The Inheritance Begins, Sacrifice? I Don't Need It!Dai Yao turned around and vanished into the sky in an instant, standing on the distant beach. Seeing this, the women all activated their soul power, transforming into rainbow lights and following him.
"It's been two years, and we're finally back!"
Standing on the beach, Dugu Yan sighed softly and remarked with emotion.
"Yes, I remember when we first came to Seagod Island, we were almost kicked out. This time, we're completely different. We've both reached our bottlenecks. I must surpass my father and become the first Title Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!"
Ning Rongrong raised her little fist excitedly.
"By the way, Yao-ge, should we proceed directly to the test?"
Looking at the towering Poseidon Mountain in the distance, Ning Rongrong asked.
Before Dai Yao could answer, a rustling sound came from the distant forest, and the next second, seven familiar figures appeared before them.
It was none other than the Seven Sacred Pillars Douluo.
Hailong Douluo took the lead, his expression towards the crowd somewhat complex. His brows furrowed slightly, a faint sadness lingering on his face. Forcing a smile, he managed to say:
"We have been waiting here for you, Your Excellency. The High Priest is waiting for you at the Temple of the Sea God."
Dai Yao was well aware of the unusual behavior of the Sea Dragon Douluo.
Completing the Nine Trials of the Sea God meant that Poseidon had to sacrifice her life, which is why the Seven Sacred Pillars Douluo were so sad, but because of their duties, they could not show it.
Zhu Zhuqing and the others sensed something was amiss and asked a few questions. However, none of the Douluo were willing to explain, offering only a few perfunctory answers before leading the way. The entire group proceeded in this eerie atmosphere. Zhu Zhuqing and the others exchanged glances, but failed to get the answers they sought, and could only gesture towards Dai Yao.
Dai Yao shook his head slightly, indicating that everyone should remain calm and wait and see how things develop.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the foot of Poseidon Mountain.
The beautiful scenery remains unchanged, with the circular seawater rippling gently, a truly breathtaking sight.
Looking up, a graceful figure in light blue stood atop the mountain, exuding unparalleled beauty, nobility, and elegance, showing no signs of aging.
Dai Yao was somewhat surprised. It seemed that even without Tang Chen's appearance, Poseidon's obsession hadn't subsided, and she still maintained her youthful appearance. However, her beautiful eyes remained cold, now tinged with indifference and complexity.
"Dai Yao, I've been waiting for you for a long time. Come on up."
A faint voice came from the mountaintop.
Upon hearing this, Dai Yao and the others gave a slight nod to the seven Sea Dragon Douluo members. Without even appreciating the beauty of Sea God Mountain, they sped towards the summit. The thousand-step staircase that had troubled them for a year was now as smooth as flat ground, and in a short while, they reached the top.
When Poseidon saw Dai Yao again, a deep sense of surprise flashed in her usually cold eyes.
Standing before Dai Yao, she felt as if she were seeing a true deity; the faint aura of majesty sent shivers down her spine. Was this the being who had defeated the Deep Sea Demon Whale King?
Suppressing his surprise, he glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and the others, nodded slightly, and smiled:
"You've made great progress in just one or two years since you left Seagod Island. It seems that Seagod Island will produce a few more Title Douluos."
Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward and said:
"Thank you for your praise, sir."
Poseidon then turned her head, her tone gentle and calm, and looked at Dai Yao. After a long while, she asked:
Are you ready?
Although she was unwilling, it was her mission to open the path of inheritance for those who would inherit the tradition.
Dai Yao nodded.
Poseidon sighed softly, turned around, and slowly walked forward, leaning on her scepter, saying:
"The Holy Pillar Douluo will remain outside the hall. Dai Yao, you all come with me."
Seeing Poseidon's calm demeanor, the seven Pillar Douluos reacted in various ways: some sighed, some were excited, some choked with sobs, and some couldn't bear to look...
However, Zhu Zhuqing and the others were already immersed in the excitement of Dai Yao's impending ascension to godhood and did not notice the strangeness of the others. They followed behind Poseidon and Dai Yao and slowly walked into the ancient sea god's temple.
Inside the Poseidon Temple.
This ancient temple remains as simple and unadorned as ever, built solely of piled-up rocks, without any decoration, and is fairly flat.
