While Li Chang’an’s thoughts wandered, the yellow-robed guard began his report.

"Reporting to Lord Sea Horse: a group of land spirit masters requests to take the Sea God’s trial. Please grant permission."

With soul power carrying his voice, the words cut straight across the roar of the inland sea.

Seated beneath the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar on the triangular dais, the black-robed man opened his eyes. Though he was more than two hundred meters away, everyone on the shore—everyone except Li Chang’an—shuddered involuntarily. Those eyes were as deep as a dark pool; across that distance, his pressure was unmistakable.

A Titled Douluo.

Li Chang’an had no intention of posturing. He was here to reap benefits, not to pick fights—and on Sea God Island, this wasn’t the place to get flashy anyway.

The Sea Horse Douluo’s voice rang out—not like a straight line, but woven into the surge of the waves themselves.

"Land spirit masters wish to take the Sea God’s trial? Only by crossing the Sea within the Sea and standing before the Sea Horse Pillar will you be qualified even to receive it."

Blue light flared behind him, and the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar blazed from base to tip. Ripples of azure expanded outward from the pillar’s crown, forming a ten-meter-high light curtain skimming the water’s surface—enough to seal off flight and compress movement.

That was nothing for Li Chang’an, but it was troublesome for the others.

Xiao Wu arched a brow. "So we have to pass not only the Sea God’s test, but also this Titled Douluo’s gatekeeping? You think we can fight a Titled Douluo head-on?"

The yellow-robed leader kept his head bowed. "The trials for land spirit masters differ from those for sea spirit masters. I don’t know how Lord Sea Horse will test you. I only know he acts by the Sea God’s will. You can still walk away."

"Leaving isn’t an option." Li Chang’an glanced at Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, you go first. And don’t injure the sea beasts."

"Alright." Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly. Her first soul skill, Nether Thrust, snapped to life; her body accelerated in midair and met the oncoming surf. As a top-tier speed-type with a cat martial soul, she moved like a shadow—weightless, quiet—rising to the ten-meter height of the light screen and, at the last half-meter, cutting laterally toward the pillar.

The waves slammed forward. Her third soul skill, Nether Slash, split the surge cleanly, the water skimming past her on both sides. She had already stolen thirty meters.

As her momentum flagged and she was about to touch down, Nether Slash carved a triangular step in the wave’s face. Her toes tapped that water-edge, Nether Thrust fired again, and she shot on.

Sea water floats more than fresh, but only a little—yet that "little" let her keep gliding forward. Nether Slash opened the path; Nether Thrust supplied speed. Alternating the two, she wove through the surf. In a dozen bursts she pierced the last wall of water and alighted, silent and spotless, on the opposite bank. Her breathing didn’t even hitch. She withdrew her martial soul and inclined her head to the Sea Horse Douluo.

A faint smile touched his face.

"Excellent. ’Stunning’ is not an exaggeration. top-tier cat martial soul, speed and attack in balance, and the ultimate darkness attribute as well. Among the young, you are outstanding. You are qualified to receive the Sea God’s trial."

Zhu Zhuqing tipped her chin toward Li Chang’an and the others. He read her look at once.

"You’ve seen it," Li Chang’an said mildly. "The gate isn’t that high. Why don’t we all go together?"

Their lineup skewed heavily toward support—Mu Xi, Ning Rongrong, Ye Lingling—and Ah Yin and Ah Rou were still recovering. Without Li Chang’an lending a hand, several of them would struggle. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Even so, Hu Liena, Meng Yiran, and Xiao Wu waved him off; they wanted to cross under their own power, not ride his coattails. Li Chang’an didn’t press it and let them try first.

Xiao Wu blinked across the waves with Teleport, popped Invincible Golden Body, and sprinted. Her mastery of body mechanics was absolute; stringing teleports together, she skimmed the surface and reached the far side dry-footed.

Hu Liena, a Spirit Emperor, simply muscled through from below. She wasn’t a battle-type, but a soul-power advantage is still an advantage; the sea beasts here were mostly thousand-year sea hippos—no real threat.

Meng Yiran’s crossing was the hairiest. Without level or skill advantages, she burned time and focus—but the immortal herb Li Chang’an had given her made the difference, and she endured to the end.

Then came the hard part. As Li Chang’an led the remaining six out, a wall of water surged like a falling sky.

A crimson flash rippled over him—and three Li Chang’ans appeared, forming a triangle around the women. Azure light danced at each finger, and the water before them froze into stacked ice bulwarks.

The Sea Horse Douluo watched with interest, then frowned. He couldn’t see through this young man at all.

That should have been impossible. He was a Titled Douluo, and yet this fifteen- or sixteen-year-old was opaque to his senses?

The waves shifted to volleys of needle-fine water arrows. The three Li Chang’ans didn’t change formation; heat blossomed in their palms, and streams of flame arrows met the torrent midair.

"Ultimate fire... and ultimate ice." The Sea Horse Douluo’s composure finally cracked. "Young man, what is your cultivation?"

Li Chang’an cupped his hands.

"Senior, this junior is unworthy—merely a humble Spirit Saint, seventy-sixth rank."

"Seventy-six..." The Sea Horse Douluo went still. You call that unworthy?

[Ding! You revealed your prowess before the Sea Horse Douluo. Points +46]