Chapter 234
The Third Test, Tidal Body Refining
(TL by owl404)
It was because of such hesitation that Xiao Bai removed her domain before she attacked again, and let the other spirit beasts retreat rapidly -- the process of releasing and retrieving wasted several seconds of time.
However, Xiao Bai suddenly found that the huge white tiger in front of her seemed to be somewhat different, as if its body wasn’t as concrete as before. Even though the energy around it looked still formidable, the body itself was transforming into a transparent form.
Xiao Bai had been cultivating in the sea for over a hundred thousand years after all, in a flash, she woke up immediately.
She was taken in! They should have had nothing but the force of one blow! Having realized that, she threw herself on the Hell White Tiger immediately. However, it was still too late. The instant she moved, Tang San’s Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer had already completed nine by nine times which concentrated into one.
A kind of peculiar silence swept over the ring form sea: the moving body of Xiao Bai paused suddenly; the huge Hell White Tiger split off and turned into the two of Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
A silver light flashed on the corner of Xiao Wu’s mouth -- a silver sausage entering her stomach. Then a blue golden splendor burst out and turned into six ropes, wrapping around the other six people’s bodies. Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun restrained his phoenix flame, while Oscar took his silver sausage, on whose bodies white splendor rose up.
Hong——
Finally, the Clear Sky Hammer exploded, black light surrounded by countless snake-like lightning bolts, like a huge dragon in furious billows. Even though the crystallized seawater was already very hard, confronting the roaring black dragon, it crumbled to dust immediately. The intense black light broke through the constraints of the domain, penetrated and flew out of the ring form sea from the other side. Cracking sounds spread out, and the ring form sea seemed to rupture -- countless cracks scattering with astonishing speed.
Relying on his own spirit power, Oscar and Ning Rongrong’s powerful auxiliary spirit abilities and Clear Sky Clan’s formidable hammer skill, Tang San smashed a way out of difficulty.
Xiao Bai felt nothing but an irresistible huge force bursting out, not aimed at her but at her domain. Even if her domain was already at the third stage, at that moment, she still found herself losing every connection with the sea except the darkness before her eyes.
Domains were connected with owners. Since her domain was broken, Xiao Bai inevitably suffered huge impact. Blood was spat out from her huge mouth, dyeing the broken sea water with red. She fainted completely. It wasn’t long, but it was enough for the Shrek Seven Devils.
Nowadays on earth, what was the fastest spirit? Undoubtedly, it was Needle-Tailed Swift, which belonged to the Speed Clan of Tang Sect. Although the spirit power of Bai Chenxiang was just rank fifty, and her spirit abilities were merely four, her speed outmatched everyone in the Shrek Seven Devils. The sausages Ma Hongjun and Oscar had taken was mixed with Bai Chenxiang’s blood, made by Oscar after taking the Erect Gold Fly.
White swings spread out behind their backs. Although it looked a little discordant, it was the fastest way they could adopt at this very moment.
After taking the sausage made of Tang San’s blood, Xiao Wu became a bridge to connect everybody with the blue silver emperor. While Ma Hongjun and Oscar, who were least exhausted, served as the best boosters, took Tang San, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai all together out. The next moment, the exhausted Shrek Seven Devils were already a hundred meters away.
Seven silhouettes dashed out of ring form sea in disorder. The instant they flew out, the ring form sea behind them collapsed with a loud crash, amidst terrifying waves and deafening explosive sounds.
Lying on the beach, everyone was gasping deeply. In order to break through the blocking of Xiao Bai, they tried their best. Perfect plans, from lure to deceit, a variety of abilities that Xiao Bai had never seen before, all became their magic weapons, which led them to victory.
With a splashing sound, the huge head of Xiao Bai broke the sea surface, when the light curtain on the sea was already dying down.
