Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong turned around. Even though they were also weak, it wasn’t as clear as the side effects from Dai Mubai’s three great abilities. They looked at Tang San with eyes full of astonishment.
Oscar smiled wryly:
“Little San, you really have more and more ideas! This time we’ll be tortured again.”
Tang San said:
“Cultivating within the Seagod’s Light, we can endure outside pressure at all times. Moreover, I discovered that within the pressure of the Seagod’s Light, our spirit power movement speed will be a lot faster than ordinarily. Just like using spirit abilities. Like this, if everything goes smoothly, we will cultivate spirit power a lot faster.”
Dai Mubai said:
“Alright, we’ll try. Cultivating on which step would be best?”
Tang San muttered to himself and said:
“Start from the first step. Test if there really is an effect, then we’ll go higher. We’ll get fat if we eat everything in one gulp.”
“Third brother, you can’t be like that! Even if I’m a bit fat, you can’t put me up as a bad example.”
Ma Hongjun leapt out, having already changed clothes, just in time to hear what Tang San said last.
Tang San laughed out loud, saying:
“Fatty, what’s your sixth spirit ring ability?”
At Tang San’s question, Fatty immediately grew proud,
“It’s a pure long range attack ability, called Phoenix Cloud Piercing Strike. Even though I don’t know how strong it is, I can feel that the god bestowed spirit ring is equivalent to at least a forty thousand year or more spirit beast formed spirit ring. This power, heh heh.”
Tang San said:
“You just spent a lot of effort, cultivate in the Seagod’s Light with us. We’ll see if it’s effective. Stop immediately if there are any adverse effects.”
Before starting, Tang San infused the remainder of his spirit power into Oscar, letting him manufacture a few big recovery sausages, making everyone’s spirit power recover somewhat. Then they once again entered the Seagod’s Light.
The stairs leading to the Seagod’s Hall were more than ten meters wide, plenty for six people to sit. Tang San at the same time also took out Xiao Wu from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, placing her next to him. Just like Xiao Wu said herself, her current body basically wouldn’t be harmed under this pressure.
Even though it was only the first step, the omnipresent pressure of the Seagod’s Light still squeezed everyone’s bodies. Slowly sitting down, everyone started to gather spirit power according to their cultivation methods.
As soon as they started cultivating, they discovered what Tang San spoke of. Under the outside pressure of the Seagod’s Light, their spirit power circulation speed clearly improved, so much so that it was faster than their ordinary cultivation speed even without a need to consciously control it. It seemed the same as spirit power automatically circulating with outside stimulation.
Very soon, everyone excitedly discoverd that, cultivating on this first step, their spirit power recovery speed was higher than cultivating outside. Gradually, they entered a cultivation state, simultaneously becoming aware that this first trial, Overcome, Seagod’s Light, might be a rare opportunity of their whole lives.
……
Spirit Hall, Douluo Palace.
Douluo Palace was located at the peak of Spirit Hall’s sacred mountain. It had near absolute authority. Compared to Supreme Pontiff Palace, Douluo Palace was a bit smaller, but all the priests here had Douluo titles.
Within Douluo Palace were no gorgeous furnishings, it was all built from simple and unadorned rock. But if you looked carefully, you would find a very faint golden luster on the simple rock. Touching it with your hand, you would feel a strange energy fluctuating in your palm.
Apart from the direction of the entrance, on the other three walls of Douluo Palace were enshrined one glorious golden board after another. Each board was half a meter high, one chi wide, on each was inscribed three or four characters. There were boards attached to the walls as far as the eye could see, altogether more than several hundred. Each of these boards represented a Title Douluo that had received their title here since the founding of Douluo Palace.
* * *
[1] Pyramid training - starting your training at highest intensity, then decreasing stepwise to induce maximum fatigue.
[2] In the West, pyramid has referred both to the Egyptian tombs and anything in their shape ever since ancient Greece. In China, the introduction is much more recent, and their word literally translates as “Gold lettered pagoda”. In this case the training method is also a direct translation from English.
