Punishment and Gain, One Year LaterPoseidon Mountain, Poseidon Temple.
Standing in front of the Temple of the Sea God, countless thick jade pillars come into view, each engraved with the shapes of various sea spirit beasts.
"Dai Yao, come in. Actually, now is not the right time for you to come. You will only be qualified to enter the Temple of the Sea God after you take the seventh test."
Poseidon sighed, speaking helplessly. But the current situation left her no choice but to disregard the rules of inheritance. She slowly pushed open the temple door, revealing the pitch-black Sea God Temple.
Unlike those solemn and magnificent palaces, the Temple of Poseidon was unusually simple in its decorations. Inside, there wasn't a single window; it was pitch black. In the center of the temple, a long staff could be vaguely seen, driven into the ground. This was Poseidon's weapon, the Trident.
"Qualifications? Isn't it just inheriting the divine position of a deity? What's there to hide?"
"Dai Yao," with his black hair and black eyes, said disdainfully.
Poseidon paused, turned to look at Dai Yao, and slowly asked:
How did you know?
"Because I have seen a successor of a god on the continent, and it seems that he has already gone through the eighth or even the ninth test. I am afraid that a god will appear on the Douluo Continent soon. And the Ninth Test of the Sea God that I am undergoing should be the test to inherit the position of the Sea God."
"Unlike the inheritance of the Sea God and the inheritance of the Angel, that inheritor did not have someone like the High Priest to open the door of inheritance for her during the ninth trial."
'Dai Yao' was indifferent to the Dao.
But these two short sentences stirred up a storm in Poseidon's heart.
How did Dai Yao know the progress of that divine successor? For that successor to tell Dai Yao such a secret, their relationship must be extremely close.
What shocked her even more was the second sentence. No one like her had opened the Gate of Inheritance during the Ninth Trial. This secret, aside from the guardians of the gods, was known to probably no more than five people. How did Dai Yao know this?
Poseidon gazed intently at Dai Yao, as if trying to see right through her, and asked solemnly:
"Dai Yao, how do you know what will happen during the ninth trial of the divine inheritance?"
Dai Yao glanced at Poseidon and said calmly, "Because I have met Qian Daoliu, the Limit Douluo who serves the Angel God. So I understand your killing intent towards me. After all, I wouldn't be able to remain calm if someone were to sacrifice their life for someone they've never met."
"But understanding doesn't mean forgiveness. Tell me, how do you intend to earn my forgiveness?"
Poseidon, of course, wouldn't act like a naive young girl who, out of spite, ignores Dai Yao simply because she'll have to sacrifice herself for him in the future. She sacrifices herself for Dai Yao because of her mission, her destined fate as the High Priest. And her use of the Demon Soul Great White Shark to murder Dai Yao is driven by her own selfish desires.
The two should not be confused.
He sighed softly, and with a flick of his hand, a golden bead appeared in his palm—the precious divinely bestowed soul ring.
"Dai Yao, these are the two divinely bestowed soul rings I received as a reward when I completed the eighth Red-level trial. After all these years, I still have one left. Consider this my compensation to you, how about it?"
Poseidon looked at Dai Yao and said with a slight apology.
Dai Yao accepted the divinely bestowed soul ring without hesitation, saying as he did so:
"Is my life only worth a single divinely bestowed soul ring? Senior, you've been a high priest for so many years, surely you don't have any treasures on you?! Even if you don't, a few soul rings or soul bones would be fine."
Even with Poseidon's composure, she felt somewhat annoyed by Dai Yao's increasingly demanding requests. Dai Yao was all too aware of the preciousness of a divinely bestowed soul ring. But what could she say? In a moment of carelessness, she had harbored wicked thoughts and was being manipulated by a young man in this way.
Poseidon couldn't help but sigh softly. With a flick of her delicate hand, two items appeared out of thin air and floated in the air.
One was a blue bone, emanating a chilling aura; the other was a dark, crystalline substance.
"I am the High Priest of Seagod Island, the guardian of the sea, so I haven't hunted too many soul beasts. This soul bone comes from an evil soul beast in the ocean, with 80,000 to 90,000 years of cultivation. I obtained it after killing it. Its quality is extremely rare among soul bones, but it's not quite suitable for you."
