Fifth on the Golden Ranking!

The moment the words appeared.

The entire continent fell silent.

Four hundred thousand years of cultivation.

The Deep Sea God Position.

The Deep Sea Demon Whale Bloodline Origin.

Three rewards descended at once.

Even the Snow Empress, who had already received the God of the Far North Divine Position, looked up at the Golden Ranking.

The Ice Empress opened her mouth.

"Sister Snow Empress, he got even more rewards than you did."

The Snow Empress gazed at the sky.

"All three rewards are tied to him."

She felt no resentment.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had nine hundred and ninety thousand years of cultivation, a formidable body, and dominion over the Endless Sea.

The Deep Sea God Position suited him perfectly.

Four hundred thousand more years of cultivation would carry him past the million-year threshold.

As for the Deep Sea Demon Whale Bloodline Origin, it would remedy the hidden damage left by his devouring-based cultivation.

These rewards were enough to bring about his true transformation.

The Star Dou Great Forest.

Beside the Lake of Life.

Di Tian looked up at the three rewards, his expression turning grave.

"Four hundred thousand years of cultivation, granted outright."

Xiong Jun looked toward the sky.

"Once the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King receives them, won't he have 1.39 million years of cultivation?"

"Years of cultivation are only the surface."

Gu Yuena stood upon the lake.

Her gaze rested on the dark blue Divine Seal.

"The Deep Sea God Position is what matters."

Di Tian lowered his head. "My lord, does this God Position also exist outside the Divine Realm?"

"It's similar to the God of the Far North Divine Position."

Gu Yuena nodded gently.

"It connects to the Deep Sea Origin."

"As long as the deep sea endures, the God Position will not vanish."

Xiong Jun raised his head.

"Then once the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King becomes a god, can he remain on the Douluo Continent forever?"

"Once he fully forms his God Position, the rules of the Divine Realm will not be able to expel him easily."

Gu Yuena looked away.

"What he has gained is a path that truly belongs to him."

At those words.

Both Di Tian and Xiong Jun fell silent.

The Soul Beast Clan had cultivated for countless years, yet had never escaped the constraints of heaven and earth and the Divine Realm.

But since the Golden Ranking appeared.

The Evil Emperor had received a divine artifact.

The Snow Empress had received the God of the Far North Divine Position.

And the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had received the Deep Sea God Position.

The Golden Ranking had laid open a path for Soul Beasts to become gods.

The Evil Demon Forest.

The Evil Emperor looked up at the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's rewards.

Purple light shifted within his single eye.

Four hundred thousand years of cultivation far exceeded the two hundred thousand he had received.

The Deep Sea God Position was also more complete than the Evil God Crown.

But the Evil Emperor raised no further objections.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King already had nine hundred and ninety thousand years of cultivation.

His body and connection to the Deep Sea Origin were far beyond those of ordinary Soul Beasts.

These three rewards truly suited him.

"The Deep Sea God Position."

The Evil Emperor gazed at the dark blue Divine Seal.

"Once he finishes merging with it, he'll be a true God Level being."

The Evil Emperor did not linger.

He withdrew his spiritual power and closed his single eye again.

The Golden Ranking's rewards had appeared.

He had to fully absorb his new power as soon as possible.

Otherwise, as stronger beings appeared on the ranking, the gap between him and them would only grow.

The Endless Sea.

Deep beneath the waves.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King raised his massive head.

His Golden Ranking rewards became three pillars of light that descended from the sky into the sea.

The first pierced the surface and struck his enormous body.

Boom!

The entire sea shook.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's scales lit up one by one.

Nine hundred and ninety thousand years.

1.1 million years.

1.2 million years.

1.39 million years.

Terrifying power erupted within him.

His body, which had already reached its limit, began a new transformation.

The dark blue glow in his single eye grew brighter and brighter.

He opened his enormous mouth.

Endless seawater surged toward it.

The sea for thousands of miles around was drawn in.

Mountain ranges on the seabed began to fracture.

Power accumulated in the earth over countless years flowed into his body with the seawater.

Golden text appeared in the sky once more.

[Cultivation increase complete.]

[Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's current cultivation: 1.39 million years.]

[Physical transformation commencing.]

[Bloodline Origin fusion commencing.]

The second reward descended.

The dark blue Divine Seal merged into the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's brow.

Divine patterns began to appear across his enormous body.

They covered his head, back, and tail.

Every line connected to the Deep Sea Origin.

The towering waves on the surface gradually subsided.

But from the depths came a pressure that could make ten thousand beasts bow their heads.

Countless Sea Soul Beasts stopped where they were.

They looked toward the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and dared go no closer.

The third reward became a dark blue crystal.

When the crystal entered the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's body.

The disparate powers he had devoured swiftly came together.

Energies that had once clashed began to realign according to his Bloodline Origin.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's aura gradually stabilized.

