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The Magic Whale Sea Region was very quiet. The sea surface looked like a clear mirror. The blue light of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was like a big bowl turned upside down. It covered the sea for ten miles around. Inside this light barrier, the giant body of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King floated quietly. It was two hundred meters long and glowed with a faint purple light.
Tang Chen sat cross-legged on top of the giant whale body. Nine spirit rings circled around him. Their colors were red, red, red, red, red, red, white-gold, red, and orange-gold. The nine spirit rings spun slowly. Each one gave off a powerful pressure that made the heart shake.
The outermost spirit ring was pure gold and was more than ten meters wide. Liquid golden light flowed across its surface. Inside the golden ring, you could see a small shadow of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King swimming.
Tang Chen had absorbed all the power of the million-year whale. His spirit power jumped from Rank 90 to Rank 96 in an instant. He leaped across six ranks and became a Super Douluo. But this was not just a simple increase in spirit power. The million-year insights of the whale, its control over water and lightning, and its massive life energy had all fused into his body.
Tang Chen slowly opened his eyes. A flash of deep purple appeared in his eyes and then disappeared. His eyes became a deep, icy blue. He raised his right hand and closed his fingers into a fist. Inside his palm, lightning flickered and water swirled. These were the traces of the Law, the start of the Divine Rank.
"Rank ninety-six," Tang Chen said softly to himself. "But my strength should already be at the level of a Limit Douluo."
He felt the power inside his body, but he did not look happy. He knew this was not the end. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was a Quasi-God. If he digested its full power, he could reach Rank 98. The rest of the power needed time to refine.
Suddenly, Tang Chen frowned and looked at the sky outside the blue barrier. Two figures were flying toward him very fast. One wore a red robe and was surrounded by the power of the Sea God. It was Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of Sea God Island. The other person was big and tall. He looked weak from injuries, but he still had a dominant and fierce aura. It was the righteous energy of the Clear Sky Douluo.
Tang Chen's eyes lit up. "Tang Chen?!"
He stood up quickly. With a single thought, the blue light of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud disappeared. The massive whale body, the golden spirit ring, and Tang Chen were all exposed to the open sky. The nine spirit rings, especially the bright golden one, shone under the sun and created a heavy pressure.
In the distance, Bo Saixi and Tang Chen stopped in the air. Their eyes went wide.
"That isâ" Bo Saixi turned pale with shock. Even with her great calm, her eyes were full of disbelief. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was dead. The massive whale body, the huge golden spirit ring, and the remaining energy proved the overlord of the sea was gone. And the young man standing on the whale was Tang Chen.
"Tang Chen?!" Tang Chen's voice shook with excitement and shock. He recognized the young man. They had only met once, but he could not mistake the dark red Asura Demon Sword stuck in the whale body. He had given that sword to his great-grandson himself.
"Great-Grandfather!" Tang Chen took a step forward and flew toward Tang Chen like a beam of light.
The two met in the air and looked at each other. Tang Chen looked at the young man. Tang Chen was not even twenty years old, but he stood straight like a pine tree. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He looked very much like Tang Chen did when he was young. His deep, sharp eyes looked exactly like the past Sect Masters of the Clear Sky Sect.
"You... You are..." Tang Chen's voice choked.
"Great-Grandfather, I am Tang Chen!" Tang Chen knelt on one knee in the air and saluted. "Fourth-generation Disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, son of Tang Hao, greetings to Great-Grandfather!"
Tang Chen trembled. It really was his own bloodline, a direct descendant of his clan.
"Good! Good! Good!" Tang Chen said the word three times. With shaking hands, he helped Tang Chen up and looked him over with pride.
Tang Chen said with concern, "Great-Grandfather, you are injured?"
"Injuries do not matter!" Tang Chen waved his hand and looked at the giant whale carcass. "Chen'er, did you kill this Deep Sea Demon Whale King?"
Tang Chen nodded. "Yes."
"By yourself?"
"Yes."
Tang Chen gasped. He knew how scary the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was. It was a million-year Spirit Beast and a Quasi-God. Even in his best days with the Asura Demon Sword, he was not sure he could win. Yet his great-grandson did it in his early twenties. Then Tang Chen noticed the nine spirit rings around Tang Chen, especially the golden one.
"Rank ninety-six?!" Tang Chen shouted. "What you just absorbed was..."
"The spirit ring of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King," Tang Chen said calmly. "A million years of cultivation."
Tang Chen became quiet. He looked at Tang Chen, the whale body, the golden ring, and the Asura Demon Sword. After a long time, he threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"Hahahahahaha!"
His laughter was full of pride and relief. His great-grandson had killed a Quasi-God whale as a Spirit Douluo, absorbed a million-year ring, and reached Rank 96. With such a genius, the Clear Sky Sect would surely flourish.
"Good! Good! Excellent!" Tang Chen clapped Tang Chen's shoulder heavily. Tears were in his eyes. "In my life, I am most proud of three things. First, becoming the Clear Sky Douluo. Second, meeting xi xi. And third, having a great-grandson like you!"
"Tang Chen." A soft voice came from the side.
Bo Saixi floated down and stood next to Tang Chen. Her beautiful face showed shock and curiosity as she looked at Tang Chen. A young man under twenty, at Rank 96, who killed the whale and held the Asura Demon Sword. When did such a monster appear on the continent?
Tang Chen remembered his lover was there. He pulled Tang Chen over. "Chen'er, this is Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of Sea God Island. She is also my..." He suddenly felt shy.
Bo Saixi smiled gently and said, "I am his fiancée."
