Sea God's Nine Trials!

She pointed to Lin Xia's forehead, her fingertips trembling slightly with excitement.

All eyes instantly shifted from Lin Xia to Bo Saixi.

This question reflects the sentiments of everyone present.

The Top-Tier Seven Trials are already legendary; what then does this golden trident represent?

Bo Saixi, the Grand Pontiff of Sea God Island, the spokesperson for the ocean, and one of the beings closest to God in the world, did not answer immediately after Dugu Yan asked the question.

Her deep blue eyes, as profound as the ocean and seemingly having seen through the vicissitudes of life, were fixed intently on the golden trident mark on Lin Xia's forehead.

Her eyes were incredibly complex, filled with shock, realization, deep awe, and even... a barely Frisk hint of relief, as if fate had been sealed, and... pity?

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

The sea breeze rustled her magnificent red robes, but it could not dispel the heaviness and solemnity that enveloped her.

Her hand, holding the golden scepter symbolizing the power of the Sea God, had knuckles that were slightly white, revealing that her inner turmoil was far more profound than her outward appearance suggested.

This silence weighed heavily on everyone's hearts, making the atmosphere even more somber and tense.

They even deliberately lowered their breathing, as if afraid of disturbing some sacred ritual.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Bo Saixi took a slow, deep breath.

She slightly raised the hand holding the scepter, then paused gently.

Thump!

A soft sound, not loud, yet seemingly striking deep into everyone's soul, came from where the base of the scepter touched the Sacred Pillar Platform.

With this soft sound, the seven enormous Sea God Pillars surrounding the Sacred Pillar Platform seemed to be drawn by some invisible force. The ancient runes engraved on the pillars simultaneously lit up with a soft blue-gold light, flickering like breathing, as if they were in silent resonance and worship.

Bo Saixi's gaze shifted from the trident on Lin Xia's forehead and slowly swept over everyone present.

Her eyes regained that otherworldly calm, but beneath that calm lay a raging storm capable of overturning the entire ocean.

Her red lips parted slightly, her voice not loud, yet like a divine pronouncement from the Sea God, carrying an ancient majesty that Infiltrator time and space and an unquestionable absolute power, clearly echoing above the Sacred Pillar Platform and imprinted deep within everyone's soul.

"Sea God's Nine Trials"

Four words!

Just four words!

But like four world-destroying divine thunderbolts, they exploded in everyone's minds!

"Sea God... Nine Trials?"

Dugu Yan repeated it subconsciously, her voice filled with extreme confusion and disbelief.

She had never heard of that name before!

Nine Examinations?

The top-level assessment consists of seven tests; what does this nine-test system signify?

Not only her, but everyone present, including Lin Xia herself, except for Bo Saixi, was filled with extreme shock and confusion!

Bo Saixi's voice rang out again, this time with an unprecedented solemnity and... an almost reverent awe, each word carrying immense Qian Jun:

"Yes, the Sea God's Nine Trials."

She repeated the name again, as if to etch this sacred name into reality.

"The Top-Tier Seven Trials Level is Red Level Assessment, representing the highest level of favor from the Lord Sea God. Those who complete it will become the Grand Pontiff of Sea God Island, qualified to exercise some of the Lord Sea God's authority, and guard Sea God Island until the end of their lives, or... await the appearance of the next successor."

She paused, then turned her gaze back to Lin Xia, her gaze seemingly Infiltrator his body and looking directly into the essence of his soul that was connected to the trident mark.

"But!"

Bo Saixi's voice suddenly rose in pitch, carrying an Infiltrator power like a divine pronouncement.

"The Sea God's Nine Trials! It doesn't represent favor or protection, but rather—inheritance!"

"Inherit?!"

Xie Yue gasped in shock, her heart pounding wildly.

The meaning contained in this word is terrifying!

"Good!"

Bo Saixi's voice was resolute, filled with an unquestionable sense of sacredness.

"The Sea God's Nine Trials are the only way for the Lord Sea God to find a successor! They are the only key to unlocking the path to godhood!"

She slightly raised the golden scepter in her hand, pointing it at Lin Xia and also at the trident mark on his forehead that shimmered with a pale golden light.

"This golden trident mark is the ultimate condensation of the Sea God's Light, the core imprint of the Sea God Inheritance! It will only appear on those personally chosen by the Lord Sea God, those qualified to inherit his divine position!"

Bo Saixi's voice, like a resounding bell, shook the very soul of everyone present.

"Lin Xia, you are the successor chosen by the Lord Sea God!"

"These Sea God's Nine Trials are your path to godhood! They were personally set by the Lord Sea God and contain the supreme divine laws and trials."

"It is no longer a test in the mundane sense, but the ultimate test of whether you can bear the divine status of the Sea God, control the authority of the ocean, shoulder the responsibility of ruling all seas, and protect the plane!"

Her gaze deepened, as if she could see the endless dangers and supreme glory hidden behind those nine trials:

"Nine tests, nine challenges, each Kanto pointing directly to the source, testing not only your strength, wisdom, and will, but also your character, your soul, and your understanding and alignment with the laws of the ocean!"

"It will unleash your full potential, and push you to the very edge of life and death. Failure means annihilation, even your soul's imprint may be completely erased by Divine Punishment, with no chance of reincarnation! But success..."

For the first time, Bo Saixi's gaze revealed an almost devout longing:

"... Upon success, you will shed your mortal form, forge a divine body, condense your divine essence, and ignite the divine fire! You will wield the Sea God's Trident, rule over all the waters of the world, and become the new— Sea God!"

"This is the meaning of the Sea God's Nine Trials!"

Bo Saixi's voice fell heavily, like a final judgment.

"It is the beginning of the path to godhood, and the only divine bridge built across the insurmountable chasm between mortals and gods!"

A deathly silence Sea God Mountain.

Only the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and the sobbing of the sea breeze blowing through the Sacred Pillar seemed to echo this earth-shattering declaration.

Lin Xia stood still, her fingertips still resting on the warm, pulsating golden trident mark on her forehead.

Bo Saixi's words struck his soul like a heavy hammer.

Sea God... Successor?

The Path to Godhood?

Sea God's Nine Trials?

All of this happened too suddenly, too dramatically, and completely exceeded his expectations.

His original goals were to become stronger, to protect his companions, to discover his origins, and to stand at the pinnacle of this continent.

However, at this moment, a path leading to a higher dimension and a higher level of existence—a path that requires risking one's life and soul to seize that elusive divine authority—suddenly stood before him!

The golden trident mark was no longer merely a symbol of power; it was more like an unimaginably heavy shackle, a brand that weighed down on his shoulders the fate of the entire ocean and even the entire world.

He could feel the vast, star-studded divine power emanating from the mark, a power filled with Captivate and supreme majesty, yet also containing boundless loneliness and responsibility. Nine trials of life and death... to become a god...