"And this black crystal is a ten-thousand-year-old whale glue, which can greatly enhance physical strength and even increase the limit of the number of years that can be absorbed into a soul ring."
Poseidon explained, then looked at Dai Yao and said frankly:
"These two items are already my most precious treasures. If you are still not satisfied, then I have nothing better to offer."
Upon seeing the ancient whale glue, Dai Yao was overjoyed, but his face remained impassive.
Ten-thousand-year-old whale glue only appears in *Douluo Continent II: The Peerless Tang Sect*. Its function, as Poseidon stated, is to enhance a Soul Master's physical strength and allow them to absorb Soul Rings of higher age. Generally speaking, a thousand-year-old whale glue allows the body to absorb Soul Rings at least five hundred years older than the maximum age limit.
The elixir of the ten-thousand-year-old whale can enhance physical strength by at least five thousand years!
Dai Yao had always worried that Ning Rongrong, as a support-type Soul Master, would suffer far more pain than in the original story during the third trial.
After all, in this life, without Oscar, a food-type Soul Master, to help Ning Rongrong recover, the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue, although not as effective as Oscar's recovery, could still greatly alleviate Ning Rongrong's pain.
Actually, this was because Dai Yao was too worried. Relying on her own strength, Ning Rongrong climbed the 228th step. Her physical fitness was even stronger than Dai Mubai's in the original work, so how could she not withstand the third test of the Tide Body Refinement?
"With the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue, Ning Rongrong's problem is solved, and Bai Chenxiang might even be able to try the opportunity of Tidal Body Refinement. However, this Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue does have a side effect; Dai Yao is quite fortunate..."
Looking at the dark crystal in his hand, Dai Yao thought to himself with a wicked smile.
Immediately, he slightly raised his head and looked at Poseidon. His face no longer showed the aggressive and playful expression he had when he was pressuring Poseidon; instead, it was filled with extreme indifference.
Meeting Dai Yao's emotionless black eyes, Poseidon felt as if she were being watched by a apex predator, and she was the prey. Despite being a level 99 powerhouse, Poseidon's body tensed up; it was... fear?
'Dai Yao' stared at Poseidon, slowly stepped forward, and approached Poseidon step by step.
The force field surrounding the Peerless Douluo seemed to have no effect on Dai Yao, who was still at the Soul Saint level. Poseidon remained unmoved, leaning on her tall scepter, quietly watching Dai Yao.
Only when he was close enough to see the pores on Poseidon's face did he stop and meet her gaze. After a long while, he said coldly:
"Let's leave it at that. If there's a next time, the consequences won't be so easily overlooked..."
As soon as he finished speaking, to Poseidon's astonishment, Dai Yao visibly changed. The black in his pupils gradually faded, and a bright gold, like a flame, ignited his pupils, slowly filling them completely. Not only that, but the black hair behind Dai Yao was also replaced by a brilliant gold.
Upon seeing Poseidon so close, Dai Yao was visibly startled. He quickly regained his composure, took a step back, and abandoned his aggressive stance.
"Dai Yao, what's going on?"
Poseidon asked curiously.
After regaining control of his body, Dai Yao quickly adapted. He knew what had just happened, and he didn't have a good impression of Poseidon, who had schemed against him.
"In the original story, Tang San successfully completed the second test, and Poseidon did not interfere. Presumably, it was because Tang San was Tang Chen's great-grandson that Poseidon, out of consideration for their past relationship, watched coldly from the sidelines. As for me, I was just a complete stranger, which is why Poseidon was so hostile towards me."
Dai Yao's eyes flickered as he deduced the reason why his experience differed from the original story.
He could never have imagined that Poseidon's transformation was due to his own actions, which led to the evil god secretly intervening and trying to make him give up the inheritance of the sea god.
Weighing the three treasures in his hand, Dai Yao pondered for a moment and calmly replied:
"Senior, as you can see, the one standing before you just now was another version of myself. When I use my second martial soul, 'he' gains control of the body. If it weren't for today's crisis, I wouldn't have let him appear. I'll leave the third trial to you, Senior."
Poseidon paused for a moment, watching Dai Yao's retreating figure, and called out to him again.
