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The Goddess of Life's gentle voice rang out, filled with deep regret: "He has done enough, even... too much. The pain and risks he has endured have long exceeded the original meaning of the trials. Continuing would only be meaningless torment and consumption. His will no longer needs to be proven; his potential has already been displayed. Perhaps... it's time to adjust the rules and give him a real chance at survival?"
The God of Goodness's gentle gaze also turned to Asura God. Although he didn't speak, the meaning in his eyes was self-evident.
The God of Destruction was wreathed in purple lightning. After a moment of silence, he said in a deep voice, "Rules are not unchangeable. His performance deserves an exception."
All the God Kings' gazes ultimately focused on Asura God.
He had set these trials, and the final decision-making power rested in his hands.
"Impossible."
Asura God's face was expressionless, his blood-red eyes fixed on Xuan Ming, who was meditating cross-legged in the light mirror. His cold voice slowly sounded.
"The first trial not only tests his ability to solve problems but also his choices, temperament, and limits in desperate situations."
"Time pressure is part of the test. If we lower the difficulty because it seems impossible, what meaning would the test have?"
"He could have chosen to seek the Silver Dragon King's help; that was a shortcut and a path to survival we left for him. But he refused and chose this most difficult path. Since he chose it, he must bear the consequences."
"Now that he seems to be at his wit's end, you want to relax the conditions?"
"We can go easy on him, but will reality go easy on him if he's not capable enough?"
"He didn't have to be involved in this matter. As long as he gave up entanglement with the Dragon Clan and didn't touch the mess left by the Dragon God, his future would have been smooth sailing. But how did he choose?"
"What's more..."
His gaze swept over the gods present: "Lowering the difficulty? That means negating all his efforts and choices so far, it means admitting our initial judgment was wrong, it means the path he chose was futile from the beginning."
"He won't accept such charity. His pride won't allow it."
"But..." The God of Evil still wanted to argue.
Asura God interrupted him directly: "No 'buts'. Either he finds a way to break the situation that we hadn't anticipated in this last month, creating a true miracle. Or, he accepts failure and bears the consequences along with the Silver Dragon King."
"The Dragon God's mess is even more troublesome than this. If he can't even get past this point, why should we believe he has the ability to solve that problem?"
"Since he chose this path, it's either success or death!"
"..."
Inside the divine hall, an even deeper silence fell once again.
The God of Evil paused, then a strange smile slowly curved his lips, and he said no more.
The Goddess of Life sighed softly, her worry undiminished, but she no longer tried to persuade.
The God of Goodness nodded slightly.
The purple lightning around the God of Destruction calmed down.
They all understood Asura God's meaning.
Xuan Ming had, with his madness and determination, earned the... recognition and respect of all the God Kings, including Asura God.
They would not interfere, would not lower the difficulty, and would not give any form of leniency.
They chose to... witness.
Witness him either erupt completely at his limit and cross that seemingly insurmountable chasm.
Or, in the extreme brilliance, meet destruction.
This was the greatest respect for the path he had chosen... Time flew by in a highly tense and oppressive atmosphere, and soon the last day arrived.
An invisible cloud seemed to hang over Sea God Island, making it hard to breathe.
Ning Rongrong, Hu Liena, and the others had long since stopped their respective trials. They gathered on the beach, their eyes fixed on the heaven-reaching staircase, filled with anxiety and helplessness.
Bo Saixi no longer just stood by and watched. After Xuan Ming fused with the Sea God's Heart and displayed that almost miraculous potential, she chose to intervene.
Whenever Xuan Ming began to guide the Seagod's Light to purify the Blood Spear, she would transform her vast, ocean-like spirit power into the purest and gentlest energy, continuously injecting it into Xuan Ming's body, doing her best to help him stabilize his condition and prolong his endurance.
This was the only thing she, as the High Priest, could do, and it was something she was willing to do wholeheartedly.
Watching this young man struggle back from the brink of death again and again, her heart, which had been dormant for a century, had long been stirred beyond calm.
However, even with the full assistance of a super Douluo, the purification progress of the Blood Spear remained despairingly slow.
The chaotic will core of that fierce weapon was like the most stubborn reef. No matter how the Seagod's Light washed over it, it only wore away layer after layer of its "outer shell." Its deepest essence, condensed from endless slaughter and resentment, remained unmoving.
At this rate, let alone one day, even if given another year, it might not be completely successful.
Xiao Wu and A Rou's anxiety grew thicker. They approached Xuan Ming several times, but each time Xuan Ming refused them.
Bo Saixi had privately sought them out, her words blunt and cruel: Xuan Ming's Seagod Nine Trials had no room for failure. It was either success or... death.
There was no room for maneuver.
Bo Saixi didn't know why she was doing such an "extra" thing, but this was the only way she knew to help Xuan Ming resolve this matter... It was the last day.
When Xuan Ming stood up again, preparing for what might be his last ascent, Xiao Wu and A Rou finally could no longer endure it.
