Three days later, the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar.
Sea Horse Douluo Ou Ya clutched the gruesome wound on his chest, which looked as if it had been cleaved by an axe, and looked down at Dugu Yan, saying, " Sea Horse Sacred Pillar, you have successfully passed this test."
The wound on his chest was inflicted by Dugu Yan with the Evil Spirit Orca Axe, and it was so deep that the bone was visible.
Fresh blood seeped out from between his fingers, and the flesh at the edge of the wound was turned inside out, revealing the white bones beneath.
After speaking, Sea Horse Douluo turned to face the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar and raised his hand to carve a pattern on the Sacred Pillar.
As the final stroke was completed, the pattern suddenly burst forth with dazzling golden light, illuminating the Golden Trident mark on Dugu Yan's forehead.
The golden light, almost tangible, enveloped Dugu Yan completely.
Two beams of light shone brightly, and a golden pillar of light shot up from the top of the Sacred Pillar, soaring into the sky.
A notification popped into Dugu Yan's mind: the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar assessment was over.
In mid-air, one of the original seven golden pillars of light belonging to the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar quietly went out.
The moment the beam of light went out, it emitted a soft buzzing sound, but the remaining six beams of light remained dazzling, weaving together into a golden curtain of light in the sky.
However, the golden light in the sky did not weaken; only a small piece of the golden flames representing time around it was missing.
"Your strength is formidable; I sincerely hope you can successfully pass the Sea God's Nine Trials."
Sea Horse Douluo's gaze swept over the Golden Trident between Dugu Yan's brows, and he said respectfully, "However, the subsequent trials will undoubtedly be even more difficult. You should already possess the ability to use the Sea God's Light."
"Please treat it kindly. Although it has no offensive power, its deterrent effect extends beyond just Sea Soul Beast."
The implication is clear: the Sea God's Light can not only intimidate Sea Soul Beast, but also these Sea Soul Master.
"Thank you for the reminder, senior." Dugu Yan nodded in agreement, and then she and Ye Lingling boarded the Charizard's back together.
Ye Lingling lightly leaped and landed steadily on the back of the Charizard. Before leaving, she left a healing light from the Nine Heart Begonia for Sea Horse Douluo, helping him recover from his injuries.
Dugu Yan followed closely behind.
Led by the Charizard, they sped towards the next Sacred Pillar.
Dugu Yan sat cross-legged on the back of the Charizard, her hands on her knees, and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.
Meanwhile, Shuiyue'er, who stayed behind at the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar and was responsible for communicating with Dugu Shui Yue'er and the Dugu Yan, cupped her hands in front of her lips and expressed her blessings to them.
" Sister Yanyan! Go Sister Lingling Ling!"
Shui Yue'er stood on the edge of the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar, gazing in the direction where the Charizard had gone, until that dark shadow completely disappeared before she turned her gaze away.
Having successfully completed the Fifth Trial and challenged the first Titled Douluo Titled Douluo them, Dugu Yan is still extremely excited.
Of the seven Titled Douluo, one has now been defeated.
After observing for the past few days and then personally sparring with her today, Dugu Yan has gained a general understanding of her own strength.
Sea Horse Douluo Ou Ya, with a cultivation level of 92 and Sea Horse Martial Soul, excels in defense. Among the seven Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo, his defensive strength ranks first.
But against the Evil Spirit Orca Axe, his proud defense was of little use.
The attack Soul Skill attached to the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, combined with Dugu Yan's level 86 Soul Power, is so powerful that even Titled Douluo would find it difficult to withstand.
Moreover, Dugu Yan possesses a unique advantage that no other Titled Douluo has.
That's the Soul Core.
With the super-long endurance provided by the Soul Core, Dugu Yan didn't need to worry about the consumption of her own Soul Power during the battle with these Titled Douluo.
