The bell signaling the end of winter break rang out, and Tianxing Martial Arts Academy welcomed a new semester. Yu Yunting and Yu Yunyao bid farewell to their parents, once again immersing themselves in the intense yet fulfilling campus life. Meanwhile, back in Dragon City, Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan had finished the final preparations for their long journey.
For this overseas exploration, Yu Yuanchen had no intention of miserably relying on his own flight to cross the vast ocean. Not only would that consume a massive amount of energy, but the efficiency would be low; searching for other potential continents in the endless expanse of water would be no different than looking for a needle in a haystack.
Since he had the ability, why make things difficult for himself? Building a long-range vessel capable of withstanding wind and waves, while possessing both speed and comfort, was the wise choice.
What came as an unexpected joy to Yu Yuanchen was that when he shared his idea of exploring overseas continents with Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen, these two close friends expressed great interest and both indicated their willingness to join.
"An overseas continent? That sounds interesting!" Tang Chen rubbed his hands together, his eyes flashing with the light of adventure. "Maybe there are new forging materials or special sea soul beasts! Staying in one place for too long makes my bones feel like they're rusting."
Qian Daoliu was relatively more composed, but his eyes also held a hint of excitement at exploring the unknown: "Ancient texts occasionally mention overseas secrets, but they are vague. If I could go and see for myself, verify what I have learned, and broaden my horizons, that would be a wonderful thing."
He had already completed the first eight trials of the Angel God Trial, and his soul power had reached the level of a Level 99 Titled Douluo. He only needed to accumulate enough power of faith to attempt to open the final inheritance, so he had relatively ample time.
Yu Yuanchen naturally agreed with pleasure. There is strength in numbers, and the journey would be more lively. The main purpose of his trip was to find the legendary Sun Moon Continent and investigate its unique soul tool technology.
This was not for the sake of the power of faith—with the martial arts system in place, the collection of the power of faith was a matter of course—but purely out of curiosity about an unknown technological path.
Soul tools represented a path of power application that differed from a soul master's own cultivation and even the god system, holding immense potential.
In the past, he had been tied up with various matters and had no time to delve into it. Now that the martial arts path was on the right track and his children had enrolled in the academy, it was the perfect time to settle down and study these "miscellaneous arts."
Over the past six years, while accompanying his children as they grew, he had also taken the time to study some of the existing fragments of soul tool texts on the Douluo Continent and dismantled many low-level soul tools that were on the verge of being scrapped. He had barely managed to grasp a little bit of the way, but it was ultimately unsystematic and lacked core theories and high-level inheritance.
The Sun Moon Continent, according to his memories of the original work from his past life, was the birthplace and peak of future soul tool technology, so it was naturally the best destination to "seek the scriptures."
Three days later, Vast Sea City.
This largest coastal city of the Heaven Dou Empire welcomed several noble guests. Yu Yuanchen, Ye Zhilan, Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen, and their wives arrived quietly at the agreed-upon meeting point.
Standing beside Tang Chen was a woman with an upright posture and a hint of heroism between her brows; she was his wife, Yang Xueqi. She came from the Breaking Clan, her martial soul was the Soul Breaking Spear, and her talent was decent, with an innate soul power of seven. However, under Tang Chen's guidance, she was now a Soul Douluo. Her personality was straightforward, and she shared similar interests with Tang Chen, both having a bit of a martial arts fanatic streak.
Moreover, the two had previously had a son who was the same age as Yu Yuanchen's two younger brothers, Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian. He was currently studying at Tianxing Academy, in the same grade as Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian, and they even competed with each other.
Beside Qian Daoliu was a woman with a unique temperament and stunning beauty named Avril. Surprisingly, she was not human, but a six-winged angel whom Qian Daoliu had purified with Angel Holy Light and brought back to the light.
She retained her complete six-winged form, her aura pure and powerful, and standing together with Qian Daoliu, they looked like gods descending to the world. This was a bond Qian Daoliu had formed while purifying fallen angels in the Demon Plane, and they had since become a married couple.