Staring at the seven humans who were lying on the beach and gasping excitedly, Xiao Bai couldn't help saying angrily. “Cunning guys. You’d better pray that you won’t meet me again in the later tests, or I promise you will be in an embarrassing situation. ”
Oscar got up off the beach, laughed and wove his hand -- a string of big sausages was thrown to Xiao Bai, “Let's put the matter aside for the time being. Take them first.”
Xiao Bai caught the sausage and took them. Seeing Oscar’s smile, she didn’t know why the anger in her mind calmed down a little.
Tang San also got up, standing next to Oscar, “Xiao Bai, sorry, we were forced to harm you.”
Xiao Bai snorted twice, but feeling the benefit the Recovery Large Sausages brought to her wound, the corner of her mouth quivered a little -- she wanted to scold them again but stopped.
The other people also got up successively, came next to Tang San and Oscar. Looking at each other, they suddenly bowed to Xiao Bai in the ring form sea simultaneously, till ninety degree.
“Thank you, Xiao Bai.”
When they straightened their backs, Xiao Bai could see the sincere smiles on their faces.
They...Are they thanking me from their heart? Xiao Bai looked at these humans. An emotion that had never existed before was streaming through her heart.
“I don’t want to talk to you boring guys any more. I’m leaving. The later tests won’t be easier either. Take care of yourself.” The voice of Xiao Bai resounded above the sea surface, when she had already turned back and swum into the ring form sea. Her body wiggled several times and disappeared as quickly as an arrow.
Seeing the leaving view of Xiao Bai’s back, Shrek Seven Devils felt somewhat lost. In the last year, Xiao Bai had been not only testing them, but actually accompanying them on their cultivation. Without Xiao Bai, their cooperation and battle skills in the sea wouldn’t have been growing this rapidly. For them, Xiao Bai was not only a teacher but also a friend. Therefore, they were sincerely thanking Xiao Bai for her help.
At this time, seven rays of light appeared on Seven Shrek Devils’ forehead simultaneously. The one on Tang San’s forehead was the golden trident mark, which projected the second light screen of Sea God Nine Tests, broke immediately, transformed into light spots and blended into his body. The screens Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu projected were blood color and the other four were black.
“Skillfully integrating companions’ abilities, giving play to a more powerful strength, and breaking through the defense of hundred thousand year Devil Spirit Great White Shark King. Seagod’s Second Trial, Pass. Sea God Affinity increased by five percent. Total affinity: ten percent.”
Mild golden light swept through the whole body, but this time it was different from the first test. Although Tang San felt his spirit power hadn’t recovered, his spiritual world injured by Xiao Bai became clear and bright suddenly, even more smooth than before. His spiritual force increased visibly and his entire body was bathed in a layer of blue splendor, which permeated his skin gradually.
That was by no means the light of Blue Silver Emperor. It was full of water attribute aura.
The others got the same rewards as in the first test and their spirit power increased by a rank. Besides that, Ning Rongrong additionally got all her spirit rings increase by five hundred years cultivation, and thus her first spirit ring became purple. What Xiao Wu got was still a simple “Rewards superimposed”.
The instant the second test rewards appeared, the third test had already showed up in everyone’s mind.
“Tidal Body Refining? What’s that mean?” Oscar asked in perplexity.
Tang San said, “It seems that our third tests are the same, I have Tidal Body Refining too. But like the first trial, Seagod’s Light, I have Twofold Tidal Body Refining.”
“You will know the meaning of Tidal Body Refining soon. Follow me.” A leisurely voice came. Unconsciously, the noble Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi in red had already appeared next to them, looking at the seven people before her eyes, she showed visible praise in her eyes. It was obvious that she was delighted with the result that Shrek Seven Devils had all passed the second test.
After saying that, Bo Saixi turned and walked to the opposite direction of Seagod Mountain. Her speed wasn’t fast, but every step of her was so smooth that when the Shrek Seven Devils woke up, they had to make their best in order to catch up her, among whom Ning Rongrong had to depend on the help of companions. While Bai Chenxiang who had just flew over even had no time to ask, catching up the others quickly. Xiao Wu’s soul returned from her body and was brought by Tang San.
