With this intense, focused cultivation,
🔹 The pressure from the Sea God's Light greatly accelerated everyone's absorption of residual immortal herb energies!
🔹 In just two weeks—
Everyone in the core disciples group leveled up by 1 rank!
And—
🔹 Their progress was still skyrocketing!
🔹 Each had moved up 2–3 steps in their physical endurance limit.
But keep in mind—
🔹 This was their limit with pure body strength.
If they activated martial souls, soul skills, or buffs—
🔹 They could easily climb several times higher!
At this rate,
🔹 The Black Rank and lower first trials could be completed in less than a year!
For the higher-ranked trials…
🔹 Ning Rongrong was another story.
🔹 And the 333rd step of the Sea God's Light under triple intensity… Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Shui Bing'er definitely couldn't handle it alone.
🔹 It would all come down to Tang Lan!
And would Tang Lan fail?
🔹 Not a chance!
Thus, no one felt pressured at all.
🔹 This Sea God's Light was the ultimate cultivation boost—
🔹 They'd be fools not to milk it for every last second!
Meanwhile,
🔹 The Thunder Hell Prison Vine's progress was just as ridiculous.
🔹 In two weeks, it had surged to 50,000 years of cultivation!
And—
🔹 The stronger it got, the faster it absorbed.
🔹 Its progress was snowballing out of control!
Everything was moving smoothly…
Until one day—
🔹 Shui Bing'er came looking for Tang Lan with a strange expression.
Beside her—
🔹 Shui Yue'er fidgeted awkwardly, head down, avoiding eye contact.
Tang Lan blinked.
🔹 What's this?
🔹 A matchmaking event?
🔹 As a future Sea God, a King of the Seas, should he just let things unfold?
So he chose to stay silent and watch.
A "Special" Trial?!
"Lan, Yue'er's trial needs your help." Shui Bing'er smirked.
🔹 Oh?
🔹 A trial?
Tang Lan immediately thought of Bai Chenxiang's Yellow Rank Trial in the original story—
🔹 She had to kiss Ma Hongjun for an incense stick's time.
But in the anime, this was changed to fighting a sea spirit beast instead.
Could it be…?
"Yue'er's trial is—" Shui Bing'er grinned,
🔹 "She must kiss any male in front of the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar for one incense stick's time!"
Shui Yue'er's head sank even lower.
🔹 Her whole face was red.
Tang Lan raised an eyebrow.
🔹 "Any male?"
🔹 "So the Sea God plays matchmaker too?"
After all,
🔹 Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Shui Bing'er were straight-up given 'Follow Tang Lan through the Nine Trials' as their test.
🔹 Clearly pushing the ship!
"Matchmaker?" Shui Bing'er asked curiously.
"Not important." Tang Lan waved it off.
🔹 "What about you, Yue'er?"
🔹 "What do you think?"
Shui Yue'er hesitated for a long moment—
🔹 Then finally lifted her head.
🔹 Her face was still burning red—
🔹 But her eyes were firm!
"Sect Master, I ask you to help me complete my trial!"
🔹 "Oh? Just the trial?" Tang Lan smirked.
🔹 "Nothing else?"
Shui Yue'er froze.
🔹 Other thoughts?
🔹 Of course she had them!
🔹 But…
🔹 Should she say it now? Or not?
She was still struggling with the answer when—
🔹 Shui Bing'er grabbed both of them and started walking.
"Alright, let's go finish the trial."
"We still need to get back early for training."
🔹 A crimson streak shot towards Sea Horse City.
And when night fell…
🔹 Tang Lan returned—
🔹 One girl under each arm!
Shui Yue'er walked stiffly, legs spread slightly apart.
🔹 Obvious to anyone who saw.
But even more shocking—
🔹 Shui Bing'er was also soft and floating!
Tang Lan's eyebrows twitched.
🔹 Wait…
🔹 Did something extra happen?!
Oscar and Dai Mubai stared at each other, their eyes burning with envy.
🔹 "Damn it!"
🔹 "Why wasn't I born with his luck?"
But—
🔹 They dared not voice their thoughts.
Because—
🔹 Above them, Xiao Wu was radiating dark, stormy energy!
🔹 Clearly furious!
Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, was utterly calm.
Without even opening her eyes, she spoke:
🔹 "Didn't we agree? We need at least 2–3 more battle soul sisters before we settle down."
🔹 "This is still within the limits."
Xiao Wu puffed her cheeks.
🔹 "I know that!"
🔹 "But I was here first! Why do I still have to—"
🔹 "Share my brother's love?!"
Zhu Zhuqing fell silent.
🔹 After all, she was also a latecomer.
🔹 She had no right to tell Xiao Wu to be more "understanding."
🔹 Completely unbothered.
He casually walked past the two girls, climbing back to the 130th step.
🔹 Then he sat down—
🔹 And resumed cultivation.
Xiao Wu nearly exploded!
🔹 "HE DIDN'T EVEN REACT?!?!"
But—
🔹 She didn't dare throw a fit.
🔹 Because the last time she threw a tantrum—
🔹 Tang Lan really didn't coax her at all!