Tang Chen was surprised. He bowed respectfully. "Junior Tang Chen greets the High Priestess."
"No need to be formal," Bo Saixi said, raising her hand to lift him with a gentle force. "Since you killed the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, you are stronger than me. In cultivation, we are equals."
Tang Chen shook his head. "You are Great-Grandfather's love, so you are my Great-Grandmother. I must show proper respect."
Bo Saixi was surprised, then she smiled with appreciation. This child was strong but humble and polite.
"Chen'er," Tang Chen asked, "why did you come to this sea, and how did you kill the whale?"
Tang Chen thought for a moment and told the truth. "Great-Grandfather, High Priestess, I came to this sea to go to Sea God Island."
"Sea God Island?" Bo Saixi raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Tang Chen nodded. "I came from the continent with my friends. I heard about the Seagod Nine Trials that help a Spirit Master break limits. On our way, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King attacked us. I had to fight back."
He spoke lightly, but they knew the battle was terrible. Bo Saixi nodded. This boy was incredibly talented, honest, and related to Tang Chen. If he took the Seagod Nine Trials, he might finish them.
"Then come with me to Sea God Island," Bo Saixi said with authority.
Tang Chen was surprised. "The High Priestess means..."
"Since you want to take the trials, I welcome you as the High Priestess," Bo Saixi said with a smile.
Tang Chen looked at Tang Chen, who nodded. "Go. With xi xi there, you will be fine. And..." He stopped with a complex look.
Tang Chen felt his heart tighten and bowed. "Yes, Great-Grandfather."
Bo Saixi did not waste time. She waved her hand, and a blue light covered the three of them. "Let's go back to Sea God Island."
They flew up and headed toward the island. Behind them, the massive whale body floated on the sea, waiting to be eaten by other sea beasts. The golden ring was gone, but the heavy energy kept the sea quiet for a hundred miles.
Far away under the sea, in a very deep trench, a pair of ancient eyes watched them leave. It remembered that aura, the sword, and the power of Asura. One day, it would come up to take revenge.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the shore of Sea God Island. The blue water hit the white sand. Seven tall sacred pillars stood like sharp swords in the sky, glowing with different lights. There was the blue Sea Dragon Pillar, the golden Sea Spear Pillar, the green Sea Horse Pillar, the red Sea Star Pillar, and the black Sea Ghost Pillar. The colors looked beautiful on the beach.
Bo Saixi landed with Tang Chen. Tang Chen was badly hurt, so he went straight to the Sea God Temple to rest. Before leaving, he patted Tang Chen's shoulder. "Do well in the trials. I have things to tell you after," he said, leaving with the other masters.
The sea breeze blew with a salty smell. Several guardians watched from afar with curiosity. They wondered if this young man was the guest who killed the million-year whale.
Bo Saixi ignored them and led Tang Chen to the center pillar. It was the main one, the Sea God Sacred Pillar. It was pure blue and very high. It had designs of waves, sea beasts, and the Sea God carved on it. Under the sun, it looked alive.
"This is the place," Bo Saixi stopped and turned to Tang Chen. "The Seagod Nine Trials are the best chance left by the Sea God. Each pillar tests a different level, and this one leads to the Nine Trials. Tang Chen, I will ask you one last time. Are you ready? Once you start, you cannot stop. You will face deadly danger, and you might die."
Tang Chen looked at her calmly. "High Priestess, I killed the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. Why would I fear a trial?"
Bo Saixi smiled. A person who killed that whale would not be scared.
"Good," she nodded. "Take three steps back, and I will start the ceremony."
Tang Chen stepped back. Bo Saixi took a deep breath. Her red robe moved, and blue ripples of Sea God power spread out. She raised her hands in an ancient sign and chanted softly.
"The ocean is endless, divine grace is vast. Sea God, I, your disciple Bo Saixi, open the gate of the sacred pillar. Bring the challenger inside, test his talent, and judge his level. If he has a destiny with the God, let it show."
The pillar burst with a huge blue light that shot into the sky. The designs on the pillar seemed to move. It felt like a pair of grand eyes opened in the light, looking down.
"Tang Chen!" Bo Saixi said loudly. "Put your hand on the pillar! It will judge your talent and pick your trial!"
Tang Chen stepped forward and raised his right hand. But right before he touched it, he stopped.
"High Priestess," he turned with an apology in his eyes. "Can you wait a moment?"
Bo Saixi was surprised. "What is wrong?"
Tang Chen did not answer. He raised his left hand and pressed his brow. A bright blue light appeared there. The light grew until a small blue barrier floated out into his palm. It was the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Bo Saixi's eyes went wide when she saw it. "This is?!" Her voice shook, and she forgot about the ceremony.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a treasure left by the Sea God Poseidon. It was a key part of the Sea God Trident, something the High Priestesses always wanted but never found. How did Tang Chen get it?
"How do you have the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud?!" Bo Saixi shouted in shock.
Tang Chen did not answer right away. He used his mind, and the blue barrier grew larger until it became a big light gate. Four people walked out of the gate slowly.
First was a girl in a dark green dress with a gentle face. She had a small mark between her eyebrows. She was Ye Lengleng, the master of the Nine Heart Begonia Spirit. Behind her was a tall, beautiful woman with purple hair named Dugu Yan, who had the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Spirit. The third was a small girl in a pink dress named Ning Rongrong, holding her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. The last person was a brave woman with blonde hair named Xiao Rui'er, carrying a golden dragon spear. They were the friends Tang Chen brought from the continent.