Sea God's Light!
Stepping into the city, it was completely different from the deserted island I had imagined.
The main street, though not very wide, is paved with the same dark gray stones, polished smooth and exuding a faint, damp sea air.
The streets are lined with buildings, mostly single or two stories high, with a simple and sturdy style.
The building materials are mainly local dark hardwood and that strange dark gray rock. The wood and stone are joined together tightly, giving it a sense of vicissitudes that has been eroded by the sea winds without changing its shape.
Although these buildings are not tall, they are exceptionally clean. Many eaves are adorned with dried, colorful seaweed fabrics or wind chimes made of glistening white seashells, which chime softly in the sea breeze, adding a touch of life to the solemn city.
On window frames and door lintels, one can often see simplified Sea Horse, tridents, and other Sea God totems inlaid with deep-sea blue crystals or white coral, silently proclaiming the permeation of faith.
As Sea Horse Douluo said, the shops do exist, but they are far less dense and bustling than those in mainland cities.
The scattered shops are small, mostly catering to the island's basic needs.
A wooden rack displaying fresh catches stood outside a shop. The deep blue fish scales shimmered like scattered diamonds in the sunlight. The owner, a wiry middle-aged man, was skillfully and efficiently processing a large, silvery-scaled fish with specially made sea salt.
A slightly larger shop next door wafted a faint fragrance of herbs, and several strings of dried, exotic seaweed and various seashells hung at the entrance, clearly indicating that it was a pharmacy and general store.
Further away, a blacksmith shop stood with its door open, the furnace blazing, and the rhythmic hammering could be faintly heard. It seemed to be forging something other than an ordinary weapon, but rather a curved tool resembling an anchor or harpoon, its surface shimmering with a faint light imbued with Soul Power.
All the shop signs were extremely simple, either patterns etched directly onto the sea rock using Soul Power, or wooden plaques with images of the items hanging on the wall, completely unlike the ornate signs commonly seen on the mainland.
There weren't many pedestrians on the street, and most of them walked leisurely.
Their clothing was mainly in plain colors, with white, yellow, and purple robes corresponding to different social ranks. The fabric also seemed to have been specially treated, giving it the supple feel of seawater.
Upon seeing Sea Horse Douluo and his entourage, especially their unusually respectful demeanor towards Lin Xia and Hu Liena, passersby, young and old alike, showed extreme surprise and awe, stopping in their tracks and bowing respectfully until the group had disappeared from sight before daring to look up.
The air was filled with a faint smell of the sea, the fresh scent of grass and trees, and a faint, ancient pressure emanating from the direction of the City Lord's Mansion, all blending together to create the unique tranquility and solemnity of Sea God Island.
The corner where the children were playing was unusually quiet. Occasionally, curious glances would fall on the group of outsiders dressed in different clothes, but they would soon be gently restrained by the elders beside them.
The entire city is like a dark gray Pearl set between Emerald Forest and a blue ocean. Though small in scale, it is well-ordered, and the power of faith permeates every stone, every breath of air, and every devout act of its residents.
It lacks the grandeur of Spirit City and the bustling Hustle of Vast Sea City, but possesses a unique tranquility and resilience that breathes and shares the fate of the sea.
Sea Horse Douluo led the group steadily along the main street, which was imbued with sea air and faith, toward the city lord's mansion, which was topped with a giant Sea Horse statue and emanated an invisible force field.
Inside the grand living room on the third floor of the city lord's mansion, the dark gray stone walls exuded a warm luster and the scent of the sea.
Limber yet sturdy sofa, seemingly woven from some kind of seaweed and vines, was arranged in a circle around which Lin Xia, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, Yan, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling sat.
After briefly introducing the basic rules of life on Poseidon Island and the arrangements of the City Lord's Mansion, Seahorse Douluo Ouya hurriedly left to return to the Seahorse Sacred Pillar he was guarding.
Yan sank into the sofa, letting out a comfortable sigh. Looking around the spacious living room, which had a peculiar style, he remarked:
"Phew... That's great! To be honest, I didn't expect things to go so smoothly after landing on the island, and I even got to stay on the top floor of the City Lord's Mansion. Lin Xia, this is definitely all thanks to you!"
His gaze toward Lin Xia was filled with admiration.
The almost humble attitude of Sea Horse Douluo undoubtedly stemmed from the unique golden trident mark on Lin Xia's forehead—a symbol of the successor to the Sea God.
Hu Liena sat beside Lin Xia, the red seven-pointed star on her forehead still shining brightly in the soft indoor light. She gently held Lin Xia's hand and whispered:
"Yes, if it weren't for Xiao Xia triggering the Sea God's Nine Trials, we probably wouldn't even have had the chance to meet the Grand Pontiff, let alone be treated with such courtesy."
Her words were filled with dependence on Lin Xia and a hint of barely Frisk worry.
The Top-Tier Seven Trials are already a heavy burden; the weight and danger of Lin Xia's Sea God's Nine Trials are breathtaking just to think about.
Xie Yue leaned back on another sofa, his silver eyes calm as still water. He shook his head slightly, his voice as calm as ever.
"The smooth sailing is just a facade. The change in Oya's attitude stems from the confirmation of Xiao Xia's identity. But this doesn't change the fundamental nature of the challenges we each face. For us, the real challenge has only just begun."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Judging from the expression on Senior Oya's face when he announced the Black Level trials for Xie Yue and Yan Zi under the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar, the trials we are about to undergo will definitely not be easy."
"Now that we're settled, it's time to carefully analyze our respective challenges. Everything needs to be planned carefully. First, we must clarify what our first challenge is."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan immediately focused her mind, channeling her spiritual energy into the black pentagram mark on her forehead.
A moment later, she raised her head, a hint of surprise flashing in her purple eyes.
"My First Trial... is called 'Crossing Over, the Sea God's Light'."
She looked at Xie Yue.
"And you?"
Xie Yue had been sensing with his eyes closed, and when he opened them now, his sharp silver eyes held a hint of confirmation.
"Same. My First Trial is also 'Crossing Over, the Sea God's Light'."
Both of them had undergone the Black Level test, so it's not surprising that the First Trial was the same for both of them.
"Huh? Me too!"
Yan's voice rang out, and the black six-pointed star mark on his forehead flickered slightly, clearly indicating that he had just confirmed the content of his test.
"'Transcending time, the Sea God's Light'! Hey, looks like the three of us started off the same way."
His tone carried a hint of "I knew it," as if he felt that it was normal for members of the Golden Generation and their partners to be tested in Synchronize.
Hu Liena and Ye Lingling immediately focused their attention on communicating with the marks on their foreheads.
Soon, a similar look of surprise appeared on their faces as on Dugu Yan's.
"Ours is also 'Transcending Time, Sea God's Light'."
Yan grinned and patted the sofa armrest.
"Ha! Looks like we all face the same first Kanto! Let's all go together! Forget about the Sea God's Light, let's just get through it!"
His carefree nature seemed to have made him forget all the previous burdens.