Second Trial, Returning to Tiandou

Su Zhen's body floated in mid-air, enveloped by countless scarlet rays of light as the rewards of the first trial rapidly reshaped his physique and Martial Soul.

An hour later, the red glow gradually dissipated, and Su Zhen's feet touched the ground once more.

Feeling the waves of tingling refreshment emanating from deep within his body, Su Zhen felt as though he had transformed into a human-shaped bolt of lightning. It was not the elementalization of his fourth soul skill, Thunder Spirit Bodyless, but rather a true incarnation of lightning itself.

The Sorrow of the Thunder Spirit atop his head had shifted from its original dragon-horn shape into two twisted bolts of lightning embedded in his scalp, and the soul skills contained within had received an epic-tier enhancement.

Su Zhen activated his Martial Soul Possession, and the majestic phantom of the Thunder Prison Qilin appeared behind him. The Qilin's form, which had previously displayed visible scales and fur, had completely transformed into a massive construct of pure lightning; its very presence crackled with rhythmic, thunderous booms.

"Fifth Soul Skill: Hell Prison Thunder Meteor!"

Su Zhen unleashed his fifth soul skill upon himself, and a sea of lightning manifested in the sky above him.

BOOM!

The sea of lightning condensed into a bolt as thick as a water barrel, striking Su Zhen directly. The impact carved a deep crater into the earth beneath his feet, yet Su Zhen stood in the center, completely unscathed.

"So this is true lightning immunity? How powerful. From now on, encountering lightning-attribute soul masters will be a total hard counter. And then there is Thunder Perception."

Su Zhen condensed a small lightning snake in his palm—an ability he had comprehended during his five years of tempering his body with countless strikes of lightning, allowing him to manifest all things through the essence of thunder.

After the lightning snake slithered around his hand, it leaped off and crawled into the forest.

The moment the lightning snake formed, a new perspective flooded Su Zhen's mind. It was the vision of the snake; from the moment it moved across his hand to every blade of grass and tree in the forest, he could see everything the snake saw in perfect synchronization.

This was Thunder Perception: perceiving all things through the medium of lightning.

"Xiao Zhen, congratulations on completing the first trial of the Thunder God."

Di Tian appeared beside Su Zhen to offer his congratulations.

"I owe this to the assistance of you and the other seniors."

Su Zhen cupped his hands in a return salute. If not for the medicinal herbs Di Tian and the others had sought out over these years, he would have been reduced to ashes during one of his many lightning-tempering sessions.

"Enough, no need for such modesty. We didn't do much; it was primarily your own iron will. What are the contents of the second trial?"

Di Tian dismissed Su Zhen's words, turning the conversation toward the second trial of the Thunder God.

"The Nine Trials of the Thunder God, Second Trial: Walk the Mortal Realm, Insight into Human Nature. Requirements: Seal all cultivation realms and soul power, walk the mortal realm for three years, perceive the good and evil of human nature, and grasp the true essence of humanity before the three-year deadline, learning to become a true judge. Rewards: Increase the purity of your lightning, 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 the moment the first was completed. After relaying the information to Di Tian, he voiced the question weighing on his mind.

"Senior, isn't the content of this second trial a bit off-track? Isn't distinguishing between good and evil the domain of the Gods of Good and Evil? Furthermore, the rewards for the Thunder God's trials don't seem very generous—there isn't even an increase in soul ring age."

"Before the War of the Dragon God, the Thunder God served as the God of Heavenly Tribulation, overseeing both heavenly calamities and the judgments of the God Realm. His divine lightning could shatter the filth and vanity within the hearts of all gods. Insight into the human heart is a prerequisite for becoming a God of Heavenly Tribulation and Judgment. As for the rewards,"

Di Tian paused here before continuing.

"He has been fallen for countless ages; the fact that he could leave behind a remnant consciousness to pass down the Thunder God's trials is already a feat of immense power. If you wish to increase the rewards, you must find other Thunder God Relics lost across the Douluo Continent to nourish his remnant consciousness. But I fear those have long since vanished into the river of time."

Su Zhen felt a sense of daze after hearing Di Tian's words. The Thunder God's authority had been so formidable in the past. As for the other relics, he would have to take it one step at a time; surely, mobilizing the full power of the Worship Hall would yield at least one or two.

Su Zhen's gaze grew profound. The rewards of the Nine Trials of the Thunder God were crucial to his strength after achieving godhood. If he could not even reach the strength of the Thunder God at his peak, how could he possibly deal with Tang San, who possessed the power of two gods in one body?

"Senior, I intend to head out in a few days to begin the second trial. Before I do, I would like to attach my eighth soul ring."

Su Zhen voiced his thoughts to Di Tian. Before accepting the Nine Trials, his soul power had already reached level 72. After five years of lightning tempering, even without active cultivation, the terrifying energy contained within the heavenly lightning had pushed him to level 80 by the third year. Had he not been occupied with the first trial, he would have hunted for his eighth soul ring long ago.

"Very well. Which soul beast in the entire Star Dou Forest have you set your sights on? I shall have it sacrifice itself to you."

