Very Good, Full of Spirit

Xue Qinghe and Wriothesley got along better and better as they talked. Before they knew it, night had fallen, and only then did Wriothesley let Xue Qinghe leave.

"Oh, right. I'll take this medicine back to study."

Before leaving, Xue Qinghe did not forget to take a pill with her.

"Suit yourself."

Wriothesley waved a hand, signaling that Xue Qinghe need not stand on ceremony with him.

It was just a pill, after all. No big deal.

Xue Qinghe nodded. Though she found Wriothesley strange, she still considered him more trustworthy, so she did not remain on guard against him.

But the Heart of the Sea God?

It seemed that thing was connected to a story her grandfather had told her when she was little!

Never mind. She would find out once she got back.

"Duke, that Crown Prince just gave us a national treasure?" Sigewinne rested her chin in both hands as she stared carefully at the crystal before her.

Calling this Heart of the Sea God a crystal would not be inaccurate. The entire thing was crystal-clear, like a piece of crystalline jade.

Of course, that was its original appearance.

"Mm." Wriothesley leaned against the tree trunk with his eyes closed and gave a lazy response upon hearing her voice.

Truthfully, he had no real interest in the Heart of the Sea God.

Those who possessed a God's Eye already had the potential to become gods.

The potential to become a "Genshin Impact" god.

Now, they merely had to wait for the God's Eye behind them to gradually transform into a Gnosis.

As for this Heart of the Sea God...

Wriothesley picked it up and felt the spiritual radiance flowing across its surface.

It really was a treasure.

But did he need it?

The gods of Douluo Continent could probably be taken down in groups by Fontaine's Gun Corps, right?

Suddenly—

"Damn! What incredibly pure Ice Element!"

The abrupt voice startled Sigewinne badly.

"It's fine." Wriothesley shook his head.

But he also understood what was happening. Looking at the Heart of the Sea God in his hand, a trace of surprise appeared on his face.

He had nearly forgotten. This thing was still "alive."

It was hardly strange. Since that old coffin filler, the Sea God, used it to search for an heir, how could he possibly not have added some "surveillance" inside?

A faint blue glow drifted out of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, condensing into an extremely faded phantom as a calm, aged voice rang out.

"Upon seeing this god, why do you not kneel?"

"Pfft—"

Sigewinne nearly burst out laughing as she looked at the figure that had emerged from the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.

This was a divine artifact?

Why did it feel more like a lunatic?

Wriothesley paid no attention to that. He rose to his feet and carefully examined the somewhat aged-looking man before him.

Then, his right hand began to exert force.

Crack—

The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, which had sat in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace for centuries without any damage or even a speck of dust, was forcibly squeezed by Wriothesley until several cracks appeared on it.

"Wait, wait, wait! It's going to break, it's going to break!"

The phantom panicked at once. He was merely a fragment of divine soul residing within the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. If the vessel were crushed, he would not be far from death either.

"Can't you speak properly?"

Wriothesley said with a smile, but to the phantom, that smile looked terrifying no matter how he viewed it.

"Uh, yes, yes. Then, um, may I ask what your identity is? Why can you crush this divine artifact?"

"When asking someone's name, you should introduce yourself first!"

"Yes, yes, yes. This god—no, this little god—no, I am a fragment of divine soul that Poseidon, the Sea God, left within this Heart of the Sea God."

Poseidon's divine soul was panicking. He had realized that the person before him was not someone to be trifled with!

Not only was he extraordinarily powerful, but he clearly had no idea how to spell fear.

"Louder. Did you skip dinner?"

Wriothesley gave a cold smile, applying even more force with his hand.

"Hiss—"

Poseidon's divine soul turned pale. He knew he had encountered a true expert this time.

He wanted to struggle, only to discover that his strength was utterly insignificant before the other party.

"I... I am the divine soul left behind by Poseidon, the Sea God."

"No energy!"

"I am Poseidon, the Sea God—"

"I can't hear you!"

"I am the divine soul Poseidon, the Sea God, left inside the Heart of the Sea God—"

"Very good, full of spirit!"

Wriothesley nodded. Poseidon's divine soul had clearly been frightened, and his speech had become somewhat timid and submissive.

"Tell me, what do you mean by suddenly coming out to play ghost?"

Wriothesley casually tossed the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, which was nearly reduced to junk, back onto the table. The sight made Poseidon's divine soul ache with distress.

That was the Heart of the Sea God!

How could he treat it like that?

As for Wriothesley...

Heh, it was not even harder than a God's Eye.

"My lord, how could there be any ghosts in this world? This is the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. My main body placed me inside it to find an heir, and because I sensed such an extreme elemental aura, I revealed myself."

Poseidon's divine soul looked aggrieved, his voice gradually returning to normal.

He had originally thought he had found an heir. Just as he was about to come out and put on a proper show, he saw this young man immediately turn violent.

Though his divine soul was indestructible, the vessel had to remain intact. And the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was a divine artifact!

How could mortals of Douluo Continent possibly damage it?

It was precisely because it could not be damaged that Poseidon had felt safe handing it to those below. Yet at their very first meeting, he had encountered such a ruthless person.

"Oh."

Wriothesley merely responded indifferently.

"My lord, how should I address you?"

Poseidon's divine soul asked tentatively. The other party looked formidable, but he was still a god!

Even if the other party was strong, he could at least self-destruct!

As long as this person called Wriothesley was not a god, he had a way to kill him.

Yet what Poseidon's divine soul had not expected was for Wriothesley to shake his head.

"Does my name matter? Since you're here, stay."

As he spoke, a peculiar aura emanated from his body. It was gentle, but Poseidon's heart abruptly jolted.

"This is..."

Poseidon's divine soul could not believe it. How could the man before him possess such powerful elemental control?

Even his main body back then, after becoming a god, had not controlled the entire sea.

He had still needed the assistance of soul beasts.

"My lord, just take the Heart of the Sea God. Please do not use elemental power."

He was on the verge of going mad! After enduring countless hardships, he had finally waited for an incomparably suitable inheritor—someone even more suited than Poseidon himself to become the Sea God! Yet when he tried to make the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud acknowledge its master, this "inheritor" had directly suppressed him! He was only a wisp of divine soul that Poseidon had left behind upon ascending, but one must not forget that even compared to newly ascended gods, he was not inferior in the slightest!

Yet in the end, he had actually been suppressed!

"There's something... I don't know whether I should say..." Poseidon's divine soul did not know whether to laugh or cry. He could not help but lament inwardly: he had waited a full ten thousand years for this inheritor. Could it be that this fellow was simply far too strong? It was truly unacceptable!

Was he too weak?

No. Wriothesley was simply too strong.