A Fated One

The difficulty levels of the tasks themselves are quite telling.

In terms of the strength level of these three gods, there is no difference; they are all First-Level God, and none of them are God King level experts. However, the difficulty level is completely different.

Judging from the power structure behind the three Godhood Inheritance, there's no reason why destroying the Rakshasa God Inheritance would be more difficult than destroying the Angel God's.

In addition, the Sea God Inheritance, which was designated as S-Rank Mission, is somewhat exaggerated.

It's true that Sea God Island is powerful and has a unified faith. However, from the perspective of high-end combat strength alone, it's not enough to suppress the Spirit Hall and thus be designated as an S-rank difficulty mission.

Su Cheng's own foundation is now different from what it used to be.

After two Simulation, even with only average initial talent, he was able to surpass his peers in strength through the accumulation of knowledge.

Therefore, the most likely reason for this situation is that the Sea God Island in this Simulation is probably the same as the real Sea God Island, where Sea God himself may intervene.

The same applies to A-level difficulty missions.

Although the Rakshasa God Inheritance itself is ordinary, it is hidden in the Slaughter City and has intricate connections with the Asura God Test, which is why this mission is more difficult.

"Are we finally about to reach the level of the gods, or will a true god cast his gaze upon the mortal realm?"

During the first Simulation, Su Cheng observed Tang San's condition.

At that time, although a child named Tang San was born, his body was not possessed by another soul.

This indicates that the Simulated World at that time did not completely replicate the real world, or rather, it was incomplete.

Now, the Simulation mission is finally beginning to truly address external variables.

"Sample of divine power, sample of Nature Power, sample of Source Power ..."

Su Cheng hesitated.

In fact, he really wanted to get the divine power sample and the Nature Power sample from the reward.

With these two things, he could better understand the essence of the divine position.

But the Source Power is undoubtedly something even more precious.

Although he didn't yet understand what it meant, it wasn't the first time he had seen the term.

Several years ago, when I completed the second Simulation mission and received the External Soul Bone reward, I learned that it contained the Source Power.

Su Cheng now has a deep understanding of just how powerful the True Sight Eye is.

Although this External Soul Bone has no offensive capabilities, it is of great help to him.

Whether it's understanding Martial Soul, condensing Soul Ring, or comprehending laws, the True Sight Eye plays an excellent supporting role in the process.

It can be said that the existence of this External Soul Bone played a crucial role in his ability to advance to his current level of strength.

Otherwise, relying solely on his own accumulation, he might be able to far surpass his peers, but his foundation would at most be slightly higher than Qian Renxue's. He would absolutely not be able to suppress the greatly improved Qian Renxue with the strength of Soul King, let alone comprehend those extraordinary high-level artistic conceptions.

Moreover, he has other ways to access divine power, so he doesn't necessarily have to rely on mission rewards to obtain it.

Bibi Dong has already started the Rakshasa God Test, so there might be a chance to get her hands on it in the future. Besides, doesn't the Spirit Hall also have the Angel God Inheritance?

[You have selected the final objective for this Simulation: Destroy the Sea God Inheritance.]

[You can choose the initial time and location:]

[1. Fifty years ago, Sea God Island.]

2. Twenty-five years ago, the Spirit Hall.

3. Fifteen years ago, in Holy Soul Village.

"Huh, this isn't the initial identity?"

Upon seeing these three options, Su Cheng was first taken aback, then his heart sank.

"Really."

Fifteen years ago, in Holy Soul Village...

The time and place of birth are quite significant.

That was the birthplace of Tang San from the other world.

It must be Tang San from another world.

If someone is just a native, and a native with congenital deficiencies at that, even if they possess Twin Martial Souls, they won't be able to cause any trouble.

"So, this Simulation is indeed a complete replica of the real world, even taking Tang San's factors into account."

Clearly, by choosing to be born in Holy Soul Village, she intended to leverage Tang San's power.

"However, why should I need to borrow Tang San's help?"

Su Cheng shook his head. He and Tang San had different views, so guiding him would be very difficult.

Moreover, if he chooses this path, the final decision is not in his own hands.

There was no other way in the first Simulation; he was too weak at the time, so he could only take advantage of the situation and use the opponent's strength against them.