He no longer needed to devour creatures of the sea to keep his cultivation under control.

His power had formed a complete cycle of its own.

The divine patterns of the Deep Sea God Position gathered on his brow.

A dark blue pillar of light burst through the sea's surface.

It pierced the clouds.

Above the vast sea, an immense Deep Sea Temple appeared.

The temple stood between the seawater and the clouds.

Images of giant whales and ocean tides were carved on either side of its doors.

Golden text appeared in succession.

[Deep Sea God Position fusion successful.]

[Current God Position formation: 10%.]

[Deep Sea Demonic Whale King recognized by the Deep Sea Origin.]

[Combat strength greatly increased within the deep sea.]

[Upon fully forming the God Position, he may become the Deep Sea God.]

Beneath the sky.

Countless Soul Masters looked up at the Deep Sea Temple.

"The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King broke through!"

"1.39 million years of cultivation!"

"He's no ordinary Soul Beast anymore!"

"The Deep Sea God? Why have I never heard that name before?"

"There's already a Sea God in the Divine Realm, and now the Golden Ranking has granted a Deep Sea God Position. Will they clash someday?"

"That's the Sea God's divine domain!"

Discussion spread in every direction.

Sea God Island.

Waves battered the reefs.

Inside the Sea God Hall, Bo Saixi looked up at the Deep Sea Temple in the sky.

Her hand settled on her staff.

The waters around Sea God Island churned without pause.

In the distance, the statue of the Sea God also began to give off a faint golden light.

Bo Saixi gazed at the dark blue Divine Seal, her expression growing grave.

"The Deep Sea God."

She spoke the name softly.

Sea God Island had worshipped the Sea God for many years.

The ocean had always been his domain.

Yet now the Golden Ranking had separated the Deep Sea Origin from the Sea God's domain and granted the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King an entirely new God Position.

That meant the Sea God's authority would be affected.

What was more.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was already Sea God Island's greatest enemy.

Even before this, his formidable body had allowed him to roam the deep sea unchecked.

Now he had gained four hundred thousand years of cultivation and the Deep Sea God Position.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King would only become more terrifying.

Bo Saixi raised her head toward the golden light above the Sea God Hall.

"Lord Sea God, is this your will too?"

Sea God Island gave no answer.

Only the waves continued to crash against the reefs.

Skywater Academy.

The lake grew calm again.

Shui Yue'er looked up at the Deep Sea Temple in the sky.

"Headmistress, has the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King become stronger than the Snow Empress?"

Long Yao set down his teacup.

"Outside the deep sea, he's not as strong as the Snow Empress."

"What about inside the deep sea?"

"The Deep Sea God Position has yet to fully take shape."

Long Yao looked up at the sky.

"Once he completes it, few living beings in the deep sea will be able to defeat him."

Shui Bing'er asked quietly, "How does he compare to the Sea God?"

Long Yao's gaze settled on the dark-blue Divine Seal.

"He can't compare to him yet."

"The Deep Sea God Position is only ten percent complete."

"But the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King has already forged his own path."

Shui Yuerou looked at Long Yao.

"Can he really become the Deep Sea God?"

"If nothing goes wrong, yes."

Long Yao picked up his teacup again.

"The Golden Ranking gave him a chance to complete his transformation."

"Whether he can truly master the position is up to him."

Shui Yue'er looked toward the sky.

"He got so many rewards."

"The Evil Emperor received two hundred thousand years of cultivation and the Evil God Crown."

"The Snow Empress received three hundred thousand years of cultivation and the God of the Far North Divine Position."

"The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King received four hundred thousand years of cultivation, the Deep Sea God Position, and Bloodline Origin."

Long Yao nodded lightly.

"The higher the rank, the greater the reward."

"But the better the reward, the greater the burden of karma that comes with it."

Shui Yue'er blinked.

"What's karma?"

Long Yao did not explain.

He raised his head toward the heavens.

The light of the Deep Sea Temple was gradually fading.

On the Golden Ranking, the account of sixth place had ended.

Sixth place.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.

1.39 million years of cultivation.

Deep Sea God Position: ten percent complete.

That result was enough to make every power on the continent reassess the ocean.

Shui Bing'er looked away.

"Headmaster, are we still training today?"

"Yes."

Long Yao looked toward the lake.

"The power in the Ice Lotus you formed just now was still too scattered."

Shui Bing'er nodded.

She returned to the center of the lake.

The Ice Phoenix Martial Soul emerged from her body.

Crystalline wings slowly unfurled.

Shui Yue'er moved to the other side.

She raised both hands, and the lake water rose with them.

Frost gathered on one side.

Water swirled on the other.

Their powers crossed over the lake.

Long Yao sat beneath the tree.

He no longer watched the sky.

The tea on the table was still warm.

A few leaves fell from the branches.

Before they could reach his teacup, a light breeze carried them into the lake.

