Remaining on Sea God Island

"It's nothing. Compared to how you were before, I like you better now."

Hearing her master Li Changsheng say that, Ye Han Yue knew that he did not mind.

But Ye Han Yue did not see it that way. She cheered happily in her heart.

"Yay, Master doesn't reject me."

"Just do as Zi Zhenzhu said and let Master slowly get used to my presence."

"Once the time is right, I'll take Master down in one fell swoop."

"Ye Han Yue, keep it up, keep it up!" (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

While Ye Han Yue kept encouraging herself.

Li Changsheng had just found a chair and sat down when he suddenly recalled the red pillar of light from the daytime. He asked Ye Han Yue unhurriedly, "How many trials did you receive in Sea God Island's assessment today?"

Hearing that, Ye Han Yue came back to herself and proudly said to her master Li Changsheng, "Red Top-Tier Eight Trials."

Li Changsheng's brow twitched. In the original story, even Bo Saixi had only received Red Top-Tier Seven Trials, and Ning Rongrong had also received Red Top-Tier Seven Trials. Yet his disciple had received Red Top-Tier Eight Trials.

If Li Changsheng went to the Tian Dou Empire now and stole the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, the token of the Sea God Inheritance, for his disciple, would Han Yue be able to directly obtain the Sea God Inheritance?

No one else could imitate or replicate his path to immortality. Only he knew how difficult it truly was.

So compared to becoming an immortal, Li Changsheng hoped more that his disciple could become a god. Becoming an immortal was simply too difficult. He only had the confidence to pursue immortality because he possessed two supreme treasures: the system and Luzu's Revered Sword. His disciple did not have either of them.

Thinking of this, Li Changsheng said to Ye Han Yue, "What is your first trial? Let me see if there's anything I can do to help."

At his words, Ye Han Yue wore an expression that looked as if she wanted to laugh but was holding it in.

Li Changsheng frowned at the sight. "What are you laughing at?"

Seeing her master frown, Ye Han Yue hurriedly explained, "Uh, actually, I've already completed my first trial."

Li Changsheng was stunned. Recalling how Tang San had become a god so quickly in the original story, with all the shortcuts involved, he hurriedly asked Ye Han Yue, "Han Yue, what was the content of your first trial?"

"Don't tell me the assessment was watered down!"

Ye Han Yue understood that Li Changsheng must have misunderstood something and quickly explained, "The assessment wasn't watered down."

"I was just lucky. The first trial required me to absorb a 100,000-Year Soul Ring within three years."

"It just so happened that you had already prepared one for your disciple."

"So the first trial was already completed."

"Moreover, the reward for completing the first trial strengthened my foundation."

"My first Soul Ring's age increased by another thousand years!"

As she spoke, Ye Han Yue released her martial soul. Seven Soul Rings rose around her: purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, red.

Li Changsheng carefully examined Ye Han Yue's condition and discovered that it was indeed as she had said. Only the age of her first Soul Ring had increased.

Relieved, Li Changsheng stopped worrying to himself.

Not bad. Her first trial was to absorb a 100,000-Year Soul Ring. Most people would probably give up if they encountered Han Yue's situation. The seventh Soul Ring being a 100,000-Year Soul Ring was something no one dared attempt.

And even if they wanted to wait until the eighth Soul Ring to absorb a 100,000-Year Soul Ring, it would already be too late. Going from a Soul Douluo to a Soul Elder within three years, without extraordinary talent, the corresponding cultivation method, and no outside assistance, was simply impossible.

They only managed to endure it because over the past few years, they had been using the Body Tempering Elixir I left behind to temper their bodies every day and strengthen themselves.

Li Changsheng then continued, "What is the second trial?"

Ye Han Yue did not hide anything from Li Changsheng and directly answered, "Stay at the Mountain-Sea Silver Pillar for sixty days, for twelve full hours each day."

Li Changsheng frowned slightly upon hearing this. It looks like we won't be leaving Sea God Island anytime soon. Two months... and the following trials will probably also take place on Sea God Island. We likely won't be able to leave for several years.

