Ordinary soul masters might not understand the significance of condensing their own soul rings or grasp the fundamental differences between soul ring levels, but Bo Saixi did.
Because she herself was a beneficiary of the divine-bestowed soul rings, possessing a ninth soul ring with a hundred thousand years.
Not only her, but anyone who passed the Sea God's assessment at the black rank or above would have a chance to receive a divine-bestowed soul ring when they reached a bottleneck for the first time.
And the effect of this divine-bestowed soul ring was to bestow upon them the soul skill they most needed and the highest-level soul ring they could withstand.
With a flip of her hand, a golden bead appeared in her palm the next moment.
The golden bead looked like it was carved from the most precious golden crystal, clear and flawless. In the center of the bead, there was a faint golden mist constantly undulating, just like the golden mist that appeared around Su Cheng when he was under the pressure of the Sea God's light.
Bo Saixi stared blankly at the bead in her hand.
This seemingly crystal-clear and smooth golden bead was the carrier of the divine-bestowed soul ring.
However, the core of the divine-bestowed soul ring lay in the phrase "divine-bestowed." Just having this bead was not enough to use the divine-bestowed soul ring; one needed to pass the Sea God's test.
Without being bestowed with a black rank assessment, this divine-bestowed soul ring was ultimately just condensed soul power, serving no purpose for soul masters in condensing soul rings.
With a pursed mouth, Bo Saixi put away the bead and gazed at Su Cheng on the mountainside.
At this moment, Su Cheng's soul power surged like the tide of the sea, although he had just entered the Soul Saint realm, his aura was not much inferior to that of an ordinary Title Douluo.
His crimson seventh-grade soul ring was even more dazzling and captivating, captivating the hearts of onlookers.
"A hundred thousand years soul ring, and it's the seventh-ring," Bo Saixi sighed with emotion, her expression inexplicable.
Condensing soul rings, although also mysterious, was something that some people could achieve.
For example, after a ten-thousand-year soul beast transformed, during the early stages of cultivation, every bottleneck of ten levels was a breakthrough in condensing soul rings, without the need to kill soul beasts.
But even those transformed soul beasts, when they reached the seventieth level and entered maturity, if they wanted to continue advancing, they still needed to obtain soul rings from soul beasts.
And at the level of a hundred thousand years, the soul rings contained completely different power from that of ten-thousand-year soul rings; it was a qualitative change.
This could be seen just from the soul ring skills.
Whether it was the lowest-grade white soul ring or the ten-thousand-year black soul ring, they were all treated the same, only bestowing one soul skill upon the soul master. But at the level of a hundred thousand years, it was two soul skills.
After not too long, Su Cheng completed his breakthrough, and his aura also completely converged, without the previous restlessness.
Looking at this disciple who was approaching her, Bo Saixi said softly, "You are indeed exceptional."
At this moment, she seemed completely calm, at least on the surface, showing no signs of the shock and amazement she had just experienced.
"How did you do it just now? Why were you able to condense a hundred thousand years seventh soul ring and break through?"
Su Cheng's expression also seemed a bit bewildered as he slowly said, "Just now, in the light of the Sea God, I suddenly felt the true essence of the sea and gained a deeper understanding of the will of the Sea God. I felt that I could break through, so I went ahead and did it, and it succeeded."
"Is that so... Is it the approval of the Sea God?" Bo Saixi furrowed her brows.
If it was true, why had the Sea God never issued any divine decrees in so many years?
As the High Priestess of the Sea God, she was also unaware of this effect of the light of the Sea God.
There had been no such events recorded in the records left by previous High Priestesses.
Was it because they were not devout enough?
Bo Saixi gazed deeply at her only disciple, probing every subtle change in his expression.
But those clear eyes, like a calm lake, remained warm and bright, showing no trace of impurity.
At this moment, Su Cheng suddenly asked, "Teacher, your strength has increased a lot, hasn't it?"
"You can feel it?" Bo Saixi raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on her face.
Nowadays, she indeed had much more humanity compared to before.
"I can't feel it, but I can guess," Su Cheng lied.