It was in total four hours since Bo Saixi left. In terms of her speed, although she had controlled her speed deliberately, the length of the road they had traveled in four hours was also considerable.
Through the forest, over the hill, they had also seen many other inner seas within Seagod Island. Seven people followed Bo Saixi closely, and nearly passed all kind of terrain within the island.
When everybody felt difficult to keep their speed because of the high speed, suddenly, a booming sound came. Although they hadn’t seen what that was, the tremendous roaring sound became more and more formidable, as deafening as the rolling thunder.
Bo Saixi floated up and flew to a hundreds-meter mountain peak before them, which was entirely black and thoroughly made of rocks – not even a blade of grass grew there.
The height of hundreds of meters made no difference to Shrek Seven Devils. Soon, they were also on the top of the mountain.
But when they saw the scene before their eyes, their heart were deeply shocked.
What was before their eyes was a valley concave into the Seagod Island, and the outside of it was the vast sea stretching to the horizon. The valley sank from shore into the island for hundreds of meters. Black rocks occupied all the ground, of whom the hardness could be easily felt by just walking on it.
Still, these weren’t what made Shrek Seven Devils astonished. Though the sea was vast, they had seen it before. What really made them astonished was the grand sight how furious waves hit the concave shore.
Strangely, no matter how quiet the seawater outside of the valley was, the instant they entered the valley, they would become mad waves as high as hundreds of meters, and strongly slapped the rocks beneath Shrek Seven Devils’ feet. The tremendous majesty of nature made everyone keep quiet – compared with the sea, how small they were.
“This is the place for your third test, named Furious Waves Strait. It’s one of the extraordinary sights on Seagod Island. Even sea spirit beasts like Devil Spirit Great White Shark won’t come here. Do you know why this valley exists?”
Dai Mubai asked with hesitation, “Wasn’t this formed by washing waves?”
Bo Saixi replied indifferently, “You are right. This valley was formed by waves. Under continuous impacts, rocks are compressed. If there is a chance, you can have a try. Because of the impact in the long term, rocks here are not only as hard as refined steels, but also rendered with high density, which is nearly on a par with silver.”
Tang San asked, ”So actually, our tasks are…”
The instant he opened his mouth, Bo Saixi rose her hands, and suddenly, a ring of sea blue light spread out from her body – nine spirit rings appeared clearly. What made Shrek Seven Devils frightened was that the former eight rings of Bo Saixi were black and the last one was red.
Eight ten thousand years spirit rings and a hundred thousand spirit ring? Despite looking at it, they hadn’t even heard of such situation. Although the Shrek Seven Devils had already been estimating the strength of Bo Saixi, the moment they saw such formidable spirit rings collection on Bo Saixi’s body, they were still unprecedentedly shocked and frightened deeply.
How did she make it? Did she also have two spirits and she was using her second spirit?
No, not that. Tang San rejected this speculation quickly, since behind Bo Saixi’s back, there had already emerged a huge phantom. They couldn’t recognize what that was, but the dignified aura and the stories about Bo Saixi they had heared, all made them understand that, the Seagod Douluo’s spirit was the Sea God. With her loyalty to Sea God and the identity of spokesman of Sea God, how could she have a second spirit?
Blue light shone, but brought no pressure to anyone. The blue light which was as soft as if containing no spirit power wasn’t a spirit ability of Bo Saixi. It seemed that for people who had reached such rank, whether using spirit abilities or not was no longer the key of battle.
Blue light dropped in the valley. Soon, it spread to every corner of the it, when a strange scene appeared.
The valley which was full of furious billows before suddenly became quiet. It became quiet so suddenly that these huge waves seemed to be pushed down by Bo Saixi’s blue light through sheer force, which seemed to have little spirit power
What a formidable strength! Relying on one’s own force, fighting against nature, and getting the upper hand. Although this was the first time Shrek Seven Devils saw Bo Saixi’s true strength, they still had a brand new awareness about rank ninety ninety peak douluo. If common Title Douluos were mighty, their mighty were still human force, whereas what ninety ninety peak Douluos had were already non-human force, but part of the power of nature.
