Douluo Dalu

Chapter 252

Seagod’s Godhood, The Road To Becoming A God

(TL: Armored Raven)

Hearing what Tang San had said about the seventh trial’s contents, everyone quieted down as their eyes were watching him with great disbelief. ‘Pull out the divine instrument, Seagod’s Trident’. Though they were just a few words, what could they mean?

Ma Hongjun spoke out everyone’s doubts, “Brother San, this Seagod Nine Trials of yours, they’re not really meant for becoming Seagod, right? This divine instrument means a weapon that gods use?”

Even though Tang San had guessed some things, when things came to a head, he still couldn’t help his heart from beating in an insane way. It was no wonder that back then, those sacred pillars’ Guardian Douluos and Bo Saixi said that after the sixth trial, the trials would be different. It seemed that his speculation was correct.

In times like these, Dai Mubai as the group’s big brother displayed his fortitude, “Let’s not think too much about it and wait until Little San attempts the seventh trial for real. No matter what, this trial is very important.”

Oscar spoke, “The most important thing right now is, does the trident belong to Tang San after it’s pulled out, or is it just a trial? According to what we know on Seagod Island, the Seagod’s Trident should be a genuine divine instrument. If we can get our hands on that, what more can we fear about Spirit Hall?”

Tang San said, “Mubai is right. Regardless of the meaning in this trial, I’ll only know it if I pass it. Let’s not work up our expectations, or the disappointment will be greater if the guess is wrong.”

Oscar lowered his voice and spoke, “Four out of seven of us had completed our trials. When Little San completes his seventh trial, Rongrong will also complete it. Should we consider how to leave this place? Tell us about what you felt when you fought against Bo Saixi that day, Little San. Zhuqing was just watching. They say watchers are more clear about what happens, but she couldn’t really feel it herself so she couldn’t get Bo Saixi’s true strength. Do you feel that once you finish the nine trials, we can get out of here with the seven of us?”

Looking at Oscar’s sneaky look, everyone couldn’t help but let out a smile, however Tang San was somewhat stern and replied bluntly, “Before we came here, I guessed that it still wouldn’t be enough. Even though I always thought of Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi’s strength as being very high, when I faced her for real, I understood the vast difference between us and her, and how terrifying a level 99 Pinnacle Douluo’s strength can really be. From how I see it, she’s not that much different from a god. Even if we train to be above Title Douluos in strength, if we do it with brute force, it would still be impossible.”

The last sentence was spoken like slicing a hammered nail.

Everyone looked at each other. Ma Hongjun couldn’t help blurting, “It can’t be, right? No matter how great, she’s just a single person. If you reach Title Douluo in terms of strength, you’re still afraid of losing against her with so many hundred thousand year spirit rings?”

Tang San sighed, “You don’t understand. Even I can’t tell how much stronger I’ll be when I reach Title Douluo in terms of strength. But I can tell you this for sure. With my strength right now, if I go against her head on, with just a bump, she can easily turn me into bits and pieces. I could pass the sixth trial completely due to calculation and luck, not strength. The fight between Bo Saixi and me had a lot of regulations. If she unleashed her full might, she could definitely destroy a city in a single move. If she deployed her domain, then none of us would have been able to get away. So if we want to leave Seagod Island, it must not be through a confrontation. All I hope for right now is for my guess to be correct. Everything will be clear if I pull out that Seagod’s Trident. If things don’t turn out as I hoped, then we can only train together right here. Maybe we’ll have a chance to leave here when we all reach until level 95 or above, or both of my battle spirits have 9 rings each, and when the spirit bones are more complete, then there might be a shot.”

When he was talking, Tang San’s mind kept on flashing back to how Bo Saixi was like she could control the clouds and rain with her attacks on him. Such a light attack without the use of battle spirit, could beat him to the point of unable to fight back. If it weren’t for his insane Golden Invincibility skill, that slap would’ve robbed his life. In front of her strength, even if his body were made of metal, it would’ve been slapped into pieces as well.

Tang San understood that since Dai Mubai, Oscar and Ma Hongjun reached Spirit Douluo stage, they were getting overconfident, so he had to remind them himself.

Indeed, upon hearing Tang San’s words, everyone’s faces became heavy. After consecutive rewards, Dai Mubai whose spirit power had reached level 83 spoke, “Might makes right. No time to waste. Let’s all start training. Little San, you gotta pull out that Seagod’s Trident!”

