But just as the Sea Spear Douluo thrust his golden spear forward and everything seemed to be unfolding according to his script, a sudden wave of inexplicable fear surged through his heart. By the time he reacted, it was already too late. The attack bearing down on him — one that even he himself had believed impossible to withstand without prior preparation — vanished without the slightest warning. And at that very moment, a golden character for "kill," radiating no aura whatsoever, slammed into his gold-and-body-as-one golden spear from the side.
On the shore, a faint smile finally surfaced in Tang San's eyes. He said calmly, "Entering an opponent's domain of unknown attributes is the biggest mistake you made in this entire battle."
His words were clearly directed at the Sea Spear Douluo. The moment the Sea Spear Douluo had charged into Ning Rongrong's Illusory Space, Tang San's spiritual power had surged in after him at top speed, monitoring his energy fluctuations as thoroughly as possible. Indeed, the Sea Spear Douluo's earlier assessment had been correct — Tang San could track his movements through spiritual power, but he had no way of discerning his Soul Bone skills. However, when the Sea Spear Douluo launched a single attack and then immediately chose to separate his main body near the Sacred Pillar, Tang San had guessed that he must be plotting something.
On the surface, it appeared he intended to use the Sacred Pillar as cover to separate his main body. But with the strength of a Titled Douluo, he was obviously far from reaching the point where he could no longer sustain his Martial Soul True Body — and doing so was extremely dangerous. What the Sea Spear Douluo had overlooked was that he himself was already inside Ning Rongrong's Illusory Space.
Although the Illusory Space was not an innate domain and could not compare with Tang San's two domains, as a Soul Bone domain its function could not possibly be as simple as merely preventing the opponent's spiritual power from detecting things. The Illusory Space possessed only one skill: deception. It was under this domain's influence that the Sea Spear Douluo had made his catastrophic misjudgment.
The pressure from Dai Mubai's strike had been real. It was the genuine pressure brought about by a true attack. However, under the effect of the Illusory Space domain, the direction of that pressure had been shifted. It was as if the pressure of Dai Mubai's attack and his actual striking force had been separated. The pressure and killing intent came from one direction, while the real attack came from another. And because the direction from which the pressure emanated happened to lie directly between the Sea Spear Douluo and the Sacred Pillar of the Sea — perfectly matching the opponent's previously displayed cunning — the Sea Spear Douluo had harbored no suspicion whatsoever. All of it was under Tang San's control. No matter what tricks you employed, if they didn't target Dai Mubai directly, what good were they? And Dai Mubai striking from the side, landing a hit while the Sea Spear Douluo had no defenses whatsoever — even the Sea God Douluo Bosai Xi herself might have been injured.
Because just before launching the attack, the command Tang San had whispered into Dai Mubai's ear was: Exhilaration Pink Sausage, Transcendent Dark Green Sausage, Unyielding Golden Fly — consume them all. Martial Soul True Body combined with White Tiger Annihilation Kill. Plus Ning Rongrong's full-spectrum support — the resulting attack power was unimaginable.
If not for this, how could the Sea Spear Douluo have felt that Dai Mubai's attack power was comparable to his own eighth Soul Skill? After all, he was a Soul Master who was essentially a pure offense type!
Boom —
Shattered golden light erupted from within the Illusory Space, and at that very moment, the Illusory Space gradually dissipated. Ning Rongrong's domain, after all, was not an innate domain. Having transferred Dai Mubai's massive imposing aura and achieving its objective, it could no longer be maintained. But what did it matter? The goal had already been accomplished.
Dai Mubai and Ning Rongrong stood drenched on the platform of the Sacred Pillar of the Sea. Across from them, the Sea Spear Douluo — now separated from his spear — was gasping for air in great heaving breaths, barely propping himself up with the help of the golden spear in his hand, which now bore a layer of cracks. His chest was already stained red with blood.
He had heard the words Tang San spoke from the shore. He turned his head with great difficulty toward Tang San. "It was you?"
Tang San nodded. "Senior, your strength is truly formidable. In a direct confrontation, even if Mubai and Rongrong joined forces, they would be no match for you. Senior possesses unparalleled offensive power. Although you lost this battle, you were defeated by the combined efforts of four of us."
Oscar had not entered the fight directly, but his three sausages had further amplified Dai Mubai's power, nearly doubling the attack force of the White Tiger Annihilation Kill. Otherwise, how could the Sea Spear Douluo — fused body and spear — have been so easily broken?
The Sea Spear Douluo gasped uncontrollably, and with each ragged breath, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His injuries were clearly severe. Looking at Tang San, he asked with unwillingness, "Why? How could you predict every single one of my attacks?" The feeling of having been led by the nose in this battle would be something he would never forget for as long as he lived.
Tang San smiled faintly. "I am a Control Type Soul Master. As for the 'why' — you will understand soon enough."
