Martial Soul Hall Alliance, Landing on Sea God Island (Part 2)

[Douluo I Period]

At the same time.

Deep in the distant ocean, Sea God Island.

At the summit of Sea God Mountain, in front of the magnificent Sea God Hall.

High Priest Bo Saixi stood quietly, the sea breeze blowing through her long hair and robes.

Her gaze remained fixed in the direction where the Sky Screen had vanished.

In those eyes, blue as the sea, surged a complex array of emotions.

"Tang San... Sea God Tang San..."

She murmured the name, her heart filled with a mixture of feelings.

Throughout the long years, as the representative of the Sea God in the mortal world, she had guarded this island, waiting for the arrival of the next Sea God.

This was her mission, and it was also her fate.

The appearance of the Sky Screen had allowed her to see a glimpse of the future, and it had finally given her the name of that successor.

She should have felt a sense of relief.

Yet, she could not bring herself to be happy.

Because the Sky Screen had not only prophesied the succession of the Sea God, but it had also pushed this future Sea God to the forefront of the storm prematurely!

The future of Martial Soul Hall, under the revelation of the Sky Screen, would be thoroughly ended by this Tang San.

Given the personality of Qian Daoliu, he would never sit idly by and wait for death!

A hunt that would sweep across the entire continent was already inevitable.

"Lord Sea God... is this, too, a trial from you?"

Bo Saixi slowly closed her eyes, letting the sea breeze brush against her beautiful face.

A long time passed.

She suddenly opened her eyes, and all the confusion and melancholy within them transformed into an unquestionable firmness and resolve!

She was the High Priest of the Sea God!

Her mission was to protect everything belonging to the Sea God!

"Come here!"

Bo Saixi extended her slender hand, and a golden scepter appeared in her grasp out of thin air.

She struck the scepter heavily against the ground!

Thud--!

A dull, distant hum spread out in all directions, centered on Sea God Mountain!

The calm sea surface instantly churned with ten-thousand-foot waves!

Seven towering pillars of water suddenly rose into the sky!

The next moment, seven streams of light in different colors tore through the air from the direction of the seven sacred pillars, landing on the plaza in front of the Sea God Hall almost simultaneously.

As the light faded, seven figures were revealed.

They were all different in appearance, yet their auras were all as vast as the ocean and deeply majestic!

They were the guardians of Sea God Island, the Seven Sacred Pillar Titled Douluo!

Sea Dragon Douluo, who led them, stepped forward and respectfully knelt on one knee:

"High Priest, the seven of us await your command!"

The other six also knelt at the same time, their expressions solemn.

"Rise, all of you."

Bo Saixi's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable majesty.

"You must have all seen the content on the Sky Screen."

The seven Sacred Pillar Guardians exchanged glances, and Sea Dragon Douluo replied in a deep voice:

"Yes, High Priest. We have all seen it."

His tone carried a hint of unconcealable confusion.

"High Priest, will that Tang San... truly be the next Lord Sea God?"

Sea Horse Douluo could not help but ask.

"The existence of the Sky Screen is beyond our understanding. But the future it foretold has given us guidance."

Bo Saixi's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"According to what that Qiangu Wangyan said, the future Sea God... that is, Tang San, will destroy Martial Soul Hall."

"Right now, Martial Soul Hall is bound to want to nip Tang San in the bud."

A sharp glint flashed through her azure eyes.

"Hailong, Haima, Haixing, Haihuan, Haimao, Haigui, Hainu!"

"We are here!"

The seven replied in unison.

"In the name of the High Priestess of the Sea God, I command you!"

"From this moment on, the seven of you shall leave Sea God Island and head to the mainland!"

"Spare no cost to find Tang San!"

"Bring him back to Sea God Island safely!"

"Protect him until he completes the Sea God Nine Trials and truly becomes a god!"

"This is... the Will of the Sea God!"

The seven Sacred Pillar Guardians shuddered, their faces filled with determination and fanaticism.

"We shall strictly obey the Will of the Sea God!"

"We swear to defend the glory of the Sea God with our lives!"

The earth-shaking roar echoed through the heavens!

"Very good."

Bo Saixi nodded in satisfaction.

"Depart."

"Yes!"

Seven streaks of light shot into the sky once more, racing toward the mainland without a moment's hesitation.

In front of Sea God Hall, tranquility was restored.

Only Bo Saixi remained, holding her scepter, standing alone in the wind.

She gazed toward the direction of the mainland, her azure eyes as deep as an abyss.

"Tang San... I hope you do not disappoint me, and do not disappoint Lord Sea God..."

A storm that would sweep across the continent had already begun.

[Douluo II Period]

Inside the carriage, there was a deathly silence.

Ji Xuan leaned against the carriage wall, gasping for air, his face as pale as paper.

The tearing sensation caused by the excessive consumption of his mental power made his temples throb with pain.

The air was filled with a faint scent of blood and the exhaustion of having narrowly escaped death.

On the other side, Ling Luochen was not faring any better.

Although she had successfully suppressed the rampaging evil power within her, the forced exertion of her soul power to suppress it had caused significant damage to her meridians.

More importantly, that bone-chilling cold aura still lingered like a venomous snake, coiled within the origin of her martial soul, ready to erupt again at any moment.

Neither of them spoke, both desperately trying to recover their strength in the silence.

After a long while, Ling Luochen struggled to sit up.

"I... I'm sorry."

Her voice was dry and hoarse, carrying a hint of a tremor.

"I didn't mean to... I..."

Ji Xuan slowly opened his eyes, interrupting her incoherent apology.

He did not speak, simply watching her calmly with those pitch-black eyes.

Under his gaze, Ling Luochen felt as if she were standing naked in a frozen wasteland, with all her pretenses laid bare.

She bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palms, until she finally chose to confess.

"I, too, was 'guided' by Qiangu Wangyan..."

She spoke with difficulty, each word seeming to drain the last of her strength.

As it turned out, as a top genius of the Inner Court, Ling Luochen had once encountered a bottleneck in her cultivation.

Qiangu Wangyan had indeed provided her with some assistance, allowing her to refine her soul power control.

She had always regarded him as a respectable mentor.

That was until the Sky Screen exposed the true face of Wangyan!

"I'm scared..."

Her voice grew lower and lower, filled with terror.

"I am afraid of people finding out that I have been corrupted by the power of an Evil Soul Master."

"I cannot have any flaws!"

"So, the moment before Elder Mu ordered the academy to be sealed, I... I fled."

"I wanted to return to my family to seek help from my elders, to erase this stain without anyone knowing."

She hugged her knees, her voice filled with pain and confusion.

After listening to her account, Ji Xuan slowly opened his eyes.

There was not a shred of sympathy in his gaze, only an indescribable mockery.

"So, you escaped just like that?"

"What?"

Ling Luochen was stunned.

"You, Ling Luochen, one of the Shrek Seven Devils and one of the academy's top core disciples."

Ji Xuan's voice was soft, yet every word struck like a blade.

"During such a sensitive period, you slipped away so easily?"

"Do you think that is normal?"

Ling Luochen was struck as if by lightning, her face instantly turning even paler than before.

"You mean..."

"There is only one possibility for your so-called smooth escape."

Ji Xuan said, enunciating every word:

"And that is that someone let you out on purpose!"

As these words fell.

The color drained from Ling Luochen's face, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

A bone-chilling cold surged from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head!

That's right...

How strict were the defenses of Shrek Academy, especially under such an emergency state!

She, a mere Spirit King, had just slipped out so easily?

If that were the case, Shrek would truly be a joke!

Unless... someone really wanted her to escape!

Who was it?

Why would they do this?