But now, there's absolutely no need for that.

"So which one should I choose...?"

If possible, Su Cheng would naturally prefer to choose an earlier time, preferably before the three peerless Douluo met, or even before the Sea God Douluo Poseidon achieved his cultivation goals.

Of course, the latter is just wishful thinking; it seems impossible no matter how you look at it, otherwise this mission would have been completely effortless.

Even if it were before the three Peerless Douluo met, it would have given him a lot of room to maneuver, but it seems there's no chance now.

Even if you were born fifty years ago, you probably still wouldn't have made it.

Not to mention that Su Cheng didn't know when those people would meet, even if he did, it would be too late. He needed time to develop his abilities before he could intervene; otherwise, he would be courting death.

However, based on the task allocation of the Simulator, as long as the rewards are the same, the difficulty of these three options should not be too different.

The purpose of providing these options is to present different paths to completion.

The first option is a standard start, while the third option involves leveraging Tang San's strength. Therefore, the goal represented by the Spirit Hall twenty-five years ago is quite clear.

Angel God Qian Renxue.

So, should we try this path again?

Su Cheng felt some resistance.

He no longer wanted to use Qian Renxue, even though it was Simulated World.

Moreover, although this path can be described as familiar, there are still variables involved.

Sea God is not a man of martial virtue, and it's hard to say how much resistance he would face if the Angel God intervened.

In addition, Bibi Dong, Tang San, and others may also become obstacles, large or small.

Sea God Island is no weaker than the Spirit Hall, and is even stronger in its home-field advantage at sea.

Let's choose the path with the fewest variables.

Since the difficulty of the three options is relatively balanced, it is likely that there will be some compensation in the Initial Talent.

Furthermore, being born on Sea God Island is an advantage in itself.

Besides, who says there weren't ways to leverage external resources fifty years ago?

[The initial time and location have been selected as: Fifty years ago, Sea God Island.]

You can choose three talents from the following ten as your Initial Talent:

[Innate Full Soul Power, Twin Martial Souls, Sword Genius, Soul Scholar, Theory Master, Professional Cleric, handsome appearance, extraordinary birth, Child of the Ocean, Fated One]

Su Cheng's eyes lit up.

The moment he saw the talent panel, he knew that "Soul Scholar" was a must-have.

Whether for Qian Renxue's current situation or for his own future development, he could not give up this talent.

Even if this talent is of no help to this mission, it's still a win to select it.

"As for the rest..."

Su Cheng glanced at the other nine talents, his gaze lingering on "Sword Genius" for a moment before he helplessly looked away.

I've run into this thing again.

Unfortunately, this mission was too difficult, and having already chosen a talent that couldn't guarantee success, he couldn't afford to waste any more credits.

"Should we choose the power route?"

The combination of Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power is almost equivalent to oneself in reality.

Once he gets his hands on it, and relies on his basic qualities such as cultivation techniques and sword intent, his improvement speed will be very fast.

But Su Cheng soon gave up on these two talents.

He didn't want to be noticed by the Sea God who was always spying on him.

You have to play it safe in the early stages; being too conspicuous will only make things worse.

What he wants is to destroy the legacy, not to inherit the divine position. Being too conspicuous from the start would not do him any good.

Moreover, with his current foundation, his future development will not be hindered by the Martial Soul Awakening.

As a result, the similar talent "Child of the Ocean" can no longer be selected.

It looks high-end, but without knowing its specific effects, the cost-effectiveness is too low and it's a bit too risky.

"The key lies with that Sea God Douluo."

Su Cheng frowned as he examined the remaining talent options.

There are many obstacles to destroying the Sea God Inheritance.

Sea God Island is very powerful, and its Sacred Pillar Douluo are all extraordinary, but the biggest obstacles are undoubtedly Bo Saixi and Sea God.

Sea God was untouchable and dared not approach in the early stages, so getting close to Bo Saixi was extremely important.

Don't assume that being born on Sea God Island gives you the chance to meet this High Priest.

There are many Soul Masters on Sea God Island, and ordinary Sea Spirit Master are completely insignificant there.

