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

Seeing that Feng Yao had successfully absorbed the energy and his aura had become increasingly profound, Qian Renxue flew closer and looked down at the still-floating corpse of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. She asked softly, "Little Feng, this Deep Sea Demon Whale King's cultivation is extraordinary. What do you plan to do with the rest of his body?"

Feng Yao's fingertips brushed across the trident's blade, a blue light swirling within as he chuckled: "I have already subdued the whale pearl. When a whale falls, all things come to life. After collecting its whale glue, let's leave. Consider it a way of giving back to the people of the sea."

Upon hearing the words "whale glue," Qian Renxue's ears suddenly flushed. Having been lurking in the Heavenly Dou for many years, Qian Renxue naturally understood where nobles used whale glue. She glared at Feng Yao and said, "Do you still need this now?"

Before she could finish speaking, Feng Yao interrupted her with a loud laugh: "Silly girl, whale glue that's nearly a million years old is no ordinary substance!" He plucked a small piece of amber-like gelatinous substance from the air, the True Fire of the Li Trigram leaping in his palm. "Once the blazing sun dispels the yin cold, this whale glue will become a sacred medicine capable of reshaping bones and muscles. However..." He suddenly leaned closer to her reddened earlobe, "If you want to use it for something else, that's not impossible."

Two blushes of crimson flushed Qian Renxue's cheeks as she raised her foot to kick his shin: "What nonsense are you spouting! What are you going to do now that you're still missing two soul bones?"

He pondered for a moment, shook his head, and said gently to Qian Renxue, "Xue'er, with my current cultivation and foundation, ordinary soul bones, even those at the 100,000-year level, would only provide me with negligible improvement. Not to mention, if we only take the bone and let the soul ring energy, which is of the same origin and should complement it, dissipate into the world in vain, it would be a terrible waste."

He took Qian Renxue's hand, looked towards the direction of Wuhun City, and continued, "I only lack the left and right leg bones to be replaced. Rather than indiscriminately killing 100,000-year-old soul beasts for soul bones, it would be better to return to the Wuhun Hall. Aunt Dong is in charge of the empire and has inherited the Rakshasa God's position. The Wuhun Hall has a profound foundation. She should be able to find soul bones of excellent quality that are more suitable for my current state in her possession or in the empire's treasury. At that time, I only need to find two suitable leg bones to fuse, and I will have collected all six soul bones. The eighth trial of the Sea God will be completely completed, and I can also make full preparations for the ninth trial to come."

Feng Yao's considerations were indeed precise and pragmatic. At his current pinnacle of power in the mortal realm, the benefits of ordinary soul bones were already negligible. If he truly wanted to achieve a fundamental breakthrough, perhaps only acquiring soul bones of extraordinary quality, like the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm or Emperor Tian, ​​would be effective.

Since reaching the peak of level ninety-nine, he has come to realize more and more clearly that when the level of power reaches a certain height, the key to victory or defeat is no longer the age of the soul bone or the number of soul skills, but the depth of understanding of the laws of heaven and earth and the ability to control the fundamental laws of the world.

As an ally, elder, and ruler of the empire, Bibi Dong is undoubtedly the best choice to help in the search.

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue agreed, nodding in agreement: "That's a good idea. Shall we head back now?"

"Okay, let's go back." Feng Yao nodded, took one last look at the massive body that was gradually sinking into the deep sea, and, carrying Qian Renxue, transformed into two divine lights, one blue and one gold, and left the sea area that had just experienced a god-level battle, speeding towards the direction of Wuhun City.

Upon returning to the Spirit Hall, with Bibi Dong's full assistance, Feng Yao quickly found two exceptionally high-quality, ten-thousand-year-old leg bones from the Imperial Treasury. Both bones were produced by top-grade spirit beasts over fifty thousand years old. The fusion process was seamless. As the last two spirit bones returned to their positions, all six spirit bones were gathered. Feng Yao felt his condition had reached an unprecedented state of perfection; the conditions for the Sea God's Eighth Trial were fully met.

Without delay, he and Qian Renxue immediately set off to return to Poseidon Island.

At the summit of Poseidon Mountain, before the temple plaza, accompanied by the magnificent light of Poseidon, the reward for completing the eighth trial descended—a divinely bestowed soul ring.

As with the previous trials, Feng Yao bestowed upon it his second martial soul, the Innate Eight Trigrams Plate.

The moment the soul ring containing the pure divine power of the sea god merged with the Bagua plate, the eighth trigram on the Bagua plate—the Dui trigram—suddenly lit up! The earthy yellow light was thick and steady, complementing the previously activated Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, and Gen trigrams.

With all eight trigrams gathered, the innate eight trigrams plate has undergone a qualitative leap! Feng Yao felt that his connection with heaven and earth and nature had become closer, and with a thought, he seemed to be able to draw upon more fundamental laws.

