After checking the gains from the Spirit Bones, Zhu Ziyang was shocked to find that his spirit power had increased by five levels, reaching level 79. He was only one step away from breaking through to Spirit Saint and entering the Spirit Douluo realm!
This left Zhu Ziyang both shocked and excited. It had not even been a year since he became a Spirit Saint. A seventeen-year-old Spirit Saint would have thrilled Mu En before his demise. So what kind of impact would an eighteen-year-old Spirit Douluo have on the old fellows of the Tian Yuan Pavilion at Shrek Academy?
Zhu Ziyang couldn't imagine, nor did he want to. He only knew that he was about to break another record, and it was very likely to be an unprecedented and unrepeatable new record.
The last thing that excited Zhu Ziyang was that his Heavenly Frost Sacred White Dragon Spirit had evolved again after obtaining the Ice Dragon King's bloodline, transforming from a royal true dragon into a Dragon King, the Heavenly Frost White Dragon King.
Although Zhu Ziyang's current strength was not yet sufficient for him to bear the title of Dragon King, it didn't matter. Once he became a god, he would naturally become a true Dragon King, not a fake Dragon King like Beast God Di Tian, who had the name but not the reality. Of course, this couldn't be blamed on Di Tian, and he himself was indeed a fake Dragon King just like Di Tian, haha.
That was all for his personal changes. Zhu Ziyang then began to collect the rewards for the Fifth Trial of the God of Death.
The rewards for the Fifth Trial of the God of Death surprised Zhu Ziyang, because in addition to ten percent God Position affinity and two god-locking pillars, this time there was an extra reward: a disk.
"Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation?!" Zhu Ziyang uttered the name of the disk in confusion. It was a formation disk, but besides the name, there was no other information on it.
This left Zhu Ziyang somewhat puzzled, so he had to ask Xiao Bai for help. He called out, "Xiao Bai, are you there?"
"Speak!" Xiao Bai's voice came, a simple word expressing her displeasure.
Zhu Ziyang didn't mind and asked on his own, "What's the use of this Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation?"
"As you can see, it's a formation disk!" Xiao Bai said, "Drip your essence blood onto the disk, and you will know what you want to know."
"I see." Zhu Ziyang pondered, saying, "Then what's its relationship with the god-locking pillars?"
"Once you bind the formation disk, it will tell you everything!" Xiao Bai said.
"Alright, then I won't disturb you!" Zhu Ziyang heard Xiao Bai's impatience and felt helpless, so he simply said.
He conjured a drop of essence blood and dripped it onto the Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation disk. Immediately, a golden light flew out from the disk and merged into Zhu Ziyang's glabella. Zhu Ziyang quickly closed his eyes and began to sort through this influx of information.
Not long after, he opened his eyes, revealing a surprised expression. This Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation was indeed related to the god-locking pillars, and was even specifically prepared for them. With this formation disk as the foundation, ten god-locking pillars could be arranged into a grand formation containing the power of the Heavenly Stems. This grand formation possessed powerful sealing capabilities. Any living being that entered the formation, unless they were a Main God-level or higher powerhouse, would be confined and unable to exert any power.
Although Zhu Ziyang was unclear about the concept of a Main God-level powerhouse, he could still feel the terror and power of this Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation. He finally understood the purpose of the god-locking pillars and also obtained a formation that could be called his strongest trump card. Although with Zhu Ziyang's current strength, setting up this Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation would consume ten times his spirit power, for planned ambushes and assassinations, it was still the strongest trump card.
Zhu Ziyang smiled knowingly, his gaze falling on the eight god-locking pillars behind the Path to Godhood. Ten god-locking pillars could form the Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation. So, could twelve, fourteen, sixteen, or even eighteen pillars form an even more powerful formation?
He was very much looking forward to it.
Climbing the steps, Zhu Ziyang reached the sixtieth step. The content of the Sixth Trial of the God of Death appeared on the god-locking pillars. He glanced at it and immediately burst out laughing.
"God Position Affinity: Sixty Percent
Sixth Trial of the God of Death: As the inheritor of the God of Death, strength is the sole measure. You, who are only four steps away from a God Position, need to cultivate even harder and require even greater strength!
Assessment Content: Raise your cultivation to level eighty, and without attaching an eighth spirit ring to your first Spirit, kill a 100,000-Year Soul Beast!
Assessment Requirement: Time limit not to exceed one year;
Assessment Reward: Unknown."