But this is also a great opportunity for Han Yue. It can't be wasted.

With that in mind, Li Changsheng seriously said to Ye Han Yue, "All right. We'll stay on Sea God Island for a while, until we're able to leave. You can also use this assessment to train yourself properly."

Ye Han Yue was overjoyed. The assessment rewards were exceptionally generous, and she truly would have found it hard to give them up. Hearing that her master agreed to stay on Sea God Island with her made her incredibly happy.

"Thank you, Master!"

Li Changsheng rubbed Ye Han Yue's head. "All right, go rest."

Ye Han Yue then returned directly to her room, lay down on her bed, and began resting.

Meanwhile, some things had also happened in Heaven Dou City earlier that day.

That morning, Ye Zifeng had gone out to purchase supplies and stopped at a restaurant to rest.

Yu Xiao Gang and his mother also entered the restaurant. As soon as Yu Xiao Gang sat down, he said to the waiter approaching him, "Waiter, bring out your best breakfast dishes, and add a pot of hot tea."

Just then, a soul master walked in. Seeing Ye Zifeng inside, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, intending to greet him, only to be interrupted by Ye Zifeng.

"All right, you've been following me for two months now. I'll tell you what's been puzzling you."

"Your situation is perfectly normal. Compared to others, you cultivated extremely quickly in the early stages, but later on, you cultivated extremely slowly. That is how you are now."

"The reason is that the Soul Rings you absorbed earlier were too low in age."

The soul master asked in confusion, "What does that have to do with the ages of the Soul Rings I absorbed earlier?"

Seeing that he still did not understand, Ye Zifeng could only explain helplessly, "Sigh. When a Soul Ring is absorbed, the soul beast's power does not merely become a Soul Ring. Part of that power tempers the soul master's body, expelling impurities and allowing them to cultivate faster."

"The reason you cultivated so quickly early on was because you had innate Soul Power at rank seven. But you were too conservative. Your first Soul Ring had only just passed a hundred years, and your second probably had not even reached five hundred years, right?"

"This meant that the energy meant to temper your body was insufficient, so your body was not thoroughly tempered. Those who absorbed Soul Rings strictly according to the recommended age limits had their bodies tempered, so naturally they cultivated faster than you in the later stages."

"You wasted your talent. Your future achievements will probably end at Soul Emperor."

After hearing Ye Zifeng's explanation, the soul master froze for a moment before finally letting out a bitter sigh. "Fate..."

After paying for Ye Zifeng's meal, he left immediately.

Just as Ye Zifeng finished eating and was about to leave, a voice sounded beside him.

"Young brother, please wait. Could you take a look at my child's condition?"

Ye Zifeng turned around and saw Yu Xiao Gang's Mother speaking to him earnestly. "I don't know why my child failed to awaken his martial soul and cultivates extremely slowly. I saw you identify that soul master's cultivation problem at a glance, so I would like to ask you to take a look at my child as well."

Ye Zifeng sensed the woman's maternal love for her child and was moved. He agreed, "All right, I'll take a look at your child."

Yu Xiao Gang's Mother quickly pulled Yu Xiao Gang before Ye Zifeng. Ye Zifeng attached Soul Power to his martial soul, the Spirit Eyes, and looked at him.

"Damn!"

Nearly ninety percent of Yu Xiao Gang's meridians were completely blocked. Failing to awaken his martial soul was already the least of his problems. It was fortunate enough that he had not exploded to death from blocked Soul Power during the martial soul awakening.

Hearing Ye Zifeng's exclamation, the mother and son became anxious and hurriedly asked, "What is it? Is it serious?"

Though they were so nervous, Ye Zifeng still told them the cruel truth. He merely described the blocked meridians as excessive impurities in the body.

In the end, he told them that unless Yu Xiao Gang encountered a heaven-defying opportunity capable of changing his fate, he would remain like this for the rest of his life.

After saying that, Ye Zifeng hurriedly left, giving the mother and son no chance to stop him.