Chapter 448: The Sea God and the God of Evil
"Even if he's the Sea God's successor, this is just too arrogant!" one of the black-robed figures, a female with a graceful fish tail instead of human legs, muttered disapprovingly.
Sea Horse Douluo fixed his gaze on the dramatically transformed Dai Yao, puzzled by how he'd changed from his usual calm demeanor to such aggressive defiance. What exactly had happened in the second trial?
Sea Dragon Douluo watched Dai Yao intently before speaking with a steady voice. "Sea Enchantress, you mustn't speak this way again. This man is the Sea God's chosen successor; he's beyond our judgment. All we need to do is obey the Grand Worshipper's commands."
Sea Enchantress cast a dissatisfied glance at Sea Dragon Douluo and muttered, but her gaze soon turned to Bessie, wondering how she would handle such insolent words from Dai Yao.
At his words, Bessie's heart tightened, though her expression remained calm. Still, her grip on the staff grew noticeably stronger.
"Did he figure out it was me behind this?" The normally unshakeable Bessie, who had overseen Sea God Island for centuries, found herself momentarily at a loss. If she were to intervene now, Dai Yao might abandon the Sea God inheritance altogether. Such a loss would be an unforgivable sin for her, marking her as Sea God Island's greatest betrayer.
Even more alarming, the black bead mark on Dai Yao's forehead carried an aura that felt even more commanding than the Sea God's trident. She recognized it as the mark of another divine inheritance—he wasn't bluffing when he claimed he could pursue a different god's path.
Yet, if she did nothing, was she really supposed to let Dai Yao destroy Sea God Island?
At that moment, a sacred light erupted from the top of Sea God Mountain. A thought struck Bessie's mind, unbidden but unmistakably from the Sea God himself.
"Do not intervene."
A tremor ran through Bessie as her pupils constricted in shock. The Sea God himself had just issued this command. She bit her lip, her eyes glinting with hesitation, but she slowly took a step back. Spirit rings rose around her as her immense spirit power spread out to protect the entirety of Sea God Island—leaving the Demon Spirit Great White Shark exposed and unshielded.
She was letting Xiao Bai face Dai Yao's wrath alone, while Bessie shielded the island from the collateral damage. Though it pained and puzzled her, she couldn't defy the Sea God's directive.
Xiao Bai noticed Bessie's withdrawal and stared in disbelief. Was the Grand Worshipper really abandoning her? Confusion flooded her mind, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as Dai Yao's Dark Devilgod Thunder rained down from above.
Seeing Bessie back down, a trace of disdain curved Dai Yao's lips as he lowered his hand, letting the storm of demonic thunder fall.
Boom—
The violet-black Dark Devilgod Thunder exploded upon touching Xiao Bai's Magic Shark Domain. Deafening blasts echoed across the Sea Within Sea, briefly deafening everyone, as wave after wave of energy rippled out, crashing against Bessie's golden barrier and sending shockwaves of golden light across the island.
The sheer intensity of the power shook even Bessie, who widened her eyes in disbelief. Could such a monstrous skill truly be the work of an eighty-level Spirit Sage?
While the others shielded their faces, realizing they were safe, they turned back to look at the Sea Within Sea—and were horrified by what they saw. Mist blanketed the entire expanse, turning the Sea Within Sea into a churning cauldron.
"What… is this?" Sea Enchantress whispered, stunned.
The other Douluo shared her grave expressions, silently observing the chaos through the mist. Within the Sea Within Sea, the once-calm waters had become a raging tempest, with waves towering dozens of meters high. Black-violet lightning continued to flash and fade within the waters, crackling in the dissipating mist.
At the sea's center, the massive form of Xiao Bai lay floating, covered in charred wounds, her eyes dim. Her faint, broken breathing was the only sign she still clung to life.
When the explosions began, Xiao Bai's Magic Shark Domain had been obliterated, and the backlash of her shattered domain had been agonizing. Though the orbs hadn't detonated directly on her head, dozens had exploded on her body, tearing through her defenses and leaving her heavily injured.
"He actually hurt Xiao Bai this much! We can't let him go on like this," Sea Enchantress said angrily. "Xiao Bai is our friend! Even if he's the Sea God's successor, we can't stand by and let him do as he pleases. Sea Dragon, we have to stop him!"
