Chapter 362: I Can't Complete It—This Question I Can't Answer
Sea God Temple
Bibi Dong's consciousness returned once more to darkness. But unlike before, when her chest had been so tight with pain she could barely breathe, now her eyes glowed with a deep crimson light. A rage unlike anything she had ever known surged within her—so intense that even the Sea God's divine power inside the temple instinctively backed away.
"AAAHHHH!"
A hoarse, guttural scream escaped from Bibi Dong. Clutching her head, her face twisted in fury, she roared madly, "Clear Sky Clan! Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan! Heaven Dou Empire! You all deserve to die! You all deserve to die!!"
In that illusion, Bibi Dong had her spirit power sealed and was thrown into the Heaven Dou Auction House by the Clear Sky Clan. The auction house quickly spread the word through all of Heaven Dou City, announcing that Bibi Dong would be auctioned—her first-use rights sold to the highest bidder.
Immediately, merchants, nobles, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and even Emperor Xue Ye all headed for the auction. Everyone knew her name: Clear Sky Clan's child bride, the most beautiful woman on the continent, possessor of twin martial spirits, an unrivaled genius—Bibi Dong.
Even nobles from the Star Luo Empire came.
At that auction, Bibi Dong saw countless noble elites, their eyes green with lust and greed, madly bidding on her. The shame and fury she felt nearly drowned her.
In the end, the price soared into the millions of gold soul coins. It could have gone even higher, but only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Heaven Dou royal family remained. No one else dared challenge them.
Some deal was made in private. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan yielded, and Bibi Dong was handed over to the royal family.
Just before Emperor Xue Ye took her, Bibi Dong's consciousness was pulled from her body. She watched the entire life of this "illusion Bibi Dong" from above, like a god watching a mortal.
Even though she wasn't in control, that Bibi Dong acted exactly like her—same thoughts, same personality, same emotions.
Years passed. She was passed back and forth between the royal family and the Seven Treasure Clan. In the end, when the latter saw a new prodigy rising, they cut her off. Her life ended just like that.
For over a decade, Bibi Dong was forced to watch this humiliating, heartbreaking life. She couldn't say a word. She couldn't intervene.
If Ning Fengzhi, Bone Douluo, Sword Douluo, or Tang San saw this… they'd laugh until they cried. After all the torment Bibi Dong gave them, the Sea God Trial had tormented her back a hundredfold. Every day, she was inflated like a cream puff.
"I don't want to take the Sea God Trial anymore! I don't want it!!"
Bibi Dong collapsed to her knees, utterly broken. She hadn't lived through it, but just watching it had destroyed her. It felt as if she had lived it all.
She couldn't take it anymore. One more trial, and she would go mad.
The mechanical, ancient voice returned: "The Sea God Trial cannot be halted. Fourth trial begins in three minutes."
Her face twisted with madness. The next illusion, she would immediately slit her own throat. She had already "failed" the second and third trials—yet she was still allowed to proceed. That proved it—the outcome didn't matter.
Yes! She had two divine inheritances. Tang San hadn't even taken the Asura Trials and still became a god. So she could too!
One minute later, she was swallowed by light again. When her mind cleared, she raised her hand to cut her throat—only to realize she wasn't in a palace.
She was a six-year-old girl again, sold by Qian Xunji, standing in front of two massive doors in an empty void.
Behind the doors: rows upon rows of bookshelves stacked with books. Two libraries.
And she recognized both of them.
"To become the Sea God, ruler of the oceans, and leader of the Sea God's people, you must possess exceptional wisdom. Fourth trial: Wisdom. Complete this written exam."
Above the two doors floated signs:
"Spirit Hall Library"
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan Archive"
—
Bibi Dong looked down at the test paper. Nine questions.
Origin of martial spiritsMartial spirit mutationSpirit power awakeningSoul ring acquisitionSoul master development pathsSoul ring bottlenecksTypes of martial spiritsMethods of cultivating martial spiritsSoul bones
So easy. These were basic theory questions, soul master 101.
She read through the questions and was about to begin writing, but stopped. She turned to the two libraries. After what she'd experienced in the second and third trials, she no longer took anything for granted.
She combed both libraries thoroughly, reviewing everything related to the nine questions. Then she sat down and began to write.
Origin of Martial Spirits
Everyone inherits their martial spirits from both parents. Excluding some exceptions like Sky Foxes, whose spirits pass only to daughters, most inherit the stronger spirit. Some inherit both—twin spirits—especially if the parents' spirits are different yet similar in quality.Martial Spirit Mutation
Martial spirits can mutate. Usually, this weakens them, but sometimes it enhances them. Mutations can involve changes in form or attribute. For example, a hammer spirit might become another weapon. A lightning spirit might change to fire or wind. The result could be stronger, weaker, or unchanged.Spirit Power Awakening
At age six, children awaken their spirits. If spirit power awakens with the spirit, they can become soul masters. Higher-quality spirits awaken with higher innate power. Weak spirits generally awaken with zero to one level.Soul Ring Acquisition
Soul rings are obtained by killing soul beasts. They come in six grades: ten-year (white), hundred-year (yellow), thousand-year (purple), ten-thousand-year (black), hundred-thousand-year (red), and million-year (gold).
Here, Bibi Dong smirked. The golden ring wasn't even recorded in the archives—it was divine knowledge, which she alone possessed.Soul Master Development Paths
Each soul master must choose a path based on their spirit: power, control, agility, support, or defense. To choose properly, one must know their spirit's attribute and absorb matching soul rings for maximum effect.Soul Ring Bottlenecks
Reaching a bottleneck doesn't stop cultivation, but limits advancement. Once a ring is acquired, all stored progress manifests. Ideally, one should get a ring soon after reaching a bottleneck, unless their foundation is unstable.Types of Martial Spirits
Two main types: beast and tool. Below level 70, beast spirits are generally stronger. After awakening their true form at level 70, tool spirits surpass beasts.Martial Spirit Cultivation
Aside from trash spirits, no spirit is truly weak. With resources, one can raise any spirit by acquiring high-quality soul rings. Over generations, even trash spirits can evolve. But it's expensive, time-consuming, and success rates are low.
At the word "Spirit Hall," she paused slightly—then kept writing.
Soul Bones
Different spirits require different bones. Excluding age, only bones that match one's path will bring full power. If the soul skill is extremely strong, even mismatched bones are worth absorbing.
She checked everything. No typos. No missing parts.
"I'm done."
Before her, a blackboard appeared.
On it were nine lines of text—her beloved, perfect, first love: Yu Xiaogang's greatest work, crafted over three sleepless months. A paper that shook the soul master world:
"The Nine Core Competencies of Martial Spirits."
The mechanical voice spoke again.
"Fourth Trial, Part Two: Correct and Supplement This Theory."
Bibi Dong stared at the blackboard. Then at her own answers. She froze.
A feeling she couldn't describe surged in her heart. Her face twisted, her voice trembled:
"I… I can't correct it. I don't know the answer… I don't know…"
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