An hour later, Tang Feng opened his eyes.
He stood up and felt that the Soul Power within his body seemed to be a bit more solid than before.
He turned and slowly walked down the steps.
Going downhill was much easier; the repulsive force had become an aid, propelling him downwards. Soon, he was back at the foot of the mountain.
His companions were already gathered there, some sitting and some standing. When they saw him come down, they all surrounded him.
Tang Feng said solemnly, "Although the Sea God's Light brings immense pressure, the longer we endure this pressure, the greater the benefits for us Soul Master. Cultivating under immense but not life-threatening pressure is extremely beneficial for improving our Soul Power."
He paused, then asked, "When I was cultivating, how many steps did you all climb?"
Tang Jian was the first to speak, his tone tinged with resentment. "I barely made it to Level 55."
Dugu Yan continued, "Level 65."
Zhu Zhuqing is the same as Dugu Yan.
Oscar scratched his head. "Level 45."
Niu Zhen and Tai Long said in unison, "Level 40."
Ye Lingling said, "Level 37."
Ning Rongrong, like her, was also in level thirty-seven.
Bai Chenxiang pursed her lips. "Level 35."
Tang Jian sighed, his eyes revealing undisguised worry. "To be honest, Lingling and Rongrong are at a huge disadvantage traversing the Sea God's Light. They aren't combat-type Soul Master to begin with. Although their Soul Power is decent and their attributes were boosted when they obtained Soul Ring, they're still far inferior to us combat-type Soul Master. Without the help of amplifying Soul Skill, they'll be practically unable to move an inch."
He paused, his voice growing deeper. "And Rongrong has more steps to climb than all of us—one hundred and thirty-six. With only one year, I'm afraid..."
Everyone fell silent.
Tang Feng didn't speak, but simply looked at his companions in front of him, his mind racing with analysis.
Dugu Yan, Tang Jian, and Zhu Zhuqing have similar Soul Power Level, and all three are blessed with multiple Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, so their physical strength is naturally not bad.
Their ability to climb to levels 50 and above proves this point.
Dugu Yan's dragon-type Martial Soul will provide an even greater boost to her own strength.
Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong each only have one Head Soul Bone, and their Soul Skill are all healing and support types. Although they have trained hard over the years and their physical strength is much higher than in the original story, the gap is still obvious compared to Tang Jian and the others.
Bai Chenxiang is the same. All her skill points are focused on speed enhancement, and the improvement of physical strength by her Martial Soul is limited. Reaching level 35 is already her limit.
The Martial Soul of these three individuals do not provide the same level of physical enhancement as those of Battle Soul Master.
Climbing the stairs naturally requires much more effort than for others.
Tang Feng's gaze fell on Ning Rongrong.
One hundred and thirty-six steps.
One year.
Can she do it?
Tang Feng didn't ask that question aloud.
Seeing the worry on everyone's faces, he smiled slightly and reassured them in a relaxed and confident tone:
"Don't worry too much, everyone. While climbing, I sensed some patterns in the Sea God's Light. It seems this trial is extremely difficult for each of us, but it's not without its flaws. The trials bestowed by the Sea God are never impossible to complete. If my guess is correct, I can even help someone complete this task right now."
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, and their worries were replaced by surprise.
" Little Feng, tell me quickly, what's the solution?" Tang Jian couldn't help but ask.
Tang Feng nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and slowly said, "My domain can also be applied to each of you. And after the experiment just now, I discovered that although the Sea God's Light is powerful, it cannot block support-type Soul Skill or Soul Skill that amplify the user."
He paused, then raised his voice slightly. "We are not all here alone to be tested. Don't forget! We are one family."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, " Brother Feng, you mean that if we concentrate all our strength on one person, we can help him complete this test?"
Tang Feng gave her an approving look. "That's exactly what I mean. Although not all of us can use skills to assist others, Little Ao's Sausage, Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Sister Yan's poison mist, and my domain can all amplify our companions. Especially someone like Tai Long, who already has three Soul Skill that enhance his body, plus the explosive effect of that Bloodthirsty Soul Bone, if we all give him our full support, we can help him complete the test right now."
Tai Long jumped up from the ground, his eyes shining. "So that's how it is! Then what are we waiting for? Let's try it now!"
Tang Feng raised his hand, signaling him to calm down. "No, don't rush. Although I'm very confident I can help you complete the test, I absolutely cannot do it now. Moreover, I need to think carefully about the specific order."
Tang Jian asked, puzzled, "Why not help Tai Long first? The more people who complete the mission, the easier it will be for us, right?"
Tang Feng looked at him calmly. "The reason I don't recommend finishing it now is that I don't want any of us to feel 'easy' prematurely."
He looked around at everyone, his tone turning serious. "Judging from the expression on Sea Horse Douluo when he saw you all undergoing the Black Level Assessment, it's clear that the Black Level Assessment is extremely difficult, almost an impossible task for someone of our level. It takes Sea Soul Master ten years to complete each trial, while we only have one year. But would the Sea God really give us an impossible task?"
He shook his head. "The answer must be no. Therefore, there must be some secret in the trials given by the Sea God that can help us pass them. And this secret is hidden in the First Test, Cross the Sea God's Light."
Everyone seemed to be deep in thought. Tang Feng continued, " The Lord Sea God is a true deity, possessing power beyond our comprehension. Since the Sea God's Light appearing on the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar can assess us at different levels based on our individual circumstances, it's impossible that he doesn't know we can assist each other. If that's the case, why would he leave us this opportunity to 'cheat'?"
His gaze sharpened. "Therefore, this flaw is actually a temptation for us. If we can't resist this temptation and complete the test prematurely, then the tests to come will likely be much more dangerous."
The group exchanged glances, their faces showing sudden realization.
Seeing that they had taken his words to heart, Tang Feng softened his tone, a hint of a smile in his voice, "When I climbed to level 360 just now, although I didn't go any higher, I found that at that point, my Soul Power was consumed extremely quickly, but also recovered very quickly. My cultivation speed noticeably increased, and my body also reacted well under the pressure."
Everyone nodded in agreement; they all shared similar feelings.
"That's right," Tang Feng said. " The Sea God's Light here is a tremendous pressure for us, squeezing out our Soul Power and tempering it through cycles of consumption and recovery. Under this pressure, our cultivation speed will be twice as efficient, and our bodies will continuously strengthen their resilience."
He paused, then said, word by word, "If we complete the trial now, we will lose the pressure brought by the Sea God's Light. Therefore, I suspect that the purpose of Cross the Sea God's Light as the First Test is not to make things difficult for us, but to give us an opportunity to enhance our own strength. Only by improving our strength as much as possible with the help of the Sea God's Light in this first year will we be qualified to face the trials that follow."
His gaze swept across every face, his expression one of unwavering certainty. "Therefore, not only can we not complete this test ahead of schedule, but we must also delay its completion until the very last day, maximizing the benefits that the Sea God's Light brings us."
As soon as he finished speaking, the worry on everyone's faces completely disappeared, replaced by a sense of relief and a fighting spirit eager to try.
"I see!" Tai Long slapped his thigh. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's quickly find a suitable spot to train!"
Tang Feng nodded with a smile, "That's right, let's each climb our own path and not help each other for now. Find the most suitable step for your cultivation, cultivate there, and gradually increase the number of steps as your strength improves."
The crowd responded in unison, turned around, and headed back up the steps.