Over the past six and a half years, after stabilizing the situation in the Demon Plane, Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen thought that since Golden Crocodile Douluo had broken through to level 98 and there were many strong individuals taking turns to hold the fort, the top combat power of the Demon Plane was almost wiped out and there was no longer a major threat, so they returned to the Douluo Continent.
Since then, both had successively broken through to become Level 99 Titled Douluo, their soul ring configurations had all reached the terrifying state of four purples, three blacks, and two reds, and they had completed the first eight trials of their respective god trials.
It is worth mentioning an episode in Qian Daoliu's god trial. In fact, logically speaking, Qian Daoliu, who did not have much ambition and only wanted to inherit his ancestor's god position and ascend to the God Realm, should have been the first to become a god, but a small episode occurred while in the Demon Plane.
Originally, according to the inheritance rules of the Angel God, when the inheritor undergoes the final trial, the high priest needs to sacrifice himself to open the path to godhood. Qian Daoliu did not know this at first, until one time when he was drinking with Tang Chen in the Demon Plane, Tang Chen let something slip while drunk, mentioning that because the God of Strength had no high priest, he needed to collect the power of faith for decades to ignite the divine fire before he could become a god.
Qian Daoliu grew suspicious, and upon questioning, he was shocked to realize that the moment he became a god would be the moment his father, Qian Chongxiao, would sacrifice himself!
He immediately returned to Martial Soul Hall and had a long talk with his father. In the end, he used an incomparably firm attitude to persuade (or rather, "force") Qian Chongxiao to give up the idea of sacrifice.
Qian Daoliu said that Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen both chose to rely on their own accumulated faith to become gods, and he, Qian Daoliu, would not be inferior to others in his life. He would rather give up the god position than use his father's sacrifice as a stepping stone! What he wanted, he would strive for himself!
Although Qian Chongxiao felt helpless, he was also deeply proud of his son's pride and sense of responsibility. Therefore, Qian Daoliu had now embarked on the long journey of accumulating faith and opening his own path to godhood.
With the three strongest Titled Douluo of the current era—Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen—joining forces, the safety of this overseas exploration was ridiculously high; calling it a vacation or a trip would not be an exaggeration. Thus, the three simply brought their wives along, treating this expedition as a rare and long honeymoon trip.
Since they had decided to go to sea, the first priority was the ship. Yu Yuanchen had long been prepared; relying on his deep understanding of energy runes and material structures, he personally designed the blueprints for the hull.
As for materials, he was not stingy at all. The three of them used various rare metals and spiritual woods from their respective inventories. Tang Chen, the newly inherited "God of Strength," personally swung the hammer, combining the alchemy techniques he had learned from the Demon Plane for forging, while Qian Daoliu assisted with the Angel Holy Fire for smelting.
Ye Zhilan, Yang Xueqi, and Avril also assisted from the side. In just a few days, a multi-masted sailing ship about fifty meters long, with a streamlined body, flashing with a dark golden metallic sheen, and engraved with countless complex runes, had taken shape.
This sailing ship, which Yu Yuanchen named the "Explorer," was not only incredibly sturdy and capable of withstanding deep-sea giant waves, but it also had built-in combinations of soul guiding arrays for energy gathering, defense, acceleration, and concealment (Yu Yuanchen's current understanding and application of basic soul guiding arrays were not high-level, relying entirely on the materials). Driven by their high-intensity soul power, it could even fly at low altitudes or dive into the deep sea when necessary, making it a mobile fortress.
With the ship ready, the next step was the route. In the vast ocean, where could they find the Sun Moon Continent?
"Perhaps we can go to Sea God Island first," suggested Ye Zhilan. "Sea God Island has guarded the ocean for generations and has a close relationship with the sea; perhaps there will be clues about overseas continents. Besides, sister Bo Saixi is also there, so it's a good time to visit her."
