Chapter 277: The Desperate Fury of the Waves

Chapter 277: Chapter 277: The Desperate Fury of the Waves

Inside the courtyard.

Jiang Bai sat beside the clear spring in the center of the courtyard, his eyes closed. Bi Ji sat opposite him, her eyes closed as well. A faint, jade-green radiance swirled around both of them.

The ethereal silhouette of Bi Ji’s Emerald Swan materialized behind her—graceful and sacred. Behind Jiang Bai, his Nine-Colored Glazed Pagoda rotated slowly; its nine-hued brilliance flowed and shimmered, resonating harmoniously with Bi Ji’s Power of Life.

Two and a half months of shared exchange had drawn the two of them even closer. They were both mentor and friend to one another—inspiring, guiding, and fostering each other’s growth.

Bi Ji, too, had begun to develop a profound interest in the Power of Creation. Having lived for hundreds of thousands of years, she had never before encountered such a force.

To create life ex nihilo—from nothingness—was a concept she found mesmerizing; if she could grasp even the slightest shred of such power, it would represent a monumental leap forward in her own Path of Life.

Jiang Bai, for his part, had gained a wealth of knowledge regarding the Power of Life through Bi Ji’s guidance.

Although the Power of Creation and the Power of Life were distinct entities, they were fundamentally interconnected. By mastering the Power of Life, he could inch ever closer to crossing the threshold into the realm of the Power of Creation.

"Sister Bi Ji," Jiang Bai asked suddenly, "tell me... is the Power of Creation simply the ultimate manifestation of the Power of Life?"

Bi Ji opened her eyes and pondered for a moment. "Not exactly. The Power of Life is about healing, nurturing, and restoring. The Power of Creation is about generating, birthing, and bestowing. The former sustains life; the latter creates it."

"If the Power of Life represents existence—that which already is—then the Power of Creation represents bringing existence forth from non-existence."

Jiang Bai nodded thoughtfully.

"Bringing existence forth from non-existence..."

He closed his eyes once more, resuming his deep contemplation.

Bi Ji gazed at him with a gentle smile, then closed her own eyes as well.

The two of them remained immersed in their cultivation.

...

Inside Jiang Li’er’s room.

She sat cross-legged upon her bed, her eyes closed.

A golden radiance spilled forth from within her body, illuminating the entire room as brightly as if it were high noon.

Her Soul Power flowed slowly through her meridians—like a river of pure gold, serene yet majestic.

...

The following morning.

Bo Saixi arrived at the courtyard, true to her word.

Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling were already prepared, standing in the courtyard as they awaited her arrival. Jiang Bai also stepped out of the house; looking at the two women, he offered a faint smile: "Good luck."

Shui Bing’er nodded vigorously.

Ye Lingling nodded as well.

Bo Saixi glanced at Jiang Bai, then turned and began walking toward the direction of the Raging Waves Abyss.

Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling followed close behind.

The Raging Waves Abyss.

This was one of the most perilous places on Sea God Island, serving as the designated trial ground for the Third Trial.

Flanking the valley were towering rock walls—hard and black as ink—while the wind swept through the entrance, howling as it carried the salty, briny scent of the sea.

Normally, the waters within the valley were a maelstrom of crashing waves—hundred-meter-high surges repeatedly smashing against the reefs with a deafening roar.

Yet, at this moment, a soft, pale-blue radiance enveloped the entire valley; the violent waves were forcibly suppressed and flattened, leaving behind nothing but faint, rippling undulations.

Bo Saixi stood atop a reef, her hands raised slightly as pale-blue Soul Power surged gently around her.

From the seawater within the valley, two gleaming gray pillars slowly rose.

Crafted from Deep-Sea Sinking Silver, each pillar possessed a cross-section diameter of approximately one meter. By now, they had ascended to a height of fifty meters; their shafts were dense and hard—their specific gravity nearly rivaling that of pure silver.

Extending from the apex of each pillar was a cross-shaped horizontal bar, embedded with five gray rings; together, they resembled a pair of silent, solemn crosses.

Bo Saixi’s gaze swept over Shui Bing’er and Ye Lingling standing before her. She spoke in a calm, measured tone—her voice effortlessly cutting through the howling wind: "This place is the venue for your Third Trial: the Tidal Body Refinement. Here, you shall temper your muscles and bones using the tidal forces of the Raging Waves Abyss. You will be secured to these Sinking Silver pillars; throughout the entire process, you are strictly forbidden from utilizing any Soul Skills. You must endure the impact of the crashing waves using nothing but the strength of your physical bodies."

