Dugu Yan's face flushed red as she turned her head to the side. "Everyone's been exhausted for a day and a night. I'll just have to make do so Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi can get a good night's rest."
Hearing this, Yu Tianming couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "Then let's rest early. Tomorrow morning, we'll head to the forbidden land for the assessment."
Dugu Yan nodded happily, casting a slightly smug glance at Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi.
Suppressing the smile tugging at her lips, she grabbed Yu Tianming's hand and quickly led him toward the bedroom.
Ah Zhi watched their retreating figures, lost in thought, unable to snap out of it for a long while.
Seeing this, Ah Zhu patted her younger sister's shoulder and pulled her into the neighboring room.
The bedding in Sea Dragon Douluo's room had just been replaced with fresh, clean sheets, and the tables and chairs were spotless, gleaming enough to reflect one's face—cleaner than any inn Yu Tianming had ever stayed in.
It was clear that these sea soul masters, out of faith in the Sea God or obedience to Sea Dragon Douluo, had cleaned with utmost care.
Without much talk, Yu Tianming turned off the lights, slipped into loose shorts, and climbed into bed.
Dugu Yan, standing by the bedside, first shed her top, then her pants, leaving only pure white underwear.
She stood there, completely bare save for that.
Perhaps due to the differences in their martial souls, her development lagged noticeably behind Yu Tianming's.
Even with four soul rings, she still had the look of an unripe young girl—slender and lean, not as full-figured as Ah Zhu or Ah Zhi.
Yu Tianming rolled over, facing away from Dugu Yan, and closed his eyes.
Dugu Yan paused for a moment, then rustled into silk pajamas before slipping under the covers beside him.
A short while later, she hugged him from behind, her delicate, pale fingers slowly tracing across his chest.
Her soft, faint breathing brushed against Yu Tianming's ear.
He let out a long sigh, brushed away the hand roaming his chest, and turned to face Dugu Yan directly.
In the darkness, they gazed at each other, face-to-face.
The warm breath she exhaled grazed Yu Tianming's face.
After a moment, Yu Tianming reached out, pulled Dugu Yan into his arms, brushed aside the stray bangs on her forehead, and spoke gently, as if to a daughter. "Yan Yan, you're still young. These things can wait until you're older. Tonight, let's just rest well. We have to head to the forbidden land early tomorrow."
Dugu Yan hugged him back, burying her head in his chest, and whispered, "Then you can't be so close with Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi anymore."
Yu Tianming patted her thin back lightly. "They're maids—they have to tend to my daily needs. I can't exactly avoid them. Besides, at most, they'll only be concubines in the future. They won't threaten your position."
"But I'm supposed to be the main wife someday, and I've never been as close to you as they are. You even gave Ah Zhi a 50,000-year soul bone. The betrothal gift Grandpa Yu gave me was only an 80,000-year soul bone. You've never given me anything."
As she spoke, Dugu Yan's voice grew tearful, and she began to sob softly in his arms.
Hearing her words, Yu Tianming felt a pang of embarrassment.
He had indeed been too intimate with the maids, neglecting Dugu Yan's feelings.
Casually giving Ah Zhi such a valuable soul bone while never gifting Dugu Yan anything precious did make it seem like he favored a concubine over his wife.
Realizing this, he quickly comforted her. "That soul bone was something I got from Slaughter City. I only gave it to Ah Zhi because it didn't suit you. I'll get you something better in the future, I promise."
"And you can't be so close with them in front of me," Dugu Yan said through her tears, her voice small.
Yu Tianming wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Seeing her calm down a bit, he grinned playfully. "That won't do, but I can be even closer with you in front of them."
Dugu Yan broke into a smile through her tears. "That works too."
"Then let's sleep early tonight. We've got the assessment tomorrow morning."
"Okay."
---
The next morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
The group of four left their rooms and gathered in the top-floor hall.
"How did Ah Zhu and Ah Zhi sleep last night?" Dugu Yan asked, clinging to Yu Tianming's arm with a hint of smugness.
