Chapter 176: Gods Aren't That Weak
At that moment, Bo Saixi peered into Neptune's inner world, and what she saw was flawless an absolutely perfect and unblemished heart. As she gazed upon it, she nodded in satisfaction, then moved her scepter forward, pressing the golden diamond shaped gem at its tip against the Sea God's Trident mark on Neptune's forehead. "From this moment on, the Sea God's glory will continue through you."
A surge of scorching energy poured into Neptune's mind from the gemstone, and he felt as if his soul exploded in an instant. That familiar, ancient voice resounded once more: "Sea God's Nine Trials, Ninth Trial Sea God's Inheritance, begin."
No further explanation was needed. Just these simple words were enough to push Neptune's spirit and energy to an unprecedented peak. Whether he could use this to benefit his main body and other incarnations all depended on this moment.
Brilliant light erupted as Bo Saixi raised her scepter high, sending a golden beam directly to the center of the temple's ceiling. Immediately, an overwhelming radiance descended from above, illuminating the golden hexagram beneath Neptune's feet. The concentrated divine light enveloped both of them completely, while the beam from Bo Saixi's scepter split into thirteen golden flames, forming a circle around the hexagram.
A massive golden figure slowly emerged behind Bo Saixi it was the Sea God, the same divine apparition that had previously granted Neptune divine skills. However, this time, the figure was far clearer than before. Though its face remained obscured, its golden armor was now distinctly visible.
"The sacred gateway is about to open. The inheritance of the Sea God's divinity shall commence. Candidate of the Sea God, step forward through the door that the Sea God has prepared for you. Use your strength, your heart, your soul, and all that you are to face the Sea God's final trial!"
Bo Saixi's voice rose to an exalted pitch, her emotions reaching their peak. At that very moment, the golden scepter in her hands shattered into countless fragments. Simultaneously, her nine soul rings, which had surrounded both of them, also disintegrated into golden flames.
As the nine soul rings shattered, Neptune felt a sudden shift in space around him. Everything became surreal. His body was completely immobilized, locked in place by an unfathomable force beyond his comprehension.
Golden flames surged around him these were the very remnants of Bo Saixi's soul power. The same flames burned on her body as well, stripping away her divinity and dignity, leaving only a gaze filled with relief as she looked at Neptune.
Neptune remained silent, merely engraving her sacrifice into his heart. He would never forget what she had done, and once he attained godhood, he would ensure she was properly rewarded.
He calmly watched as the golden flames on Bo Saixi shifted from pale gold to brilliant gold, then to deep crimson. With each transformation, her physical form gradually faded.
When she finally disappeared completely, the vast red gold flames abruptly condensed, forming a burning portal. Though called a "door," it was not a tangible structure it was merely an ethereal gateway made of flames.
Neptune understood that this was the gate to the Sea God's inheritance, a door forged at the cost of Bo Saixi's life.
To step through it meant officially beginning the process of inheriting the divine throne.
Without hesitation, he moved forward.
As he crossed the flaming threshold, an immense pressure engulfed him, squeezing his body as though it intended to crush him completely. Yet the moment he fully stepped through, all resistance vanished.
In an instant, the scenery changed he had entered another realm.
Looking around, Neptune saw that everything was a translucent deep blue. His body was descending.
This was an underwater world.
Of course, this sea was not part of the real world but rather a space that existed between reality and illusion, likely a manifestation of the Sea God's divine authority.
Despite many claiming that the world of Douluo was nothing more than a "fantasy basement," where people mocked its inhabitants as fragile "hydrogen people," the truth was that this world was not as low level as many assumed. The reason Tang San's martial arts techniques from another world worked so effectively here was due to the unique rules of this universe, as well as a few authorial oversights. It wasn't because this world was inherently weak.
The gods here might not be as mighty as those in other high level fantasy realms, but they still possessed powers worthy of divinity. They weren't so pitifully weak that they could be dismissed outright.
As Neptune continued to descend, the sheer weight of the Sea God's Trident was pulling him downward at great speed. However, once he enveloped himself in water manipulation, he was able to stabilize his descent.
Now able to properly observe his surroundings, his gaze shifted downward.
Far below, nearly a kilometer beneath him, stood an enormous palace.
It was vast, a lone structure resting at the ocean's floor. Its towering height exceeded two hundred meters, while its length and width stretched beyond a thousand meters.
A faint golden barrier surrounded the temple, its light illuminating the underwater world. It was clearly due to this divine protection that this submerged realm remained so bright.
"This must be the true Sea God's Temple," Neptune thought to himself. He controlled the surrounding water, guiding his descent toward the grand structure. He knew without a doubt this was where the divine inheritance would take place.
As he approached the shimmering golden barrier, the Sea God's Trident in his hand emitted a glow that wrapped around him, allowing him to pass through effortlessly.
Only those recognized by the Sea God's Trident could bypass this protective field. In the original story, Tang San had struggled to enter because his trident was damaged, nearly leaving him stranded outside the inheritance grounds.
As Neptune crossed the barrier, he immediately felt a sense of weightlessness suddenly, all the surrounding water vanished, and he plummeted toward the ground.
But before he could fall too far, he halted midair. Flying was no challenge for him, so he naturally avoided an embarrassing face first landing.
Floating above the grand temple, he took in its sheer magnificence, quietly admiring the scale of the divine architecture.
Despite how underwhelming some aspects of this world's gods might be, he had to admit this temple was proof that, at the very least, they still knew how to command an awe inspiring presence.
(End of Chapter)
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