This proposal was unanimously agreed upon by everyone. Sea God Island was transcendent, indifferent to worldly affairs, and had a decent relationship with all parties, so it was indeed a good place to obtain information.
A few days later, the "Explorer" hoisted its sails and slowly sailed out of the port under the amazed gazes of the people of Vast Sea City.
At the bow, Yu Yuanchen stood with his hands behind his back, the sea breeze blowing his sleeves. Ye Zhilan stood by his side, leaning gently against him. Qian Daoliu and Avril looked out into the distance, the holy light and Angel Wings reflecting each other in the sunlight. Tang Chen was excitedly checking the various facilities on the ship, while Yang Xueqi watched from the side with a smile.
The sailing ship broke through the azure sea surface and headed toward the legendary Sea God Island. The runes on the ship glowed slightly, gathering the wind element and pushing the ship's speed far beyond that of an ordinary sailing ship. Seagulls circled, the blue waves stretched for miles, and a journey of overseas exploration full of unknowns and surprises officially set sail.
The days of sailing were not boring. Several of the world's top experts gathered together, and besides enjoying the seascape, they exchanged cultivation insights. Yu Yuanchen discussed the commonalities of elemental application with Qian Daoliu and sparred with Tang Chen on the techniques of power application.
Ye Zhilan and Avril exchanged ideas on healing and purification, while discussing plant characteristics and the artistic conception of spear techniques with Yang Xueqi.
The journey had become a small, high-level forum, and everyone felt they had benefited greatly.
Occasionally, they would encounter attacks from ignorant sea soul beasts, but there was no need for the big shots to take action. Once the ship's defensive array lit up, it couldn't hurt the ship at all. If the beasts were stubborn and kept attacking, any one of Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, or Tang Chen would move slightly to solve it easily, which instead became a diversion during the voyage.
After more than ten days of sailing, an island shrouded in hazy mist and exuding a mysterious aura and majestic divine power finally appeared on the horizon—Sea God Island.
The arrival of the "Explorer" immediately attracted the attention of Sea God Island. Several powerful auras rose from within the island and approached rapidly. The leader, stepping on the waves with a graceful figure, was none other than the High Priest of Sea God Island, Bo Saixi.
"Brother Yu, Brother Qian, Brother Tang, and everyone, what wind blew you to this isolated overseas island?" Bo Saixi's voice was clear and melodious, with a hint of surprise and welcome. Her gaze swept over the "Explorer," and a flash of amazement crossed her eyes; this ship... was not simple.
Yu Yuanchen and the others flew up to meet her and exchanged greetings. Ye Zhilan stepped forward to hold Bo Saixi's hand and smiled: "Sister Bo Saixi, we came to ask you for information, and to see you by the way."
Everyone landed on the white sandy beach of Sea God Island, and Bo Saixi led them into the island's temple. After listening to Yu Yuanchen explain his purpose and his desire to find clues about overseas continents, Bo Saixi pondered for a moment.
"Overseas continents... they do exist." Bo Saixi's words were shocking as she looked at the boundless ocean to the west. "According to the ancient records of Sea God Island, on the other side of the endless ocean, there is a continent called 'Sun Moon.' The soul masters there seem to have embarked on a path completely different from that of the Douluo Continent, and they are extremely adept at manufacturing and using soul tools."
Yu Yuanchen's heart stirred; as expected! He asked further: "Does the High Priest know the specific location? Or are there any sea charts or records of the route?"
Bo Saixi shook her head, showing a hint of apology: "Unfortunately, the records of Sea God Island are also very vague. We only know that it is roughly in the far west, and the voyage requires crossing the dangerous 'Demon Whale Sea Domain,' which is the territory of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King. Even the ships of our Sea God Island do not dare to go deep easily. The specific route has long been lost. After all, the faith of Lord Sea God mainly covers the sea areas around the Douluo Continent, and there are limited records for the distant outer seas."
