“Coaxed her?”
Ma Hongjun stuck his head out from behind.
Tang San turned around to look. The five devils and Bai Chenxiang were already gathered, each and every one with looking like they were holding back laughter, apparently in need of a spanking. He snapped:
“You treasonous fellows.”
Dai Mubai coughed once:
“Little San, you can’t blame us for this. Yes. Xiao Wu has managed to return to her body to be affectionate with you, we can’t go interrupting you!”
Oscar immediately displayed his formidable ability to change the topic,
“Little San, that little idiot just now said you were the lord Seagod’s chosen person, what did that mean? Have you thought about it?"
His subject change was extremely successful, Tang San’s expression immediately brightened, lowering his voice:
“I still can’t be sure of the true answer, but from the name of my trials, as well as what that Xiao Bai said, I believe the trials we face should be even more difficult than originally. As for that Seagod, whether it exists or not, even though I can’t guess why it would treat me so, it shouldn’t be maliciously. That can be proven by that golden light protecting me just now. Since he has no ill intention, and the enormous help these trials are to increase our strength, we don’t need to think too much about it right now. It’s enough as long as we do our best to increase our strength. Once we leave this place, our goal is the eightieth rank. When we return to the mainland then, we’ll at least have the strength to defend ourselves, and won’t have to worry about fighting Spirit Hall powers.”
Dai Mubai asked:
“Then what do we do next?”
Tang San said without the slightest hesitation:
“Besides Fatty continuing to work hard to attack the seventieth rank, the rest of us will constantly go into the water, and try to fight there. The drag of the seawater is quite large, and further adding the strange energy, it’s also a kind of pressure to us. Moreover, constantly trying to break through the blockade led by the Devil Spirit Great White Shark King, fighting it, our fighting strength in the ocean will constantly rise. Even Xiao Bai herself said that she won’t attack us directly. Under such circumstances, don’t you think she’s the best sparring partner for us? Let’s not think about how to pass the test, first practice how to fight under water while she blocks, that’s equal to learning how to fight in an environment like a domain.”
Zhu Zhuqing said:
“That’s right, if we can all cooperate in the sea, then wouldn’t that make our teamwork on land even faster, and even more invulnerable?”
Ma Hongjun said:
“Third brother, how about I go train together with you. Anyway, there’s no suitable spirit beast here to become my spirit ring, I won’t be able to break through even if I cultivate to the seventieth rank.”
Tang San said:
“Who said there’s no suitable spirit beast so you can’t have a seventh spirit ring? Don’t mind anything else right now. Cultivate assiduously and break through the bottleneck, at that time I’ll have ways for you to obtain a seventh spirit ring.”
“Ah?”
Ma Hongjun looked distracted, but he didn’t ask anything else, directly choosing to trust in Tang San. Actually, not just him, the other six of the Shrek Seven Devils all had a close to blind faith in Tang San. Tang San would never speak without thinking, and his character was absolutely completely trustworthy.
Zhu Zhuqing said:
“Third brother, when do we start?”
Dai Mubai laughed out loud:
“Why ask that? Time is tight and the mission urgent. Something like finding a hundred thousand year spirit beast isn’t easy. Further one that won’t attack directly. Naturally we’ll recover our spirit power, and start right away.”
Everyone smiled at each other, agreeing by chance to sit down crosslegged and start cultivating, recovering the spirit power they expended before. Oscar even more put his energy into starting to remake his clone mirror sausages.
Tang San still didn’t teach his internal respiration method to the others, because the spirit power cultivation techniques of this world had major differences with his Mysterious Heaven Skill. He had studied with Grandmaster for so many years, and naturally knew this bit. It was very difficult for everyone’s spirit power to conduct internal respiration like him. But each person’s spirit was different, and they also had different methods.
Starting from this day, the ring sea that had surrounded and protected Seagod mountain for countless years grew lively. Every day there were violent fluctuations like great waves and stormy seas, from time to time came bursts of intense light, and whirlpools constantly appeared in the seawater.
