Chapter 143: The Sea God
The first rays of dawn bathed Sea God Island in light a new day had begun.
After last night, Bo Saixi's appearance radiated a newfound glow, a touch of maturity and allure enhancing her former dignified grace. This subtle shift had everyone Ye Wen brought along stealing glances, eyes wide with surprise when they learned she had joined the Ye family as its newest lady.
Among them, Bibi Dong's expression was particularly complex; she said nothing and simply resumed her trials. Ah Yin, surprised but showing slight jealousy, ultimately accepted Bo Saixi with a hint of resignation. Years of effort, and she still hadn't borne Ye Wen a single child; the Blue Silver Empress who had once spread countless seeds of blue silver grass felt her pride was somewhat wounded. Reproduction should've been her strength so why had nothing come of it?
Ye Wen had assured her that soul beasts and humans could reproduce freely after taking human form. Still, as his first woman, Ah Yin quickly adjusted her attitude and accepted Bo Saixi's place in the family with magnanimity. Nonetheless, she shot Ye Wen a glance as sharp as a blade. Just wait until tonight.
For his part, Ye Wen could only accept it helplessly. Explaining he'd been coerced into it wouldn't make a difference. On the Douluo Continent, powerful soul beasts and humans alike often had multiple partners, a norm Ah Yin found perfectly acceptable. If anything, she found Tang San's exclusive, ascetic approach baffling, and it often struck her as contrived as if it was a ploy to lure spirit rings.
Feudal societies rarely engaged in monogamy, and this historical inaccuracy made his behavior feel insincere.
Returning to the matter at hand, Ye Wen documented Bo Saixi's physical condition in detail. Then, with resolve, Bo Saixi activated the Sea God inheritance realm in the Sea God Hall, her form dissolving into a radiant blue gold light.
As the light faded and her form began to dissipate, Ye Wen quickly utilized his new revival ability granted by Snow Empress's spirit ring. With his soul power now at level 103, resurrecting a mere 99 level Limit Douluo was straightforward. Using only a third of his soul power, he successfully restored Bo Saixi to life.
Feeling the solidity of her body, Bo Saixi was awash with emotion but refrained from further words, not wanting to delay Ye Wen's important task.
"Go, Wen. I'll be here when you return," she said softly, her gaze filled with quiet affection.
To repay such deep affection was an impossible task. With a look of solemn promise, Ye Wen stepped into the inheritance realm.
"Sea God Inheritance begins. The inheritance trial consists of nine stages. The first seven stages will test your emotions. Beginning now."
In the original story, the Sea God inheritance involved six emotional trials, each tied to a soul bone. However, because Tang San possessed an external spirit bone, his trials adapted to seven emotional tests. Ye Wen was experiencing the same seven fold challenge.
Waves of chaotic thoughts surged into Ye Wen's mind, bringing an ache to each of his soul bones as negative thoughts gnawed at his psyche.
The pains were accompanied by an array of conflicting emotions, filling his mind with distracting noise. Amid the chaos, he called out, "Lord Sea God, Cang Lao, Deep Sea Demon Whale King, and Snow Empress are my future subordinates. Please, if you can, spare them."
As Ye Wen drifted further into the realm of emotional trial, Poseidon, watching from the God Realm, chuckled approvingly.
"He's quite the capable successor, aware of the rules of the God Realm already. Very well, then," Poseidon murmured, noting that Ye Wen's future subordinates included one hundred thousand year soul beast and two with sixty thousand year cultivation levels. "With such underlings, he won't be lacking in power."
If the ever so faithful Tang San had undergone this trial, things would have been far more challenging. However, Ye Wen's rational approach made him adept at navigating these trials. When it came to core interests, he would abandon all else. For Ye Wen, the only true tragedy would be to lose loved ones forever without the chance of bringing them back. If they were gone, he would move heaven and earth even bend time itself to revive them, sparing nothing to avenge their loss.
The Sea God did not value unwavering passion or sentiment; rather, he valued clarity of purpose. After all, the Sea God was, in essence, the King of the Sea.
"Emotional trials passed. Now begins Stage Eight: Divine Armor Formation."
A sudden surge of pain overwhelmed him as his soul bones, once bonded to his body, were stripped away, cleansed of any residual soul skills or impurities. While he had anticipated this, the sheer intensity of the pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Under the transformative power of divine energy, each bone changed into deep blue god armor with golden accents.
In the original tale, Tang San's spirit bones had been reconfigured to form the Sea God's eight wings, aligning with a specific divine image. Ye Wen found this decision baffling. Why would a god of the sea need wings to fly? Surely, the Sea God didn't need wings for that. Perhaps this was a nod to the ancient ceremonial wear of distant generals, with decorative back plumes to add grandeur.
Through divine power, Ye Wen's external and head spirit bones fused into a grand trident shaped crown with a brilliant sapphire in the center, which had once been his third eye. As each piece of the divine armor took its place, a rush of newfound strength coursed through him. His soul power, formerly capped at level 103, now surged up by twenty levels.
This was the might of a god nearly on par with a Second Class Deity.
In that moment, Ye Wen gained an epiphany: the genesis of Douluo's battle armor was rooted in the divine armors of gods. No wonder the Shrek Seven Devils, despite only reaching level 110 in the Divine Realm, weren't crushed by higher gods. The divine armor could bridge the gap, giving a First Class Deity's might second only to the five Supreme God Kings.
"Poseidon, you're a legend!" Ye Wen marveled inwardly.
Of course, divine armor had its limitations. At the Second Class Deity level, it could only add a maximum of ten levels, which kept it below the threshold of First Class Deities. But, through nurturing it with divine power, it could strengthen one's foundation and reveal limitless potential.
In Douluo's third installment, battle armor was rumored to have advanced to six levels. Following that progression, Fifth Level Armor would correspond to Title Douluo, while Sixth Level Armor would match gods who had reached the hundredth level yet lacked a true god's position.
This sixth level of armor likely allowed for augmentation up to level 120, the level of a Second Class Deity.
"Sea God Inheritance Stage Eight complete. Now beginning Stage Nine: Divine Position Inheritance."
High above the realm, a radiant crystalline object descended, embedding itself into Ye Wen's brow.
After what seemed like an eternity, Ye Wen opened his eyes, which now glowed a brilliant shade of ocean blue, filling the inheritance realm with light. Summoning the Sea God's trident, he drove it into the ground.
"From this day forward, I am the Sea God."
(End of Chapter)
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