Chapter 361: The Sea God's Fourth Trial – The Nine Core Competencies of Martial Souls
Sea God's Temple.
Returning once more to the darkness, Bibi Dong's consciousness reawakened. But unlike the previous time when the heartache made it hard to breathe, now her eyes glowed with a crimson light. A terrifying resentment, something she had never felt before, surged within her—so potent that even the divine power of the Sea God, which filled the temple, retreated in fear.
"Ahhhh—!"
A hoarse, beast-like cry erupted from Bibi Dong's mouth. Clutching her head, her face twisted with madness, she screamed, "Haotian Sect, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Heaven Dou Empire—you all deserve to die! You all deserve to die!!"
In that illusionary realm, Bibi Dong had her soul power sealed by the Haotian Sect and was thrown into the Heaven Dou Auction House. The auction house quickly spread the news across the city and announced Bibi Dong's debut as an item to be auctioned off—her "first usage rights" were to be sold.
In no time, the entire Heaven Dou City buzzed with activity. Countless wealthy merchants, nobles, even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the imperial family of Heaven Dou, including Emperor Xue Ye himself, all flocked to the auction house.
The Haotian Sect's child bride, the woman known as the continent's number one beauty, possessing twin martial souls and hailed as an unrivaled genius—who hadn't heard of Bibi Dong? Even nobles from the Star Luo Empire rushed over after hearing the news.
At that auction, Bibi Dong saw the hall packed with guests whose eyes gleamed with greed, filled with the ravenous hunger of wolves as they raised their signs in frenzied competition. Nearly every top noble in Heaven Dou City was vying for her. The shame and murderous rage in her heart threatened to drown her entirely.
The price skyrocketed to over a million gold soul coins. It could have gone even higher—possibly to unimaginable levels—but in the end, only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou royal family remained.
Who among the nobles dared to offend either of those two factions? The two sides were also political allies, and neither wished to damage their relationship.
In the end, no one knows what kind of deal was struck, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect voluntarily stepped aside, handing Bibi Dong over to the Heaven Dou royal family.
At the final moment when Emperor Xue Ye claimed her, Bibi Dong's consciousness detached from her body, watching everything unfold from a god's-eye view.
Even though her consciousness was no longer in that body, the Bibi Dong in the illusion was still a living person, with the same actions, thoughts, attitude, and personality.
Years passed as Bibi Dong was passed back and forth between the royal family and the sect. One day, due to political hemorrhaging, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect decisively chose to support a future genius of their own. And that was the end of Bibi Dong's life.
Over a decade of agony—Bibi Dong could only watch it all unfold without being able to speak or intervene. She witnessed every moment of humiliation and despair her illusionary self endured.
If Ning Fengzhi, Bone Douluo, Sword Douluo, or Tang San could have seen what Bibi Dong experienced in that illusion, they would have laughed themselves to death. Bibi Dong had tormented them, but now the Sea God's divine trial tormented her—hundreds of times more cruelly, breaking her down day after day like a soufflé collapsing under pressure.
"I don't want to take the Sea God's trial anymore! I refuse to take the Sea God's trial!!"
Kneeling on the ground, Bibi Dong seemed on the brink of collapse. Even though she had only been a bystander in that illusion, the suffering was so intense and so real, it felt as if she had lived it herself.
She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't endure another trial. She felt like she was going insane.
But then that mechanical, ancient voice sounded again:
"The Sea God's Trial, once started, cannot be stopped. The Fourth Trial begins in three minutes."
Madness flickered in Bibi Dong's eyes. She had made up her mind: as soon as the next illusion started, she would slit her own throat to escape it. After all, she had failed both the second and third trials but was still permitted to continue—didn't that mean the outcome didn't matter? That she'd pass regardless?
Yes, yes! She had dual god affinities! Tang San hadn't even completed the Asura God Trial and was still able to inherit the Asura God's position. She should be able to do the same!
One minute later, a flash of light engulfed her once again. As soon as she regained her senses and raised her hand to her throat, she realized—she wasn't in a golden palace.
She had become a six-year-old girl again and had been sold off by Qian Xunji. She was standing in a vast open space, before two enormous doors.
Behind those doors were rows upon rows of towering bookshelves—mountains of books. They looked like two grand libraries. And strangely, she felt as though she'd seen them before.
"To become the Sea God, ruler of the oceans and leader of all sea-dwelling beings, one must possess exceptional wisdom.
Fourth Trial: Wisdom. Complete this test."
The two gates leading to the libraries lit up with glowing titles above them:
'Martial Soul City Library'
'Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Archives'
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