In the Divine Realm, within a magnificent temple.
The scene reflected in the mirror made the expressions of the several God King extremely solemn. They clearly saw the resolute, soul-burning Sacrifice process of the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King.
"These two... are so resolute!" The God of Evil's playful smile vanished, his brow furrowing deeply. "Their souls are completely consumed, even the marks of reincarnation will dissipate—this is true annihilation of both body and soul!"
A flicker of emotion crossed the Asura God's icy eyes, but he remained silent.
"Oh no!" The Godess of Kindness suddenly stood up, his expression changing drastically. "Their last mark is about to dissipate!"
Almost without thinking, she thrust her right hand forward! A mysterious and unpredictable Divine Power, carrying the meaning of judgment and order, instantly pierced through the barrier between the Divine Realm and the mortal realm, ignoring the distance in space!
This Divine Power was not an attack, but rather it precisely locked onto the special mark on Xuan Ming's body that represented his qualification for the God's Trial. Using this mark as a medium, like the most exquisite carving knife, it forcibly imprinted two extremely subtle and almost imperceptible Divine Consciousness imprints deep within the dragon pattern at the very core of that newly formed, dark purple Torso Bone that exuded the pressure of millions of years!
These two marks, like the strongest anchors, firmly locked the last trace of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King's original dragon soul imprints, which were about to completely dissipate!
Buzz--!
The dragon patterns on Xuan Ming's Torso Bone glowed slightly, and the two dark red marks flashed by and disappeared completely.
The soul connection between the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King, which was originally like a spark about to be extinguished, although still so weak as to be almost lifeless, miraculously stabilized and stopped dissipating!
"Phew... that was close!" The Godess of Kindness withdrew his hand, breathed a sigh of relief, and wiped away imaginary cold sweat. "They almost really were gone. Although it's practically the same as being dead now, at least a seed was left behind, and there's always a possibility of it being reignited in the future."
Her sudden action drew the attention of the other God King.
"I say, don't you... have too little faith in me?" The God of Evil was somewhat speechless.
The Godess of Kindness was slightly taken aback. "What's wrong?"
"When I bestowed this Second Trial, I already placed the Dragon Soul Mark of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings on this brat's Ice and Fire Divine Crown," the God of Evil said helplessly.
"You think I do things without any safety measures?"
As soon as the God of Evil uttered these words, the gazes of several God King in the temple all focused on him.
The Godess of Kindness frowned slightly. "You left a dragon soul mark on the Ice and Fire Divine Crown? When did that happen?"
"Just as he was about to be given the Second Trial," the God of Evil shrugged, giving him a "how come you only just realized?" look.
"I noticed those two old guys weren't behaving well, and they might risk their lives for this kid at any moment, so I kept a backup plan. After all, if they really fail in the God's Trial and this kid's mentality collapses, wouldn't all our efforts have been for nothing?"
"However, this kid doesn't know about this right now. It's good for him to feel bad for a while; a little pressure will help him grow faster."
"Pressure?" The Godess of Kindness looked at the empty Xuan Ming reflected in the mirror of light.
"I think he can't be under any more pressure. If he is... I'm afraid something bad will happen."
"Not enough," the Asura God said calmly.
" The Dragon God's mess is far more troublesome than this. If he can't handle it now, it just means he's not all that great."
The God of Destruction glanced at the Asura God, but said nothing.
"You're being too harsh..." Poseidon couldn't stand it anymore.
"Shut up!" The Asura God glared at Poseidon.
"You have no idea how troublesome this is, don't cause trouble."
The Demon Whale Sea Area.
Xuan Ming slowly opened his eyes. The Million-Year Abyss Dragon Emperor Torso Bone had perfectly fused with his body, bringing an unparalleled sense of power, as if he could shake mountains and rivers with a mere gesture.
The transformation of the Black Dragon Martial Soul is quite obvious, its majesty is even greater, and ice and fire dragon patterns are faintly visible.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz--!!!
Four dazzling halos, each radiating a distinct yet boundless aura, suddenly rose from beneath his feet.
The first two were white-gold from the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and dark red-gold from the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
The last two, the Ice Dragon King's ice blue and the Fire Dragon King's crimson, are two special Soul Ring, both bearing pale golden dragon patterns.
Its power is unprecedented.
However, there was no joy in his icy blue eyes, only a cold, lifeless emptiness.
