It was precisely because of Xiao Bai's hesitation that before launching her next attack, she first released the domain behind her, allowing the other sea soul beasts to retreat swiftly to a distance. This process of releasing and reining back cost her several seconds.
Suddenly, Xiao Bai noticed that the enormous White Tiger before her seemed... different. Its body no longer appeared as solid as before. The energy surrounding it still looked terrifying, yet its very form was shifting toward transparency.
After all, Xiao Bai had cultivated in the ocean for over a hundred thousand years. In an instant, she realized what was happening.
She'd been tricked. They only had that one strike. The moment this thought flashed through her mind, she lunged toward the Phantom White Tiger like a bolt of lightning. But her realization came just a beat too late. The very instant she launched herself forward, Tang San's Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique — Nine-Nine Convergence — was already complete.
A peculiar silence swept across the Ring Sea. Xiao Bai's charging form froze for a split second, and simultaneously, the colossal Phantom White Tiger split apart once more, reverting into Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
A flash of silver gleamed at the corner of Xiao Wu's lips as a silver sausage slipped down her throat. Blue-gold light erupted violently, splitting into six streams that wound around the other six members of the team. At the same time, Ma Hongjun and Oscar — who had already retracted their phoenix flames — each consumed a silver sausage of their own. White light blazed from their bodies.
BOOM—
The Clear Sky Hammer finally struck. Black light wreathed in countless serpentine bolts of lightning surged forth like a great dragon charging through raging waves. Though the crystallized seawater was incredibly hard, it crumbled to nothing before this roaring black dragon in an instant. The fierce black light shattered the bounds of the domain, punching clean through the seawater at the opposite end of the Ring Sea. A deafening shattering sound rippled outward as the Ring Sea seemed to split apart. Countless cracks spread at a staggering speed in every direction.
Sealed and suppressed, Tang San had relied on his own seventy-eighth-level Soul Power, bolstered by the powerful auxiliary skills of Oscar and Ning Rongrong, to blast open a channel with the Clear Sky Hammer's devastating stacked strike technique.
Xiao Bai felt an irresistible force detonate through the water around her. It hadn't been aimed at her — it had targeted the domain she'd projected. Even though she had already advanced her domain to its third stage, in that single instant she realized she had completely severed her connection with the surrounding seawater. All that remained before her eyes was darkness.
A domain was intrinsically linked to its wielder. With the domain forcibly shattered, Xiao Bai suffered an unavoidable, devastating backlash. Blood sprayed from her massive jaws, dyeing the fractured seawater crimson, and she plunged into unconsciousness. Though the blackout didn't last long, for the Shrek Seven Devils — who had been waiting for exactly this — it was more than enough.
In all the world, which Martial Soul was the fastest? Without question, it was the Sharp-Tailed Swallow wielded by members of the Tang Sect's Agility Clan. Even though Bai Chenxiang's Soul Power was only at the fiftieth rank, with a mere four soul skills, her speed surpassed that of any member of the Shrek Seven Devils. And what Ma Hongjun and Oscar had just consumed were Mirror Image Sausages created by Oscar — using Bai Chenxiang's blood as a catalyst while under the effects of the Firm Gold Fly — that copied her swiftest abilities.
White wings unfurled behind their backs. Though they looked somewhat awkward, in this moment they were the only way to unleash their maximum speed.
Xiao Wu had consumed a Mirror Image Sausage crafted from Tang San's blood, transforming into the bridge that connected everyone through the Blue Silver Emperor. Ma Hongjun and Oscar, who had expended the least energy, used the Sharp-Tailed Swallow Mirror Image Sausages to become the perfect boosters. Tang San, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dai Mubai — all heavily drained — were linked together as one. Seven Devils, one body. In the next instant, they were over a hundred meters away.
Seven figures burst out of the Ring Sea in a slightly ragged formation. The very instant they cleared the water, the Ring Sea behind them collapsed with a thunderous roar. Towering waves surged and churned, producing an ear-splitting clamor.
They collapsed onto the beach, every one of them gasping for air in great heaves. To break through Xiao Bai's blockade, they had truly given everything they had. The flawless plan — the baiting, the deception, the skills Xiao Bai had never encountered before — had all become the tools of their escape. Only through that perfect execution had they succeeded in a single decisive strike.