Sea Dragon Douluo exchanged glances with his companions, but none of them moved. Xiao Bai was indeed their friend, but their faith in the Sea God was their purpose. They couldn't defy the Sea God's command.
Within the Sea Within Sea, Dai Yao floated down onto Xiao Bai's back as she lay dying, her body rising and falling with the waves. Looking down at the soul beast who had once boasted she would kill him, Dai Yao snorted. If he didn't know how important the Demon Spirit Great White Shark was to Sea God Island, he would have killed her by now.
"Well, get up! Didn't you say you were going to kill me? I'm right here in front of you—why don't you try?" Dai Yao taunted her coldly.
Hearing Dai Yao's murderous tone, Bessie frowned. In a flash, she appeared in front of Dai Yao, standing with elegant authority as she spoke.
"Dai Yao, Xiao Bai is gravely injured. Your anger should be appeased by now. Let's end this, shall we?"
Dai Yao cast a sidelong glance at Bessie, then turned to his wives standing on the opposite shore and called to them.
"Cross the Sea Within Sea and finish the second trial."
The women hesitated—Dai Yao seemed close to severing ties with the Sea God Hall, so why was he urging them to complete the trial? Although uncertain, their trust in him pushed them to follow his command.
With a few swift movements, the four women flew across the Sea Within Sea. Now, with only some lingering waves to challenge them, the soul beasts dared not hinder their path. In moments, all four had safely reached the opposite shore.
Seeing this, Dai Yao turned back to Bessie, his mocking gaze glinting as he spoke, "As for this foolish beast, I hold no real grudge against her. After all, she's just a pawn—she isn't the real mastermind here. I should be more upset with someone else, don't you think, Grand Worshipper?"
Bessie froze, Dai Yao's cold smile sending an icy chill through her. Though she had ruled over Sea God Island for centuries, for the first time, things were spiraling out of her control.
"Dai Yao, if you stop now, I'll offer you what you want in compensation." She sighed, raising a barrier of spirit power around them to ensure privacy.
Dai Yao looked at the crowd around them. This wasn't the place for such a discussion. "To the Sea God Hall."
With a flap of his black wings, he descended to the base of Sea God Mountain, the notification of his completed second trial echoing in his mind. But he paid it no attention, instructing Zhu Zhuqing and the others to wait for him there before soaring up to the Sea God Hall atop the mountain.
Poseidon cast a conflicted glance at Zhu Zhuqing and the others without speaking, then turned to issue instructions to Sea Dragon Douluo and the rest, reminding them to care for Xiao Bai, the injured guardian beast. With a flash, Poseidon's form vanished as she followed Dai Yao back into the Sea God Temple.
"Zhuqing, should we...?" Dugu Yan began, watching Dai Yao's retreating figure with concern.
Although she hadn't finished her sentence, the others understood her worry. After today's events, life on Sea God Island might not stay peaceful for long; they needed to make some preparations.
Zhu Zhuqing was initially inclined to dismiss the concern—she trusted Dai Yao completely. If he said there was no problem, she was confident there truly wasn't. However, noticing Dai Yao's current instability and recalling his meticulous nature, she changed her mind.
"Yan, go ahead with the preparations, but be careful not to let the soul masters of Sea God Island catch on."
Dugu Yan nodded, then remembered their reward for completing the second trial: an increase of one level in spirit power and an extension of one thousand years to each spirit ring. In just a few days, she had advanced two whole levels, reaching seventy-four. She sighed with appreciation, saying, "Sea God Island is indeed filled with countless opportunities. If it weren't for these circumstances, I wouldn't want to leave."
Ning Rongrong nodded deeply. "Same here! After receiving the trial rewards, my spirit power rose to seventy-five, matching Zhuqing's level. Being a support-type soul master, I progress more slowly than other types, so I owe all this speed to the treasures of Sea God Island."
"When we return, my father and the others won't believe how much I've improved! Leaving would be such a waste."
"To stay or go, let's leave the choice to Dai Yao," Dugu Yan suggested before looking out toward the sea, where several elders were tending to the injured island guardian beast. Her eyes turned steely.