Unlike Ou Ya and the others, who need to consume most of their Soul Power to release a Ninth Soul Skill, and whose aura weakens noticeably after releasing the Ninth Soul Skill and takes some time to recover.
Unlike Dugu Yan, she has Soul Core as support, so even if she releases high-level Soul Skill continuously, she will not run out of Soul Power in a short period of time.
Moreover, thanks to the super endurance provided by her Soul Core, her Soul Power recovery speed is far superior to that of these Titled Douluo.
This became Dugu Yan's greatest source of confidence in defeating seven Titled Douluo in a row.
Even in the battle against Sea Horse Douluo Ou Ya, the main force that went into battle was only Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling did not intervene at all.
Ye Lingling had absolutely no need to get involved.
If Dugu Yan can ensure that she profits in a short period of time, she should minimize her own consumption as much as possible.
She needs to complete seven matches with Dugu Yan, but she doesn't have Soul Core, so she has to use her Soul Power very carefully.
Thinking of this, Dugu Yan subconsciously patted the Charizard beneath her, Charizard immediately let out a low roar and accelerated again.
This was also one of the countermeasures Lin Mo prepared for Dugu Yan's Fifth Trial. Judging by flight speed alone, the Charizard is currently the best in the world when its firepower is fully unleashed.
Given its current size, carrying Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling through the air for rapid transfers wouldn't significantly affect its speed.
But any more than that won't do.
This is why Shui Yue'er was the only one left at the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar Platform.
The rest of the people had already dispersed to their respective guardian altars on the Sacred Pillar.
Feng Xiaotian guarded the Sea Devil Sacred Pillar, Shui Bing'er guarded the Sea Spear Sacred Pillar, Huo Wu guarded the Sea Star Sacred Pillar, Zhu Zhuqing guarded the Sea Witch Sacred Pillar, and Lin Mo guarded the Sea Illusion Sacred Pillar.
They each stood guard in their own place, waiting for Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to arrive.
Soon, the four Titled Douluo— Sea Star, Sea Ghost, Sea Maiden, and Sea Spear— were also defeated by Dugu Yan one after another.
Of these Titled Douluo, Ye Lingling only used her healing light again when dealing with Sea Spear Douluo.
The two of them joined forces and easily defeated Sea Spear Douluo.
Even though he had prepared in advance, losing again in a short period of time left Sea Spear Douluo quite depressed.
But he accepted his defeat to Dugu Yan willingly.
Among the five Titled Douluo — Sea Horse, Sea Star, Sea Ghost, Sea Maiden, and Sea Spear— Sea Star Douluo suffered the most tragic fate in his battle against Dugu Yan.
His prized ability to devour was like a nemesis to Dugu Yan; he was killed by Dugu Yan Jade Phosphor Toxin.
If he doesn't devour, all his strength is focused on devouring; if he doesn't, he won't be able to unleash even a fraction of his power.
His Martial Soul, the Sea Star, has the strongest ability to devour the Soul Power of his opponents and convert it into his own.
If he cannot devour, he can only rely on his physical strength to fight, and his physical strength is only considered average among Titled Douluo.
He could clearly sense that the toxin was dangerous; even as Titled Douluo, he would face immense trouble if he came into contact with it.
In the end, Sea Star Douluo still planned to rely on his poison resistance accumulated as Titled Douluo to try to withstand the Jade Phosphor Toxin and devour Dugu Yan's Soul Power in order to slow down her progress as much as possible.
Using his devouring ability, the Soul Power within Dugu Yan surged into his body like a flood bursting its banks, but along with it came the emerald green toxin that Dugu Yan had deliberately introduced.
The toxins and Soul Power were intertwined and could not be separated at all.
Unfortunately, Sea Star Douluo overestimated his poison resistance and underestimated the power of Dugu Yan's Soul Power, thus encountering his nemesis.
He overestimated his own poison resistance. In his attempt to devour Dugu Yan's Dugu Yan Soul Power, he was quickly poisoned and defeated by Dugu Yan before he could even weaken her.
