Su Cheng was preparing to leave Sea God Island.
The words he had spoken to Bo Saixi earlier were sincere.
After all these years, a deep bond had formed between them.
Even if this were just a simulation, Su Cheng wouldn't need the sacrifice of loved ones to pave his way.
Of course, this was only part of the reason. Another reason was planning for the future.
Regardless of whether he let Bo Saixi experience the world's ups and downs firsthand or develop more emotional ties, both were preparations for the eventual destruction of the Sea God's inheritance.
In this mission, she was one of the key figures.
But Su Cheng truly didn't want to inherit the god's position, and the reasons went beyond Bo Saixi.
The risks involved were too great.
The Sea God was a primary deity.
Even the newly ascended powerhouses of the Douluo Continent were at most third-grade gods.
Even if the Sea God couldn't descend into the mortal realm, his intervention from afar was something Su Cheng couldn't withstand.
Moreover, during the assessment process, the two would inevitably meet face-to-face.
The Sea God couldn't step into the Douluo Star, but this rule didn't affect his entry into his own inheritance space.
When the other party's true self arrived, there might be variables beyond Su Cheng's control.
Su Cheng dared not underestimate any deity.
Regardless of the opponent's character or strength, anyone who stood out in an era was extraordinary.
Underestimating one's opponent is underestimating oneself.
The key to destroying the Sea God's inheritance lay not in the god's position but in the Sea God himself.
Poseidon, the Sea God, was another key figure in this mission.
Otherwise, if the goal was simply to destroy the inheritance, why would the difficulty of this task be much higher than that of destroying the inheritance of the Angel God or the Rakshasa God? The reason was the presence of the Sea God.
On the shore outside the Sea God Island's forest, Luo Leilei was standing beside Su Cheng.
Several years had passed, and her appearance had hardly changed, but her strength had undergone a dramatic transformation.
Thanks to the rewards from the Black-level assessment and her own cultivation talent, this beautiful mermaid princess had broken through to the Title Douluo realm, officially taking over the position of the Sea Maiden Douluo, becoming the new generation's pillar of the Sea Maiden.
However, she didn't need to stay under the Sea Maiden's pillar for years of arduous practice.
The reason was naturally due to Su Cheng's help.
Su Cheng combined the soul aura of the former Sea Maiden Douluo and Luo Leilei, along with the bloodline of the Mermaid Clan, to create a temporary barrier within the Sea Maiden's pillar.
Since then, Luo Leilei only needed to replenish her own blood essence regularly to ensure the normal operation of the pillar.
The ability to do this also had to do with the special nature of the Sea Maiden's pillar.
Unlike other pillars, which were traditionally held by soul masters inheriting the corresponding sea soul beasts' martial souls, the Sea Maiden's pillar was solely held by the descendants of the Mermaid Clan, which gave Su Cheng an opportunity to exploit.
In comparison, he couldn't find any loopholes in the other pillars for now.
However, the seven pillars were interconnected, mutually supporting each other. With the Sea Maiden's pillar as a starting point, Su Cheng could attempt to slowly erode the system. There was no need to sever all seven pillars supporting the faith of the lower realms in one fell swoop. Su Cheng had long had plans for this.
"Luo Leilei, I'm preparing to leave Sea God Island," Su Cheng said casually, glancing at the Sea Witch standing beside him.
"Leave Sea God Island?" Luo Leilei was momentarily taken aback. "What do you mean? Aren't you about to undergo the Sea God's test?"
She knew Su Cheng was about to turn eighteen.
After a moment's thought, a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Ah, I see, did you offend the High Priest? I knew you were up to something. Come on, tell me what mischief you've been up to."
Su Cheng gave her a playful tap on the head. "Can't you think of anything positive? How could I possibly offend the teacher?"
"Uh..." Luo Leilei scratched her head. "Well, maybe not. You've always been good at pretending."
Su Cheng sighed.
They had known each other for a long time, and he understood her character. The things she said might not necessarily have any hidden meaning, more often than not, they were just playful banter.
Perhaps there was some element of testing in her words, but Su Cheng didn't mind.
Their relationship was like that of playmates.
And the mindset of this mermaid girl was completely different from that of ordinary Sea God followers.
She believed in the Sea God, of course, but she wasn't fanatical. Instead, she cared more about whether things were interesting.
