Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Just as the divine radiance of the Nine Trials of the Sea God gradually merged into Feng Yao's body, and the vast pressure had not yet completely dissipated, the huge golden trident rune in the sky did not disappear immediately. Instead, it cast down two more condensed divine beams of light, which enveloped Feng Yao and Qian Renxue respectively!

A golden light fell into Feng Yao's hand, and the familiar Vast Ocean Universe Cover reappeared, but its light had become deeper and more restrained. Inside the triangular structure, it seemed as if an endless ocean was flowing ceaselessly, and its connection with Feng Yao had become incredibly close, as if it were his own arm. A sudden realization surged into Feng Yao's heart: this object had become the core token of his Nine Trials of the Sea God, and its power had been fully unleashed.

The other one, however, was not aimed at Qian Renxue's forehead, but rather gathered directly in front of her!

The dazzling golden divine light and Qian Renxue's own angelic power intertwined, ultimately coalescing into a magnificent and sacred phantom longsword. The sword was slender, seemingly formed from the purest light and fire, with the hilt resembling angel wings, and a golden gem, like a miniature sun, constantly burning and radiating eternal brilliance, embedded in its center.

Golden light shimmered in Qian Renxue's eyes as she gazed at the sacred longsword formed from pure light and flame before her, and couldn't help but exclaim softly, "This sword is...?"

Her voice was filled with an incredulous tremor, as if she had touched upon some source beyond comprehension.

A warm and powerful force surged into Qian Renxue's body in an instant. She could feel that the divine sword was perfectly compatible with her own angelic power, and could even draw out the deeper power within her.

At the same time, a gentle yet supremely majestic voice, seemingly from a distant time and space, resounded deep within the minds of Feng Yao and Qian Renxue; it was the divine thought of the Sea God:
"This sword is named 'Eternal Radiance Heavenly Fire'," the Sea God's voice said with a hint of reminiscence. "It was forged by me for my old friend, the Angel God."

These words sent a jolt through both Feng Yao and Qian Renxue!
The sea god's divine thoughts continued to unfold slowly, revealing an ancient secret of the divine realm: "I and the Angel God were once both teacher and friend. At that time, she felt deeply that the world was filthy and was determined to pull out the holy sword that sealed evil, wanting to use the holy sword to purify all evil spirits."

"However, once the Holy Sword is drawn, although its power is boundless, it also releases the sealed evil to wreak havoc on the continent. Although she eventually purified the evil with her own power and that of the Holy Sword, it still caused damage to the continent." The Sea God's voice carried a trace of the advice and regret he had given her back then. "I know her strong and resolute nature, and I feared that she would go down a dead end, so I forged this sword."

Qian Renxue did not immediately take the longsword that shimmered with light and flame. She raised her head slightly, a hint of stubbornness and confusion flashing in her eyes: "If the evil spirits are merely sealed, rather than completely eradicated, even if we can achieve temporary peace, the hidden dangers will always remain. Even if our ancestors never drew the sword back then, there is no guarantee that there won't be wicked people in later generations. If they find the holy sword and draw it, wouldn't the resulting disaster be even more terrible?"

The Sea God's voice remained calm, yet it contained a profound understanding of the world's vicissitudes: "The universe operates according to its own laws and order. Even though your ancestors purified the continent with the Holy Sword, bringing peace, war, plague, and the darkness in people's hearts... these will still reappear like the tides. Light and darkness are inherently interdependent and mutually defining. Just as the absolute light represented by your angelic lineage once attempted to impose its will on Sea God Island in the name of 'purification'."

Feng Yao seemed to understand something at this moment, and whispered, "Perhaps what you are worried about is that if Xue'er's ancestor becomes intoxicated by the destructive power of the Holy Sword, he will lose himself and embark on a path of self-destruction from which there is no turning back?"

A hint of approval emanated from the Sea God's divine sense: "Not bad. The more extreme the power, the easier it is to backfire on its master. Fortunately, she ultimately restrained that impulse, proving that her will was strong enough to control her own path. That is why this 'Eternal Radiance Heavenly Fire Sword' has not yet been used. This is your reward for passing my test."

"To help her find a more secure path, I traveled across the continent and found an extremely special material to forge this sword. This sword can gather the essence of light and the undying heavenly fire, and with the power of the vast ocean, it can temper its excessive sharpness." The Sea God's voice carried a hint of pride. "Although this sword does not have the resolute and holy purifying power of the Holy Sword, it is superior in that it is inexhaustible, its light shines eternally, its heavenly fire never dies out, and it can protect the wielder's heart. It is a sustainable path of purification and protection."

The Sea God's divine sense paused slightly, seemingly looking at Feng Yao: "And the Vast Ocean Universe Cover in your hand was also made in this way."

