Tang San spoke with a grave expression: "Just now, Qian Renxue sent me a message through the ocean. If I'm not mistaken, what she meant by 'wait' was to wait for me at the shore — wait for me after I've inherited the Sea God's mantle. Only by defeating me, who has also reached the god level, will the shadow I've cast in her heart finally disappear completely. Moreover, through fighting me, she must have also identified her own shortcomings. Perfecting her abilities is far more important to her than quickly destroying the Tian Dou and Star Luo Empires. As long as she can fully master the Angel God's powers and then kill me, unifying the continent is only a matter of time. Conversely, if she acts rashly and hurries to help the Spirit Empire's armies sweep through Tian Dou and Star Luo, then once I become a god and counterattack, all her efforts will have been for nothing. Qian Renxue is an intelligent woman — she would never agree to such a losing proposition. Therefore, I'm certain she will stay by the shore, waiting for my return while refining her own strength, so she can truly master all the Angel God's abilities."
Dai Mubai suddenly realized the truth. "So that's how it is. No wonder you weren't worried about her going to the Tian Dou Empire to cause trouble. But what if she goes to the front lines, crushes the Tian Dou armies, and captures our family and friends to threaten us?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Tang San shook his head. "That won't happen. A powerful being has a powerful being's dignity. Although I haven't interacted much with Qian Renxue, this woman is extraordinarily proud. She would never stoop to such a thing. If it were Bibi Dong, there might be a chance — but with Qian Renxue, absolutely not. So, at the very least, the front lines will be safe for the time being. Even so, I must obtain the Sea God's inheritance as quickly as possible and strangle every unfavorable possibility in its cradle. We're racing against time."
At that moment, Tang San suddenly looked down beneath the Ocean Guardian Shield. The Great White Sharks carrying them had just shifted direction slightly, and their speed had slowed.
The others reacted a beat slower than Tang San but quickly noticed the change as well. Before they could voice any questions, through the clear seawater, a massive silhouette in the distance already revealed the reason for the sharks' change. Though still far away, using his Purple Extreme Demon Eye, Tang San immediately recognized the figure — it was none other than the King of the Great White Sharks, their friend Xiao Bai!
Xiao Bai's form was as agile as ever. She had naturally sensed the presence of her kin, and her body accelerated once more. In just a moment, she had closed the distance. Her massive body executed a nimble twist through the seawater, as though escorting them, and she moved alongside her kin to travel together. At the same time, Xiao Bai's voice vibrated through the waves and penetrated the Ocean Guardian Shield. Though she couldn't see them, she naturally knew that Tang San and the others were riding on her kin.
"You've finally arrived. What was that just now? Tang San, whose voice was that? It was terrifying." A Soul Beast's senses were far more sensitive than a human's. Xiao Bai had also been within the area covered by Qian Renxue's divine sense transmission, so she had naturally heard Qian Renxue's voice. Even now, bringing it up sent a chill through her — her body trembled ever so slightly.
Tang San gave a wry smile and explained. After hearing his account, Xiao Bai's eyes went wide. "A god is actually about to appear? It seems the continent is going to descend into chaos. I once heard my elders say that gods always appear in pairs, restraining one another. Tang San, it seems you must become the Sea God as quickly as possible. Only then can you restrain that Angel God."
Tang San said, "That's exactly my plan. But before that, I need to complete the Sea God's Eighth Trial and increase my second Martial Soul to nine rings."
Xiao Bai replied, "I know what you're here for. I came quickly for two reasons — one, to help you, and two, to warn you. Bo Saixi asked me to pass along a message: the Deep Sea Demon Whale King is no ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast. Its cultivation depth is unfathomable, and even she might not be able to defeat it. You must be extremely cautious."
Tang San said, "The Deep Sea Demon Whale King is a sea Soul Beast. Xiao Bai, you must know far more about it than we do. Tell us about the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's abilities and overall strength, so we can come up with a way to deal with it."
Xiao Bai flicked her enormous tail. "What I know is also quite limited. You really are going to have to face a tough nut to crack this time. Even the entire Evil Spirit Orca pack combined probably wouldn't be as terrifying as this creature. Otherwise, with the Evil Spirit Orcas' aggressive nature, how could they possibly leave the Deep Sea Demon Whale King alone? Killing it would undoubtedly yield enormous benefits."
Oscar said, "Xiao Bai, just tell us already. How powerful is this Deep Sea Demon Whale King, exactly?"
