Bo Saixi gazed at Tang Sui deeply, her gaze softening considerably when it fell upon Tang Chen, whose eyes were tightly shut. So many words she wished to speak ultimately coalesced into two: "Thank you."
Tang Sui offered Bo Saixi a smile. Their eyes met in mid-air, a silent understanding passing between them.
After leaving the Twin God Domain, they were met with the curious gazes of Tang San and the others.
Ma Hongjun looked as if he wanted to ask but dared not, his eyes fixed longingly on Tang Sui.
Tang Sui winked at Tang San and the others who were looking her way. She gracefully descended from the air, rejoining her companions.
"Now, let's continue with the sixth trial."
Bo Saixi's expression had returned to its usual gentle calmness after exiting the domain.
The others pricked up their ears.
"With the difficulty increased, the content of your sixth trial is to endure for the duration of three incense sticks under the hands of the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo. Declaring surrender verbally will result in failure for this assessment. There is no limit to the number of challenges. The time limit is one year."
Bo Saixi's words exploded in the minds of Tang San and the other four like torpedoes, leaving their thoughts a blank slate. Even Tang Sui couldn't help but glance up, meeting Bo Saixi's unchanging, gentle smile.
Tang Sui: "..." Fine, at least it's not facing Bo Saixi herself directly.
The three incense sticks endurance against the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo versus the original destiny trajectory of enduring one incense stick under Bo Saixi, a peak Douluo, was like the difference between heaven and earth.
Bo Saixi shifted her gaze and continued, "Additionally, due to the increased difficulty, your sixth trial will be a synchronized effort. If any one of you declares surrender during the challenge, it will be considered a failure for the entire team. However, conversely, if any one of you six endures for three incense sticks under the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo, then the challenge will be considered successful, and the assessment passed."
"Also, the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo will, as in the fifth trial, not use the Sea God's power from the Sacred Pillars but will use their full personal strength."
Ma Hongjun gasped, instinctively wanting to take two steps back. However, he forgot that the sofa seating was behind him, and he immediately lost his balance, falling onto the sofa chair. The color drained from his face, his eyes unfocused, and he repeated in a trembling voice:
"Three days from now, under the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo, endure for the duration of three incense sticks?!"
By the time he reached the latter half of the sentence, Ma Hongjun's voice had involuntarily risen, becoming sharp.
Tang San's face also alternated between pale and flushed, looking extremely grim.
After all, Zhuqing was currently in the process of absorbing her eighth spirit ring, and it was unclear when she would complete the absorption. Her trump card, the Nether White Tiger, was directly strangled in its cradle.
Of the remaining people... he was the only Spirit Douluo now!
Although Dai Ge's spirit power had also broken through to level eighty, because he had only just broken through, and Sui Sui had gone into seclusion directly, Dai Ge's eighth spirit ring had not yet been acquired.
In terms of combat power, they were greatly weakened.
How could they possibly fight this?
Even Tang San, who was skilled in tactical deployment, could not think of a good solution.
Dai Mubai, who had fallen into silence, looked up. After some thought, he asked Bo Saixi, "Senior, for our sixth trial, can Zhuqing participate with us?"
Bo Saixi smiled meaningfully, "Of course, she can. However, the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo will also lift their restrictions and use the Sea God's power from the Sacred Pillars."
Dai Mubai choked and instinctively looked at Tang San.
Receiving Dai Mubai's pleading gaze, Tang San pondered for a moment and asked, "So, is the sixth trial's assessment content based on the team's overall strength? Since Zhuqing can join, does exchanging her for Sui Sui incur the same cost of lifting the restriction on using the Sea God's power?"
Tang Sui, who had been called out, quietly looked at her brother, who was setting a trap.
For a moment, she thought her brother was truly a genius.
He wanted to use "divine power" against "divine power."
It was remarkably similar to using magic to defeat magic.
Bo Saixi smiled calmly, "Yes. However, if you intend for both of them to join, then the unlimited challenge attempts in the sixth trial will be canceled, leaving only one chance. Furthermore, the assessment will begin no later than half a month from now."
"Hiss—!"
This price made everyone gasp.
Tang Sui also fell into silence, looking at her brother. Their gazes met.
Finally, Tang San, the spiritual pillar of the Shrek Seven Devils, spoke, "Senior, may we discuss this carefully today and give you our answer tomorrow morning?"
Bo Saixi was not in a hurry to receive their decision and nodded, "Make your own choices. Just let me know before the assessment begins within the half-month period."
Tang San nodded, watching Bo Saixi, clad in red, gracefully depart amidst a golden glow.
The Sea Horse Douluo, who had bent down to respectfully see Bo Saixi off, straightened up. He looked at the Shrek group, their faces filled with solemnity, and sighed, "Good luck, everyone. I'll be returning to the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar, so I won't disturb your discussion."
With that, the Sea Horse Douluo also left.