A faint trace of regret flickered in his mind, but it quickly turned into a grand vision: "Today, this sword is bestowed upon you, successor of the Angel God. May you wield this sword wisely and forge a path different from that of your ancestors."

"As for Feng Yao, now that you have begun the Nine Trials, you will personally discover the true power of the Vast Ocean Universe Cover. I hope you will make good use of this item and not disappoint me."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao's eyes flashed with surprise, and he couldn't help but tentatively ask, "Wait... as a deity, you are also proficient in soul guidance techniques?"

A distant memory seemed to surface in the sea god's mind, and he slowly replied, "Soul guidance? I vaguely remember that the Soul Crafters of that time seemed to call this kind of forging method 'Soul guidance technology,' but they were on another continent."

A hint of amusement seemed to stir within the sea god's divine sense as he turned to Feng Yao and asked, "Want to learn?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao immediately nodded solemnly.

A faint smile seemed to flicker across the sea god's mind, his voice distant and profound: "Very well. Since you have passed my test, I will grant you entry into the Sea God's Temple to consult the notes and ancient books I left behind."

The divine thought paused slightly, and though it lacked harsh words, it naturally carried an undeniable authority: "If you fail the subsequent divine tests... you should understand the reasons behind it. Take care of yourself."

Seeing Feng Yao actually bargaining with a god, Qian Renxue, who had been standing quietly to the side, couldn't help but shake her head slightly, a helpless smile playing on her lips. The divine trial was so solemn and crucial, a matter of life and death, yet this person was still thinking about learning skills from the Sea God…

The phantom of the Eternal Radiance Heavenly Fire Sword solidified completely, transforming into a stream of light that entered Qian Renxue's body, perfectly merging with her own angelic divine power and becoming a part of her strength.

Qian Renxue touched the mark on her brow that seemed even hotter, feeling the warm and powerful divine sword within her body, her heart filled with shock and complex emotions.

Feng Yao also gripped the Vast Ocean Universe Cover tightly, gaining a deeper understanding of its origins. It turned out that these two divine artifacts shared such a profound connection in ancient times.

The divine thought, upon reaching this point, slowly dissipated.

Feng Yao looked at Qian Renxue with a gentle smile in his eyes and said softly, "Now that you have completed your test, why not return to the mainland and receive the inheritance of the Angel God?"

Qian Renxue shook her head without hesitation, her gaze firm: "Since I came here with you, I should face this together with you. Even if... even if you fail the test, I will still take you back."

Feng Yao's heart stirred slightly, and he softened his voice to persuade, "Listen to me, go back and receive the inheritance first. That way, we might still be able to compete and see who passes the divine test first."

Qian Renxue did not answer, but continued to stare at him, her golden eyes filled with unwavering determination.

Feng Yao gently stroked her radiant golden hair, finally sighing softly, "So be it. Your experience with me is also a form of training for you. Even if I ultimately fail, the experience you gain will not be in vain." Qian Renxue suddenly threw herself into his arms, her voice muffled yet exceptionally resolute, "I won't allow you to say such things. With me here, I will definitely help you pass the test."

Feng Yao embraced the person in his arms, patting her back helplessly, but he knew clearly in his heart that with her involved, the difficulty of this test was probably far more complicated than simply one plus one. But he didn't say it out loud, only silently tightening his arms and enjoying this tenderness.

On the Poseidon Mountain platform, the golden light gradually faded. Qian Renxue's mind stirred slightly, and the "Eternal Radiance Heavenly Fire Sword," formed from light and fire, appeared in her hand. She looked at Feng Yao, her eyes filled with a hint of eager desire to share.

"This sword bestowed upon me by the Sea God seems to suit me perfectly, containing several unique methods of its use," she said, and began to demonstrate them one by one.

First, she gently raised her sword. The tiny sun gem on the hilt glowed slightly, and the sunlight streaming down from the sky seemed to be drawn to the blade, causing her aura to surge instantly. "This technique is called Heavenly Fire Radiance. It can draw upon the power of the sun to significantly increase soul power output and recovery speed for a short period of time."

Then, she lightly tapped her sword forward, and an invisible yet scorching force field spread out, causing the air within its range to seem to solidify and the elemental fluctuations to become extremely sluggish. "This is the Eternal Radiance Anti-Magic Field, which can form an anti-magic domain that greatly interferes with or even interrupts the opponent's soul skill condensation."

Then, she swung her sword in a graceful arc, unleashing countless fist-sized, yet terrifyingly hot, golden-white fireballs that rained down like a meteor shower, covering a vast area. The intense heat even made Feng Yao, who was far away, feel a burning sensation on his skin. "This is Heavenly Fire Blaze, an area-of-effect attack technique."