"Though it seems Dai Yao believes there's someone else behind today's events, a level beyond our own to deal with, as for this guardian beast...Dai Yao may have let her off easily, but I certainly won't."
Only Dugu Yan could describe the grievously injured Demon Spirit Great White Shark as "let off easy." All four women turned their eyes on Xiao Bai, their expressions hardening.
"Let's head back across for now. Xiangxiang hasn't joined us yet. We'll wait there until Dai Yao returns," Zhu Zhuqing said calmly.
Under the wary eyes of the Sea God's elders, the four soared back across to regroup with Bai Chenxiang.
In the Divine Realm...
A gleaming palace stood atop a towering peak, crystalline like jade and aglow with a faint golden hue under the sunlight. Below, clouds swirled, rising and falling to reveal glimpses of a vast, cerulean sea, where fish leapt joyfully, chasing one another through the waves.
This was the Sea God Palace, the Sea God's divine abode. The palace was usually quiet and serene, but today an unexpected guest had arrived, a figure whose exalted status had drawn the Sea God himself out to greet them.
"God-King, I must say, what you've done today isn't exactly fair," the Sea God remarked, regarding a shadowy figure at the heart of the room with a respectful but reproachful tone.
He would have berated even the God of Asura if it came to that, but in front of this particular god, he reined in his usual sharpness. After all, this figure was none other than the God of Evil, one of the two supreme God-Kings of the Divine Realm.
The God of Evil's laugh rang out, and his form emerged more clearly from the shadows. Though his face was obscured, his mouth curved in a faintly mischievous smile that left a strong impression. Shrugging off the Sea God's discontent, he replied, "Come now, Poseidon, I wasn't involved at all. I am the God of Evil, after all, ruling over humanity's purest impulses—greed, envy, pride, wrath..."
"I simply sow the seeds of evil in the mortal realm. How those seeds grow is beyond my control. If your earthly agent became so consumed by her own survival instincts that she plotted against your successor, what does that have to do with me?"
Poseidon's chest tightened in irritation. The nerve of the God of Evil, acting so shamelessly! Wasn't it clear that this all started because the God of Evil was trying to snatch away his successor?
Dai Yao, having absorbed the Heavenly Evil Pearl of the Dark Devilgod Tiger, had caught the eye of the God of Evil, yet Dai Yao hadn't taken up the Evil God's mantle. Instead, he had journeyed to Sea God Island to inherit Poseidon's title.
There was no way the God of Evil would just sit back and watch his chosen successor slip away. Undoubtedly, he had resorted to some underhanded scheme to make Dai Yao abandon the Sea God inheritance.
Poseidon trusted Bessie, his carefully chosen earthly representative; he knew she wouldn't defy his will. Even if she had her reservations, she would never stoop to covert defiance. So if she was indeed overwhelmed by desire and tried to harm Dai Yao, the true instigator had to be the God of Evil.
Recently, the Sea God had watched the God of Asura boast incessantly about finding his own successor, stirring intense jealousy. Now that he'd finally found his own candidate, he wouldn't let the God of Evil snatch him away—not even a God-King had that right!
As long as Dai Yao remained under his guidance and continued the Sea God trials, not even the God of Evil could forcibly take him. If the Evil God tried, Poseidon would take the matter straight to the God of Kindness, who would back him up.
Reassured by this, Poseidon regained his calm and gave a cool smile. "Since you say you weren't involved, I'll trust that today's events truly had nothing to do with you. Surely a God-King's word is as good as a vow?"
The God of Evil chuckled in response, inclining his head. "Of course, of course."
Poseidon's gaze sharpened, and he sighed dramatically. "Alas, my earthly representative plotting against my own successor—it's unthinkable! God-King, what would you suggest as a fitting punishment for her?"
The God of Evil's eyes glinted with sudden understanding. He saw through Poseidon's plan immediately: to appease Dai Yao's grievances by any means necessary, ensuring he continued with the Sea God inheritance. Realizing his scheme had been foiled, the God of Evil let out a humorless laugh.
"Well, since your representative does possess certain...charms, why not grant her to your successor as a personal servant? She could serve to atone for her transgressions that way."
The Sea God was momentarily dumbfounded by the audacious suggestion.
With a derisive snort, the God of Evil turned and vanished into the shadows. (Chapter ends)