Upon entering the main hall, Poseidon gazed reverently at the statue of the sea god for a long time, a flicker of struggle crossing her beautiful eyes, which ultimately turned into a sigh. Turning to Dai Yao, she said:
"Dai Yao, within your body lies another special divine power. After the path of inheritance opens, it may cause unforeseen circumstances for the inheritance process. I hereby remind you that you must be mentally prepared. If the inheritance fails, your fate will be summed up in one word—death!"
After he finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.
Zhu Zhuqing and the others all looked at Dai Yao, their expressions a mixture of surprise and worry. Dai Yao saw through their thoughts and smiled easily:
"Don't worry, it's fine. I've already dealt with the other divine power within me, and it won't affect the inheritance process."
With the Chaos Green Lotus protecting him, even the power of an evil god would have to obey. Moreover, his Sea God's Heart wasn't shattered, so it wouldn't be as troublesome as it was in the original Tang San story.
Hearing Dai Yao's assurance, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but they were still somewhat apprehensive. After all, this matter concerned Dai Yao's life safety, and if the probability of Dai Yao becoming a god was slim, they would rather not let Dai Yao become a god at all.
"Since you've already made your decision, I won't say anything more."
Poseidon said calmly, as if he had accepted his fate.
Actually, she had her own selfish motives. She hoped that Dai Yao would inherit the divine position of another divine power within him. She could feel the strength of that divine power; even the power of the Sea God would be suppressed by it.
She couldn't understand why Dai Yao would rather choose the position of the Sea God than inherit the position of another god.
However, none of that matters anymore; her greatest mission is to ensure that the Sea God's divine position is passed down.
"Everyone step back. Dai Yao, you stand in the center of the altar."
Poseidon's calm tone gradually took on a fanatical quality, and her face flushed slightly.
Dai Yao nodded to Zhu Zhuqing and the others, indicating that they didn't need to worry. He then leaped onto the center of the largest altar in the hall, turned around, and quietly gazed at Poseidon.
Poseidon slowly raised the scepter in her hand, and the red crystal at the top of the scepter suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light, illuminating the entire temple. Golden lines, as if alive, slowly grew from the ground along the walls, finally converging at the top of the temple.
In an instant, Mount Poseidon lit up and a golden wave burst forth.
Upon seeing this, everyone on Seagod Island prostrated themselves on the ground, devoutly chanting the name of the Seagod. In the seas outside Seagod Island, countless sea spirit beasts leaped out of the water, joyfully welcoming their god.
Inside the Poseidon Temple.
The aura surrounding Poseidon grew increasingly terrifying; her hair danced wildly, and a faint golden halo rose from it, like flames burning. The crowd gradually understood, their faces showing remorse. The path to godhood required the sacrifice of Poseidon's life!
Seeing this, Dai Yao finally stopped hesitating, sighed softly, and with a flash, placed his hand on Poseidon's shoulder.
To Poseidon's horror, the sacrificial flames burning on her body slowly extinguished. She was a level 99 Peerless Douluo; once the sacrifice began, no one could stop her. How did Dai Yao manage to do that?!
"That's enough. You don't need to risk your life on the path to godhood."
Dai Yao said calmly.
Poseidon paused for a moment, then became terrified and exclaimed excitedly:
"Do you even know what you're saying? Without my sacrifice, how can you begin the path of inheritance? I am the servant of the Sea God, and it is my mission to pass on His divine position! I absolutely cannot allow this inheritance to fail!"
Seeing that Poseidon was about to begin the sacrifice again, Dai Yao exerted a slight force to stop her, and said calmly:
"Forget it. Although I don't have a good impression of you, and you even tried to kill me during the Sixth Trial, I don't want to risk a life when I become a god. You can keep your life, as the path of inheritance doesn't need you yet."
In the original novel, Poseidon ultimately sacrificed herself to die. Later, it was said that after Tang San became a god, he collected the souls of Poseidon and Tang Chen, allowing them to be together.
But whether it's true or not, Dai Yao has now become a god and no longer needs Poseidon's help. Of course, if there's still a possibility that it can't be activated, Dai Yao wouldn't risk stopping Poseidon's sacrifice and causing the final succession to fail.
Although Poseidon wanted to kill him during the sixth trial, it was within her duty and human nature. After all, if Poseidon had gone easy on him, the trial wouldn't have been perfect.
Now that Poseidon has fulfilled her duty by sacrificing her life, and given that she can open the path of inheritance herself, Dai Yao doesn't mind sparing her life. In the original story, Poseidon's ending was truly pitiful.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing and the other girls' gazes towards the elder, Poseidon, became less friendly.