Tang San rested for three whole days again, not just to let his body and spirit return to the best condition, but also to fix his own thoughts after coming to Seagod Island. At the sixth morning after the completion of the sixth trial, he took Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu to climb the stairs leading to Seagod Hall.

When they walked the 1001 steps and arrived at the front of the grandiose Seagod Hall, the seven sacred pillars’ Guardian Douluos were already standing there in wait, as if they expected that the three would arrive this day.

Sea Dragon Douluo stood in the middle, while the other six were standing at both sides. Tang San stopped his footsteps with the ladies in front of Sea Dragon Douluo, and he bowed slightly, “Greetings to seniors.”

Sea Dragon Douluo moved away slightly without accepting Tang San’s formalities. His eyes full of complicated emotions as he looked at them, “Follow me, you three.”

After speaking, he led the way into Seagod Hall.

They had been at Seagod Island for four years, but this was the first time Tang San and others had been this close to Seagod Hall. The gigantic pillar in front of Seagod Hall was sculpted with various designs. Some were sea spirit beasts which Tang San had seen before, yet even more were creatures they had never seen, which he guessed to be from the sea.

Inside Seagod Hall, the insides were dark. The entire building didn’t have a single window, so it wouldn’t have light from the outside. The interior seemed very spacious and no architecture could be seen. The entire building could be described as archaic, as well as simple. Tang San never imagined that inside the dignified Seagod Hall, there weren’t any decorations, and it was this dark.

In just a few steps forward, Sea Dragon Douluo stopped. He greeted to within, “My Lady, Tang San, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu have been brought here.”

“En. You may leave.” Bo Saixi’s voice came from within.

“Yes.” Sea Dragon Douluo bowed at within and then made his way, leaving through the side past Tang San. He left after bowing slightly towards Tang San.

Without Sea Dragon Douluo’s tall figure in the way, Tang San could now see the scene inside the great building. Inside this Seagod Hall, there were no other architectures than eight platforms. The outer seven formed a circle, and every platform’s shape was different. They matched the appearance of the sacred pillar platforms like they were miniatures. Only there were no sacred pillars to match them.

In the center of the seven platforms, there was a giant platform. One could see from the two platforms at the front, that the platform at the center had three levels, and was taller than the seven outer platforms by several metres. The entire platform was round, and the surface area was smaller the higher the level went. Because of the darkness inside the building, only a long pole could vaguely be made out at the center of the topmost platform. It was an irregular, top heavy, cone shaped and wholly black object.

Bo Saixi was sitting at the center of the first level with feet crossed and her palms facing up. Each of her hands were making a mystical gesture with both eyes closed. If it weren’t for Tang San’s exceptional eyesight, he wouldn’t be able to discern all of those.

“Tang San, come forth.” Bo Saixi’s voice rang out in this spacious Seagod Hall.

“Yes.” Tang San responded. He walked up in large steps and looked at Bo Saixi calmly, his mind as calm as an ancient well. If Bo Saixi wanted to deal with him, it would be just a simple matter like the raising of her hand. Since he came here, he wouldn’t have anything to worry about. But Tang San didn’t like the feeling of having his fate being in someone’s hands.

Walking through the outer platforms, Tang San brought Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu to five metres in front of Bo Saixi.

“Greetings, senior.” The three bowed down.

Bo Saixi received their greetings, and Tang San discovered that this time she appeared different from the look she had in the sixth trial days ago. If one could say that Bo Saixi was like a deep ocean back then, now she would be like a benevolent elder. Even though she appeared to be young, noble and beautiful, her weary eyes were filled with benevolence. If she could be referred to as an insurmountable mountain the last time, then now, she gave Tang San the feeling of being like a master.

Bo Saixi smiled peacefully, “Before you take the seventh trial, allow me to tell you about the ocean. Do you know how large it is?”

Tang San shook his head cluelessly. This question was out of his range of knowledge.

Bo Saixi spoke, “The area of the ocean is four times that of land. In other words, it is about as large as four Douluo Continents. In the vast and deep waters, there live far more creatures than those on land. If these creatures lose their bounds and keep waging wars, then they would be more chaotic than the wars on land.”

“Many, many years ago, the sea was that chaotic. Just as they say ‘Chaos creates heroes’, a stunning talent appeared among the crowds of sea spirit masters. He used his own power, and his lifetime of effort, travelled throughout every corner of the great ocean while holding a trident. He used his powerful strength and incomparable charisma to conquer one tribe after another. After 1001 years, he finally united the seas, and was revered as Seagod by all of the sea tribes, creating an undying legend.”

