Divine-bestowed Soul Ring and First Soul Skill

The next second, Jiang Lan's level reached 11.

"Guga?"

Jiang Lan scratched his head in confusion, clearly not expecting this.

Everyone knew that Divine-bestowed Soul Rings were not something one received so casually—except at the Clear Sky Sect during Soul Land 2.

He remembered the situation over at the Clear Sky Sect. It was a perk Tang San gave his own family.

As for the Tang Sect?

God King Tang San said he had no idea what that was.

Sensing Jiang Lan's breakthrough, Bo Saixi's mouth twitched several times.

No, Sea God, weren't you being a little too biased?

Normally, one had to complete the Sea God's trials to receive a divine bestowal.

But Jiang Lan?

He had done absolutely nothing and received a Divine-bestowed Soul Ring.

She had guarded Sea God Island and presided over the Sea God's Nine Trials. If she had not seen a thousand geniuses, she had seen at least eight hundred.

Those geniuses had risked their lives to complete the first trial. Scarred all over and on the verge of death, they had knelt before the Sea God Palace, weeping as they begged the Sea God for a reward.

And how had the Sea God treated them?

He barely gave them the time of day.

He cranked the trial difficulty to the maximum, pinched every possible reward, and acted like giving one extra Soul Ring would cost him his life. His stinginess was simply outrageous.

For a time, Bo Saixi had believed that the Sea God was simply aloof and treated everyone equally.

Now she knew better.

Aloof? Treating everyone equally? Bullshit.

That was only because he had not met his own kid.

Just look at this. The child had only awakened his Martial Soul at six years old and had not even touched the threshold of the first trial, yet the Sea God had eagerly delivered a Divine-bestowed Soul Ring right to his door, terrified that his illegitimate son might start half a step behind everyone else.

He had even wrapped the Soul Ring in a beautiful blue light before sending it down, making sure the spectacle was complete.

Bo Saixi had not received treatment like this even when she completed her trials!

Heh, men.

Bo Saixi sneered inwardly.

Jiang Lan did not think that much about it. He only felt warm all over, as though he were soaking in a hot spring.

When the blue ball of light completely merged into his body, he stretched his arms and legs and felt strength filling every inch of him.

"Mommy Bo Saixi, I think I got stronger, guga!" Jiang Lan excitedly waved his little arms, the sleeves of his penguin onesie flapping with sharp slaps.

Bo Saixi looked at Jiang Lan expressionlessly. "Mm. You're level 11."

"Only level 11?" Jiang Lan pursed his lips in disappointment. "I thought I could become a Titled Douluo right away."

Bo Saixi: "..."

Listen to that. Was that even something a human being should say?

When other children awakened their Martial Souls at six, having any Soul Power at all was already worth celebrating. Innate Full Soul Power was an exceptional talent seen only once in a century.

But you? You awakened two Martial Souls, got a Divine-bestowed Soul Ring for free, jumped to level 11, and still thought it was not enough?

While Bo Saixi grumbled inwardly, Jiang Lan prepared to use his first Soul Skill.

Jiang Lan was quite interested in his first Soul Skill, because it was called Sea God Form.

"Mommy Bo Saixi, I'm going to try my first Soul Skill, guga!"

Before Bo Saixi could stop him, Jiang Lan had already activated his Soul Power.

Golden light burst from his body, illuminating the entire Sea God Palace as brightly as day.

Bo Saixi instinctively narrowed her eyes, and a trace of anticipation rose within her. After all, this was a Soul Ring personally bestowed by the Sea God.

When the light faded, Bo Saixi saw Jiang Lan's current appearance clearly, and her expression completely shattered.

How should she put it?

Judging by the name, Sea God Form should have been an imposing appearance: majestic and domineering, glowing all over in golden light, holding a trident, and looking down upon the world.

Jiang Lan was indeed covered in golden light. He indeed had a set of golden armor, and he indeed held a trident.

But the problem was that the golden armor had been scaled down in proportion to his current body.

A chubby little lump barely taller than an adult's knees was wearing a miniature set of golden battle armor.

The armor was puffed out because his penguin onesie was too thick. The breastplate bulged roundly, and the shoulder guards were wedged against both sides of his penguin hood, making him look like a penguin stuffed into a golden can.

And the Sea God's Trident in his hand should, in theory, have been a mighty divine weapon over two meters long.

But what Jiang Lan held now was a miniature trident about as tall as he was, only a little longer than a barbecue skewer. A tuft of white fluff rubbed off his penguin onesie even hung from its prongs.

Jiang Lan lowered his head to look at himself and moved his arms. The golden armor clattered.

"This armor fits pretty well, guga!"

Then he raised the miniature trident, pointed its tip upward, and planted the shaft against the ground, wanting to strike a cool pose like the Sea God descending.

But he forgot that the soles of his penguin onesie were non-slip, while the trident's shaft was too thin. When he planted it down, he lost his balance and toppled backward along with the trident.

"Guga—!"

Splat.

Jiang Lan landed flat on his back like an overturned turtle. His two little legs kicked in the air several times, but he could not flip himself back over.

The curvature of the back of that golden armor was too large. He was already round from wearing the penguin suit, and the golden armor made him even rounder. He was now a golden roly-poly toy—except he had fallen over and could not get back up.

Bo Saixi looked down at Jiang Lan floundering on the ground, and the corner of her mouth twitched wildly.

Sea God Form.

This was Sea God Form, the first Soul Skill brought by the Sea God's Divine-bestowed Soul Ring.

The Sea God Form she had imagined: clad in golden battle armor, wielding the Sea God's Trident, standing atop towering waves, with the Sea God's phantom behind him, his might overwhelming the world as all beasts submitted.

The actual Sea God Form: a chubby lump in a penguin onesie, wearing miniature golden armor, clutching a short trident with fluff stuck to it, unable to roll over on the ground.

"Mommy Bo Saixi, save me, guga!" Jiang Lan gave up struggling and lay sprawled on the floor, the miniature trident across his chest, rising and falling with each breath. "I can't get up!"

Bo Saixi took a deep breath, bent down, and pinched the collar of Jiang Lan's golden armor between two fingers. She lifted him up, then set him upright on the ground as though arranging a potted plant.

After Jiang Lan steadied himself, he first patted away nonexistent dust from his golden armor. Then he raised the miniature trident again and looked up at Bo Saixi, his eyes shining brightly.

"How is it, Mommy Bo Saixi? Isn't this form especially cool?"

Bo Saixi looked at the crooked helmet on his head, then at the round breastplate on his chest, then at the miniature trident in his hand that looked even more toy-like than a toy. Finally, she looked at the tail of his penguin onesie sticking out through the gap in the armor's rear guard.

Silence.

A full five seconds of silence.

"...Cool." When Bo Saixi said that word, her throat felt as dry and rough as if it had been scraped by sandpaper.

Jiang Lan became even more excited and planted the miniature trident against the ground.

"I think this Soul Skill can definitely evolve in the future!" Jiang Lan said confidently. "When I become a Titled Douluo, this trident will definitely grow to two meters long!"

"Then I'll stand at the entrance of Sea God Island, wearing golden armor and holding up my trident. Who would dare invade, guga!"

An image automatically appeared in Bo Saixi's mind.