While Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan were undergoing the God Trials of the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction—and had both successfully triggered the Nine God Trials—
far away, across the Endless Sea, another story was unfolding.
After reviving Tang Chen, the Asura God had no intention of descending personally to interfere with Spirit Hall's unification of the Douluo Continent. Doing so would give the other God Kings an excuse to accuse him of meddling.
Instead, he issued a divine decree to Tang Chen:
Bring Tang San to Sea God Island, undergo the Sea God's God Trials, and use that power to rally the forces of the continent against Spirit Hall.
Perhaps that would be enough to stop Spirit Hall from uniting all of Douluo.
Yet, even as he gave this order, the Asura God felt uneasy.
He had witnessed Ye Yu's strength with his own eyes.
Even that first fleeting impression told him the youth was monstrously terrifying.
Even if he pushed both Tang Chen and Tang San to Rank 99, with every Spirit Ring raised to 999,999 years, there was no guarantee either could defeat Ye Yu.
If worst came to worst, he might have no choice but to pass down his own God Position!
Tang Chen's talent and strength were respectable—sufficient to inherit the mantle of Asura.
And Tang San's talent… was even greater.
If Sea God Poseidon could be persuaded to pass on his own God Position to Tang San, everything would fall neatly into place.
The Endless Sea stretched blue and glittering before them.
After departing from Vast Sea City, Tang Chen and Tang San had hired a great ship and spent more than half a month at sea. Finally, they approached the waters surrounding Sea God Island.
For Tang Chen, the island was no stranger. Ever since meeting the Sea God's High Priestess Bo Saixi, he had visited more than once. Though many years had passed, he still remembered the island's terrain as if it were yesterday.
"We're finally here…"
The thought of soon meeting Bo Saixi again—the woman he had not seen in so many years—made Tang Chen's heart tremble with emotion. His body shook, unable to contain his excitement.
Because the seas around Sea God Island were protected by the Demon Soul Great White Shark tribe, he dismissed the hired ship before it drew too close.
Together with Tang San, he disembarked onto a small rowboat and paddled toward the island.
Naturally, the sharks attacked.
But with Tang Chen present, such resistance was nothing.
Before long, the two landed safely on the golden beach of Sea God Island.
After getting off the boat and setting foot on Sea God Island, Tang Chen could no longer restrain himself. He released his aura and Spirit Power pressure, tilting his head back with a resonant, far-reaching roar:
"Clear Sky Douluo Tang Chen, bringing my great-grandson Tang San, come to pay respects to Sea God Island by the decree of the mighty Asura God!"
His roar echoed across the entire island.
At the very heart of Sea God Island, atop Sea God Mountain rising from the ring-shaped sea, the High Priestess Bo Saixi knelt in solemn prayer before the statue of Poseidon within the Sea God Temple.
Clad in her ceremonial blue priestly robes, her tall, mature figure radiated majesty and elegance.
But when she sensed Tang Chen's aura and heard that familiar voice, her eyes flew open. Her noble, beautiful face lit with disbelief, joy, and sudden emotion.
"He's back… Tang Chen has finally returned!"
In her excitement, Bo Saixi quickly left the Sea God Temple and flew into the air, heading toward the coast where Tang Chen and Tang San had landed.
"—Tang Chen!"
Hovering above the golden beach, she finally saw Tang Chen: still tall and broad-shouldered, though his once-black hair had turned white. His appearance was much the same as before, yet his aura carried a deeper maturity and a sense of world-weariness.
Her ocean-blue eyes brimmed with unshed tears, her voice choked.
"Bo Saixi!"
Tang Chen's own voice shook with excitement.
"It's been so long!"
"Tang Chen!" After the initial excitement, Bo Saixi quickly calmed herself. Thinking of Tang Chen's earlier roar, she couldn't help but ask:
"You said you came here under the decree of Lord Asura God… Is that true?"
"Yes!" Tang Chen nodded with a heavy sigh. He then explained the Asura God's divine command, and laid out the current state of the Douluo Continent.
Meanwhile, in the Divine Realm.
The Asura God had not simply sent Tang Chen and Tang San on their way.
If they were to undergo Poseidon's trials, it was necessary to ensure they received the highest grade assessment and rewards. Otherwise, even with their gifts, there was no certainty they could trigger the Sea God's Nine Trials on their own.
So the Asura God departed the Asura God Temple and went straight to the Sea God's domain.
"Sea God," he said upon arrival, "a rare guest has come to your temple today."
Poseidon's divine presence stirred.
"Truly unexpected, Asura. What brings you to me?"
"You haven't noticed yet, have you?" the Asura God said gravely.
"You're about to face a very great problem."
"A problem?" Poseidon blinked, confused.
Although he occasionally glanced at the mortal world, his eyes lingered mainly on Sea God Island.
As for the Douluo Continent, his observations were fleeting at best.
Coupled with the difference in time flow between realms, he had no idea of the current situation.
So the Asura God spelled it out: Spirit Hall was on the verge of unifying the Douluo Continent.
Once unified, their expansion would inevitably extend to the endless seas—threatening Poseidon's source of faith itself.
And this was not without precedent.
Long before the age of Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Empire, or the Star Luo Empire, there had once been a mighty empire born of soul tool technology.
An empire lost to history—the Soul Tool Empire.
They too had reached for dominion over the ocean.
Artifacts like the Dragon Abyss Boat, occasionally found in Vast Sea City's auctions, were remnants of their failed expansion.
But the Soul Tool Empire had overreached, offending powers they should never have provoked.
In the end, they were erased from history.
No chronicles remained, save scattered ruins.
Even their greatest achievement—the knowledge of soul toolcraft—was lost.
Today, every soul tool on the continent, whether storage device or weapon, was unearthed from those ruins.
The continent still had no means to create such wonders from nothing.