Something like swimming ability had very many techniques, but just like cultivating spirit power, there weren’t any big shortcuts, only practice making perfect. Even though the Shrek Seven Devils party were all non swimmers, along with playing in the water every day, as well as their formidable strength, they very soon grew accustomed. Their swimming ability grew stronger almost every day. Even though they still couldn’t be described as fish in water, at least they wouldn’t be too hindered in the sea.
Even Xiao Wu returned to her body for a time every day to go into the water with everyone. Making everyone else envious was that the Devil Spirit Great White Shark Xiao Bai would never attack Xiao Wu, so much so that she would even take care to avoid Xiao Wu when launching attacks.
What Xiao Bai said after that battle really wasn’t empty words. The true significance of its strength could be displayed in the ocean. A hundred thousand year sea spirit beast in the sea was a terrifying existence. Tang San could be sure that even four or five Title Douluo might not be her opponent in the sea. Fortunately, she really did start off leniently. Even though everyone were frequently beaten until they were covered with cuts and bruises, Xiao Bai would only drive them out of the ring sea and then stop attacking. Moreover, she never harmed them in any true sense.
Through constant battle in the sea, everyone clearly understood that their opponent was not only the sea spirit beasts. It was also the ring sea. Under Xiao Bai’s control, each drop of seawater became their enemy, rejecting them. Besides Xiao Wu, Xiao Bai’s attacks to Tang San were the gentlest, perhaps because she was apologetic over the mistake that day. But she absolutely wouldn’t throw the game. To her, she was the everyone’s second trial examiner, and this authority and duty was assigned by the Seagod. No matter how powerful she was, she absolutely didn’t dare show private considerations.
However, as the days went by, as everyone were trampled by Xiao Bai in the ring sea each day, they gradually also started to feel trampled. Everyone admired Xiao Bai’s strength, but Xiao Bai was also very curious about them. In her eyes, after these land spirit masters gradually adapted to fighting in the ocean, they also gradually revealed how extraordinary they were. Even though they were still far from her opponents, if she wanted to rout these people on dry land, she would also have to pay a considerable price, possible even her life. Of course, that was under circumstances where Tang San’s Blue Silver Emperor spirit abilities could be used. As examiner, she of course knew how Tang San was restrained. He couldn’t use two hundred thousand year spirit abilities, and two great domains were unable to show their full strength, such restrictions were quite severe.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. Half a year since the start of the second trial.
“Aaaah——, Xiao Bai, be a bit gentle! Girls should be gentle!”
Oscar was sent out of the ring sea by a deep current, falling firmly on the beach. The sudden ache all over his body almost made him unconscious, and he couldn’t help grumbling loudly.
However, immediately after him, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu were also sent out of the ring sea one after another. Any one as bad as the next, all cutting sorry figures.
Xiao Bai’s shark head stretched out of the water, spitti
ng out human words at Oscar:
“Little Ao, big sister here is already very gentle. If I wasn’t, I’d already have beaten your butt into eight pieces. Ah, Rongrong! I really don’t know what part about this fellow you like. He’s so vulgar. And what Erect Golden Fly, are all males among you humans this obscene[2]? I’d best introduce you to a handsome sea Spirit Master. A lot purer than him.”
“......”
Ning Rongrong looked speechlessly at Oscar, her eyes brimming with smiles. Due to her being a support Spirit Master, Xiao Bai was quite considerate to her. Even when incarnating as a human woman, Xiao Bai still didn’t have the the property of human women to be jealous of others’ beautiful features, and on the contrary was quite close to the three girls of the seven devils. Of the three women, only Xiao Wu refused her affection, due to her almost killing Tang San. Even though Zhu Zhuqing was cold and detached, she would still occasionally exchange a few words with her in the gaps between battles. Instead it was Ning Rongrong who had the best relationship with Xiao Bai, and they became good friends when not fighting.
