In the God Realm—
Poseidon let out a long, exaggerated yawn, slumping lazily on his throne. "When will that kid finally reach Haishen Island? I swear, I'm rotting away up here."
"Everyone thinks the Divine Realm sounds grand, but it's nothing more than a gilded cage. Responsibility after responsibility, and the God Kings watch us like hawks—every move, every breath, scrutinized. Sure, I'm immortal, what's the point when I can't even enjoy myself!"
The God muttered under his breath, grumbling louder as he went. "It's ridiculous. Those five old geezers sure do love restricting everyone's freedom for their entertainment. I haven't even done anything, yet they tie me up with rules."
"And don't get me started on that damn Asura bastard—always breaking rules left and right, meddling in the mortal world whenever he likes and when anyone dares to even question him, he spouts some nonsense about 'the greater good.' Greater good, my ass! Do you even hear yourself?" Poseidon hissed Poisonously.
"And that bastard… he's so petty! If I don't suck up to him, he won't even give me a moment away from his watchful eye. Excuse me—can I at least have some privacy when I'm taking a dump? But no... not until I bow and kiss his hairy ass!" His chest heaved in anger.
Suddenly, His complaints came to an abrupt halt. A sudden jolt ran through his divine core—like a spark of destiny awakening. His eyes widened, then lit up with wild joy.
"Yes…! Finally! My heir has arrived!" Poseidon burst out laughing, his voice booming across the realm. "Hahaha! No more waiting, no more boredom. Even if I have to break every rule and step into the mortal world myself, I'll make sure you inherit my god position!"
Then he froze, his face flushing as his divine senses swept across so many extraordinary talents. Yet among them all, one stood head and shoulders above the rest—the true cream of the crop. The one he had chosen.
"Huh? Someone with Ultimate Water Attribute and a Water domain…? But compared to this kid—if he can manage to claim the Ashura God position—he might just elevate my divine seat!" Poseidon gulped, eyes widening as a grin spread across his face.
"My inheritance… it will be legendary. Two God positions in one… and a God King! Hahaha—this is going to be magnificent!"
Meanwhile—Back in the Mortal Realm…
"You're the most dazzling group of geniuses Haishen Island has ever seen," Bo Saixi still admitted, letting out a sigh of admiration.
Xiao Wu and the others were still in the dark about the Sea God's Test, and the Sea Horse Douluo hadn't explained it clearly either.
Seeing the slightly bewildered expressions on their faces, she smiled faintly. "The God of the Ocean sets different levels of tests based on the power and potential of each candidate. From low to high, they are: White Level Test, Yellow Level Test, Purple Level 1–3, and Black Level 4–6."
Her gaze flicked briefly to Bai Chenxian, Dugu Yan, and Xiao Mei. "The Black Level Tests correspond to the standard of the Guardians of the Seven Sacred Totems."
"Then comes the Red Level—top-tier 7–8 Tests—and finally, the God of the Ocean's 9 Test," she continued, sweeping her eyes over the group. "The Red Level Tests match the standard of the heiress to the Grand Sea God Priestess—that is, me."
Xiao Wu and the others eligible for the Red Level Test were visibly excited, whereas the three who had only qualified for the Black Level Test looked a little disappointed.
Noticing the sulking expressions of Dugu Yan, Bai Chenxian, and Xiao Mei, Bo Saixi added, "Do not underestimate the Black Level Test. In the past 100 years, it has been attempted 31 times… and only seven succeeded."
The excited group felt a sudden chill—by that logic, they thought, if the Black Level Test is that hard, then the Red Level must be nearly impossible. Meanwhile, the Auxiliary trio looked deeply distressed.
"The Sea God has always been fair to talented individuals. The difficulty of the Test is directly proportional to both your talent and the effort you put in. As for the Red Level, it may sound impossibly difficult, but when the time comes, the challenger will always succeed."
Hearing this, Rongrong, Lingling, and Yuehua let out audible sighs of relief—they were auxiliary soul masters, after all, without the advantages of battle soul master.
"But—Tang Yin. You must complete at least one Test every year. If you fail, your fate will be worse than death itself," she warned.
Bo Saixi departed soon after—but not before casting Tang Yin a glance that held equal parts disdain and reluctant understanding.
Surrounded by so many talented and beautiful women, the grand priestess could hardly fault the assumptions she'd made. At first, she had taken him for nothing more than a lustful man. Yet now, her view had shifted ever so slightly—lustful, perhaps, but undeniably resourceful.
Xiao Wu threw herself into Tang Yin's embrace and celebrated. "Woohoo! Did you see that? Even the priestess called us peerless talents—once in a millennium!" She puffed out her chest and wore a smug smile, clearly pleased with the praise, which Tang Yin couldn't resist pinching softly.
Zhuqing and Zhuyun were also delighted. Their potential had always been mediocre, not outstanding. Both were Innate Level 7, but with Tang Yin's help, they were now no less than full-fledged prodigies.
Rongrong and Yiran were the loudest, hugging each other in joyous celebration. Yuehua and Erlong, the mature beauties, shared a knowing smile, while Huo Wu and the Shui sisters were similarly on cloud nine.
But Lingling, glancing at her best friend Dugu Yan, couldn't hide her distress. Not only her, but Xiao Mei and Bai Chenxian also looked disappointed, having only qualified for the Black Level Test.
While the others celebrated, Tang Yin caught the shadow clouding Bai Chenxian's face. Her smile was faint, brittle at the edges. He sighed softly and walked over, gently coaxing the cute cousin he was very fond of.
Sweet Home Alabama
In the original story, Bai Chenxian had been downcast because of her Yellow-level Sea God Test and her seemingly limited talent.
But now, even though her trial had already soared far beyond that former point, the sting of inadequacy and the shadow of weak talent compared to others still lingered in her heart.
Tang Yin could understand her frustration, yet he also knew there was still hope—after all, the Sea God's trials were unpredictable, and sheer willpower could reshape destiny.
Dugu Yan and Xiao Mei were also quieter than usual, though for different reasons. Dugu Yan, who once lived under the shadow of poison and feared she might not live past twenty-five, now stood among the most dazzling talents on the douluo continent.
Xiao Mei's fate had been harsher still; once, she hadn't even possessed the qualifications to be called a soul master. Yet now she stood as a Soul Emperor, already brushing against the threshold of Soul Saint. With her newfound talent, she carried the potential to one day rival even the most peerless Titled Douluo.
Tang Yin sighed again, looking at the three of them. Reaching out with both encouragement and presence, he coaxed softly, his voice steady yet warm:
"Don't be discouraged. The God of Ocean's Test isn't absolute. With enough grit, enough willpower, it can still change. Steel yourselves, endure the pain, and show the Sea God your determination. That will decide your path more than any rank or color ever could."
The three were stunned by his words, yet one by one, they nodded, determination sparking in their clear eyes, a fierce flame of challenge blazing within them.
The rest offered their silent support, lending strength without a word—there was no need for jealousy among sisters.
The Next Day—
Tang Yin and his lovers stood before the Long Stairs, a daunting flight of 1,001 steps—the most forbidden area of Haishen Island—leading up to Haishen Hall, where the God of Ocean's sacred inheritance awaited.