Chapter 458: Bo Saixi's Transformation and the Women's Worries
In front of the Sea God Temple, the incense turned to ash, scattered on the ground. In the sky, the thunder faded, the violent winds stilled, and a single golden beam of sunlight broke through the once-impenetrable clouds. The turbulent ocean gradually grew calm.
A heavy silence fell across the entire scene. The only sound left was the faint, receding gust of wind whistling past.
Before the temple, the seven Sea Pillar Douluo stood dumbfounded, gazing up at Bo Saixi, who had sidestepped in midair, her red robe billowing as she held her hand poised to strike Dai Yao. For the first time, the unwaveringly calm, dignified figure of Bo Saixi appeared… a little disheveled, even on the edge of defeat.
"Grand Priestess…" Sea Horse Douluo managed to mutter hoarsely, his face painted with disbelief. Although he hadn't finished his sentence, everyone understood his implication.
Bo Saixi, the Grand Priestess, had been momentarily overwhelmed.
That single statement made their world feel as though it had cracked. Bo Saixi, the level 99 pinnacle Douluo, whom they revered as supreme, had been pushed to her limits by someone twenty levels her junior—an unexpected challenger who was only a Soul Douluo.
"Dai Yao has reached his limit; he won't be able to keep fighting. If this continues, the Grand Priestess will undoubtedly win. Besides, the reason she was at a disadvantage was that she was caught off-guard by Dai Yao's cunning tactics. Otherwise, she would have claimed victory long ago…" Sea Woman Douluo said, though her tone carried an unusual uncertainty.
The other Douluo nodded in agreement. They didn't want to accept that their unshakable Grand Priestess had nearly been bested by someone as young and relatively inexperienced as Dai Yao.
"No, you're mistaken," Sea Dragon Douluo said slowly, swallowing hard. "Whether we wish to admit it or not, she was indeed briefly overpowered—that much is undeniable."
He continued, "Yes, she would win in an extended fight, but does the Grand Priestess need us to speak on her behalf? Let's not forget, Dai Yao is not only nearly twenty levels below her but also far younger than Bo Saixi. If they were the same age, it's likely Bo Saixi wouldn't be his match."
Sea Dragon Douluo's words plunged the group into silence. Indeed, for Dai Yao to hold his own against Bo Saixi, even for a short time, was an achievement without precedent. Their unwillingness to face the truth had clouded their judgment.
After a while, Sea Horse Douluo looked up at Dai Yao with a complicated expression. "Sea Dragon, you're right. As servants of the Sea God, we must not avoid reality. Let's wait here. The time has come to honor this Soul Master for creating history."
A sense of solemnity replaced their bitter feelings as they turned their gaze skyward.
In the sky, Bo Saixi's gaze lingered on the burned-out incense, the trail of smoke disappearing like her fading hopes. With a faint sigh, the tension in her brow eased, and a sense of calm resignation filled her eyes.
Slowly, she lowered her right hand, dissipating the energy she had gathered. Leaning on her staff, she resumed her dignified, elegant demeanor.
"Dai Yao, you've won."
Her calm voice held an undertone of complexity as she looked at him.
"Thank you, elder."
Blue light emanated from the Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone in his right leg, sending soothing energy throughout his aching muscles. Dai Yao recovered slightly, then clasped his hands in respect.
Bo Saixi smiled bitterly. "You don't need to thank me; thank yourself. I didn't hold back, so you've passed the sixth trial on your strength alone. If anything, I should be thanking you. You've helped me make a choice."
"I did all I could to win, but in the end, I couldn't defeat you within the time limit. For a level 99 Douluo to fail against a newly advanced Soul Douluo, I accept my defeat without complaint."
"But because of this, I can now embrace my duty without hesitation."
Did she feel regret? Of course—she was not immune to human emotions. Perhaps she should not have allowed Dai Yao to close the distance, but that realization came too late. No one would have expected that even as a level 99 Douluo, she would struggle in close combat against a Soul Douluo.
It wasn't so much that Bo Saixi was careless but that Dai Yao was incredibly cautious. Since arriving on Sea God Island, he had never fully displayed his combat capabilities, reserving his true strength for the sixth trial and securing his legendary victory.
If given the chance to redo the battle, Bo Saixi believed she would still fall for his strategy, allowing him to close in. The outcome would be no different.
In contrast to the original story, where Bo Saixi's pride made her resentful of Tang San, here she had no such feelings toward Dai Yao, for she knew she was in a league far below him. Dai Yao had passed the sixth trial; completing the remainder would be straightforward, and his rise to Sea God was all but assured.
As the Sea God's chosen servant, Bo Saixi knew it was time for her to adjust her mindset.
"Dai Yao, I assume you already know the details of your seventh trial?" she asked, a note of melancholy in her voice.
Dai Yao nodded, feeling a twinge of nostalgia.
The seventh trial required him to draw forth the Sea God's divine weapon, the Sea God's Trident. Completing this trial would allow him to leave Sea God Island and return to the Douluo Continent. After so many years away, he missed his home.
More importantly, his soul power had advanced from level 70 to 86 while on Sea God Island. The recent addition of the Evil Orca King's spirit bone had brought him close to level 87, and the fierce battle with Bo Saixi made him acutely aware of his impending breakthrough.
Returning would likely surprise his loved ones. They might not even recognize him.
"I was going to tell you a story…" Bo Saixi began, intending to recount the Sea God's origins but then remembered that Dai Yao's darker half had already revealed he knew these secrets. She chuckled. "I must be getting old to have forgotten that you already know. By the way, what's your current Sea God affinity level?"
Sea God affinity directly affected one's success rate in the trials, so Bo Saixi needed to confirm it.
