"What?!"
Tang San was stunned.
Was this the reason all six Sacred Pillar Douluos had surrendered?
Obviously, Tang San couldn't believe it.
Seeing Tang San still unwilling to let it go, Sea Dragon Douluo sighed inwardly.
Only then did he explain: "The seven Sacred Pillar Douluos are as close as brothers. As you know, Sea Horse was killed some time ago, and the murderer still hasn't been found. The reason we chose to surrender like this was to help you complete the sixth trial as soon as possible."
"Let me ask you—with your current strength, could you defeat all six of us within thirty-six hours?"
"No."
Tang San shook his head truthfully.
What a joke—how could a Soul Sage possibly be a match for Title Douluos?
Moreover, he had already suffered at the hands of six Title Douluos. If they hadn't voluntarily surrendered one after another, he wouldn't even have made it past the first opponent, Sea Spear Douluo.
After everything he'd been through—the torment from five Title Douluos, the illusions of Sea Illusion Douluo, the Sea God's Song of Sea Witch Douluo, and the overwhelming power of Sea Dragon Douluo—Tang San had been thoroughly humiliated.
His face had been ground into the dirt, and he was furious about it.
"So, you're saying you want me to find the murderer and avenge Sea Horse Douluo?" Tang San asked.
"That's part of it."
Sea Dragon Douluo's eyes lit up. "The Spirit Hall has now established the Spirit Empire, and Sea God Island will inevitably become their next target. As the Sea God's heir, we six have united to temper your will. By pushing you to your limits before surrendering, we aimed to forge you through life-and-death trials."
Tang San: "..."
"So, the sooner you complete the Sea God's trials, the better it will be for Sea God Island."
Sea Dragon Douluo said much more before finally convincing Tang San.
Only after Tang San left did Sea Dragon Douluo sigh softly: "Lying through my teeth was harder than I thought."
"But at least I got to beat him up once. Call it even."
Not long after leaving the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar, Tang San immediately returned to his quarters.
"Now that the fifth trial is over, I'm one step closer to becoming the Sea God."
He pressed a hand to his aching chest, nearly choking on his breath.
"Damn that Sea Dragon Douluo—he hit me so hard. Once I become the Sea God, I'll make sure he knows how it feels."
He snorted coldly. "Let me see what the sixth trial entails."
"Sea God's Sixth Trial: Endure the attacks of Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi for the time it takes one stick of incense to burn. Passing the trial requires survival."
Reading this, Tang San froze like a statue, sitting motionless in place.
This wasn't a trial—it was an impossible task.
No, it was practically a death sentence.
---
Several Days Later
Star Dou Great Forest
Ye Hao wandered tirelessly through the forest. Over the past few days, he had traversed every corner of the Star Dou Great Forest.
After obtaining the three 100,000-year soul rings from the Thousand-Catties Ant Emperors, he had also acquired a 50,000-year soul ring from an Earth Caves Spider Emperor, finally stabilizing his soul power at rank 98.
But despite searching for days, he had found nothing.
Had soul beasts become scarce due to excessive human hunting? Or were they all hiding from him in fear?
Frustrated, Ye Hao sat on a tree branch and sighed helplessly.
"Star Dou Great Forest, ah, Star Dou Great Forest. You're supposed to be the continent's top soul beast habitat—how is it that I can't find a single decent soul beast?"
He scanned his surroundings. The forest was eerily quiet, the towering trees lush and dense.
Closing his eyes, a black light flickered between his brows as his spiritual power rapidly expanded outward.
After a long while...
"Still nothing."
He shook his head. "Forget it. Time to head for Sea God Island. The ocean has more soul beasts than this forest anyway. Maybe I'll find something suitable there."
Having made up his mind, Ye Hao prepared to leave.
Retracing his steps, he walked for a long time before inadvertently returning to the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest—the same place where he had slain the three Thousand-Eyed Ant Emperors days earlier.
Their remains had long been disposed of, and now, the territory had been claimed by another powerful soul beast.
When Ye Hao arrived, the sight before him left him speechless.
"Roar—!"
A deep tiger's growl echoed through the forest.
"Holy—!"
"Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!"
Before him stood an enormous black tiger over eight meters long, its entire body pitch-black with bulging muscles. Its blood-red eyes radiated a sinister aura, and the black "king" character on its forehead stood out starkly. Most peculiar was its tail—hook-shaped and composed of countless bony segments.
Ye Hao had once read about this creature in Bibi Dong's records. Nearly extinct, this soul beast grew stronger by devouring both humans and other soul beasts.
Like the Man-Faced Demon Spider, it was universally despised by soul masters—so much so that its numbers were even scarcer, teetering on the brink of extinction.
"This Dark Demon Evil God Tiger is over 60,000 years old, but its strength rivals that of a 100,000-year soul beast."
This might very well be the same one from the records. Ye Hao had originally planned to leave, but sensing another powerful presence in the core region, curiosity got the better of him.
And now, he found the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger occupying the territory.
"Incredible power. Logically, it should be aligned with darkness, but it's not. The Evil God's descent must have mutated an ordinary White Tiger into this abomination."
In an instant, the surrounding light dimmed. Though the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly, the entire forest seemed to drown in a deathly gray haze.
"Just as I thought!"
Ye Hao nodded. "A domain!"
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was an exception—most soul beasts only developed domains upon reaching the 100,000-year level.
Yet this one had its own domain at just 60,000 years, proving its strength was on par with the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape.
Ye Hao had to take this seriously.
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly. "You think you can out-darkness me? You're far from ready!"
The phantom of the Death God materialized behind him as a black barrier rapidly expanded outward. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's domain crumbled instantly.
"Death God Domain!"