"What's the rush? Even Tang San isn't rushing yet. Hmph." Xiao Bai loved nothing more than arguing with Oscar, and she couldn't help but retort at the sound of his voice. Still, she went on to share what she knew about the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
"Tang San, to be honest, I've never seen the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. I know absolutely nothing about its abilities." Xiao Bai's very first sentence took Tang San completely by surprise.
Tang San frowned. "But aren't you, the Evil Spirit Orca King, and the Deep Sea Demon Whale King known as the three great overlords of the sea? How can you say you've never even seen it?"
Xiao Bai smiled bitterly. "Three great overlords of the sea? That's just a title you humans forced onto us. I've never acknowledged it. Do you have any idea how vast the ocean is? In this world, the ocean's area is four times that of the land. So don't assume that land Soul Beasts are numerous — in truth, sea Soul Beasts outnumber land Soul Beasts by an almost inconceivable margin. Land Soul Beasts can only live on a single plane, but in our ocean, Soul Beasts can survive at any depth. Moreover, sea Soul Beasts — especially those in the deep ocean and the far seas — are rarely disturbed by you humans, so our growth is far easier than that of land Soul Beasts. As long as one is individually powerful and the clan possesses considerable strength, survival comes easily. That's why there are far more hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts in the ocean than on land — at least a hundredfold more. Three great overlords of the sea? To me, that title is nothing but a joke. If you said we were the three great overlords of Soul Land's coastal waters, that might be closer to the mark. In the far seas and the deep ocean, who knows how many hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts lurk. Of course, our Great White Sharks are among the more formidable clans in the sea."
Tang San said in astonishment, "So you're saying there could be hundreds — even thousands — of hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts in the ocean?"
Xiao Bai replied, "You could say that. But don't make the mistake of thinking that because there are so many sea Soul Beasts, there must also be many powerful sea Soul Masters. Quite the opposite — precisely because sea Soul Beasts are so powerful, you humans don't dare venture into the deep ocean or the far seas to hunt. Sea Soul Beasts are far more unified than land Soul Beasts. When Soul Masters come hunting, they'll swarm and attack together without hesitation. Last time, if it hadn't been for us cooperating with you against the Evil Spirit Orca pack, you would have faced far more than just that one clan. Even if you'd destroyed the Evil Spirit Orcas, you'd have been intercepted by other powerful beings in the ocean."
Tang San nodded. "All of that makes sense, but what does it have to do with the Deep Sea Demon Whale King?"
Xiao Bai said, "I'm telling you all of this to illustrate its power from another angle. Do you know why I've never seen it? Because the moment I was born, my elders gave me a strict order: no member of our clan was ever to enter the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's territory. Not just us — if I'm not mistaken, the Evil Spirit Orca King received the same warning from his elders. But that fellow is bold. He once tried to enter the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's territory. I don't know what happened, but after that incident, the Evil Spirit Orca pack didn't launch a single attack against us for a full hundred years. They clearly took a massive beating."
Tang San suddenly understood, and his eyes widened. "You mean to tell me that the Deep Sea Demon Whale King is no longer subject to the age limit that restricts Soul Beasts after a hundred thousand years — that it won't die after living another ten thousand years?"
Xiao Bai said, "You're clever, much more than some people. That's exactly what I mean. Even I don't know how many years the Deep Sea Demon Whale King has been alive. When I was born, it was already the undisputed overlord of these waters. I wouldn't dare defy the orders passed down by my elders, so I've never approached its territory — at most, I've caught a glimpse from very far away. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King is an extremely lazy creature and never leaves its territory. Mostly it stays hidden in the deep ocean, and no one knows what it does. Of course, if anyone dares to invade its territory, it won't show mercy. That's why the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's waters have always been forbidden ground for human ships."
Tang San knew this firsthand. He nodded. "Hearing you say this, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King really does sound like an incredibly difficult opponent. Its cultivation has to be at least over two hundred thousand years."
Xiao Bai said, "Possibly more. I can tell you with certainty that not only do I not know its actual age, but no sea Soul Beast in these waters knows either. However, there is one thing I can confirm. Although the title of 'three great overlords of the sea' was forced upon us by you humans and I'm ashamed to accept it, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King being called an overlord is absolutely fitting. Moreover, it is likely the single greatest overlord in the entire ocean. An overlord without equal — even without your human god-level power, it would probably be nearly there."
The Shrek Seven Devils all drew in a sharp breath almost simultaneously, immediately grasping the severity of the problem. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King had originally been nothing more than an enormous hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast in their minds, but after hearing Xiao Bai's words, that estimate instantly transformed into something far more ominous: an enemy of unknown power.