But even so, Su Cheng couldn't afford to show any weaknesses in front of her.
Everything he showed her had been carefully chosen and could withstand scrutiny.
Including those words, those doctrines, there was nothing that could be criticized.
Su Cheng continued, "I'm planning to go to the Douluo Continent to spread the glory of the Sea God to the people on land."
"The mainland?" Luo Leilei looked puzzled. "I know about the existence of the Douluo Continent. Those fleets often go to coastal ports for trade. But I've heard that the land soul masters aren't easy to get along with, and they don't believe in the Sea God. Won't it be dangerous for you to go there?"
As she spoke, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.
"Dangerous? Not really," Su Cheng said casually. "Soul masters below the Title Douluo level pose no threat to me. But it might be difficult to spread the faith there. I'll see if I can cooperate with the Hall of Martial Souls."
"The Hall of Martial Souls?" Luo Leilei furrowed her brow. "What's that? Another faction?"
She knew some news from afar, but most of it came from hearsay.
With her identity, she certainly wouldn't actively inquire about such things from others.
"Similar to our Sea God Island, but it seems they don't have much faith, just strong power."
"No faith?" Luo Leilei looked surprised. "That's really pitiful."
Su Cheng glanced at her speechlessly, choosing not to correct her perception.
Instead, he said, "After I leave, I hope you can help facilitate things for those followers of the Bright Church. After all, you're also one of the Bright Kings. You know who the core members are among the nearly ten thousand people."
"Alright, I got it." Luo Leilei waved her hand, her expression turning somewhat sour. "Don't call me a Bright King anymore, it sounds awful."
"It shows how firm your faith is. You're the core strength of the Bright Church. Don't underestimate your importance."
"I don't care." Luo Leilei pursed her lips, tapping her finger lightly on her red lips, then glanced at Su Cheng beside her. "Su Cheng, what exactly do you want to do? The people from your Bright Church are increasing more and more."
"It's not my Bright Church, it's the Bright Church of the Sea God's followers," Su Cheng corrected. "Freedom, hope, the people of the sea need these."
Luo Leilei raised an eyebrow at his words, appearing hesitant.
Although she was still a child in the mermaid clan and her mindset wasn't mature, she had lived for many years and possessed the extraordinary ability of telepathy, giving her a deep understanding of human nature.
After years of interaction, she instinctively felt that Su Cheng had deeper motives.
But when it came down to it, everything seemed normal, and no flaws could be found.
Half a month later, on a massive island thousands of kilometers away from Sea God Island, nearly ten thousand people gathered.
"We greet the envoy..."
Li Qing, Feili, Miwei, and others stood at the forefront of the crowd, their faces filled with devotion and fervor as they looked at the young man standing alone on a high place.
At his feet, seven soul rings silently circulated, with the crimson seventh soul ring particularly eye-catching.
This person was Su Cheng.
Looking at the nearly ten thousand people before him, all with solemn and fervent eyes, Su Cheng couldn't help but feel emotional.
Over the years, apart from researching souls and advancing his cultivation, most of his energy had been devoted to developing the Bright Church.
These people before him were all core members of the Bright Church, their soul lights exceptionally pure and dazzling.
In addition to the absolute core gathered on this island, the peripheral members numbered in the tens of millions, and their influence in the sea area had become quite mature and extensive.
It could be imagined that with the increasing number of people, the development speed of the Bright Church in the future would accelerate even further.
However, for now, Su Cheng wasn't ready to make a move on Sea God Island.
In his policy, he couldn't penetrate Sea God Island too heavily in the short term; he needed to stabilize the foundation on the periphery first.
The reason for achieving this effect was manifold.
Firstly, it was the doctrine.
Various risks lurked over the sea.
Groups of sea soul beasts attacking, powerful soul master gangs plundering ships, and frequent sea storms were all constant threats for all sea soul masters.
People growing up in such an environment longed for freedom, strength, equality, and unity.
Secondly, it was the reward mechanism of the Bright Church.
Su Cheng had already imparted a simplified version of the Nirvana Scripture to these core members.
It wasn't that he was being stingy; in fact, even if he imparted the complete version of the cultivation method, it wouldn't matter much. However, that version wasn't suitable for these sea soul masters.
The Nirvana Scripture he practiced had specific effects and could only perfectly match his real body's twin martial souls. Besides, it had the greatest effect on Sword Martial Souls.