"Senior, is there anything else?"
Poseidon paused for a moment, gave Dai Yao a deep look, and said:
"Dai Yao, your other personality is extremely dangerous. Do not use it unless absolutely necessary. Your other personality carries the legacy of a great being, and you are currently undergoing the inheritance of the Sea God. It is impossible for one person to inherit the legacy of two gods. I hope you will make a decision soon."
Dai Yao had anticipated this and didn't react much. He simply replied, "I understand," and then took his leave.
Poseidon watched Dai Yao's departing figure, her feelings a mix of emotions.
She didn't care much about the divinely bestowed soul ring, soul bone, and whale glue, but her actions today filled her with immense remorse.
To act against the successor of the Sea God out of personal desire is tantamount to betraying one's own faith. As the High Priest of Sea God Island, she should be the most devout believer in the Sea God. However, what happened today has torn away the facade she has maintained for so many years.
Although the sea god did not blame her, she could not forgive herself. She existed because of the sea god, and having betrayed him, she could no longer look at herself.
She turned around and slowly knelt before the trident of Poseidon, murmuring in repentance:
"Lord Sea God, your servant Poseidon attempted to murder your chosen successor, a crime deserving of death. I repent before you…"
······
A year later, the raging waves reached a dead end.
On the dark, sunless sea, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, and towering waves crashed straight into the valley. On six heavy silver pillars, six figures withstood wave after wave of impact. Each of them was battered and bruised, but their eyes showed no sign of fatigue as they gritted their teeth in despair.
Because this is the last day for everyone to complete their test.
Perched atop the mountain, Poseidon sat cross-legged, silently gazing at the group undergoing trials. A flicker of emotion crossed her eyes as she murmured softly:
"As expected, the third test couldn't stop him..."
As time passed, and the last second elapsed, Poseidon gently spread her hands, and the raging, devastating waves instantly transformed into a calm sea. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and as the red mark between their brows exploded, they looked at each other and burst into relaxed laughter, feeling as if they had just returned from another world.
For a year, everyone was fixed on the sunken silver pillar, enduring the impact of the waves.
For a year, every day was worse than death, like living in purgatory. And those who suffered the most were undoubtedly Ning Rongrong and Bai Chenxiang.
Ning Rongrong is a support-type Soul Master, and her physical strength is not as good as the other three girls. Bai Chenxiang's body is even worse. Although the five girls, with the help of the Phoenix Wutong's ultimate fire, absorbed the ten-thousand-year whale glue together with Dai Yao, and their bodies became much stronger, they were still not enough in the Raging Waves.
Nevertheless, Ning Rongrong persevered. Starting with three hours at the beginning, she gradually increased the duration each day, to four hours, then five hours, until she met the requirements for each day.
Although Bai Chenxiang did not undergo the Black-level test, Poseidon still made an exception and gave her the opportunity to try. Bai Chenxiang did not disappoint; although she could only barely last an hour so far, this had already far exceeded Dai Yao's expectations.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, Feng Wutong, and Dugu Yan, they weren't much better off.
Now, every day, I have to spend as much time as possible on the sunken silver pillar to make up for the shortfall in the average daily time I didn't reach at the beginning.
It could be said that everyone exhausted themselves every day, their bodies numb, yet they still had to muster their energy and maintain their cultivation state to recover their soul power. And Dai Yao? Although he cultivated under waterfalls year-round, those waterfalls were nothing compared to this raging torrent of despair.
Therefore, Dai Yao could only barely complete the tasks at first. After finishing his daily tasks, he also had to wipe his wives' bodies.
Immersed in seawater all day and subjected to the scorching sun, the five women were exhausted and unable to care for the women, so the task naturally fell to Dai Yao. However, this was torture for Dai Yao. The daily tidal body training left him mentally and physically exhausted, and he had no energy to muster when faced with fragrant bodies.
Not to mention, Dugu Yan would provoke and seduce him from time to time.
Under such high pressure and torment, everyone made great progress, and their overall strength was greatly improved compared to before.
The group removed the iron rings binding their bodies. Dai Yao leaped lightly, picked up Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, and flew towards the shore. Feng Wutong went to Dugu Yan's side, took her hand, and together with Bai Chenxiang, flew towards the shore.
