Chapter 298: The Heart of the Sea God
As the Vast Ocean Universe Shield enveloped Shui Bing'er, the Sea God's divine will didn't just inspect Shui Bing'er's body and talent; it also examined her soul.
Since Yang Xiong had previously mastered the Vast Ocean Universe Shield, his spiritual power, at that moment, merged with the Sea God's divine will, and he witnessed Shui Bing'er's past, even seeing all her thoughts over the years.
From the Sea God's perspective, it seemed that he wanted to confirm if his inheritor could truly continue his legacy, if they could bring peace to the ocean.
Under the combined gaze of Yang Xiong and the Sea God's divine will, it seemed as though all of Shui Bing'er's past was laid bare. From her childhood to the present, all the experiences she had, all the choices she made, her perseverance in training, and her dedication to becoming stronger while also supporting her entire team.
Based on Shui Bing'er's martial soul, the Ice Phoenix, it was more suited to a power-based soul master, yet as the team leader, she chose to be a control-type soul master, which was less fitting for her.
Even so, Shui Bing'er displayed an extraordinarily terrifying talent. Back in the Soul Master Competition, she was the strongest control-type soul master in the Heaven Dou region. Even now, she continued to train both control and power-type abilities, excelling in both.
From her past, it was evident that Shui Bing'er was an exceptionally gentle girl, but when faced with any issue, she was resolute, decisive, and even willing to make sacrifices.
Her Ice Phoenix martial soul had initially been imperfect, just like how Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix carried evil flames. The Ice Phoenix was prone to instability.
But Shui Bing'er's immense willpower allowed her to push through and train hard to reach a high level. The Ice Crystal Phoenix Sunflower made her Ice Phoenix perfect. Moreover, during the Tide Body Tempering, under the Sea God's power, the Ice Phoenix grew even stronger.
…
When Yang Xiong saw recent scenes of Shui Bing'er, he was momentarily stunned.
However, he had no time to dwell on this. Clearly, Shui Bing'er had gained the Sea God's divine will's approval. Whether it was her talent, personality, or effort, she was nearly flawless.
Yang Xiong didn't hesitate. Gritting his teeth, he cut off the connection between himself and the Vast Ocean Universe Shield with all his might.
Even though Yang Xiong was immensely powerful, when he severed the connection, his spiritual sea seemed to be struck hard. Thankfully, his first head soul bone immediately manifested, keeping his spiritual power alive and indestructible.
The danger of this act far exceeded others' expectations. The Heart of the Sea God was a true artifact, and one with a master. Although Yang Xiong's spiritual power had reached the Extreme Douluo level, there was still a gap between him and the gods. Forcing his spiritual power to the limit was like fighting against a god.
Once the connection with Yang Xiong was severed, a deep blue silhouette appeared in the Vast Ocean Universe Shield. The figure was the Sea God Yang Xiong had encountered before.
The Sea God seemed to point at Shui Bing'er from afar, and the deep blue light began to merge into Shui Bing'er's mind. The Vast Ocean Universe Shield also turned into a blue light and flew into Shui Bing'er's body.
Uncertain how much time passed, Shui Bing'er slowly awoke. She looked like she had just fought a fierce battle, or as if her spiritual sea had been struck hard.
Ning Rongrong quickly spoke up, "Little Bear, what happened to Bing'er? Did she receive the Sea God's inheritance?"
Yang Xiong nodded. "Shui Bing'er is incredibly talented and her determination is rock solid. She has indeed received the Sea God's approval."
"However, her path ahead may be extremely difficult. To truly inherit the Sea God's power, she will face countless life-and-death challenges. I hope she can successfully complete the trials."
Shui Bing'er slightly bowed to Yang Xiong. "Thank you, Sect Master. I will work hard to become a god and will do my best to bring glory to the Body Sect."
Yang Xiong smiled, "Bing'er, don't be so serious. We're all teammates, part of the same sect. I hope you remember my words and understand what's truly important as a Sea God heir."
Although everyone was envious of Shui Bing'er for receiving the Sea God's Heart's recognition, they were equally happy for her.
As Yang Xiong expected, after Shui Bing'er received the Sea God's Heart's recognition, she gained the ability to use the four soul skills of the Sea God's Heart.
With these four soul skills, Shui Bing'er's combat abilities in the water would greatly increase, making the upcoming journey much more convenient.
Yang Xiong addressed everyone, "You've just returned from the frontlines. Rest for a few days. In two days, we will prepare to depart."
Ning Rongrong, puzzled, asked, "Are we going back to Sea God Island?"
Yang Xiong nodded. "Not just Sea God Island. We need to go into the sea. That's where I'll find my ninth soul ring."
"Of course, this is also crucial for you. This journey will be extremely dangerous, but it will also benefit you greatly."