Chapter 223: Angel and Rakshasa
Within the Douluo Temple stood a tall statue, towering about ten meters high and completely shining gold. With three pairs of wings unfurled from its back, in its hands was a giant golden sword pointing at the skies. The strangest thing about it was, surrounding the sword was a faint golden mist.
In the Spirit Hall’s Elder’s Temple, there was a similar statute, if the two had to be compared then the only difference would have to be, the soul.
Thats right, although the statue in the Elder’s Temple was similarly huge, but it was lacking the spirit. This gigantic statue here gave off the feeling of power, the surrounding several hundred title douluo’s golden title tablets were all silently sleeping under its suppression.
This place was the Spirit Masters’ Supreme Temple, every Spirit Master took pride in being able to enter the Douluo Temple, because it signified that they had reached the Title Douluo level. And also because only when they achieved their title could they enter this place.
The Douluo Temple was actually not certain to have been built by Spirit Hall, according to the legends, Douluo Temple had appeared long before the Spirit Hall had even been established, the original Spirit Hall had been organised in dedication to the Douluo Temple and were originally comprised of the powerful members of the Douluo Temple.
The Douluo Temple had a Temple Master who was the person who respected the Douluo Temple the most, he was the one who worshipped the Douluo’s golden title tablets, and was the person who would preside over the title endowment ceremony of all new Title Douluo.
At this moment, in front of this giant statue in the Douluo Temple, knelt a person silently. She was not a Title Douluo here to receive a title, and neither was she the Temple Master of this Douluo Temple. She had another identity and it was because of this identity she was able to stay here, kneeling symbolically in-front of the huge six-winged Seraphim statue.
Her wavy hair by her back reaching to the ground while her hands were interlocked in a strange posture by her chest, with her thumbs interlocked and index finger pointing at each other while the other six fingers were pointing out to the sides, making it look like of a Six-Winged Seraphim with its wings outstretched.
A delicate haze filled with respect covered her body while her eyes were closed, gave off a faint glow.
This person was precisely the person who had lost to Tang San at the Heaven Dou Empire Palace, resulting in her plan spanning over ten years to fail and was the daughter of the Spirit Hall Supreme Pontiff.
In this place, she had already been kneeling for a hundred and eight days, without food or water.
“Has your heart calmed down?” A dignified yet calm voice resonated from within the Douluo Temple.
Qian Renxue who seemed to have transformed into a statue herself, did not speak and remained silently kneeling there as usual, maintaining her original posture.
With a golden flash of light, a figure had suddenly appeared in-between her and the giant statue, as his figure became clearer, the surrounding golden glow too became stronger. Especially for the giant Six-Winged Seraphim statue, as the giant sword started spurting out even more golden light. Causing an indescribable sacred atmosphere to be formed.
The person who had appeared in front of Qian Renxue was the Spiri
t Hall High Priest, the Temple Master of the Douluo Temple, Qian Daoliu. One of the three ranked ninety-nine Title Douluo in the world.
“Open your eyes.” Dian Dao Liu pointed with his raised hand, and the golden haze emitted from the sword of the statue behind him started to descend and envelop Qian Renxue completely within.
As the golden haze moved, Qian Renxue’s body was lifted up by that golden haze. This golden light had not transformed but in the presence of Qian Renxue, gradually nine golden panels appeared.
Seeing these nine panels of light, Qian Daoliu’s eyes revealed a few flashes of light. “Angel’s nine tests, nine tests…… the nine tests that countless generations of Temple Masters have been waiting for has finally appeared.”
As if with great difficulty, Qian Renxue opened her eyes as she looked at her Grandfather confused.
Within Qian Daoliu’s eyes was a soft light, “I was about seventy before I had your father, and your father was about fifty before he had you. The person that many generations of Temple Masters have been waiting for is actually you. Little Xue, Grandpa is proud of you.”
