The phantom of the Sea God descended from the sky, standing before Wang Zhong. His majestic eyes, filled with the grandeur of a deity, were now brimming with shock and excitement.
Having stood in the God Realm for a thousand years, he had never heard of, nor seen, a monstrous prodigy as astounding as the youth before him.
"Child, can you tell me your name!"
The Sea God's solemn voice echoed in Wang Zhong's ears, filled with gentleness.
Wang Zhong examined the Sea God. He appeared as an ordinary, even plain, middle-aged man. Yet, the aura and majesty he exuded were as deep as the ocean, vast and immeasurable.
"Sea God?" Wang Zhong didn't answer, instead asking back tentatively.
"Yes, it is I." The Sea God nodded with a smile.
"Wang Zhong, it is an honor!" Wang Zhong bowed respectfully.
He who calmed the chaos of the seas and became a god through the faith of ocean dwellers, his heart and virtue shone through the ages.
"Are you willing to inherit my position as Sea God?"
The Sea God's gaze was fixed on Wang Zhong, unwavering since his arrival. Even the High Priest and the Seven Sacred Pillars standing behind him could not capture his attention at this moment.
As a god who had long ascended to the God Realm, he could not interfere too much with worldly affairs. Thus, he left behind the Sacred Pillars as a symbol of his guardianship over Sea God Island and, through them, selected successors or guardians.
Over the millennia, he had used his residual will to scan countless heaven's favored ones and left behind numerous powerful guardians for Sea God Island. Yet, he had never encountered a suitable successor for his divine seat.
It was not that those individuals were not excellent or lacked talent. Anyone who caught his eye was among the world's elite. However, their spiritual power was too fragile, unable to withstand even his remnant will, let alone hear his words.
With this thought, the Sea God slightly turned his head, casting his gaze towards the continent. In the depths of that direction, a resplendent and incomparably luxurious palace stood, filled with a dazzling array of rare treasures. At the deepest part of those treasures, a sea-blue triangular artifact, resembling a soul tool, hovered in the air, its light fluctuating.
"Vast Sea, Universe, Pearl of Wisdom obscured. It is as I surmised!"
The Sea God sighed inwardly and once again turned his attention to Wang Zhong, his eyes filled with satisfaction and awe.
He was outstanding, exceptionally so, to the point that even a god like him felt his heart tremble with shock.
A divine seat!
This was an existence that countless heaven's favored ones on the continent yearned for but could not attain. Countless geniuses and prodigies sought it in vain, only to die, lose their minds and become rakshasa, or transform into kings of slaughter and bloodshed, struggling until they were neither human, nor god, nor demon.
And now, a god descended before you, personally asking if you were willing to inherit the divine seat. Who could refuse such honor and nobility?
The Seven Sacred Pillars of Sea God Island all felt their heartbeats quicken, their eyes filled with envy.
But Wang Zhong gently shook his head and refused, "Thank you for the Sea God's great kindness, but I may not be able to inherit your divine seat."
"Because I am from the Spirit Hall!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the six Sacred Pillar guardians, excluding the Sea Woman, turned grim. The Spirit Hall bore an irreconcilable hatred for Sea God Island. How could their people appear on Sea God Island and even participate in the Sea God's trial!
For a moment, Sea Dragon, Sea Delusion, Sea Spear, Sea Ghost, and Sea Star all cast furious gazes at Sea Horse.
But the Sea God's next words left them stunned.
"I know. As the Sacred Pillar traversed your body, I already sensed that unique aura of the Angel God."
"The Angel Sacred Sword's sheath is on you. You are the Angel Guardian chosen by the Angel Sacred Sword!"
"Alas!"
The Sea God spoke slowly, drawing out his explanation. After a sigh, he continued, "But what of it?"
"Your talent and strength, when I was your age before I became a god, you wouldn't have even qualified as my opponent."
Sea Dragon and the others stared with wide eyes, disbelieving their ears. The Sea Woman's lips parted in astonishment. Even High Priest Bo Saixi covered her mouth in shock.
"Dual spirits, an ancient tree and a fire fox. Even I do not know their origins, but their power, even a mere glance, brought my remnant will close to collapse."
"First soul ring: hundred years."
"Second soul ring: thousand years."
"Third soul ring: ten thousand years."
"Fourth soul ring: ten thousand years."
At this point, the Sea God's gaze towards Wang Zhong was filled with divine light, as if trying to see through the youth before him. However, a mist surrounded him, impenetrable even to a god.
"Fifth soul ring: million years!"
"Sixth soul ring: million years!"
With each word uttered by the Sea God, those present trembled.
A thousand-year second ring, ten-thousand-year third and fourth rings were not particularly impressive. High Priest Bo Saixi's first eight soul rings were all ten thousand years, and her ninth soul ring reached one hundred thousand years.
However, those soul ring years were rewards for increasing their lifespan bestowed by the Sea God after passing his trial. Initially, Bo Saixi's soul ring configuration was yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.
But Wang Zhong's soul rings, without divine intervention to increase their lifespan, had reached the terrifying extent of a thousand years for the second ring, and ten thousand years for the third and fourth rings.
And then there were the laughable million-year soul rings, which sent them into a state of panic.
Could soul beasts in this world cultivate to a million years!??
But that was not all, the Sea God's words continued.
"Your body is extraordinary, extremely extraordinary!"
"It is so strong that even the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, who had already completed one step of dragon transformation and whose cultivation was nearing one hundred thousand years, was severely wounded and forced to flee into the sea by your pure physical strength!"
Sea Dragon and Sea Horse simultaneously swallowed hard. Even as Titled Douluo, facing the Deep Sea Demon Whale King meant only defeat or death.
Yet Wang Zhong had severely wounded it!
What kind of monster was this!
"Each of these matters alone is enough to shake the world and make all spirits tremble."
"If we add the condition of being under thirteen years of age to these matters, then the whole world would be in fear!"
"What! He's only twelve years old!!!!" Everyone exclaimed simultaneously, their steps involuntarily retreating due to this terrifying fact.
This was no longer a person describable as a genius; this was a monster, a fiend, someone who was absolutely not human!
"With talent like yours, coming before me, how could I possibly let you go!"
The Sea God's gaze became extremely serious at this moment. An immense pressure, vast as the sea, emanated from his body, casting the sky into darkness and gloom in an instant.
"The Angel God has been dead for many years. An Angel Sacred Sword cannot stop me!"
The Sea God's Trident in his hand shone with golden light. Deep within the sea, a colossal divine weapon that had slept for a thousand years trembled, wanting to awaken from its slumber, but ultimately fell silent.
The surging aura from the Sea God made the atmosphere taut, swords drawn and bows strung, with a palpable tension that suggested a fight would break out at the slightest disagreement.