Su Zhen floated in midair, wrapped in countless crimson rays of light. The reward for the First Trial was rapidly transforming his body and Martial Soul.
After an hour, the red light gradually faded, and Su Zhen's feet touched the ground once more.
Feeling waves of soothing pleasure rise from deep within his body, Su Zhen felt as though he had become a humanoid bolt of thunder. This was different from the elemental transformation of his fourth Soul Skill, Thunder Spirit Bodyless; he had become true thunder itself.
The Sorrow of the Thunder Spirit atop his head changed from its original dragon-horn shape into two twisted bolts of thunder jutting from his head. The Soul Skill it contained had also received a legendary enhancement.
Su Zhen activated Martial Soul Possession. The mighty phantom of the Thunder Prison Qilin appeared behind him. The Qilin, whose scales and fur had once been visible, had transformed completely into a massive bolt of thunder. Every part of it was made of thunder, and it stood there amid rolling crashes of thunder.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Hell Prison Thunder Meteor!"
Su Zhen used his fifth Soul Skill on himself, and a sea of thunder appeared overhead.
Boom!
The sea of thunder gathered into a bolt as thick as a barrel and struck Su Zhen directly, blasting a deep crater into the earth beneath his feet. Yet Su Zhen stood unharmed in the same spot.
"So this is true Thunder Attribute Immunity? It's incredible. From now on, Thunder Attribute Soul Masters will be completely countered by me. And then there's Thunder Perception."
A thunder serpent coiled in Su Zhen's palm. It was an ability he had comprehended over five years of tempering his body with countless bolts of thunder: the power to shape all things through thunder.
After circling Su Zhen's hand, the serpent leapt down and slithered into the forest.
The moment it took shape, a new field of vision opened in Su Zhen's mind. It was the serpent's vision: from its winding path around his hand to every blade of grass and tree in the forest. He could see everything the serpent could see.
That was Thunder Perception—the ability to perceive everything through thunder.
"Xiao Zhen, congratulations on completing the First Trial of the Thunder God."
Di Tian appeared beside Su Zhen to congratulate him.
"I owe this to the help of all of you, seniors."
Su Zhen clasped his fist in salute. If not for the herbs Di Tian and the others had found for him over the years, he would have been reduced to ashes during one of those sessions of tempering his body with thunder.
"All right, no need to be modest. We didn't do much. What mattered was your iron will. What does the Second Trial entail?"
Di Tian brushed aside Su Zhen's words and asked about the Second Trial of the Thunder God.
"Nine Trials of the Thunder God, Second Trial: Walk among mortals and discern human nature. Requirements: Seal away all cultivation and Soul Power, walk among mortals for three years, and experience the good and evil in human nature. Before the three years are up, grasp the true nature of humanity and learn to be a true judge. Reward: Increase the purity of your thunder, condense the Heart of the Thunder God, and gain ten percent comprehension of the Law of Thunder."
Su Zhen had learned the details of the Second Trial as soon as he completed the First. After telling Di Tian everything, he voiced the question on his mind.
"Senior, isn't this Second Trial a little off track? Isn't distinguishing good from evil a matter of good and evil? And the reward for the Thunder God's trial doesn't seem very generous. There's not even an increase in Soul Ring age."
"Before the Dragon God War, the Thunder God was the God of Heavenly Tribulation. He was in charge of both heavenly tribulations and the Divine Realm's judgment. His divine thunder could shatter the filth and vanity in the heart of any god. Seeing into people's hearts was a prerequisite for becoming the God of Heavenly Tribulation and Judgment. As for the trial's reward..."
Di Tian paused, then continued.
"He fell countless ages ago. Leaving behind a remnant will to pass down the Thunder God's trials is already an extraordinary feat. If you want to improve the rewards, you'll have to find other Thunder God Relics scattered across Douluo Continent and use them to nourish his remnant will. But after all this time, they've probably vanished into the river of history."
After hearing Di Tian's words, Su Zhen fell into a daze. The Thunder God's authority had once been that powerful? As for the other Thunder God Relics, he would have to take things one step at a time. With the full power of the Worship Hall at his disposal, he ought to be able to find one or two.
Su Zhen's gaze turned deep and distant. The rewards from the Nine Trials of the Thunder God were crucial to his strength after becoming a god. If he couldn't even match the Thunder God at his peak, how could he face Tang San, who wielded the power of two gods in one body?
"Senior, I'll be heading out in a few days to undertake the Thunder God's Second Trial. Before that, I'd like to obtain an Eighth Soul Ring."
Su Zhen told Di Tian what he had in mind. Before receiving the Nine Trials of the Thunder God, his Soul Power had already reached level seventy-two. After five years of tempering his body with thunder, the terrifying energy contained in the heavenly thunder had pushed him to level eighty by the third year, even though he had never cultivated on purpose. If not for the First Trial of the Thunder God, he would have hunted for an Eighth Soul Ring long ago.