As soon as she landed, Ning Rongrong leaned her entire body against Dai Yao and said wearily:
"I can't take it anymore, Dai Yao, I need to rest today!"
Dai Yao looked at Ning Rongrong. Ning Rongrong's temperament had changed drastically. Her fair skin had turned into a healthy wheat color, and she had lost weight. Her original elegant and noble temperament had been replaced by a vigorous and heroic spirit, making her somewhat similar to Feng Wutong back then.
A year has passed, and everyone's physical and mental state has reached its limit. They've even lost interest in the rewards for the assessments.
Although the women's physical abilities have improved significantly compared to the original story, their assessment tasks have also become more difficult.
Even the usually strong-willed Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but lean on Dai Yao's shoulder at this moment. The only one who was barely standing was Feng Wutong, with Dugu Yan leaning on Feng Wutong and Bai Chenxiang leaning on Dugu Yan.
The first test took a year, the second only a few days (Dai Yao injured the Demon Soul Great White Shark, allowing them to pass easily), and the third test also took a year. It could be said that these two years of training made them endure more hardship than they would in a lifetime.
Everyone is like a taut string; if you're not careful, it's in danger of snapping.
Dai Yao wasn't having an easy time either. His daily tasks were the heaviest, and he also had to take care of his wives. Although his body wasn't particularly tired, his mind was at its limit. He reached out and hugged Ning Rongrong to prevent her from slipping off him.
"Yes, we should take a few days to rest."
Dai Yao said with emotion.
After the third test was completed, the subsequent tests became much easier. Whether it was hunting the evil tiger whale or challenging the Holy Pillar Douluo, there was no need for the arduous training required in the first three tests.
"Wutong, although I lasted longer than you this time, I actually lost. The ocean can be considered my home ground, which is not suitable for the Vermilion Bird Martial Soul. Moreover, if it weren't for the soul bone that Dai Yao gave me, I probably wouldn't have lasted as long as you."
Dugu Yan leaned against Feng Wutong, somewhat unwillingly saying.
The soul bone that Poseidon gave to Dai Yao as an apology was ultimately given by Dai Yao to Dugu Yan. This was a water-attribute soul bone, unsuitable for Feng Wutong, and Ning Rongrong, being a support-type soul master, was also excluded.
Between Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, Dai Yao chose Dugu Yan. This wasn't because Dai Yao favored her, but because Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul characteristics were too extreme, making her more suitable for ice-attribute soul rings. Therefore, after careful consideration, Dai Yao chose Dugu Yan.
"Sister Yan, a loss is a loss, there's nothing to say. The young master gave you a soul bone and me an inner core of a ten-headed blazing sun serpent. The two are of similar value, so we accept our defeat wholeheartedly."
Feng Wutong spoke frankly, and despite being extremely exhausted, she still stood straight.
After a year of experience, those sharp eyes have become even more piercing, like a sharpened sword, just waiting for an opportunity to unleash its cold light.
Dugu Yan felt somewhat helpless; Feng Wutong's personality left her completely at a loss.
"My victory this time was unfair, so let's have a rematch. We were both level 78 before, but after receiving the reward for completing the assessment, we both rose to level 79. Now we're on the same starting line, so let's see who breaks through to the Soul Douluo level!"
Dugu Yan suggested.
A fighting spirit flashed in Feng Wutong's beautiful eyes as she affirmed:
"good!"
After a year of training, everyone's soul power level increased by four levels. Zhu Zhuqing reached level 80, Dugu Yan, Feng Wutong, and Ning Rongrong reached level 79, while Bai Chenxiang remained at level 50 because she had not obtained a soul ring.
When the topic of soul power levels came up, Feng Wutong couldn't help but look at Dai Yao, her beautiful eyes filled with love and admiration. In fact, among everyone, Dai Yao's increase was the most significant.
After receiving Poseidon's divinely bestowed spirit ring, Dai Yao immediately absorbed it as his eighth spirit ring. The age of Dai Yao's eighth spirit ring reached a terrifying 280,000 years! His spirit power level also increased rapidly, breaking through to level 85!
Their current strength can only be described as terrifying. (End of Chapter)