Tang San smiled gently and said, "We naturally know the danger of the fourth trial. However, the situation on the mainland is constantly changing. We came to Sea God Island to undergo assessments precisely to become stronger, strong enough to contend with the Spirit Empire. Time waits for no one, and our enemies are always advancing. How can we afford to stand still?"
Dai Mu Bai and the others nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute.
Xiao Bai glanced at their unwavering resolve. Its massive gray-blue body shimmered with a metallic luster under the sunlight. "The Evil Demon Orcas are an extremely ferocious race, unlike our Sea Magic Great White Sharks who are more accommodating. This battle is a matter of life or death. Even Tang Sui only managed to evade and contend with the Evil Demon Orcas; you will not be allowed to retreat this time. Are you truly prepared?"
The Shrek Nine Monsters exchanged glances and said in unison:
"We are ready!"
Xiao Bai exposed its massive back above the sea, turned around, and said, "Since you are ready, let us depart now. Along the way, I will explain the Evil Demon Orcas to you."
As soon as Xiao Bai finished speaking, it suddenly opened its maw and emitted a unique sonic wave of the Sea Magic Great White Shark, which spread rapidly through the ocean.
Before long, the seawater began to churn. One Sea Magic Great White Shark after another revealed their sharp dorsal fins, occupying the circular sea and arranging themselves in neat formations.
A sight of two hundred Sea Magic Great White Sharks lined up appeared before them.
These Sea Magic Great White Sharks were each over fifteen meters long, and every one of them exuded a powerful energy fluctuation.
Concealed by the seawater, they resembled a well-trained army awaiting inspection by their leader.
Xiao Bai's golden eyes swept over its closest kin. The few larger Sea Magic Great White Sharks at the front, as if receiving a signal, turned around like Xiao Bai, exposing their broad backs. Including Xiao Bai, their number precisely matched the Shrek Nine Monsters.
The group spontaneously descended, one person landing on the back of a Sea Magic Great White Shark. The others surrounding the outer perimeter of the circle consciously submerged or moved aside, ceding the leading position to Xiao Bai. After Xiao Bai, carrying Tang San, and the other eight kin passed, they flicked their tails and followed closely behind.
Along the way, Xiao Bai roughly recounted the long-standing conflict between the Sea Magic Great White Shark clan and the Evil Demon Orca clan, detailing the holy wars waged between the two races. It elaborated on the disadvantages faced by the Sea Magic Great White Sharks in these battles and added:
"Adult Evil Demon Orcas range from twenty to twenty-five meters in length. They possess robust physiques, sharp teeth, and powerful various skills. A single Evil Demon Orca is enough to fight two adult members of our clan to a draw. These ferocious creatures never leave any survivors. Once they gain the upper hand, they will tear their opponents apart."
At this point, Xiao Bai's tone carried a hint of schadenfreude. "The Evil Demon Orca clan originally numbered over four hundred individuals, with nearly three hundred adults, several dozen more than our Sea Magic Great White Shark clan. However, after Tang Sui took action against the Evil Demon Orcas, they lost many powerful members during that period. Their numbers have now been reduced to just over three hundred, similar to ours. Unfortunately, they still have over two hundred adult members, all formidable opponents."
In other words, Sui Sui alone had killed dozens of powerful Evil Demon Orcas!
Ma Hong Jun's eyes widened, and he gave Tang Sui a thumbs-up. "Sui Sui, you're the best!"
Tang San, standing on Xiao Bai's head, had a faint smile in his eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a look of solemnity as his mind raced.
Even though the two clans had comparable numbers, two adult Sea Magic Great White Sharks could only contend with one Evil Demon Orca.
During their earlier strategic discussions, they had heard Sui Sui describe the process of killing those Evil Demon Orcas. It primarily relied on surprise attacks and domains to achieve kills.
Considering that Sui Sui was already at the peak of their combat strength, she could only fight evasively under such circumstances. Although it might also be due to her being the sole powerful fighter, they still had to be cautious...
Tang San's thoughts began to stir, and after a few seconds of contemplation, he asked, "Sui Sui, with your current strength, plus mine, if we were to directly confront the Evil Demon Orca King, what are our chances of winning?"
Tang Sui immediately understood Tang San's intention, and her beautiful brows furrowed. "Brother, you want me to isolate the Evil Demon Orca King and the other Evil Demon Orcas, trap them within my domain, and then we'll fight together?"
Tang San nodded. "Exactly."
Tang Sui felt it was unfeasible. "But Brother, you know that although my domain is highly effective, I still cannot completely control it and eliminate its mental pollution on others. If I were to activate my domain for a battle, it would only be a one-on-one confrontation."
"Besides, didn't you already try it the day before yesterday? Even you, with your vast mental strength, couldn't remove the domain's mental pollution. It's even less likely for others to join."
Tang Sui's tone turned slightly annoyed as she said this.
It was her own domain, yet she couldn't fully master it. What should have been her strongest asset to excel within the team had instead become her restraint.
Tang San, unable to comfort her by patting her head, could only offer words of encouragement. "It's alright, Sui Sui. When I first obtained the Asura Domain, I couldn't control it with ease either. Moreover, your domain changed because of your increased strength, and every practical combat experience is an excellent opportunity for training."
"This time is a great opportunity for trial. Think about it, after we perform a spirit fusion skill, we will be as one. Your domain is least likely to reject you. At that point, I will essentially be half of you, and our consciousness can switch at any time. Even if there is mental pollution, you are completely immune to it, and its impact on me should be minimized."
"Perhaps, for your sake, the domain might even spare me from its targeting."
Tang San uttered the last sentence with a half-joking tone.
However, Xiao Bai, who was listening intently, began to feel that something was amiss and involuntarily formed a question mark in its mind. It couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you two talking about a domain? It sounds like you're discussing some intelligent life forms. I've never seen a domain that behaves like a person with its own thoughts. Are you sure you're not talking about something entirely new?"
Xiao Bai's words startled the siblings, and everyone else present also paused, a spark of realization flashing through their minds.
Tang Sui, in particular, analyzed her domain retrospectively. Her expression suddenly changed, and she poked the increasingly silent system with a confident tone.
"You must have noticed it long ago? No, it should be that the current changes in the domain have always been within your expectations."
"You are still hiding something very important from me, aren't you?!"
Although her last sentence was an accusation, Tang Sui unconsciously imbued it with a hint of grievance from being kept in the dark.
—Author's Notes—
Happy New Year, a big peck to you all!