At that moment, changes appeared on the foreheads of both Ning Rongrong and Dai Mubai. Shattered black light merged into Dai Mubai's forehead, while the red seven-pointed star on Ning Rongrong's forehead shot a beam of red light onto Dai Mubai before withdrawing back into her own body. Both received notification that their fifth trial's completion had risen to fifty percent.
A tiger's roar burst forth from Dai Mubai's mouth, exultant and unrestrained. Although he and Ning Rongrong had relied on Tang San's and Oscar's abilities in this battle, the two of them had been the ones who directly faced the Sea Spear Douluo — and they had faced him at full strength. As the strongest in offensive power among the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians, his rewards were anything but stingy. Dai Mubai's Soul Power had not merely increased by half a rank like Oscar's — it had jumped a full rank. This brought him truly to the level of the eightieth rank. No wonder he let out that roar of excitement.
Only then did the Sea Spear Douluo feel that his loss had not been entirely unjust. In terms of the Martial Soul itself, his Sea Spear was no inferior to Dai Mubai's White Tiger. But who would have thought that this fellow with the White Tiger Martial Soul, who looked like a mere Soul Saint, was already on the verge of breaking through to the eightieth rank? This battle had certainly been lost to their control tactics, but it had also been lost to his own underestimation of the enemy. If he had launched an all-out assault from the very beginning, perhaps the outcome would have been quite different.
Dai Mubai and Ning Rongrong simultaneously bowed slightly to the Sea Spear Douluo. The White Tiger, carrying the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile, leaped into the air, once again using the sea surface as a springboard to return to their companions' side.
The moment they landed on the shore, Tang San's shoulders swayed, and he was already drifting through the air. Faint ripples of energy swirled around his body. In the blink of an eye, he had ascended to the platform of the Sacred Pillar of the Sea. This time, he released Xiao Wu directly from his Myriad Treasure Pouch without even using the Boundless Sea Shield to conceal her. Given the Sea Spear Douluo's current state, if Tang San could not protect Xiao Wu under these conditions, he would not be Tang San.
"Although I would prefer not to challenge the senior under these circumstances, I have no choice if I wish to complete the fifth trial. Please forgive me, senior."
The Sea Spear Douluo now understood what Tang San's earlier words had meant. Though he was severely wounded, the moment he saw the resplendent golden trident mark on Tang San's forehead, he showed not the slightest intention of surrendering. He took a deep breath, forced down the blood that surged to his throat, steeled himself, and raised the golden spear before him.
"Come. Let me see what qualifications you have to receive the glory of the Sea God's Nine Trials." The Sea Spear Douluo was clearly not as easy to talk to as the Sea Horse Douluo. His gaze toward Tang San even carried a trace of jealousy and disdain. The jealousy, naturally, stemmed from Tang San's Sea God's Nine Trials, while the disdain was directed at Tang San for choosing this particular moment to issue his challenge.
Blue-gold light flowed and rippled. A wave of blue radiance surged outward from Tang San's body like a tidal wave, and eight perfectly orderly Soul Rings materialized gracefully around him. When the Sea Spear Douluo saw the three crimson Soul Rings — the highest tier — among them, he was completely stunned. Only in that moment did he truly understand that Tang San's acceptance of the Sea God's Nine Trials was by no means a matter of luck. Though this opponent before him possessed one fewer Soul Ring and there was a significant gap in Soul Power — could even he, at his absolute best, have defeated someone who wielded three hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings? Perhaps only that freak Hai Long stood a chance.
Tang San raised his right hand and pressed it against his trident mark. Instantly, his vast spiritual power took visible form, casting out waves of azure radiance. It carried not only the majesty of the Sea God's Light but also the sweeping tide of his immense spiritual fluctuations.
In that instant, all the seawater surrounding the Sacred Pillar of the Sea went completely still — as calm and smooth as a blue mirror. The column of golden light that had been erupting from the tip of the Sacred Pillar dimmed, flickered, and then vanished entirely.
The Sea Spear Douluo stumbled backward two steps, barely steadying himself once more with the aid of his spear.
Tang San had not launched a spiritual assault against him. Yet the aura that his spiritual power had released in that single instant was enough to prevent the gravely wounded Titled Douluo from standing firm.
The golden trident blazed with brilliant light. This time, without even awaiting the Sea Spear Douluo's acknowledgment, a magic rune on the Sacred Pillar of the Sea ignited, its light merging with the glow emanating from Tang San's golden trident mark. A voice echoed through Tang San's mind: "Trial of the Sacred Pillar of the Sea — Passed."
A flash of red light also flickered across Xiao Wu's forehead.
"Senior, are you satisfied with the answer I have given?" Tang San's gaze was calm as he regarded the Sea Spear Douluo.
A bitter smile touched the Sea Spear Douluo's lips. If there had been even a sliver of hope remaining before, there was none now. He knew that in no scenario could he defeat the young man standing before him.
Tang San did not disturb the dazed Sea Spear Douluo further. He left behind a Recovery Large Sausage, then took Xiao Wu and rose into the air, reuniting with his companions as they departed toward the location of the next Sacred Pillar.