Blue light grew abruptly. Being next to Bo Saixi, Tang San could clearly see that a layer of intense blue light lighted up in Bo Saixi’s eyes. Soon, above the quiet sea surface held down by the light, seven grey pillars rose up slowly. Their speed grew so quickly that Shrek Seven Devils noticed them immediately.
On the top of every pillars, there were horizontally placed thin pillars, which were fused with the thick pillars. They looked like a circle of crosses. On each of them there were five grey rings in total.
If other people saw that, they must suppose them to be stone pillars since these crosses really looked like grey stones. But Tang San gained an insight into them by using his Purple Demon Eyes.
“Deep Sea Sunken Silver, these are Deep Sea Sunken Silver.” Considering Tang San’s firmness of will, he couldn’t help but exclaim in alarm. No one knew more about the rarity of Deep Sea Sunken Silver than him. In fact, the material of making Torrential Pear Blossom Needle exactly required the silver origin of Deep Sea Sunken Silver, which could be absolutely refined from Deep Sea Sunken Silver. Seeing the one meter diameter seven pillars soaring to about fifty meters height, Tang San was deeply shocked – how many Deep Sea Sunken Silver it would require to build this! Actually, equal volume of Deep Sea Sunken Silver was much heavier than gold, thus it might be hundreds thousands kilograms of these seven huge pillars. While Tang San was calculating, they had already soared up from the sea by the unknown energy of Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi.
“Here, is the place for your third test. I will wait here all the time for your test. If anyone who can’t endure, just open your mouth and seek help. Black five tests candidates need to persist for three hours on the Sunken Silver pillars; six tests candidates for four hours, seven tests candidates for five hours, as to you…” The sight of Bo Saixi fell over Tang San, saying slowly, “Seagod nine tests candidate, twelve hours. In the initial stage of testing, you can shorten the time a little. Nevertheless from now on, in the next three hundred and sixty five days, the average time of your testing must be what I have said, otherwise you won’t pass.”
It was now when everybody realized what the third test was. It was actually letting them endure the impact of the waves and furious billows, which was the so called Tidal Body Refining.
“Then let's begin. Don’t push yourself too much, everyone. Thank you, senior.” Tang San said loudly. Since they came here, they had no other choices but finish tests grant by Sea God, which was also the pressure they had been expected.
Blue lights transformed into seven threads, and fell over on seven people’s bodies. At the next minute, in the shining light, Shrek Seven Devils just felt their body became light a little and then floated to Sunken Silver pillars respectively.
Seven Sunken Silver pillars were located according to a triangle – there was one pillar furthest in front, and then two, four… Seven in total.
Without doubt, Tang San landed before the first pillar. Then a silver light lit up on it, and Tang San felt as if his body was wrapped, and glued on the cross of the Sunken Silver pillar. Five Sunken Silver rings on it fastened his body on the neck, waist, feet and wrists, keeping him tightly on the Sunken Silver pillar.
The other six people’s situations were the same as Tang San’s. Behind his back, there were exactly Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong and the four after them were Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar and Ma Hongjun.
Right after Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi Retracted her hand, blue light faded away gradually, then a strange stress pervaded Shrek Seven Devils’ hearts quickly. Now their spirit power had already been consumed more than half, therefore when they recalled the scene of furious billows hitting shore, they were still somewhat nervous.
Without Bo Saixi’s energy restriction, the water beneath everyone’s feet began to surge. Fifty meters was a really high height, but with the waves surging, the water beneath them was also coming closer and closer to them. The sound of waves hitting the rocks also came.
Soon, a huge wave had already gone up to the same level as theirs and then blew to them. In a huge sound, the first wave slapped on Tang San’s body and then slapped on Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong and other four people behind them.
