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At this moment, Ye Wen couldn't shake the feeling that something about Bo Saixi seemed off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
However, considering her sincere faith and the fact that she was one of the rare 99th-level Ultimate Douluos, Ye Wen decided not to overcomplicate things.
"Since that's the case, you will continue to serve as my High Priest, Bo Saixi."
"In addition, as a reward for your years of devout faith, I grant you immortality and the position of godhood."
As Ye Wen spoke, he raised his hand once more. An invisible ripple spread across the entire Sea God Island, gathering the surging faith energy into Ye Wen's palm.
The faith energy of a single soul master—even a Title Douluo—was difficult to detect. But when the faith of tens of thousands of soul masters on the Sea God Island converged in one place, the legendary faith energy became tangible and visible to everyone present.
Though the soul masters of the Sea God Island couldn't see it clearly, they could feel the grandeur and majesty of the faith energy deep within their hearts, prompting them to kneel in worship once again.
Ye Wen waved his hand lightly, and the faith energy flowed into Bo Saixi's body.
At that moment, Bo Saixi's beautiful eyes widened abruptly. She could feel her cultivation, which had been stuck at the early stage of Limit Douluo for countless years, skyrocketing. In an instant, she reached the level of a demi-god, then ascended to the level of a quasi-god. Subsequently, her body began to undergo a transformation from deep within her bloodline.
She had become a god!
As the saying goes, "Difficult for those who don't know, easy for those who do." For Ye Wen, helping someone without a god position achieve godhood at rank 100 was incredibly simple.
Although Bo Saixi's cultivation had been artificially boosted to rank 99 through Bo Saixi's trials, her innate talent was only sufficient to reach the level of a Super Douluo. However, by the standards of this era's Douluo Continent, her potential was already exceedingly rare. Thus, promoting such a subordinate didn't put Ye Wen at a loss.
After a brief moment of shock, Bo Saixi quickly regained her composure. After all, she was an elder who had lived through hundreds of years.
Though her outward demeanor remained calm, the inner turmoil was undeniable.
This was the legendary achievement of reaching rank 100 and becoming a god! Today, she had not only easily escaped her former death sentence but also attained the realm countless soul masters dreamed of achieving.
Thus, Bo Saixi once again prostrated herself before Ye Wen with the utmost reverence, offering the full-body prostration ritual. It seemed that only this gesture could express the gratitude and admiration welling up within her heart.
As for her earlier doubts about whether Ye Wen was the original Sea God, it no longer mattered to her. Bo Saixi knew that without Ye Wen's arrival, she would have been nothing more than a sacrificial pawn for the next Sea God's ascension. Now, all she needed to know was that Ye Wen had saved her and elevated her further—a debt she could never repay, even with her life.
Ye Wen accepted Bo Saixi's gratitude with equanimity and said:
"Rise. This is what you deserve for spreading the faith of the Sea God."
He then turned his gaze toward the densely packed soul masters of the Sea God Island, pondered for a moment, and continued:
"I wish not for dominion, but I cannot let the common folk suffer. Now that I have attained godhood, I must secure blessings for all sentient beings. As my earliest believers, I will respond to your faith.
Therefore, starting today, I shall establish new trials on the Sea God Island."
With these words, Ye Wen pointed his Sea God Trident toward the distance, where the Sea God Trials' facilities were located—the Sea God's Light Staircase, a place designed to push soul masters' physical limits and increase their foundational strength by ascending different numbers of stairs.
As Ye Wen pointed toward the Sea God's Light Staircase, it began to transform. The staircase, which originally had over a thousand steps, rapidly changed and condensed into just a hundred steps.
After examining his handiwork, Ye Wen nodded in satisfaction and declared:
"From now on, it shall be called the Divine Ascension Stairway." He then looked at the crowd.
"As its name suggests, anyone who completes the climb of the Divine Ascension Stairway will achieve godhood like the High Priest.
Moreover, the Divine Ascension Stairway has another advantage—it provides the best simulated training environment corresponding to each step for soul masters, aiding in their cultivation. It is no longer merely a pressure-inducing trial."
The crowd on the Sea God Island was initially stunned, but soon their eyes lit up with ecstatic joy.
Though sea soul masters naturally had the best simulated training environment when facing the ocean, the Divine Ascension Stairway surpassed even that.