Qian Renxue dazedly stared at Qian Daoliu, “Grandpa, I don’t understand what you mean.” perhaps because she has not opened her mouth for a long time, her voice sounded a little hoarse.
Qian Daoliu lightly smiled, saying: “If the number of panels in front of you is eight, then you would be the next Douluo Temple’s Temple Master. However, there are nine light panels in front of you right now. Don’t ask why, but when the time comes I will tell you more. From now on, for a long time to come, you will have to complete the Angel’s nine tests. Grandpa will accompany you all the way.”
“Yes.”
The Supreme Pontiff Palace, in the Supreme Pontiff’s private chamber.
The Bibi Dong who was sitting cross legged suddenly opened her eyes, if anybody saw her right now, they would definitely be shocked. Bibi Dong’s both eyes were red as blood, the colour was so fresh that it seemed like blood was practically dripping blood. On the fingers of both her hands were nails as long as five inches that were completely black, a stark contrast to her pale white skin.
Her originally noble complexion now looked horrifyingly distorted, and there were bloodstains. Behind her, an indistinct black shadow had appeared.
With her eyes opened, Bibi Dong took a deep breath, the black-purple light started to move and the changes to her body started to fade away, revealing her original appearance. Leaving her looking only slightly paler than usual.
“Qian Daoliu, you are really very clever. In order for me to not devour the descendants of your Angelic clan you actually chose my daughter.” A chain of explosive sounds roared out around Bibi Dong’s body.
While lightly getting up, there was a golden flash of light, and Bibi Dong was already dressed in the robes of the Supreme Pontiff, from the looks of it, she had already returned to being that dignified decisive Supreme Pontiff.
“So what if you let little Xue inherit your position? There will be a day when I destroy your Angelic Foundation. Qian Daoliu, you have underestimated me. Ever since the time I devoured your son’s body and soul and changed my cultivation to that of the Rakshasa, you have not been able to see through my cultivation. The final step, that final step that you have never managed to take, in no more than ten years, I am certain to be able to surmount. When that time comes, no one will be able to stop me from doing what I want. You son ruined me, and so I shall destroy everything of your Angelic Clan.”
“HAHA, HAHAHAHAHA……” A horrific owl like laughter resounded throughout the entire chamber. The giant black phantom which had previously disappeared, once more appeared behind Bibi Dong, intermittently disappearing and reappearing.
……
One month later.
With a ripping sound echoing loudly as his expanding muscles ripped open his clothes, Dai Mubai roared. Soaring up into the skies, his incredibly robust muscular body could be seen. His body while under the tremendous pressure of the Sea God’s Light shot up towards the sky. However, the current him was no longer the Dai Mubai who couldn’t control the rebound from the Sea God’s Light. His body flipped twice in the air, as he calmly landed on the floor with a golden flash.
A month’s time had passed, the Shrek Seven Devils have been cultivating here for the entire month.
But to them, this month felt as if it had just flashed by. Currently, their spot of cultivation was the tenth step of the Sea God’s steps, where they cultivated while constantly pressured from all sides.
Today, after a month had passed, although the Sea God’s Light was still considered to be pressure for them, it had also quickly become their greatest enjoyment. How so? If everyday they could cultivate and feel a significant progress in their SPirit Power, even if the pressure was greater, how could they not enjoy the sense of satisfaction and feeling of strength every day?
Other than Tang San, Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu who was unable to cultivate, the rest all had an increase in their Spirit Power by a rank. That also included Bai Chenxiang who had increased by a rank when they first came, currently she was already of the forty-eighth rank.
The results of cultivation in the Sea God’s Light was significant, The immense pressure became the best catalyst for their cultivation, within this sea god’s light, even when sleeping, the Spirit Power in their bodies would also be circulating. Whatsmore, would the Shrek Seven Devils waste this perfectly good opportunity? In the month of hard work, while under the feeling of of constant improvement, not one of them complained. With tenacious determination, their strength constantly improved.