With a splash, Xiao Bai's enormous head broke the surface. By now, the luminous barrier over the sea was slowly fading.
Glaring furiously at the seven humans sprawled across the beach, panting with exhilaration, Xiao Bai couldn't help but snarl, "You cunning lot. You'd better pray the remaining trials don't involve me — or you'll be sorry."
Oscar clambered to his feet with a laugh, flicked his arm, and sent a string of large sausages sailing toward Xiao Bai. "Eat up first. We'll deal with the rest later."
Xiao Bai opened her mouth, caught the sausages, and swallowed them. Looking at Oscar's cheerful grin, for some reason the anger in her heart eased a fraction.
Tang San had risen as well, standing beside Oscar. "Xiao Bai, I'm sorry. We had no choice but to hurt you."
Xiao Bai snorted twice. Feeling the restorative saausages easing her injuries, the corners of her mouth twitched several times — she wanted to curse, but no sound came out.
The others also stood up one by one, gathering around Tang San and Oscar. The seven of them exchanged glances, then simultaneously bowed toward Xiao Bai in the Ring Sea — a full ninety degrees.
"Thank you, Xiao Bai."
When they straightened up, Xiao Bai could clearly see the genuine smiles on each of their faces.
They... they were thanking her from the bottom of their hearts? Xiao Bai stared blankly at the humans before her, and an emotion she had never experienced before flowed quietly through her heart.
"I'm done with you foolish people. I'm leaving. Your remaining trials won't be easy either — be careful." Xiao Bai's voice echoed across the water's surface, but she had already turned and plunged back into the Ring Sea. Her body twisted several times and vanished like an arrow shot into the distance.
Watching Xiao Bai's retreating silhouette, every member of the Shrek Seven Devils felt a pang of wistful loss. For nearly a year, though it had been called a trial, Xiao Bai had in truth been their constant companion in cultivation. Without her, their teamwork and their ability to fight in water could never have grown so quickly. To them, Xiao Bai was both teacher and friend. That was why they thanked her sincerely — for everything she had done over the past year.
Just then, seven beams of light blazed to life on the foreheads of each of the Seven Devils. On Tang San's forehead, his golden trident mark projected the second light screen of the Sea God's Nine Trials, which shattered in an instant, dissolving into motes of light that sank into his body. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu projected blood-red screens, while the other four projected black ones.
"Sklfully integrating your companions' abilities and unleashing greater power to break through the defenses of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Demon Spirit Great White Shark King. Sea God's Second Trial — passed. Sea God Affinity increased by five percent. Total Affinity — ten percent."
Warm golden light suffused his entire body. This time, unlike when he had passed the first trial, Tang San felt that though his Soul Power had not recovered, his mental world — shaken by Xiao Bai's attack — had become completely clear, even more lucid than before. His spiritual power had risen noticeably. A layer of blue luminescence rippled across his whole body, then slowly seeped into his skin.
It was not the light of Blue Silver Grass, but rather an aura steeped in the essence of water.
The rewards for the others were identical to those from the first trial. Except for Xiao Wu and Tang San, each person's Soul Power increased by one rank. Ning Rongrong additionally received an extra five hundred years of cultivation on every Soul Ring, causing her first Soul Ring to turn purple. As for Xiao Wu, her reward was once again a simple stack of accumulated bonuses.
At the same time the second trial's rewards appeared, the prompt for the third trial materialized in each of their minds.
"Tempering the Body in the Tides? What does that mean?" Oscar asked, puzzled.
Tang San said, "It looks like the content of our third trial is the same again — Tempering the Body in the Tides for me too. But like the first trial where I had to traverse the Sea God's Light at double intensity, I have double Tempering the Body in the Tides."
"You'll soon understand what Tempering the Body in the Tides means. Follow me." The serene voice reached every ear. No one had noticed when the Sea God Douluo Bosai, dressed in her resplendent red robes and radiating noble authority, had appeared beside them. Gazing at the seven before her, Bosai's eyes shone with unmistakable approval. She was clearly gratified that the Shrek Seven Devils had collectively passed the second trial.