“If sea spirit masters are humans as well, then can humans live up to a thousand years, senior?” Tang San asked.

Bo Saixi smiled, “Call me Great Priestess. Ordinary humans can’t live that long of course, but when people’s strength reach past Titled Douluo stage, they can have around 300 years of lifespan. After that, every level adds another hundred years. In other words, at my level, one can live for up to a thousand years. Lord Seagod back then used his level 99 strength to conquer the seas. At this point, I can’t afford not to mention your great grandfather. Other than Lord Seagod, he is the one I’m most impressed by.”

“Great grandfather? But, your strength….”

Bo Saixi laughed self-deprecatively, “What? You think that I reached level 99 completely due to my own strength? No, you’re wrong. I don’t have that ability. I’m only more than a hundred years old this year. How could I train up to level 99? Don’t think that just because you have broken through level 80, your future is now smoother. When the spirit power exceeds level 95, according to ordinary training, it takes basically a hundred years to raise into another level. Unless there are special occurences, then if you want to raise to level 97, you need more than 200 years of time. But this isn’t the hardest thing. Your continent’s spirit masters should have more than a few experts among them, but I can be sure than other than Qian Daoliu and your great grandfather, there’s no one who can go past level 97. That is the absolute bottleneck. In calculations under normal circumstances, it’s impossible for humans to train to level 99. Because getting to level 98 needs 300 years’, and to get to level 99, you need 600 years of arduous sleepless training. Both me and Qian Daoliu had gotten to this point today because of our seniors. Only your great grandfather was the same as Lord Seagod of that time. He relied completely on his own strength to train until level 99. I don’t know how he and Lord Seagod did it, but he was 3 years earlier than when Lord Seagod reached his level 99. He’s also the only one with any hope of becoming a god through his strength.”

To Tang San, what Bo Saixi was saying was like secrets within secrets. He didn’t butt in and just listened quietly.

Bo Saixi continued, “Back then, when I passed Top Class Eight Trials, I received Lord Seagod’s bestowed honor, and became Great Priestess. And my strength was mostly given to me by Lord Seagod, so that I could train until level 99 in just 50 years. Qian Daoliu’s circumstances were similar to mine. Only he got the gift from the god of angels. You can say that the difference in strength between the three of us isn’t much. But on a level of fairness, then the strongest would be your great grandfather. Because his strength was completely from his own. However, a competition between us will never be fair. He’s no match for me in the sea, on land he is stronger, and in the skies, Qian Daoliu has the advantage.”

“Then, do you know where my great grandfather is?” Tang San asked hastily.

Bo Saixi sighed and shook her head, “When we parted that back then, I haven’t seen him for many years. He once said to me when he left, that if one day, he could reach level 100 and become a real god, then he would come find me.” Now, Tang San could see that there’s a faint blush on Bo Saixi’s face.

“Senior, you….”

Bo Saixi’s eyes quickly became more frank, and she smiled, “You’re his descendant, so it’s nothing if I tell you this. That time, your great grandmother had already passed away, and both he and Qian Daoliu once sought after me. I refused them. I told them that, whoever could reach level 100, I would accept his feelings.”

Tang San sighed deeply, “Senior, you like my great grandfather, don’t you?”

Bo Saixi was startled, “How did you guess it?”

Tang Said said, “You said it just now. In the three of you, my great grandfather has the highest hope of reaching level 100 and become a god. Adding how you and Qian Daoliu were both gifted by your seniors, then it’s very likely that you and Qian Daoliu will never have hope of reaching level 100. Didn’t your request mean that you refused Qian Daoliu? You could only refuse one of the two, so surely, the one you like is my great grandfather.”

Upon hearing Tang San’s words, Bo Saixi seemed to be frozen in thought, and Tang San also stared with wide eyes in shock. Because he could see that Bo Saixi’s infinitely magical hands were slightly trembling right now. When her emotions could be out of control despite having such strength, one could tell how conflicted her feelings were.

After a while, Bo Saixi spoke again, “Tang Chen, oh Tang Chen, if you were as half as smart as your great grandson, I wouldn’t have waited in my lonesome for this many years…. Even Qian Daoliu knew I was rejecting him when he heard what I said, and he left silently. But your great grantfather, he took my words literally, and he left his oath of never coming back without becoming a god. He left in search of a way to become a god.”

