Monster

Ren Tao left with the Evil Spirit Orcas, and peace returned to Sea God Island.

The islanders dispersed, their faces filled with disbelief and a sense of loss. They could not quite digest the fact that Ren Tao had defeated Tang San.

The Sea God Hall offered no explanation either. The guardian Douluos of the Seven Sacred Pillars returned to their posts, while High Priestess Bo Saixi, wearing that same timeless expression, climbed the steps of Sea God Mountain toward the Sea God Hall, one step at a time.

Yet Ren Tao's face kept appearing before her eyes. Those blue-gray eyes seemed to hold the wisdom to see through everything.

Only Ren Tao's voice echoed in her ears, repeating itself in a seemingly endless cycle.

"You must be terribly lonely, with someone you miss but cannot see."

"If I survive my fight with Tang San, I'll tell you where Tang Chen is."

At the time, Bo Saixi had not been certain that Ren Tao could defeat Tang San. But she had also thought that if Ren Tao lost, he would surely die, and if he died, the news of Tang Chen would scatter with the wind!

Perhaps that would have been the best outcome.

But as the battle continued, Bo Saixi suddenly realized that her heart was wavering violently.

She actually did not want Ren Tao to die. She wanted him to survive, and even hoped he could defeat Tang San.

Then the Sea God Inheritance would no longer proceed, and she would finally have hope of seeing Tang Chen once more before her life ended.

"It isn't that he doesn't want to see you. He's simply lost himself. He doesn't even know who he is anymore!"

"But you can help him!"

Although she knew perfectly well that Ren Tao was using her, Bo Saixi still saw sincerity in his eyes. This young man, the transformed Evil Orca King, understood all her pain, her long wait, and her hopeless hope.

"He fell into darkness in Slaughter City. He may have left by now, but I don't know exactly where he is!"

"If you leave Sea God Island, finding him shouldn't be difficult with your abilities, should it? So are you certain you want to spend your entire life keeping a lonely vigil on Sea God Island, then give your life for the Sea God Inheritance, without ever seeing the man you love?"

"You can help him..."

"You clearly can help him!"

Tears slid down Bo Saixi's fair cheeks. In the end, only that one sentence remained in her ears.

"I can help him. It's just that I can't... but I clearly can help him!"

Bo Saixi did not know how she had returned to the Sea God Hall. She simply sat in the darkness, staring blankly, utterly unaware of time passing.

Then footsteps sounded outside the hall, followed by a gentle voice.

"Lady Bo Saixi... Lady Bo Saixi?"

Sea Maiden Douluo?

Bo Saixi raised a hand, intending to wipe away tears that were no longer on her face, then waved it gently. But rather than summon Sea Maiden Douluo inside, she flew out herself, landing just outside the hall and standing shoulder to shoulder with her.

Of the guardian Douluos of the Seven Sacred Pillars, Sea Maiden Douluo was the only woman. Lively and innocent by nature, she had always been close to Bo Saixi.

Dusk was approaching. The sunset's lingering glow dyed the sea red, and Sea Maiden Douluo's long, dark-green hair shone softly in the evening light.

"My lady, are you all right?"

Sea Maiden Douluo turned her face slightly, looking at Bo Saixi with her sky-blue eyes, her face filled with heartache.

Yes, heartache.

Although Bo Saixi was her elder, as a fellow woman, what she felt for Bo Saixi was heartache.

"What is there to be all right or not all right about? Everything is as it was before. Nothing in the Sea God Hall will change!"

Bo Saixi knew why Sea Maiden Douluo had come. But at this moment, as the person at Sea God Island's helm, she had to give everyone confidence and unwavering conviction, because she was the strongest person on the island.

She had not agreed to Ren Tao's suggestion that she leave Sea God Island to search for Tang Chen, and she would not do so in the future.

This was her unfinished mission. Until the Sea God Inheritance was complete, she would not leave Sea God Island, and once it was complete, she would no longer be able to leave.

"My lady..."

Sea Maiden Douluo lowered her eyes. Although she possessed mind-reading powers, she neither dared nor was permitted to use them on Bo Saixi. She had come for another reason. "That man's name is Ren Tao, isn't it? He defeated Tang San, obstructed the Sea God Inheritance, broke the believers' hearts, and brought you such distress. Xinluo would like to..."