Although they received much help from Poseidon during their cultivation, Poseidon's desire to kill Dai Yao was absolutely intolerable.
Dai Yao's words left Poseidon stunned, unsure of what to say.
She had indeed intended to kill Dai Yao to fail the assessment and save her own life, thus avoiding the sacrifice. However, being exposed by Dai Yao in public still made her feel ashamed. Dai Yao's act of sparing her life despite past grievances made her feel even more ashamed and grateful.
"Forget it, Dai Yao. I have been the High Priest of Seagod Island for so many years, and it is my mission to open the path of inheritance for the inheritors. I will not allow you to fail the test because of me."
After a brief surge of emotion, Poseidon spoke calmly.
Dai Yao didn't speak, but only glanced at Poseidon with an impatient look that seemed to say, "I'm not discussing this with you."
After a long silence, Poseidon sighed softly and said:
"Dai Yao, what is your Sea God compatibility level?"
"hundred percent."
Dai Yao said calmly.
In fact, by the time he completed the seventh trial, Dai Yao's compatibility with the Sea God had reached over 90%. If it weren't for the fact that the maximum compatibility was only 100%, his compatibility would have reached 120% after completing the eighth trial.
In the original novel, Tang San had a 99% compatibility rate before he began inheriting the Sea God's power. With the Sea God's Heart now complete, his compatibility rate would be even higher.
Upon hearing Dai Yao's answer, Poseidon was deeply shaken. No wonder Dai Yao was so confident; his tone finally softened.
"In that case, why don't you give it a try first?"
Both Dai Yao and Poseidon are well-versed in the path of inheritance.
It was a secret realm high above the starry sky of Douluo Continent, a place so remote that even peerless Douluo could not safely cross. Therefore, Poseidon needed to sacrifice her life, using her entire cultivation to build a bridge connecting the secret realm, ensuring the passage of the inheritors.
Once the inheritor arrives, the path of inheritance will be opened again with the Heart of the Sea God.
Although Dai Yao has not yet become a god, he is certainly worthy of being called a god among mortals. His body is in no way weaker than that of a god, and he is capable of withstanding the risks in the galaxy and safely arriving at the path of inheritance.
This is Dai Yao's source of confidence.
Of course, even if he couldn't safely overcome the obstacle, he still possessed soul power within his body stored by the Chaos Green Lotus, comparable to that of a peerless Douluo. Even if problems arose along the way, Dai Yao could replenish his soul power in time and continue his journey of inheritance.
Dai Yao flashed and stood in the center of the altar again, looking up at the top of the temple.
Because the sacrifice was blocked, the once magnificent golden roof of the temple fell into darkness again.
Soul power surged, and rings of soul energy rose from beneath Dai Yao's feet. Red, red, red, black, red, red, red, red, platinum. Nine terrifying soul rings shone brightly, and Dai Yao moved without wind, his terrifying aura crashing over him like a tsunami.
At the base of the temple, the golden patterns grew wildly like plants, rapidly converging at the top of the temple along the walls.
In an instant, a dazzling golden beam of light shot into the sky, piercing through the entire sea and sky. Heaven and earth resounded, the sea surged, and countless marine creatures cheered for this magnificent moment.
A moment later, as if receiving a response, a golden beam of light from the Milky Way descended rapidly and connected with the beam of light soaring into the sky from the Temple of the Sea God. A crimson-gold gate, as if burning with flames, appeared before everyone's eyes.
That is the gate to inheritance!
Dai Yao has truly succeeded! He has single-handedly unlocked the Sea God's legacy.
······
Outside Poseidon Island.
A dark shadow appeared, outlining a graceful figure.
Her dark purple, form-fitting long dress fluttered without wind, and the dark purple spider mark on her forehead was both alluring and sinister. Her beautiful eyes were gazing at Poseidon Island with worry.
It was none other than the Rakshasa God Bibi Dong!
"Is it finally about to begin...?"
Bibi Dong murmured.
Worried about Dai Yao, she followed him all the way, witnessing the entire process of his hunt for the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, ready to intervene at any moment to prevent Dai Yao from being outmatched. However, Dai Yao's strength still surprised her somewhat; he hadn't displayed such power when they had sparred before.
She wasn't worried about Dai Yao's inheritance, but rather about Dai Yao revealing things he shouldn't have under the watchful eyes of the gods. (End of Chapter)