This resulted in him, who originally had the strongest endurance among the seven Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo, becoming the one who fell the fastest.
From beginning to end, it only took the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Sea Star Douluo collapsed on the Sacred Pillar Platform, his skin glowing with an emerald green light, his lips turning purple, his body convulsing uncontrollably, his eyes rolling back, and his consciousness becoming somewhat blurred.
It was equivalent to defeating the Sea Star Douluo; Dugu Yan spent more time removing the poison from him.
This was the first time Dugu Yan had ever seen such a stubborn Titled Douluo, who dared to recklessly devour her poison just because he had the cultivation level of Titled Douluo.
Swallowing it is one thing, but it wasn't even a taste; they actually dared to Swallow such a large amount of her toxins.
The Sea Soul Master really knows how to have fun!
It took Dugu Yan a lot of effort to force out the toxins that had penetrated deep into Sea Star Douluo's body, and his complexion gradually returned to normal.
Sea Star Douluo opened his eyes, his gaze towards Dugu Yan filled with complex emotions. This was the first time he had encountered someone who could subdue him like this.
A sense of powerlessness suddenly welled up inside me.
Soon, led by the Charizard, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling arrived at the sixth station of the Fifth Trial.
The Sea of Illusion Sacred Pillar.
The guardian is the Holy Pillar Guardian Douluo, Haihuan Douluo, who ranks second among the seven Holy Pillar Guardian Douluos.
He possesses the Martial Soul Illusory Snake, and is also one of only two Soul Master among the Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo who possess a Domain.
Upon arriving here, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling quickly encountered Sea Illusion Douluo, who was not in good condition, and Lin Mo, who was waiting there with an innocent expression.
Sea Illusion Douluo sat leaning against the Sacred Pillar, his face pale and his chest heaving, clearly not in good condition.
Lin Mo stood to the side, arms crossed, his expression innocent, even tinged with helplessness.
"It has nothing to do with me. He was just eager to test his skills and wanted to drag me into a small battle. Who would have thought his illusion was so weak? I broke it right away."
The Sea Illusion Douluo was very favorable to Lin Mo, a challenger who was qualified to directly challenge the Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi in the Fifth Trial.
He has guarded this Sea God Island for decades and has never seen anyone challenge the High Priest's qualifications and honors on the Fifth Trial!
Lin Mo's talent and strength filled him with admiration.
Upon seeing Lin Mo arrive first to scout the location, he couldn't contain his excitement and made initial contact with Lin Mo.
He originally just wanted to test Lin Mo's mental strength and see just how strong this young man, who had been chosen by the Lord Sea God, really was.
Unexpectedly, Lin Mo's mental strength far exceeded his expectations, even surpassing that of him, Titled Douluo known for his mental strength.
Ultimately, this small test resulted in Lin Mo directly dispelling the illusion before it was fully formed, using his superior mental strength and the Illusion Breaking ability brought by the Second Awakening of his Spirit Eyes.
The moment the illusion shattered, a backlash of mental energy surged forth like a tidal wave, catching him completely off guard.
Then, he became like this, suddenly suffering a backlash and in poor condition.
Upon hearing this, Sea Illusion Douluo shook his head. "No need to worry, your Fifth Trial will proceed as scheduled. My condition will not affect the trial. My strengths are not reflected in my physical body and Soul Power."
As soon as the words were spoken, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were shocked to find that Lin Mo and the Charizard had disappeared, and their surroundings had changed instantly.
The voice of Sea Illusion Douluo came from all directions, elusive and unpredictable, making it impossible to discern its location.
The voice seemed to be whispering in my ear, yet also came from a great distance, carrying a sense of unreality.
The original Sea Illusion Sacred Pillar Platform disappeared, replaced by an endless starry sky.
But soon the starry sky suddenly changed again, displaying countless scenes they had seen in reality or in their dreams.
