Douluo I Period: The Spirit Hall Alliance and the Seven Sacred Pillar Titled Douluo Set Foot on Sea God Island

[Douluo I Period]

Meanwhile.

In the depths of a distant sea lay Sea God Island.

Atop Sea God Mountain, before the magnificent Sea God Hall, the High Priest, Bo Saixi, stood silently as the sea breeze stirred her long hair and robes.

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

In those sea-blue eyes, emotions stirred—deeply complicated.

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

She murmured his name, her heart in turmoil.

For countless years, she had served as the Sea God's representative in the mortal world, guarding this island as she awaited the next Sea God's arrival.

That was her mission, and her fate.

The Sky Screen had shown her a glimpse of the future—and at last, revealed the name of the successor she had waited for.

She should have felt relieved.

But she could not bring herself to feel happy.

The Sky Screen had not merely foretold the Sea God's succession. It had thrust the future Sea God into the eye of the storm before his time!

According to the Sky Screen's prophecy, this Tang San would bring an end to the future of Spirit Hall.

Given Qian Daoliu's nature, he would never sit back and do nothing!

A manhunt that would engulf the entire continent was now all but inevitable.

"Lord Sea God... Is this also one of your trials?"

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

After a long while,

she suddenly opened her eyes. All the confusion and sorrow in them had vanished, replaced by unwavering resolve!

She was the Sea God's High Priest!

Her mission was to protect everything that belonged to the Sea God!

"Guards!"

Bo Saixi extended her slender hand, and a golden scepter appeared in it.

She brought the scepter down hard against the ground!

Thud—!

A deep, distant hum spread outward in every direction from Sea God Mountain!

The calm sea instantly surged into towering waves!

Seven columns of water shot skyward!

In the next instant, seven streams of light, each a different color, streaked from the direction of the seven Sacred Pillars. Almost simultaneously, they landed in the square before Sea God Hall.

The light faded, revealing seven figures.

Their forms were different, but every one of them radiated an aura as vast as the sea and heavy with authority!

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

At their head, Sea Dragon Douluo stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

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

The other six knelt as well, their expressions solemn.

"Rise."

Bo Saixi's voice was even, yet carried unquestionable authority.

"I presume you have all seen what appeared on the Sky Screen."

The seven Sacred Pillar Guardians exchanged glances. Sea Dragon Douluo replied gravely,

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

A hint of confusion crept into his voice.

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

"The Sky Screen's existence is beyond our understanding. But the future it foretold has given us direction."

Bo Saixi's voice held no trace of emotion.

"According to what Qiangu Wangyan said, the future Sea God... Tang San... destroyed Spirit Hall."

"Now Spirit Hall will surely try to kill Tang San before he can come into his own."

A sharp glint flashed in her sea-blue eyes.

"Sea Dragon, Sea Horse, Sea Star, Sea Mirage, Sea Lance, Sea Ghost, Sea Maiden!"

"Present!"

The seven answered in unison.

"By the authority of the Sea God's High Priest, I command you!"

"From this moment on, all seven of you will leave Sea God Island and go to the mainland!"

"Find Tang San, no matter the cost!"

"Bring him safely back to Sea God Island!"

"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 trembled, their faces alight with fervor and resolve.

"We obey the Will of the Sea God!"

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

Their thunderous roars echoed through the clouds!

"Excellent."

Bo Saixi nodded in satisfaction.

"Set out."

"Yes!"

The seven streams of light shot skyward once more. Without a moment's delay, they raced toward the mainland.

Silence returned to the grounds before Sea God Hall.

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

She gazed toward the mainland, her sea-blue eyes deep as an abyss.

"Tang San... I hope you won't disappoint me—or Lord Sea God..."

A storm that would sweep across the continent had begun to gather.

[Douluo II Period]

Inside the carriage, a deathly silence reigned.

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

The strain of overtaxing his spiritual power sent a tearing pain through him; his temples throbbed.

The faint smell of blood hung in the air, mingling with the exhaustion of having survived a near disaster.

Ling Luochеn was in no better shape.

She had managed to suppress the rampaging evil power within her, but forcing her Soul Power to contain it had badly damaged her meridians.

Worse still, the bone-deep chill remained coiled within her Martial Soul Origin like a venomous snake, ready to erupt again at any moment.

Neither of them spoke. They silently struggled to recover their strength.

After a long while, Ling Luochеn managed to sit up.

"I... I'm sorry."

Her voice was dry and hoarse, and trembled slightly.

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

Ji Xuan slowly opened his eyes, cutting off her stammering apology.

He said nothing, merely looking at her calmly with his dark eyes.

Under his gaze, Ling Luochеn felt as if she were standing naked in a frozen wasteland, with every disguise stripped away.

She bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palm. In the end, she chose to tell him the truth.

"I... I was also 'guided' by Qiangu Wangyan..."

She struggled to speak. Each word seemed to drain what little strength she had left.

As one of the top talents in the inner courtyard, Ling Luochеn had also encountered a bottleneck in her cultivation.

Qiangu Wangyan had indeed helped her, improving her control over her Soul Power.

She had always regarded him as a mentor worthy of respect.

Until the Sky Screen exposed Wang Yan's true colors!

"I was afraid..."

Her voice grew quieter, filled with fear.

"I was afraid people would find out that the power of an Evil Soul Master had tainted me."

"I couldn't have a single flaw!"

"So, just before Mu En ordered the academy sealed, I... I ran."

"I wanted to return to my family and seek help from my elders, quietly erase this stain."

She hugged her knees, her voice full of pain and confusion.

After hearing her story, Ji Xuan slowly opened his eyes.

There was not a trace of sympathy in his gaze—only an indescribable mockery.

"So you just managed to escape that easily?"

"What?"

Ling Luochеn froze.

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

Ji Xuan's voice was soft, but every word struck home.

"At such a sensitive time, you slipped away without the slightest difficulty?"

"Does that seem normal to you?"

Ling Luochеn was struck as if by lightning. Her face turned even paler than before.

"You mean..."

"There's only one possible explanation for your supposedly smooth escape."

Ji Xuan said each word distinctly.

"Someone deliberately let you out!"

At that, all color drained from Ling Luochеn's face, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

An icy chill shot from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head!

That was true...

Shrek Academy's defenses were extraordinarily strict, especially in a state of emergency!

She was a Soul King, and she had simply waltzed out?

If that were possible, Shrek Academy would be a joke!

Unless... someone really had wanted her to escape!

Who?

And why?