Chapter 276: Crossing the Ring Sea

Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Crossing the Ring Sea

Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling exchanged glances; without the need for words, they reached a silent accord and simultaneously channeled the soul power within their bodies.

A surging, pristine stream of soul power erupted from the soles of their feet, coalescing into a faint, steady aura that buoyed them up, allowing them to tread lightly upon the surface of the sea.

The ocean’s surface rippled only faintly from their soul power; their robes fluttered in the breeze as they moved with swift, composed grace.

They had advanced barely a few dozen meters across the water when the previously tranquil Ring Sea suddenly erupted in chaos!

"Rumble—"

The deep-blue waters exploded outward as an incredibly massive figure burst forth. Its entire body was clad in hard, shark-like scales—lustrous and white as jade—while its dorsal fin was as sharp as a curved scimitar. Its eyes radiated the unique majesty and ferocity characteristic of a 100,000-year soul beast!

The King of the 100,000-Year Demon Soul Great White Sharks—Xiao Bai!

The instant Xiao Bai emerged, she immediately unleashed her exclusive Demon Shark Domain!

An invisible force—the power of her domain—instantly enveloped the entire stretch of sea designated for the trial. The surrounding waters churned wildly, coalescing into towering walls of water that pressed in upon them from all sides. The water’s resistance and concussive force surged severalfold, relentlessly hindering Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling’s progress.

Immediately thereafter, the domain’s power intensified; the turbulent waters instantly crystallized into countless sharp, jagged shards of ice, which—borne upon a gale-force wind—shot rapidly toward the two women!

Before the pair could even react, Xiao Bai unleashed another surge of power: the explosive might of her "Demon Shark’s Fangs"!

Beneath the surface, dozens of pitch-black whirlpools suddenly materialized. Countless razor-sharp shark teeth erupted from these vortices, working in concert with the storm of ice shards to form an all-encompassing offensive with absolutely no blind spots.

The very next second, an invisible wave of mental energy swept over them—Xiao Bai’s signature mental killing move, the "Wave of Despair." It struck directly at the depths of their spiritual consciousness, aiming to instantly shatter their combat capabilities.

Faced with this furious, relentless onslaught from a 100,000-year soul beast, the two women dared not show even the slightest hesitation. The Soul Rings encircling Shui Bing’er lit up one by one—seven rings in total: yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, red, and red—as her Soul Power surged forth without the slightest reservation.

She was the first to activate her fourth Soul Ring; a formidable, ice-attributed Soul Power instantly spread out, meeting head-on the incoming barrage of sea crystals and shark teeth.

Immediately thereafter, she condensed a thick barrier of Soul Power, firmly shielding both herself and Ye Lingling, and forcibly withstood the wave of despair that assailed them on a spiritual level.

Ye Lingling followed close behind; seven Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, and black—swirled around her body. Gentle ripples of Soul Power radiated outward, simultaneously stabilizing the pair’s Soul Power consumption and creating the necessary space for Shui Bing’er to launch a full-force counterattack.

With one taking charge of offense and defense, and the other providing support and healing, the seamless teamwork between Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling was displayed in its absolute perfection.

Shui Bing’er successively activated various Soul Skills; her ice-attributed Soul Power proved both domineering and razor-sharp, constantly freezing and shattering Xiao Bai’s attacks as she pressed her counter-offensive step by step.

Ye Lingling, meanwhile, provided comprehensive backing throughout the entire engagement—bolstering their defenses and sustaining their endurance—leaving Shui Bing’er with absolutely no cause for concern.

Xiao Bai’s attacks grew increasingly ferocious, and under its command, the very seawater transformed into a myriad of lethal strikes. Yet, it remained utterly unable to breach the defensive line established by the duo’s coordinated efforts; on the contrary, it found itself gradually being suppressed by Shui Bing’er’s relentless counterattacks.

After dozens of rounds of intense exchange, the fierce hostility in Xiao Bai’s eyes gradually faded, replaced instead by a look of acknowledgment—a recognition of the pair’s formidable strength and impeccable teamwork.

