DD Spiritual Sword [498-499] (Patreon)

Chapter 498: The Sea God Douluo's Trial — Summoning Art: Snow Demon

Three mornings later, as the first ray of sunlight shone upon Sea God Island, the sacred gold cast over the Sea God Hall towering atop Sea God Mountain, bathing the entire mountain in a glow that made every plant seem to burst with vitality.

Before the Ring Sea, several youthful figures each stood on the back of a Demon Spirit Great White Shark, heading toward Sea God Mountain.

"Everyone, do your best. I don't know why, but I feel like even if the Sea God Douluo personally takes action, she still won't be able to stump you. When you pass the trial, remember to come to the shore and bring me the good news." Xiao Bai said her piece, then turned and left after seeing them off.

Ning Rongrong, Oscar, Oslo, and Yu Tianheng exchanged a look. Their eyes firm, they walked toward Sea God Mountain.

"Are you ready?" A voice as light as drifting clouds and wind floated over. A red figure descended from the sky; as before, no one knew how she appeared—Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi was already in front of them. Compared to earlier, there was less of a smile on her face and more solemnity.

"You only have one chance. I will not go easy on you. If you can't pass my trial, then the punishment the Sea God will bring upon you—you all know very well."

An immense pressure emanated from Bo Saixi, making it hard for those present to breathe.

"We're ready. Please instruct us, Senior!" Yu Tianheng, as the team's big brother, stepped forward to shoulder most of the pressure for the group.

"Very well. Irrelevant people, step aside and watch. The trial begins now." Bo Saixi casually lit an incense stick and planted it into the ground.

"Everyone, prepare for battle. Release your martial souls!" Yu Tianheng shouted, and the four activated their martial martial souls at once.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Ghost Leopard, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and a Demon Sword replicated by clone sausage.

With Ning Rongrong's third: Spirit support active, Oscar's Demon Sword could be used for three minutes. Adding his All-Spirit Restoring Divine Light and the Extreme Curse Reversing Yin and Yang for self-recovery, he could probably hold for seven to eight minutes.

Moreover, this time the Demon Sword actually had a ninth soul ring—this was fresh bloodline essence Tianlin had given Ning Rongrong last night.

"You're not running?" Bo Saixi was slightly surprised. Against her, the best method was to scatter and flee. She'd said it herself: as long as one person remained standing, the trial would be considered passed.

In the original, Tang San used this method.

But Tianlin had told Ning Rongrong yesterday this wouldn't work because Bo Saixi simply wouldn't bother with the remaining three. If she decided to kill, all her attacks would focus on Ning Rongrong. Letting the other three pass the trial wouldn't affect her.

At that point, Ning Rongrong would be isolated and certain to die.

This was exactly what Bo Saixi intended. Over the years, her killing intent toward Ning Rongrong had been merely hidden, not erased. The person who promised to bring Tang Chen still hadn't appeared. She had no choice but to suspect that person had deceived her—using news of Tang Chen to make her help Ning Rongrong pass the trials. Once Ning Rongrong passed the sixth trial, she would have no chance to kill her again.

"Then, let's begin. Second Soul Skill—Sea God's Gaze!" Bo Saixi raised her palm slightly. The four instantly felt as if a giant hand had gripped them in its palm.

This was a permanent-lock type soul skill. Once Sea God's Gaze was activated, all of Bo Saixi's subsequent attacks would inevitably hit the target. It was hard to imagine this was merely a second soul skill.

"Nine Treasures, be named!" Several rays of light flew out from Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and enveloped the group. Unexpectedly, she placed the same support on each person—the "third: Spirit." Only Oscar had an additional "fifth: Attack" and "sixth: Amplify."

With the Demon Sword, Oscar's strongest point was undoubtedly his attack power.

"You want to beat me with that sword? Too naive. Besides, I'm not interested in the others. Fourth Soul Skill—Sea of Annihilation." Bo Saixi didn't move, yet a colossal wave erupted from underground. Because of Sea God's Gaze, evasion was impossible. Aside from Ning Rongrong, the other three were trapped by the sea.

This was a field-control soul skill capable of controlling the entire enemy side, and the fact that Bo Saixi trapped the others while deliberately leaving Ning Rongrong out made her intent obvious. She would restrain the others—while killing Ning Rongrong.

Sure enough, in the next instant, Bo Saixi casually summoned over a dozen massive water spheres, each hundreds of meters in diameter. Taken together, they blocked out the entire sky.

"Boundless Sea Raging Surge!"

All the water spheres plummeted, every one targeting Ning Rongrong. Bo Saixi was ruthless. If not for the protection of the Sea God's Light here, just those dozen water spheres exploding on the ground would be enough to drown Sea God Island.