"The Sea God overlooks the world because he is a god, possessing far more experience and wisdom than ordinary people.
"But you are different. Although you are esteemed as the High Priestess of the Sea God Island, you are just a soul master with stronger abilities. In terms of life experience, you may not be superior to those elderly people among ordinary folks.
"In these years, as you have entered the secular world, you must have had many insights. These are things that you cannot comprehend by sitting in the Sea God's temple."
Bo Saixi was momentarily stunned by his words, then narrowed her eyes slightly. "You are right. But do you want to become my teacher?"
"I dare not, I just spoke from my heart," Su Cheng quickly smiled, "Unlike you, who is naturally talented and was nurtured from birth to be the next High Priestess, I have more feelings in this regard."
With that said, he changed the subject and asked seriously, "By the way, Teacher, I want to leave the Sea God Island."
"Leave?" Upon hearing this, Bo Saixi was momentarily puzzled, then her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her expression became more serious.
After many years, the aura of authority belonging to the High Priestess of the Sea God Island finally reappeared.
"What do you mean by that?" Bo Saixi asked in a deep voice. "You will undergo the assessment in a few months, and this matter is crucial for you."
In her heart, Su Cheng had a good chance of reaching the legendary Sea God's Nine Trials. At worst, he would be among the top seven or eight trials, and in the future, he could take over as the High Priestess.
Although if someone accepted the Sea God's Ninth Trial, it meant that her life was coming to an end. Her faith in the Sea God and her attachment to life made her both eager and fearful of this.
But if that person was Su Cheng, she was willing to pay this price.
Su Cheng smiled and didn't rush to persuade her. Instead, he asked, "Teacher, isn't the highest difficulty of the Sea God's trial the top eight?"
"How do you know?" Bo Saixi's expression paused, somewhat surprised.
Su Cheng had no reason to know about the Sea God's Ninth Trial, but what he said was surprisingly accurate.
After a moment of thought, she pondered and said, "Since you can sense this, why do you still want to leave the Sea God Island?"
Su Cheng nodded, looking at her, "Then please tell me, if I really touch upon a trial higher than the top level, what would it mean for you?"
"What do you mean?" Bo Saixi's eyes flashed with a hint of panic.
"It means that I feel that the trial is not as simple as it seems. Or, the nature of that trial is different from ordinary trials. By then, it won't just be me; you will also have to pay a corresponding price, perhaps your cultivation, or perhaps your life."
"...You can sense that too?" Bo Saixi didn't attempt to deny it upon hearing his words.
She let out a soft sigh, avoiding Su Cheng's gaze as she turned to look at the not-so-tall peak of Sea God Mountain behind her.
There, the majestic and sacred Sea God Temple stood tall, just as it had thousands of years ago.
Su Cheng followed her gaze and spoke softly, "I didn't sense anything; it's just a reasonable speculation. As the High Priestess of Sea God Island, you have gained countless benefits from the Sea God's trials, and your status is exceptionally noble. Yet, you are idle most of the time, which seems unreasonable. Guarding Sea God Island with the Seven Sacred Pillars and the Sea Douluo should be sufficient. The Sea God doesn't need anyone to serve Him, so there must be a greater purpose awaiting you."
Bo Saixi was stunned and turned to look at the young man by her side.
The youth had delicate features and a gentle demeanor. The image of the child he once was seemed vivid in her mind, as if he had grown into a young man of nearly eighteen in the blink of an eye, towering over her in height.
She hadn't expected him to think so deeply about these matters.
What did these things have to do with him? Was it because of their teacher-student relationship? But she had never taught him anything; instead, she had benefited greatly from him.
After a moment of silence, Bo Saixi calmly spoke, "Those things are not for you to consider. Even if there are sacrifices required, they are not reasons for me to evade them, nor for you either. What about your faith in the Sea God? How can you retreat because of these things?"
"Hehe..." Su Cheng suddenly chuckled.
His voice was clear, with a hint of relaxation and joy.
"What are you laughing at?" Bo Saixi frowned, suppressing the complex emotions in her heart as she asked in a cold voice.
"Teacher, you still don't understand," Su Cheng turned around to face her directly.