It ceased its aggressive assault; its massive body circled slowly upon the ocean’s surface before gliding forward to halt directly in front of the two. Lowering its head ever so slightly, it offered a silent invitation for them to step onto its back.

Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling exchanged a glance, then immediately leaped into the air, landing firmly and steadily upon Xiao Bai’s broad, smooth back.

Xiao Bai’s tail fin gave a powerful, sudden slap against the water’s surface; in an instant, its massive form transformed into a streak of white lightning. Cutting a long, slender wake across the sea—and completely defying the resistance of the water—it sped off like a rocket, carrying the two of them swiftly toward the opposite shore.

In but a fleeting moment, they burst through the boundaries of the circular sea and arrived at the rocky shoreline on the other side. The two leaped down from Xiao Bai’s back, landing steadily.

At some point—unnoticed by them—Bo Saixi had taken up a position on the rocky shore. Gazing at the pair who had safely cleared their trial, she spoke slowly: "The Second Trial: Break through the circular blockade. Passed."

Within Shui Bing’er’s mind, the majestic and resonant voice of the Sea God rang out: "Sea God’s Top-Tier Trial—Second Trial: Passed. Sea God Affinity increased by 5%; total affinity now stands at 10%. Soul Power increased by two ranks. Soul Ring cultivation ages increased by one thousand years."

Bathed in the cleansing surge of divine power, her Soul Power skyrocketed, shattering the shackles of her current realm and firmly propelling her into the rank of an eighty-level Soul Douluo!

At the same moment, Ye Lingling also received the rewards for her own exclusive trial: "Top-Tier Eight Trials—Second Trial: Passed. Soul Power increased by one rank. Cultivation ages of all Soul Rings increased by five hundred years."

Rank 75.

Although her gains were not as substantial as Shui Bing’er’s, she was nonetheless deeply satisfied.

Xiao Bai gently flicked her tail fin across the ocean surface. Casting a glance at the pair, she let out a low, resonant cry before turning and diving back into the Ring Sea; her massive form vanished beneath the deep-blue waters as she returned to her post to guard the domain.

The nourishing influx of the Sea God’s divine power gradually subsided. Shui Bing’er slowly opened her eyes, a sharp, concentrated glint flashing within their depths.

She drew forth a golden orb.

This was precisely the God-Bestowed Soul Ring she had received earlier as a reward for her Sea God Trial—an artifact capable of condensing a Soul Ring of the maximum possible cultivation age, tailored specifically to the absorber’s physical endurance.

"Senior High Priestess, Lingling—I must ask you to stand guard for me for a while."

Shui Bing’er spoke softly, her tone carrying a distinct note of resolve.

Ye Lingling gave a slight nod; her voice, muffled beneath her black veil, was gentle yet firm: "Mm."

Bo Saixi, too, offered a slight nod. She was eager to witness what manner of Soul Ring—and of what cultivation age—would manifest for Shui Bing’er’s eighth ring, given that her sixth and seventh rings were already of the coveted hundred-thousand-year tier.

Shui Bing’er spoke no further; she sought out a flat reef, sat down cross-legged with her back held straight, and quietly released her Ice Phoenix Spirit.

A phantom image of an ice-blue phoenix unfurled its wings behind her; a biting chill intertwined with the sacred aura of the God-bestowed Spirit Ring, forming a unique energy field.

She took a deep breath, immersed her consciousness within her body, and began to utilize the God-bestowed Spirit Ring.

A golden mist, shimmering with mesmerizing hues, gradually enveloped Shui Bing’er’s body as concentric halos of light began to manifest around her.

In an instant, an energy of absolute purity and immense magnitude swept through her entire being.

Unlike the violent and savage nature of wild Spirit Rings, this energy consisted entirely of gentle yet profound sacred Spirit Power—a perfect complement to the ice attribute of her Ice Phoenix Spirit—which ceaselessly scoured her meridians and bones, widening her Spirit Power channels.

Shui Bing’er focused her mind and calmed her breath, channeling her Spirit Power with full intensity to guide this colossal energy toward a complete fusion with her own Spirit.