To Bo Saixi, the Sea Spirit Master on Sea God Island were like the residents of Spirit City to the Pope —they had absolutely no chance to get close to each other.

It is even more difficult than that.

In Spirit City, if one possesses exceptional talent, one might at least be able to join the Spirit Hall Academy and gradually move closer to the center of power.

But Bo Saixi is different from the Pope.

The Pope is at the core of power, above all others, and has his own ambitions.

Bo Saixi, however, always considered himself a servant of the Sea God and devoted his life to his faith in the Sea God, having no desire for power whatsoever.

Su Cheng looked at the last talent.

"This is probably the most likely option, right? Even if we can't get in touch with Bo Saixi, having this kind of talent will greatly increase our chances of getting other opportunities."

[Initial Talent selected: Soul Scholar, Professional Cleric, Fated One.]

[...]

[Free exploration mode has been selected.]

[Note that everything in the Life Simulation is a projection of the real world and will also affect the Strings of Fate this plane. Please take it seriously.]

[Simulation Start.]

As the notification appeared, Su Cheng's consciousness instantly detached from his physical body and entered another world that seemed both real and illusory.

You were born in Vast Sea City, the largest coastal city in the far west of the Heaven Dou Empire. Your father was a continental Soul Master, and your mother was Sea Spirit Master from Sea God Island.

After you were born, your parents prepared to take you to Sea God Island.

However, fate is unpredictable. Just as you were nearing your destination, you were attacked by Evil Demon Tiger Whale Group. After a valiant fight, your father sacrificed his life to protect you and your mother.

[Your mother's fighting prowess on the high seas surpasses that of your father. Unfortunately, even Soul Saint's cultivation couldn't withstand the powerful Evil Demon Tiger Whale Group for long, and she was quickly stricken with injuries.]

At the critical moment, the High Priest of Sea God Island Sea God Douluo, arrived at the scene, drove away the terrifying Evil Demon Tiger Whale Group, and saved you and your child. Unfortunately, your mother was already on the verge of death, and even Bo Saixi was powerless to save her.

[It turns out your mother was originally born on Sea God Island and possessed exceptional talent. Because of her extraordinary talent, she successfully passed the Purple Level Three Trials in the Sea God Island Soul Master trials at the age of eighteen. If she had passed all three, she would have had a very high probability of becoming one of the strongest individuals on Sea God Island, second only to the Sacred Pillar Douluo.]

Upon seeing this, Su Cheng's heart stirred.

Sea God Island has always had its own special rules.

The Sea Spirit Master living on the island must undergo a test upon reaching the age of eighteen. Those who pass the test can remain on Sea God Island to "serve the Sea God." Those who fail will be expelled from Sea God Island. Some of these tests are extremely difficult, and some may even result in death.

The trials experienced by different people vary, divided into White Level Assessment, Yellow Level Assessment, Purple Level- level, Black Level Assessment, and the Red-Level Top Assessment. Like the colors of Soul Ring, they increase in difficulty from lowest to highest. Passing different levels of trials grants corresponding authority on Sea God Island. The difficulty of the trials depends not only on the examinee's strength but also on their potential and talent.

If one can reach the Black Level Assessment, once successful, it is basically certain that one can achieve the title of Titled Douluo in the future, and become the Sacred Pillar Douluo on Sea God Island, with power second only to the High Priest Sea God Douluo.

However, the success rate for this level of assessment is extremely low, and the mortality rate is extremely high; failure is practically nonexistent, and failure means death. Therefore, relatively speaking, the Purple Level assessment should be the most cost-effective assessment level.

Land-based Soul Master who come to Sea God Island from elsewhere also need to undergo trials if they want to stay here.

The difference is that the Soul Master of Sea God Island only need to complete one test every ten years after they undergo the assessment, while the Soul Master of the Land need to complete one test every year.

Since her mother, with her own identity, was able to pass the Purple Level assessment, her talent must not be low, and her Innate Soul Power must be at least around level five.

Judging from this, the body's Innate Soul Power should not be too weak.

Thinking of this, Su Cheng continued to focus and look back.

Unfortunately, although your mother passed the first test, she failed the second test ten years later. According to the rules, she was banished from Sea God Island. It was during this time that Bo Saixi gave her a special mission. It was because of this mission that she traveled alone to the mainland and met your father.

