In a luxurious room on the third floor of the City Lord's Mansion in Seahorse City, Lin Mu was leisurely enjoying Ah Yin's gratitude.
Downstairs in the living room, Tang San and the rest of the team were locked in a deep discussion about strategy.
They were determined to figure out a way to withstand Senior Bo Saixi for the duration of an incense stick's burning, a truly tremendous challenge.
Of the five participants eligible for the sixth trial, only Tang San possessed the raw capability to fight Bo Saixi head-on, and even then, only for a very short time.
With his soul bones restricted, Tang San's four 100,000-year soul rings were enough to defeat Sea Dragon Douluo, but facing Bo Saixi, even if she was limited to her first six soul rings, was a completely different story.
For Tang San to withstand the burning of an incense stick completely alone was deemed virtually impossible. If his soul bones hadn't been restricted, he might have been able to stall for that long using his full suite of utility and defensive skills.
Aside from Tang San, absolutely no one else on the team could withstand a single, serious blow from Bo Saixi in a one-on-one exchange.
Even with Ning Rongrong's ultimate amplification and Ye Lingling's continuous full healing, Yu Tianheng would only barely be able to hold out for a moment before being crushed.
But the real problem was strategic: Bo Saixi, being incredibly experienced, would undoubtedly target and eliminate the fragile support duo, Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, first.
After some intense deliberation, Tang San finally proposed a plan.
"Facing Senior Bo Saixi, we absolutely cannot confront her head-on. I plan to split us into three distinct groups. I'll take point and hold her off first, while the rest of you scatter in opposite directions.
Yu Tianheng, the instant the assessment begins, activate your Martial Soul True Body. Grab Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong and fly as far away as possible.
Xiao Wu, you have two incredibly powerful survival skills: Teleportation and Invincible Golden Body. That's enough for you to hold off Senior Bo Saixi for a while if she chases you, but your own safety must be your absolute priority.
If we divide her attention and force her to hunt us down individually, we should be able to bleed out the clock and hold on until the incense stick burns out."
Hearing Tang San's detailed explanation, the group nodded in agreement; this evasion-based plan was objectively the safest route.
Just then, a purple-robed Sea God Island soul master approached Tang San from behind, bowing respectfully. "Sir, someone outside the mansion is requesting an audience with you. He claims to be your old friend."
Upon hearing this, Tang San looked deeply puzzled. He had no "old friends" wandering around Sea God Island. Could it be that Ma Hongjun had finally come crawling to beg for their help?
Thinking of this highly likely possibility, Tang San didn't hesitate to refuse. "Go tell him I have neither the time nor the obligation to help him."
"Yes, sir."
After receiving the curt order, the purple-robed soul master turned and left, relaying the message to Ma Hongjun, who was waiting anxiously outside the City Lord's Mansion.
Knowing that Tang San was explicitly unwilling to help, Ma Hongjun's expression grew even more grim.
In reality, he had already anticipated this outcome. If he were in Tang San's shoes, he wouldn't lift a finger to help a virtual stranger either, especially given their violently conflicting history.
But his life was literally on the line; he had to find a way to see Tang San.
"Please, you must also tell Tang San that Dai Mubai is not dead. Tell him he has even obtained a divine inheritance," Ma Hongjun said earnestly, playing his only trump card.
Hearing this bizarre claim, the purple-robed soul master was deeply suspicious. If it weren't for the authentic Black-level assessment mark glowing on the fat man's forehead, he would have suspected this guy was a raving lunatic or an intruder.
However, due to Ma Hongjun's legitimate status as an examinee, he dutifully returned to relay the message to Tang San.
"Dai Mubai didn't die?"
Everyone in the living room was stunned. Even Tang San looked visibly bewildered.
Logically speaking, since Dai Mubai had utterly failed the first trial, he should have been executed by the island's divine laws.
Unexpectedly, he had not only survived but had supposedly obtained a divine inheritance.
Although it sounded entirely absurd, upon careful reflection, the possibility couldn't be completely ruled out.
On one hand, Ma Hongjun was desperate, but he wouldn't fabricate a story so easily disproven; on the other hand, it actually made a twisted sort of sense.
The only entity capable of interfering with a god's trial and saving a condemned man was another god.
After a long, heavy silence, Yu Tianheng looked at Tang San and asked, "Captain, how likely do you think this is?"