A power Ye Hao had awakened upon becoming a Title Douluo, the Death God Domain boosted his strength by 30% while suppressing his opponent's by 20% and halving their speed.
"Roar!"
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger snarled, its crimson eyes blazing with predatory hunger. It lunged into the air, swinging a massive paw at Ye Hao.
But Ye Hao only smiled eerily.
"Death God's Heart – Abyssal Bind!"
In a flash, he hurled the Death God's Heart. Before the tiger could react, it was sucked inside, bound by six spectral chains that left it completely immobilized.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger blinked in confusion.
How did this human do that?
A giant question mark seemed to float above its head.
Ye Hao grinned. "When I came to capture the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape, I forgot about you. But now's just as good. With my ascension nearing, you..."
"I'll leave you to Xiao Hong for training. No need to kill you—I'll save you for my future daughter. Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, within a century of my godhood, I'll make sure you break through to the 100,000-year level."
Putting away the bewildered Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, Ye Hao spread his six-foot-wide Purple Light Wings and soared into the sky, swiftly heading toward Sea God Island.
Five days later...
Above the endless sea, Ye Hao's arms transformed into demonic scythes as he delivered a decisive slash to an isolated 50,000-year White Demon Sea Lion.
Instantly, the creature was split in two!
Blood dyed the ocean red as Ye Hao gazed into the distance toward the Demon Whale Sea. Glancing at the 50,000-year soul ring before him, he knew the final battle was imminent.
With practiced ease, Ye Hao took out the Death God's Heart to conceal his aura.
Then, he sat cross-legged and, guided by his soul power, began absorbing the soul ring. The phantom of the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor emerged behind him.
Ye Hao was acquiring his eighth soul ring—and his ninth was waiting not far away...
---
Inside the Death God's Heart
"Well, well, if it isn't the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger? What, you got caught by our master too?" Zhu'er teased, looking at the restrained tiger with amusement.
Having lived in the Star Dou Great Forest for 100,000 years, she naturally recognized this rare creature.
"Not bad for your level. To possess a domain at just 60,000 years—impressive," Zhuzhu remarked playfully, recalling his own capture by Ye Hao years ago.
Seeing the tiger's predicament gave him a strange sense of camaraderie.
Dark Demon Evil God Tiger: "..."
"Shh!" Xie Hu hushed them. "Master is absorbing a soul ring. Don't disturb him."
Not long after Ye Hao left Spirit Hall, the three spiders—previously in deep slumber—had awakened.
Within the Death God's Heart, their souls had recovered remarkably, growing even stronger than before.
Now, with Ye Hao's ascension approaching, their resurrection drew nearer.
---
Time passed minute by minute.
Finally, the eighth black ten-thousand-year soul ring settled above the seventh. Ye Hao's aura stabilized—success.
"My soul power remains at rank 98. It seems I truly need the 999,000-year soul ring of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King to break through."
Ye Hao sighed. That final step was proving frustratingly elusive.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King represented his last hope.
"You're awake. How do you feel?" Ye Hao asked the two spiders gathered near the sulking tiger.
"Fantastic. If possible, I'd willingly sacrifice myself again," Zhuzhu joked. For most soul beasts, sacrifice meant death—but for him, it had been rebirth.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger stared blankly, convinced this Death Spider Emperor was an anomaly.
Ye Hao chuckled, then crouched before the tiger, scrutinizing it intently.
"Good, good, very good."
He nodded approvingly, first inspecting the tiger's paws, then its torso, and finally—giving its hindquarters an audacious pat.
The tiger stiffened, baring its fangs in outrage—until Ye Hao flicked its forehead sharply. With a disgruntled huff, it submitted to the head rubs.
"They say you should never touch a tiger's rear. Well, I just did."
Smack! Another pat to its backside.
The tiger lowered its head, exuding gloom. Never in its life had it felt so humiliated.
Ye Hao laughed heartily before vanishing outside.
His gaze locked onto the Demon Whale Sea, blazing with determination.
"The time has come. Deep Sea Demonic Whale King... let's dance."
---
Meanwhile, on Sea God Island...
After seven or eight days of seclusion, Tang San finally emerged.
"My soul power has reached rank 80 at last!" he rejoiced privately.
Since arriving on Sea God Island, his cultivation had skyrocketed—an exhilarating sensation.
"But first, I need an eighth soul ring. If I recall correctly, a 50,000-year Toxic Spined Sea Urchin lurks near the island's outskirts. You'll do."
He dashed from his quarters toward the shoreline.
Only by becoming a Soul Douluo could he hope to withstand Bo Saixi's assault for the duration of a burning incense stick.
---
Sea God Temple
Bo Saixi's eyes snapped open as she sensed the approaching disturbance near the Demonic Whale Sea.
"Ye Hao has arrived—already a Title Douluo, perhaps even matching my power. Tang San's doom approaches. Once Ye Hao eliminates him, Sea God Island shall seal itself for a century, reopening only after Ye Hao ascends!"
This was her ultimate decree. As a Limit Douluo, she could afford to wait.
Survival meant enduring until Ye Hao departed this world.
---
Demon Whale Sea
The waters lay eerily still, like a dead zone.
Clutching the Asura Demon Sword, Ye Hao stood upon the waves, crimson eyes piercing the depths where the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King lurked—apparently forewarned of his arrival, as it refused to surface.
Ye Hao: "..."
"Deep Sea Demonic Whale King! Face me!"
"Come out! Your wife ran off with another whale!"
"..."
No response.
Exasperated, Ye Hao abandoned diplomacy.
He raised the Asura Demon Sword overhead, gathering swirling dark-red energy into its blade.
With a thunderous roar, he brought it down—splitting the sea itself to expose the cowering leviathan below.