Some quick-thinking individuals realized that if they could break through their current levels and reach higher sections of the stairway, their training would become even more effective!
With this realization, their eyes burned even brighter with determination.
Ye Wen noticed their fervent gazes but chose not to elaborate. Cultivation was inherently brutal. He had already given them a massive cheat—did he need to hold their hands and guide them every step of the way? He wasn't their nanny; he was their boss, their ultimate superior.
Feeling another surge of intense faith energy, Ye Wen nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly what he wanted—effort deserved reward, after all.
After another round of frenzied worship, cheers, and praise, Ye Wen dismissed the crowd, leaving only Bo Saixi and the Holy Pillar Douluos behind.
There was nothing more to say to Bo Saixi—Ye Wen had already bestowed her reward. Now it was time for the seven Holy Pillars. Though they corresponded to the seven elders of the Spirit Hall, their quality was lackluster. Even the strongest among them, the Sea Dragon Douluo, was only at rank 95—still weaker than the weakest of the seven elders by one level. Their worth was self-evident.
The seven Holy Pillars were the Sea Dragon, Sea Spear, Sea Fantasy, Sea Horse, Sea Ghost, Sea Star, and Sea Maiden.
To prepare for the future confrontation with the divine realm, Ye Wen urgently needed god-level subordinates—but quality mattered. These individuals had achieved their Title Douluo status through watered-down Sea God Trials. Promoting them directly to god-level officials would only result in cannon fodder, wasting divine power without any real benefit.
After some thought, Ye Wen spoke:
"You've worked hard all these years. However, as the new Sea God, I do not agree with the old Sea God Poseidon's philosophy. Life should be free, especially for the children of the sea. How can they be confined to this tiny island?"
"Therefore, if any of you wish to step down from your current duties, you may tell me. I will allow you to return to the sea and seek your true path in life."
The seven Holy Pillar Douluos exchanged glances. Even the most lively and energetic among them, the Sea Maiden Douluo, did not voice a resignation. After exchanging looks, they all knelt halfway, their right hands placed over their chests.
The leader, the Sea Dragon Douluo, spoke solemnly: "Your Majesty, you speak too humbly. Though we are born free, we are also your subjects. Serving you is our lifelong aspiration."
Upon hearing this, Ye Wen paused momentarily, surprised. Their strength was truly abysmal. In his original world, he hadn't relied on them at all, instead meticulously plotting Tang San's demise to ascend to godhood.
However, times had changed. Ye Wen couldn't afford to remain in the shadows as he had before, biding his time to backstab the divine realm. This time, he intended to face challenges head-on, and these seven might serve as useful pawns.
Still, their poor talent was undeniable.
But soon, Ye Wen smiled confidently. Before him stood the encyclopedia of gods. As long as he found the right path, there was no such thing as a useless subordinate.
- The Sea Maiden Douluo hailed from the mermaid race, half-human and half-soul beast. Her martial soul, the Sea Demon Flute, combined with her natural mermaid singing voice, made her perfectly suited for the path of sound waves.
- The Sea Star Douluo's martial soul, the Sea Star, appeared weak at first glance. However, Ye Wen knew that the sea star martial soul possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities. If developed for close combat, it held great promise. Though his current soul skills were lackluster, replacing them with better ones using divine power would be simple.
- The Sea Ghost Douluo's martial soul, the Devil Ray, had excellent spiritual attributes. Combined with the Devil Ray's inherent illusionary abilities, he was suited for the path of phantasmal gods.
- The Sea Fantasy Douluo's martial soul, the Illusory Snake, was highly unique. Similar to the Dream God of the Tian Dou Royal Academy's Black Demon martial soul, it possessed both illusory and toxic properties. Together, these attributes made attacks nearly impossible to defend against, making him suitable for speed or illusion-based paths.
- The Sea Spear Douluo's martial soul, the Sea Spear, was an elemental martial soul composed entirely of water. It could manipulate seawater to launch attacks, making it highly compatible with the Sea God position. Unfortunately, his innate talent was lacking; otherwise, Poseidon would likely have passed his god position to him, as his own trident martial soul was similar.
