The thirty-three jade steps of the high platform glowed with a blue light. With each step Emperor Xue Ye took, soul rings blossomed from beneath his feet.
When the ninth pitch-black soul ring appeared, the audience erupted into thunderous cheers.
Numerous nobles stood up to congratulate Emperor Xue Ye.
Xue Ye lightly tapped his scepter, and his swan martial soul emitted a clear cry that instantly silenced all murmurs in the crowd.
"Since ascending the throne, I have not slackened for fifty years... The empire's prosperity is inseparable from your support."
"Today, I announce three matters to you all..." Xue Ye spoke eloquently.
As he delivered his speech, the grand ceremony proceeded smoothly. However, Xue Ye's heart sank uncontrollably.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud remained completely inert, as if it were nothing more than an ordinary object.
Just as Xue Ye was about to conclude the ceremony and give up, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud trembled slightly. Within it, the consciousness of the Sea God sensed unclaimed faith power and awakened.
"What has happened outside? What era is this?"
The fragment of the Sea God's consciousness within the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud originated over a millennium ago. When Poseidon, the Sea God, reached the peak of his existence in the god realm and sought to relinquish his divine position, he divided his inheritance artifacts and scattered them across Douluo Continent.
Even this fragment of divine consciousness retained extraordinary power when nurtured by faith energy.
With a sweep of his divine awareness, the Sea God quickly grasped the current situation—he was at the sacrificial ceremony of a nation.
"It seems one of my descendants from the last failed divine trial brought the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud back to their family."
"However, the Plane Consciousness of Douluo Planet seems unusually active, exerting some suppression on me. Will a chosen one emerge?"
(T/N: Should I call it Planar Will instead?)
Only a 1st Class God could possibly confront the Plane Consciousness directly. This fragment of divine consciousness, without the aid of his original body, couldn't even match a stronger demi-god follower.
Having originated as a god from Douluo Planet, the Sea God understood the conflict between gods and the Plane Consciousness.
From the perspective of Plane Consciousness, those who rise to greatness among its nurtured races should align themselves with it, obey its commands, and help strengthen the plane's essence.
But those capable of becoming gods Bo Saixiss wills of iron—how could they submit to the instincts of a mere plane?
Moreover, the existence of the god realm relies on the faith power drawn from various planes to sustain itself and free the gods from concerns of mortality.
Though called "faith power," it ultimately drains the plane's own strength when mortals' collective willpower converges.
After pondering for a moment, the Sea God focused his attention on Emperor Xue Ye.
"A decrepit old man who still managed to break through to Title Douluo—must have had some stroke of luck. Very well, I'll make do with him for now and contact my original body."
The Sea God's consciousness noted that the quality of soul masters around him far surpassed what he remembered. He mused that perhaps he could find a suitable successor.
Especially the chosen ones blessed by the plane's favor—they often transcended their era and would be perfect candidates to inherit his divine seat.
Meanwhile, Emperor Xue Ye believed he had finally earned the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud's recognition. Struggling to suppress his excitement, he calmly concluded the ceremony.
As he descended the steps, the Sea God's consciousness disdainfully absorbed some of his soul power, solidifying itself further.
The millennia-old national treasure, flowing with deep-sea-like dark patterns, caused sweat to bead on the emperor's forehead. He could clearly feel his soul power being voraciously devoured by some insatiable force, like facing a bottomless abyss.
Finally, after expending over half of his soul power and spiritual energy, he managed to satiate the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud's hunger.
In reality, most of the soul power was filtered out, serving merely as a catalyst to activate the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Within the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud's blue internal space, the Sea God's consciousness stretched out and expended energy to contact his original body in the god realm.
Soon, he received a response.
In the god realm, Poseidon, bored out of his mind, eagerly asked, "Have you found a successor?"
"Not yet."
"Then why are you bothering me?"
Poseidon's tone was impatient. He felt no patience for his own fragment of consciousness and harbored resentment toward the rules of the god realm.
This couldn't be done, that couldn't be done—it had left him unable to pass down his divine seat for so long, stuck at the peak of 1st Class Godhood, unable to roam freely in the universe.
But he couldn't defeat the God King, so he had no choice but to abide by the god realm's rules.
The Sea God's fragment was familiar with his own temperament. Before becoming a god, he had been a reckless and hotheaded figure roaming the seas. After ascending, the boredom of the god realm had smoothed out his temper, turning him into the dignified Sea God.
Suppressing his irritation, he said:
"My original self, take a look at Douluo Planet. Its Plane Consciousness is acting strangely—I dare not delve too deeply into its essence. Go see what's happening."
The Sea God lounged in a chair carved from deep blue gemstones and rolled his eyes upon hearing this.
"You make it sound easy. I'm not the God King—I can't casually probe the plane's essence, especially while remaining in the god realm."
"And interfering with Plane Consciousness, especially probing its essence, violates the god realm's rules. If Destruction learns of it, he'll definitely tear me apart."
That said, the Sea God had never been one to follow rules strictly. Besides, let's not forget—Douluo Planet was his home planet, and remnants of his divine consciousness and power still lingered on the Sea God Island.
Poseidon communicated with the Great Priestess, Bo Saixi, issuing an order: "Go and beat up the Deep Sea Demon Whale King."
In the Sea God Temple, Bo Saixi paused momentarily, puzzled by the Sea God's deeper intent. Still loyal, she bowed respectfully before the statue of the Sea God and replied, "As you command, Sea God."
Holding the Sea God's scepter, she flew to the deep sea region.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was sleeping peacefully with his wife and children in the depths of the ocean when he was suddenly disturbed by Bo Saixi. Furious, he emerged to battle her, and Bo Saixi quickly fell behind.
Thus, Bo Saixi prayed to her god for strength, and Poseidon naturally poured his power into the mortal realm.
The process strictly adhered to the rules of the god realm, leaving no room for error.
Poseidon skirted the edges of the rules, channeling extra energy to awaken the divine consciousness on the Sea God Island.
The divine consciousness stirred, and golden light illuminated the Sea God Island.
The island's residents knelt in prayer, but the Sea God paid them no heed. Bo Saixi quickly gained the upper hand against the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, and he resolved to end the fight swiftly.
Even a 1st Class God couldn't compare to the Silver Dragon King at the God King level, especially since this wasn't Poseidon's full power.
It took the Sea God five times longer than usual to locate the plane's essence.
After carefully examining it, his gaze immediately shifted to the eighteen visualization diagrams. Having ascended through faith energy, he understood the mechanics of faith better than the Silver Dragon King, who was born divine.
"Interesting… Ambitious indeed. Collecting faith energy from eighteen elemental attributes and convincing the Plane Consciousness to assist—these younger generations are no simple matter."
The Sea God immediately realized Gu La's plan. Anyone in the world practicing these eighteen visualization diagrams would unconsciously provide faith energy.
Unless they severed their connection to the plane—but no demi-god born within a plane could sever such an innate bond.
"Fascinating. If he truly succeeds, the vast amount of faith energy and the foundation of eighteen laws will weave an unknown divine seat. One thing is certain—at minimum, it guarantees 1st Class Godhood, with the potential to ascend directly to the God King level."
The Sea God shook his head inwardly: "What a shame—such a genius has his own ambitions and won't become my successor."
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