Chapter 529.
"We were too arrogant..." Dai Mubai suddenly sighed, his expression turning serious.
"I've seen that White Pontiff once—back when he visited the Empire. Later, I heard a rumor from someone in the Soul Hall. They said his cultivation method is very unique. He grows stronger by absorbing emotions—all kinds of emotions. His martial soul is said to be extremely mysterious.
Now that I think about it, we always believed he was just trying to destroy us. But in reality, maybe he's been absorbing emotions from us all along."
Everyone froze.
Even Tang San looked stunned, eyes wide with sudden realization.
"Think about it..." Dai Mubai continued. "These past two months—every time we saw the White Pontiff, how intense were our emotions?"
Tang San's pupils contracted sharply. A whisper escaped his lips:
"The stronger our emotions, the more they benefit him."
Another wave of cold shock passed through the group. Sweat began to bead on their backs.
Yes. Over the last two months, even without directly encountering the White Pontiff every day, the emotional weight—anger, frustration, fear—never left their minds. They had been consumed by the pressure of surviving, by the constant hope to retaliate and push back.
And now… this?
"It's terrifying," Ma Hongjun muttered. "So we've been helping him all along? The more we thought of getting back at him, the more emotional pressure we built up… and that became his nourishment for growth? And there's nine of us…"
The more they thought about it, the more their scalps tingled.
They had believed enduring the torment was making them stronger, that they were preparing to finally turn the tables and humiliate him.
But the truth was far more sinister—he had been using them all along.
Tang San's back was soaked with cold sweat. He hadn't even considered this angle. In truth, the constant grind over the past two months had created intense, negative emotional energy in each of them—bitterness, desperation, fury—all left unchecked.
And now, it all made sense.
They thought the White Pontiff was trying to crush their assessment…
But in reality, he was striking two birds with one stone. And they had been feeling victorious for nothing.
"This White Pontiff is terrifying…" Tang San whispered.
Everyone nodded in agreement, faces pale, hearts heavy.
"We must remain calm whenever we see the White Pontiff," Ning Rongrong said slowly. "No more rage. No more emotional outbursts. Otherwise, we'll only be helping him."
"Exactly!" –the others echoed quickly.
Zhu Zhuqing, standing off to the side, was speechless. She didn't even know how to respond.
At that moment, a figure appeared in the distance, descending rapidly from the summit of Sea God Mountain.
Zhu Zhuqing narrowed her eyes. "That looks like... Senior Bo Saixi."
Everyone turned to look.
Sure enough, it was Bo Saixi, gliding down gracefully and landing beside Wang Wu.
She still wore a gentle smile, her expression calm and peaceful—completely unaware of the intense two-month trial everyone had endured.
"Wang Wu," she said warmly, "are you planning to absorb the God-bestowed Soul Ring now?"
Wang Feng silently remarked in his heart—This woman knows everything about Sea God Mountain. She's just pretending.
"Yes," Wang Feng replied with a nod. "I do intend to absorb it now."
Bo Saixi simply smiled, then raised her hands. A golden bead of divine light floated into view.
"You may absorb it from the 800th step upward," she said softly.
Wang Feng's eyes flickered with determination.
Just earlier, he had used the Black Lotus to restore his soul power after climbing up from the sea. But in merely ten minutes, he had already climbed back to the upper 800s.
Now, under this crushing divine pressure, he planned to absorb the God-bestowed Soul Ring right here—on the sacred steps of the Sea God's Light.
In truth, a 100,000-year soul ring formed by a God-bestowed soul ring is far easier to absorb than one obtained from the death of a regular soul beast.
Why? Because there is no residual consciousness within the God-bestowed soul ring.
No struggle. No spiritual resistance. As long as the cultivator's body is strong enough, the ring can be absorbed smoothly.
Zhu Zhuqing's rapid progress on the Sea God's Light steps was largely due to this. The immense pressure of the divine light continually stimulated the Meteoric Tears embedded deep within her heart, pushing her forward again and again.
This was how she managed to –catch up with Tang San's progress in just a month.
To put it bluntly, the power of the Meteoric Tears was even greater than the combined effect of the four soul bones that Tang San possessed.
Moreover, Zhu Zhuqing had undergone subtle but significant physical transformations over the past five years. Her physical body had become incredibly resilient—far beyond the average soul master at her level.
This made it entirely possible for her to absorb a 100,000-–year soul ring without failure. And with the support of the Meteoric Tears near the end of the process, success was almost guaranteed.
Of course, it was still a bit weaker than Wang Feng's fifth soul ring from before—which was nearly 100,000 years old. But then again, Wang Feng had the added advantages of Meteoric Tears and his Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul, which had provided immense support during his absorption process.
After two months of harsh training, Wang Feng's body had accumulated a vast amount of stored soul power. Combined with the energy from the soul ring, he was confident he could break through directly to level 75.
