Divine Realm Conference Hall
The gods sat in complete silence.
Dark clouds gathered on the Goddess of Flowers' dignified face.
She parted her crimson lips, about to reprimand the mortal youth's arrogance.
But when her gaze swept past the Sea God—whose divine radiance had yet to recover—she swallowed the words that had reached her lips.
After a long silence, she rose gracefully.
The myriad flowers around her, which had withered, bloomed once more.
"When Li Zhexian ascends to the Divine Realm, I will personally explain the causes and consequences to him."
"The dignity of the gods must not be lightly offended. By then, he too will be a god, and will naturally consider matters from a divine standpoint."
...
Sea God Island
Half a day had passed.
Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Yu Tianheng, and the others successively refined the immortal herbs.
One powerful aura after another surged skyward. Energy storms formed from violently fluctuating soul power, flattening the surrounding coconut groves and sending waves rolling across the pool.
Among them, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Oscar, and Shui Bing'er had all broken through to Level 90.
The others had likewise reached Level 85 or above.
Li Zhexian nodded in satisfaction.
"After this refinement, when you undergo the god trials, your talent and foundation should improve even further."
"Zhexian, between us, we shouldn't even need to say thanks..." Yu Tianheng felt the surging power within him and exchanged glances with Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wushuang, and the others.
Then,
everyone bowed deeply toward Li Zhexian with clasped fists.
"This is the grace of rebirth itself—mere words cannot do it justice."
"We only hope that one day, we may ascend to the Divine Realm alongside you and roam freely, even embracing the stars of the heavens."
Li Zhexian smiled and nodded, then looked toward Bo Saixi and the six Sacred Pillar Guardians.
"Seniors, please begin the trials."
"Very well." Bo Saixi exhaled softly, suppressing the shock in her heart.
These young people before her—
even setting aside Li Zhexian, whose brilliance surpassed all eras—
the talent of the others was already astonishingly rare.
She raised the Sea God's Scepter with reverence and gently tapped it against the ground.
Hum!
Centered on the scepter's point of contact, a deep-blue halo rippled outward.
When the ripples touched the Sacred Pillar, the profound runes carved upon it lit up one by one, transforming into a blue-gold beam of light that shot into the clouds.
"Please step forward one by one and place your palm upon the Sacred Pillar."
"I'll go first." Yu Tianheng exchanged a glance with Li Zhexian and nodded firmly.
He leapt to the front of the pillar and pressed his palm against it.
Buzz—buzz!
The Sacred Pillar immediately began to tremble.
Under the tense gazes of the crowd,
the beam's color shifted rapidly—
White, Yellow, Purple, Black!
The deep black was as dense as eternal night, even tinged faintly with streaks of blood-red before the changes finally stopped.
Six black rays shot into Yu Tianheng's brow.
"Black level Six Trials!" Sea Dragon Douluo announced solemnly, unable to hide his shock.
The assessment levels, from lowest to highest, were:
White, Yellow, Purple, Black, Red.
A Black level trial was already extremely difficult.
And what Yu Tianheng received was a top-tier Black Trial, touching the threshold of Red.
"Brother Tianheng, you understand the content of the trial now?" Li Zhexian asked with a smile.
This result was exactly as he had anticipated.
A Black level trial brushing against Red—
already surpassed Dai Mubai's aptitude in the original story.
"Yes." Yu Tianheng clenched his fist and nodded, blazing battle intent flashing in his eyes.
After Yu Tianheng,
the moment Dugu Yan's slender hand pressed against the Sacred Pillar—
the pillar emitted a humming sound like the joyous roar of ocean tides.
The sky-piercing beam instantly skipped past all colors and directly transformed into a blood-red pillar of light.
Seven red marks sank into her brow.
Red Level Seven Trials!
After absorbing the poison of Blood Swan's Kiss, carrying traces of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's inner core, and now refining immortal herbs—
Dugu Yan's aptitude had unmistakably reached the pinnacle of the current era.
Suppressing the trembling in her heart, she gathered her Spirit Power into a thin thread of sound and sent it into Li Zhexian's ear.