The golden trident on Dai Yao's forehead glowed. After a moment, he answered, "Elder, my current Sea God affinity level is 95%."
Because Dai Yao had completed each trial—except for the second—with perfection, his affinity surpassed that of Tang San in the original story, reaching an impressive 95%.
"Ninety-five percent… quite impressive… Wait, did you say ninety-five?"
Bo Saixi's eyes widened in shock, struggling to process his response. She stared at him, incredulous.
"Elder, 95%," Dai Yao repeated.
Bo Saixi paused, then chuckled with a sigh. "As expected from the Sea God's chosen heir—a true miracle worker. With a Sea God affinity of ninety-five percent, I no longer have anything to worry about."
As she spoke, she recalled the peculiar soul ability that Dai Yao had used in battle, the one that had kept her constantly on guard. "By the way, Dai Yao, I can't help but wonder… You used some kind of spirit-detection technique during the sixth trial, didn't you? Could you tell me what that was?"
Dai Yao tensed.
"All-Knowing" was a soul skill granted by his Chaos Lotus martial soul, an ongoing ability woven into his being. But any risk of exposing the Chaos Lotus had to be crushed immediately. Given Bo Saixi's sharpness, he couldn't lie without drawing suspicion. Even though "All-Knowing" was among his subtler abilities, it was still remarkable enough that Bo Saixi would sense any misdirection.
"Forgive me, elder," Dai Yao replied, "but I can't reveal that."
Bo Saixi's gaze sharpened, yet she felt a profound, veiled power within Dai Yao—a mystery even she couldn't fully discern. Though Dai Yao was on the path to becoming the Sea God, he still chose to hide certain truths. This could only mean that his secret reached into the realm of divinity itself. But since he would soon become the Sea God and she was his servant, she knew it was her duty to keep his secrets.
She held his gaze, raising her hand to form a soundproof barrier with her soul power, then said seriously, "If you don't wish to say, then I won't press you. But take heed—aside from me, do not use that ability around anyone else, especially the continent's top-tier experts. If they sense it, they will relentlessly seek answers."
Dai Yao was taken aback; he hadn't expected Bo Saixi to be so protective, even covering for him. This stirred some guilt within him—if Bo Saixi had remained hostile, he would have felt no remorse about her eventual sacrifice.
"Thank you, elder," he said, bowing with sincere respect.
"There's no need. You're injured—rest for a few days. Once you're ready, bring your wives to the Sea God Temple for the seventh trial." With that, she tapped her staff, vanishing in an instant, leaving only a ripple in the air.
As Dai Yao gazed at the spot where she disappeared, he felt a wave of mixed emotions. Turning back, he saw his wives waiting for him at the foot of the mountain, their faces reflecting relief and joy. He smiled and unfurled his wings, gliding down to meet them.
With a rush of wind, he descended, skimming over the surface of the water, sending waves fanning out behind him. As he neared the shore, his speed slowed, and he touched down lightly.
"Ladies, I'm back!" Dai Yao called, arms outstretched, ready to embrace his wives.
But instead of a warm rush into his arms, he noticed his five wives blushing, standing awkwardly and glancing at each other. They were tense, waiting for someone to make the first move.
Dugu Yan shot Dai Yao a sidelong look, understanding the hesitation. Each of them loved him, yet with only so much room in his embrace, someone would inevitably be left out, and jealousy would spark. Cautious of this, none of them stepped forward.
"Honestly… You're such a showoff," she muttered.
However, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong moved to his side, gazing at the wounded state of his back with pained expressions. They felt guilty for not being able to share in his burden, and their hearts ached for him.
As Ning Rongrong's soul power surged, the Ten Treasures Glazed Pagoda materialized in her palm, casting beams of light over Dai Yao's injuries.
"Brother Yao, does it… hurt?" she asked, voice trembling.
Feeling Zhu Zhuqing's hand rest gently on his shoulder, Dai Yao sighed softly. His lighthearted greeting had been to distract them from his injuries, but it hadn't worked.
"It's alright, Rongrong," he replied, trying to reassure her. "I've been through worse. Just a few days' rest will have me back to normal."
The Ten Treasures Glazed Pagoda truly lived up to its name as the strongest support-type martial soul. The relief he felt was immediate, his aching muscles soothed.
Dugu Yan, Feng Wutong, and Bai Chenxiang finally came up behind him, each saddened by his wounds.
"That woman showed no mercy…" Dugu Yan muttered darkly.
Dai Yao gently pinched her tense cheek and exchanged a reassuring look with Feng Wutong and Bai Chenxiang. "This was inevitable. Bo Saixi was just doing her duty; there was no room for holding back. No need to worry about me. I took on a level 99 Douluo and came out with only these few scratches—shouldn't you be proud?"
Dugu Yan scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Alright, that's enough bragging. Go put on some ointment and get some proper rest."
Seeing his carefree expression, Zhu Zhuqing's face darkened. Exchanging a look with Feng Wutong, she took his arm, ready to drag him back to the house.
Dai Yao chuckled helplessly; with his hands secured by their firm grip, there wasn't much he could do. But he knew that injuries from the seventh trial would likely be even worse.
A week later, Dai Yao's body had mostly healed, and the wounds on his back had scabbed and even begun to fade. His previously damaged White Tiger Eight Wings had also been restored, fortified by the Sea God's blessing. Now stronger and with new abilities, they had clearly evolved.
At dawn, he stood at the foot of Sea God Mountain, gazing up at the towering temple. In the sunlight, the temple appeared even more divine and majestic.
"It's time," Dai Yao said softly. "Let's go complete the seventh trial."
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