Several days later, after traveling at full speed, Tang San quickly returned to the Tang Sect.
Only a little over ten days had passed since he had last left the sect.
Upon returning to the sect, he happened to run into Yu Xiaogang.
Could it be that he had already found the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud?
Yu Xiaogang thought to himself, but upon seeing Tang San's expression, he knew something was wrong.
"Xiao San, you're usually such a composed person. What could have made you so flustered?" Yu Xiaogang hurried forward.
Tang San let out a deep sigh, his face filled with exhaustion. "Teacher, call Uncle Tang Xiao. I'll wait for you both in the main hall. Something very serious has happened—I don't know what to do."
Tang San had always been decisive from a young age. For him to be so flustered, this matter must be of great importance.
Yu Xiaogang didn't dare delay and immediately agreed, heading off to find Tang Xiao.
About a few minutes later.
In the Tang Sect's main hall.
Tang Xiao and Yu Xiaogang arrived in a hurry, immediately asking, "What happened?"
At this moment, only the three of them were in the hall.
Tang San closed the door to the hall and said weakly, "Uncle Tang Xiao, Teacher, there's a problem with my divine trial!"
Yu Xiaogang was immediately thrown into confusion. "What! What exactly happened? Xiao San, explain quickly!"
Tang Xiao frowned. This was a matter of great importance and needed to be thoroughly investigated.
With a bitter smile, Tang San recounted the entire situation.
To his surprise, the original weight of the 108,000 pound Sea God Trident had vanished, and Tang Xiao could now lift it effortlessly.
"If the Sea God had withdrawn your trial, this divine artifact should have been reclaimed by him, not left like this," Tang Xiao analyzed.
Just by its material, he could tell the Sea God Trident was no ordinary object. For a god to craft such a weapon would likely require an immense cost.
If the Sea God no longer wanted Tang San as his inheritor, this trident wouldn't have been left behind.
Moreover, the mark on Tang San's forehead hadn't disappeared—it had merely dimmed.
"I think the issue might not lie with you, but rather something has happened on Sea God Island or with the Sea God himself. Xiao San, you need to hurry to Sea God Island and ask Elder Bo Saixi for answers."
"Don't worry, Master Yu and I will help cover for you. As for Mubai, you don't need to worry either. With me here, nothing unexpected will happen."
"By the way, Xiao San, has your own strength regressed?"
After carefully sensing the soul power within him, Tang San shook his head. "No, the soul power granted by the Sea God is still with me."
The Asura God had only taken back the powers bestowed by the Sea God on those within Sea God Island, not those outside it.
Furthermore, Tang San and the others were scattered across different locations. The Asura God had no interest in tracking them down individually.
Tang Xiao nodded slightly, then added after some thought, "Thus, the only possibility is that something has happened on Sea God Island or with the Sea God himself. Time is of the essence, Xiao San—you must leave immediately and get to the bottom of this."
"Also, if Sea God Island has come under attack, it's best not to intervene. As long as you survive, there will always be opportunities. My grandfather once said that there are multiple divine inheritances on the continent. If you search carefully, you can surely find another god's inheritance."
"Xiao San, with your talent, you must learn to wait for the right opportunity, understand?"
The Sea God's inheritance was their only hope for revenge against the Spirit Hall, but wasn't Tang San also the only candidate for this task?
In Tang Xiao's eyes, even if the divine trial was lost, Tang San couldn't be allowed to come to harm—otherwise, they would never have a chance to seek revenge.
…
Tang San didn't dare linger and soon arrived at Hanhai City.
Unexpectedly, he didn't find any personnel from Sea God Island waiting nearby in Hanhai City, nor did he spot the island's guardian soul beast—the Demon Soul Great White Shark—on the sea.
For a moment, his expression turned grim. "No one is here to meet me. Could it be true that, as Uncle Tang Xiao said, Sea God Island has encountered a major calamity?"
There was no time to dwell on it. In order to continue the Sea God's trial, he had no choice but to find another way to reach Sea God Island as quickly as possible.
Having departed in haste, he didn't have enough money left to rent a large ship.
Besides, large ships were slow-moving on the sea, taking a month or two to reach Sea God Island—by which time, it would be too late.
In the auction house of Hanhai City, he purchased a spirit-guided speedboat and, following the directions on the nautical chart, sped toward Sea God Island.
Meanwhile, in the Star Luo Imperial Palace.
Since Dai Mubai had returned to the Star Luo imperial family, the brothers Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng, along with Tai Long, temporarily stayed by his side, awaiting orders.
Dai Mubai had been away from the palace for many years, and there were no familiar faces left in the imperial city. Without the support of Yu Tianheng and the others, Dai Weisi would have long sent people to cause trouble for him.