Though young, she already carried herself like the main wife, offering warm concern to the two.
"Miss, we rested well last night," Ah Zhu replied with a slight bow, her tone gentle.
'She's usually fine—what's with Yan Yan today? Has she noticed something? Why's her possessiveness so strong all of a sudden?' Yu Tianming thought to himself.
He then beckoned Ah Zhi over and instructed, "Go call a steward to guide us."
At his word, Ah Zhi hurried downstairs and knocked on the door of the purple-robed head steward.
Moments later, the purple-robed steward ascended with Ah Zhi. "Honored guests, are you heading to the forbidden land?"
Hearing that they intended to visit the Sea God Island's forbidden land, the roughly fifty-year-old purple-robed sea soul master looked astonished.
Yu Tianming explained, "That's right. We've accepted a trial bestowed by Lord Sea God. The first test requires us to pass through the Light of the Sea God, so we need to reach the forbidden land. We'd appreciate it if you could lead the way."
The purple-robed sea soul master nodded in understanding. "Very well, I'll take you there right away. Is there anything else you need?"
Yu Tianming shook his head.
Led by the purple-robed sea soul master, the group headed straight out of the city.
Once outside Sea Dragon City, the purple-robed sea soul master said, "The journey from Sea Dragon City to the forbidden land isn't long. Should we speed up, my lords?"
Yu Tianming asked, "How far is it from here to the forbidden land on Sea God Island?"
The purple-robed sea soul master replied, "The forbidden land lies at the center of the circular sea in the middle of Sea God Island. It's about a hundred li from here."
Hearing this, the group gained a clearer sense of Sea God Island's vastness.
From Sea Dragon City's position, the island's diameter stretched an astonishing four hundred li. For an archipelago with just a few tens of thousands of people, its size rivaled that of a major city like Beijing.
"Then let's hurry along. Please lead the way," Yu Tianming said.
Though a hundred li wasn't too far, walking would take an entire day.
Only by moving at full speed could they reach their destination quickly.
When the purple-robed sea soul master asked questions, he directed them all at Yu Tianming—likely due to the golden trident mark on his forehead.
With Yu Tianming's approval, the soul master released his martial soul.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black—seven soul rings appeared. This seemingly ordinary man was actually a Soul Sage-level powerhouse.
Upon releasing his martial soul, fine, dense scales covered his body, shimmering in a dull gray.
His form resembled some soul masters from Tianshui Academy—no fish tail emerged on land, allowing for easier movement.
Unfamiliar with sea soul masters, the group couldn't identify his martial soul.
After signaling to them, the purple-robed sea soul master surged forward, accelerating like an arrow, a streak of silver-gray light shooting ahead.
The group didn't dare lag behind. Activating their martial souls, they caught up to the purple-robed Soul Sage in a flash.
Even on horseback, the trip would take half a day. But for high-level soul masters running at full speed, it was a mere hour's effort.
It was late autumn, and dawn came late.
Starting at first light, they reached their destination by the time the sun hung directly overhead. After passing through a dense forest, they arrived at their goal.
When the purple-robed sea soul master stopped, everyone present was awestruck by the sight before them.
Ahead lay a circular sea about two hundred meters wide. At its center stood an island, roughly five hundred meters tall.
The island's terrain was steep, with only a winding white stone staircase leading to the peak.
At the summit stood a structure that looked carved from white jade. From their vantage point, they could only catch glimpses of its tiles and bricks.
The entire island glowed with a sacred light. Under the sunlight, the shimmering sea reflected countless flecks of gold, and the white steps wound around the mountain like a jade ribbon.
"Is this the forbidden land?" Dugu Yan murmured.
The purple-robed sea soul master's eyes shone with reverence. "Yes, this is the forbidden land of Sea God Island. That peak ahead is Sea God Mountain, and the Sea God Temple, dedicated to Lord Sea God, sits at its summit.
"The staircase before us has exactly one thousand and one steps. That's where you'll undergo your trial.
