DD Spiritual Sword [488-489] (Patreon)

Chapter 488: Breaking Through the Illusion – Ning Rongrong Passes the Trial

Oslo walked toward the Sea Fantasy Sacred Pillar. In front of the pillar stood a middle-aged man, appearing to be around fifty years old, fairly handsome, but with a somewhat pale complexion. On him, two yellow, two purple, and five black soul rings were neatly arranged, making a total of nine. He wore a black robe, and a snake-shaped band of light floated around his body—obviously his martial soul, which appeared quite unique.

In truth, this martial soul was a rare and magical type of sea soul beast called the Phantom Serpent, which lay somewhere between beast spirits and tool spirits. That's why, on Sea Fantasy Douluo, it didn't appear as a possession but rather as a floating presence around his body.

At this moment, he looked at Oslo with appreciation. "Not bad, kid. When faced with an opponent who killed you in the past, your desire for revenge surpassed your fear. Even though it was just an illusion, how did it feel to take revenge with your own hands?"

"One word—satisfying! Back then, because I couldn't kill Tang Hao, I could only kill Tang San, which left me with great regret. Now I feel like I've let go of that burden, and my cultivation will definitely progress faster," Oslo replied gratefully. "Thank you, senior, for making this possible."

Sea Fantasy Douluo nodded. "With an advance in your state of mind, your aptitude will naturally increase. I just wonder if the next girl will have your luck."

"Oslo, you have passed the Black Level Sixth Trial, Fifth Trial. Soul power increased by one level, now at level eighty-four."

The Light of the Sea God shone down, bestowing its reward. Oslo's rank rose again, making him one of the top experts of the current era, especially since he possessed six soul bones.

Ordinary titled Douluos without soul bones might not even be his match in a one-on-one fight.

Outside, the purple-robed soul master soon relayed Sea Fantasy Douluo's instructions. Learning that the previous candidate had passed, he approached Ning Rongrong and called her forward for her own trial.

Ning Rongrong turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, let me take this test alone. My Blue Spirit Divine Eyes can see through illusions—maybe it'll be easier for me on my own."

"Okay, do your best, Rongrong!" Zhu Zhuqing agreed, a little worried that if she went along she'd only be a burden.

After all, she wasn't the one being tested—her role was only to support Ning Rongrong, so it didn't matter if she stayed outside.

Ning Rongrong stepped into the blue mist, and her surroundings began to change again. Yet no matter how it changed, it always ended up looking the same.

This made Sea Fantasy Douluo frown with confusion. "How strange. Does this little girl really have no psychological shadows at all?"

Ning Rongrong also felt confused—she had already activated her Divine Eyes, but nothing appeared. What was the meaning of this?

Sea Fantasy Douluo couldn't help but ask, "Little girl, I didn't expect you to be so fearless. In your life, have you never encountered anything terrifying?"

"Oh, I have. The Spirit Hall once sent over ten thousand soul masters to invade my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, intending to wipe us out. Even the Ultimate Douluo Qian Daoliu came, planning to exterminate my family." Ning Rongrong replied—these were indeed the scariest things she had ever experienced.

But this made Sea Fantasy Douluo even more puzzled. "You went through two extermination crises, such terrifying events, and still feel nothing? Little girl, are you calm or just cold-blooded?"

Ning Rongrong replied calmly, "Well, senior, they only came to attack us, but we weren't actually annihilated. Why should I be afraid? The first time, the ten thousand soul masters were almost all slaughtered by my husband."

"And the second time, when the Ultimate Douluo came? Didn't that shake you?"

Hearing this, Oslo said helplessly, "Senior, you really won't be able to scare her. The second time, Qian Daoliu was beaten up by her grandfather and ran away in disgrace. None of her family died."

Sea Fantasy Douluo was speechless. So this girl had such a powerful background, growing up protected by so many people, never having experienced anything truly terrifying—no wonder she had no psychological trauma.

Such a person was truly the bane of his illusion domain.

"No choice then. If my illusion domain doesn't work, I can't let you pass so easily. Ninth soul skill: Mirage, Sea-Devouring Mirage!" Sea Fantasy Douluo increased the difficulty for Ning Rongrong.

