Those Eyes Beneath the Sea
When the sixth black ring of the Clear Sky Hammer pressed into his body, blood first gushed from the Blue Silver Emperor on Tang San's back. He braced the hammer handle against the stone wall, controlling the two Martial Soul to alternately retract until the red in the veins of the Blue Silver Emperor disappeared, before daring to release the hammer ring again.
Xiao Wu stood guard at the cave entrance, not approaching the corpse of the Deep-Sea Ironclad Turtle. She watched as the black ring behind him stabilized, confirming that he could still speak, before bringing the prepared water over.
How much less is it this time?
"Using both Martial Soul together will still result in the weapon impacting the chest."
"Then let's part ways. You promised me that."
Following her instructions, Tang San first put away the Blue Silver Emperor. He couldn't rely on Xiao Wu to stuff her life force into his body again, nor could he expect the Sea God Trident to bear all the Soul Ring for him. The strong physique brought by the Eight Spider Lances and the recovery from the Blue Silver Emperor would allow him to sit still in pain, but he still had to heal his Meridians one by one himself.
Eight months had passed between the pulling of the Trident and the start of the hunt.
After completing their assessment, the group went out to sea several times with the island's Soul Hunting Ship. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing led the way to explore the reefs, while Ning Rongrong and Oscar guarded the ship's retreat route. Ma Hongjun kept his flames hidden on the side of the ship, waiting to evaporate the nearby frozen waves if anyone fell into the water. They were still far from becoming Titled Douluo, but they were already able to independently find suitable Soul Beast in unfamiliar waters.
Tang San's nine Soul Rings for his Clear Sky Hammer all had to be obtained from these real hunts.
The first three he obtained came from Ironback Sea Turtle, Cragtooth Seal, and Heavy-Armored Crab in the deep waters of the Outer Sea, each aged between 20,000 and 30,000 years. After obtaining each ring, he would stay on the island for a while, waiting for the Blue Silver Emperor and the Clear Sky Hammer to function properly before setting sail with the next hunting ship. The Sea-Rock Giant Eel and the Black-Scaled Hammerhead Shark gave him the fourth and fifth rings, respectively. The latter bumped into his right shoulder, causing it to swell, and his Trident was once bitten by the long handle, almost being pulled out of his palm.
The Ironclad Turtle before us, which is 50,000 years old, is the origin of the sixth ring.
As the hunting boat entered the narrow bay, it first smashed a hole in its hull. Tang San leaped from the broken mast, his halberd slicing through the seams of the armor, leading it towards the deserted reef. The Ironclad Turtle turned in the water, its short legs shattering the seabed, and the spot where he landed collapsed as well. The Clear Sky Hammer pressed down on the front armor, Eight Spider Lances pierced the side edge. Just before the seawater surged back into the narrow bay, he delivered the halberd to a vital spot.
The wounded returned to the ship first, while Tang San stayed in the cave to absorb the Soul Ring. Only then did he realize that the power of his Second Martial Soul was surging up and would crowd out the Meridians he had originally reserved for the Blue Silver Emperor to heal.
He spent half a month recovering from the conflict, and he didn't omit the pain from his record.
He also absorbed the Right Arm Soul Bone left behind by the Ironclad Turtle during this period of recuperation. That bone was different from the one returned to Xiao Wu; it only helped his current arm withstand a heavier impact and would not return the Void he experienced during the sacrifice. The old wound still hurt, and the scar remained on his flesh. He practiced until he could switch hands to wield the halberd before going to sea again.
Xiao Wu sometimes went out to sea with them, and sometimes stayed in Seahorse City to take care of the wounded. She was willing to bring back those who had fallen into the water for her companions, and if there was a hunt she didn't want to participate in, she would stay on the ship. Tang San no longer decided where she stood for her, and the hunting party on the island did not use her owing anyone a favor to urge her to go into the water just because she didn't go.
She went to hunt for the seventh Soul Ring.
That was a 60,000-year- Rift-Sea Giant Whale, which fled to shallow waters after being startled, followed by two baby whales. Xiao Bai first led the group of Demon Soul Great White Shark to lure away the baby beasts, and the hunting boat stopped outside the reef before Tang San jumped into the sea. The whale's forehead bone was pressing against the halberd handle, and he couldn't take it head-on. He swung the Clear Sky Hammer to the side and downward, using that force to flip the whale's back, while the Blue Silver Emperor stopped his legs before the whale's tail could lash back.
Xiao Wu dragged the two sailors who had fallen into the water from the wrecked ship onto the reef shore. When she turned back, the heavy whale was already stopped in the deep water. The black Soul Ring rose, and Tang San surfaced, a long wound on his face from the whale's tail.
She washed the salt off his wounds, without reaching for the ring.