"All right. Which Soul Beast in the entire Star Dou Forest have you set your sights on? I'll have it offer you a sacrifice."
Just like that, Di Tian calmly decided another Soul Beast's fate.
"Senior Di Tian, could the Sky Azure Bull Python at Lake of Life offer itself to me? Its bloodline, Attribute, and strength all suit me."
Su Zhen made his request carefully. As one of only two hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts openly known to live in the Star Dou Forest, if the Sky Azure Bull Python sacrificed itself to him, the forest's strength would be greatly reduced. For such an important Soul Beast, he needed to ask its master's permission. Of course, the more important reason he had chosen the Sky Azure Bull Python was that its Slow Domain would pair perfectly with the paralyzing effect of his Thunder Domain, creating a Domain combination where one plus one was greater than two.
"Hmm, no problem. It's just a watchdog. There are plenty of hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts guarding Lake of Life. We can just replace it."
Di Tian agreed after only a moment's thought. Compared to Su Zhen's status as the Thunder God's successor, a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast with a decent bloodline was nothing important.
"Sky Azure Bull Python!"
Di Tian's cold voice rang out beside Lake of Life. Infused with Soul Power, it carried all the way to the Sky Azure Bull Python at the bottom of the lake.
Splash!
The still surface of the lake broke open as a massive bull's head emerged first. Its azure python body coiled across the water like a small mountain stretching from shore to shore.
"Beast God!"
The Sky Azure Bull Python lowered its head in salute. Its deep voice was filled with fear of the Beast God before it.
"Offer yourself to the young man before you."
Di Tian's cold, imperious command rang out by the lakeside before the Sky Azure Bull Python could react.
"But, my lord, Sister Xiao Wu..."
"Hmm?"
Di Tian's voice turned lower. A pressure greater than that of a Limit Douluo bore down on the Sky Azure Bull Python, forcing its massive head beneath the water.
"Beast God, I—I'm willing!"
The Sky Azure Bull Python hurriedly begged for mercy, its voice growing muffled as it came from beneath the water.
Di Tian withdrew his pressure and let the Sky Azure Bull Python rise.
The Sky Azure Bull Python expelled a breath of murky air, fixed its bulging eyes on Su Zhen, and spoke its final words.
"Young man, I hope that when you go to the human world, you'll meet a Soft Bone Rabbit who has taken human form. Tell her that Da Ming and Er Ming miss her, and hope she'll come back to visit."
Su Zhen stared intently at the Sky Azure Bull Python. He neither agreed nor refused.
Seeing no response from the young man before it, the Sky Azure Bull Python said no more. Azure light blazed across its body, and it turned into a streak that burrowed into Su Zhen.
Su Zhen felt immense Soul Power surging through him. His Martial Soul possessed him at once, and seven Soul Rings—purple, purple, purple, black, black, red, black, and red—appeared beneath his feet. The fifth Soul Ring, in particular, was a terrifying shade of black tinged with red.
His Sixth Soul Ring had come from the sacrifice of the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. It was practically his innate Soul Ring. As his physique rapidly improved through years of tempering with thunder, his innate Soul Ring had evolved to the hundred-thousand-year level.
His Fifth Soul Ring had come from the sacrifice of the Thunder Prison Hell Vine. It had inherited the vine's ability to grow stronger by absorbing thunder, and after five years of tempering with thunder, it had reached the terrifying level of ninety thousand years. The same was true of his Soul Bone.
A few days later, at the edge of the Star Dou Forest, Di Tian and four other Ferocious Beasts in human form saw Su Zhen off.
"You've gone far enough, seniors. Thank you for looking after me all these years."
Su Zhen looked gratefully at the four men and one woman before him. Under these Ferocious Beasts' "care," his strength had made a qualitative leap over the years.
"Xiao Zhen, while you're out there, try not to reveal the aura of the Thunder God's inheritance. Someone up above is keeping a close eye on you."
"Don't worry, Senior Di Tian. I'll be careful. Besides, Senior Gu gave me one of her scales. It'll be no problem to conceal the aura of the Thunder God."
Gu Yuena didn't want Su Zhen's identity as the Thunder God's successor exposed to Asura too soon, so she had given him one of her scales before he left. It wasn't her reverse scale, but with its divine-king-level quality, concealing his aura was a piece of cake.
"Thank you, seniors. I'm off. Take care."
Su Zhen bowed to them. When he straightened up, the warmth had vanished from his eyes, replaced by sharpness and cold indifference.
Su Zhen turned and headed toward the town up ahead, where people from Spirit Hall were waiting to receive him.
"The Soul Master World is about to change."
Di Tian watched Su Zhen's departing figure and murmured.
"Young master, your subordinate is here to pick you up."
At the edge of the town, Yang Fan waited with a carriage.
Su Zhen nodded and climbed into the carriage. His cold voice came from within.
"To Heaven Dou City."
"Yes, young master."
The carriage began to move, carrying with it a force that would shape the future of the Soul Master World toward the next stage.
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