The atmosphere changed abruptly with the disappearance of the Sea God.
"Hello everyone," Wang Zhong greeted Poseidon Xi and the others with a smile.
The young man's voice was gentle, yet the group felt a sense of unreality. The tales told by the Sea God were too fantastical. Despite their deep respect and faith in the Sea God, none of them could connect those events with the young man standing before them with a peaceful smile.
"Wang Zhong, you..." Poseidon Xi stepped forward, wanting to say something but hesitating, unsure where to begin. If they believed the Sea God, it meant this twelve-year-old boy was invincible on Sea God Island and a top-tier expert in the world. If they didn't believe, it would betray their faith and cast doubt on the veracity of their deity's words.
"You really wounded the Deep Sea Demon Whale King!" the strongest of the seven, Sea Dragon Douluo, stepped forward, scrutinizing Wang Zhong with a hint of doubt.
"No," Wang Zhong denied, shaking his head. He had a different perspective on this matter. While his encounter with the Deep Sea Demon Whale King had ended with his victory and the creature's retreat into the deep sea, it couldn't be called a serious injury. Given the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's colossal body, the seemingly tragic wounds were akin to mere surface abrasions.
"Although I did injure the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, it wasn't a critical wound," he clarified.
Even though they had prepared themselves mentally, Sea Dragon and the others were still shocked. With the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's strength, even if they attacked together, they might not be able to harm it. Yet, Wang Zhong, a mere six-ringed Soul Emperor, had accomplished this feat!
"Are you really only twelve years old!" Sea Maiden Douluo swayed her tail, gliding before Wang Zhong and asking in astonishment.
"Yes, that is correct."
"However, in a little more time, I'll be thirteen."
Sea Maiden Douluo covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. A twelve-year-old Soul Emperor with such talent was terrifying.
"Alright everyone, while I have no intention of hiding these matters, I also don't go around bragging about them. I can state clearly that what the Sea God said is all true." Seeing their continued desire for confirmation, Wang Zhong stopped them with a helpless gesture and admitted that everything the Sea God had said was true. This acknowledgment naturally drew exclamations of awe, but it also dispelled their doubts.
As the group sought further confirmation of the Sea God's words, a large white shark arrived, seemingly late.
"Lord Poseidon Xi, I think I sensed the Sea God's aura!"小白 said anxiously and uncertainly upon arriving.
Poseidon Xi gently stroked the shark's silver hair and replied softly, "Your perception is sharp. The Sea God indeed appeared here in projection just now."
"It was for Wang Zhong."
小白 blinked, glanced at Wang Zhong, and her pupils contracted sharply as she saw the trident imprint on his forehead. She exclaimed, "The Sea God's imprint! The Sea God's Nine Trials!"
"How could he, someone from the Spirit Hall, obtain the Sea God's Nine Trials?"
"It is the Sea God's Nine Trials, yet it is also different from the Sea God's Nine Trials," Poseidon Xi explained softly.
"Different? How so?"小白 was confused. In her understanding, obtaining the Sea God's Nine Trials meant that the future successor to the Sea God's divine position had appeared, and upon completion of the nine trials, the new Sea God would manifest again.
"Wang Zhong's Sea God's Nine Trials were bestowed upon him by the Sea God as a form of cultivation. Although it is also called the Sea God's Nine Trials, it does not carry the ultimate outcome of inheriting the Sea God's divine position upon completion."
"It is merely an indicator of cultivation difficulty."
Poseidon Xi's words caused小白's delicate eyebrows to furrow even tighter. Such a matter and condition were completely different from what she knew.
Seeing小白's furrowed brow, Poseidon Xi rephrased, "You can think of it as the Sea God modifying the rules of his Nine Trials for Wang Zhong."
This explanation allowed小白 to understand, but it was followed by an unimaginable shock. The Sea God would actually modify his own rules for a single person!
"This, how is this possible!"小白 was extremely surprised.
"It seems unbelievable, doesn't it! But小白, it is true."
"We all saw it with our own eyes!" Sea Maiden Douluo swam away from Wang Zhong and approached小白, stating solemnly.
Wang Zhong merely shrugged at the great white shark's astonishment, offering no further explanation. He immersed his mind into the so-called Sea God's Nine Trials.
"The Sea God's First Trial: Traverse the Sea God's Light."
Sensing the information in his mind, Wang Zhong had no idea what traversing the Sea God's Light entailed. However, his ignorance didn't mean others were unaware. Among those present was the Great Priest of Sea God Island.
"Excuse me, Senior Poseidon Xi," Wang Zhong asked Poseidon Xi, "Could you please tell me what the Sea God's Light is?"
Shifting her gaze from小白, Poseidon Xi looked at Wang Zhong and asked with a smile, "What, are you starting so soon?"
"Yes," Wang Zhong nodded affirmatively, then chuckled, "I'm quite interested in the Sea God's divinity and wish to experience it sooner. Besides, the path of cultivation allows no room for laziness."
Poseidon Xi nodded in agreement. The path of cultivation was indeed like that.
"All you Holy Pillar Guardians, return to your respective cities, explain the situation, and pacify the citizens. If you have any further questions, you can ask Wang Zhong after things have settled down."
"Yes, Great Priest." Sea Dragon, Sea Horse, and the other lords immediately withdrew.
Poseidon Xi, however, said to Wang Zhong, "Come with me."
A quarter of an hour later, led by Poseidon Xi, Wang Zhong arrived beside a staircase. It was a thousand-meter-long staircase that soared into the clouds. At its end stood a resplendent palace, noble and luxurious, with endless golden light cascading down the steps from the palace, exuding a unique divinity.
"This is the Sea God's Light," Poseidon Xi explained. "You need to ascend your designated number of trial steps against the light shining from the Sea God's Divine Palace."
"Number of steps?" Wang Zhong sensed the trident imprint on his brow and felt utterly perplexed.
"What is it?" Poseidon Xi asked back.
"My first trial doesn't specify how many steps to ascend," Wang Zhong replied strangely.
"It doesn't!" Poseidon Xi was also slightly surprised. Everyone had a required number of steps to ascend, even she did when inheriting the position of Great Priest. But Wang Zhong did not! However, upon careful consideration, since Wang Zhong's trial was for cultivation, it differed from a formal assessment, and not specifying a number of steps seemed quite normal.
"I believe the Sea God did not set a specific number of steps for you because you are here for cultivation, not an assessment. Therefore, the number of steps should be your own choice."
Wang Zhong also felt this was the most likely explanation. "It should be so."
"Although the Sea God did not assign you a specific number of steps, Wang Zhong, I can tell you as the Great Priest that the more steps you ascend, the greater the rewards you will receive. Therefore, if possible, the more the better," Poseidon Xi advised Wang Zhong.
"Rewards?" Wang Zhong expressed confusion.
"You will know later."
"What you need to do now is to ascend as high as possible on the Sea God's Light." Poseidon Xi did not elaborate, indicated Wang Zhong's direction, and quietly turned to leave. Wang Zhong did not press further. He watched her depart, then turned his gaze towards the Sea God's Light, whose number of steps was unknown, feeling eager to try.