Along with these scenes appeared those extremely familiar enemies.
Upon seeing this scene, the two immediately recalled the words that Xiao Bai had warned them before: Sea Illusion Douluo, who possessed the Illusory Snake, was, in a sense, the most troublesome of the Seven Sacred Pillars Guardian Douluo.
They've fallen into a hallucination.
Realizing this, Dugu Yan no longer hesitated and immediately took Ye Lingling's hand and walked together.
The two women held hands tightly, palms touching, their Soul Power flowing between them, forming an invisible bond.
They had been together for many years, and their tacit understanding was so deep that they didn't need words; a single glance was enough for them to understand each other's thoughts.
Immediately, the emerald light and the healing radiance of the Nine Heart Begonia spread outwards from the two of them.
A turquoise poisonous mist emanated from Dugu Yan's body and spread in all directions.
Wherever the poisonous fog passed, the enemies simulated in the illusion quickly had nowhere to hide and were Corrosion into pools of blood by the Jade Phosphor toxin.
A pale pinkish-white healing light followed closely behind, intertwining with the poisonous mist to form a curtain of light.
The light curtain continued to expand outwards, enveloping the surrounding environment.
Dugu Yan closed her eyes, expanding her mental energy to its maximum, sensing everything around her.
Her spiritual power was like an invisible net, covering the entire illusion and capturing every subtle fluctuation.
In terms of spiritual power alone, Dugu Yan, who has already fused with the Head Soul Bone, is no weaker than this Sea Illusion Douluo. It should be noted that Dugu Yan's Head Soul Bone is enhanced by the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Before long, with excellent teamwork and patience, Dugu Yan quickly found the weakness in this illusion.
Without the slightest hesitation, Dugu Yan's Eighth Soul Ring suddenly lit up, and a blood-red light exploded around her body.
Eighth Soul Skill: Jade Phosphor Demon Mirror of Destruction.
At the same time, the Soul Bone on her right arm also burst forth with dazzling light.
The Jade Phosphorus Nine Absolute Flower Right Arm Bone possesses Soul Skill: Jade Phosphor Light.
A vibrant green light erupted from her, illuminating the entire illusion. The light was intense and pure, carrying an aura of Destruction.
The illusion continued to collapse, soon returning to its original starry sky. However, wherever the poisonous fog passed, stars began to Corrosion, the Milky Way began to break apart, and the starry sky began to crumble.
Stars turned to dust in the poisonous fog, and Milky Ways shattered into countless points of light in the radiance.
With the support of the Jade Phosphor Light and the powerful burst of her Eighth Soul Skill, enhanced by the Jade Phosphor Five Poisons, Dugu Yan directly seized the weakness of the illusion and broke the Sea Illusion Douluo's domain with extremely violent means.
The moment the illusion shattered, everything around returned to normal.
The Sea Illusion Sacred Pillar Platform still stands in the middle of the sea, sunlight shining on the platform, illuminating everything and making it feel real.
The true form of Sea Illusion Douluo stood beneath the Sacred Pillar Platform, his face pale, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The illusion was Sheer Force broken, causing him considerable backlash once again.
After truly engaging in combat with Sea Illusion Douluo's true form, the two were surprised to discover that, just as Sea Illusion Douluo himself had said, his strength as Titled Douluo was indeed entirely contained within his illusions, and he was exceptionally weak once the illusions were broken.
His physical attributes were even inferior to those of an average Soul Douluo, and his Soul Power was far less robust than that of other Titled Douluo.
However, he was defeated after only a few rounds of fighting.
Sea Illusion Douluo did not struggle or resist, but calmly looked at Dugu Yan with a hint of relief in his eyes.
"I lost," Sea Illusion Douluo said calmly.
After receiving approval from Sea Illusion Douluo, Dugu Yan greeted Lin Mo with a big smile.
" A-Mo, the next one is the last one!"
Her eyes were full of excitement, and her whole being exuded a sense of eagerness to try.
