"Hope you make it out alive, hahahaha..."
Xu Fangyuan's hideous, terrifying laughter echoed endlessly in his ears like a demonic chant.
Qian Fan had no idea how much time had passed. He only felt his consciousness growing increasingly hazy, as though he were trapped in an endless abyss of darkness.
"Wake up, wake up!" Suddenly, a low, urgent cry reached his ears.
Qian Fan struggled to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand-pound burden. With every ounce of strength he had, he finally managed to crack them open. Dazzling light immediately flooded his vision, drawing a groan from him.
"Ugh, my head hurts..." Qian Fan muttered, trying to rub his temple to ease the splitting pain. He slowly raised his other hand, braced it against the ground, and painstakingly pushed himself upright.
As his vision gradually cleared, a familiar face appeared before him-it was him!
Tang San!!!! It's actually him! What's he doing here? Qian Fan's eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment. Holy shit, when did this guy get here? I didn't notice a thing!
As he looked at Tang San, Qian Fan's gaze grew complicated, as though he had recalled something from the past. After a moment of silence, he slowly asked, "Did that old dog Fangyuan capture you too?"
Tang San nodded slightly in confirmation. Then he frowned, recalling what had happened three days earlier. "That day, after the All-Continent Advanced Elite Soul Master Tournament ended, I suddenly felt dizzy and lost consciousness.
"When I opened my eyes again, I found myself here."
At this point, a trace of sorrow appeared in Tang San's eyes. He lowered his head and murmured, "I wonder how Father and Xiao Wu are doing now..."
Qian Fan slowly stood up, his gaze fixed ahead.
Suddenly, an astonishing sight unfolded before him-a golden bridge ten thousand meters long spanned the void, radiating dazzling light. The Golden Bridge resembled a mysterious passage to an unknown shore, drawing him in.
Behind the Golden Bridge stood an immense, magnificent imperial palace. It was so vast that it seemed capable of holding the entire world. Everything before him inspired an indescribable sense of awe.
Qian Fan silently gazed at the palace, a surge of complicated emotions rising within him.
This place was filled with mystery and majesty, seemingly hiding countless secrets waiting for him to uncover. He could not help wondering who this palace belonged to.
As his thoughts drifted, Qian Fan strode resolutely toward the Golden Bridge. He stepped onto it, feeling the solid surface beneath his feet.
The instant Qian Fan set foot on the Golden Bridge, a strange light shone from it, enveloping him tightly.
In an instant, his body felt impossibly light, as though he could fly. Tang San followed close behind.
The two advanced step by step, the scenery around them becoming clearer with every stride.
With each step they took, the bridge beneath their feet glowed a little brighter, and the images around them grew more beautiful.
There was something faintly fairy-tale-like about it all, along with a sense of unreality.
When he reached the middle of the bridge, a mysterious power surged up from beneath it, lifting their bodies and carrying them toward the palace.
They moved swiftly forward, their eyes constantly surveying the palace as it drew nearer.
It glittered with gold, its exterior lavish and its colors striking, yet there did not seem to be a single person there.
Qian Fan flew across the Golden Bridge and arrived at the palace entrance. The great doors opened automatically, and he walked inside without hesitation. The interior was resplendent and breathtakingly beautiful, but none of it caught Qian Fan's attention. His gaze remained fixed on the throne ahead.
From a distance, there seemed to be a figure on the throne, but it was too far away for him to make out its face. Burning with impatience, Qian Fan involuntarily quickened his pace.
As he drew closer, the blurry figure gradually became clear.
When Qian Fan finally reached it, his eyes widened in shock-what sat upon the throne was nothing more than a torso!
The torso was intact, but it had neither a head nor limbs, as though someone had forcibly hacked them off.
Yet above that bare skull sat a blue-crystal crown radiating a mysterious light! Like a brilliant gemstone, it drew everyone's gaze.
Qian Fan stared at the headless body, an inexplicable fear rising within him. He noticed that strange runes covered the area beneath the throne, flickering with faint light.
Tang San approached Qian Fan and said quietly,
"This is so eerie."
Suddenly, the headless body gave a low utterance that echoed throughout the palace.
"I am Atlantis's first ruler, Sea Emperor Chen Dao. I have waited here for more than fifty million years, waiting all this time for those destined to undertake my trials..."
Qian Fan and Tang San exchanged a look, both shocked.
"Only by passing the trials can you become my successor."
The Sea Emperor's voice rang out again.
At that moment, the runes on the ground began to flash, forming an enormous teleportation array. Qian Fan and Tang San took deep breaths and resolutely stepped into it. In the blink of an eye, they vanished...
Qian Fan and Tang San arrived in a mysterious space thick with water vapor. Before them appeared an enormous sea turtle, intricate patterns etched into its shell.
"Welcome to my trial grounds."
The sea turtle slowly opened its mouth, its voice low and solemn. Its enormous eyes stared at the two before it-Qian Fan and Tang San.
As though sensing an invisible pressure, Qian Fan and Tang San instinctively straightened their backs. They knew this would be a grueling challenge, yet deep within their hearts burned a longing for power and glory.
The sea turtle continued,
"You must pass three stages to become the Sea Emperor's successors. Every stage is filled with unknown dangers and hardships."
As soon as it finished speaking, a faint light suddenly flickered on Qian Fan's and Tang San's foreheads. Then a mysterious mark gradually emerged, like a brilliant star embedded in their skin.
The mark emitted a faint blue glow, seemingly containing endless mysteries.
Qian Fan and Tang San exchanged a glance.
Suddenly, a voice like a great tolling bell resounded throughout the space. It was a message from the Sea Emperor himself! His majestic, solemn tone seemed to cross the boundaries of time and space, filling everyone who heard it with reverence.
Then the Sea Emperor announced the first stage of the trial.
"Within the next two years, you must break through to the rank of Titled Douluo and obtain at least two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings! Furthermore, you must cultivate the water law I bestow upon you to the supreme realm of flawless perfection!"
These words exploded in their ears like thunder, making the already tense atmosphere even heavier.
"For two years, you may not leave this place, but you may use my cultivation methods to train yourselves.
"But remember: those who learn from me grow strong; those who imitate me perish..."
As the Sea Emperor's voice gradually faded...
"No! I have to find Xiao Wu! You can't imprison me!!!"
Tang San's furious roar rang out. Agitated, he could not accept being imprisoned here. He had to find Xiao Wu.
"Calm down, Tang San."
Qian Fan grabbed Tang San's shoulders.
"We don't have any other choice right now. If we want to get out, we have to pass the trials."
Tang San gritted his teeth. He knew Qian Fan was right, but he still could not suppress the worry in his heart.
"Xiao Wu must be looking for me too. I can't let her worry."
Qian Fan shook his head helplessly and muttered,
"This guy is such a fucking idiot."
But the moment Qian Fan finished speaking-
Clap, clap, clap!
Crisp, loud clapping suddenly rang out, echoing through the air as though laden with endless mockery and ridicule.
Then a low, hoarse voice sounded.
"How very touching. Even I was almost moved to tears, hahahahaha..."
The laughter was as piercing as the cry of a night owl, sending a chill through anyone who heard it.
Looking over, Qian Fan's pupils suddenly contracted.
"That's the Transcendent God Realm!!!"
Before you continue