The content of the Sixth Trial of the God of Death truly made Zhu Ziyang's mouth twitch from laughter. If it had been before fusing the Ice Dragon King's trunk bone, he might have worried about how to raise six levels of Spirit Saint realm spirit power within a year. But now, for a mere one level of spirit power, even if he spent his days sightseeing and didn't cultivate specifically, half a year would be enough.
As for killing a 100,000-Year Soul Beast without attaching an eighth spirit ring to the Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe, this additional condition seemed even more ridiculous. As early as when he became a Spirit Saint, ordinary 100,000-Year Soul Beasts were no longer his opponents. Otherwise, he wouldn't have thought of going to the Extremely North Land to avenge Second Shuang!
"Heh!" Zhu Ziyang chuckled, saying, "Alright, let's consider it revenge for Shuang Er. We'll make that Ice Demon Snow Soul King the target for the Sixth Trial of the God of Death."
Filled with joy, Zhu Ziyang left the God Position inheritance place and returned to the bottom of the Extreme Cold Yin Spring. The four dragon eggs were still incubating, but they wouldn't be hatching too long from now, at most another quarter of an hour. Zhu Ziyang was not in a hurry and decided to wait.
His gaze fell upon the Ice Dragon King's skeleton, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. His previous indifferent attitude had also changed. He had, after all, received the Ice Dragon King's favor, and to continue to disrespect her remains as before would be somewhat ungrateful.
Therefore, after respectfully bowing, Zhu Ziyang decided to bury the Dragon King's remains. No sooner said than done, his hands transformed into dragon claws. The permafrost at the bottom of the Yin Spring seemed to lose all dignity before his dragon claws, being kneaded and played with at will. Soon, a large pit capable of accommodating the Dragon King's skeleton appeared. Zhu Ziyang circled the Dragon King's skeleton, bowed, and then, after an apology for the disrespect, he lifted the Dragon King's skeleton and placed it into the pit he had dug.
After burying the soil, Zhu Ziyang respectfully bowed again and said, "Thank you for your gift. Please rest in peace!"
As Zhu Ziyang's voice fell, a blue-golden pearl shot out from the grave and flew before Zhu Ziyang's eyes. The appearance of this pearl made Zhu Ziyang open his mouth wide in shock, exclaiming, "Dragon Core!"
He had completely not expected that the Ice Dragon King still had a Dragon Core left. He had thought that the Ice Dragon King's Dragon Core had already merged into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but he hadn't expected it to be preserved! If he hadn't had a conscience and buried the Ice Dragon King's remains, this Dragon Core would probably never have appeared before him!
This could be considered a form of repayment!
Zhu Ziyang took the Dragon Core, and a refreshing coolness permeated him. At the same time, the Yin Spring Law that had been suppressing him instantly vanished, and he felt incredibly relaxed. Looking at this Dragon Core, Zhu Ziyang already had a plan and ideas in mind. With a slight smile, he was about to put it into his star flame ring.
However, unexpectedly, this divine-grade Dragon Core could not be stored in a spirit tool. Helpless, Zhu Ziyang had no choice but to hang it around his neck.
After burying the Ice Dragon King's skeleton, the Soul Spirits also hatched. Snow Empress and Lu'er seemed unchanged, but in reality, their spiritual bodies had solidified, and their strength had each received a boost. As for Ice Empress and Second Shuang, they had gained human forms. Ice Empress was a green-haired girl, seven parts similar in appearance to Snow Empress, with a cold and glamorous demeanor that complemented Snow Empress perfectly.
As for Second Shuang, her gains and changes were actually the greatest. As the Soul Spirit most closely related to Zhu Ziyang's second Spirit among the four Soul Spirits, after the Heavenly Frost Sacred White Dragon Spirit evolved into the Heavenly Frost White Dragon King Spirit, the Heavenly Frost Sacred Silver Dragon Second Shuang naturally also evolved into a Dragon King-level Soul Spirit, with her strength reaching a level comparable to Snow Empress.
Her human form, compared to Snow Empress and Ice Empress, seemed less successful. She had a pair of dragon horns on her forehead and a dragon tail behind her. Her face was exquisite, her figure slender, and her silver long dress was embroidered with silver dragons. The whole person looked exactly like a dragon princess.
Zhu Ziyang was very satisfied with the new appearances of Ice Empress and Second Shuang, and also happy that his strength had increased. The strength of Snow Empress and Second Shuang could now rival that of 600,000-year-old fierce beasts. He currently couldn't support both of their full power forms simultaneously. The strength of Ice Empress and Lu'er could rival a Spirit Douluo, and his current strength could easily support both of them at full power.
"Alright, the mission is successfully completed. Let's go up," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, "Then we'll go to the Extremely North Land to complete the Sixth Trial of the God of Death!"