After speaking, Bosai turned and walked in the opposite direction from the Sea God Mountain. Her pace didn't appear fast — each step was light and effortless — yet when the Shrek Seven Devils snapped to attention and gave chase with all their might, they could barely keep up behind her. Ning Rongrong needed her companions' help just to keep pace. Bai Chenxiang, who had just flown over, didn't even have time to ask questions before hurrying to follow. Xiao Wu's soul had returned to her body, which Tang San carried.
Bosai walked for a full two hours. Given her level of cultivation, even though she had deliberately controlled her speed, the distance covered in those two hours was still considerable.
They passed through forests, crested hills, and encountered other inland seas on the Sea God Island. The seven followed closely behind Bosai, traversing nearly every type of terrain the island had to offer.
Just as they felt their Soul Power beginning to falter under the relentless pace, a deafening roar suddenly reached their ears. Though they couldn't yet see the source, the thunderous crashing sounded like rolling thunder from the heavens, growing louder and more powerful with each successive wave.
Bosai rose gracefully into the air, gliding as if freely soaring, and alighted upon a peak hundreds of meters ahead. The mountain was formed entirely of rock, completely barren, and jet-black throughout.
Hundreds of meters of elevation was nothing to the Shrek Seven Devils. They quickly scaled to the summit. And when they saw what lay before them, their hearts were struck with profound awe.
Spread out before them was a valley that cut inward from the edge of Sea God Island. Beyond it stretched the boundless ocean. The valley carved hundreds of meters into the island from the coastline, its walls and floor composed entirely of the same black rock beneath their feet — rock that felt as hard as steel just from standing on it.
None of this was what shocked the Shrek Seven Devils. The ocean was vast and magnificent, but they had seen its grandeur before. What truly stunned them was the spectacular scene of towering waves crashing against the shore within this valley carved into Sea God Island.
For reasons unknown, the once-calm waters outside Sea God Island transformed into furious, raging torrents the moment they entered this valley. The highest crests reached nearly a hundred meters, slamming down upon the rocks below with earth-shaking force — and that was the source of the deafening roar. The majestic, overwhelming power of nature left every one of them feeling small and silent. Compared to the ocean, they felt utterly insignificant.
"This is where your third trial takes place. It is called the Raging Waves Abyss — one of Sea God Island's legendary wonders. Even soul beasts like the Demon Spirit Great White Shark would never come here. It is one of the rare places in the sea where soul beasts are completely absent. Do you know why this valley exists?"
Dai Mubai ventured hesitantly, "Wasn't it carved out by the waves?"
Bosai replied evenly, "You guessed correctly. This valley was formed exactly that way. Under constant bombardment, the rock was compressed over time. If you get the chance, try breaking a piece — the rocks here have been struck for so long that not only are they as hard as fine steel, but their density is extraordinary. For their volume, they weigh nearly as much as silver."
Tang San asked, "Then our task is precisely..."
As he spoke, Bosai slowly raised both hands. In an instant, a ring of sea-blue light radiated outward from her body, and nine distinct Soul Rings materialized. What struck the Shrek Seven Devils with horror was that among Bosai's nine rings, the first eight were all black — and only the final one was red.
Eight Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and one Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring? Forget witnessing such a thing — they had never even heard of it. Though the Seven Devils had long estimated Bosai's power, actually seeing such a terrifying combination of Soul Rings rise around her sent shockwaves of astonishment and fear through every one of them deeper than anything they had ever felt.
How had she accomplished this? Was she perhaps also a Twin Martial Soul wielder, with the rings they saw belonging to her second, later-awakened soul?
No — that wasn't it. Tang San quickly dismissed the thought. Behind Bosai, a massive spectral silhouette had already emerged. They couldn't make out its exact form, but the aura of divine majesty, combined with everything they had heard about Bosai, told them the truth: the Sea God Douluo's Martial Soul was the Sea God itself. Given her unwavering loyalty to the Sea God and her role as the God's mortal spokesperson, how could she possibly possess a second Martial Soul?
The blue light spread over them all without bringing the slightest trace of pressure. That seemingly gentle radiance, devoid of any discernible fluctuations of Soul Power, was not any of Bosai's soul skills. It seemed that at her level, whether or not one used soul skills was no longer the deciding factor in battle.