After completing her mission, her original plan was to return to Sea God Island and leave you there to build a solid foundation. After all, for Soul Master, the conditions for growth on Sea God Island are far superior to those in ordinary cities on the mainland. Although she herself can no longer return to Sea God Island, she still hopes that you can receive a better Soul Master education.

At your mother's request, Bo Saixi granted her dying wish. She promised that as long as you awaken your Martial Soul and possess Soul Power, regardless of your talent, she will treat you as her personal disciple and do her best to nurture you.

After Bo Saixi brought you back to Sea God Island, she didn't take you to Sea God Mountain. Instead, she settled you in the strongest Sea Maiden City, intending to consider other matters after you awakened your Martial Soul. She secretly entrusted the Sea Maiden Douluo, the strongest among the Seven Sacred Pillars, to look after you.

There are currently seven cities on Sea God Island: Sea Maiden City, Sea Dragon City, Sea Spear City, Sea Illusion City Sea Horse City, Sea Ghost City, and Sea Star City. Each city is ruled by Titled Douluo who has passed the Black Level Assessment.

Due to the coming-of-age trials, the population of each city on Sea God Island hovers around a thousand, and each person is considered a most loyal follower of the Sea God. Among them, there are over three thousand Soul Master with considerable strength; these people are also known as Sea God Warrior, all powerful individuals who have passed the Sea God Trial.

[You lived in the Sea Maiden City for four years. Because you were personally brought by High Priest Bo Saixi and secretly looked after by the Sea Maiden Douluo, you enjoyed good treatment in the city. However, the people of Sea God Island are all believers of the Sea God; there is only a difference in status, not rank. You didn't receive much preferential treatment because of this, but you did have access to more learning materials and met more High-level Spirit Master. During this time, you also learned a lot about Sea God Island.]

[Main Quest begins.]

With a jolt of energy, Su Cheng felt his body, Shi Nian, and the memories of the past four years quickly entered his mind.

Children in the Douluo Continent develop relatively early; they can generally act independently after the age of three and even possess considerable learning abilities.

Some children from privileged backgrounds have already begun laying the foundation for their future Martial Soul Awakening at this age.

However, this situation has nothing to do with whether the person has the aptitude for cultivation.

Perhaps because the world contains a large amount of unclaimed energy, even ordinary people develop very quickly, which is especially evident in early childhood.

After a brief assessment, Su Cheng had a general idea of the aptitude of his body.

His Innate Soul Power level is three to four, and he inherited his father's Sword Martial Soul, rather than his mother's higher-quality Swordfish Martial Soul.

For Su Cheng, this is both a good thing and a bad thing.

The good thing is that his Martial Soul is a sword, which can greatly enhance his combat power.

Su Cheng is extremely experienced in using Sword Martial Soul.

His astonishing fighting prowess can be largely attributed to his swordsmanship.

However, inheriting this Martial Soul also has a downside: one's innate aptitude is significantly weaker.

Although when descendants inherit the Martial Soul of their parents, they generally inherit the one with the relatively higher quality.

However, this is not absolute, especially when the two people are not too different, it is hard to say what the final result will be.

His current Martial Soul is somewhat similar to that of the first Simulation.

One of his parents was a continental Soul Master and the other a Sea Spirit Master, and they also possessed the attributes of metal and water respectively. Coincidentally, he awakened a metal-attribute Martial Soul, which led to some malignant mutations and suppressed the quality of his Martial Soul.

However, these things are not important.

With the Nirvana Sutra in his possession, and methods to replenish his Martial Soul and even condense Soul Ring, his innate talent will not cause him too much trouble.

However, Su Cheng has no plans to cultivate the Nirvana Sutra for the time being.

Everything will have to wait until his Martial Soul Awakening, as this relates to his future plans.

Anyway, Bo Saixi had already promised his mother that as long as he was Soul Master, that was enough; his talent didn't matter.

Since the talent of the "Fated One" has already helped him overcome an important obstacle, there is no need to go to any more trouble.

Moreover, besides his own plans, raising his Innate Soul Power level too high and attracting too much attention might not be a good thing either.