He clearly remembered every moment when the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King burned their dragon souls and turned into points of light to merge into his body, and he remembered their final thoughts filled with relief and determination.
He could no longer sense their souls; he couldn't sense them at all.
That emptiness was more unbearable than any physical pain.
Chapter 334 Reversing Life and Death
Xuan Ming stood silently on the sea, the sea breeze blowing his black robes, his back view lonely and cold.
Gu Yuena slowly flew to his side, her silver-purple eyes filled with complex emotions. She gently held his left hand, without speaking or offering comfort. She knew that Xuan Ming was unable to accept this right now.
The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress watched from afar. At this moment, the initial doubt and disdain were gone from their eyes, leaving only deep shock and an indescribable sense of resonance.
As Soul Beast, they could better understand this kind of resolute willingness to sacrifice everything for their clan and for a recognized existence.
Xuan Ming did not respond, but slowly raised his hand and looked at his palm.
There, the ethereal touch of the Ice Dragon King's final embrace seemed to linger.
He closed his eyes, suppressing his surging emotions, and when he opened them again, his icy blue eyes had returned to their usual calm.
"It's time to go back."
Xuan Ming silently withdrew his gaze, turned and flew towards Sea God Island, with Gu Yuena following closely behind. Snow Empress, Ice Empress, Bi Ji, and Zi JI exchanged glances and also followed. Di Tian stayed behind to settle the frightened Deep Sea Demon Whale cub, as promised.
The return journey to Sea God Island was filled with a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.
Xuan Ming remained silent, emanating a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.
Ning Rongrong, Hu Liena, and the others saw them returning from afar and were about to go up to greet them, but they were intimidated by Xuan Ming's almost tangible low aura and stopped in their tracks.
They looked at Gu Yuena, Gu Yuena simply shook her head slightly, indicating that they should not disturb her.
Xuan Ming didn't linger for a moment, nor did he even glance at anyone. His figure transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight towards Sea God Mountain, and without hesitation, he stepped into the Nine Heavens Mysterious Steps shrouded in golden light.
He took a step forward with incredible speed, as if the Sea God's Light, which would make it impossible for ordinary Soul Master to move an inch, had no effect on him. Level 10, Level 50, Level 100... His pace did not slow down in the slightest, as if he were walking on flat ground.
Level 400, level 500, level 600...
The pressure was mounting, Xuan Ming began to show fluctuations of Soul Power around him, but he still did not stop.
Level 700, Level 800...
As he stepped onto the 888th step, Bo Saixi's figure quietly appeared at the end of the stairs, her face showing solemnity and a hint of worry.
" Xuan Ming, the pressure you're about to face will undergo a qualitative change. Even Titled Douluo of level 95 or higher will find it difficult to withstand." Bo Saixi's voice clearly reached Xuan Ming's ears.
Xuan Ming didn't speak, nor did he even look up at her.
He took a deep breath, and the dark purple, Million-Year Abyss Dragon Emperor Torso Bone within his body suddenly lit up! Dark golden dragon patterns flowed, and a vast power surged forth, forming an ancient and majestic dark purple dragon king armor on his body!
The next moment, he took another step forward!
Level 900! Level 950! Level 980!
The pressure surged exponentially! Even space itself was distorting! Xuan Ming's dragon scale armor groaned under the strain, his bones creaked, and a trickle of blood even escaped from the corner of his mouth!
Level 999!
When he stepped onto the Level 99 step, his body had reached its limit. Fine beads of blood began to seep from his skin, a sign that his capillaries had ruptured under the terrifying pressure.
He attempted to merge the Slaughter Domain, the Colorless Domain, the Spiritual Domain, and the Ice and Fire Bipolar Domain to form a solid barrier, but the invisible pressure was like the collapse of heaven and earth, still suppressing him and preventing him from taking another step forward.
Bo Saixi's figure appeared silently at the end of the steps. Looking down at Xuan Ming, who was covered in blood but still stood tall, her ethereal voice carried a hint of solemnity. " Xuan Ming, stop. The last two levels of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Steps cannot be borne by anyone but Demigod. That is a realm that only those who have completed the Eight Trials and undergone the baptism of Divine Power can set foot in."
Xuan Ming seemed not to hear. He raised his head, his icy blue eyes devoid of any emotion, only a deathly madness.
He slowly raised his right hand, aiming at the Blood Spear Soul Ring floating around him—the first six black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.
Ring Devouring!
