"Zhuqing, are you alright?" Ning Rongrong helped Zhu Zhuqing up, asking with concern.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head. Although her face was pale, she wasn't seriously hurt. "I'm fine. Although that person punched hard just now, there was no killing intent. After dispersing my Martial Soul True Body, he withdrew the remaining force in his fist. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to stand now. It's just that I can't activate my Martial Soul True Body for a while, and my combat strength has dropped significantly."
"It's alright. Let's think of another way." Ning Rongrong put away her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and said. Even with her boost, Zhu Zhuqing without her True Body could not possibly be a match for Seahorse Douluo. Now, they had to fight side by side.
"That Seahorse guy is really ruthless. Although he's not the strongest among us, he's definitely the most serious. No wonder these two girls chose him as their final opponent."
The other Sea Douluo were watching the trial from not far away. Seeing Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing forced to a desperate situation by Seahorse Douluo, the Sea Maiden Douluo, the one with the best temper, felt a bit uneasy. Although she had thrown a little tantrum earlier, it was like a child's: coming and going quickly.
After Huan Yin comforted her for a moment, she'd completely recovered.
"Rongrong, Zhuqing, good luck!" Yu Tianheng and the others, having completed their own trials, came to the Seahorse Sacred Pillar to cheer them on.
"Hmph, encouragement doesn't help strength. These two won't get stronger just because you cheer for them!" Seahorse Douluo snorted coldly. Although he was gentle by nature, he was also the most serious. If Ning Rongrong didn't show enough strength today, she would absolutely not earn his recognition.
While Ning Rongrong was swapping Martial Souls, beneath Seahorse Douluo's feet, his ninth soul ring slowly rose.
"Rongrong, be careful! It's the ninth spirit skill!" Zhu Zhuqing cried urgently.
"Ice Empress Bodyguard, Demonic Ice Mirror!" There was no time to switch Martial Souls again. Without hesitation, Ning Rongrong set up the same defensive array she had used against Sea Ghost Douluo.
From afar, Sea Ghost Douluo shook his head. "It's useless. Seahorse's physical attack is many times stronger than mine, and he's using his ninth soul skill. It's impossible to defend with just those mirrors and armor."
"Ninth Soul Skill: Heaven-shaking Tornado Annihilation Fist!" Seahorse Douluo shouted, punching out a massive tornado. The force of this punch was stronger than ever before, causing the entire Sea within the Sea to boil.
Upon seeing this punch, even Poseidon Douluo Bo Saixi fell into a moment of reminiscence. Years ago, Sea God Island had faced a disaster—an undersea volcanic eruption. Seahorse Douluo's punch had directly quelled the entire volcano.
Among the seven Sea Douluo, perhaps only Sea Dragon Douluo dared to compete with him in terms of fists. Even the powerful Sea Spear Douluo would have to avoid this punch.
The ten ice mirrors shattered in an instant, and Ning Rongrong's ice armor also dispersed into countless ice crystals.
With two screams, the two girls were struck by the tornado at the same time.
"Rongrong! Zhuqing!" The audience cried out in alarm.
At that moment, a figure was sent flying like a broken kite—it was Zhu Zhuqing.
Bai Chenxiang leapt up and caught her.
Zhu Zhuqing had already fainted. In the last moment, she had pulled Ning Rongrong behind her, taking most of the force herself.
But Ning Rongrong did not waste the opportunity Zhu Zhuqing had bought for her with self-sacrifice. She struck out with her palm, producing a whirlwind that clashed against the tornado.
Although the ice mirrors and armor couldn't block the Heaven-shaking Tornado Annihilation Fist, they had weakened much of Seahorse Douluo's force.
That was enough. In fact, the moment Seahorse Douluo threw that punch, Ning Rongrong's two big sisters in her spiritual sea had already told her how to counterattack.
"Rongrong, when my power and Snow Empress's power combine, besides the Snowy Dance of Ultimate Ice, there's another ultimate attack soul skill. In the world today, only you can replicate this move."
"Carry the pride of Snow Empress and me. You cannot lose. Fight back!"
Encouraged by Ice Empress and Snow Empress, Ning Rongrong raised her other hand.
When the power of Ice Empress and Snow Empress focused into one palm, forming a great blizzard tornado of pure white and emerald green, the strongest move of the Extreme North appeared.
This move was—
"Pride of the Ice and Snow Empresses!" Ning Rongrong roared. The blizzard tornado kept growing. The scales of victory began to tilt. No matter how strong Seahorse Douluo's ninth soul skill was, it couldn't match the top move from the Extreme North.
The force of the Heaven-shaking Tornado Annihilation Fist was pushed back at great speed.
"What?!" Seahorse Douluo's eyes widened. Before he could react, the terrifying cold had already turned him into an ice statue.
"Hah… hah…" Ning Rongrong knelt on the ground in relief. With her current cultivation, forcing out the Pride of the Two Empress was like Tianlin using the Heaven and Earth Primal Spirit Slash; she had completely exhausted her soul power.
But the move was indeed powerful. Even though she couldn't fully unleash its power, it was already enough to make up for the gap between Soul Douluo and Title Douluo, allowing her to challenge above her level.
With Seahorse Douluo frozen, the outcome of the battle was decided. Ning Rongrong had successfully passed the fifth trial.
A beam of Sea God's Light descended from the sky:
["Ning Rongrong, fifth Sea God Trial passed. Sea God affinity increased by 10%. Current affinity: 45%."]
["Zhu Zhuqing, for assisting the inheritor in passing the fifth trial, soul power increased by one level. Now at level 78!"]
As expected, Ning Rongrong's affinity for the fifth trial wasn't high. When Tianlin passed the fifth, his affinity was 55. In the original work, Tang San had 50.
There was no helping it. In this trial, she had been too clever in the previous four rounds. Even a 10% increase was good.
Zhu Zhuqing also received a reward, bringing her closer to becoming a Soul Douluo. The Sea God's Light seemed to have healed her injuries; she could now stand up.
At this moment, Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi descended, first dispelling the ice around Seahorse Douluo, then turning and saying,
"Ning Rongrong, congratulations on passing the fifth trial. However, your performance did not fully satisfy the Sea God. Therefore, the difficulty of the sixth trial will be increased."
"Originally, your sixth trial was to withstand the joint attacks of the seven Sea God Sacred Pillar Douluo for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn. Now, because of the increased difficulty, it has changed. Instead of the seven Sea Douluo, it will be me. I will allow you all to face the trial together. Get ready."