The heavy stone door of the secret chamber slowly opened with a low, grinding sound. Outside, Mother Ye, Marco, Ye Lingling, and Qiu Yao, who had been anxiously waiting for countless days, simultaneously held their breath, their gazes fixed on the widening gap.
When Li Zhaoyan's figure fully appeared in the doorway, everyone froze.
He was still the same Li Zhaoyan, his appearance unchanged, but his entire demeanor had undergone an overturning heaven and earth transformation. His originally steady, mountain-like presence now carried an indescribable depth and authority. When his eyes opened and closed, they gleamed with an inner light, seemingly capable of piercing through one's soul. His aura was perfectly contained and restrained, yet it faintly emitted a heart-palpitating pressure—a mix of autumnal sternness and an unnameable, sinister chill that made those nearby instinctively feel a shiver from within.
"Zhaoyan!"
"Father!"
"Father!"
After a brief silence, concerned calls rang out simultaneously. Mother Ye was the first to rush forward, disregarding decorum as she grabbed her husband's arm, carefully examining him from head to toe. Her eyes instantly reddened: "You... are you alright? The commotion inside was so intense, we were worried sick!"
Marco, Ye Lingling, and Qiu Yao also gathered around, their eyes filled with worry, curiosity, and barely concealed excitement. They all clearly sensed the far stronger aura emanating from their father compared to before, along with the faintly visible, sinisterly oppressive spear phantom—it was no longer the familiar Hundred Wood Divine Spear!
Seeing the worried faces of his family, Li Zhaoyan felt a surge of warmth in his heart. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he softly patted his wife's hand and nodded to the children: "Don't worry, I'm fine. Not just fine, but... successful."
His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Marco with a hint of indescribable complexity and emotion. He said solemnly: "Ke'er, that bold conjecture of yours... your father has accomplished it."
These words shocked everyone!
"Succeeded?! Father, did you truly transform that Evil God Pearl... into your Ninth Soul Ring?!" Marco's voice trembled slightly with excitement. Although he had proposed the idea, he fully understood its dangers. Hearing his father's personal confirmation now, his heart was overwhelmed with shock and joy.
Mother Ye and Ye Lingling covered their mouths, their eyes filled with disbelief. Though they didn't know the specific details, phrases like "Evil God Pearl" and "transformed into a soul ring" sounded both perilous and miraculous.
Li Zhaoyan nodded. With a slight movement of his will, nine soul rings rose sequentially beneath his feet—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black! When the final soul ring emerged, the entire courtyard seemed to darken momentarily! It was an incredibly profound, black-and-red intertwined ring, seemingly composed of countless intricate and eerie runes.
Chapter
The ring slowly rotated, emanating a sinister and terrifying pressure that made souls tremble, far surpassing any previous Soul Ring! Simultaneously, the Evil God Spear, dark red throughout and entwined with demonic patterns, fully manifested. Its tip pulsed with destructive black light, and merely hovering there, it instilled fear and made one dare not look directly.
"This... this is..." Ye Lingling's cool voice carried a trace of astonishment.
"Evil God Spear," Li Zhaoyan slowly uttered the new name of his Martial Soul. "After absorbing the Evil God Pearl, my Martial Soul underwent a fundamental evolution, transforming from the Hundred Wood Divine Spear into the Evil God Spear. The power of this Ninth Soul Ring far exceeds that of an ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring."
The courtyard fell into silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of those present. This reality was too shocking and required time to digest. Mother Ye looked at her husband's clearly sinister-tinged Martial Soul and Soul Ring, a flicker of worry in her eyes, but more than that, she felt joy for his success. Marco's eyes shone with pride for his father and a more intuitive understanding of the Evil God Pearl's power.
For the rest of the day, the Li residence was immersed in great joy. Mother Ye instructed the kitchen to prepare a lavish feast, and the family gathered around the table in a lively atmosphere. Li Zhaoyan briefly recounted the dangers of the absorption process and his ultimate success, omitting the most critical parts such as the descent of the Evil God King. Everyone listened with bated breath, cheering for the final triumph. Qiu Yao and Ye Lingling especially crowded around Li Zhaoyan, curiously examining the Evil God Spear that looked "very powerful."
After the clamor subsided and night fell, the Li residence gradually quieted down.
In the study, brightly lit, only Li Zhaoyan and Marco, father and son, remained. Li Zhaoyan set up a soundproof barrier, his expression turning solemn.
