At that moment, four dazzling beams of light shone from their foreheads.
The golden trident imprint on Yu Tianming's forehead projected the second light screen of the Sea God's Nine Trials.
Simultaneously, a majestic voice echoed in his mind. "Second Sea God Trial, passed. Sea God affinity increased by 10%." Then, the light screen shattered, turning into golden specks that merged into his body.
The red seven-pointed and eight-pointed stars on the foreheads of Dugu Yan and Ah Zhi also projected red light screens, which soon shattered as well.
Yu Tianming looked at the three girls. "What kind of rewards did you get?"
Ah Zhu, her complexion fully restored, was the first to speak. "Same as last time, 3000 years of soul ring cultivation."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan and Ah Zhi replied in unison, "Ours is also 3000 years of soul ring cultivation."
After speaking, the two glanced at each other. Dugu Yan couldn't help but laugh and said to Yu Tianming, "Looks like the Sea God thinks you helped us all equally this time, Tianming."
Yu Tianming shook his head with a helpless smile and said, "I guess your third trial is also body tempering by the tides, just like mine."
The three girls nodded.
Dugu Yan asked with a puzzled look, "Tidal Body Tempering? There weren't any extra instructions. How do we do it?"
Before her voice faded, Bo Saixi appeared beside them in her red robes, smiling gently. "Follow me. I'll lead you through this trial. You'll soon understand what tidal body tempering means."
With that, Bo Saixi turned and walked in the opposite direction of Sea God Mountain. Though her steps seemed calm and unhurried, only Yu Tianming among the four could keep pace. The others had to push themselves to barely catch up.
Bo Saixi walked for a full three hours. Though she deliberately slowed her pace, the distance they covered was still considerable due to her strength.
They passed through forests and climbed hills until they reached a barren rocky peak. Here, a deafening roar echoed like thunder from the sky, growing louder and louder.
Bo Saixi floated up to the summit, and Yu Tianming spread his wings. Dugu Yan wrapped her arms around his neck while Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi held his arms. He carried the three girls as they flew after Bo Saixi.
As they crested the peak, the three girls, lacking long-range perception abilities, were stunned by the scene before them.
An endless ocean stretched out before them. Beneath their feet lay a recessed valley carved into the island's edge, stretching several hundred meters inland. The ground was covered in pitch-black stone, barren and hard as steel.
Though they had seen vast oceans before, what truly amazed them was the scene within the valley—towering waves crashing violently against the rocks.
For reasons unknown, the calm sea around Sea God Island turned into raging waves once it entered the valley. The tallest waves soared over a hundred meters high, like a massive curtain smashing into the rocks below them.
To put it in perspective, a regular six-story building is only about 20 meters tall. A hundred-meter wave would be like five such buildings stacked together. Standing before it made them feel utterly insignificant.
The thunderous rumble came from these waves. The sheer power of nature left them breathless.
Bo Saixi explained, "This is where your third trial will take place. One of the wonders of Sea God Island—Raging Wave Abyss. It's one of the rare regions in the ocean completely devoid of sea soul beasts. Even a species as powerful as the Devil Soul Great White Shark wouldn't dare come here. Do you know how this valley was formed?"
Dugu Yan hesitantly replied, "Could it have been carved out by the waves?"
"You guessed right. This valley was indeed shaped by the sea. After eons of crashing waves, the rocks here are not only as hard as refined steel but also extremely dense—comparable in weight to silver of the same size."
Bo Saixi slowly raised her hands, and behind her emerged a massive projection. Though they couldn't see its face clearly, its majestic aura made it unmistakably the Sea God, just like the symbol of the Martial Soul Hall.
Nine soul rings rose beneath her feet—eight black and the ninth a brilliant red.
The three girls had all received top-tier red assessments, increasing their soul ring years each time. Bo Saixi, being the Sea God's representative, had clearly undergone similar trials and benefited from them.
As she released her martial soul, a sea-blue light imbued with a trace of divine power spread out from her.
The blue light illuminated everything without any soul power pressure, bringing a calm instead. This gentle radiance was not one of Bo Saixi's soul skills. At her level, using soul skills was no longer essential in combat.
The blue light spread to every corner of the valley.
Then, the previously roaring waves suddenly calmed. It was as if the hundred-meter waves had been forcibly pressed down into the sea by Bo Saixi's seemingly tranquil light.
Yu Tianming's expression flickered. He had seen Title Douluos fight, but none quite like this. If ordinary Title Douluos wielded the power of men, then Bo Saixi—at level 99—seemed to command the power of nature itself.
If Qian Daoliu without divine power was just barely stronger than Tang Chen, then Qian Daoliu with divine power would be like Bo Saixi now—a demigod in form.
As the blue light intensified, Yu Tianming clearly saw a strong blue glow flash in Bo Saixi's eyes. Then, from the calmed sea, four grey pillars slowly rose.
Each had a horizontal piece at the top, forming oddly proportioned crosses. Five grey rings were fastened to each of them.
