"Also a thousand years? Other than this, is there any other reward?"
Mu Yang pressed further.
"Uh~, you have other rewards too?"
Shui Bing'er choked slightly.
In her view, increasing the age of all soul rings by a thousand years—adding up to six thousand years across six rings—was already extremely generous, especially since the first test's reward was basically a free gift.
But from Mu Yang's tone, had he received an extra reward?
Mu Yang shook his head. "Not exactly, it's the same as yours, only I have an additional reward that increases affinity with the God of Asura."
"Asura God affinity? Is it because you're Lord Asura God's successor?"
Blinking, Shui Bing'er asked.
"Barring any surprises, that should be the case."
Feigning ignorance, Mu Yang nodded.
Affinity with the Asura God was of utmost importance, just like Tang San's Sea God affinity during the nine Sea God Trials in the original work. Leaving everything else aside, the fact that inheriting a god position required one hundred percent divine affinity already showed how important this attribute was.
Next, Mu Yang sank his consciousness into his sea of consciousness to view the content of the second Asura trial.
Asura Second Trial, Hell Road: traverse the true Hell Road. Time limit: one month.
'The true Hell Road?'
Withdrawing his consciousness, Mu Yang frowned.
It was obvious that the Hell Road referred to by the divine test was not the same Hell Road they had broken through back then.
To be honest, in Mu Yang's view, the Hell Road he went through back then, aside from the environment, was not worthy of the word 'Hell' at all.
Granted, his strength was grossly over the standard for his soul power level, but whether it was the Dark-Gold Three-Headed Bat King, the Ten-Headed Fierce Sun Snake, or the unexpected Flood-Dragon mutant, none of these creatures matched the image of 'Hell'.
No demons or monsters—how could it be called 'Hell'?
'Uh~, could there actually be demons?'
Suddenly, Mu Yang thought of the Abyssal Plane demons in the Douluo Universe.
In the current era of the Douluo Continent, demons did not exist, but after the neighboring Sun-Moon Continent collided with Douluo in later generations, and a passage connecting to the Abyssal Plane appeared, they showed up.
And earlier 'Shang' had said that the vicious beasts inside the secret realm all came from other worlds, so it was hard to say whether there might actually be Abyssal demons inside the Asura Secret Realm.
Still, Mu Yang was not afraid. The greatly enhanced upper limit of strength granted by the superposition of battle armor and martial soul fusion skill gave him strong confidence.
"Bing'er, what's your second trial?"
Mu Yang asked Shui Bing'er.
"To assist you in traversing the true Hell Road. Time limit: one month."
After a pause, Shui Bing'er added, "This trial should test hard strength, and judging by the description, it should revolve around you.
Since the trial is centered on you, its difficulty should be measured based on your level.
My soul power is one full level lower than yours. In terms of martial soul fusion skill, I'll be dragging you down. Should I attach a soul ring first and advance to seven-ring Soul Sage?"
After thinking briefly, Mu Yang nodded. "Alright."
With the Spirit-Gold Battle Armor in hand, once Shui Bing'er advanced to seven-ring Soul Sage, the upper limit of their martial soul fusion skill's power would surely rise again. At that point—even if not at rank-99 Peerless Douluo level—they would at least be at rank-98 peak level.
Right now, his soul power was rank 80, while Shui Bing'er's was rank 70. Since the trial centered on him, Shui Bing'er advancing to seven rings would still leave her soul power below his, so it shouldn't increase the trial's difficulty.
"Senior, we plan to temporarily delay the trial and proceed after Bing'er advances to seven rings."
Mu Yang said to 'Shang'.
'Shang' nodded and replied, "Your Highness, as long as you complete the trial within the allotted time.
But please note, during the trial, if you leave the God Mountain range inside the secret realm, or leave the God Hall range in the outside world, I will not intervene.
As for supplies, if Your Highness needs anything, just say the word, and I will have the Slaughter City make arrangements."
"Thank you, Senior."
Mu Yang cupped his hands.
In the Asura Secret Realm, two silhouettes sped through the air toward the snowy mountains.
A little over a quarter hour later, the great snowy mountains were in sight.
Before the spirit-gold battle-armored duo could enter the mountain range, however, a powerful soul power aura appeared ahead.
From the snowy peak in the distance, a flying avian figure of icy blue took wing.
This icy-blue bird was extremely similar to an Ice Phoenix, with blue-gold beak and talons, luan feathers like ice crystals. Each flap of its wings released drifting snowflake ice crystals—indescribably elegant and noble.
"Chiou—?"
Seeing the approaching pair in the distance—perhaps having never seen such strange figures—the Ice Luan, out for a stroll, let out a questioning cry.
"Tsk~, this Ice Luan definitely has a hundred-thousand-year cultivation. Its strength probably isn't inferior to the Titan Giant Ape."
Clicking his tongue as he eyed the Ice Luan that had come knocking on their door, Mu Yang commented.
Then, he retrieved a Blue-Jade Rising-Dragon Ginseng from his soul-tool storage bracelet—akin to a martial-soul-true-body tonic—and ingested it. All his attributes, including spiritual power, skyrocketed by 80 percent. Instantly, he shot forward and unleashed a Soul-Seizing Secret Art at the clueless hundred-thousand-year Ice Luan.
Vast mental power surged and invaded the LUAN's sea of consciousness. In moments, the Ice Luan—overlord of the snowy mountains—had its mind controlled by Mu Yang.
"Easily done!"
Landing a hit in one move, Mu Yang cocked his chin proudly toward Shui Bing'er beside him.
"Mm-hm, my Mu Yang is amazing."
Shui Bing'er nodded in perfect cooperation.
"Bad review. Your expression and eyes don't match."
Seeing that although she praised him verbally, there were no 'little stars' sparkling in her eyes, Mu Yang couldn't help but complain.
Shui Bing'er: "..."
Before long, atop the snowy summit, a blinding red light abruptly spread from the brow of the mind-controlled hundred-thousand-year Ice Luan, expanding into a spreading red halo.
Wherever the red light passed, everything nearby was dyed crimson and frozen in absolute stillness.
The familiar hundred-thousand-year soul-beast sacrifice unfolded once again.
Only this time, the target of the sacrifice was no longer Mu Yang, but Shui Bing'er.
After a long while, as the sacrifice neared its end, the turbulent ring of blood flames suddenly contracted. In an instant, with the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul possessed, Shui Bing'er, surrounded by six soul rings of purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, erupted with a series of explosive sounds.
In the blink of an eye, the contracting ring of blood flames blossomed with bright scarlet radiance, transforming into a hundred-thousand-year seventh soul ring arranged outside the six original soul rings of the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul.
At the same time, a beam of blood light shone onto Shui Bing'er's forehead, and the phantom of an ice-blue skull flickered and vanished.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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