"Xuan Ming!" Xiao Wu rushed forward, tears in her eyes, her tone resolute, "Let me help you! With my sacrifice! This is the fastest method!"
A Rou followed closely, blocking Xiao Wu's front, looking at Xuan Ming with determined eyes: "Use mine! Xuan Ming, let me do it! Xiao Wu is still young; her life has just begun!"
Looking at the mother and daughter who were willing to sacrifice their lives for him, an extremely complex fluctuation flashed in Xuan Ming's ice-blue eyes, but it was quickly replaced by absolute calmness.
He didn't speak but struck like lightning.
Bang! Bang!
With two muffled thuds, Xiao Wu and A Rou didn't even react before they felt a pain in the back of their necks, their vision went black, and they softly fell down.
Xuan Ming reached out to support them, gently placing the unconscious two on the ground. He looked up at Bo Saixi, his voice calm but with an undeniable entrustment: "Please watch over them. It's the last day; don't let them do anything foolish."
Bo Saixi looked at him deeply and nodded: "Don't worry."
Xuan Ming no longer hesitated. He turned and resolutely stepped onto the white jade staircase leading to the clouds once more.
His steps were still steady, moving upwards one by one, enduring increasingly terrifying pressure, finally stopping at the height that was most efficient for him.
The golden Seagod's Light engulfed him like a raging tide.
Xuan Ming closed his eyes, his entire mind sinking into his body, into the Blood Spear that was intertwined with his life.
Three months of frantic tempering, scene after scene, flashed through his mind.
He knew the essence of this Blood Spear better than anyone.
Purification? That was simply a pipe dream.
This fierce weapon, with the millennium accumulation of Slaughter City as its origin, born from endless death and resentment, its ferocity and chaos were its foundation, its source of power.
The so-called "purification" was tantamount to self-destruction.
Everything he had done in the past three months, using the Seagod's Light to frantically attack, his fundamental goal was never purification.
What he was doing was tempering! It was suppression!
Like forging a piece of impure stubborn iron, using a thousand hammerings and a hundred refinements to shake and suppress the impurities, and to temper the toughness of the iron blank itself to the extreme!
At the same time, he was maximally wearing down and suppressing that chaotic and violent "pseudo-Spirit" that was forcibly melded from countless fragments of slaughter!
What he wanted was not a purified Spirit that had lost its edge.
What he wanted was a peerless fierce weapon that was completely subservient to him, still ferocious but obeying only his command!
And now, the tempering and suppression had reached their limit.
That chaotic pseudo-Spirit, under the continuous impact of the Seagod's Light, was already exhausted, revealing a faint "blank space" at its very core.
This was the space he had desperately fought for for his own will!
Deep within Xuan Ming's core consciousness, two distinctly different yet closely connected "thoughts" were clearly operating.
This was the unique talent brought by that strange mutation when he awakened his Spirit.
It could be said that he possessed two independently operating thought cores, or even a split soul origin.
But he hated the feeling of a split personality and had always kept these two thoughts highly unified and coordinated. It was precisely because of this that he was able to cultivate constantly and possess control over power beyond ordinary people.
And now, it was time for this talent to play its true role.
If the Blood Spear had to be endowed with a complete, absolutely loyal will... then that will could only be his own!
It could only come from the soul origin of Xuan Ming!
"Slash!"
Xuan Ming let out a silent roar in his heart!
At the soul level, an invisible sharp blade, carrying an incomparably resolute will, slashed down fiercely!
"Ugh ah—!"
An indescribable, terrifying pain originating from the deepest part of his soul instantly swept through every cell of Xuan Ming! This pain was thousands, tens of thousands of times more intense than physical fragmentation!
He felt as if his soul had been forcibly torn in half! His consciousness instantly became blurred, his vision filled with endless darkness and crimson!
But he gritted his teeth, relying on his steel-like will, forcibly maintaining the last trace of clarity!
That severed soul fragment, containing part of his memories, emotions, and the core "control" obsession, under his forceful guidance, transformed into a pure stream of will and fiercely injected into the core of the Blood Spear, which had revealed a trace of "blankness" due to being suppressed!
Buzz—!!!
The Blood Spear let out an unprecedented, deafening, terrifying hum! The dark red light on the spear shaft wildly surged, as if to devour everything!
That chaotic pseudo-Spirit, which had been exhausted and suppressed, let out its most hysterical counterattack, like a dying struggle, under the invasion of this external, pure "Xuan Ming's will"!
Inside Xuan Ming's body, it once again became the most tragic battlefield!
But this time, the two sides fighting were his split "self-will" and the "chaotic will" of the Blood Spear itself!
The Seagod's Light was still frantically washing over them, both suppressing the chaotic will and burning the newly injected "self-will"!
If he succeeded, his will would become one, and the fierce weapon would submit!
If he failed, his soul would be severely wounded, his will annihilated, and he would completely become nourishment for the Blood Spear!