Just as everyone was basking in the joy of passing the First Trial, a flash of red light appeared, and Bo Saixi reappeared.
Her deep blue eyes swept over the crowd, a hint of satisfaction in them.
"Congratulations on passing the First Trial." Her voice was gentle and clear.
After saying that, she raised her hand, and two golden beads slowly floated towards Oscar and Ning Rongrong.
"This is the God-Given Soul Ring you received when you first broke through your bottleneck," Bo Saixi said.
Oscar and Ning Rongrong solemnly accepted the two golden beads with both hands, their eyes filled with joy.
Bo Saixi's gaze swept over the crowd, noticing the weariness in everyone's eyes, and he continued, "I suggest you rest for a few days to recover properly before preparing for the Second Trial."
Without saying another word, she vanished in a flash.
Oscar held the luminous orb in his palm and turned to Tang Feng, asking, " Brother Feng, shall Rongrong and I absorb it now?"
Tang Feng stepped forward, pondered for a moment, and said, "I suggest you keep it for now."
Oscar asked, puzzled, "But now that we've absorbed it, won't we be stronger? That way, we'll have a better chance of passing the Second Trial."
Tang Feng shook his head and patiently explained, "The preciousness of God-Given Soul Ring lies in its ability to condense into Soul Ring of any age, depending on your physical strength. In other words, the stronger you are and the more determined your will, the longer you can withstand it. Right now, you've just passed Level 70, so absorbing God-Given Soul Ring will only allow you to condense Seventh Soul Ring of around 60,000 to 70,000 years. But if you wait until you're Level 80 or even Level 90 to absorb it, your willpower and physical abilities will far surpass what you have now, and the age you can withstand will be incomparable; Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring will be no problem."
Oscar and Ning Rongrong exchanged glances, a sudden realization flashing in their eyes as they recalled Tang Feng's Five Hundred Thousand Year Eighth Soul Ring.
"So... it's more worthwhile to keep it as the eighth or Ninth Soul Ring?" Ning Rongrong asked tentatively.
Tang Feng nodded. " The Seventh Soul Ring is the Martial Soul Avatar. Although it's important, there will be plenty of opportunities to hunt suitable Soul Beast in the future. As for the God-Given Soul Ring, a treasure whose lifespan can be controlled, it's one less to use each time, so it should be used wisely. There's no rush to absorb it now; let's wait and see."
Oscar scratched his head and grinned, "Okay, whatever Brother Feng says. We'll keep it and use it later."
Ning Rongrong obediently put the light bead into her Soul Tool, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
It was already evening when everyone returned to the Lord's Mansion in Seahorse City.
Sea Horse Douluo had already received the news and personally greeted everyone outside the mansion gate, congratulating them with a smile, "Congratulations everyone, you have all passed the first test on your First Trial."
He stepped aside and led the way, bringing everyone into the main hall of the mansion.
Inside the hall, a huge round table was already laden with a sumptuous feast.
"This was specially prepared by my men," Sea Horse Douluo said with a smile. "You have all trained hard this past year, so you should relax properly today."
Without any hesitation, everyone thanked them and took their seats.
Tai Long and Niu Zhen, two big guys, stared wide-eyed at the food on the table and swallowed hard.
"Come," Tang Feng raised his glass, his gaze sweeping over every familiar face, "To toast to myself this past year."
"To ourselves!" everyone responded in unison, raised their glasses, and drank them down in one gulp.
"Start!" Tang Feng gave the order, and the crowd swept through the area like a whirlwind.
For a moment, the courtyard was filled only with the sounds of chewing, exclamations of praise, and the occasional squabble.
After a hearty meal, everyone moved to a side hall and sat in a circle.
Tang Feng cut to the chase and asked, "Everyone has passed the First Trial. Now, tell me, what is the Second Trial?"
Dugu Yan spoke first, "My Second Trial is to break through the Ring Sea blockade and reach the other side without using Soul Ring or Soul Skill, and the requirement is that you cannot kill Sea Soul Beast."
Tang Jian nodded. "Me too, same content."
The others nodded in agreement, their responses being exactly the same.
Oscar frowned and said, " The Ring Sea... is that the sea we flew over?"
"Yes, but this time there are Soul Beast blocking our way, so flying over won't be so easy, and we can't kill the Sea Soul Beast," Tang Feng said.