The phantom image of the Ice Phoenix quivered incessantly behind her; with every beat of its wings, it absorbed a portion of the surging God-bestowed energy, and the outline of her eighth Spirit Ring gradually came into sharp focus.

Initially, it appeared as a faint golden glow; then, as the gold receded, an incredibly deep crimson hue slowly coalesced—the distinctive coloration unique to a 100,000-year Spirit Ring.

One hour later...

As the absorption process drew to a close, the crimson eighth Spirit Ring fully took shape, hovering steadily at the very apex of the rings encircling her body, standing in striking contrast to the seven rings that preceded it: yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, red, and red.

The eight Spirit Rings pulsed in rhythmic succession, finally settling into a pinnacle configuration: purple, purple, purple, purple, black, red, red, and red!

The very moment the 100,000-year eighth Spirit Ring fully formed, a formidable pressure—far surpassing anything felt before—suddenly radiated outward. The ice-blue chill intertwined with the aura of the 100,000-year ring, causing ripples to spread across the surrounding circular sea and the water’s surface to gently rise and fall.

The phantom image of the Ice Phoenix let out a clear, resonant cry, and the light radiating from its form flared with dazzling brilliance. In but a moment, the energy fluctuations surrounding Shui Bing’er completely subsided.

She slowly rose to her feet, her crimson eighth Soul Ring revolving gently around her body; the pressure emanating from this 100,000-year Soul Ring was restrained yet awe-inspiring, signifying that her power as an eighty-first-rank Soul Douluo had been thoroughly stabilized.

She turned to look at Ye Lingling and Bo Saixi, her eyes brimming with joy and gratitude: "It worked! It really is a 100,000-year Soul Ring."

Ye Lingling nodded gently, a faint smile appearing in her eyes as well; she was genuinely happy for her friend.

Bo Saixi gazed at that brand-new, crimson 100,000-year Soul Ring, and a flicker of approval crossed the depths of her cool, serene eyes.

To be able to successfully condense a 100,000-year Soul Ring—and do so with such stability—by utilizing a God-Bestowed Soul Ring... this child’s innate talent and temperament truly proved worthy of inheriting the legacy of the Sea God’s Top-Tier Trials.

Bo Saixi looked at the two of them and spoke in a calm, measured tone: "Rest for two days; the Third Trial will commence the day after tomorrow."

Shui Bing’er asked, "Grand Priest, what does the Third Trial entail?"

Bo Saixi’s gazed out toward a stretch of ocean lying beyond the Ring Sea.

There, colossal waves surged toward the heavens, and several black pillars stood tall amidst the waters—looming in and out of view amidst the raging swells.

"The Third Trial: Tidal Body Refinement."

Her voice was calm, yet tinged with solemnity: "You shall proceed to the Raging Waves Abyss. There, you will cultivate atop the Sunken Silver Pillars, enduring the ceaseless impact of the waves. Ye Lingling is required to persevere for six hours each day, while Shui Bing’er must endure for twelve hours daily. Based on the average duration, you must sustain this for one full year."

"This trial serves to test your willpower and physical constitution. The force of the waves’ impact will intensify progressively as time passes. You must withstand this assault using only your physical bodies; you are strictly forbidden from employing Soul Skills to deflect or resist it."

Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling exchanged glances, each recognizing the gravity of the situation reflected in the other’s eyes.

Twelve hours a day? Did that not imply spending virtually the entire day submerged within the crashing waves?

For Ye Lingling, the requirement of six hours a day—though half the duration—still constituted a monumental challenge for a Support-type Soul Master.

Observing their reactions, Bo Saixi spoke in a measured tone: "It is not yet too late to withdraw, should you choose to do so."

Shui Bing’er took a deep breath and shook her head. "No. I will not withdraw."

Ye Lingling, too, shook her head in refusal.

A fleeting glint of approval flickered within Bo Saixi’s eyes.

"Very well. I shall come to fetch you at dawn, the day after tomorrow."

With those words, her figure vanished from atop the rocky reef.

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