"Eighth Soul Skill—Nine Treasure Divine Light Bodyguard!" Ning Rongrong decisively activated her defensive soul skill. Unfortunately, although her eighth soul skill was said to block a Titled Douluo's ninth soul skill, it depended on who the opponent was. Bo Saixi's Boundless Sea Raging Surge was a self-created skill whose power surpassed a typical Titled Douluo's ninth soul skill—already beyond the upper limit of Nine Treasure Divine Light Bodyguard.

"Not a bad defensive soul skill. But how many blows can you withstand?" The water spheres slammed down one after another onto the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda. Gorgeous as it was, cracks began to spread along its body. Ning Rongrong spat blood—Bo Saixi's power was simply terrifying.

"Damn it, her target is indeed Rongrong. With Xiao Tian not here—if I can't even protect my own sister-in-law, what kind of Emperor Team captain am I? Eighth Soul Skill—Thunder Dragon—Twin Lightning Quake!"

"Don't underestimate the six full-body soul bones Xiao Tian gave me—Invincible Golden Body!"

At that moment, Oslo and Yu Tianheng suddenly exploded into action. Yu Tianheng's newly obtained eighth soul skill and Oslo's six full-body soul bones erupted in full, and the two Soul Douluo burst free, jointly rescuing Oscar.

Oscar had made no moves until now, as if waiting for something.

Seeing the three escape the Sea of Annihilation, Ning Rongrong realized their chance had come. Her eighth soul ring flashed again, bringing forth a new power: "Eighth Soul Skill—Summoning Art—Snow Demon!"

An overwhelming chill suddenly surged out from within the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Wind and snow gathered and formed into a woman of celestial beauty, clad in white gauze, her blue hair billowing in the wind.

Snow Empress within Rongrong was shocked. The appearance and bearing were so similar to hers, yet the nobility surpassed her by a tenfold. Could this be the goddess of their Snow Maiden clan?

The Snow Demon glanced at the remaining water spheres in the sky. With a wave of her sleeve, in an instant, the water spheres became ice spheres. The ice spheres slipped out of Bo Saixi's control and plummeted one by one.

That would ruin Sea God Mountain. Bo Saixi immediately poured soul power into deflecting the falling ice spheres, batting them into the sea.

"So this is the Snow Demon's power? She actually dispelled an Ultimate Douluo's attack so easily!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in delight. It was as if the Snow Empress herself were fighting at her side.

Chapter 499: Passing the Trial — The Return of Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit Slash

The Snow Demon's strength scaled with Ning Rongrong's. With Ning Rongrong at level 84, the summoned Snow Demon possessed the power of a Titled Douluo. Though still far inferior to Bo Saixi, her overwhelming freezing power could buy them time.

"I didn't expect you to have such a trump card. But because your strength is limited, hers cannot be fully exerted. She is still not my match." Bo Saixi spoke gently, but the killing intent in her tone made everyone shiver.

"Sixth Soul Skill—Sea Burial!"

Bo Saixi raised her scepter and spun together with it. Heaven and earth changed; a black-blue vortex opened in the sky, then condensed into a waterspout. A tremendous suction seemed determined to draw everything into the vortex and seal it.

"Even the Grand Priest is using that move. It seems the outcome is decided. Unless your soul power exceeds the Grand Priest's, or your attack is strong enough to tear a black hole, there's no breaking it." Sea Dragon Douluo, watching from the side, sighed and prepared to leave. In his view, a bunch of kids around level 80 were doomed.

"Snow Demon elder sister, please hold it off for us a while." Ning Rongrong pleaded.

The Snow Demon looked at Ning Rongrong and nodded lightly. She flew to the black vortex and released all her chill, trying to freeze the waterspout. Unfortunately, her current strength was less than one percent of her prime. Otherwise, she could have frozen the entire vortex outright. Now she could only delay for about a minute.

But a minute was enough. Taking advantage of the window, the four formed a straight line. With Ning Rongrong's ring-merging ability as the core, they channeled all four people's soul power into Oscar at the front.

Under the amplification of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the combined soul power of four over-level-80 soul masters pushed Oscar's soul power to the level of ninety. On the Demon Sword, the previously dim eighth and ninth soul rings flared.

"This is a four-in-one fusion skill!" Bo Saixi finally showed a hint of emotion. She realized this group of children was pinning all their hopes on that sword.

"Ah!!!" Oscar suddenly let out a roar of pain. He might be able to bear the eight-ring Demon Sword, but reaching nine rings was nearing his limit. He needed time to stabilize that power—this tested his willpower.

But Bo Saixi did not intend to give them that time. So what if the vortex was delayed by the Snow Demon? She herself could still attack.

"Mounting Billows!"

With a light lift of her finger, monstrous waves surged up behind Bo Saixi, as if to drown everything.