Demon Whale Sea Domain? The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King? A flash of realization crossed the eyes of Yu Yuanchen. It seemed this journey was destined to be anything but peaceful. However, with the few of them present, unless a True god-level entity intervened, this ocean would not be able to stop them.
"Many thanks to Saintess Bo Saixi for the information," Yu Yuanchen said, cupping his hands in gratitude. "Having a general direction is enough. The Demon Whale Sea Domain... we will handle it in our own way."
Bo Saixi looked at the powerhouses before her, whose auras were as deep as the ocean, and understood that they truly possessed the confidence to traverse the Demon Whale Sea Domain.
She thought for a moment and added, "Although I do not have a specific route, I can gift you a sea chart drawn by Sea God Island regarding the ocean currents, climate, and known dangerous areas of the western seas. Perhaps it might be of some help. Additionally, Sea God Island possesses a Token that might reduce some trouble when encountering certain sea tribes."
As she spoke, she took out a shell-shaped Token emitting a soft blue light and a scroll of ancient sea charts, handing them to Yu Yuanchen.
"Many thanks!" Yu Yuanchen accepted them solemnly. This was no small favor.
After lingering on Sea God Island for two days, Yu Yuanchen and his group prepared to take their leave and continue their journey westward. Bo Saixi personally escorted them to the white sandy beach, where the Explorer lay quietly anchored in the azure waves.
Just as Yu Yuanchen and the others were about to board the ship, Bo Saixi looked at the three strongest Titled Douluo of the current era, and a thought she had been pondering for a long time became clear.
She stepped forward, her expression carrying a rare hint of gravity, and spoke: "Brother Yu, Brother Qian, Brother Tang, wait a moment."
Hearing this, Yu Yuanchen and the others stopped in their tracks, turning to look at Bo Saixi with questioning expressions.
Bo Saixi took a light breath, a flash of determination crossing her amethyst-like eyes: "As you all head west, is the 'Demon Whale Sea Domain' a mandatory path?"
Yu Yuanchen nodded: "According to the sea charts provided by the High Priestess and previous information, the Demon Whale Sea Domain is the necessary path for our westward journey, and it is also the most dangerous sea area known."
"Correct," a sharp light flashed in Bo Saixi's eyes. "The Overlord of that sea area is a Fierce Beast with a cultivation level approaching one million years, who calls himself the 'Deep Sea Demonic Whale King'. His strength has already half-stepped into the god-level; in the ocean, even if I were to hold the Sea God's Trident, it would be impossible for me to slay him."
Her words carried a hint of solemnity and a trace of imperceptible helplessness. "To be honest with you all, the final hurdle of my Eighth Trial of the Sea God is to slay this fiend beneath my trident."
Once these words were spoken, surprise flashed in the eyes of Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen, followed by realization. At their level, they naturally understood the harshness of the god trials and instantly grasped the reason why Bo Saixi had brought this matter up now.
Bo Saixi continued: "This fiend contended with the Sea God before he achieved divinity. Although the Sea God eventually gained the upper hand, he lacked the power to kill him, and after achieving divinity, he could not interfere with the affairs of the lower realm at will. This allowed him to occupy the vital western passage, unchecked by anyone. In the past, Sea God Island and he kept to our own affairs because his power was immense, and the successive High Priestesses needed to remain in the temple to maintain the faith of the Sea God, making it difficult to embark on a long expedition. However, his existence is ultimately a thorn in our side and hinders travel between the east and west."
Her gaze swept over the three powerhouses with deep auras, her tone becoming sincere and firm: "Seeing the three of you here together today is truly destiny. Bo Saixi has a presumptuous request—I sincerely invite the three of you to lend me a hand, to join forces to suppress the Demonic Whale King and help me complete this Eighth God Trial! At the same time, it would be considered ridding the people of a scourge and clearing the obstacles for your westward journey. I wonder what the three of you think?"
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan