"By the way, teacher, after I went to the mainland, I visited a place."
"Where did you go?"
Bo Saixi walked slowly to Su Cheng's side, her expression showing curiosity.
In fact, she had wanted to ask earlier, but the topic of Bright Church came up when they discussed it before, and the conversation was diverted by Su Cheng, so she didn't have the chance to ask in detail.
"I went to the Martial Soul Temple," Su Cheng turned his head to look at Bo Saixi and smiled.
"In the Douluo Continent, the status of the Martial Soul Temple is somewhat like the Sea God Island in the vast sea. But apart from the Martial Soul Temple, there are also the Tian Dou and Star Luo two empires ruling over a large number of civilians. These three forces are relatively balanced, unlike us."
"You went to the Martial Soul Temple?" Bo Saixi's expression changed upon hearing this.
"Yes, the Chief Elder of the Martial Soul Temple, Qian Daoliu, is very powerful and is also a Transcendent Douluo at the ninety-ninth rank. Teacher, do you know about him?"
Facing Su Cheng's inquiring gaze, Bo Saixi hesitated for a moment, then slowly began to speak after a while.
"Cheng'er, I have told you before, for ordinary soul masters, the path of cultivation beyond the ninety-fifth rank is as difficult as reaching the sky. The reason I was able to reach the ninety-ninth rank is because of the top-tier Eight Blessings bestowed by Lord Sea God.
"But in this world, besides me, there are two others who have reached the ninety-ninth rank. They are Qian Daoliu from the Martial Soul Temple in the Douluo Continent and Tang Chen from the Haotian Sect.
"I have met these two individuals before and had some exchanges and discussions with them."
Bo Saixi's eyes seemed distant, as if she were lost in memories.
"Among the three of us, both Qian Daoliu and I owe our strength to the blessings of our ancestors. As for Tang Chen, like Lord Sea God back then, he completely relied on his own strength to cultivate to the ninety-ninth rank.
"I don't know how he and Lord Sea God achieved it, but he may be the only one in this world who has the hope of becoming a god through his own power."
At this point, her voice suddenly stopped, and she glanced at Su Cheng.
Now, it seemed that her own disciple might also have a similar opportunity.
Luo Leilei lacked strength and couldn't see Su Cheng's greatness. She only knew that he was stronger than herself, but how much stronger exactly, she had no idea.
But at Bo Saixi's level, she could vaguely sense something.
However, thinking of their conversation just now, she couldn't help but feel a strange unease, even diluting the joy of reunion in her heart.
After calming her emotions slightly, she continued, "Qian Daoliu's situation is similar to mine, but he received the blessings of the Angelic God. Although the strength of the three of us is almost the same, if we look at it fairly, the strongest is Tang Chen. Unlike us, his strength is completely based on his own cultivation."
"It seems like you have a good relationship," Su Cheng commented casually. "Tang Chen is indeed very strong, a rare genius in the world, but Teacher, you don't need to underestimate yourself."
He summoned his own martial soul.
The soul rings beneath his feet appeared, among them, three hundred-thousand-year soul rings were particularly dazzling, causing Bo Saixi's heart to tremble slightly.
"The Sea God's assessment has nurtured you, but also constrained you. What I mean is not that your identity as a guardian of the gods prevents you from breaking through the hundredth level, but that your mindset is clouded.
"Teacher, you once said that when a soul master's cultivation reaches beyond the ninety-fifth rank, the absorption of soul power becomes extremely slow, and advancement becomes very difficult, often requiring decades or even centuries.
"But all of this is premised on not having any insights during this period. In these years, since you left the mountain, have you not had any insights, any moments of enlightenment?"
Bo Saixi listened to Su Cheng's advice expressionlessly, feeling a sense of strangeness and helplessness in her heart.
Here we go again.
Every time this kind of conversation comes up, she feels like she's not really acting like a teacher.
Su Cheng continued without noticing her reaction, "Teacher, whether it's you or Senior Qian Daoliu, you were born into high positions, with missions to fulfill, naturally having resources that ordinary people don't have. But at the same time, you have had few opportunities for worldly experience."
He looked at the long sword in his hand.
"You know my talent, Teacher. Even with my aptitude when I left Sea God Island, it would have been impossible to reach my current level in just over ten years.
"With your and Senior Qian Daoliu's innate conditions, even without these top-tier Eight Blessings, what difference would it make? It would just require more insights, a slower pace of improvement, but in exchange, it would bring a higher ceiling and unlimited possibilities.
"Even if the sacrifice didn't happen, you have already paid some price for rapid advancement."
"...Just say what you want to say," Bo Saixi glanced at Su Cheng, knowing that he must have other thoughts.
Years ago, when he persuaded her to come down from Sea God Mountain, he said something similar.
"Teacher, take a closer look around, not just on Sea God Island, not just with those who come and go to the market there, but spend more time on the sea. Come with me and see the sea beyond Sea God Island, see how ordinary people live their lives."
Seeing Bo Saixi hesitate and remain silent, Su Cheng didn't rush. He knew she needed more time to consider.
Although, given Bo Saixi's status, these things didn't really matter.
But it wasn't realistic for her to have no concerns at all.
But it's okay. Rules are meant to be broken little by little, and he still had several years.
"How have you been all these years, Teacher?"
"Me?" Bo Saixi's eyes flickered, and various scenes flashed through her mind like fleeting lights.
"I'm not like you, going to the vast mainland. My activities are limited to just this little place, Sea God Island. But there are many interesting people here that I didn't notice before. Some games may look childish, but they are actually quite fun to play.
"I don't know if you've heard of 'Sea Dragon Skipping'—you seal your own soul power, then select shells of suitable size, relying solely on wrist and finger strength to launch them. You also have to use a few floating planks on the sea to gain momentum and avoid various obstacles, seeing whose shell travels the farthest distance.
"Don't think this game is simple; it not only tests skill but also requires good eyesight and prediction, making it very challenging for ordinary people. Of course, it's nothing for me. There's also..."
As she spoke, a faint smile appeared on her face, and she became more and more talkative.
She recounted every detail, from the transactions in the market to the process of exchanging goods with the merchants from the fleets, to the entertainment activities of the sea people, and so on.
In the past, she had only glanced at these things from afar on the mountain.
But now she realized that experiencing them firsthand was much more interesting than it seemed.
As Bo Saixi spoke, Su Cheng remained silent, just listening quietly, with a faint smile on his face.
The expression on his face at this moment made him more confident about his previous proposal.
As time passed, Bo Saixi's voice gradually lowered.
She noticed Su Cheng's expression at this moment and felt a slight embarrassment on her fair cheeks.
Seeing her reaction, Su Cheng's smile became even more obvious.
Most women are very sensitive.
Even extraordinary individuals like Bo Saixi may have slightly different mindsets compared to men. Therefore, they tend to pay more attention to emotional feedback. Whether it's joy, excitement, or even negative emotions like anger or sadness, it's always better to have them than not. The key factor is not the mood itself but the fluctuation of emotions, which can bring a sense of freshness.
Observing Bo Saixi's serene profile as she gazed into the distance, Su Cheng couldn't help but feel moved. The sculpted contours of her face, combined with the clarity and depth in her eyes, perfectly blended with her majestic aura, presenting a unique charm. At this moment, she seemed more like a living goddess than the rigid statue on Sea God Island.
But being observed like this made Bo Saixi gradually lose her composure. Finally, unable to maintain her calm any longer, she turned her head to glare at him. "What are you smiling at?"
"I'm just happy," Su Cheng replied with a smile. "Have you been enjoying yourself all these years, Teacher?"
Bo Saixi's eyes flickered, and she softly murmured, "Yes."
At that moment, Su Cheng suddenly remembered something and spoke up, "By the way, it seems that Senior Qian Daoliu has always had you on his mind."
Listening to him bring up this topic, Bo Saixi felt a hint of embarrassment and instinctively turned her gaze away.
After a brief silence, she explained, "After we parted ways, I haven't seen him again. But when the three of us were together, both Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen pursued me."
"You rejected them?"
"...Why are you asking about these old matters?"
"You're my teacher, of course, I'm curious. If it's not appropriate to talk about, then forget it."
"Fine, there's nothing to hide anyway," Bo Saixi sighed and said softly, "I did reject them. I told them that whoever could break through the hundredth level, I would accept their affection."
"Break through the hundredth level..." Su Cheng repeated softly, then asked, "Does that mean becoming a god? So, did you reject both of them, or just Qian Daoliu?"
Her condition was undoubtedly extremely challenging, but Tang Chen still had a glimmer of hope, while Qian Daoliu, as a guardian of the Angelic God, definitely had no chance.
"..." After a moment of silence, Bo Saixi spoke again, but instead of answering the question, she simply said, "When Tang Chen left, he told me that if he could break through the hundredth level and become a true god, he would come back for me."
Hearing this, Su Cheng clicked his tongue and chuckled lightly. "Is becoming a god really that important?"
Bo Saixi met his gaze, looking somewhat dazed.
It seemed important, yet not so important.
Back when she resided on Sea God Island for many years, serving the Sea God was her duty. Although the Sea God himself resided in the divine realm and didn't require her service, it seemed at that time that becoming a god was the greatest wish and ideal in life. As a ninety-ninth level Transcendent Douluo, what else was there to pursue?
Perhaps Tang Chen's resolute departure back then was driven by the same thought.
No, his determination might even surpass hers.
After all, she was destined to have no hope of becoming a god; the idea of "becoming a god" was just a fantasy. But Tang Chen was different; he truly had this opportunity.
But looking back now, being able to protect thousands of sea creatures seemed pretty good too. At least in these years, she had truly experienced unprecedented satisfaction and moved.
But with Su Cheng's talent, with his cultivation progress, did it really not matter?
Shaking her head, Bo Saixi smiled, "It doesn't matter."
"So, Teacher, your life journey is still long. You really should explore more. Sea God Island is such a small place, and you've seen too little of the world."
"You're teaching me now?" Bo Saixi teased lightly. "Stop talking about me. What are you planning to do next? Haven't you encountered any girls you like on the mainland?"
Upon hearing this, Su Cheng was momentarily stunned, and the face of Bibi Dong suddenly flashed in his mind.
Bo Saixi observed his reaction and was somewhat surprised.
"Did I hit the mark?"
"I did encounter someone very special, but it's not like I'm infatuated with her."
"She's a beautiful girl, isn't she?"
Bo Saixi didn't believe Su Cheng's words and could tell from his expression that something was amiss.
"She's not as beautiful as you, Teacher," Su Cheng's emotions flickered briefly before returning to calmness.
"You don't have to bring me into this." Bo Saixi scrutinized him. "If she caught your eye, there must be something exceptional about her."
After years of interaction with Su Cheng, she understood her disciple's temperament very well.
He was incredibly decisive, almost to the point of self-awareness.
At the age of six, when he awakened his martial soul, despite his extremely poor innate talent, he decisively turned down the opportunity for immediate advancement, rejecting her offer to become his master without any hesitation. This was truly unimaginable.
As they spent time together, his strong personality became even more apparent, eventually leading to their unique relationship as both teacher and friend. In this process, she, as the teacher, actually benefited more.
"She is indeed different," Su Cheng admitted frankly. "Or rather, her growth has exceeded my expectations."
All along, strength and talent were not Su Cheng's criteria for evaluating others.
When he first met Bibi Dong, he indeed viewed her with colored lenses for a long time.
Getting to know her, interacting with her, nurturing her, his ultimate goal was simply to mold her into a useful tool.
After all, from Su Cheng's perspective at the time, Bibi Dong was incredibly easy to manipulate.
With outstanding talent, simple-mindedness, extreme temperament, and an inability to discern right from wrong.
But in reality, Bibi Dong was much more remarkable than he had imagined.
She never became arrogant because of her innate talent, could see the strengths of others, recognized her own shortcomings, and was willing to learn and strive. Her past naivety was simply because no one had taught her these things.
"Why didn't you bring her back to Sea God Island?" Bo Saixi gently smoothed her blue hair, which was being blown by the sea breeze.
"We're not possible," Su Cheng said with a smile.
There was no regret in his words, only an unusual calmness.
Bo Saixi furrowed her brows.
According to reason, at Su Cheng's current age, it should be the time when he's interested in these matters, so why was he so calm?
About to say a few words, and perhaps assert her authority as a teacher, she was preemptively interrupted by Su Cheng, "Teacher, it's not the time for me to consider matters of romance yet, especially when even you haven't found a partner. How can I, as your disciple, jump the gun?"
Bo Saixi closed her lips and remained silent.
She had a premonition that if they continued to delve deeper into this topic, Su Cheng would likely tease her with his words again.
While feeling somewhat frustrated, she also felt a strange sense of joy.
There were very few people in the world with whom she could have equal conversations. In fact, there were none.
Even the Supreme Douluos treated her with utmost respect and awe.
For so many years, while traversing the world, she had to restrain her true self and couldn't reveal her true identity, always maintaining a certain distance.
Only in front of this disciple did she have the opportunity to show her true self.
Not to mention, Su Cheng had always been like this in his actions, and now, even in terms of strength, the two of them were on the same level.
She even felt that the emotional fluctuations brought about by their conversation today outweighed all the emotions she had experienced over the years.
Time flew by, and five years passed quickly.
During these years, Su Cheng had completed all his arrangements, including Sea God Island.
After some persuasion, Bo Saixi finally went out to sea.
In the past, she occasionally left the confines of Sea God Island, not strictly adhering to the rule that members of Sea God Island must never leave the island for life.
She wasn't that rigid, and she had personally dealt with many powerful sea soul beasts causing trouble at sea.
But this time was different; this time, her departure from the island was largely due to her own selfishness, and she stayed away longer than usual.
During these times, Su Cheng would accompany her.
Sometimes, they would even observe the development of Bright Church together.
Su Cheng never concealed anything.
This matter couldn't be forcefully hidden, as doing so would only be counterproductive.
The core spirit of Bright Church was actually hidden within its doctrines, concealed under everyone's noses.
The so-called "Sea God" mentioned repeatedly in the doctrine was just a superficial shell.
If someone peeled away this outer layer and removed the word "Sea God," they would find that it had no effect on the entire doctrine.
But Bo Saixi obviously didn't realize this.
Or rather, it was difficult for anyone to realize this.
It was because of this that Su Cheng displayed everything without reservation.
Perhaps if someone like those on the mainland who were constantly engaged in power struggles were to come, they might notice something.
But the people of the sea wouldn't think so deeply.
This had nothing to do with intelligence but was rather a "veil of ignorance."
It was like if someone had lived in darkness since birth, even though there were ten lamps in the room, they would never think to actively seek out the switches for these lamps because they had never seen light.
If someone pointed out the problems in the doctrines of Bright Heaven Academy, many people would probably easily notice the hidden dangers. But without prompting, it would be difficult for them to realize it on their own.
However, although he didn't avoid taboo topics, Su Cheng didn't actively reveal his identity as a member of the core group of Bright Church in front of Bo Saixi too often.
He wouldn't go out of his way to spread cultivation techniques or trigger the other party's sensitive nerves.
When they were together, they mainly roamed around the sea.
Sometimes, they would even hide their cultivation and blend in with ordinary sea people, going out to sea, conducting trade, and fishing for sea products together.
There was no need to use masks or anything when facing ordinary people; using spiritual power was enough to easily create illusions.
With their strength, they wouldn't be discovered by anyone.
Of course, Su Cheng wasn't wasting his time.
On the contrary, this matter was very important.
In this way, while deepening Bo Saixi's emotional bond with the sea people, it also allowed him to observe their mindset changes more closely.
Accompanying Bo Saixi to fully integrate into the common people's lives was a crucial part of the plan.
From the beginning of persuading her to leave the mountain until now going out to sea, it had all been a gradual progression.
However, as the High Priestess of Sea God Island, Bo Saixi wouldn't just wander around with Su Cheng all the time. Spending a few months out of the year was already the limit.
During the remaining time, Su Cheng would act freely.
At this time, he would teach a large number of Bright Church members innate cultivation techniques.
Whenever he was present, with his strong spiritual power supplemented by small amounts of barely visible drugs, the speed at which ordinary people cultivated their soul power would greatly increase.
With him personally mingling among the disciples, Bright Church's scale began to expand again.
But this wasn't the main point; after all, in the more than ten years he had been away, Bright H
Church's influence had already covered the entire sea.
The key was the steadfastness of these people's spirits, which had undergone a leap forward, and the number of core members had increased sharply.
In the past, although there were many peripheral members of Bright Church, many of them had only come for shelter.
Now, the number of core members who genuinely accepted the doctrines of Bright Church had reached nearly a million.
For Su Cheng, this was already enough.
These people had firm wills and pure beliefs and would play a crucial role in the future.
In addition, he had also sneaked into Sea God Island a few times.
This action could deceive others, but it couldn't deceive Bo Saixi, so he always went as to visit, Luo Leilei.
During these visits, he conducted a more in-depth analysis of the Seven Sea Pillars.
The role of the Seven Sea Pillars was to protect the island and provide a place for the Sea Pillar Douluos to recuperate.
They could be interconnected to form a vast array. Once formed, even if Su Cheng used all his strength, he might not be able to destroy it. In fact, its defensive power was even greater than that of the Sea God Mountain in the center of Sea God Island.
In times of emergency, there was a high probability that they could communicate with the Sea God by using the accumulated power of faith, which was very dangerous.
However, the core of this thing lay in the power of faith, and as for the other structures, it wasn't very difficult to destroy them from the inside; it just took some time.
Unfortunately, the simulated Su Cheng didn't have the kind of tool like the True Vision Eye, otherwise, researching the Seven Sea Pillars would be much easier, and destroying them would be much simpler.