing each other forward — they progressed even faster than they would have on their own. As for food, while it was a bit unpleasant for everyone, it wasn't really a problem. With Oscar, a Food Type Soul Master, on hand, his sausages could easily feed not just eight people — at his current level, he could handle eight hundred without breaking a sweat. His Recovery Big Sausages could be produced by the hundreds in an instant. Add to that the edible plants and fruits Tang San located using his Blue Silver Domain's searching ability on Sea God Mountain, and keeping everyone fed and warm was no trouble at all.
Oscar's Soul Power had always been ahead of Ma Hongjun's, and before the one-rank bonus from the trial, he had already been close to advancing. So, three months later, he was the first to break through to Rank 70. The Sea God Douluo Bosei descended once again.
Watching the noble Sea God Douluo arrive, Oscar couldn't help but reveal a flash of intense excitement in his eyes. His heart roared — Rank 70, I've reached Rank 70 too! Who says Food Type Soul Masters can't be strong? I'm only twenty-four years old, and I've already reached the Soul Saint rank. Rongrong, don't worry — I will have the power to protect you in the future.
Bosei smiled faintly and delivered the last god-granted Soul Ring that the Shrek Seven Devils could accept, excluding Xiao Wu. Bathed in golden light, when the now-scarred Oscar sat down, he gave off an air of unwavering determination. And Oscar proved through his own actions that even though he was not a combat-type Soul Master, he possessed a willpower no less resolute than anyone else's. He endured the god-granted Soul Ring trial longer than Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ma Hongjun.
When Ning Rongrong watched Oscar looking as though he might collapse at any moment amid the raging golden light, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She understood that Oscar endured all of this — persisted so stubbornly — for her sake. As a Food Type Soul Master, he only needed the protection of his companions. But for her, the heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he had shouldered far more than any ordinary Food Type Soul Master ever would.
From the moment Oscar began the god-granted Soul Ring trial to the completion of the entire absorption process, a full day had passed. Although he hadn't suffered the tremendous impact that Tang San had when absorbing the hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring, the pressure on his own body was still considerable. After the absorption was finished, he spent another three full days in meditation before fully recovering. And during those three days, Ning Rongrong stayed by his side without once stepping away.
The absence of sunlight was truly uncomfortable. Without the warmth and nourishment of the sun, one's mood easily sank into depression.
Since the second trial had begun, the Shrek Seven Devils had not seen sunlight even once. The sky remained perpetually shrouded in dark clouds, and the waters of the Ring Sea never stopped boiling.
Grimacing, Tang San forced down the sausage Oscar had made. Even with his iron will, he couldn't help but frown. Eating the same sausage as a staple every single day — who could possibly enjoy that? Only Oscar himself ate with relish, showing not the slightest trace of boredom.
"Hey, Xiao Ao, you've had your seventh Soul Skill for over half a month now. How about showing us what it can do?" Dai Mubai said to Oscar between agonized bites of a Recovery Big Sausage.
The moment he heard those words, Oscar's expression changed. He looked up at the sky. "Nice weather we're having today!"
The big guy walked over from nearby. "Nice weather, my foot — quit dodging the question. Ever since you got that seventh Soul Ring, you've pulled this every single day. No matter how we ask, you won't tell us. What, keeping secrets from your own brothers? Could it be that your seventh Soul Skill is worthless? Don't worry — nobody's going to laugh at you. If it's a little weak, it's a little weak."
Oscar glared at the fat guy irritably. "Worthless, my foot! My seventh Soul Skill is far from weak! The effect would scare you to death. Hmph."
Ma Hongjun said gleefully, "Then why don't you show us? It's been so many days, and you won't even tell Rongrong. There's definitely something wrong with this Skill. Haha, I think I've figured it out — look, Third Brother's Martial Soul True Body transformed him into the Blue Silver Emperor, his whole body turning blue-gold, practically becoming the Blue Silver Emperor itself. Boss Dai's Martial Soul True Body turns him into a White Tiger, and Zhuqing becomes the Nether Spirit Cat. You — a guy whose Martial Soul is a sausage — when you activate your seventh Soul Skill, you're going to turn into a giant sausage, aren't you?"
Oscar's face went stiff. "You fat idiot, get lost! I'm not telling you anything. You think I'm as wretched as you?"
Ma Hongjun was completely unfazed. Mimicking Oscar's voice, he called out, "I have a great big sausage!" — who even came up with that incantation? "I'm wretched? When it comes to wretched, who can hold a candle to you?"
Hearing the fat guy's analysis, Ning Rongrong — still holding Oscar's hand — found her own expression stiffening slightly. She looked at Oscar and whispered, "You dead little Ao, don't tell me he actually guessed right. If your seventh Soul Ring really does turn you into a giant sausage, I… I… I…"
"It doesn't! Don't listen to his nonsense!" Oscar hastily explained.
Ning Rongrong asked curiously, "Then what is it? You won't even tell me. An ugly daughter-in-law still has to face her in-laws eventually — we'll all be working together. You can't exactly avoid using this important seventh Soul Skill forever. Sooner or later, everyone will know."
Oscar looked at the gleeful fat guy in front of him, then at the curious expressions on everyone else's faces. Defeated, he sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. Heavens above! Earth below! Respected Sea God — why must you torment me like this! Just let me die!"
A peal of thunder boomed across the sky, as if answering his words. Oscar flinched and clamped his mouth shut, not daring to complain any further.
Even Tang San couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ao, could your seventh Soul Skill really be related to turning into a sausage?"
Oscar stood up, his face a mask of righteous indignation. "It's not turning into a sausage, but it's not much better than that. Let me say this first — when I use my seventh Soul Skill, none of you are allowed to laugh. If anyone does, I swear I'll lose it."
The big guy standing in front of him immediately wiped the grin from his face. "No problem — we definitely won't laugh. Just show us already."
Oscar eyed everyone warily. They all nodded. But the gleam of barely suppressed amusement was already dancing in their eyes.
Just as Oscar was about to begin, Ning Rongrong interrupted him. "Wait a moment." She jumped up quickly, dashed over to Xiao Wu, and clutched her arm before turning back to look at Oscar — clearly seeking some emotional support.
Oscar gritted his teeth. As Ning Rongrong had said, everyone would find out sooner or later — better to get it over with now. If he accidentally used his seventh Soul Skill in battle and startled everyone into losing their composure, the consequences could be disastrous. With that thought, he finally stopped hesitating and released his seventh Soul Skill.
Oscar planted his feet apart, squatted slightly, took a deep breath, and clenched both fists with his arms extended straight before him, palms facing downward.