The Clear Sky True Body. The last two came from a 70,000-year-old Seafloor Rock Jiao and an 80,000-year-old Black-Shelled Abyssal Turtle. On his last voyage, Tang San first cultivated to Level 90 before completing the hunt with the support of his companions and the island's hunting party. When the nine rings were in place, the Clear Sky Hammer was already able to support his own Soul Power, but the position of the ninth Blue Silver Emperor Soul Ring was still empty.
While hunting the Rock Jiao, Tang San wedged the Clear Sky Hammer between two reefs. The Rock Jiao's tail swept across the hammer handle, causing the reefs to break apart, one after the other. He used the narrow crack to reach the dragon's neck, and with his Eight Spider Lances extended backward, he finally managed to withstand the second lash of the tail. Seawater surged from the dragon's belly to the bottom of the boat, forcing Ning Rongrong to withdraw half of her amplification to protect the hunting vessel. Tang San used the hammer to support the dragon's neck, preventing her from sending the Tower Light back. Only after the dragon's head truly emerged from the water did he drop the Trident from above.
The final Abyss Turtle was even heavier. It lay prone on the seabed, refusing to rise. Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor could only entangle its outer armor, unable to reach the limbs hidden beneath. He remained in the water waiting for the tide to turn, sealing the air vents on both sides with his roots. When the turtle's head emerged to change water, the Clear Sky Hammer struck its forelegs first, before the Trident pierced its neck seam. That blow caused him to lose sensation in half of his body. Dai Mubai caught the severed vines from the surface, leaving him and the Soul Ring still waiting to be absorbed in the same sea.
Level 90 is merely the threshold for hunting. When absorbing the last hammer ring, Tang San still had his companions guard him for two nights to ensure that releasing the two Martial Soul separately would not rupture his Meridians before he got up to report the results to Bo Saixi. Bo Saixi had seen the real wounds left behind and told him to continue resting, not taking his eagerness to complete the assessment as a sign that his body had recovered.
The Sea God's test texts did not fill in another type of Martial Soul for him just because he obtained nine hammer rings.
A whole year's work only earned me the qualification to venture into the deep sea.
When Xiao Bai heard that he was about to set off, he first placed the nautical chart on the shore. The chart showed an area much larger than the other reefs, with only two routes marked inside, and all the hunting boats sailed around the outer edge.
"The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King is right here."
Tang San had seen this sea before and heard about its battle with Bai Jin. Bai Jin hadn't killed it back then, and it still occupied a large part of the seabed territory. Even when Xiao Bai led its clan around it, it refused to pass through the deepest part.
"It will recognize the Trident," Xiao Bai, looking at the long handle in his hand. "It will also kill whoever is wielding it first. If you want us to lure it to the island, don't say a word."
"Fight in the Outer Sea." Tang San circled the island's shore on the map. "Leave the hunting ship in this position; the wounded will have a way to retreat, and we won't lead the Whale King to Seahorse City."
Xiao Bai used his finger to mark the first reef he had chosen. The seabed there was too shallow; the Whale King could easily overturn it and remove all the rocks. Tang San moved to another area of deeper water, and Ning Rongrong asked about the distance to the tower light again. The group revised the coastal map twice, finally keeping only three ships and one outer escape route.
Dai Mubai wanted to go into the water to test the tide first, but Tang San stopped him and laid the iron chain he had brought back from the previous hunting trip on the shore. The protective Soul Power on the chain was originally enough to withstand the impact of the Ten-Thousand-Year sea beast, but when it approached the territory of the Whale King, it was torn apart by a water pressure in the distance, and all three links of the chain deformed in the same direction.
"You can't withstand its first blow," Tang San said. "This time, I'll stand in front. You guys hold the boat and the people."
Dai Mubai examined the iron chain and, without vying to be first, dragged the thickest section to moor the ship. Oscar prepared sausages for recovery and flight, bagging them according to the number of people. Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, placed the Tower Light on the side of the cabin to test how much Soul Power this distance would consume.
Before setting off, Xiao Wu sat next to Tang San, removed the Wrist Guard from the old scar on his Right Arm, and replaced it with a clean one.
"I can help you treat the wounded, and I can also guard the ship."
"I remember."
"I want you to remember another one." She looked at the scar. "Only if you come back alive will I replace it with the next one."
Tang San agreed and boarded the ship, gripping his halberd.
Three days later, the first ship anchored at the edge of the deep water. The vibrations transmitted from the seabed caused the mast to rock on its own, and the entire group of Xiao Bai retreated outwards, while the fish in the water scattered from under the ship.
Tang San leaped off the bow of the ship, Trident shone with golden light.
Deep within, a pair of eyes opened. The Whale King's old, damaged wound remained where the golden light couldn't reach, while the remaining eyes stared directly at him. The seawater, however, had already passed over the halberd's edge and crashed into Tang San's chest first.