Based on his memories from the past four years, Su Cheng learned that the strongest Titled Douluo on Sea God Island is not Sea Dragon Douluo, but Sea Maiden Douluo and Starfish Douluo, whose lifespans are nearing their end.

However, the residents of Sea God Island were not too worried about this.

These two aging Titled Douluo each have their own successors undergoing the Black Level Four Trials, and they are not far from reaching the Titled Douluo realm.

They all have a great chance to inherit the title of their predecessors, become the new Sacred Pillar Douluo, and serve as the city lord to protect Sea God Island.

If all those people pass the Black Level Four Trials, there might be a few more new Sacred Pillar Douluo on top of the Seven Sacred Pillars.

Moreover, the people of Sea God Island believe that the Sacred Pillar Douluo who are nearing the end of their lifespan will go to serve "Lord Sea God" after they die.

Su Cheng was speechless at these people's thoughts.

Regardless of whether this matter is credible or not, even if it were true, it would be one thing if you lived your whole life for that "Sea God" while you were alive, but to not let him go even after you're dead is another matter entirely.

What kind of capitalist is this?

The sky was clear and the clouds were light, the blue sky was crystal clear.

As Su Cheng walked along the road, he took a deep breath. The moist and pure air filled his nostrils, and he felt an indescribable sense of freedom.

Sea God Island is indeed very different from the mainland, with significant differences in both natural landscape and cultural environment.

It's not just the influence of the marine climate; it may also be related to the divine power existing on Sea God Mountain. In this place, it's almost spring all year round, with no feeling of severe cold or scorching heat.

"What a wonderful environment. This place feels special to me. Once I return to the real world, I'll have to find a way to claim it."

There weren't many pedestrians on the road.

To be precise, there weren't many people in this city to begin with.

The atmosphere here is actually somewhat similar to that of Spirit City.

Whether it's passersby or shop owners on the roadside, almost none of them are ordinary people who don't possess Soul Power.

The clothing of the adult Soul Master was also quite interesting; their levels could be distinguished directly from their attire.

Like Soul Ring, they are also divided into white, yellow, purple, black, and red robes, from lowest to highest difficulty. The meanings they represent are precisely the difficulty levels of the trials they have undergone.

However, at present, only the High Priest Bo Saixi is qualified to wear red clothes on Sea God Island.

Not long after, Su Cheng arrived at the Book Collection Hall of the Sea Maiden City and greeted the yellow-robed Soul Master who was in charge of guarding it.

"Hello, Uncle Chen."

"Su Cheng, here to study the doctrines of the Sea God again?"

Chen Yuan, standing at the entrance of the main hall, nodded slightly with a smile on his face.

He sighed inwardly.

What a good child! At such a young age, he not only doesn't indulge in playing, but also spends all his time learning about the greatness of the Lord Sea God.

Those who prioritize understanding the spirit of the Lord Sea God will surely become the Lord Sea God's most devout followers in the future.

Su Cheng was naturally unaware of the other party's feelings at that moment.

He walked with practiced ease to the area in the Book Collection Hall where the Sea God's stories were displayed, picked up a book he hadn't read before, and began to peruse it.

Before awakening his Martial Soul, he didn't plan to get too involved in anything related to cultivation; there was no need for it.

There are very few books left that can offer him theoretical guidance, and he can't find what he really wants to read here.

The people of this world have done virtually no research on the soul, and there are very few books on the subject.

Whether it's the Spirit Hall or here, there are only a handful of books combined, and the content is quite superficial.

If he wants to study it, he'll have to figure it out himself in the future.

He is currently focusing all his energy on studying the doctrines of Sea God.

"The 'Professional Cleric' talent is truly outrageous. As expected of Simulator product, it's indeed extraordinary..."

As Su Cheng flipped through the book in his hand, he silently complained to himself.

In his previous view, since there was true supernatural power in this world, there was no need to spread the existence of "god" through words and speech.

But now, I have completely different feelings and understandings than before.

This kind of understanding is not about finding something profound in these doctrines, but about being able to easily discover their flaws and defects, and find their loopholes and improprieties.

He even has his own unique understanding of how to spread his doctrines.

"So there really are people who are born to preach..."