Oscar flew into rage from embarrassment and crawled up from the sand,
“Xiao Bai, you can’t slander me. A pure and honest good man like me, and you actually call me obscene? Call me vulgar? Can I decide something like spirit abilities? This is innate.”
“You’re pure and clean?”
Xiao Bai’s big eyes revealed intense contempt,
“Come on. The spirit is born from the heart, you’re obscene to the bone, otherwise how would your spirit be so obscene? I see your eyes aren’t any good things. The next time I’ll beat you a bit harder. How can the gap between you and Dai Mubai be so large even with the same spirit?”
“Even if you beat people, don’t slap their face. Xiao Bai, you’re slapping face here, the two of us can’t coexist.”
Oscar jumped up and down on the beach. However, his current spirit power was already close to exhausted, and charging out wouldn’t be any use. The others all looked at him with laughing expressions. They didn’t know what was going on either, but Oscar seemed like he and Xiao Bai were natural enemies. Each time everyone were blasted out, Xiao Bai couldn’t help taunting him.
Xiao Bai gave Oscar a provoking look,
“Come! Come on! This old woman will was clean and wait for you. Scared of you, ah! Just being scared of you is no good. However, little Ao, let me warn you, men can’t be no good.”
“You……”
Little Ao was so speechless with anger, but no matter how he hit, the always resourceful him was still helpless after meeting Xiao Bai.
“I’m ignoring you. This old woman will wait for you all in the sea. Hurry up and recover. You can’t let me wait for too long.”
Finished speaking, Xiao Bai turned, returning to the depths of the ring sea. When she left, she still didn’t forget to raise her giant tail to splash Oscar tumbling.
“Xiao Bai, this daddy’ll fight it you with you.”
Oscar was unbearably deflated. He wanted to charge into the sea, but Ning Rongrong hurriedly grabbed his waist, stopping him.
“Little Ao, what’s up with you and Xiao Bai? How come she targets you like that? You didn’t peep at her bathing?”
Dai Mubai said with schadenfreude from the side.
Oscar was livid:
“How would I know? Every time that fellow attacks it seems to be targeting me, and every time I’m the first to be beaten out, the one who falls the heaviest. Don’t tell me handsome guys aren’t popular now?”
“Little Ao, don’t be that narcissistic, alright?”
Dai Mubai laughed out loud,
“Rongrong, you’ve gotta be careful. As they say, the fiercer the hatred, the deeper the love. Maybe Xiao Bai fancies your little Ao, and deliberately targets him for that reason. Girls do quite like his peach blossom eyes.”
Ning Rongrong snorted, saying:
“And your dual pupil eyes haven’t attracted girls? I trust our little Ao.”
Listening to Ning Rongrong, Oscar’s previous anger was completely swept away, and he looked immensely self satisfied at Dai Mubai. However, Ning Rongrong’s next words almost made him fall over.
“How could Xiao Bai fancy him, eh?”
Ning Rongrong giggled.
“I……”
Oscar was extremely depressed, but as he with evil shape and evil form was about to settle accounts with Ning Rongrong, she’d already taken a step away.
Just as Oscar said, Xiao Bai really did target him, showing him some extra ‘consideration’ with each attack. However, it was also just because of this that the original food system Spirit Master’s combat ability was soaring. Even though he still couldn’t compare with a true power attack type Spirit Master like Dai Mubai, he still had some ways to employ Dai Mubai’s spirit abilities with considerable force. If it wasn’t for his physical strength being a lot weaker than Dai Mubai, as well as having lower cultivation, he might truly have been able to catch up.
However, without the assistance of the Seagod’s Light, even though everyone fought assiduously day after day, their spirit power promotion speed had clearly slowed down. Half a year had passed, but they all stilled kept their previous ranks, only approaching the rank breakthrough. It showed just how difficult cultivation was after spirit power reached the seventieth rank. Spirit Masters above the Spirit Sage realm normally advanced one rank every few years. They all confronted such pressure every day, so they would advance comparatively quickly.