"If you wish to attempt it, you may begin now. I'll wait here, but please, do not make noise on Sea God Mountain, lest you disturb Lord Sea God."
The group exchanged glances and prepared to move when the purple-robed sea soul master hurriedly added, "My lords, during the trial, don't push yourselves if it becomes too much. Retreat quickly from the mountain, and you won't be harmed."
Yu Tianming smiled and nodded. "Thank you for the advice. But you don't need to wait here for us. We don't know how long this attempt will take, and we've brought dry rations."
The purple-robed sea soul master hesitated but replied, "Don't worry about me. Without Lord Sea God's permission, we sea soul masters who've passed the trials can't enter the forbidden land. Leading you here to face the Light of the Sea God is already a rare chance for me to approach this sacred place."
Hearing his words, Yu Tianming understood it was a matter of faith and said no more. Unfurling his wings, he lifted the three girls into the air and flew toward the circular sea.
As they crossed over the circular sea, a faint glow enveloped each of them.
The three girls radiated red light, while a soft golden light shimmered around Yu Tianming—identical to the colors that had stabilized during their assessment.
It seemed the circular sea was also part of Sea God Island's forbidden land.
At the base of Sea God Mountain lay a flat stretch of land about ten meters wide. Beyond that, the steep slope began, covered by the Light of the Sea God and its steps.
Standing before the 1,001 steps, the group immediately felt a majestic, solemn atmosphere envelop them.
It was as if some unique energy pressed down on them, weighing heavily on their hearts.
Yu Tianming looked at Dugu Yan. "Yan Yan, why don't you try climbing first and see how far you can go?"
"Sure." Dugu Yan smiled lightly.
The next moment, she leaped forward, charging toward the steps.
Bang! A muffled thud rang out.
Just as she reached the steps, she seemed to collide with something. In an instant, she was flung back, tumbling over ten meters.
Fortunately, her initial rush hadn't been too forceful. Even so, she stumbled backward, barely regaining her balance.
"What happened?" Ah Zhu stepped forward, asking with concern.
Dugu Yan's face flushed slightly as she whispered, "It felt like I hit an elastic wall. It completely bounced my force back—I couldn't resist it."
Yu Tianming nodded, choosing not to mention he'd forgotten to warn her. He looked at her seriously. "I suspect that starting from the steps, we're fully within the Light of the Sea God's range. In this area, it likely repels all physical and energy attacks."
To test his theory, he casually fired a thin golden bolt of lightning toward the steps.
It struck something at the edge, and not only did it fail to advance, but the light barrier reflected it back, shooting straight at Yu Tianming.
He crushed the returning bolt with a flick of his hand and turned to Dugu Yan. "That means while climbing, we can't use any skills. Otherwise, we'll face immediate backlash, and the attack will target the one who released it. But I think defensive and enhancement skills should still be usable."
Dugu Yan's eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Brother Tianming figured out so much in one go! Let's try again."
With that, she stepped up to the stairs again, enduring the pressure as she climbed step by step.
This time, she reached the fifteenth step in one go.
Sweat began to bead at her temples, and her soul power drained at an alarming rate.
Sensing the pressure nearing her limit, Dugu Yan activated her martial soul. No snake tail emerged this time—just faint, dark green scales dotted her skin.
Then, her first soul skill, Mental Toxin, and her third soul skill, Frenzy Toxin, activated simultaneously as she pressed upward with steady steps.
Both skills were passive, enhancing her snake venom or precisely unlocking her potential.
Mental Toxin could harm an enemy's nerves—causing dizziness, weakness, or disorientation—while also sharpening her focus, boosting reaction and attack speed by fifty percent.
Frenzy Toxin, when used on foes, disrupted hormone balance, inducing nausea, clumsiness, and loss of coordination. On herself, it unleashed her potential, doubling her strength and speed.
With these skills active, her steps grew lighter, and the climbing pressure seemed to ease.
But from the twentieth step onward, each movement became a struggle.
Dripping sweat left watermarks on the ground.
(End of Chapter)
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