Upon hearing this, everyone left on their own. When Shui Bing'er left, she shot a shy glance at Yang Xiong, but this expression quickly disappeared, replaced by her usual warm and calm demeanor.
After everyone else had left, Yang Xiong sat down with Ning Rongrong, who had been away for a while. Both had gone through a lot during this time, and there was much to talk about.
As for Shui Bing'er's departing glance, Yang Xiong understood what it meant, but he didn't want to dwell on it. The situation was still uncertain, and there wasn't much time left for him.
At the same time, a voice once again echoed in Yang Xiong's mind.
"Yang Xiong, the fifth trial of the Shura Nine Trials: Find a new master for the Sea God's Heart. This person must be recognized by the Sea God's Heart. Trial duration: one year. Failure results in annihilation."
Yang Xiong had expected this, but he still felt a sense of relief. After all, this was the most unpredictable trial among all of them.
Ning Rongrong, who was by his side, seemed somewhat upset. "Little Bear, why didn't I get the Sea God's inheritance? I also felt some resonance with the Vast Ocean Universe Shield earlier."
Yang Xiong looked at Ning Rongrong in his arms and couldn't help but smile.
"Rongrong, the path to becoming a god isn't that simple. There are not only many hardships along the way, but your martial soul must also match the corresponding god position. Shui Bing'er's Ice attribute matches the Sea God's essence. In the future, her power in the ocean will surpass expectations and might even exceed that of the Sea God."
"As for you, becoming a god relies on opportunities. Sooner or later, you will encounter a god whose inheritance suits you. That's when your real hardships will begin."
…
In the God Realm, in the Shura God Temple.
Shura God looked at the enormous light screen in front of him, which displayed Shui Bing'er.
"Sea God, you should be pleased now. This Shui Bing'er is exceptional in every way. She should become your perfect successor. The ocean will fall under her rule, and there will be peace upon the seas."
The Sea God showed a faint smile. "Shui Bing'er is indeed excellent. When she first arrived on Sea God Island, her strength was somewhat lacking, and her opportunities were insufficient. But with Yang Xiong's help, passing the trials should not be too difficult for her."
"It's a bit unfortunate though. Shui Bing'er is only missing the ninth soul ring. That little goldfish I left behind, she probably won't be able to absorb it."
Shura God sighed. "Sea God, you're overthinking. With the current situation, Yang Xiong will likely go after your little whale. As the saying goes, 'When a whale falls, all things will thrive.' This is beneficial for Shui Bing'er as well."
The Sea God's expression turned speechless. "The one truly benefiting is still you. You've really made him set up this sixth trial. Yang Xiong is strong, but he may not necessarily defeat my little whale."
"You know, on the entire Douluo Continent, my little whale has reached the pinnacle of soul beasts. Especially in the ocean, even an Extreme Douluo wouldn't be able to defeat it."
Shura God replied, "If there were no difficulty, how could it be called a trial? Moreover, with Yang Xiong's current strength, he's already one of the strongest on the continent, not to mention he possesses the Shura Magic Sword."
"But I'm curious—how will Yang Xiong deal with the Deep Sea Demon Whale King? How will he handle this family? I just hope he doesn't disappoint me."
The Sea God shook his head. "I don't know. The Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan is the strongest soul beast family in the ocean. They enhance themselves by devouring ocean soul beasts, but they're incredibly lazy, with a gentle temperament. They're not like the Evil Spirit Tiger Whales, who are bloodthirsty and violent."
"Do you think Yang Xiong will wipe them out completely, or leave hidden dangers behind?"
Shura God's expression became serious. "If Yang Xiong can completely wipe out the Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan, I'll be pleased, but I will also be disappointed."
"As you said, the Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan needs to devour soul beasts to improve their strength, but their temperament is gentle. They're not truly evil soul beasts. Yet, their existence still causes destruction to the ocean. Perhaps this is the tragedy of soul beast clans."
"You should understand. What I care about most is order. My successor must maintain order, but not too excessively, otherwise it will be extreme and cause new destruction. I hope the new Shura God is someone with blood, flesh, and emotions, a normal person, not a monster that just maintains order."
…
At this moment, Yang Xiong's mind displayed the content of the Shura God's sixth trial.
"Yang Xiong, the sixth trial of the Shura Nine Trials: Obtain the ninth soul ring and the torso soul bone. Do not indiscriminately kill the innocent, and do not leave any hidden dangers. Trial duration: one year. Failure results in annihilation."
When Yang Xiong saw the trial content, he was somewhat puzzled. Logically, the Shura God should know that his target for the ninth soul ring was the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. Why would he set up such a trial?
Did the Shura God already know about the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's wife and children? Had he guessed that the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's family would later cause trouble for the world?
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10