She turned her gaze toward Shui Bing’er: "You—you must endure for twelve shichen each day."

Then, she looked at Ye Lingling: "And you—six shichen."

As her words faded, Bo Saixi’s pale-blue radiance split into two distinct streams, each enveloping one of the two women.

Shui Bing’er felt her body grow light as a beam of blue light whisked her away to a heavy silver pillar situated near the front. Immediately afterward, five rings descended from the top of the pillar, snapping shut with precision to clamp around her; they locked her entire body firmly against the heavy silver column, rendering her utterly unable to move a single inch.

Ye Lingling was likewise transported to the pillar beside her, where she, too, was locked down tight by the rings.

"Time starts now."

Bo Saixi withdrew the blue light, and the gentle force that had enveloped the valley slowly dissipated.

The very next second, the suppressed, furious waves surged back to life!

"Rumble—!!"

The first colossal wave—nearly a hundred meters high and bearing down with the earth-shattering momentum of a collapsing mountain—slammed violently into the two girls!

Shui Bing’er gritted her teeth, feeling a massive force crash against her body; her bones let out faint, audible creaks under the overwhelming strain.

Ye Lingling let out a muffled groan; the sheer impact of the collision made her vision go black. Had the rings not locked her body securely in place, she surely would have been swept away by the massive wave long ago.

At first, they both assumed that while the impact was strong, it was not entirely unbearable.

But they soon discovered that the true torture lay not in the impact of a single massive wave, but in the ceaseless, high-frequency, repetitive pounding.

Wave after wave—an endless, unrelenting assault.

The ocean waves battered her body again and again. Initially, it was merely the dull ache caused by the physical impact; but as time wore on, her skin began to go numb. The numbness spread along her tendons and bones until even her muscles began to tremble uncontrollably.

Ye Lingling’s condition was even worse than hers.

As a support-type Soul Master, her physique was naturally not as robust as Shui Bing’er’s; an assessment lasting six hours was already pushing her body to its absolute limit.

At first, she managed to resist the impact by channeling her meager reserves of soul power.

However, her soul power was depleted far faster than she had anticipated.

After just two hours, her body began to shake uncontrollably, and her lips turned purple from the cold. Her veil had long since been torn away by the waves, leaving her delicate face etched with exhaustion; yet, her eyes remained fixed resolutely ahead—unwavering, and showing not the slightest hint of retreat.

Afternoon. Ye Lingling’s soul power had long since been depleted; she could rely only on her physical body to endure every impact head-on.

With every wave that crashed against her, her body would slam violently against the Sinking Silver Pillar, her bones emitting a dull, heavy thud.

Her consciousness began to waver, and the only sound left in her ears was the roaring of the waves; yet, gritting her teeth, she stubbornly held out until the very end of the sixth hour.

When the final wave receded, Bo Saixi’s blue light descended, releasing the rings that bound her.

Ye Lingling slumped down from the Sinking Silver Pillar; her legs gave way, and she stumbled before collapsing onto the reef. She gasped for breath, feeling as though every bone in her body had been shattered.

Bo Saixi watched her, a flicker of approval in her eyes: "Ye Lingling, you have passed today’s trial. Go back and rest."

Ye Lingling nodded, then turned her gaze toward Shui Bing’er, who remained shackled to the Sinking Silver Pillar.

She parted her lips as if to speak, but no sound escaped her; instead, she braced herself against the reef and, stumbling with every step, slowly made her way back toward the courtyard.

Shui Bing’er had to continue.

Six hours... seven hours... eight hours...

Night fell, and the valley plunged into total darkness; yet, the waves grew even more ferocious.

The seawater in the dead of night was bone-chillingly cold, washing over Shui Bing’er’s body again and again. Her physical stamina had long since been exhausted, and her soul power was all but depleted; a numbing sensation had seeped deep into her very bones, leaving her unable to even lift a single finger.

She could rely only on sheer willpower to hold on, enduring the searing pain of every wave that slammed into her, as well as the aching, swollen sensation of her body being relentlessly battered and ground down.

Twelve hours down... four more to go...

She gritted her teeth, refusing to let herself lose consciousness.

Bo Saixi stood upon the reef, gazing into the darkness at the teetering figure shackled to the Sinking Silver Pillar; a glint of admiration flashed within her eyes.

This child was far stronger than she had ever imagined.

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