After the Sea God's assessment rewards were distributed, Tang San touched the golden trident mark on his brow, feeling joy mingled with a hint of confusion.
This was because his first test reward was a five percent increase in Sea God affinity, while his companions received rewards such as enhanced spirit ring years or increased spirit power levels.
"Congratulations on completing your first test."
Poseidon, who arrived silently, spoke with a faint smile.
The group turned their heads upon hearing her voice. Tang Sui and Poseidon's gazes met briefly in mid-air before both nonchalantly looked away.
Poseidon continued, "But more difficult assessments lie ahead. I hope you will never forget the importance of teamwork."
The group nodded.
Poseidon raised her hand, and three dense balls of golden light emerged from her palm, shooting out and flying towards Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong of the Shrek Seven Devils respectively.
"Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, I now bestow upon you a Divine Gifted Spirit Ring."
After completing their first test, the rewards had pushed their cultivation to the cusp of the next tier.
As golden mist enveloped them, their individual spirit ring trials began.
Tang Sui watched Xiao Wu, bathed in golden light, with surprise, once again experiencing the Sea God's inclusivity towards different species.
Poseidon departed.
Ma Hongjun immediately collapsed onto the ground without any regard for his image, looking utterly dejected. "I'm exhausted. This first test is finally over!"
Dai Mubai glanced at the stars beginning to twinkle in the night sky, then rotated his stiff neck, producing a crisp cracking sound. He said, "Everyone has worked hard these past few days. Let's get some rest now."
The others also sat down around Xiao Wu and the others.
The Sea God's light, which had been targeted, disappeared once all eight of the Shrek members completed their first test. Even Tang Sui no longer felt the resistance surging from all directions.
Thus, she retracted her power and, under Ma Hongjun's resentful sidelong glance, slowly released Bai Chenxiang's hand, ignoring his petulant gaze.
The night passed uneventfully.
Everyone was adjusting their condition.
As dawn broke, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing finally completed their absorption to their maximum potential, obtaining their seventh spirit rings and officially becoming Spirit Saints.
Oscar and the others, who had been waiting for them to finish absorbing, immediately became energized.
"Quickly tell us what your seventh spirit skills are!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled with joy. She opened her fair palm, and with a flash of treasure light, a miniature Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda hovered above her palm.
"My seventh spirit skill is Nine Treasures True Body. Besides increasing all my spirit skills by 80%, it also halves the spirit power consumption when casting any augmentation skills in the Nine Treasures True Body state. Furthermore, my split-mind control becomes more effortless."
Oscar gasped, "As expected of a top-tier martial soul!"
Dai Mubai mused, then turned to Tang Sui. "Speaking of which, Sui Sui, although I've seen you use your seventh spirit skill, I've never heard you explain its effects. Is your seventh spirit skill's augmentation effect as outrageously powerful as Rongrong's?"
Tang Sui blinked. "Unfortunately, my seventh spirit skill's augmentation effect is only for myself and not as remarkable as Rongrong's."
"Huh?" Ning Rongrong was taken aback.
Tang San seemed to have an idea, his eyelids twitching. "If I had to say, Sui Sui's seventh spirit skill, I don't think it's purely an auxiliary type."
Tang Sui smiled at Tang San. "As expected of my brother, you guessed wrong. My seventh spirit skill, Weapon Soul True Body, in normal circumstances, removes all restrictions on previous spirit skills. In another special situation, except for the second spirit skill, which cannot be used, my attack power doubles, and critical hit chance also doubles."
Oscar scratched his head. "This, although Sui Sui, as an auxiliary-type spirit master, isn't very auxiliary, and even her seventh spirit skill is a power-type weapon martial soul skill, when all is said and done, isn't the effect of this seventh spirit skill a bit ordinary?"
Tang San also frowned. "It is a bit, and it's a ten-thousand-year spirit ring for Weapon Soul True Body..."
A hint of worry appeared in his eyes. Tang Sui returned a reassuring gaze, silently adding in her mind:
Because the augmentation effect of this seventh spirit ring has been divided among the previous spirit skills.
So, she didn't feel unbalanced.
Ma Hongjun lowered his head and counted on his fingers. "Then, among us, only Xiangxiang, I, and Xiao Ao haven't reached the Spirit Saint level yet."
He paused, then looked at Oscar slyly. "Besides me and Xiangxiang, only Xiao Ao has a spot for a Divine Gifted Spirit Ring. His martial soul true body will surely bring surprises, hehehe."
Oscar: "..."
He fixed Oscar with a dead, emotionless stare, then stealthily crept behind him. With a swift and accurate move, he reached out and delivered a slapping attack to Ma Hongjun's cheek.
Ma Hongjun: "Ouch!"
Zhu Zhuqing said with a relaxed expression, "My seventh spirit skill is Spirit Cat True Body. In this martial soul true body form, my speed increases by 50%, and the power of all my spirit skills increases by 50%."
As soon as she finished speaking, the sky, which had just begun to show a hint of pale dawn, suddenly darkened.
Except for Tang Sui and Bai Chenxiang, the foreheads of the Shrek Seven Devils lit up.
In the distance, dark storm clouds completely obscured the light, forming a vast expanse that seemed to portend a coming storm.
Layers of strange energy fluctuated violently in the Ring Sea, and the calm surface of the water became tumultuous, with waves churning incessantly.
Golden light cards flew out from the foreheads of the Shrek Seven Devils. The text and patterns on them changed, revealing their second assessment content.
Dai Mubai read the assessment content in a deep voice: "Second Assessment, Break Through the Ring Sea Blockade. Condition for passing: Break through the blockade on the Ring Sea and reach the opposite shore without killing any sea soul beasts."
The others exchanged glances and echoed Dai Mubai's words.
Tang San was the second to put down his card.
Under Tang Sui's sympathetic gaze, Tang San's face showed a bitter smile. "My condition for passing has one more restriction than yours: I cannot use any spirit rings or spirit skills."
"No, it's not just Brother San," Ning Rongrong said, putting down her card with a distressed expression. "My passing conditions, in addition to being the same as Brother Dai's, have a different restriction than Brother San's: I cannot use my seventh spirit skill."
As she spoke, she activated her spirit power, displaying her seven spirit rings.
Everyone was surprised to find that Ning Rongrong's seventh spirit ring, which should have been black, was now a plain gray.
It was as if it were covered in a layer of dust, rendering it unusable.
In addition, as a reward for the first test, each spirit ring's year had increased by five hundred years, Ning Rongrong's second spirit ring had also turned purple.
Meanwhile, Tang Sui fell into thought.
It seemed the second assessment wasn't very welcoming to her either.
Should she continue to blow up fish and accumulate her eighth spirit ring?