His ninth soul skill was also an illusion, but unlike his illusion domain, this one was crafted by him, not by drawing on the target's fears.

At this moment, Ning Rongrong found herself in a boundless mountain range, with rivers and mountains in constant flux, forming a massive labyrinth. Without seeing through the illusion, one would wander forever, growing old inside.

Ning Rongrong opened her Blue Spirit Divine Eyes. Though her spiritual power was still slightly beneath that of a Titled Douluo, the gap wasn't large. The problem was that the ninth soul skill was simply too powerful to completely see through.

But that was okay—if she couldn't, someone else could.

"Rongrong, leave it to your big sister!" Snow Empress smiled. With Ning Rongrong's permission, she took over her body.

With seventy thousand years of spiritual power, Snow Empress's mind could cover the entire mountain range, and she instantly found the way out.

"Here it is: Empress's Palm!" Snow Empress struck out in one direction, creating a path of ice on the ground with her powerful cold energy.

Returning control to Ning Rongrong, Snow Empress said, "Sister, don't mind how the scenery changes—it's all fake. Just keep walking along this path of ice and you'll be fine."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Snow Empress!" Ning Rongrong smiled, obediently followed the advice, and walked along the ice path. Sure enough, the shifting illusions couldn't stop her steps.

Ning Rongrong walked to the end of the ice path. As she stepped out, the illusion vanished completely, and even the blue mist around the Sea Fantasy Sacred Pillar dispersed.

"Little girl, I didn't expect that in that instant you could unleash such powerful spiritual force, breaking my illusion in one go. Well done, you pass!" Sea Fantasy Douluo declared.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior!" Ning Rongrong said joyfully. She had been given thirty-six hours for the trial, but before even three hours had passed, she had already passed three Titled Douluos.

Cheating might be shameful—but it really works!

Next, Ning Rongrong's goal was the strongest—Sea Dragon Douluo. Once she passed his trial, the remaining three would be much easier, and with plenty of time left.

At the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar, Oscar and Meng Yiran were already waiting. As soon as Ning Rongrong arrived, Oscar stood up—his own trial was finally here, and his opponent was the strongest of the Sea God's Seven Guardians. He was extremely excited!

Chapter 489: Tianlin's Blood – Oscar Wields the Demon Sword

The four arrived at the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar.

Compared to the other sea lakes, this one was clearly larger. The clear water was crystal clear to the bottom, and one could see tiny sea creatures swimming within. There seemed to be no sea soul beasts present, and the entire sea lake was circular. The shore was lined with various plants—blue sky, green trees, and clear sea blended into a beautiful scene.

At the center of the Sea Lake, the sacred pillar platform echoed the surroundings: also circular, about thirty meters in diameter, and blue as the sea. Fine scales were carved on it, lifelike as if it were real. A blue dragon coiled around the circular pillar.

Worthy of being the head of the seven sacred pillars—truly solemn and majestic.

At the edge of that platform stood a bare-chested man, over two meters tall, his back to the four. His physique was an inverted triangle: broad shoulders, granite-like back muscles, and deep blue, shoulder-length, naturally wavy hair. On his solid back was tattooed a blue dragon. There was no doubt—this was the guardian here, the strongest of the Sea God's Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians: Sea Dragon Douluo.

Hearing the group approach, Sea Dragon Douluo slowly turned. In front of them appeared a rugged face, looking only in his thirties. His thick chest and abdominal muscles gleamed with a bronzed, healthy glow like armor.

"You've arrived sooner than I expected," Sea Dragon Douluo said. "You want to challenge me so early—are you sure? My strength is totally different from the others you've seen."

Sea Dragon Douluo spoke arrogantly, but it was the truth. Upon reaching level ninety-five, one steps into a new realm. There's a qualitative leap between a ninety-fourth and a ninety-fifth level Titled Douluo.

Previously, the Spirit Hall's Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos always claimed to be ninety-fifth level, but in reality, they hovered between ninety-four and ninety-five, always one step short of a Super Douluo.

But the Sea Dragon Douluo before them was a true Super Douluo.

"I know your strength, senior, but I won't back down easily. Please advise me!" Oscar stepped forward.