Tang San's mind immediately went into overdrive. In general, a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast's cultivation was equivalent to a Titled Douluo among human Soul Masters. And particularly powerful hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts — such as the Forest King Cyan Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape — were on par with Titled Douluo above the ninety-fifth level. Without question, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's power was far more terrifying than Da Ming and Er Ming's, and certainly surpassed that range. If even Sea God Titled Douluo Bo Saixi wasn't confident in killing it, then this creature's strength likely rivaled that of a peak ninety-ninth-level Titled Douluo. However, it could not be a god-level powerhouse — of this, Tang San was certain. Otherwise, it would have long since become the second Sea God, and he would never have escaped last time, no matter what.
Having reached these conclusions, Tang San's expression grew even more solemn. If his calculations were correct, then they would be facing an opponent equivalent to Bo Saixi herself, and on her home turf — the ocean she knew best. If the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's strength equaled Bo Saixi's, then its control over the sea could very well exceed hers. After all, it had lived in the ocean its entire existence, and who knew to what degree its cultivation had reached?
Giving up was absolutely out of the question. Without killing the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, there would be no inheriting the Sea God's divine throne. This battle was unavoidable. The light in Tang San's eyes gradually turned resolute. Back when he was only at the ninety-third level, he had managed to defeat Bibi Dong using various means. Now he was at the ninety-sixth level and had grasped the mysteries of the Grand Zan Chisel Hammer. Could he really not handle the Deep Sea Demon Whale King? Whether for the sake of vengeance or for the divine inheritance, that ocean overlord had to die.
Having made up his mind, Tang San's expression gradually returned to normal. He had already vaguely guessed that the true difficulty of the Sea God's Eighth Trial was killing the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. A Soul Beast that even the Sea God himself had mentioned — and one serving as the final obstacle of the ninth trial's eighth test — was naturally going to be formidable. Moreover, if he could slay this ocean overlord, it would serve as proof that he possessed the strength to defeat any sea Soul Beast. Only then, after becoming the Sea God, would he be able to command the submission of the four seas. Completing this eighth trial was therefore a necessary stepping stone on the path to godhood — a way to pave the road ahead.
"Xiao Bai, how much longer until we reach the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's territory from here?" This time they had entered the ocean from a different direction than before, so he naturally didn't know the distance.
Xiao Bai replied, "At maximum speed, about three days — roughly the same as the journey back to Sea God Island. Tang San, have you prepared yourself to face it?"
Tang San nodded. "I will defeat it. Three days is more than enough time for me to prepare."
Under Xiao Bai's guidance, the Great White Sharks accelerated with all their strength, surging toward their target. Tang San, meanwhile, settled into calm focus — recovering the strength he had previously overtaxed while making detailed plans for the decisive battle that would determine whether he could become the Sea God. He had never lacked confidence. Besides, no matter how powerful the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was, it couldn't possibly be more powerful than Qian Renxue, could it?
But this was the one point on which Tang San's judgment was wrong. In the depths of the ocean, Qian Renxue might not necessarily be able to kill the Deep Sea Demon Whale King either.
Three days passed quickly. For the Shrek Seven Devils, these three days of life at sea were anything but dull. In addition to cultivating, Tang San laid out a detailed battle plan. The busiest among them was Oscar, who spent every moment atop the Great White Shark's back crafting all manner of sausages.
The Great White Sharks gradually slowed. Without Xiao Bai needing to say a word, Tang San knew they were approaching the Demon Whale's territory — only a short stretch remained before they reached their destination.
Sitting cross-legged on the back of a deep-sea demon whale, Tang San gently stroked the Sea God's Trident resting across his knees. Long gone were the days when he could only wield this divine artifact stiffly, as when he had first obtained it. Now, as long as he willed it, he could effortlessly control the trident's weight — like right now, the deep-sea demon whale beneath him couldn't feel the terrifying one hundred and eight thousand jin of the Sea God's Trident at all. Otherwise, it couldn't have carried him forward.
However, ever since the Sea God's descent had helped him escape Qian Renxue's pursuit, Tang San could still use and control the trident's weight, but he could no longer communicate with it. It seemed no longer like a divine artifact, but merely a weapon of terrifying weight and extraordinary durability.
Whenever Tang San gazed at the empty diamond-shaped socket beneath the main blade, he felt a pang of desolation. Because of him, the Sea God's Heart had shattered. A divine artifact without its heart and soul — how could it still radiate the splendor it once had?