To buy Oscar time, Ning Rongrong ran to the front. Her Nine Treasure Divine Light Bodyguard was still active. Once used, this soul skill did not require her to keep expending soul power to maintain it. Unless Ning Rongrong actively dismissed it or it was completely shattered by the enemy, it would persist.

Facing Bo Saixi's fierce assault, cracks spread continuously across the pagoda. Everyone felt the thick killing intent—Bo Saixi's resolve to kill Ning Rongrong was only growing.

At that moment, a crystal suddenly fell from the sky and landed before them. Falling together with it was Tianlin.

Bo Saixi's eyes widened because a person was sealed inside that crystal—Tang Chen.

Standing atop the crystal, Tianlin looked at the near-shattering Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and smiled faintly. He pressed lightly with his foot, and cracks spread across the crystal—exactly mirroring the cracks on the pagoda.

"Senior Bo Saixi, I've brought Tang Chen as promised. But it seems you're not convenient right now. Let's wait until the trial is over before you meet Senior Tang Chen." Tianlin spoke with a smile, but released an aura matching Bo Saixi's, his tone not lacking in threat.

He indeed could not directly interfere with Ning Rongrong's trial. But Tang Chen was not part of it. There was no way Bo Saixi wouldn't understand—any damage she imposed on Ning Rongrong, Tianlin would reflect entirely onto Tang Chen.

If she wanted him to release Tang Chen, Ning Rongrong could not die.

Bo Saixi hesitated. Normally, she could simply seize Tang Chen by borrowing the Sea God's power—this was Sea God Island, where she was invincible.

But she was currently in the middle of a trial. The trial's restrictions on her were that she could not use the Sea God's power or her seventh, eighth, and ninth soul skills. Judging by Tianlin's aura just now, without the Sea God's power, she wouldn't be able to take him.

The problem was that if she used that power, the Sea God would immediately judge her in violation, and Ning Rongrong would pass on the spot.

It was a dead loop. Without the Sea God's power, to ensure Tang Chen's life, she could only let Ning Rongrong pass. If she used it, the Sea God would directly deem Ning Rongrong to have passed.

"So that's why Tianlin didn't show himself earlier—he was waiting for this moment." Zhu Zhuqing suddenly understood, muttering under her breath, "How clever (and shameless). He forced Senior Bo Saixi straight into a corner."

"Zhuqing, don't think I can't hear the subtext. I'll take it as a compliment this time. But next time we make sweet-and-sour fish, you're not getting any—let Hongjun eat it all." Tianlin said without turning his head.

"You can hear me even when I whisper? Some things never change—still as petty as a child." This time Zhu Zhuqing didn't dare say it aloud, only complaining silently in her heart.

During the brief standoff between Bo Saixi and Tianlin, a terrifying sword aura erupted from Oscar. By willpower alone, he barely endured the Demon Sword's might. But with nine rings, he could probably only maintain it for a little over ten seconds. In other words, Oscar had only one strike.

This strike had to be everything.

"Ninth Soul Skill—Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit Slash!"

A colossal blade of golden light soared to the heavens, its length exceeding the diameter of Sea God Island. If this sword fell without the Sea God's Light protecting the island, Sea God Island would be erased from the map.

Strictly speaking, this was not even half as long as the one Tianlin could unleash. But given Oscar's capabilities, drawing out this much power was already remarkable.

"Slash!" Oscar roared, and the Demon Sword came crashing down.

Bo Saixi's heart pounded. She could feel it—if she received this with only her first six soul skills, she would die.

"Ninth Soul Skill—Sea God's Descent!" Almost reflexively, Bo Saixi used her ninth soul skill.

This move was similar in concept to Qian Daoliu's Angelic God Descent, drawing on the Sea God's power to elevate her to a demigod. Moreover, if Bo Saixi used it on Sea God Island, she could temporarily receive twenty percent of the Sea God's power.

The Sea God was a peak first-tier god. With twenty percent of his power, never mind an Ultimate Douluo or a demigod—even a true third-tier god could be hung up and beaten. But after using this move, Bo Saixi's ninth soul ring would be sealed for a month.

Bo Saixi swung her scepter and met the sword head-on. After all, Oscar was not Tianlin and could not fully manifest the Primordial Spirit Slash.

The massive backlash flung Oscar's body away. Tianlin hurried forward to catch him, channeled soul power to aid his recovery, then looked at Bo Saixi. "Senior Bo Saixi, the trial's over, isn't it? You used your ninth soul skill—broke the rules."

Bo Saixi fell silent. Tianlin was right—she had lost. Though the stick of incense hadn't burnt out, forcing her to use her ninth soul skill meant they had passed.

No one had ever passed like this. In the past, the sixth trial was already extremely difficult if you could last a stick of incense against the seven Sacred Pillar Sea Douluo.

These children's combat power was indeed unexpectedly strong.