In the end, she was the one who couldn't back down.
A few minutes later.
Xiao Wu gritted her teeth and said, "Zhuqing, find a time—let's test it out… See if we can drain him dry with enough people!"
Zhu Zhuqing finally opened her eyes, giving Xiao Wu a strange look.
How could you say such shameless words with such gritted determination?
But—she still nodded in agreement.
—No woman truly wants to share love.
If possible… this should be the limit—four is just right.
Perhaps Tang Lan overheard their "exhaustion plan."
Or maybe… he was simply too focused on his cultivation.
For the next month, Tang Lan dedicated his days to soul fusion and his nights to training with Bo Saixi.
Leaving Xiao Wu with no chance at all to suggest a "five-person team-building activity."
Even though Tang Lan had built a Tang Sect Inn at the foot of the mountain…
Nobody ever went back to sleep!
They couldn't just all go back together for a bath and take an entire day doing it, right?
So, they could only wait for an opportunity.
Until—
Zhu Zhuqing broke through and reached level 50!
The moment she opened her eyes,
Bo Saixi flashed into existence, floating above her.
Just as she raised her hand—
Tang Lan instantly teleported in front of Zhu Zhuqing, blocking the way.
"Xi-jie, you're here to grant the divine bestowed spirit ring, right?" Tang Lan smiled.
Bo Saixi's face remained expressionless, but she nodded calmly.
Then she explained—
"Any examinee with a Black Rank or higher trial will receive a divine bestowed spirit ring upon reaching a major breakthrough."
"There is no need to hunt soul beasts. The divine bestowed spirit ring will grant you the most suitable skill and the highest quality spirit ring your body can endure."
The others' eyes lit up!
Wasn't this the same principle as Tang Lan's innate soul ring?
"Xi-jie," Tang Lan grinned, "can we delay giving the divine bestowed spirit ring? I want Zhuqing to train longer—if her level is higher, she can get a better ring when she absorbs it."
Bo Saixi hesitated for a moment.
Normally, this wasn't allowed.
But—
Tang Lan kept calling her Xi-jie, and he was Tang Chen's great-grandson.
How could she refuse?
So, she nodded.
The divine bestowed spirit ring that she originally intended to grant immediately instead condensed into a golden orb, floating before Zhu Zhuqing.
"This divine bestowed spirit ring can be used by anyone. It can grant a spirit ring up to 100,000 years."
"If you want a spirit ring beyond 100,000 years, it must be absorbed within Sea God Island."
After a pause,
Bo Saixi added—
"When a Black Rank examinee completes all their trials, if they happen to be at a breakthrough level, they will receive another one."
"Additionally, assisting Xiao Lan in completing the Nine Trials of the Sea God will grant yet another divine bestowed spirit ring."
With that, she vanished in a flash.
Tang Lan's face lit up with joy!
Although he already knew these rules,
Bo Saixi voluntarily revealing this information showed her stance—which was even more important!
In the original story, Tang San's group never received such treatment!
Everything was only revealed when it became plot-relevant, as a last-minute explanation.
—Recognizing this great-grandmother was totally worth it!
"Speaking of which…" Oscar suddenly said, "Isn't the Grand Priestess being a little too friendly?"
"It's just because my brother is so charismatic!" Tang San said confidently.
"See? Even the Grand Priestess has to—"
"BOOOOM—!"
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine suddenly drew in lightning.
But this time—
🔹 The bolt went completely off-course!
🔹 And the Sea God's Light didn't filter out its power!
CRACK!
🔹 Tang San was blasted—vomiting blood—
🔹 Then the Sea God's Light bounced him away—
🔹 Flung him straight into the circular sea!
Unfortunately—
🔹 A few Tang Sect disciples couldn't stop their fire-element soul skills in time—
🔹 Several fireballs landed squarely on Tang San's face.
That… looked painful.
Oscar and Dai Mubai laughed maliciously.
Meanwhile—
Xiao Wu stared at Tang Lan, her expression… odd.
She didn't care if her brother had women—but this age gap was…
"Tsk!" Tang Lan raised a hand to stop the nonsense.
"Don't overthink it.
Xi-jie was my great-grandfather's friend—very close friends, you understand?"
Very close?
Everyone immediately understood.
But they were smart enough not to say anything.
Only Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
She muttered instinctively—"So she's actually Great-Grandmother…"
And then—
She slapped a hand over her mouth!
Her eyes darted nervously to the dark clouds above.
Lightning flashed and crackled—
—But all the bolts calmly struck the Thunder Hell Prison Vine.
Tang Lan grinned.
"If she's my great-grandmother, isn't she also your great-grandmother?"
"But let's keep this to ourselves—don't let anyone on Sea God Island know.
Publicly, we still refer to her as the Grand Priestess."
"Otherwise…"
Tang Lan pointed at Tang San,
Who crawled onto shore—
His hair burned to a crisp.
He looked absolutely miserable!
Everyone quickly nodded!
They didn't even dare hesitate—
🔹 What if a delay caused another bolt of lightning to strike?!
(End of Chapter)