For now, the palace was temporarily calm. With nothing to do, Dai Mubai muttered, "It's been so long since we last met. I wonder how Xiao San is doing? Has he completed the subsequent trials?"
Tai Long also felt worried.
The difficulty of a god's trial increased step by step. Without their help, who knew if Tang San had run into trouble.
Yu Tianheng smiled. "Mubai, we've known Tang San for years. Do you really doubt him that much?"
"Xiao San's potential is immeasurable. Perhaps he can complete the subsequent trials on his own."
"We shouldn't worry too much about him. There's still some time before the sparring session set by His Majesty. The longer we wait, the greater the variables. Mubai, we can't afford to be careless."
Dai Weisi wasn't without allies. In fact, his supporters wielded more influence than those in Dai Mubai's camp.
If Dai Tianfeng changed certain rules, it would undoubtedly put Dai Mubai at a disadvantage.
Though concerned, Dai Mubai still maintained a confident demeanor.
"Everyone, rest assured. With the support of Lord Xiao Tian, the Tang Sect, and the Dragon Halberd Sect, our chances of winning are high. Moreover, His Majesty's word is law—he won't easily change the imperial edict."
"By the way, have any of you noticed anything unusual about Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun recently?"
In response to the inquiry, Yu Tianxin, who was in charge of intelligence, quickly chimed in. "Previously, Zhu Zhuyun left the palace and only returned after nearly two months."
"Her movements were very covert, and our people couldn't track her whereabouts. Lord Xiao Tian is far from Star Luo City, and by the time he arrived, Zhu Zhuyun was already long gone."
"However, after she returned, it seems she hasn't made any moves and has been staying at the Zhu family residence."
The Zhu family patriarch possessed peak Soul Douluo-level strength, and Yu Tianxin's subordinates didn't dare infiltrate the Zhu residence to gather intelligence.
But they had people keeping watch at all the exits of the Zhu residence, and so far, Zhu Zhuyun hadn't left.
Dai Mubai sneered. "This woman dares to jump around like this. Wouldn't it be better for her to obediently become my empress?"
The women of the Zhu family were famously voluptuous. Dai Mubai had already been displeased about not "having" Zhu Zhuqing. If Zhu Zhuyun continued to resist him, did she think he was made of clay to be molded as she pleased?
If Zhu Zhuyun was smart, she could still become empress in the future. But if she remained defiant, once Dai Mubai ascended the throne, he would surely retaliate.
Yu Tianheng spoke seriously, "The less threatening an enemy appears, the greater the threat they often pose."
"Dai Weisi's inaction may indicate a larger scheme. Mubai, you need to be careful moving forward. I'll write a letter to the Tang Sect immediately, hoping Lord Xiao Tian can send us more reinforcements."
Dai Mubai and the others had indeed guessed the intentions of Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun—but they were only half-right.
Their target wasn't Dai Mubai but Emperor Dai Tianfeng.
As long as Dai Tianfeng dropped dead before the duel, based on seniority and influence in court, Dai Weisi could directly ascend to the throne.
Dai Mubai, in essence, was just a "latecomer," completely ignorant of state affairs, and his supporters' influence paled in comparison to Dai Weisi's.
The ministers in court weren't fools—they would naturally know whom to support when the time came.
…
After drifting at sea for more than half a month, Tang San finally found Sea God Island based on the coordinates of the nautical chart.
Compared to before he left, the island was now overgrown with weeds and devoid of any signs of human life.
It seemed as though the place had endured a great battle. There were no traces of any soul masters on the island, and even the Holy Pillar in Sea Horse City had vanished without a trace.
Seeing this scene, Tang San's heart sank.
His worst fears had come true—something catastrophic had happened to Sea God Island. What would become of his divine trial?
At this point, there was no real need for him to stay, but unwilling to give up, he decided to investigate further.
Arriving at the harbor in front of Sea Horse City, this area used to house Sea God Island's boats and served as the habitat for the Demon Soul Great White Sharks.
But now, the boats were nowhere to be seen, and the remnants of several wrecked ships floated on the surface of the water.
Activating his Purple Extreme Demon Eye, Tang San peered beneath the water. The schools of Demon Soul Great White Sharks that once inhabited the waters were gone.
The area had been taken over by some low-level soul beasts. Upon sensing Tang San's intrusion, they bared their fangs in unison.
Tang San dared not linger and quickly sped toward the shore.
Upon landing in Sea Horse City and conducting a thorough search, Tang San overturned his earlier assumptions.
The city hadn't been damaged—it was simply neglected. The unchecked growth of weeds between the bricks had engulfed the entire city.
There were no signs of battle or bloodshed in the city, suggesting that the people of Sea Horse City had voluntarily evacuated.