Bo Saixi didn’t shed tears, but right here and now, Tang San could feel a deep sadness from her voice. This wait lasted for many tens of years! The Seagod Douluo, so strong in front of his eyes, was actually more pitiful than his own parents in terms of love. His mother had turned into Blue SIlver Emperor, but she could still be with his father and love each other with all their hearts. But great grandfather couldn’t understand her feelings. The two of them were obviously loving each other, but because of Bo Saixi’s reservation and his great grandfather’s persistence, they couldn’t walk together in the end.

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu looked at each other in the eyes behind Tang San, and both of them could feel that, compared to Bo Saixi, they were in a more blissful spot.

“Senior, I think that, great grandfather wasn’t really lacking in smarts. If he wasn’t wise enough, then how could the old him have used his own power to train until level 99? Perhaps it was because he persisted too much in training, and neglected the meaning behind your words. Both you and him are proud people. After leaving here, perhaps he understood, but he made such a strongly worded oath. It was due to his pride as a man so….”

Bo Saixi waved, “You don’t need to speak for him. Everything’s too late now. Even if he’s back, what more could it have achieved? With your appearance here, all of this had been meaningless to me.”

Tang San was startled. This time he himself couldn’t make out the meaning behind Bo Saixi’s words.

Bo Saixi spoke, “Back to the main point. Even with Lord Seagod’s strength, he would also need a thousand years’ time to reach level 100. Do you know why?”

Tang San shook his head.

Bo Saixi spoke, “It’s because of the rules. Lord Seagod said that in our world, there are its own set of rules. The strength of level 99 is the upper limit set by the rules. Reaching this level, you shouldn’t think about advancing. To break this level is also the same as breaking the rules. To be above the rules is also what it means to be God. That is already not something that can be achieved with personal strength. What Lord Seagod used was the faith of thousands upon thousands of sea spirit beasts and sea spirit masters to break through, so it needed that many years. As Seagod’s believer, and Qian Daoliu being the believer of seraphim, we already had no right to accept faith, and naturally can’t become gods. Only when the power of faith reaches a certain threshold can there be a chance to break through.

This is also why your great grandfather has a chance to become a god. But in reality, how narrow is this chance? Of course, there’s another shortcut to become a god, and that is to receive the approval of the senior god and inherit the existing godhood. Gods can’t die, but after becoming a god, one can only exist in this world for a hundred years. After that, they must leave here. To where, I don’t know. Before they leave however, they always leave a part of their divine thoughts behind. Because their godhoods are still present and remain in our world, when someone receives their complete approval, and after a certain method, a godhood can be inherited and then the renewed possibility to become a god. There are only two ways for reaching level 100 and become a god. Relatively speaking, the second one is much easier. And you, who received Seagod Nine Trials, are that chosen one. You are the one chosen by Lord Seagod. The time when you pass the Seagod Nine Trials, will be the time when you take over Seagod’s place, become the next generation Seagod, to rule over the ocean’s thousands and thousands of it children!”

At the last sentence, Bo Saixi was emotionally shaken, and her volume became higher, which reverberated throughout Seagod Hall.

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu were both stunned. They had never heard anything like what Bo Saixi spoke of. Xiao Wu was covering her own mouth in shock. She couldn’t imagine that her own lover was actually the chosen one.

Bo Saixi’s excited voice faded away after a while of echoing inside the building. Her sitting self was now standing.

“Tang San, I’m now telling you all this because you had passed the former six trials of Seagod Nine Trials, which were also the basic trials among them. From here on, you have to face the real trials from god. These final three trials might be easier than before, or much harder than reaching the skies. It depends on your luck. What is stuck upside down in this Seagod platform is the weapon which accompanied Lord Seagod in his life, and also where part of Seagod’s power resides. Pulling it out will be your seventh trial. You will truly take the first step into becoming Seagod once you have its complete approval. My only hint for you will be one word: faith. Lord Seagod’s edict said that only those chosen by him who use persistence and faith can have a chance in pulling out this Seagod’s Trident. Pull it out, and all three of you will pass the seventh trial. Otherwise, I will not be able to control your outcome.”

Without Bo Saixi’s explanation, Tang San knew what that outcome would mean. Bo Saixi already brought out Seagod Island’s secrets on a silver platter. With this trial, the ones who would know such secrets would be the new Seagod and his companions. If it couldn’t be passed, then dead people would naturally be unable to let those secrets out.