"This is where your third trial takes place. I'll stay here and oversee the entire process. If any of you can't endure it, call out for help."
Her gaze swept across the group. "Those undertaking the Seven Trials must spend 180 days this year on the Sinking Silver Pillars, each session lasting five hours. Eight Trial takers must last six hours. As for the Nine Trial participant—you must endure for ten hours. Failure to meet this requirement will result in trial failure."
Yu Tianming nodded. Maybe it was because the three girls were only Soul Kings and not like the Shrek team with their average Soul Sage level, or maybe because this kind of wave pressure didn't challenge him as the Nine Trial taker—but the difficulty seemed lowered significantly.
The girls finally understood what the third trial entailed. They had to withstand the assault of these raging waves atop the Sinking Silver Pillars—this was tidal body tempering.
Soaked clothes would only cling uncomfortably to their bodies, and saltwater corroded fabric. With daily exposure to such waves, no number of outfits would last.
Yu Tianming took off his shirt and stood bare-chested before Bo Saixi. "Senior, please start the trial. As for the rest, just do your best—don't push yourselves too hard."
Bo Saixi nodded and addressed the girls. "You can try as well. I'll remain here to treat your injuries if necessary."
The three girls exchanged a glance and also removed their outer clothes, revealing two pieces of close-fitting armor underneath—like short-sleeved tops and shorts. They didn't appear revealing.
Though not divine artifacts like the Eight-Treasure Wishful Soft Armor Lou Gao made for Xiao Wu, these armor pieces were just a step below that tier and offered solid protection against the waves.
Without speaking, they demonstrated their resolve. Bo Saixi, seeing this, waved a sheet of blue light that wrapped around each of them.
In a flash, they felt their bodies lighten and floated downward, each landing on a Sinking Silver Pillar.
The four pillars formed a diamond shape. Naturally, Yu Tianming landed on the frontmost pillar. A silver light flared, and he felt his body tighten—his limbs bound to the cross-like structure by the five grey rings around his neck, waist, wrists, and ankles. He looked as if crucified.
The other girls experienced the same. Dugu Yan and Ah Zhi landed on the two middle pillars, and Ah Zhu took the rearmost one.
As Bo Saixi slowly lowered her hands, the blue light faded, replaced by a rising pressure in the girls' hearts. Remembering the earlier scene of crashing waves, even though they were nearing Soul Emperor level, they felt uneasy.
Without Bo Saixi's control, the sea below began to boil. The fifty-meter drop looked steep, but as the waves surged, the ocean surface rose ever closer.
Soon, the thunderous roar of waves crashing against rocks returned.
In a flash, a massive wave rose to their level and smashed into Yu Tianming. Then it slammed into Dugu Yan, Ah Zhi, and finally Ah Zhu.
Bound by the rings, they didn't need to fear being swept away. The pillars remained immovable.
Still, watching the giant waves crash into the girls made Yu Tianming's chest tighten.
Anyone who's jumped into water knows how painful it can be if the posture is wrong—even a three-meter drop can leave your chest stinging.
In Yu Tianming's perception, the wave was powerful, but to Soul Kings like the girls, it only reddened their exposed skin. They could endure the first wave.
But before it even fully receded, the second wave arrived. Since their position was close to the shore, the waves surged to nearly a hundred meters before crashing down again. While the girls were toughened by training on Sea God Mountain, they'd soon feel it.
After about ten strikes, they had to start circulating their soul power to withstand the impact. Their skin, muscles, meridians, and bones all became numb—not painful, but completely numb.
The pounding waves felt like a powerful soul master repeatedly striking them with energy. Within just fifteen minutes, they endured hundreds of impacts, and the numbness gradually gave way to pain.
They also discovered that all auxiliary-type soul skills were useless during this trial. Fortunately, none of them relied heavily on support abilities like Shrek's team.
Yu Tianming fared the best. With his body strength, the waves didn't harm him at all. He was now convinced the trial time was shortened because it posed no challenge to him.
Dugu Yan and Ah Zhi held up well. Dugu Yan had taken a body-enhancing immortal herb, and Ah Zhi, as a defense-type sea soul master with two 50,000-year soul rings, only frowned slightly under the pressure.
Ah Zhu was in the worst shape. Though furthest back and least exposed, her body was the weakest. Without the Sea God's Light and her sect-provided armor, she might've already lost consciousness. Still, gritting her teeth, she refused to fall behind.
To them, the Sinking Silver Pillars were like anvils, their bodies the metal, and the endless waves the blacksmith's hammer.
Bo Saixi sat cross-legged atop the mountain, watching them quietly.
On this first attempt, even the resilient Dugu Yan could only last two hours before her body lost all feeling.
When the three girls were pulled ashore by Bo Saixi, they collapsed helplessly. But after a brief recovery from her healing, they immediately asked to continue the trial—eager to meet the daily requirement.
Each day held twelve hours. Even the lowest requirement—Ah Zhu's five hours—meant they had to spend nearly all day on the pillars, only stopping to eat and sleep.
(End of Chapter)
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