Just as everyone prepared to start recovering their spirit power through cultivating, suddenly, a resonant phoenix howl rose from behind them without the slightest warning. The atmosphere near the sea instantly heated up, warm invasive currents rising to fill the air, even bringing a somewhat smoky scent.
Pleasant surprise appeared on everyone’s faces simultaneously. They all turned to look, only to find an orange flame brimming with aggressiveness soar up, transforming into a giant phoenix that flew towards the horizon. Set off by that enormous phoenix flame, a chubby silhouette slowly walked out.
His pace was steady and forceful, the aggressiveness of a leader manifesting without doubt. That really wasn’t the aura of an emperor, but rather the aggressiveness of being placed above all living things. The terrifying aura of the king of a hundred birds.
When the equally flight type Spirit Master Bai Chenxiang saw that slowly walking silhouette, she couldn’t keep her knees from shaking, a difficult to suppress trembling feeling filling her whole body. That was the fear of higher level spirits of the same type. Even if the Needle-Tailed Swift was also quite a good spirit, it was still far off when compared to the king of a hundred birds.
Gradually, Ma Hongjun’s face appeared in everyone’s view. His eyes were already completely replaced with the radiance of flame, and orange flames rose and fell all over his body, just like the god of fire descended on the world. Nowhere was a trace of his ordinarily vulgar appearance. Contrasted by the flame he looked quite tall, so much that even the other of the seven devils could feel the pressure he brought.
Everyone knew that, undergoing tireless cultivation, Fatty had also finally reached that important pass, successfully breaking through the seventieth rank bottleneck, entering an all new realm.
The flames gradually faded, but it felt like Fatty’s temperament had undergone considerable changes after breaking through. The grandeur of the Phoenix was expressed in all his gestures.
Walking straight up to everyone, Fatty halted and looked at them;
“I succeeded.”
He had a faint smile on his face. That noble aura of a leader gave Bai Chenxiang a feeling of her pulse speeding up. She suddenly felt that her grandfather’s choice on her behalf was a bit reasonable.
Oscar’s recent depression still hadn’t completely disappeared. Looking at Fatty’s appearance he snapped:
“Damn Fatty, will you die if you don’t act cool?”
The noble smile on Ma Hongjun’s face went rigid, th
e next moment his former nobility vanished completely as if smashed,
“Fack me, little Ao, you noticed?”
Oscar looked distracted a moment, but immediately reacted,
“Fuck me, you really were acting! Boss Dai, I’m not one to be belligerent! However, this Fatty is acting cool like this in front of all of us, can we tolerate it?”
Dai Mubai grinned sinisterly,
“Of course we can’t. Beat him up.”
Speaking, two rotten youths lunged practically simultaneously.
“Don’t!”
Fatty cried miserably, crouching on the ground with both hands behind his head. He didn’t resist, letting the lunging Dai Mubai and Oscar thump him. Tang San only smiled, without participating. Someone always had to stay calm, and Tang San played the role of official.
Actually, Dai Mubai and Oscar didn’t wallow Ma Hongjun more than a few times, then helped him up.
“Alright! Fatty, you’ve caught up this quickly.”
Oscar laughed out loud.
Fatty’s self-satisfaction reappeared,
“But of course. Ah’m the descendant of the Phoenix.”
Ning Rongrong burst into giggles:
“If the Phoenix saw how fat you are, it might even spontaneously combust.”
Fatty snorted, saying:
“Your little Ao is the most handsome, got it. Third brother, I broke through. How can I get the seventh spirit ring?”
As a Spirit Master, who didn’t want to possess their own transformative seventh spirit ring? Fatty was no exception either, his small eyes brimming with the light of hope.
Tang San smiled slightly:
“We can’t do without you. Catch.”
With a flick of his wrist, a fiery light floated out, directly towards Fatty.
Fatty reached out, and grabbed it. As that fiery light entered his hand, immediately, a strange feeling filled his whole body. He couldn’t help being somewhat astounded,
Douluo Dalu: Volume 33: Seven Devils Avatars Page 11