novelhk Chapter 395 Crossing the Light of the Sea God! The Peril of Star Luo City?
Chapter 395 Crossing the Light of the Sea God! The Peril of Star Luo City?
At the foot of Poseidon Mountain, the sea breeze, carrying a salty and fishy smell, hits you.
Tang Chuan looked up and saw that the giant mountain standing in the center of Poseidon Island was not very tall, only a little over a thousand feet, but it gave people a sense of oppression.
The mountain is entirely deep blue, as if it were carved from a single, enormous sapphire, and under the sunlight, it refracts a dreamlike halo.
At the foot of the mountain, a pale golden curtain of light cascaded down from the summit like a waterfall, enveloping the entire mountain. The light was not dazzling, but it exuded a chilling majesty.
That is the light of the sea god, the first test of the sea god's nine trials.
Poseidon stood at the foot of the mountain, her red robes fluttering in the wind. Her gaze swept over Tang Chuan and his group of five, finally settling on Tang Chuan: "The Nine Trials of the Sea God, the first trial: pass through the light of the Sea God and ascend Mount Sea God."
"You must start from the foot of the mountain and climb upwards against the pressure of the sea god's light until you reach the summit. The pressure increases by one unit for every zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) you ascend. Only those who reach the top will pass."
As she spoke, she glanced at Tang Chuan, a complex look flashing in her eyes.
"Ordinary examinees are subjected to the standard Sea God's Light. But Tang Chuan, as the inheritor of the Sea God, your examination will be double the Sea God's Light."
"Double?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in surprise, her face turning pale.
Ye Lengleng and Dugu Yan exchanged a glance, both of their eyes flashing with worry.
Tang Chuan remained calm and said indifferently, "Double it is then."
Poseidon nodded, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes:
"Remember this: the Light of Poseidon is not only a test of the body, but also a baptism of the will and the soul. The higher you go, the greater the pressure, and it may even trigger the deepest fears and desires within you. If you cannot endure it, retreat immediately; do not force it."
"clear."
Poseidon said no more, raised her hand and waved, a beam of azure light flew from her palm and disappeared into the mountain. Instantly, the golden light curtain trembled slightly, as if responding to her call.
"Let's begin."
The five people exchanged a glance, then stepped into the light curtain at the same time.
In an instant, Tang Chuan felt an immense pressure, like a vast ocean, surging from all directions, as if an invisible giant hand was pressing him down!
That was the pressure of twice the power of the Sea God's Light, enough to make even an ordinary Title Douluo unable to move an inch!
But he only paused slightly before continuing to walk upwards.
One step, two steps, three steps...
Each step felt as heavy as a mountain, each step leaving a deep footprint on the smooth stone steps.
But Tang Chuan's steps remained steady, and his breathing remained even, as if the force that could crush a mountain was merely a gentle breeze to him.
Ye Lengleng and the others were not as relaxed as he was.
As soon as Ning Rongrong stepped into the light curtain, she groaned and turned pale. As a support-type Soul Master, her physical abilities were far inferior to those of a Battle Soul Master, and the ordinary Sea God's Light was already a huge test for her.
"Rongrong, follow behind me." Ye Lengleng reached out and pulled her, the emerald green light of the Nine Heart Begonia flowing in his palm, relieving some of Ning Rongrong's pressure.
The shadowy figures of snakes slithered around Dugu Yan, and the poisonous mist of the Azure Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul formed a thin barrier around her, offsetting some of the pressure. Although her steps were heavy, they were still quite steady.
Xiao Ruier walked at the back, a vertical eye on her forehead faintly visible, and a layer of pale golden light flowing over her body—the primal power of her 100,000-year-old soul beast. The light of the sea god seemed particularly repulsive to her; every fluctuation of light stirred ripples on her body.
Tang Chuan walked at the front, then suddenly slowed down and walked alongside Xiao Ruier.
Suddenly, he turned his head and lowered his voice, saying, "Rui'er, I have a question for you."
"Um?"
"Your talent shouldn't just be at the Black Level 5."
Tang Chuan's gaze swept across her face with a hint of inquiry.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruier remained silent for a moment.
She looked up at the endless stone steps ahead, then at Poseidon's blurry figure behind her, and whispered, "Perhaps it's because of... my identity."
"identity?"
"I am a soul beast." Xiao Ruier's voice was very low, so low that only Tang Chuan could hear it: "Although the Sea God is the god of the ocean and protects all things, there is still a chasm between soul beasts and humans... The light of the Sea God is particularly repulsive to me, you should have felt it too."
Tang Chuan did indeed sense it.
The moment he stepped into the light curtain, he noticed that the light fluctuations around Xiao Ruier were more intense than those of others. It wasn't just a matter of pressure; it was more like a kind of...repulsion.