"This isn't about retreating, it's about choice. I have the right to choose my life and my future.
"Believers are human, and I am also human. Humans have selfish desires. There are things I want to protect and things I want to let go of.
"The sea should be free and vast, not restricting anyone. That includes me, and it includes you.
"The Sea God has never forced His followers, even the Eighteen-Year Trial has never been mandatory, right?"
"You!" Bo Saixi's heart surged with anger upon hearing his words, and her face flushed with anger.
She scolded him sternly, "Do you know what you're saying?!"
"Of course, I do." Su Cheng nodded earnestly. "This is something I've long decided on. You can't persuade me."
Looking at his serious expression, Bo Saixi struggled to contain her emotions.
Perhaps it was because of Su Cheng's act of condensing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring on his own, which had shaken her deeply ingrained beliefs over the years.
Or maybe it was the immense disappointment she felt after so many years of nurturing expectations for Su Cheng, only to see them dashed.
Or perhaps it was because of the reasons and words he had spoken, leaving her with complex and conflicting emotions.
In any case, at this moment, her heart was in turmoil, even though she had spent many years sitting in the Sea God's temple and had cultivated her mind through worldly experiences.
After a moment of intense fluctuation in her chest, she gradually calmed down, gazing at Su Cheng. "Su Cheng, you are also too arrogant. What if you're just a black-level assessment in the end? Do you really think you're the unique person Sea God Island has been waiting for over the past millennia?"
"Of course, that's also possible." Su Cheng didn't argue, smiling faintly.
"Teacher, I made this decision not just because of you.
"Outside of Sea God Island, there are many devout followers of the Sea God. On the mainland across the sea, there are also many lost ordinary people.
"Over a decade ago, didn't you already know that my wish is to spread the glory of the Sea God? The radiance of the Sea God should not be confined to the vicinity of Sea God Island.
"And also, I want to experience more trials for myself."
"...." After listening to these words, Bo Saixi's eyes dimmed slightly. "It's up to you then. After all these years, you've never truly considered me your teacher anyway."
Su Cheng didn't mind her angry words and continued, "Teacher, tell me more about the assessment, especially the one above the top eight levels."
"...." Bo Saixi restrained her emotions upon hearing this, then patiently began to explain.
Perhaps in her heart, there was still a glimmer of hope that Su Cheng would stay and undergo the trial.
"That assessment is called the Sea God's Ninth Trial, which is a test that can help mortals become gods.
"Do you remember when I told you about the Sea God's journey to godhood? In fact, there is another shortcut to becoming a god, which is to obtain the recognition of the predecessors' gods and inherit their divine position.
"Gods don't die, but after becoming a god, they can only exist in this world for a hundred years, after which they must leave. I don't know where the Sea God went, but before his departure, he left behind a part of his divine consciousness.
"Because their divine positions still remain in our world. When someone gains their full approval and then passes a special test, they have the opportunity to inherit the divine position and become a god once again.
"For worldly soul masters, achieving the goal of becoming a god at level one hundred can only be achieved through these two paths. Relatively speaking, the second path is much simpler than becoming a god alone.
"If you can obtain the Sea God's Ninth Trial, it means you have been chosen by the Sea God. And when you pass the Sea God's Ninth Trial, it means you inherit the Sea God's divine position and become the new Sea God, ruling over the countless subjects of the sea."
After finishing her explanation, Bo Saixi gazed at Su Cheng with her eyes as deep as the sea. "Now that you know all this, would you still want to give up?"
"Of course."
Even though he had thought of this answer, she was still somewhat surprised. "Don't you want to become a god?"
Su Cheng didn't answer that question directly, but instead asked, "What is the price of the Sea God's Ninth Trial? Actually, what I want to know is, what price will you have to pay by then?"
"...." Bo Saixi hesitated for a moment but ultimately avoided his gaze, sighing softly. "Sacrifice."
"Sacrifice your life? Then I don't want to become a god."
Bo Saixi turned her head, staring blankly at him.
Su Cheng turned and left Sea God Mountain, his voice echoing in Bo Saixi's ears.
"I want my teacher to live."
...
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