Raising his head, Tang San’s eyes were fixed on the long black pole in the center of Seagod platform. It was no wonder if seemed to be like a pole. It was the Seagod’s Trident stuck upside down. This was its handle.

Bo Saixi was now standing at the side, looking at Tang San with eyes full of encouragement.

Tang San walked towards the platform step by step while his eyes focused on the trident, with Ning Rongrong to his left and Xiao Wu to his right, following closely.

Here, there wasn’t any pressure, but Tang San’s steps were very heavy. His eyes didn’t leave the trident. He was moving slowly because he was putting all his spirit focus on that trident.

Using spirit power to feel it, Tang San discovered that Seagod’s Trident was like a block of dead metal without life, but the feeling of its weight was very obvious. He found out that this trident’s stabbing point wasn’t just Seagod platform’s center. It was also the center of Seagod Hall and the whole of Seagod Mountain. It was as if the entire mountain existed because of it.

Stepping up to the third level, he was finally facing this weapon left behind by Seagod. The bare handle was about ten feet long, and as thick as a child’s arm. The blackness of it carried no light. He could only vaguely make out a layer of thin wave lines.

“Both of you, stop.” Tang San spoke deeply.

Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong stopped simultaneously. Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong unleashed her own battle spirit ‘Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’, and entered Nine Jewel Avatar state without hesitation. Six 80% buffs were cast on Tang San at the same time.

Upon receiving Ning Rongrong’s buffs, Tang San felt that his various elements were climbing, while the spirit focus reached its peak at this moment. With a loud shout and a large step forward, he had come before Seagod’s Trident with both hands raised, grabbing on the handle of the Seagod’s Trident.

A jolting feeling spread throughout Tang San’s body. The heaviness that he felt was now totally in his hands. The wave lines of Seagod’s Trident seemed to match with his palm prints completely. What surprised him was that it seemed to have flowing blood vessels.

WOOOM——

The battle spirit ‘Blue Silver Emperor’ was released, and in that instant, Tang San had completely unleashed his battle spirit avatar state, but he didn’t release his domain. This was Seagod’s weapon. If any domain were to cover it, then there might be opposite effects. But the golden trident brand on his forehead was shining. A ray of Seagod’s Light was shining on the handle of the trident in front of him.

BOOM——

At that instant when Seagod’s Light fell upon the handle, Tang San could only feel two scorching sets of heat enter his body and they engulfed him immediately. The trident in his hands seemed to tremble, and a wave of extreme excitement surged up from within. This was followed by a faint golden glow spreading from Tang San’s hands, turning the originally pitch black handle into an expansion of golden life-riddled wave lines.

The scorching heat inside Tang San then flowed back, and instantly, Tang San just felt that his hands weren’t holding a long handle made of metal any longer, but molten lava. The high temperature made him scream, but his hands were still firmly holding on to the handle. Now, Tang San had a feeling that if he let go now, then he would never have the right to hold this handle again.

He couldn’t use Mysterious Jade Hands. A special presence from Seagod’s Trident flowed into Tang San’s palms, forcing it to be unusable. The melting hot waves kept sending tremblings that make Tang San painful beyond dying. Trails of blood had flowed from his palms, which seeped into the golden waves on the handle.

Ever since Tang San was trained by Ice And Fire Eyes, he had not experienced such heat for a long time. But now, he felt such a sensation again. His supposedly temperature resistant body was actually useless against the temperature of the trident.

Tang San gritted his teeth, and both of his arms exerted strength of up to level 84, bursting out completely. Audible cracking of his bones accompanied the process.

Seagod’s Trident moved. Tang San clearly felt it moving. Although the movement was that subtle, it was slowly moving upwards under his full effort.

Tang San’s spirit power had merged completely with the trident brand on his forehead, turning into Seagod’s Light that entered the handle of the trident. Because he felt that the more he put in Seagod’s Light, the more the trident seemed to become lighter. Now he understood another use of Seagod’s Light, and that was its effect in the seventh trial. Apparently, the greater his affinity with Seagod in the previous six trials, the stronger the Seagod’s Light he had would become, and the easier it became when he was pulling out the trident.

Could Tang San pull out Seagod’s Trident, pass the seventh trial successfully and become the owner it? Please read the next volume, ‘Seagod’s Trident’.