Six consecutive wins boosted her confidence to an unprecedented level.
Lin Mo nodded at her.
The two women flew back onto the Charizard's back, adjusting their condition, while the three of them and the dragon continued their journey towards the location of the final stop Sea Dragon Douluo.
This time, there's no rush. Dugu Yan needs some time to regulate her body's energy expenditure and restore herself to her best condition.
Dugu Yan sat cross-legged on the back of the Charizard, closed her eyes, and began to adjust her own state.
The consumption of her Eighth Soul Ring was considerable. After six consecutive battles, even with a Soul Core, her Soul Power had been significantly depleted.
Ye Lingling sat beside her, the Nine Heart Begonia swaying gently in her palm, its pink and white light enveloping the two of them.
Her energy expenditure was less than Dugu Yan's; she only fought twice in the six battles, and still had more than 70% of her Soul Power remaining.
Before long, the three people and the dragon returned to the familiar Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar.
Unlike the previous quiet and deserted atmosphere, the rest of their companions had already gathered here.
Shui Yue'er stood on the edge of the Sacred Pillar platform, waving towards the sky. Feng Xiaotian leaned against a tree, a smile on his face.
Shui Bing'er's long, icy blue hair fluttered in the sea breeze, while Huo Wu sat on a rock, swinging her legs back and forth, a blade of grass dangling from her mouth.
Zhu Zhuqing stood at the farthest point, leaning against a large tree, arms crossed, her cool eyes gazing at the sky.
Upon seeing Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling arrive, their companions immediately greeted them.
" Sister Yanyan, Sister Lingling, you've finally arrived!" Shui Yue'er jumped up, waving her arms. Her clear and loud voice echoed across the sea.
Feng Xiaotian gave them a thumbs up. "Just one more person to go, keep it up!"
Huo Wu spat out the grass stalk in her mouth, stood up, and put her hands on her hips. "Don't keep Sea Dragon Douluo waiting."
Shui Bing'er said softly, "Be careful, the Sea Dragon Douluo's strength is far beyond that of the other six."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded to the two of them.
After greeting their companions, the two did not hesitate any longer and quickly arrived at the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar Platform.
"Welcome to the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar," the Sea Dragon Douluo hummed.
"Hello, Senior Sea Dragon." Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling greeted him together.
The two women bowed slightly, their tone respectful.
Dugu Yan's eyes were filled with fighting spirit, while Ye Lingling's expression remained calm.
Sea Dragon Douluo nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, and looked at Dugu Yan, saying, "Do you know why your assessment is to challenge all seven Titled Douluo?"
After pondering for a moment, Dugu Yan said thoughtfully, "The content of this Fifth Trial should be similar to my Fourth Trial."
If the purpose of the Fourth Trial was to gain the approval of my island-guarding divine beast, the Demon Soul Great White Shark, then the Fifth Trial should be the approval of all the seniors.
"Not bad." Sea Dragon Douluo nodded. "You've done your job well. Sea Horse, Illusion of the Sea, Sea Star, Sea Witch, Spear of the Sea, and Sea Devil —all six of them have recognized you. You've earned their recognition through your own strength."
His voice was approving, and his gaze toward Dugu Yan softened.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan scratched his head and chuckled.
This was also the main reason why, after Lin Mo reminded her of the true nature of the test, she did not choose to pass it through shortcuts.
If Lin Mo were to take action beforehand to weaken the seven Guardian Douluo of the Sacred Pillar, and then challenge them herself, the difficulty of clearing the level would be greatly reduced.
But if she did that, even if she cleared the level, these Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo wouldn't truly acknowledge her.
The Sea God's Nine Trials require not only the result, but also the process.
"I am the last examiner for your Fifth Trial. Let's begin now." Sea Dragon Douluo beckoned to Dugu Yan, instantly completing his Martial Soul Possession, and said with fervent fighting spirit.