Finally, her expression hardened, and all the brilliance was gathered into the sword, making the Eternal Radiance Heavenly Fire Sword appear like transparent glass, yet within it seemed to compress a real sun. She made a thrusting motion forward, and although she didn't actually unleash it, the extreme penetrating power and destructive intent that instantly gathered, enough to pierce through everything, moved even Feng Yao. "This is the strongest strike, Eternal Radiance of Ten Thousand Suns, compressing the endless power of heavenly fire into a single point, pursuing the ultimate single-target damage."

After the demonstration, Qian Renxue looked at Feng Yao, only to see him stroking his chin with a playful smile on his face.

“Heavenly Fire Radiance, Eternal Radiance Forbidden Magic, Heavenly Fire Blazing, Myriad Suns Eternal Radiance…” Feng Yao repeated the four skill names softly, unable to help but chuckle and shake his head, “Lord Sea God’s naming style… is quite direct and pragmatic. It seems that he is quite economical in terms of creativity. This is not much different from the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.”

His tone was not disrespectful at all; on the contrary, it carried a hint of teasing and friendliness, as if he were commenting on an upright elder.

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue was taken aback at first, then looked at the dazzling divine sword in her hand and couldn't help but smile. After Feng Yao's explanation, it was indeed true that, apart from its special effects in the sea, the Vast Ocean Universe Cover was not much different from the sword in her hand.

The extraordinary phenomena on Poseidon Mountain gradually subsided. After a short rest, Feng Yao and Qian Renxue returned together to the quiet courtyard in Seahorse City.

Seeing them return safely, and especially feeling the subtle yet more harmonious and profound connection between them than before, Ning Rongrong, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling all breathed a sigh of relief and then curiously gathered around.

"You're finally back! The sight in the sky was terrifying!" Ning Rongrong patted her chest, still shaken but full of curiosity. "Have you completed your test? Are we about to begin?"

Qian Renxue smiled slightly and nodded: "'Blue Gold Trial' has been completed. Feng Yao's Nine Trials of the Sea God have also officially begun."

Dugu Yan, being the most impatient, quickly asked, "Then what is our first test? Is it the same for all of them?"

Ye Lingling also cast an inquiring glance her way.

Feng Yao's expression was slightly strange. He looked at the three women and said, "I already know the content of your first test. It is to traverse the light of the sea god." He raised his hand and pointed to the staircase leading to the temple of the sea god in the distance. "You will need to climb the 128 steps of the sea god's mountain within one year, relying on your own abilities." This content was consistent with the information he knew from the original work.

Ning Rongrong blinked, then playfully spread her hands, saying, "Level 128? Sounds...not too difficult?"

Qian Renxue shook her head slightly, her golden eyes carrying a hint of warning, her voice calm and powerful: "The trials that the gods bestow are never as simple as they appear on the surface. Once you stand before the steps yourself, you will understand their true purpose."

Dugu Yan's eyes blazed with fighting spirit: "Challenges make things interesting! Lingling, Rongrong, we'd better give it our all!"

Ye Lingling nodded slightly, already pondering how to respond.

At this moment, Qian Renxue looked at Feng Yao with a hint of doubt in her eyes: "Feng Yao, what was your first test?" She had received the reward of the Blue Gold Test, but she did not know the specific content of Feng Yao's nine tests.

Feng Yao touched his nose, a smile that was both helpless and as if he had expected it: "My first test is different from yours. It is not climbing stairs, but 'comprehending the power of the vast ocean'."

"Comprehend the power of the Vast Ocean?" The three women were stunned. This assessment sounded abstract and ethereal, far more difficult to understand than the specific steps to climb.

“Yes,” Feng Yao affirmed, “I need to calmly comprehend the vastness, inclusiveness, rage, life, and other true meanings of the ocean within the Seagod Island, and integrate them into my own soul power and spiritual power. The time limit is also one year. It seems that the Seagod’s requirements for me are more focused on ‘understanding’ than simply ‘conquering’.”

This completely different first test undoubtedly means that the path of Feng Yao's assessment is full of unknowns and challenges from the very beginning.

A moment of silence fell as everyone digested the different test content. The test of the Wind Element seemed to lack the pressure of a specific number of steps, but its difficulty and uncertainty were perhaps far greater than climbing the Light of the Sea God.

Feng Yao understood. With his and Qian Renxue's current cultivation levels, they had long surpassed the stage where they needed to start from scratch in terms of soul power and physique. It was reasonable that the Sea God did not arrange a gradual test like Tang San's in the original story.

But this "comprehension of the power of the vast ocean"... is a bit too vague.

What level of understanding and what true meaning must one reach to truly grasp the power of this boundless ocean? (End of Chapter)