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't do it!"

Bo Saixi interrupted before Sea Maiden Douluo could finish. Xinluo was Sea Maiden Douluo's name, and only those closest to her could address her that way. "Sea God Island's sole mission is the Sea God Inheritance. There is no need to distract yourself with anything else. Besides, the Sea God has branded Ren Tao with the mark of hatred. In the end, he cannot escape. This is his destined fate, not something anyone can escape simply because they wish to. Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Sea Maiden Douluo fluttered her long lashes, looking perfectly obedient, but a sly gleam flashed through her downcast eyes.

**"Sea God! I **** your !"

In a warm stretch of sea, the Evil Spirit Orcas were all lazily basking in the sun. This, too, was Ren Tao's idea: have them learn to enjoy nature, wearing away the bloodlust in their hearts.

Whether it worked was a matter of opinion.

Ren Tao was currently cursing at the top of his lungs. As he thrashed about in agitation, many of his wounds burst open and began bleeding again.

"Big brother! Big brother, calm down. Your health comes first!"

Ha Jun tried to soothe him while signaling Jenny and Yeonnie with his eyes. These two young female orcas were the pod's darlings, and Ren Tao generally never lost his temper with them.

Jenny and Yeonnie exchanged a glance, ignored Ha Jun's signals outright, and quietly moved farther away.

"It won't wash off!"

In human form, Ren Tao scrubbed his face over and over, but how could that black trident mark possibly be washed away?

More importantly, the damned mark did not seem to do anything. He could go about his usual activities without the slightest interference.

The more that was the case, the more uneasy Ren Tao felt. Could the Sea God possibly have good intentions in putting this thing on him?

What frightened him was that he did not even know what it did. There had been no such spell in the original Douluo novel, had there?

It seemed the Sea God had made up his mind not to let him off.

Ren Tao thought for a while, then thought some more... He could not return to Sea God Island anytime soon, so he would have to find a solution later.

Gradually, he calmed down and entered the Sea of Inheritance. Rather than worry over trouble he could not resolve, he might as well deal with the tasks at hand.

He had absorbed Tang San's Eight Spider Lances, as well as Xiao Wu's Lovesick Heartbreak Red and crystal blood dragon ginseng, but had yet to examine them properly. This concerned his future advancement, so he had to get to the bottom of it.

The Sea of Inheritance was the realm of consciousness he had seen before. Ren Tao now discovered that it was not a one-time hallucination, but a mental space he could enter repeatedly.

The seawater still surged endlessly, pounding against the shore. But now, amid its azure blue, faint flecks of golden light had appeared. Some areas also shimmered with a brilliant red, crystalline and brimming with energy.

At the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King stood atop the mountain like a statue.

He seemed to be studying Ren Tao. Although he had no self-awareness, he still possessed instinctive responses. Moreover, a connection that reached almost to their very essence existed between him and Ren Tao, which was why he could recognize Ren Tao.

"What happened before is in the past. I'm sorry, but it can't be undone. Let's get along from now on!"

With a trace of remorse, Ren Tao greeted the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King anew.

As if sensing his sincerity, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King shook his shoulders, spread his wings, and flew up from the rock.

"Holy crap! What kind of monster is this?"

Taking a closer look, Ren Tao jumped in fright.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had grown considerably larger. With his wings spread, each one measured thirty to forty meters long. The wings themselves looked like golden bone spikes linked by thin membranes. Golden threads hung beneath them like the tentacles of a giant jellyfish, constantly writhing and changing shape.

Plants also seemed to have sprouted atop the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's head: clusters of red flowers. They were definitely not Lovesick Heartbreak Red, however, and instead looked somewhat like ginseng blossoms.

While Ren Tao stared, tongue-tied, this creature that was neither clearly bird nor whale swooped down from the sky, pounced straight onto him, and sent them both tumbling into the shimmering seawater.

At that moment, Ren Tao sensed two things:

First, this strange creature was telling him that he was hungry!

Second, this strange creature also seemed to be trying to devour him...