However, few sea soul masters possessed such martial souls.
The simplified version of the Nirvana Scripture, although its effects were far inferior to the cultivation method Su Cheng was currently practicing, had the advantage of not requiring specific martial souls; it was suitable for all soul masters and even ordinary people.
After practicing the Nirvana Scripture, even those born with zero innate soul power had the opportunity to become soul masters. Under such stimulation, how could they not feel respect?
Of course, the cultivation method itself must be strictly prevented from being leaked.
This required another skill of Su Cheng's—hypnosis, somewhat similar to the self-hypnosis technique he used when he broke through to the Soul Saint level.
This is a skill he developed by combining his own understanding of souls with the talents of a professional clergyman.
By using words, emotions, and atmosphere to influence others, he can to some extent alter people's subconscious and thought patterns. While it's not magical enough to directly enslave others, it can influence those who trust him deeply and have weaker mental strength, or those who are emotionally vulnerable.
Overall, this approach helps to prevent the leakage of the cultivation method.
Those who first receive the bestowal of the Nirvana Scripture are individuals with clear souls. This clarity doesn't mean they are free of personal desires or selfishness; rather, it signifies their unwavering belief in Su Cheng's mentioned faith, which creates a strong resonance.
These individuals, who are nearly incapable of betrayal, combined with Su Cheng's hypnosis, naturally eliminate any potential risks.
In addition to the allure of doctrine and cultivation methods, the Bright Church also offers them opportunities to realize their self-worth and dreams. With the Sea God rarely showing his divine presence, the authority of Su Cheng, as the envoy of the gods, is greatly strengthened.
Coupled with the inherent strength of the Bright Church, the consolidation of power is only natural.
At least outside of Sea God Island, the Bright Church's strength can definitely be considered outstanding.
Most of the strongest sea soul masters are gathered on Sea God Island, while the majority outside the island are ordinary people.
As a result, the core members who possess the Nirvana Scripture naturally stand out.
Moreover, with their firm faith and strong unity, it's only natural for them to be unbeatable in the sea region.
Su Cheng looked at the crowd before him and amplified his voice with soul power, raising his arm and shouting loudly, "Next, I will go to the mainland to spread the glory of the Sea God. Under the light, the secular world is but a shadow. Let the name of the Bright Church, let the beliefs of freedom and equality, spread to every corner of the sea."
"Farewell, envoy..."
"Farewell, envoy..."
Six months later, in the Star Dou Empire, within the Star Dou Great Forest.
Now eighteen years old, Su Cheng had returned to the Douluo Continent.
He had to come to the mainland.
Since the difficulty of this mission lay with the Seven Pillars, Bo Saixi, and the Sea God himself, relying solely on his own strength was not enough.
Pure faith was easy to overturn.
But with a true god existing above faith, more complex methods were needed.
He could only attempt to mislead and influence Bo Saixi, but he could never turn her to his side.
The existence of the Bright Church also had a significance beyond just strength.
If he wanted to leverage power, he had to come to the mainland.
Su Cheng moved forward while contemplating his subsequent plans.
At this moment, a fierce battle erupted from nearby.
After some thought, he decided to go take a look.
Even if he encountered a hundred-thousand-year soul beast here, he was confident he could preserve his life. If there were any humans in danger, he could help within his capabilities.
However, when he arrived near the source of the sound, he was stunned. "How is this possible..."
Furrowing his brow, Su Cheng looked at the familiar figure among the battling parties.
That person turned out to be the future Pope of the Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong!
But unlike his memories, Bibi Dong now appeared as a young girl, seemingly around twenty.
Seeing her, Su Cheng didn't rush to intervene; instead, he hid in the shadows to observe the battle while deep in thought.
The Douluo Continent was vast, and the Star Dou Great Forest was equally expansive. It was quite coincidental to run into each other, and what was even more coincidental was that there were no other figures around her at the moment.
Considering that Bibi Dong was currently the Holy Maiden of the Martial Soul Hall, and the Star Dou Great Forest was not safe, she shouldn't be alone. At the very least, there should be other elders accompanying her, or perhaps even her teacher, Qian Xunji.
Thinking of this, Su Cheng's heart suddenly stirred, recalling the initial talent that had played an important role once before—the destined one.
"Destined one..." He hesitated for a moment. "Should I change the plan?"