Within the secret realm of the Goddess of Life.
Although the Goddess of Life was intrigued after hearing Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan's ages and current cultivation, she knew that to truly obtain her and the God of Destruction's Nine Trials, the two young women would need to personally enter the realm and face the tests themselves.
After leaving the secret realm, Ye Yu transformed into a streak of lightning and sped through the sky, quickly returning to Heaven Dou City.
As soon as he returned to Dugu Residence, he immediately took Dugu Yan by the hand, intent on heading to the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan to fetch Ye Lingling.
"Yan Yan, come with me!"
"Ah Yu, what's going on? Didn't you just enter that secret realm in the Life Forest Aunt Ye mentioned? How did it go?"
Seeing him rush back only to pull her along, Dugu Yan asked nervously.
"It went smoothly," Ye Yu replied with a smile as he led her outside. "I entered the secret realm and successfully triggered the Nine Trials of that god—the Goddess of Life. If I pass, I could inherit her God Position and ascend to godhood.
"However, I've decided instead to gather faith power on my own and condense a God Position. So I spoke with her. She has a husband, the God of Destruction, and I recommended you and Lingling as candidates.
"Now I've come back to take you both to the realm. If you gain their recognition and trigger the Nine Trials, then once you complete them, you'll inherit their God Positions and ascend to godhood yourselves!"
"M–me? Inherit a God Position?"
Dugu Yan pointed at herself in shock, suddenly panicked. Her heart raced with uncertainty.
"Can we really do that?"
"Of course!" Ye Yu answered warmly, his eyes full of trust. "Yan Yan, believe in yourself."
With that, Ye Yu brought Dugu Yan to the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan.
Seeing him return so soon—bringing Dugu Yan with him—Ye Zhilan and Ling Zhantian were stunned.
"Ye Yu, did you not go at all?"
"I did." Ye Yu nodded. "I entered the secret realm and triggered the Nine Trials. But since I want to forge my own God Position, I spoke with the deity. She has a husband, the God of Destruction, so I recommended Lingling and Yan Yan as candidates.
"If they earn recognition, then by completing the trials they'll inherit the God Positions and ascend to godhood."
He explained with an easy smile.
Ye Zhilan and Ling Zhantian exchanged looks, both shocked and uneasy.
"Little Yu, I know this is an incredible opportunity," Ye Zhilan said softly. "But… because of our ancestor's past, won't the deity bear a grudge against Lingling?"
"Don't worry, Auntie," Ye Yu reassured gently. "That goddess is kind and reasonable. Your ancestor is your ancestor—Lingling is Lingling. She won't hold that against her."
Inwardly, Ye Yu added coldly: And if they dared, I would never stand by and let it happen. Now that I've formed my Golden Core, even God Kings in the Divine Realm are nothing to me.
After gathering Ye Lingling, Ye Yu summoned his third Martial Soul, the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor. Carrying both girls on its back, he flew them once again toward the Life Forest.
Compared to Ye Yu's lightning speed, the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor was slower, taking the entire afternoon to finally reach the valley where the Ancient Tree of Life grew.
At Ye Yu's command, the Ice Emperor guided the scorpion upward toward the crown of the colossal tree.
Bathed in dazzling green divine radiance, Ye Yu led Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling into the secret realm and up to the divine hall.
"So, these are the candidates you've brought to undergo the trials of the great Goddess of Life?"
The old man formed from the Ancient Tree of Life glanced at the two young women, then turned and beckoned. "Follow me."
Inside the temple, Ye Yu guided them before the statue of the Goddess of Life and gestured to a high platform.
"Lingling, you go first."
"…Alright."
Nervously, Ye Lingling stepped onto the platform.
The old man bowed and began a devout prayer, activating the divine test.
At once, radiant green light erupted from the statue, soaring skyward like a pillar piercing the heavens. Another beam descended from above, enveloping Ye Lingling.
By natural talent alone, Ye Lingling was only above average—at best she might have triggered a four-rank Black Trial.
But after consuming Ye Yu's supreme spirit herb, the Ten-Thousand-Year White Jade Ginseng King, her innate gifts had risen significantly.
Though her Martial Soul, the Nine-Heart Begonia, had not evolved, her aptitude had been raised to a higher tier.
Further aided by Ye Yu's strengthening elixirs crafted from whale glue, her cultivation of the Mysterious Heaven Technique, and an additional meridian system granted by the External Spirit Bone Demon Willow Fluff, her Spirit Power reserves had increased tremendously.
On top of this, she had fused three formidable Spirit Bones gifted by Ye Yu: the 100,000-year Purple Spirit Wolf Skull Bone, the Three-Headed Sea Demon Serpent Torso Bone, and the 100,000-year Soft-Boned Rabbit Left Leg Bone.
This series of lucky encounters had elevated Ye Lingling's talent and strength to a level rarely seen in ten thousand years.
After all, when Tang San was nineteen—before the Sea God's Nine Trials—he was only at the Spirit Emperor realm.
Yet Ye Lingling had already reached Spirit Sage!
Thus, when the green light enveloped her, the pillar first turned white, then flashed yellow, purple, black, red—until finally, it blazed with dazzling gold.
"The Nine Trials of the Goddess of Life! Again, the Nine Trials of the Goddess of Life!"
The old man manifested from the Ancient Tree of Life trembled with excitement at the sight.
In the Divine Realm, within the Life Temple, the Goddess of Life herself felt Ye Lingling's monstrous talent and was deeply moved. She grew increasingly expectant—if the other girl also met the requirements, both of their God Positions could finally be passed down, allowing her and her husband to reincarnate and have children.
And Dugu Yan, Ye Yu's true beloved, had even greater opportunities. Her Martial Soul had evolved twice, her foundation surpassing Lingling's.
When the God of Destruction descended his purple beam of light, it enveloped her—and rapidly shifted colors: purple, white, yellow, purple again, black, red… until it too shone gold.
Dugu Yan had successfully triggered the Nine Trials of the God of Destruction.
Now, as long as Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan completed the Nine Trials of the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction, they would become the next generation of those deities themselves.