With billowy momentum, waves hit the seven people strongly, whereas this gave them a kind of weird feeling – the waves didn’t possess strong impact they had expected. It was strong though, they could endure absolutely. With the fastening of Sunken Silver rings, they didn’t need to fear being washed away by sea water and the Sunken Silver pillars were also absolutely firm under the impact of sea water.
Could it be that the third test was easier than the former two tests? The same doubt appeared simultaneously in Shrek Seven Devils’ hearts, nevertheless their doubt only continued no more than a stick of incense, then their complexion began to change.
Sure, the first group of impact of waves wasn’t that strong. However, what they were going to face was impacts that never stopped.
Before the first group of waves had gone away, the second group of waves had already rushed over. Although the waves soared to a hundred meter high and then hit down strongly, for their bodies of spirit sage, it brought little discomfort to them. But after more than ten hits, they had to use their spirit power to withstand it. Because of the continuous impact, their bodies had already showed sense of numbness. It wasn’t pain, but it was numb, from their vessels, flesh, bones and every other part of their bodies.
The furious waves were just like a power with powerful spirit power and his constant energy form attacks. Every attack would cover their whole body. Therefore in the next quarter of an hour, everyone of them would bear hundreds of attacks. Numbness was transforming into pain gradually, nevertheless because of the excessive exhaustion before, their spirit power wasn’t enough to protect their bodies, thus they had to endure the impact by sheer force.
Among the seven, Tang San, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai were in better condition since their bodies’ strength were better than other people. Especially for Tang San and Xiao Wu, without using spirit abilities, their bodies were the strongest. After going through countless trainings, Tang San’s body had already reached an extent of formidable toughness. In terms of Xiao Wu, she was not only cultivated from hundred thousand spirit beast, but also remoulded by the Yearning Heartbroken Red, whose function was making body invulnerable. Therefore although Xiao Wu’s soul wasn’t controlling her body, the toughness of her body was inferior only to Tang San’s. Therefore even Dai Mubai couldn’t surpass her without using spirit abilities, let alone that she had a Wishful Eight Treasure Soft Armour which could protect her body.
The one who was in the worst condition was Ning Rongrong. Among seven Sunken Silver pillars, the more in front one was, the larger impact they would suffer. After Tang San in the first place, there were Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu. In terms of their body condition, Ning Rongrong was much worse than Xiao Wu. If she hadn’t gained the benefit of the stress of Seagod light in the first test, she could have fallen unconscious in hundreds of impact of waves. Even though the toughness of her body was much higher than ordinary auxiliary system spirit masters, she still felt limp and numb from head to foot -- ineffably painful.
Tang San was bearing the waves in the front, nevertheless for him, hundreds of impact wasn’t so serious. Although it was much harder than the waterfall at that time, his body was also hair-raisingly tough. While he was bearing the waves, he could also pay close attention to his friends’ situation. When he noticed Ning Rongrong’s situation, he opened his Blue Silver Domain, and separated a part to Ning Rongrong.
Being stimulated by Blue Silver Domain, the vitality of Ning Rongrong herself was recovering quickly, and her defense was also enhanced a little, thus she could support herself narrowly.
Soon, they found another problem that in the third test, any kind of auxiliary spirit ability was invalid.
After the second test, the seal of spirit abilities of Tang San and Ning Rongrong was broken, but now Ning Rongrong still couldn’t use her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile. This wasn’t because of seal but that the endless waves wouldn’t allow her to use her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile. In spite of Oscar, since his hands were fastened, even if he could produce sausages, he had no way to eat them.
At the same time, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun all found any of their amplifying abilities went invalid, such as White Tiger Vajra Transformation and Bathing Fire Phoenix – none of these were available, therefore they had to withstand the impact of waves by sheer force.
To the Shrek Seven Devils, the seven Sunken Silver pillars were just like anvils using for forging while their bodies were the metal being forged, and the endless waves were the striking of a hammer.
Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi crossed her legs and sat on the top of the mountain, looking at them. From that day, the Shrek Seven Devils would suffer painful experience for three hundred and sixty five days.
At the beginning, even for Tang San whose body was the toughest, he could only persist six hours, before his body was already so numb that he couldn’t even sense anything. And the other people saved by Bo Saixi were also weakly lying there, lacking strength to move even a little.
Following the feeling of numbness, the feeling of pain -- as if being penetrated by thousands of needles -- put them to the limit, which lasted for more than a dozen hours in total before they recovered and started cultivating.
It was not until now, after trying, did they understand that the third test which seemed easier than the first and the second test was actually much more painful.
If say the first test was to test their spirit power and the second test was to test their actual combat ability in the sea, then the third test was to strengthen their bodies. And without exception, all of these tests were testing their perseverance. Just, the formidability of the third test brought them a brand new awareness.
Next, the Shrek Seven Devils started their three hundred and sixty five days which for them were no better than to die. Ning Rongrong was the one who suffered the most. Although Oscar would give her a large number of sausages to eat, with even Erect Gold Fly in order to increase her body resistance, yet every time after testing, Ning Rongrong still felt extremely painful.
Still, she persisted. At the beginning, she couldn’t persist for even half an hour, but it prolonged to one hours, two hours, three hours and four hours. Till the end of the third month, Ning Rongrong finally could persist for five hours narrowly, nevertheless she still need to bear more in order to make up what she left in the prior three months.
In the initial month, even the toughest Tang San couldn’t help cursing the Sea God unspokenly when he felt unbearably painful. The test was just too abnormal. Enduring the torment of incomparable pain, they felt that they were no better than in the hell. However, as time went by, after another one month, they found that under endless impact of waves, their breath could change with the fluctuation of waves, and their bodies had become tougher.
Such situation became more and more visible. After three months, they even found that when they were bearing the impact of waves, they not only felt little pain, but also felt comfortable. Of course, such feeling would change into unbearable feeling again as impacts accumulated, nonetheless the improvement of their bodies made them persist by gritting their teeth.
As is the saying goes, no pain no gain, without such kind of torment, how could their strength improve so rapidly?
Seagod Douluo just sat on the top of the mountain and gave them necessary rescue. No one had seen her leave, but everyday she would bring a lavish feast for the Shrek Seven Devils to eat. Bai Chenxiang completely became a logistics worker. When Shrek Seven Devils were rolling on the ground due to pain, she would attend them. And when their clothes wore out, she would sew them up.
After six months there, an incredible scene appeared. When Dai Mubai unconsciously waved his fist, he surprisedly found that it was actually followed by a kind of roaring sound like the sea. And it seemed that his body movement also became similar to sea waves. His spirit power increased, nevertheless he found it wasn’t simply the improvement of spirit power that merited. Since his body strength was enhanced geometrically, when spirit power combined with it, he could give play to more powerful attacks.
The second surprise was found by Tang San. When he touched Xiao Wu that had no soul, her skin fluctuated spontaneously, as if it was neutralizing his force like the sea waves.
Through trying, they found that this happened to everyone of them. Improvement of body force and neutralizing ability of skin, were undoubtedly all from the terrifying waves.
It was now when they felt the happy after suffering. Moreover, Tang San, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun whose bodies were stronger had already been increasing their cultivating time in sea waves.
In the last three months, Tang San would even endure for over twelve hours, till he got exhausted. After he went ashore, he would cultivate about three hours before he went in waves again.
Today was the first day of the last month of Furious Billows Impasse. Tang San arrived at Sunken Silver pillar familiarly. Now he could restrict the waves and get to his own place by his own force, without Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi’s help.
With Sunken Silver rings fastening his body and limbs, he breathed deeply, when the first group of huge waves was blowing to him. With loud sounds resounding, a comfortable sense came from every corner of his body, which was really cosy. Mysterious Heaven Skill within his body worked with the hitting waves – skin, muscles, vessels, even bones would create a slight rhythm.