"I don't know where a food-type soul master like you gets his confidence, but since Lord Sea God arranged it, there must be a reason. Fine, I accept your challenge." Sea Dragon Douluo immediately released his martial soul. His body began to transform, the blue dragon tattoo on his back glowing brightly. A strong blue light enveloped him, and a violent surge of energy rushed out, causing the sea water around the platform to surge in a massive wave.

His bare skin was quickly covered in blue scales, each scale rounded and ridged. In no time, all his exposed skin was covered. His already powerful build swelled further, and a dark blue crystal, like an eye, emerged from his chest. The phantom of a vast blue dragon loomed behind him.

Two yellow, two purple, five black—nine soul rings rose at his feet.

This powerful aura marked Sea Dragon Douluo as an assault-type battle soul master. He strongly resembled Yu Tianheng, and apart from a different attribute, this Sea Dragon martial soul was likely not inferior to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.

"Sixth soul skill—Mirror Sausage!"

Oscar chanted his soul incantation. Although it was the same soul skill, at least his incantation wasn't as lewd as in the original, just slightly less embarrassing.

Soon, a Mirror Sausage appeared in his hand. Sea Dragon Douluo didn't attack immediately—he knew the real trial began only after Oscar ate the sausage. Otherwise, what could a food-type soul master do against him?

Oscar pulled out a small bottle from his pocket—the very one Tianlin had given him before they came to Sea God Island, containing Tianlin's blood, his greatest trump card.

Oscar opened the bottle, dripped a single drop onto the Mirror Sausage, and instantly, an immense aura burst forth—even Sea Dragon Douluo instinctively grew wary. He was sure that after eating the sausage, Oscar would have the power to rival him.

"As expected of Xiao Tian's blood—the power is immense. I hope I can handle it!" Oscar encouraged himself, then decisively swallowed the Mirror Sausage. Instantly, a tidal wave of power surged through him.

Tianlin, who had given the blood at the time, was an eighty-something-level Soul Douluo, but his strength was nearly on par with a ninety-six or ninety-seven Super Douluo.

After eating the Mirror Sausage, Oscar could temporarily copy Tianlin's Demon Sword martial soul and wield eighty percent of its power. Of course, this only extended to the martial soul and soul rings—he couldn't copy Tianlin's sword skills, soul bones, or domains, and the Holy Spirit Pearl seemed beyond the Mirror Sausage's limit and couldn't be copied either.

But that was enough. Among Titled Douluos, few could withstand the Demon Sword's soul ring skills, especially with Sea Dragon Douluo currently limited to sixty percent of his power.

A blue demon sword appeared in Oscar's hand. Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, red, red, red—eight soul rings rose at his feet. However, since Oscar himself was only over seventy, the eighth ring was just for show.

The greatest weakness of the Mirror Sausage was that it was still bound by Douluo Continent's rules: as a Soul Sage, Oscar could only use the skills of his first seven rings.

"This is… a sausage that copies another's abilities? But who did he copy to have three red soul rings, two of which are far beyond the hundred-thousand-year level?" As the strongest Sacred Pillar Guardian, Sea Dragon Douluo had heard rumors of fierce beasts—after all, there was a super beast in the sea.

He also knew that the soul skills of these beasts were far stronger than ordinary hundred-thousand-year ones.

"Take this! Seventh soul skill—Demon Sword True Body!" Oscar didn't give Sea Dragon Douluo time to be surprised, immediately launching a fierce attack.

The Mirror Sausage's duration was very limited—if it were someone else's blood, he could last three minutes, but with Tianlin's blood, Oscar estimated he could last two minutes at most, or his body would break down.

"Seventh soul skill—Sea Dragon True Body." Sea Dragon Douluo didn't dare be careless and activated his martial soul avatar as well.

He didn't activate his domain, though—for someone without a domain like Oscar, Sea Dragon Douluo's domain would have no effect, since his domain was the Demon-Breaking Domain, which cancels out the opponent's domain, much like Tianlin's Demon-Suppressing Domain.

With no domain suppression, it came down to a pure contest of soul skills, and in this, Oscar was now fully confident.