Only after the door closed and the hall was left with just the Shrek group did Oscar let out a mournful cry, slumping onto the sofa seat and running his hands through his slightly curled hair, complaining, "How are we supposed to choose! Every option is a perilous path!"
Dai Mubai also sat back onto the sofa seat, looking weary and worried, "If we maintain the original formation, with only the six of us, we'll be finished before even an incense stick burns out."
Ning Rongrong also slumped down weakly, agreeing, "Yes. Without the Nether White Tiger and Sui Sui, our two trump cards, with just the six of us, even third brother would be at a loss."
Xiao Wu's eyebrows furrowed, and she looked worriedly at Tang Sui, who sat quietly, "If we bring in one reinforcement, the already difficult Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo will lift the restriction of not using the Sea God's power from the pillars and become even harder to deal with. It's difficult to choose between the Nether White Tiger and Sui Sui."
"If we have both, although we gain two more trump cards, the challenge opportunity will be reduced to only one. If we fail... that would mean..." death.
Xiao Wu did not utter the last two heavy words, but everyone present understood her unsaid meaning, and a silence fell upon them as they sat on the sofa seats.
Bai Chenxiang looked at Ma Hongjun, who had a look of utter despair, wanting to comfort him but not knowing how.
Tang San, with his arm around Xiao Wu's shoulders, silently comforting her, lowered his gaze and fell into deep thought.
The sixth trial marked the end of the current assessment for Xiao Ao, Dai Ge, and Fatty. For each of them, it was a matter of life and death.
Whether they could pass the assessment or not hinged entirely on this. They could not afford to be careless in the slightest.
Relying on the six of them alone... honestly, they couldn't carry it. Their win rate was less than ten percent.
If they brought in reinforcements, whether one or two, each choice came with equally harsh consequences.
Thinking of this, Tang San let out a long sigh and looked at Tang Sui, "Sui Sui, what is your current spirit power level and overall strength?"
Ma Hongjun, with a look of dejection, turned his gaze towards Tang Sui, following Tang San's.
Tang Sui's gaze flickered, "After my mask spirit's complete awakening, my current spirit power level has reached eighty-eight. My other comprehensive abilities have also greatly improved, but... the Sea God's power... brother, you know it's very troublesome. Even I am not confident I can withstand it. Moreover, I have never fought any of the Seven Sacred Pillar Douluo before. If you intend to count me in, it has both advantages and disadvantages."
The disadvantage was that she also did not understand the opponents' abilities and combat styles.
The advantage was that, with her fully awakened demon bloodline, she possessed trump cards that even Bo Saixi, who often spied on them, did not know about, which could catch them off guard.
But... although her Dao intent was stronger than before, the Sea God's power was still difficult to deal with.
Demons could fight across realms, but that was limited to her, not everyone.
Of course, her brother, with his protagonist's halo and destiny's child's halo, could also fight across realms, but others couldn't, and it was still difficult to carry them.
There were too few Spirit Douluo among them, and their opponents were all Titled Douluo without exception, with an average strength of around level ninety-five. Not to mention the Sea Dragon Douluo, ranked first, who had directly surpassed the ninety-five mark and was a level ninety-six Titled Douluo.
Even if she let Xiao Hei fight for her...
[They would only get beaten up.]
Black Face said coldly.
Tang Sui fell into silence.
[My advice is for you not to get involved. Since the Seven Faces have returned, your bloodline has become pure-blooded, and the laws no longer target you. Why get involved in this mess?]
Black Face's clear and cold voice held an indifferent tone.
[After all, Tang San is the child of destiny. Heaven protects him. He won't die no matter who else does.]
For the Masks, only Tang Sui was important.
Whether others lived or died was of little consequence to them. It was only because they considered that Tang Sui would be sad that when Tang Sui wanted to protect them, they would naturally follow her wishes and act.
But if there was a conflict that endangered Tang Sui's life, they would unhesitatingly abandon Tang San and the others and protect only Tang Sui.
Tang Sui lowered her gaze.
'...I know. This time... we finally reunited and became complete individuals. If brother makes a choice in the end, and encounters danger during the assessment... if my own safety cannot be guaranteed, I will prioritize my own life.' Su Dan Novel Network
Despite saying this, Black Face, sensing Tang Sui's troubled state, fell silent.
In the pitch-black mental space, Fú Shén, feeling his colleague's psychological activity, had his smiling eyes, like those of a Maitreya Buddha, a benevolent old man, glimmer slightly in his deep-set eye sockets.
After a few seconds, he said somewhat shyly, "...That is, little master, everyone says that if you really want to help, it's not impossible. They will be responsible for the fighting. I... I will be responsible for protecting little master."
Other Masks: "..."
Heh heh.
Tang Sui, whose thoughts could only be sensed unidirectionally, did not know what the other Masks were thinking at that moment.
Hearing Fú Shén's words, her heart warmed. Because she lowered her head after speaking, the strands of hair falling from her temples concealed her faintly curved eyes: "Mm, thank you."
—Author's Note—
It's difficult to divide chapters, so I've made it a two-in-one.