Di Tian decided the fate of other soul beasts with effortless indifference.

"Senior Di Tian, would the Sky Azure Bull Python in the Lake of Life be willing to fulfill this request? Its bloodline attributes and strength are perfectly compatible with mine."

Su Zhen carefully voiced his request. As one of the only two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts currently known to reside in the Star Dou Forest, the Sky Azure Bull Python's sacrifice would significantly diminish the forest's combat power. Naturally, he had to consult its master regarding such an important beast. Of course, the more important reason for choosing the Sky Azure Bull Python was that its Slow Domain would pair perfectly with the paralyzing effects of his own Thunder Domain, creating a synergy where one plus one was greater than two.

"Hmm, no problem. It is merely a guard dog; there are plenty of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts to watch over the Lake of Life. We can simply replace it with another."

Di Tian agreed to Su Zhen's request after only a moment's thought. Compared to Su Zhen's status as the successor of the Thunder God, a single hundred-thousand-year soul beast with some bloodline potential was of little consequence.

"Sky Azure Bull Python!"

Di Tian's icy voice rang out beside the Lake of Life, infused with soul power that carried the command to the ears of the Sky Azure Bull Python at the bottom of the lake.

Splash!

The calm surface of the lake was broken as a massive bull's head emerged first, followed by a cyan python body that coiled upon the water like a small mountain spanning the surface.

"Lord Beast God!"

The Sky Azure Bull Python lowered its head in salute to Di Tian, its heavy voice filled with fear toward the Beast God before it.

"Sacrifice yourself to the youth before you."

Di Tian did not wait for the Sky Azure Bull Python to react, his cold and majestic voice echoing across the lakeshore.

"This... My Lord, Sister Xiao Wu is still..."

"Hmm?"

Di Tian's voice dropped an octave, and a pressure even greater than that of a Limit Douluo descended upon the Sky Azure Bull Python, forcing its massive head down into the lake water.

"Lord Beast God, I... I am willing!"

The Sky Azure Bull Python hurriedly begged for mercy, its voice sounding increasingly muffled as it emanated from beneath the water.

Di Tian withdrew his pressure and released the Sky Azure Bull Python.

The Sky Azure Bull Python exhaled a breath of turbid air, stared at Su Zhen with its massive bovine eyes, and spoke its final words.

"Young man, I hope that when you go to the human world and encounter a Soft Bone Rabbit who has taken human form, you will tell her that Da Ming and Er Ming miss her, and hope she can come back to visit."

Su Zhen kept his gaze locked on the Sky Azure Bull Python, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Seeing that the person before him offered no reaction, the Sky Azure Bull Python said nothing more; a brilliant cyan light erupted from its body, transforming into a streak of cyan radiance that surged into Su Zhen's body.

Su Zhen felt a surge of majestic soul power roiling within him. His martial soul instantly manifested, and seven soul rings—purple, purple, purple, black, black, red, and black—appeared beneath his feet. Notably, the fifth soul ring was a terrifying color of black tinged with red.

The sixth soul ring had been formed by the sacrifice of the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, and served as his life-bound soul ring. Following the rapid improvement in his physical constitution brought about by years of lightning tempering, this life-bound soul ring had evolved to the hundred-thousand-year level.

The fifth soul ring had been obtained through the sacrifice of the Thunder Prison Hell Vine, inheriting its trait of growing stronger by absorbing lightning; after five years of lightning tempering, it had reached a terrifying level of ninety thousand years, as had his soul bone.

A few days later, at the edge of the Star Dou Forest, Di Tian and four other fierce beasts who had taken human form came to see Su Zhen off.

"You may stop here, everyone. Thank you for your care over these past few years."

Su Zhen looked gratefully at the four men and one woman before him. Under the 'care' of these fierce beasts over the years, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap.

"Xiao Zhen, try your best not to reveal the aura of your Thunder God inheritance while outside; there are those above who are watching at all times."

"Rest assured, Senior Di Tian, I will be careful. Besides, Senior Gu gave me one of her scales, so concealing the Thunder God aura will be no problem."

Gu Yuena did not want Su Zhen's identity as the successor of the Thunder God to be exposed to Asura too early, so she had given him one of her own scales before he departed. Although this scale was not a reverse scale, its quality as a God King-level item made concealing his aura a simple matter.

"Seniors, I am leaving. Take care."

Su Zhen bowed to the group. When he stood up again, the gentleness in his eyes had vanished, replaced by sharpness and indifference.

Su Zhen turned and walked toward the small town ahead, where members of the Martial Soul Hall were waiting to receive him.

"The world of soul masters is about to change."

Di Tian murmured as he watched Su Zhen's receding figure.

"Young Master, your subordinate is here to receive you."

At the edge of the town, Yang Fan waited with a carriage.

Su Zhen nodded and climbed into the carriage, his cold voice emanating from within.

"To Heaven Dou City."

"Yes, Young Master."

The carriage began to move, carrying the power that would influence the future of the soul master world toward its next stage.