"Whether it's true or false, we will only know after confirming it with our own eyes."
Having made up his mind, Tang San stood up from his seat and addressed the group. "You all stay here and continue refining the evasion strategy. I'll be right back."
In Tang San's eyes, a fallen soul master like Dai Mubai was a walking cancer.
He had already courted death once and must be eliminated as soon as possible to prevent him from harming innocent soul masters in his pursuit of power.
Seeing this, Yu Tianheng immediately stood up as well.
"I'll go with you. If Dai Mubai truly has passed a god's trial or gained an inheritance, his presence will be a considerable problem for us moving forward." Yu Tianheng's expression became increasingly solemn.
It was simply too inherently unfair that a scum like Dai Mubai, a man with absolutely no moral bottom line, could casually stumble into a god's inheritance. They should have dealt with this menace definitively back on the continent.
"I'm coming too." Dugu Yan also stood up, clearly intending to back up Yu Tianheng, which prompted the others to eagerly voice their desire to join the hunting party.
Seeing this, Tang San's expression became stern, and he said with an air that left no room for doubt, "No. Yu Tianheng and I will go check the situation alone. The rest of you will either go back to your rooms to cultivate or sit here and wait for our return."
As soon as he issued the firm command, everyone fell silent, accepting his authority.
Some time later, Tang San and Yu Tianheng left Seahorse City. Following Ma Hongjun's directions, they arrived at a secluded stretch of the seaside.
Dai Mubai had been waiting there for a long time. When he saw the two familiar figures approach, his expression twitched slightly, but he quickly forced a mask of composure.
However, Tang San and Yu Tianheng weren't there to chat. Their expressions were freezing cold.
Without a single word exchanged, the two shared a brief glance and launched their attacks simultaneously.
Dozens of thick Blue Silver Emperor vines erupted from the sand, violently surging forward to restrain Dai Mubai, while a crackling Thunder Dragon Claw descended from above, aiming straight for his chest.
Fortunately for Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun reacted just in time. He ignited his martial soul and threw himself forward, barely managing to block the combined assault.
Although Ma Hongjun still deeply resented Dai Mubai, at least for this exact moment, their survival was intertwined. They had to unite against a common threat.
"Wait! Let's just talk this out! We mean absolutely no harm!" Ma Hongjun pleaded, standing defensively in front of Dai Mubai, looking at the two attackers with genuine panic.
However, Tang San didn't buy the act for a second. "Fallen soul masters do not deserve to live in this world," he said coldly.
"Tang San!" Dai Mubai suddenly roared hysterically from behind Ma Hongjun.
"What makes you so damn sure I'm a fallen soul master?! I, just like you, have received the profound approval of a god! Just because I opposed you in the past, does that mean I automatically deserve to die?!"
Before this encounter, Dai Mubai had genuinely harbored the delusion that, by virtue of his newly acquired status as a divine inheritor, he could force a mutual respect with Tang San and eventually ally with him to dominate the God Realm.
He never expected Tang San to attack him on sight with such lethal, unwavering intent.
Tang San remained completely unmoved. He looked at Dai Mubai and said calmly, "You don't deserve to die for opposing me. But do the innocent soul masters you slaughtered and drained deserve to die?"
"I only drank a little of their blood! What do their deaths have to do with me?!" Dai Mubai retorted, his twisted logic sounding perfectly righteous in his own mind.
Hearing this blatantly psychotic defense, Tang San was so angry he actually laughed. He immediately dropped all pretense of argument and activated his fifth soul skill.
In an instant, a massive, suffocating Blue Silver Forest rapidly sprouted, completely enveloping the area and cutting off all escape routes.
Since his fifth soul rings had evolved into a 100,000-year soul rings, its coverage area was significantly larger, and its absolute control effect was vastly stronger.
Looking at the impenetrable blue-gold cage surrounding them, Dai Mubai finally panicked completely. Tang San was truly going all out; he was leaving them absolutely no room to maneuver or escape.
Seeing the situation deteriorating into a one-sided execution, Dai Mubai spat venomously, "Tang San, you constantly raise the sword of justice, but your heart is filled with nothing but your own selfish desires! In the end, this is just an excuse to eliminate a rival, yet you arrogantly claim to be ridding the people of a scourge! You're nothing but a hypocrite!"