Also, they realised that they were gradually getting used to the pressure of the Sea God’s Light. The amount of steps they could take on the stairs had risen as well. Right now Dai Mubai could already walk up to the sixtieth step with his own power. While Tang San is going all out, he could actually reach till close to the eightieth step.
To them, the most effective way to reach their physical limits is to climb up their limit then climbing back down and cultivating. Everyday they could only do so thrice, but the result of these three sessions was their Spirit Power growing by leaps and bounds. Otherwise, they would not have been able to achieve such a large improvement in these three months.
While cultivating in the Sea God’s Light, it was as if the Shrek Seven Devils have returned to the time when they first went to Shrek Academy and they had their high-speed cultivation period. According to their current cultivation pace, during this year of the first Sea God’s Test, all of them should be able to improve by six to seven ranks and perhaps even more.
Tang San’s cultivation was without doubt the most diligent, because he had the motivation that the others did not have. This motivation did not originate from the Sea God’s Nine Tests, rather it was from Xiao Wu. In order to revive Xiao Wu earlier, he was not willing to cut himself even half a moment of slack.
Other than time spent eating and washing himself up, he spent the rest of his time on cultivation, working tirelessly to raise his Spirit Power. Although this one month was not enough for him to break through the sixty-ninth rank, but, his constant hard work and his eight cleared meridians already let him know he has reached the bottleneck, in at most another five days, he would be able to make another breakthrough.
One year, the Sea God’s Light only gave them a year’s worth of time, in this one year, just how much they could improve would depend on how much they gave. To not make the most of this one year’s time they had, how could they be worthy of the arrangement Lord Sea God had bestowed onto them.
Every morning, there would be specific Oceanic Spirit Masters to send them food and then quietly leave. There would not be anyone else appearing to disturb them. It could be said that in this past month, the Shrek Seven Devils and Bai Chenxiang had soaked the first fifty steps with their sweat. Other than Bai Chenxiang who could barely reach the nineteenth step. The Shrek Seven Devils all could reach past the fiftieth step, of which the one with the most
obvious improvement was the one with the weakest physical body, Ning Rongrong.
Under the pressure of the Sea God’s Light, her body’s resistance had greatly improved everyday. Right now, after she had released her Spirit, on her body a faint layer of glow could be seen emanating from her body.
Time passed quickly during their frenzied cultivation. And so two months had passed once more. Bai Chenxiang had too managed to breakthrough to the fiftieth rank. Although she was unable to get a God Bestowed Spirit Ring, Tang San had told her that the results of her continued cultivation would naturally appear after she got the ring so there is no need to rush to find a Spirit Ring now and she just had to continue to work hard and cultivate.
And it was also as this last day of the third month passed here, the Tang San who was sitting cross-legged on the twentieth step suddenly opened his eyes, a crystal golden-blue light suddenly surrounded his body and in combination with the golden Sea God’s Light shone together. An incomparably strong feeling shocked awake the other people who were in the midst of their cultivation.
When their eyes landed on Tang San, they were shocked to realise that Tang San’s body seemed to be releasing a special kind of light, tens of strands of his Blue Silver Emperor which seemed to have been cut out of crystal started to spread out from his body, neatly arranging themselves into a spiral. Around Tang San, the two coloured lights, blue and gold intertwined. Slowly floating up, Tang San’s skin had transformed completely blue.
“Tang San, you……” Dai Mubai looked at Tang San with his eyes wide.
Tang San did not reply, but the light his body was giving out became more and more eye catching, a shattering sound resounded as he was sent flying into the sky under the effects of the Sea God’s Light. In an instant, tens of thousands of strands of Blue Silver Emperor suddenly shot out from his body like strands of blue light, with Tang San as their origin, a golden blue sun releasing an intense eye catching radiance.
Three months of tireless training in the Sea God’s Light had brought to Tang San something he had needed to most, that's right, he had broken through, he had finally broken through the most crucial bottleneck of any spirit master.
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 389