It was a long while after they had gone that the Sea Spear Douluo finally collapsed to the ground. But the jealousy and disdain that had filled his eyes were completely gone. All that remained in his gaze was reverence. He bowed deeply and solemnly before the Sacred Pillar of the Sea, as though repenting for the arrogance he had held in his heart before.
The Shrek Seven Devils had not gone far when Dai Mubai spoke up. "Rongrong, hop on."
Dai Mubai had not retracted his Martial Soul True Body. Instead, he called out to Ning Rongrong, lowering his massive body to signal that she should climb onto his back.
Ning Rongrong was stunned for a moment. "Boss, what are you doing?"
Dai Mubai chuckled. "My trial is already complete, so there's nothing more for me to do. The expenditure just now wasn't all that much. But you still have two more tough battles to support. How can you recover your Soul Power fast enough? You and Xiao Ao both get on. I'll carry you. This way, we can save Little San some time while also letting you recover more Soul Power. You'll need it to keep helping everyone pass their trials. Although the fifth trial tests us individually, we can still leverage our team's strength. Only by doing so can we get through without it being so difficult."
Ma Hongjun was not having it. "Boss Dai, why won't you let me up too? My speed isn't fast either! And I need to conserve energy for the trials ahead."
"Pah. Keep dreaming. You fatty." Dai Mubai said, exasperated. "You're a Soul Saint, for crying out loud. If walking this little distance counts as expenditure, then all those years you've been training were for nothing. Trying to mooch a ride off me? Not a chance. My Zhuqing can ride if she wants."
Oscar shot Ma Hongjun a smug look and wasted no time clambering onto the great White Tiger's back, his expression radiating pure bliss. He pulled Ning Rongrong up as well, settling her in front of him.
"Little San, do you want to rest up here too?" Dai Mubai asked Tang San.
Tang San shook his head with a smile. "I'm fine. Even just walking, my Soul Power regenerates slowly. Next target — the Sacred Pillar of the Sea's Illusion."
The Sacred Pillar of the Sea's Illusion concerned only Tang San's own trial. He had chosen it for the third trial for his own reasons. Thanks to his companions' help, the difficulty of his fifth trial had been significantly reduced. But the battle at the Sacred Pillar of the Sea had given Tang San an inspiration. He had discovered that his spiritual power, which had ascended to the Vast Ocean realm, was far more useful than he had imagined. He had to make full use of it. In the trials to come, the Titled Douluo he truly had to face amounted to only three: the Sea Illusion Douluo, the Sea Star Douluo, and the Sea Dragon Douluo. Defeat all three in succession, and he would pass the fifth trial. Moreover, now that he had found a way to use his spiritual power to assist his companions in battle, the trials of Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun should not be too difficult either.
From the start of the fifth trial until now, less than two double-hours had passed — most of it spent traveling. The actual time spent in combat had been relatively small, especially for the first encounter, which had consumed very little.
Currently, the Soul Power levels of the Shrek Seven Devils were as follows:
Evil-Eyed White Tiger Dai Mubai — Rank 80, Assault Type Battle Soul Saint.
Big Sausage Uncle Oscar — Rank 77, Food Type Tool Soul Saint.
Thousand Hand Asura Tang San — Rank 84, Control Type Battle Soul Saint.
Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun — Rank 77, Assault Type Battle Soul Saint.
Soft Bone Delicate Rabbit Xiao Wu — Soul Power level unknown, body resistance greatly enhanced, aquatic combat abilities dramatically improved.
Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Ning Rongrong — Rank 77, Support Type Tool Soul Saint.
Nether Spirit Cat Zhu Zhuqing — Rank 78, Agility-Type Battle Soul Saint.
Among the seven, although Oscar had gained only a half-rank reward after completing the fifth trial, he had been cultivating at rank seventy-six for quite some time already, and that half-rank had been enough to push him to seventy-seven. The lowest among the Shrek Seven Devils was now rank seventy-seven. Aside from Tang San and Dai Mubai, who had already reached the Soul Douluo realm, the remaining five were all pushing toward that threshold as well.
In just a few short years, despite enduring so much hardship and training under incredibly difficult circumstances, their results had been nothing short of extraordinary. From an average rank of sixty to seventy, they had climbed to nearly eighty. For ordinary Soul Masters, this was a process that could take decades.
With Dai Mubai in his Martial Soul True Body form assisting the group's travel, their speed increased dramatically. In just over half a double-hour, they arrived at their next destination — the sea-within-the-sea where the Sacred Pillar of the Sea's Illusion stood.
It was as though they had been expected. When the group arrived, yellow-robed and purple-robed sea Soul Masters were already waiting at the forest's edge outside the sea-within-the-sea, guiding them to the shore.
The Sacred Pillar of the Sea's Illusion was entirely different from both the Sacred Pillar of the Sea and the Sacred Pillar of the Sea Horse that they had seen before. Those two pillars, though different, had each possessed a concrete, physical form. But the Sacred Pillar of the Sea's Illusion before them now was something far stranger.