"Brother Zhexian… thank you."
The soft, affectionate tone made the smile on the young man's face stiffen slightly.
Next,
the others stepped forward to touch the pillar one after another.
Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Ye Lingling, Ning Rongrong, Shui Bing'er, and Oscar all received top-tier Red Level, Seven Trials.
Six crimson beams stood side by side above Sea God Island. The Sacred Pillar Guardians were utterly stunned, and Bo Saixi clenched her divine staff tightly.
Such a magnificent sight
was an unprecedented spectacle since the founding of Sea God Island.
Meanwhile, Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian, Feng Buyu, and Huo Wushuang—like Yu Tianheng—received Black Level, Six Trials, brushing the threshold of Red Level.
With all aptitude tests completed,
everyone excitedly discussed the content of their trials.
Huo Wu hooked her slender, pale arm around Li Zhexian's neck and forcefully pulled him close.
"Hmph! Li Zhexian!"
Her fiery brows knitted together as she glared at the young man, pouting:
"Among all the girls, I'm the only one who didn't get Red Level!"
"Did you secretly give them special treatment?"
"Or is it that…"
"you and I, Huo Wu, just aren't close enough?"
Her sudden move instantly made the atmosphere livelier.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but laugh.
Dugu Yan twirled a lock of hair around her finger and giggled.
"That's right, Huo Wu—Zhexian secretly gave us extra help behind your back!"
Yu Tianheng and the others stifled their laughter, standing aside to enjoy the spectacle.
With Huo Wu's arm locked around his neck, Li Zhexian tilted his head slightly.
Meeting her eyes—burning with defiance and mischief—he said helplessly:
"What special treatment?"
After a brief pause, he continued teasingly:
"Besides, if we're talking about being 'close,' who could compare to you, Huo Wu? How many times has this 'throat lock' of yours already strangled me?"
At his words,
everyone burst into laughter.
Even Huo Wu couldn't hold it in any longer. She released him and gave Li Zhexian a light punch, annoyance on her lips but a bright smile on her face.
...
Divine Realm
The gods watched the beams of light with growing interest.
"Has all the fortune of the Douluo Continent converged in this generation? One Li Zhexian was not enough—so many prodigies have emerged!"
"The Emperor Star shines upon the world, and the stars gather in response. This is a sign of a resplendent age. These prodigies are all destined to become generals guarding the Imperial Star!"
"These youths all possess the qualifications to inherit god positions and share deep ties with Li Zhexian… If they ascend together, would they not form an entire faction in the Divine Realm?"
"You worry too much. Which God King lacks followers? Spirit Beasts becoming gods is a fundamental law of the Divine Realm—something even God Kings cannot overturn!"
"Heh. Excluding his close companions because of Li Zhexian? Once he ascends to the Divine Realm, go argue with his sword instead."
Listening to the gods' incessant discussion, the Sea God felt waves of pain tearing through his divine soul.
Just as he was about to rise and return to the Deep Sea Divine Hall, his expression suddenly changed drastically.
He saw—
within the light screen—
the youth, laughing and joking amid his friends, casually place his palm upon the Sacred Pillar as well!
In the next instant,
the pillar erupted with light.
In a flash, it shattered through the blood-red threshold and transformed into a blinding, blazing gold.
Divine radiance surged forth, dazzling beyond measure, so brilliant that it stabbed painfully into the eyes of all the gods present.
Crack!
Crack—crack!
The sound of shattering rang endlessly as fractures spread across the Sacred Pillar.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar,
the Sacred Pillar—bearing the Sea God's divine will—exploded violently, turning into countless motes of dust.
"Pff—!"
Already severely wounded, the Sea God suffered yet another blow. Divine blood sprayed wildly from his mouth, his divine body swaying as darkness closed in on his vision.
"This child... clashes with my fate! I must pass down my god position and stay far away from the Divine Realm!"
As the words fell,
before the stunned gazes of the gods, the Sea God collapsed unconscious.
The gods immediately cried out:
"Quick! Summon the Goddess of Flowers back at once to heal the Sea God!"
...
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