Pushing aside the weeds on the ground, Tang San could faintly see scattered belongings and food. It seemed the evacuation had been extremely rushed.
"Could it be that Sea God Island has been occupied by some powerful entity?"
With this thought in mind, Tang San realized he couldn't proceed any further.
If even Sea God Island couldn't withstand whatever force had taken over, how could he possibly handle it with his current strength?
Before leaving, Tang San deliberately stood at a high point and gazed toward the direction of the Sea God Temple.
The Sea God Temple itself was undamaged, but the statue of the Sea God had been shattered, and the Sea God's light no longer illuminated the steps leading up to the temple.
If some powerful entity had indeed occupied Sea God Island, they should have destroyed the central Sea God Temple as well.
The entire island exuded an eerie atmosphere.
Countless theories raced through Tang San's mind, and with the emergence of various "conspiracy theories," he genuinely frightened himself.
About half an hour later, he finally came to a realization: "If the soul masters on the island had evacuated, surely someone would have been sent to inform me, the inheritor of the Sea God. At the very least, they would have left someone near Hanhai City to wait for me."
But the reality was that no one from Sea God Island had actively sought him out to explain the situation.
Taking a deep breath, Tang San decided to venture into the Sea God Temple to investigate further.
…
Inside the Sea God Temple, Bo Saixi sat with a face like dried bark, her skin deeply wrinkled.
Every day, she sat in front of the main hall, gazing out over the island.
The once-prosperous Sea God Island now stood in stark contrast to its current desolation.
All the soul masters on the island, except for her, had long since departed. After setting sail, many of them even turned on each other, fighting for food and the few remaining cultivation resources.
As for the Demon Soul Great White Shark clan, Bai Xiao had initially refused to believe in the Sea God's guilt.
But as time passed and no response came from the Sea God, she gradually lost hope and led her clan to another part of the ocean to thrive.
Though they had lost the protection of Sea God Island, with Bai Xiao—a hundred-thousand-year soul beast—the Demon Soul Great White Shark clan would surely find a place for themselves in the vast sea.
As Tang San approached the Sea God Temple, Bo Saixi noticed his presence.
But at this point, she was too old and frail to speak, and could only passively wait for Tang San to discover her.
…
The closer Tang San got to the Sea God Temple, the slower his progress became, and he remained highly vigilant of his surroundings.
Suddenly, he looked up and noticed Bo Saixi sitting in front of the Sea God Temple.
By now, Bo Saixi was extremely aged. If not for her clothing, Tang San wouldn't have recognized who she was.
Without hesitation, Tang San used his Purple Extreme Demon Eye to confirm there was no danger nearby and rushed forward.
"Great-Grandmother, who injured you like this?"
Tang San's pupils contracted, his face flushed red, and his breathing became heavy.
Bo Saixi gave a resigned smile. "Xiao San, I'm glad to see you again."
"Great-Grandmother, what exactly happened?"
As he spoke, Tang San placed his hands on Bo Saixi's back and activated the Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone, pouring vitality into her body.
He could feel that Bo Saixi's cultivation level had dropped significantly, and her spirit had even shattered.
Bo Saixi gently pushed his hands away. "Xiao San, it's useless—don't waste your soul power."
Her spirit had shattered, her strength had regressed, and with her advanced age, her lifespan was nearing its end.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death were natural laws that couldn't be changed unless Bo Saixi's strength could somehow recover.
But without her spirit, how could her strength improve?
"Xiao San, something has happened to the Sea God. He was framed, arrested, and imprisoned, losing contact with Sea God Island."
Bo Saixi recounted the events of that day to Tang San in full detail.
For Bo Saixi, she was now free—no longer needing to burn her life force to initiate the Ninth Trial for Tang San.
"Great-Grandmother, there must be another way," Tang San said anxiously.
Originally, he had planned to inherit the position of the Sea God and use the forces of Sea God Island to seek revenge against the Spirit Hall.
But now, Sea God Island had disbanded, leaving only Bo Saixi behind.
Bo Saixi's former strength was undeniable—if she could regain her spirit, she would still be a crucial force in avenging the Spirit Hall.
Bo Saixi gave a bitter smile. "Xiao San, leave. Don't come back to Sea God Island. Seek out other gods."
"One day, when you ascend to the divine realm, save the Sea God for us."
As she spoke, Bo Saixi prepared to kneel before him.
Tang San didn't dare accept this and hurriedly helped her up. "Great-Grandmother, the Sea God has treated me well. If I ever reach the divine realm, I will definitely rescue him."
…
After speaking with Bo Saixi for a long time, Tang San left the Sea God Temple in a daze.
At the port, his gaze fell upon the endless expanse of the sea in the distance. He felt lost and uncertain, as if he had lost faith in his own future.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)