"Steal a bomb to liven things up?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Hearing this, several of the Old Demons nearby instinctively nodded, as if eager to stir up trouble.
Stealing bombs had become an unofficial tradition on Devil Island. For over a thousand years, young men and women who came here for training would almost always take on this challenge.
Stealing bombs from the warehouse of the nearest city, North Sea City, without revealing their identities wasn't just a test of combat ability—it also examined their reflexes and sensitivity.
On one hand, it satisfied the twisted amusement of these mentally influenced individuals. On the other, it was an excellent way to evaluate the trainees' capabilities in all aspects. A win-win situation.
All things considered, stealing bombs was meaningful—a fine tradition that Devil Island couldn't afford to lose.
"But don't you think..."
"For three geniuses of this caliber, the bomb-stealing trial is far too shallow?"
Greed Old Demon clearly had deeper thoughts than the others. He shook his head and spoke bluntly.
"Shallow..."
Hearing this, the Old Demons exchanged glances, pondering—though not too deeply.
It wasn't until a while later that they seemed to realize something.
The trainees before them were the strongest in Devil Island's history—the only ones who could speedrun their Mental Domain.
Back when the Divine Realm still existed, they would have been considered god-material. Their potential and abilities were beyond question. And for people of this level to steal bombs...
It was downright absurd!
"Then what do you suggest, Brother Greed?"
"What kind of trial should we arrange for these three?"
At this point, Ruin Old Demon couldn't help but ask. Hearing this, the others also fell into thought.
Even their proudest achievement, the Mental Domain, had no effect on the trio. What else could they test?
This was their strongest ability—something they hadn't planned to use so early, except in nightmares. Yet now...
Wasn't this the same as unleashing their ultimate move right at the start?
And if even their ultimate move was useless, what was the point of any other countermeasures?
"No matter how talented they are, everyone has weaknesses. Since our Mental Domain didn't affect them, we'll just have to find another angle."
"But as for the specifics..."
"I'll need to observe them first."
Greed Old Demon's gaze drifted into the distance.
Watching the three figures gradually receding, a strange light flickered in his eyes. No one could tell what he was thinking.
To block a god-level Mental Domain so effortlessly... If things were truly as he suspected, this might be the last chance for the seven of them...
He could only hope these three youngsters wouldn't disappoint him.
"Then we'll follow your lead, Brother."
Whether the six Old Demons truly understood was unclear, but in front of Greed Old Demon, each of them spoke respectfully, appearing eager to hear more.
Though they might be lacking in skill, they were at least good at taking advice—making them decent teammates.
"As for the living conditions..."
"They're not bad at all."
Meanwhile, Tang Luochuan and the other two had already arrived at their lodging—a small wooden cabin. His expression remained calm as he spoke.
The small wooden cabin was quite spacious, equipped with a bathroom, living room, kitchen, and bedrooms—everything one could need. It was large enough to comfortably accommodate at least seven or eight people.
This made sense, as the number of trial participants had rarely been fewer than seven in the past, so the living arrangements naturally accounted for that.
"Staying in a Small World…"
"Quite a novel experience."
Tang Luochuan chuckled softly, a thoughtful expression on his face. Even so, none of them had any intention of lingering here for long. After all, they still knew next to nothing about this Small World.
"Luo Chuan Gege," Na'er said, sticking close to him as they walked, her face alight with curiosity. "What do you think our challenge will be like?"
Gu Yue's attention also turned toward him.
At the moment, they still had little understanding of the seven Old Demons. Though they couldn't suppress them, the Old Demons' divine-level spiritual power was nothing to scoff at.
Apart from Tang Luochuan, even Gu Yue and Na'er—both part of the Silver Dragon King—only had spiritual power at the Spirit Abyss level, far from matching the Old Demons.
"The seven Old Demons excel in spiritual attacks, but since we've already demonstrated immunity in that regard, they likely won't test us in that area," Tang Luochuan mused, shaking his head with a faint smile. "The most probable scenario is combat trials—perhaps requiring us to defeat opponents beyond our current strength."
His impression of Devil Island's so-called trials was vague at best. He just hoped…
That these seven Old Demons—powerful in strength and formidable in spiritual power—wouldn't force him down the same path as in the original timeline. Like, say, stealing a bomb.
If that really happened, he'd be tempted to ask: Do I look like a bomb to you?
Beyond that, he wasn't sure. If it were a combat trial, their current location in the middle of the ocean provided an abundance of marine Soul Beasts—an ideal choice.
But what truly held his attention wasn't the trials themselves.
It was the distant Divine Power Pillar… and the yet-to-be-triggered…
Tidal of Life!
These two phenomena represented the greatest manifestations of the Power of Life and the Power of Destruction on the Douluo Continent. They were also among the rare triggers capable of unlocking divine-level power.
The potential benefits far outweighed anything Devil Island could offer.
"Luo Chuan," Gu Yue suddenly spoke up, following his gaze until it landed on the violet-black pillar of light. Her calm expression flickered with confusion. "Your eyes keep drifting in that direction."
In fact, she felt a little bewildered.
Was a mere pillar of divine power, condensed from the God of Destruction's energy, really worth his unwavering focus?
"I don't know why," Tang Luochuan admitted, shaking his head pensively. "But I just feel…"
"That power could make me stronger."
"Make you…"
"Stronger?"
Upon hearing this, a thoughtful expression instantly appeared on Gu Yue's face. Luo Chuan, who possessed the inheritance of the Dragon Clan's master, actually believed the Power of Destruction from the God of Destruction could make him stronger!
Could it be that Luo Chuan could even absorb these powers?
"Of course, after all, it's the God Power of the God of Destruction..." Tang Luochuan laughed heartily.
"Young friend, your ambition is commendable. It's just a pity that this Power of Destruction is something you cannot possibly meddle with."
At that moment, a voice rang out, and in the next instant, the figure of Greed Old Demon appeared beside Tang Luochuan like a ghost.
"Is that so."
Tang Luochuan's expression remained indifferent. Just then, a ding sound suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Detected that the Small World where the host resides—Seven Saints Abyss—is forged from the God Power of the God of Destruction, a wondrous place brimming with greed, ruin, wrath, sloth...]
[The host's domain ability has been enhanced. Damage related to emotions will be amplified by 100%.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the reward: Eternal Power of Destruction.]
[Destruction never vanishes but transfers. Under the influence of the Power of Destruction, all damage dealt will carry an additional 300% bonus damage, along with a fear debuff.]
[Note: Can be applied to others.]
[Dear host, closer proximity to the source of destruction may yield even greater benefits.]
"..."
(End of Chapter)