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"The third trial of the Sea God's nine trials: Tide Tempering.
Survive in the raging waves for 24 hours without using soul power to protect yourself, enduring the pounding of the tides."
Looking at this trial, Ye Wen wasn't particularly concerned.
Even the Sea God Poseidon himself likely considered it optional, but since it was part of the nine trials, they had to meet the quota.
In the original story, Tang San and his group faced a time limit during this trial, though that was only because they were weaker.
Ye Wen's body, forged through countless trials and comparable to that of a god, would not be fazed by mere ocean waves.
The 24 hours weren't just about standing still—without any mishaps, Ye Wen completed the trial after a full day.
"Third trial of the Sea God's nine trials: Tide Tempering—complete.
Reward: 15% increase in Sea God affinity and an additional 10,000 years added to all soul ring durations."
At first, seeing soul rings with minimum durations in the tens of thousands of years intrigued Ye Wen, but now he felt indifferent.
However, the technology behind increasing soul ring durations was fascinating—he could research it after ascending to godhood.
"The fourth trial of the Sea God's nine trials: The Battle of the Shark and Whale. Assist Xiao Bai in slaying the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King among the Evil Demon Tiger Whale group."
This trial had no restrictions, as it involved combat.
In the original story, the Evil Demon Tiger Whales played a significant role, especially their innate ability, "Evil Demon Tiger Whale Mirror Annihilation," which became one of Tang San's frequently used soul skills.
But to Ye Wen, it was nothing special—a slightly advanced version of his own "Void Barrier" soul skill.
Aside from creating defensive barriers, it could also explode to damage enemies.
The next day, Ye Wen arrived at the shore as planned, spotting Xiao Bai already waiting there.
Xiao Bai appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old, her youthful face tinged with both sorrow and joy.
Ye Wen naturally understood why. Xiao Bai harbored a grudge against the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King.
A grudge for killing her brother.
Having someone help her exact revenge brought her joy.
As for her sorrow, it likely stemmed from feeling outnumbered and outmatched when facing the group-oriented Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan.
Ye Wen didn't care about any of this—he just wanted to complete the Sea God's trials as quickly as possible.
"Lead the way, Xiao Bai."
Speaking of which, as the Sea God's mount, Xiao Bai could be considered one of the earliest guides among spirit beasts. After all, it would have been nearly impossible for the Sea God to explore the entire ocean map on his own within a thousand years.
However, the Sea King—no, the Sea God—was somewhat ungrateful. Despite being his trusted follower, Xiao Bai hadn't even been taken to the divine realm.
It truly echoed a phrase from Ye Wen's past life:
"The Sea King can fulfill all your fantasies except for love."
Thanks to the Sea God's protection, the Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan rarely dared to approach the waters near Sea God Island, so the journey took some time.
Looking at the black-and-white-striped Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan in the distance, Ye Wen recalled the orcas from his previous life—both species were notorious troublemakers, prone to causing chaos even after feeding.
Ye Wen didn't waste time with idle chatter during battles. He directly summoned his nine soul rings.
Five black, one red, two red-gold, and one gold-blue.
The overwhelming aura emitted by the nine soul rings caused Xiao Bai to tremble slightly, and the nearby Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan also noticed the anomaly.
Setting aside the other soul rings, the three 100,000-year red soul rings alone struck fear into them. After all, their clan leader—the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King at the center of the group—only possessed 100,000 years of cultivation.
This meant that the distant human had already hunted at least three 100,000-year spirit beasts.
Though the Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan was known for its erratic and brutal nature, they weren't foolish. The Evil Demon Tiger Whale King instinctively began signaling the group to flee.
"Seventh Soul Skill: Domain Expansion—
Heaven and Earth, I Alone Am Supreme."
The nine soul rings merged into one, and the million-year gold-blue soul ring seemed to gain another blue ripple.
The blue-gold soul ring swept across, instantly enveloping the surrounding waters.
The Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan's innate sonic abilities made them realize they had no escape. For a moment, they froze in place.
Without hesitation, Ye Wen teleported Xiao Bai and himself close to the Evil Demon Tiger Whale group.
At this point, the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King transformed into a dark-skinned middle-aged man, confronting Ye Wen in midair.
Glancing at Xiao Bai beside him, a flicker of regret and disdain passed through his eyes—he likely guessed the purpose of today's confrontation.
"Respected human master, if you seek my 100,000-year soul ring, I am willing to offer myself to you. But please spare my clan."
His raspy voice was unsettling, but Ye Wen hadn't expected such compliance—assuming he'd have to take action himself.
"You've done well. Offer yourself up. My target is only you—I won't harm your clan."
Seeing Ye Wen agree, the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King sighed in relief. His greatest fear had been that Xiao Bai would incite Ye Wen to massacre his entire clan, making him a sinner to his people.
However, Xiao Bai panicked, urgently interjecting, "Lord Tian Xing, you can't do this! The Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan is inherently brutal and evil. If left unchecked, it won't be long before another 100,000-year Evil Demon Tiger Whale King emerges. This sea will suffer again! As the Sea God's heir, you cannot ignore this!"
Ye Wen shot Xiao Bai a displeased glance and said sternly, "Survival of the fittest is the natural order—what does brutality have to do with it?
Hasn't your Great White Shark clan killed other spirit beasts?
Perhaps the Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan is more inclined toward slaughter, but the souls of those they kill still become part of the ocean, consumed by weaker fish and shrimp. This is a link in the marine food chain.
Existence itself is reason enough. The Evil Demon Tiger Whale clan has survived until now for a reason—it's not for a 100,000-year spirit beast like you to arbitrarily decide their fate.
You should be grateful that the Sea God bestowed this divine trial upon me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered with your affairs at all."
Though Xiao Bai didn't understand many of the terms in Ye Wen's speech, she grasped that he was rejecting and scolding her. Her eyes reddened, and tears threatened to spill.
Ah, dealing with a crying loli was troublesome. Better finish the divine trial quickly and return.
Getting further entangled with Xiao Bai felt like it would only lead to more complications in the future.
Meanwhile, the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King felt genuine admiration for Ye Wen's fairness. Without saying another word, a red glow enveloped his body as he connected with Ye Wen.
But then he realized Ye Wen already had nine soul rings—and his level hadn't yet reached 100. Where would his soul ring fit?
Ye Wen ignored the Evil Demon Tiger Whale King's confusion and directly summoned the *Time Pearl*.
On it, a blood-red soul ring rotated—this was one of the advantages of having dual weapon-type martial souls.
If he had dual beast-type martial souls, he would only be able to use one at a time, switching between them as needed. However, weapon-type martial souls allowed simultaneous summoning.
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