The moment Feng Yao brought himself to his peak condition and infused the perfectly completed eighth trial mark into the Trident of Poseidon, the entire Poseidon Island—no, the entire ocean—resonated with it! An unprecedented burst of brilliant golden light erupted from the Trident of Poseidon, shooting straight into the sky and painting the sky a magnificent gold!

A divine thought, far more solid and majestic than ever before, seemingly containing the will of the entire ocean, descended slowly like a sleeping giant awakening, enveloping the entire Temple of the Sea God. This time, it was no longer a vague idea, but a near-tangible presence.

"Wind Yao".

A magnificent and ancient voice resounded directly in the depths of Feng Yao's soul, carrying a sense of scrutiny and decisiveness.

"You have passed the eight trials of the Sea God. Your solid foundation, unwavering will, and profound understanding of the power of the vast ocean far exceed my expectations. Furthermore, you possess the ambition for change and the will to protect, and you are qualified to inherit my divine position."

"However, there are different paths to the succession of divine positions."

The sea god's divine sense rippled slightly, and two crystal-clear choices unfolded in Feng Yao's mind like a scroll: "First, immediately open your body and mind, accept all my divine power, divine position, authority and law imprint, ascend to the divine realm, become the new sea god, and rule the vast ocean."

A scroll unfolds, depicting Feng Yao dressed in the divine armor of the sea god, standing in a magnificent hall of the divine realm, overlooking countless planes, surrounded by supreme majesty and power.

"Secondly, if you yearn for the mortal world and are attached to the continent, you may choose to remain in the human realm like Poseidon, becoming the High Priest of Seagod Island, protecting this place, and serving as a guide and guardian for the future successor of the Seagod. Although you cannot immediately possess a complete divine position, you can enjoy a lifespan and power close to that of a god, and remain in the human world."

Another scene unfolds, where Feng Yao, like Poseidon, sits in the Temple of Poseidon, holding a scepter, protecting the peace of Poseidon Island and the ocean. Although he has not ascended to heaven, he still holds a supreme position and power in the mortal world.

Two choices: one is the broad road leading directly to the pinnacle of the divine realm, and the other is the safe path of remaining in the mortal world and holding power.

The sea god's divine will silently awaited the wind's choice. In his view, whichever path the wind chose would be reasonable.

However, after carefully "looking" at the two choices, Feng Yao slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the magnificent divine thought, as if looking directly at the existence in the darkness. His eyes were clear and firm, without the slightest confusion or greed.

He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power, resounding throughout the altar shrouded in divine sense: "Lord Sea God, I am grateful for your kindness. But... I will not choose either of these options."

For the first time, the sea god's divine sense showed a noticeable fluctuation, his eyes filled with surprise and confusion. Refusing to ascend to the divine realm? And refusing to become the Grand Priest?

Feng Yao continued, his tone growing increasingly resolute: "Ascension to the divine realm would certainly grant immediate supreme authority and power, but from then on, one would be bound by the rules of the divine realm. And now, the so-called 'balance' of the divine realm has become a tool to stifle the potential of the lower realms and protect the vested interests of a few. If I were to ascend now, I would merely become part of these outdated rules. How could I then fulfill my ambition of change? Would a sea god without subjects still be a sea god?"

Upon hearing Feng Yao's final question, the Sea God fell silent and offered no response.

“To remain in the human realm as a high-ranking official…” Feng Yao shook his head, “that would be nothing more than drawing a circle around oneself, confining one’s own perspective to a single island. My path, my responsibility, lies in the entire continent, in breaking free of shackles and creating a new world. To be confined to a corner is not my desire.” His voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute determination that seemed to shatter everything:

"I, Feng Yao, will walk my own path!"

"I want this position of sea god, to bear the weight of the ocean, and to wield the power over the vast sea!"

"But I will not ascend to the heavily bound realm of gods immediately! I will travel among mortals in the name of the Sea God, cleanse the universe, break the old order, and establish new rules! It will not be too late to ascend after my heart's desire has been fulfilled!"

As soon as this statement came out, it was shocking!

The light of the sea god surrounding the plaza surged violently, as if shaken by Feng Yao's "treasonous" declaration! Never before had an heir dared to so clearly reject the divine realm and put forward their own conditions during the final assessment!

The sea god's divine sense fell into a long silence. That vast pressure enveloped Feng Yao, as if weighing, examining, and judging.

Feng Yao met his gaze without fear, his aura closely connected to the Seagod Island beneath his feet and the endless sea around him. The phantom of the innate Bagua plate slowly rotated behind him, the Bagua evolving into earth, fire, water, and wind, demonstrating his formidable strength and determination.

After a long silence, a sigh of enigmatic meaning suddenly arose from the divine consciousness. In that sigh lay surprise and scrutiny, but ultimately, it transformed into a hint of… indescribable admiration and relief?
"good."