Not only that, but the number of years his next soul ring could withstand had also increased dramatically.
During this time, the power of his blood line like mark had evolved significantly as well.
Previously, it had absorbed both the power of the Rakshasa God and the Sea God.
Now, as the blood turned golden and all seven blood marks were activated, the amplification rate of his strength approached a staggering 25 times.
Tang San and the others weren't wrong in their deductions.
While Wang Feng had been suppressing them daily, he was also using their emotional output—through the Domain of Original Sin—to fuel his blood line like powers growth.
But to Wang Feng, this was only a modest gain. The bloodline had already become overwhelmingly powerful, and this was merely a minor reinforcement.
If he were to unleash the Dark Angel Martial Soul now, alongside the seven blood line like marks, the amplification would be unimaginable.
In fact, Wang Feng began to suspect that the Dark Angel Martial Soul might not even be compatible with soul rings at all.
But he would have to test that theory himself someday.
Finally, after reaching the 800th step, Bo Saixi gently crushed the golden bead over Wang Feng's body.
A shimmering golden light instantly enveloped him.
Wang Feng immediately felt a strange, divine energy begin to merge with his own.
Bo Saixi gave him a final glance and moved on, her expression calm.
The absorption process of a God-bestowed soul ring typically took a few days. She wasn't worried—after all, this was Sea God Mountain. She was fully aware of every detail.
Then, Bo Saixi descended to the foot of the mountain, where Tang San and the others were waiting. Her face carried a soft, reassuring smile.
"Children," she said gently, "congratulations. I didn't expect you to complete this stage in only half the time. You might not yet understand the true significance of this first assessment... But you will—when the later trials begin."
Bo Saixi said nothing about the events of the past two months, and none of Tang San's group showed any intention of mentioning them either.
"This level of progress," Bo Saixi spoke softly, her tone calm but firm, "is a result of your own strength—and your unwavering perseverance."
Her eyes slowly swept across the group of nine, finally resting on Tang San.
"I trust you're already aware of the content of the second assessment?"
Everyone nodded in response.
Indeed, they had been informed of the trial before even stepping onto the Seagod's Light.
The second assessment: Cross the Sea.
Although the specifics varied slightly for each person depending on their respective Sea God Trials, the core challenge remained the same. Still, the difficulty levels differed significantly.
For –instance, Tang San—undertaking the Nine Trials of the Sea God—was prohibited from using any soul ring abilities while over the sea.
Others didn't face such restrictions.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who were undergoing the Top Seven Trials, could use their soul abilities, but their power would be weakened over the sea.
Each person faced unique challenges, but one truth remained: this was not a test that anyone could pass alone.
The ring-shaped sea they had to cross was –vast—about 5,000 meters in diameter, meaning the distance from the shore to Sea God Mountain was 2,500 meters.
Under normal circumstances–, that distance would be trivial—less than half a minute for cultivators at their level.
But this was no ordinary sea.
Countless sea spirit beasts lurked beneath the surface, and none of them had any idea what dangers lay ahead.
"Since you already know…"
Bo Saixi gently tapped her scepter against the ground. A burst of golden light flared from its base.
In an instant, a ray of golden light flickered between the foreheads of the seven candidates.
Suddenly, the calm skies darkened. Thick storm clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled ominously, and rain began to pour in sheets.
At the same time, the golden light from Bo Saixi's scepter surged outward, completely enveloping the ring-shaped sea in a glowing mist.
Everyone's expressions darkened.
Even without testing it, they could tell—this golden mist was a no-fly zone.
Flight was now forbidden. The only option left: cross the sea on foot, or by swimming.
As the sky thundered and lightning cracked through the storm, the surface of the water trembled with countless ripples. Then, without warning, massive sea soul beasts burst from below, churning the sea into towering waves.
Their threatening roars and pulsing spirit power filled the air, radiating an aura of hostility and agitation.
Everyone's pupils contracted slightly. This second test… was about to be far more difficult than they had imagined.
"You will have a few days to rest and prepare," Bo Saixi said with a light smile.
"This is the non-negotiable condition for crossing the Ringed Sea."
The challenge had been clearly laid out—and the danger was undeniable.
Just then, Ning Rongrong raised her voice with a question.
"Senior Bo Saixi, is Wang Wu currently absorbing the God-bestowed soul ring?"
Bo Saixi paused, slightly surprised by the question. But she didn't hide the truth—she nodded in confirmation.
"When will –he finish absorbing it?" Ning Rongrong asked again, curiosity in her eyes.
Bo Saixi shook her head.
Her gaze turned to the Sea God Mountain in the distance—its summit shrouded in the divine glow of the Sea God's Light.
One could barely make out the peak beneath the blinding radiance.
Even she couldn't see what was happening up there.
She didn't know.