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
The Ring Sea is guarded by Sea Soul Beast, who have been watching over it every day for the past year. To break through their blockade without harming them means relying solely on agility to evade or on brute force to withstand attacks, which is indeed quite difficult.
Oscar suddenly asked, " Brother Feng, what about yours?"
Tang Feng was silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile:
"Mine also broke through the Ring Sea blockade. Not only can I not use Soul Ring and Soul Skill, but I also can't use my Martial Soul and Soul Bone."
Everyone was stunned. What did this mean? It meant that Tang Feng had to cross the sea protected by the Sea Soul Beast using only his pure physical strength or external aids.
He looked at everyone, his gaze firm. "Don't worry, everyone. Since we all passed the First Trial, we'll definitely pass the Second Trial too. Don't forget, I still have my Ruyi Jingu Bang )."
He paused, then continued, "Moreover, after a year of arduous training, everyone has made miraculous progress. I believe we will be even more successful in the future."
After a moment of silence, everyone nodded.
Tang Feng stood up and looked around at everyone. "For the next five days, we'll completely relax and not think about anything. We'll focus on recovering and adjusting our mindset. We'll set off again in five days."
As evening fell, the setting sun painted the sea a golden-red hue.
Tang Feng held Zhu Zhuqing's hand and walked side by side on the beach, their bare feet leaving a trail of deep and shallow footprints in the soft sand. The sea breeze gently blew, ruffling her hair and brushing against his shoulder.
They didn't speak, they just walked quietly.
With fingers intertwined and palms pressed together, the warmth felt more real than ever before.
Gazing at the distant sea bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the two stopped simultaneously. Tang Feng turned to look at her, his profile softly outlined by the golden halo.
A sea breeze blows, and the sound of the waves is gentle.
They stood there until the sun sank into the sea and until the stars lit up the night sky one by one.
It's late at night.
In the guest rooms of the city lord's mansion, candlelight flickered, casting warm shadows on the walls and enveloping everything in a hazy glow.
The two embraced and fell onto the soft bedding, their nerves, which had been tense for a year, finally relaxing completely.
Their breaths mingled, their skin pressed together, they kissed, entwined, confirming each other's existence in the most primal way.
All worries, fatigue, and stress transform into the most primal tenderness at this moment.
After an unknown amount of time, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped.
After Zhu Zhuqing was satisfied, she collapsed onto Tang Feng's chest, closed her eyes, and her breathing gradually became steady.
Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft, silvery glow on her face.
Tang Feng looked down at her, his fingertips gently brushing through her hair.
For over a year, they have dedicated almost all their time to cultivation. They have spent more than three hundred days and nights on the steps, countless times on the verge of their limits, and countless times gritting their teeth and persevering. This makes the peace they enjoy now all the more precious.
The sound of the waves outside the window seemed to be playing a lullaby for this rare moment of tranquility.
Five days later, at the first light of dawn, they set off again.
Ten figures gathered once again at the Ring Sea. The shimmering sea before them remained calm, reflecting the sky and clouds. Who could imagine the danger lurking beneath this tranquil surface?
Facing the seemingly calm sea, the group showed no fear in their eyes, only a fighting spirit eager to try.
Tai Long and Niu Zhen exchanged a glance and took a step forward simultaneously.
" Little Feng, let's go scout ahead!" Tai Long's tone was as impetuous as ever.
Tang Feng nodded slightly. "Alright, be careful. Focus on testing the waters, don't force anything."
The two grinned, their Martial Soul Possession, and they leaped into the Ring Sea.
The moment the seawater submerged their heads, both Tai Long and Niu Zhen changed simultaneously.
The Soul Ring could not be sensed. Those Soul Ring that usually circulated within the body were now completely sealed by some invisible force, and no matter how they tried to activate them, they remained motionless.
"I can't use my Soul Skill!" Tai Long exclaimed.
Niu Zhen replied, "Me too."
The two could only rely on the physical strength granted by their Martial Soul Possession to swim forward with all their might.
However, after swimming only ten or so meters, the underwater currents suddenly surged. A huge, silvery-white figure swam towards them from ahead.
It was a giant shark far larger than its kind, its entire body silvery-white, its back towering like a sail, and its eyes like icy pools, coldly staring at the two of them, exuding a terrifying aura of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.