It was as if the light of the sea god was resisting her presence.
"So when the Holy Pillar assessed my talent, it might have lowered my assessment level for this reason." Xiao Ruier's voice was calm, revealing little emotion.
"A fifth-level Black-tier exam is already quite good. At least I was able to complete the first exam with you."
Tang Chuan looked at her, then suddenly reached out and patted her shoulder: "Don't overthink it. Whether you're Black Rank or Red Rank, how far you go in the end depends not on the Holy Pillar's judgment, but on yourself."
Xiao Ruier looked up, gazing into his deep eyes, and a slight smile played on her lips:
"I know."
The two stopped talking and continued climbing.
The stone steps became steeper and steeper, and the pressure increased.
Fifty zhang, one hundred zhang, two hundred zhang...
Ning Rongrong's breathing became rapid, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her arms glowed faintly, aiding her body. However, the pressure from the Sea God's Light was not simply physical pressure, but a comprehensive crushing of her soul power, mental strength, and willpower. The auxiliary effect of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was greatly reduced here.
"Rongrong, hang in there." Ye Leng Leng gripped her hand tightly, and the emerald light of the Nine Heart Begonia continued to flow into Ning Rongrong's body, healing the minor damage that kept appearing due to the pressure.
Dugu Yan walked ahead of the two. The poisonous mist from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul had become so dense that it was visible to the naked eye, enveloping her in a green halo.
Although her face was pale, her steps remained steady.
Xiao Ruier remained at the back, the Golden Dragon Spear held horizontally in front of her, the pale golden light emanating from her body growing stronger and stronger, constantly colliding with the golden light of the sea god, emitting a faint humming sound.
Tang Chuan walked at the front, his steps still steady, but his speed had slowed down.
The pressure of double the Sea God's Light was no easy task even for a level 96 Super Douluo like him. He could feel that with every zhang he rose, the weight pressing on him increased, as if the entire Sea God Mountain was against him.
But he didn't stop. He didn't even use his martial spirit or release his spirit rings. He just relied on his physical strength to climb upwards step by step.
As Poseidon said, the light of the sea god is not only a test of the body, but also a baptism of the will and the soul. He wanted to take this opportunity to temper his foundation and hone his mind.
Three hundred feet.
Four hundred feet.
Five hundred feet.
The pressure was mounting, so much so that Ning Rongrong could no longer stand and could only kneel on the stone steps, panting heavily. The light of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda flickered, reaching its limit.
"I can't go on... I can't walk anymore," Ning Rongrong said, her voice trembling with tears.
Ye Lengleng was also covered in sweat. The healing power of the Nine Heart Begonia was almost exhausted, but she still gritted her teeth and persevered, refusing to give up.
Dugu Yan stopped and looked back at the two of them, her brows furrowed.
"Rest first. No need to rush, there's no time limit for the first test. Take your time, take it one step at a time." Tang Chuan suddenly stopped, turned around and walked back to the group, saying.
"Rongrong, you're only fifteen years old. It's already quite an achievement to walk five hundred zhang. Take a break, and we'll continue."
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong nodded, her eyes reddening.
The five people stopped on the five-hundred-foot stone steps, sat cross-legged, and regulated their soul power to recover their strength.
Tang Chuan sat cross-legged on the outermost side, facing down the mountain, looking at the sea area dyed golden by the light of the sea god, silently making plans in his heart.
The first test is just the beginning.
The road ahead is still long.
Just then, Tang Chuan closed his eyes, and the golden trident mark between his eyebrows glowed slightly, creating a subtle resonance with the light of the sea god.
The pressure seems to have eased a little?
Tang Chuan's brows twitched slightly, as if he had realized something.
Perhaps this is the difference between the inheritors of the Sea God's legacy and ordinary examinees: not bearing double the pressure, but... finding resonance in pressure and seeking integration in rejection.
He opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them, and said to the four:
"Let's go. I'll lead the way, you follow behind me."
"Rongrong is in the very center, Leng Leng and Yanzi are on the left and right, and Ruier is at the rear."
"clear!"
The five people lined up again and continued climbing.
Five hundred and fifty feet.
Six hundred feet.
Seven hundred feet.
Tang Chuan's pace slowed, but he never stopped. He gradually figured out the key to resonating with the light of the sea god: not resistance, but adaptation; not confrontation, but acceptance.
He opened his mind and body, allowing the light of the sea god to flow into his body, merging with his soul power, resonating with his spiritual power, and echoing the mark of the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.
Pressure is no longer a burden, but a baptism.
His soul power became more solid under pressure, his spiritual power became more pure through baptism, and the trident mark between his eyebrows became brighter and brighter.