Following Long Yao's earlier guidance, Shui Bing'er first drew the ice elements in the air toward herself.

The lake began to freeze.

An Ice Lotus unfolded beneath her feet.

This time, its petals were more fully formed.

Every layer of ice crystals was packed tightly together.

Shui Yue'er did not force the water into a different shape.

She let it flow around her arms, moving gently with her own Soul Power.

A transparent curtain of water formed beside her.

The curtain kept spinning.

At last, it became a blooming spray of water.

Long Yao watched them move.

"Bing'er, rein in your Soul Power."

"Yue'er, follow the current."

Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er answered together.

They adjusted the flow of their Soul Power.

The Ice Lotus and the spray of water bloomed at the same time.

The elemental fluctuations over the lake gradually settled.

The setting sun touched the distant mountain forest.

Pale golden light spread across the ice crystals and shimmering water.

Long Yao leaned against the tree and continued drinking his tea.

The Golden Ranking had already begun gathering the light of fifth place.

At Skywater Academy.

Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er were still training on the lake.

A breeze drifted slowly past the True Dragon Tower.

The academy returned to its usual quiet.

The light of the sixth-place rewards gradually faded.

The Deep Sea Temple above the Golden Ranking also dissolved into specks of blue light and merged with the boundless sea.

Soul Masters across the continent were still discussing the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.

1.39 million years of cultivation.

The Deep Sea God Position.

Bloodline Origin.

Rewards like these had exceeded everyone's expectations.

But the Golden Ranking did not stop.

Fresh golden light flowed across its surface.

The words for sixth place slowly disappeared.

An even older presence descended from the depths of the heavens.

Skywater Academy.

The Ice Lotus and the spray of water on the lake both came to a halt.

Shui Bing'er withdrew her Soul Power and looked up at the sky.

"Fifth place is about to appear."

Shui Yue'er came to her side.

The lake water still flowed gently, without making a sound.

Shui Yuerou approached from a distance.

She glanced at the True Dragon Tower.

Long Yao was still sitting beneath the tree.

He had already refilled his teacup once.

He did not look up; he merely gazed at the Golden Ranking.

Shui Yue'er asked, "Headmaster, who's in fifth place?"

"Bo Saixi."

Long Yao set down his teacup.

Shui Bing'er's eyes flickered.

"The High Priest of Sea God Island?"

"Yes."

Long Yao nodded.

"She rules Sea God Island and is the current High Priest of the Sea God."

Shui Yuerou's expression grew grave.

"Bo Saixi only has Level 99 Soul Power. Why is she ranked above the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King?"

"The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King has a powerful body and the Deep Sea God Position."

Long Yao raised his head toward the heavens.

"But Bo Saixi has ruled Sea God Island for years and can draw on the Sea God's Power."

"You can't judge her strength by her Soul Power Level alone."

Shui Bing'er gazed at the Golden Ranking.

"Has she inherited the Sea God Godhood?"

"Not yet."

Long Yao answered:

"She is only the High Priest of the Sea God."

"But she possesses the Power of Faith from Sea God Island and can wield power granted by the Sea God."

Shui Yue'er blinked.

"If she fought the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, who would win?"

"In the deep sea, it's hard to say."

Long Yao looked toward the distant ocean.

"On Sea God Island, Bo Saixi would have an overwhelming advantage."

"Once she leaves Sea God Island, her power is limited."

As his words faded.

Golden light suddenly spread across the heavens.

Waves rose across the continent's seas at the same time.

On the Heaven Dou Empire's coast, massive waves battered the city walls.

In the Star Luo Empire's harbors, ships rocked without pause.

Even the lake at Skywater Academy rippled from shore to shore.

Shui Bing'er raised a slender hand.

Lake water gathered before her, forming a pale-blue mirror.

The image in the mirror began to change.

First came a vast expanse of sea.

Not a cloud marred the sky.

Sunlight poured over the sea, casting broad swaths of golden shimmer.

In the distance, an island emerged at the edge of the sea.

White surf encircled its shores.

A towering peak pierced the clouds.

At its summit stood a magnificent temple.

The entire temple was pale gold.

Waves and a trident were carved into its doors.

Beams of golden light fell from above the temple.

A sacred aura enveloped the entire island.

Golden words appeared.

[Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking: Fifth Place.]

[High Priestess of Sea God Island.]

[Level 99 Peerless Douluo.]

[Bo Saixi.]

The moment her name appeared,

everyone on Sea God Island looked up at the sky.

Before Sea God Hall,

Bo Saixi stood atop the steps, staff in hand.

She wore a deep red robe.

Her silver hair fell down her back.

Waves were embroidered across her robe, and gold thread trimmed its edges.

The sea breeze swept past.

Her robe stirred gently.

She looked up at her name, her expression calm throughout.

Behind her, the guards of Sea God Island dropped to one knee in unison.

"Greetings, High Priestess."