"Then… can he climb to the thousand and first step?" Ning Rongrong asked again. "What's so special about the Sea God's Light at that level of Sea God Mountain?"
Bo Saixi turned to look at her with a slight smile.
"Child, you seem very curious about him. But I cannot tell you what the thousand and first step represents. Knowing that wouldn't help you—at all. As for whether he can reach it… I don't know."
Her tone turned solemn.
"But so far, no one has ever crossed the thousandth step. No one has ever touched the Sea God's Light on the thousand and first level."
Everyone went silent.
"Not even you?" Tang San asked cautiously.
Bo Saixi only smiled, offering no direct answer.
Truthfully, she couldn't. Her own assessment had never required such a feat. Once she passed the Sea God's trial, the Sea God's Light no longer resisted her, and she was never given a chance to attempt it.
"Then is it dangerous?" Zhu Zhuqing asked softly.
Bo Saixi's voice grew cold and firm.
"Yes. If you climb it's either life or death."
Zhu Zhuqing's heart clenched at those words.
In the hazy golden light and divine mist, Wang Feng stood still as the sacred power began to condense around him, gradually transforming into a spirit ring.
First came the familiar sequence, white, yellow, purple, black—the standard ring colors. Each one flickered briefly as the energy condensed. Then, finally, the color turned crimson, representing a 100,000-year soul ring.
Wang Feng closed his eyes, carefully sensing the transformation. The energy within this God-bestowed soul ring was more abundant and concentrated than any soul ring he had ever absorbed.
It had been nearly a full year since he absorbed the soul ring of the Star Five-Headed Dragon, his last major breakthrough.
Now, not only had he reached the seventh spirit ring, but he'd done so in record time.
Clearly, coming to Sea God Island had been the right choice.
As the crimson ring darkened, Wang Feng began to feel a tremendous pressure radiating from it. The darker the red, the greater the age—and the more terrifying the force pressing against his body.
One hundred thousand years… two hundred thousand… The years soared upward as the soul ring matured.
Several of Wang Feng's soul bones automatically activated, glowing faintly as they tried to buffer the increasing strain. At the same time, the bloodline power within him surged, responding instinctively to the growing pressure.
His entire body radiated with a white jade-like glow, illuminating the storm-darkened mountaintop.
"I… can't hold it much longer…"
Wang Feng grit his teeth. The ring's age had reached 750,000 years, and his body felt like it was reaching its absolute limit.
His bones, flesh, and meridians had all hit their zero point. Any more pressure, and they would collapse.
Back when he first climbed the steps, Wang Feng estimated his limit was somewhere above 500,000 years.
Now, he had exceeded 750,000. That was an incredible leap.
But could he reach one million years?
In the current Douluo World, there were no true million-year-old soul beasts. Even the legendary Deep Sea Demon Whale had only approached that mark. Any soul beast that truly surpassed a million years would likely transcend mortality and become divine.
Wang Feng didn't believe it was possible—not for his seventh ring.
Still, he wasn't giving up yet.
Calling upon the Meteoric Tears, he felt a gentle, life-filled energy seep through his body. With his current spiritual mastery, he could now sense and control the Meteoric Tears' inner workings.
The energy was clean, pure—and incompatible with the violent power of the seven bloodlines inside him.
But even so, under its soothing touch, his body recovered slightly, just enough to push the limit a bit further…
Until the ring's age reached 800,000 years.
Beyond this point, even the regenerative energy of the Meteoric Tears couldn't keep up. The soul ring's pressure had surpassed the limit of what his body could withstand.
"This… this is the limit."
Wang Feng understood. Forget a million years—even 900,000 was impossible. The spirit ring had now darkened to a deep crimson, with eight golden shimmer barely visible—almost imperceptible to the eye.
"Can I surpass it?" He shook his head.
"No… a seventh ring reaching one million years is simply impossible."
His entire body was running on borrowed time. Even the Meteoric Tears were beginning to run dry.
So Wang Feng made his decision: Absorb the soul ring—at 800,000 years.
The red-golden soul ring, swirling with divine power, slowly descended onto him, enveloping his form in a blazing cocoon of energy.
An intense wave of power surged forth from the soul ring, so overwhelming that it nearly tore his body apart on contact.
Fortunately, it –was a God-bestowed soul ring, meaning it didn't resist absorption. Under Wang Feng's powerful mental control, the immense energy was guided swiftly into his sea of consciousness.
There, deep within the spiritual river, the Chaos Green Lotus floated peacefully, emitting a soft glow.
The soul ring's energy surged into it like a waterfall from the heavens, breaking Wang Feng down and reconstructing him cell by cell.
His body was shattered and reforged. His soul was washed and reshaped.
And all the energy—every last ounce of it—was ultimately drawn into the glowing lotus, floating gently in the middle of his spiritual world.
...….
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