Behind him, the four women also sensed the change in Tang Chuan.
The change was indescribable, but they could all feel that the pressure on Tang Chuan seemed to have lessened, and with it, the pressure on them also decreased.
"Brother Chuan...are you absorbing the light of the sea god?" Ning Rongrong asked softly.
"It's not absorption, it's resonance. He resonated with the light of the sea god, so the pressure had a weaker effect on him. And we, being behind him, also benefited," Ye Lengleng said, shaking his head.
"Doesn't that mean... if we follow Tang Chuan, our chances of reaching the summit will be much greater?"
A hint of joy flashed in Dugu Yan's eyes.
"That's how it is in theory," Xiao Ruier nodded. "But the premise is that Tang Chuan can maintain this state. Moreover, the higher you go, the greater the pressure, and the weaker his resonance effect will be."
The group fell silent and followed closely behind Tang Chuan, climbing upwards step by step.
As Tang Chuan stepped onto the last stone step, the golden light curtain that enveloped the entire Poseidon Mountain suddenly trembled and then began to slowly dissipate.
The mountaintop appeared before the five of them.
It was a platform several hundred feet in diameter, with a small temple of the sea god standing in the center. The temple doors were tightly closed, and in front of the temple stood a golden holy pillar three feet high. A golden sphere the size of a fist floated on top of the pillar, emitting a warm light.
Meanwhile, in Xingluo City.
In the main hall, the young Marshal Dai Yutian of the Star Luo Empire sat in a chair, his face ashen.
He was only in his early forties, in the prime of his life, but at this moment his brows were full of fatigue and anxiety.
Several months ago, Dai Mubai killed Davis and then fled overseas with the evil soul master named Tang San. His fate remains unknown.
"Marshal, the Spirit Empire's army has breached Yanmen Pass, and their vanguard is poised to strike Star Luo City!" The messenger knelt in the center of the hall, his voice trembling. "Golden Crocodile Douluo personally led a legion of 30,000 Soul Masters, and cities along the way surrendered without a fight... In three days at most, the enemy will be at our gates!"
Immediately, the entire court was in uproar.
"Three days?!" The Minister of War stood up abruptly, his face pale.
"Yanmen Pass has 80,000 troops stationed there, along with more than twenty Soul Saints. How could it have been so fast?"
"Reporting back to my lord..." The messenger swallowed hard and continued, "The vanguard of the Spirit Empire... consists of several Title Douluos, and the defending troops... are utterly powerless to resist..."
The main hall was deathly silent.
Even if the Star Luo Empire were to exhaust all its resources, it could only muster a few Title Douluos. They never expected that the Spirit Empire would still possess such terrifying strength even after Bibi Dong's death.
"Marshal!" An old general stepped forward, knelt, and shouted, "Your subject begs to defend Xingluo City to the death! We, the men of Xingluo, would rather die than surrender!"
"Defend to the death?" another civil official sneered. "What can we use to defend? There are fewer than eight thousand Soul Masters in the city, and no more than one hundred and fifty thousand ordinary soldiers. The Spirit Empire has a thirty-thousand-strong Soul Master legion, including six Title Douluos! How can we fight this battle?"
"you--"
"That's enough!"
Dai Yutian slammed his hand on the armrest, the sound like thunder, making the hall vibrate.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger and fear, and said in a deep voice:
"Issue the order for martial law throughout the city. Conscript all Soul Masters, regardless of rank, and assign them to the city's garrison. Open the armory and distribute all weapons. Requisition food from the people and distribute it according to the number of people."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall: "Send someone... to sue for peace with the Martial Soul Empire."
"Sue for peace?!" The veteran suddenly looked up, his face full of resentment.
"It's not surrender," Dai Yutian said coldly. "It's a plea for peace. It's just a delaying tactic. If we can hold them off for a month... after a month, the Heavenly Dou Empire in the north might send troops to help."
After all, if the Spirit Empire really destroys the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire will be in dire straits, and they would not be able to sit idly by.
The courtiers remained silent.
Everyone knows that seeking peace is merely a delaying tactic.
Now that the Martial Soul Empire has already attacked our doorstep, how could they easily back down?
But they also knew that there was no other way.
Three days later.
Xingluo City, South Gate.
As dawn broke and the eastern sky began to lighten, the earth started to tremble.
It wasn't an earthquake, it was the sound of footsteps.
The sound of countless feet striking the ground simultaneously was perfectly synchronized, like muffled thunder rolling across the plains. On the walls of Xingluo City, the defending soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their faces ashen.
On the horizon, a black wave slowly surged in.
That was the Soul Master Legion of the Spirit Empire. (End of Chapter)