Rumble--!!!
Without any warning, the first six Soul Ring suddenly burst forth with blinding light, and then, like a black hole collapsing, all the energy was instantly extracted and devoured, surging wildly into Xuan Ming's body! It was a terrifying torrent of energy far exceeding the limits of his body's tolerance!
"Pfft--!" Xuan Ming suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body surface was instantly covered with more cracks, like a porcelain vase about to shatter.
But his aura was surging wildly at an illogical speed! Forcibly absorbing the Destruction energy from the six Soul Ring granted him temporary, superhuman power!
Using this Destruction burst of force, he took a sudden step forward!
Level 1000!
He made it to the top! At the cost of his body collapsing!
Only one level left!
Bo Saixi's expression changed drastically. " Xuan Ming! The pressure of the final level is ten times that of the previous ones! You will die!"
Xuan Ming paid no heed. He felt the six Soul Ring within him dimming and weakening, and felt the excruciating pain of his body about to disintegrate. Then, he activated the Soul Ring power belonging to the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King within him!
Ice-blue and crimson light erupted simultaneously from his body!
The two opposing yet fundamental forces of extreme cold and extreme heat, under his abnormally precise control, did not clash, but were forcibly fused together!
A more violent, more primal, chaotic energy, seemingly capable of tearing the heavens apart, exploded within his body!
Buzz--!
Under the impact of this force, a certain barrier deep within his body seemed to be shattered! His aura instantly broke through the limits of the Mortal Realm, briefly touching that mysterious and profound realm— Demigod!
Taking advantage of the qualitative change brought about by this brief step into the Demigod realm, and withstanding the pressure that was enough to crush Peerless Douluo, Xuan Ming took the final step.
Level 1001!
Reach the top!
He stood at the very top of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Steps, standing before Bo Saixi.
Beneath my feet lies a vast sea of golden light, and behind me, a winding white jade staircase, like a dragon.
The burning light of the ice and fire dragon soul around him slowly faded, and the forcibly enhanced Demigod aura receded like a tide. A tremendous sense of weakness instantly overwhelmed him, making him almost unable to stand.
But he made it up eventually.
Bo Saixi stared blankly at Xuan Ming standing in front of her.
He was covered in blood, his black robe was tattered, his face was as pale as paper, and his breath was so weak that it seemed he would be extinguished at any moment. The backlash from forcibly Soul Devour ring and fusing the power of ice and fire had almost completely destroyed his body.
But he stood up.
She stood atop the 1001st step, a step that even she, the Great Enshrined of Sea God Island and Level 99 Peerless Douluo, would have to exert all her strength to reach!
In a nearly self-destructive, insanely extreme way!
Bo Saixi could clearly feel that the excitement she had forcibly suppressed was growing wildly and uncontrollably, like a seed breaking through the soil.
The young man's reckless madness, his upright spine despite the heavy burden of his past, and his almost obsessive determination... all of these were assaulting her defenses.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found her throat was dry.
Just then, a gentle yet vast golden light descended from the sky, enveloping Xuan Ming within it.
The golden light contained pure divine Divine Power, which rapidly repaired his body, which was on the verge of collapse, and nourished his depleted Soul Power and Divine Power.
At the same time, a majestic and ancient flow of information was directly imprinted into his mind:
[ Second Trial of the Sea God Nine Trials: Crossing the Sea God's Light and Ascend the Nine Heavens Mysterious Steps. Completed.]
[Review: Beyond limits, perfect.]
[Rewards: Soul Power increased by two levels. One God-Given Soul Ring. All Soul Ring' age increased by 10,000 years. Evil God's Protection Evolution - Evil God Barrier!]
[Hidden Reward Triggered: The Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King Soul Imprints are Stabilized. Information Unlocked: When the inheritor achieves God King level Godhood, they can use the God King's Authority and the complete Dragon Soul Imprint to attempt to reshape their Dragon Soul Origin and reverse life and death.]
The first six Soul Ring Xuan Ming's Blood Spear, which had been dulled by the Soul Devour rings, quickly regained their luster under the nourishment of the golden light.
A black-gold, God-Given Soul Ring, radiating an aura of Evil, floated before him.
Meanwhile, the aura of the evil god within him became even deeper and darker, and the protective power and Evil backlash it emitted were several times stronger, as if it had transformed into an indestructible barrier!
But all these rewards paled in comparison to the impact that last message had on Xuan Ming.