"Ke'er, there were some matters during the day that were inconvenient to discuss in detail," Li Zhaoyan looked at his son and said gravely. "My breakthrough this time has yielded far more than just the evolution of my Martial Soul and the Ninth Soul Ring."
Marco's heart tightened, realizing his father had more important news to share. He sat up straight. "Father, please speak."
Li Zhaoyan took a deep breath and said slowly, "At the moment when I activated the Evil God Pearl and my Martial Soul was about to complete its final transformation, my consciousness... was drawn by an indescribably great presence. I saw a pair of eyes that seemed to contain all the malice in the world."
Marco's pupils contracted sharply, and his breath caught.
"That was the Evil God, one of the five Great God Kings of the God Realm," Li Zhaoyan's voice held a trace of awe. "Because I successfully activated the Evil God Pearl and my Martial Soul transformed into the Evil God Spear, it barely aligned with the Godhood of the 'God of Fear,' who had fallen under his command. His Majesty the Evil God King... has granted me the qualification to inherit the God of Fear's Godhood and has initiated the 'Nine Trials of Fear.'"
"God... God King? God of Fear? God Trial?!" Marco sprang to his feet, his face filled with utter shock and excitement! Although he had lived two lives and possessed a resolute will, the word "God" and the implications of a "God Trial" still made his heart surge uncontrollably! "Father! This is a tremendous opportunity! Wonderful! Truly wonderful!" He felt overwhelming joy for his father from the bottom of his heart!
After the excitement subsided, Marco quickly calmed down and asked with concern, "Father, what exactly is this God Trial? Is it dangerous?"
Li Zhaoyan felt pleased by his son's swift composure and nodded. "The danger is undoubtedly immense. A God Trial is no child's play. My first trial is called 'Scaling Mount Fear.'"
"Mount Fear?" Marco wondered. "Where is this mountain? Does such a place exist in the Douluo Continent?"
Instead of answering directly, Li Zhaoyan slowly raised his right hand. Above his palm, Soul Power fluctuated as a phantom image of a dragon-eye-sized, pitch-black, blood-patterned pearl slowly materialized—it was the exact appearance of the Evil God Pearl! However, this phantom seemed to have a mysterious connection to the real object, emitting faint spatial fluctuations.
"Is this... the Evil God Pearl? Father, didn't you already absorb it?" Marco grew even more puzzled.
"I did absorb it, but it hasn't disappeared," Li Zhaoyan explained. "Or rather, its main power has transformed into my Soul Ring, but as a special artifact imbued with divine power, its properties as a 'coordinate' and 'passageway' still remain. Through it, I can sense and reach that trial ground created specifically for the God Trial—Mount Fear."
Marco suddenly understood, a flicker of fervor and... flashing in his eyes. He couldn't help but ask, "Father, then... can I also use this Evil God Pearl to enter Mount Fear and take a look?" His curiosity about such a mysterious place was overwhelming.
Li Zhaoyan shook his head, his tone firm. "No. The God of Fear has already fallen, and the divine power and trial space he left behind—all the rules and energy—are specifically prepared for his successor, which is me. Outsiders cannot enter."
Hearing this, Marco felt somewhat disappointed but nodded in understanding. A divine inheritance must have strict rules. Gazing at the slowly rotating phantom of the Evil God Pearl in his father's palm, he marveled, "This Evil God Pearl truly is an extraordinary treasure! Not only has it greatly enhanced your strength, evolved your Martial Soul, and granted you a powerful Ninth Soul Ring, but it also serves as the key to the God Trial!"
Suddenly struck by a thought, his eyes lit up, and his tone turned serious. "Father, in that case, even if you encounter an insurmountable danger in the outside world, could you use this Evil God Pearl to escape into Mount Fear for temporary refuge at any time?"
Li Zhaoyan's eyes gleamed sharply as he slowly nodded. "Theoretically... yes. Mount Fear is an independent trial space, and through the Evil God Pearl, I should be able to return there at any time. This is equivalent to having an excellent escape route. Ke'er, your meticulous thinking is commendable for considering this."
With his father's confirmation, Marco felt much more at ease. With this escape route, his father's ability to handle risks in the future would be greatly enhanced.
The father and son conversed in detail for a long time—speculating about the God Trial, familiarizing themselves with the new abilities of the Evil God Spear, and adjusting their future plans. Late into the night, the study's lamp remained lit for hours. A thorny path to Godhood had unfolded beneath their feet, seemingly steering them toward an even more magnificent and turbulent future.
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