Only one word.

The next moment, a vast divine power, ten or even a hundred times stronger than before, was no longer merely being infused, but rather flowing towards Feng Yao in a more equal and harmonious way, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, perfectly merging with his own three-soul core system and his unwavering will!
"what!!!"

The next second, an intense, bone-crushing pain spread throughout his body. In the midst of the agony, Feng Yao saw all the soul bones changing shape under the constant transformation of divine power, reintegrating into his body. After an unknown amount of time, the voice of the Sea God rang out again.

"The Sea God's Divine Armor is perfectly integrated with the Sea God's divine power! The Sea God has descended! All Soul Rings have been upgraded by 50,000 years!"

Boom! The level 100 barrier shattered in that instant!

Feng Yao's aura surged at an alarming rate, transcending the mortal realm and reaching the divine level! A set of sea god's armor, interwoven with azure and gold, more majestic than Poseidon's and closer to the origin of the ocean, naturally covered his entire body! The sea god's trident in his hand erupted with unprecedented light, as if celebrating the birth of its true master!

He successfully inherited the position of the sea god!

The armor, imposing, magnificent, and perfectly tailored to the body, naturally covered the entire body. The main body was a deep azure blue, like the purest deep sea, and the armor was engraved with flowing golden divine patterns. These patterns seemed to be the veins of the ocean and the trajectory of the tides, containing endless mysteries of laws.

The shoulders resembled layers of undulating waves, or unfolded dragon scales, with golden light flowing around the edges. In the center of the breastplate was a sapphire like the "Heart of the Sea God," within which seemed an entire ocean rise and fall, breathing—the core hub of divine power.

The arms and thighs have smooth, powerful lines that fit the muscles without hindering any movement, and the surface has a subtle, watery sheen.

Wherever you step, you feel as if you can resonate with the sea or any water element, as if walking on flat ground, shrinking the earth to an inch.

Behind him was not a halo, but a flowing azure light curtain formed from the purest power of the vast ocean, like a miniature ocean draped over his back. Golden starlight twinkled within the light curtain, making it exceptionally sacred. When he fully unleashed his divine power, this halo would expand, revealing a phantom image of a vast, boundless sea.

At this moment, Feng Yao stood atop Mount Poseidon, clad in azure and gold-embroidered divine armor. Behind him, a vast, radiant halo of light swirled, and eight golden and azure divine rings rose and fell around him. He held the radiant Trident of Poseidon, his eyes now a deep, all-encompassing azure. His aura was as boundless as the sea, as majestic as a mountain; he was now the true ruler of the ocean, a god among mortals!

The Fuxi Qin and the Primordial Eight Trigrams Plate floated in front of him, and two blue-gold and one dark blue soul rings floated behind Feng Yao, beneath which sixteen deep blood-red soul rings swirled.

“Apart from the tenth divine ring on Fuxi, even the eighth soul ring from the Innate Eight Trigrams Plate, which came from the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, and the ninth soul ring bestowed by the gods, have all become god-level soul rings under the infusion of divine power.” Feng Yao thought to himself as he looked at the soul rings swirling around him.

As the pillar of light slowly receded, the Sea God's divine sense also began to fade, about to completely return to the origin of the divine realm.

In the final moment before his divine sense dissipated, that ancient voice rang out once more, leaving behind only a profound and enigmatic statement, seemingly piercing through the ages, gently echoing in Feng Yao's heart: "The path... has been paved for you... Whether ahead lies an abyss or the other shore... I hope you... will take care of yourself..."

The divine thought completely dissipated.

Feng Yao stood atop the altar, feeling the surging divine power within him, completely under his control, his eyes gleaming with unwavering determination and fearlessness.

Whether it's the abyss or the other shore, once he has chosen this path, he will definitely walk it to the end!
When he had completely stabilized his realm and opened his eyes, which had turned into deep blue, Qian Renxue was waiting beside him, her beautiful face filled with joy and a hint of impatience.

"Xiao Feng, you succeeded!" Qian Renxue grasped his hand, then said with excitement, "There's more good news! While you were undergoing your final assessment, new divine inheritances descended upon the continent! And there's more than one!"

Her eyes gleamed: "I sensed it with my divine sense. Lingling, Yanyan, and Rongrong, all three of them, felt the call of the gods and were chosen!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao's eyes flashed with surprise, which quickly turned into understanding and a deep look.

Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Ning Rongrong were all chosen by the gods at the same time?
This is by no means a coincidence.

Is this a new scheme by the God of Asura? Or is it other deities acting in accordance with the trend? Or perhaps... a sign of an even greater storm to come?
Regardless, this is a tremendous opportunity for the three of them. The landscape of the continent will become even more unpredictable and volatile with the emergence of more divine successors. (End of Chapter)