And Failure... Had Only One Outcome

Yan could no longer suppress his anxiety and fear. He took a step forward, his voice filled with urgency and unease.

"Senior, what is the Black Level Six Trials? Could you explain it to us? What... what does it mean?"

Hu Liena followed closely behind, her charming eyes filled with worry and pleading.

"Senior, please enlighten me!"

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling watched the Sea Horse Douluo with equal tension, while Lin Xia stood a little behind, keeping a close eye on the Sea Horse Douluo, while also diverting a sliver of her attention to sense the fluctuations in Xie Yue's aura and the faint reaction of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud mark in her own Sea of Consciousness.

Sea Horse Douluo shifted his gaze from Xie Yue and slowly swept it over the group of young Land Soul Master in front of him. He saw the surprise, fear, and a trace of defiance in their eyes.

He paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, before finally nodding slowly. His voice regained its unique quality, a blend of the roar of a tsunami and the Tackle of rocks, but now carried a heavy solemnity.

"The trials given by Lord Sea God are of different levels. The difficulty of the trials varies depending on the level."

He raised his hand and pointed to the magnificent Sea Horse Sacred Pillar behind him.

"Just as the color of Soul Ring indicates the age and power of Soul Beast, the levels of the Sea God's Trials are also distinguished by color, from low to high: white level, yellow level, purple level, Black Level Assessment, and... the legendary red top-level trial."

"The Lord Sea God is supreme, and His will is all-seeing. He will assess the strength, potential, character, and even... background and origin of those who accept the trial."

Sea Horse Douluo's gaze lingered on Lin Xia and the others for a moment, emphasizing the sensitive point of "Land Soul Master".

"Different assessments will be conducted. The specific content of the assessments is shown on the light screen that just appeared. Only the person being assessed and I, as the examiner, can know it. I, Seahorse Douluo Ouya, am the examiner for this trip."

He paused, allowing everyone to process the information, before continuing:

"Through different levels of assessment, one will gain corresponding status and power on Sea God Island. This power is a gift and recognition from Lord Sea God to those who pass. The difficulty of the assessment depends not only on the examinee's current strength, but also on their future potential. This is an unfathomable decree of Lord Sea God."

"Among them, the white-level and yellow-level assessments are the most basic, usually consisting of only one test. Passing them means success, granting the qualification to remain on the island and the corresponding status."

"Upon reaching the Purple Rank assessment, distinctions begin to emerge. The Purple Rank assessment will consist of one to three trials. If the light from the Sacred Pillar condenses into a light barrier before you, that is one Purple Rank trial; if there are three, you must pass all three trials to pass. The more trials there are, the greater the difficulty and the higher the risk of failure, but the authority and resources gained upon success will also increase accordingly."

Sea Horse Douluo's voice grew even deeper, as if he were recounting a taboo.

"And then comes the Black Level Assessment..."

His gaze involuntarily drifted once again to Xie Yue, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed; the black six-pointed star on his forehead was particularly dazzling in the sunlight.

"That is the true opening of the gates of hell. The Black Level Assessment will have at least four tests, and at most... six. That is what Xie Yue is undergoing— the Black Level Six Trials."

"Black Level Six Trials"

Sea Horse Douluo spoke each word slowly and deliberately, each syllable carrying immense Qian Jun.

"It can be said to be the most difficult and dangerous of the Black Level Assessment, the most severe trial that Lord Sea God has bestowed upon those with great potential... or, for certain special beings."

He specifically emphasized "special existence," clearly referring to their status as Land Soul Master.

"I can tell you some cold, hard facts."

Sea Horse Douluo's voice carried a sense of vicissitude, as if he had witnessed too many life and death.

"In the past century, the Black Level Assessment has been conducted thirty-one times. Of those, only seven were successfully passed. The remaining twenty-four..."

He shook his head and didn't continue, but the unspoken meaning weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a cold, leaden weight—failure is death!

"And the seven people who were fortunate enough to pass the Black Level Assessment are now the guardians of the Seven Sacred Pillars on Sea God Island!"

Sea Horse Douluo straightened his body, naturally exuding the majesty of a Titled Douluo, carrying a hint of the pride of a survivor, but even more so, awe of the Sea God's authority.

"I, Seahorse Douluo Ou Ya, am one of those seven. Back then, I underwent the Black-level Fourth Trial."

His gaze fell on Xie Yue again, his expression even more complex.

"Among the seven of us, only the guardian of the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar, Sea Dragon Douluo, has experienced the same Black Level Six Trials as your companions."

He is also the strongest among the seven of us; his Soul Power has already surpassed the level ninety-five threshold, and is unfathomable."

The purpose of Sea Horse Douluo's detailed explanation is quite obvious.

He wasn't simply popularizing science; he was using the coldest data and the cruelest reality to depict to these young people from the mainland the despairing Abyss of the Black Level Six Trials.

Through this, one can ascend to the highest level and gain authority comparable to that of the Sacred Pillar Guardian.

And failure... has only one outcome.

The platform was deathly silent.

The only sound was the roar of waves crashing against the rocks, which now sounded like a death knell tolling for Xie Yue.

Hu Liena's face was deathly pale, her hands were tightly clenched together, her nails almost digging into her palms.

Yan's mouth was open, and a hoarse sound came from his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word. His eyes were filled with shock and fear.

Dugu Yan bit her lower lip tightly, her dark green pupils contracting violently.

Ye Lingling instinctively covered her mouth; the illusory image of the Nine Heart Begonia flickered in her palm, yet seemed so powerless.

Lin Xia frowned deeply, his eyes flashing. He felt the heavy, real pressure in Sea Horse Douluo's words; the difficulty of the Black Level Six Trials far exceeded his expectations.

Seeing the Bolt Strike expressions on everyone's faces, Sea Horse Douluo knew that his words had achieved their effect, but he still added the last, and most fatal, rule, his voice like a final judgment.

"Having accepted the mark of the Lord Sea God's test, the test begins immediately. The time limit for the Black Level test is that you must complete one type of test each year!"

"The next challenge will only appear after you complete one. If you run out of time..."

Sea Horse Douluo's gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over the black six-pointed star on Xie Yue's forehead.

"Or if he tries to escape or give up, then the Sea God's Seal previously imprinted on his forehead will instantly shatter!"

He made a gesture, as if Simulation an explosion, "That's not an ordinary Soul Power impact, but a direct manifestation of the Lord Sea God's divine might, which will completely obliterate the body and soul of the observer, leaving no trace."

He took a deep breath and concluded with an almost cruel honesty:

"The Black Level Assessment has no losers. Only those who pass and... those who die. Therefore, it is also known by the island's predecessors as the choice between heaven and hell."