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Although named an "island," the Sea God Island was by no means small—it was comparable to half of Taiwan Province in Ye Wen's previous life.
The island had seven cities, each with approximately a thousand residents, guarded by seven Pillar Title Douluos.
However, shouldn't cities with only a thousand people be called villages instead? It was hard to understand.
There were also strict requirements for those living on the island. At the age of eighteen, if one failed to pass the Pillar Trial, they would be expelled from the Sea God Island.
But none of this mattered to Ye Wen.
As the saying goes, "It's easier to get things done when you have connections in high places." Their destination was directly set for the city of the Sea Maiden Pillar, where the Sea Maiden Douluo resided.
Perhaps because the Sea Maiden Douluo naturally possessed strong spiritual power, or perhaps because Ye Wen and his companion made no effort to conceal their presence, they spotted the Sea Maiden Douluo waiting for them at the port as they approached the city.
As a figure akin to the Oriental Pearl of the Sea Maiden City, the appearance of the Sea Maiden Douluo instantly caused a stir among the crowd. They couldn't understand why this usually reclusive Douluo, who rarely left the vicinity of her pillar, had suddenly appeared.
"Hello there~ So you're the human prodigy my father has been talking about? You certainly look impressive."
The Sea Maiden Douluo was undoubtedly a stunningly beautiful and youthful woman, her voice soft and sweet—enough to make any ordinary man weak in the knees.
"Hello, Lady Sea Maiden. Let's get straight to the point."
Having seen many beauties before, Ye Wen had developed a resistance and completely ignored her flirtation.
This left the childlike Sea Maiden Douluo pouting but not out of malice.
"Follow me then. You're so young, yet you act like an old man—how dull."
Looking at the towering Sea Maiden Pillar, Ye Wen's research instincts stirred. This was, after all, a creation of the gods.
"Not yet—it's not time. Hold back. Once I truly become a god, these so-called secrets won't be secrets anymore," Ye Wen silently endured.
At this moment, the Sea Maiden Douluo's fishtail transformed into two slender, jade-like feet—white and enticing.
The Sea Maiden Douluo bowed slightly toward the Sea Maiden Pillar, her hands clasped together in prayer.
Then, with her palms facing each other, a blue light abruptly condensed between her hands.
The previously motionless pillar now emitted a dazzling blue light that enveloped Ye Wen.
"The divine appraisal has begun. Let Lord Sea God see if you have the capacity to bear the divine position," the Sea Maiden Douluo thought silently.
The Sea Maiden Pillar, which usually completed its appraisal within a few breaths, now seemed to freeze in place, continuously emitting blue light onto Ye Wen.
While the pillar was assessing Ye Wen's qualifications, Ye Wen was simultaneously analyzing the nature of the pillar's light.
Far away in another dimension, within a solemn temple, a burly man clad in golden armor and sporting a thick beard suddenly opened his eyes.
"How many years has it been? Finally, someone capable of bearing my divine position has appeared."
With a wave of his hand, a surge of divine power emerged, forming a mirror. The scene beneath the Sea Maiden Pillar appeared before Poseidon.
"So young," Poseidon remarked with admiration.
Back in the day, to create his own divine position, he had fought on the seas for over a thousand years to forge the title of Sea God and the super divine artifact—the Sea God Trident.
And here was Ye Wen, achieving near-Title Douluo status at just 23 years old.
Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of soul masters at this age had barely broken through to the Soul Honored rank.
After a while, Poseidon seemed to discover something amusing.
"An interesting little fellow. Deliberately refraining from obtaining the ninth soul ring, are you trying to take advantage of me? Hahaha! But if you can inherit my divine position, what does it matter if I give you soul rings millions of years old?
I acknowledge you. Accept the Sea God's trial."
Suddenly, the Sea Maiden Pillar, which had been emitting a faint blue glow, burst forth with radiant golden light. The golden beams shot into the sky, visible across the entire Sea God Island.
A golden trident insignia was engraved on Ye Wen's forehead.
Seeing this, Ye Wen felt reassured.
The Pillar Trials corresponded to the color spectrum of soul ring years, from low to high. However, the divine trial for inheriting a god's position was symbolized by the golden light, representing the ascension of spirit beasts to godhood after a million years.
"What's going on?"
"That direction is the Sea Maiden City. What's causing such a commotion?"
"How dazzling! This is the light of the Sea God!"
All across the Sea God Island, people began discussing this unprecedented spectacle, expressing their opinions but remaining baffled.
The Sea Maiden Douluo watched the scene with delight. While others might not understand its significance, the mermaid clan had records.
"When golden light appears, a god emerges."
At this moment, a woman dressed in a long blue robe flew in from afar, her gaze complex as she observed Ye Wen bathed in golden light.
Ye Wen also noticed her arrival. There was only one noblewoman wielding a scepter on the Sea God Island.
"It's an honor to meet you, Elder Bo Saixi," Ye Wen said with a slight bow.
After all, the ninth trial of the Sea God required her sacrifice, and Ye Wen didn't want to antagonize her unnecessarily.
Still, he found the setup somewhat absurd. Why did the gods need to sacrifice their loyal high priests? Leaving behind a trace of divine power should suffice.
If all gods were so cruel and ungrateful, then perhaps it was better not to believe in them at all.
Bo Saixi adjusted her emotions.
Regardless of her other identities, on the Sea God Island, she was simply the High Priest of the Sea God, the overseer of the divine trials for potential successors.
"There's no need for formalities, sir.
From today onward, no one on the Sea God Island is worthy of your respect.
May I ask for your name?"
"Principal Ye Wen of Tian Xing Academy on the Douluo Continent. Greetings, Lord Sea God Douluo. As my elder, feel free to call me by my name."
Though she had spent many years guarding the Sea God Island and wasn't particularly attentive to news from the Douluo Continent, she was still aware of its top-tier powers. Could this Tian Xing Academy be a newly rising force?
But Bo Saixi didn't dwell on it.
The favored children of each era didn't necessarily come from these so-called top-tier powers. They could be beggars or have all sorts of outrageous backgrounds.
But there was no doubt that they carried some indescribable fortune—this was something Bo Saixi firmly believed.
Yet at this moment, Bo Saixi felt a wave of sorrow. The vows they once made by the mountains and seas had gone unanswered for years, and she was now approaching the countdown of her life as the High Priest of the Sea God.
"In that case, follow me. I'll arrange accommodations for you first. The Sea God's trial can wait."
Ye Wen sensed that Bo Saixi was stalling for time and decisively declined.
"Please take me to the Sea God Mountain first.
I'd like to test how difficult the first trial of the Sea God's nine trials will be for me."
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