- The Sea Dragon Douluo's martial soul, the Sea Dragon, was a commendable martial soul akin to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, classified as a True Dragon. Whether pursuing the path of the Water God or the War God, the Sea Dragon Douluo was highly suitable. The only drawback was his subpar cultivation talent.
After evaluating the seven Holy Pillar Douluos, Ye Wen spoke:
"You heard me earlier—I intend to transform the entire Douluo Plane into my personal garden. To achieve this, I need powerful subordinates to help me govern it.
Do you have the confidence to complete my trials and assist me in managing the Douluo Plane?
However, I must warn you—your talents are insufficient. The trials I impose will differ from the old Sea God Trials and will be far harsher, even carrying the risk of death.
You may still refuse if you wish."
To Ye Wen's surprise, the seven Douluos didn't exchange glances this time. Instead, they all raised their heads, their resolve evident in their unwavering gazes.
Ye Wen chuckled softly. "Congratulations, you've passed the first test.
In that case, let me share some good news in advance. If you succeed in the trials, you will achieve godhood like Bo Saixi and share in this eternal existence."
The eyes of the seven Holy Pillar Douluos brightened even further. They inwardly praised their new boss for his generosity—such a reward for achieving godhood was being offered outright!
With Bo Saixi now overseeing the Sea God Island, there was no immediate need for the seven Holy Pillar Douluos to protect it. Ye Wen immediately took action, waving his Sea God Trident to open a spatial rift.
Behind the rift lay the inheritance realm originally prepared by Bo Saixi for the Sea God's legacy.
Though the inheritance realm had lost its purpose after Ye Wen forcibly seized the god position, it was constructed from materials of the divine realm and brimming with abundant divine power. With a few modifications, it would serve as an excellent trial ground for achieving godhood.
Ye Wen understood that transforming the body into a divine form was relatively easy—simply exchanging it for one composed of divine power. The true challenge lay in the spiritual aspect. Without adequate mental fortitude, even possessing divine power would leave one perpetually stuck at the lowest level of godhood, unable to progress.
"Enter," Ye Wen instructed. "I have prepared your trials. Remember who you are and do not lose yourselves within. Failure means death."
Ye Wen's stern words dampened the excitement that had briefly risen in the seven Douluos. Though their hearts trembled with apprehension, they solemnly acknowledged his warning and stepped forward resolutely.
What soul master didn't yearn to reach higher realms?
The Holy Pillar Douluos were well aware of their own limitations. Without Ye Wen's assistance, they would remain stagnant for life. Now, the opportunity for godhood was laid out before them. To hesitate further would only invite ridicule.
As the seven Holy Pillar Douluos entered the inheritance realm, Ye Wen turned to Bo Saixi and said:
"In the future, if any soul masters on the Sea God Island break through to Title Douluo, you may ask if they wish to enter this inheritance realm. If they decline, do not force them."
Bo Saixi nodded in agreement, but she sensed Ye Wen's intention to leave and hesitantly asked:
"My Lord, does this mean you're leaving Sea God Island? Where are you going? May I accompany you?"
Ye Wen chuckled softly and shook his head. "There's no need, Bo Saixi. You are not an accessory to anyone.
If you ever grow tired of staying on the Sea God Island and wish to explore the world, I will leave behind a strand of divine consciousness. Simply inform it, and I will arrange for someone to take over your duties as the Sea God High Priest."
Bo Saixi, who had always been a strong-willed woman, had never been treated so gently before. Her heart raced wildly. This feeling, far more stirring than anything she'd experienced with Tang Chen, left her momentarily flustered.
However, having firmly resolved her faith, Bo Saixi quickly regained her composure and spoke earnestly:
"My Lord speaks too humbly. As your High Priest, I will forever remain your loyal servant and follow your commands."
Ye Wen felt somewhat exasperated but reasoned that Bo Saixi had always been stubborn. Once she set her mind on something, she would pursue it relentlessly, as long as it didn't violate the rules.
"Very well, do as you wish. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Though this world belongs to me now, I believe it will one day belong to you as well. Train diligently. When you reach the limit of your current realm, I will guide you to the next step. Do not disappoint my expectations, Bo Saixi."
With that, Ye Wen left behind a strand of divine consciousness and slipped away like someone fleeing.
However, Bo Saixi's heart only grew fonder.
Bo Saixi: My beloved Sea God cares for me. What a wonderful feeling!
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