Second Trial, Tidal Body Refining

The Shrek Seven Tyrants all looked to one another.

Gu Xingyun murmured, "We can't stay here forever. The Continent needs us."

"But if we go back, we'll be killed," Shu Jiaxiang argued.

"And if we don't go back," Liao Suyin began. "What will happen to our teachers and our Seniors? What will happen to the world?"

"That's right," Ru Shenqi said coldly. "We came here to get stronger, not to run away. It was always our intention to return, but now I fear we cannot spend as long here. If the Supreme Pontiff has forsaken our past, then I hold no regrets in helping to kill her. Now, it's kill or be killed. I vowed that I would avenge my parents. I must do so."

Fang Youyou rested a hand on her shoulder. "And we'll help you. You're our family. We'll help avenge Aunt and Uncle."

Hearing his words, Ru Shenqi swelled with gratitude. Tears brimmed in her eyes.

"You have no idea how much those words mean to me, Youyou," she murmured.

Storm Douluo, watch out. This Little God won't let you off!

Sea Dragon Douluo was inwardly pleased. He thought, These monsters are so close-knit. They're a great team. The world will be peaceful in their hands.

<><><>

After resting up fully, the Shrek Seven Tyrants leapt over to the pillars. Chains shot up, wrapping around their wrists, locking them in place. The raging waves rose up and slammed into them. Feeling the initial shock, the Shrek Seven Tyrants couldn't believe the pressure. It was almost as great as the pressure from the Sea God's Light! But whereas that pressure was just testing them, this pressure and strength of the ocean was trying to kill them!

This first time around, Fang Youyou and Ming Yong only lasted an hour. The Triple Beauties lasted almost two. Gu Xingyun and Ru Shenqi lasted two and a half. Sea Dragon Douluo pulled them back to safety, where they groaned in pain.

"And we thought we were tyrants!" Bai Shanxin cried.

"My mother always warned about the Power of the Ocean," Ru Shenqi breathed in reverence. "I didn't really believe her before, but now..."

She shuddered. The others followed suit.

Just then, an idea came to her. Ru Shenqi stood on weak legs before nearly collapsing.

Fang Youyou, seeing her dilemma, said, "Fourth spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Ten Ton. Third spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Regrowth. First spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Blossom."

After being boosted by him, she threw him a grateful look. Walking to the edge, she was careful not to slip off. The waves crashed and thundered against the valley's walls. Her Ultimate Darkness Wings stretched out from her back. Flying up a meter into the air, her eyes flashed, turning silver-white, as she released her spirit. Her Penta Divine Pearl Diadem glowed brightly.

With a blazing gaze, she called out, "Divine Pearl Sea Assault!"

The second ability of the Penta Divine Pearl Diadem launched. As the sea's waves started to rise higher and higher, the already dark skies turned even darker. Lightning bolts crackled across the black clouds and struck down towards the ocean. A heavy rainfall started to pour down into the valley. The storm grew increasingly worse.

Behind her, the Shrek Six Tyrants gaped. Sea Dragon Douluo was just as shocked.

"Divine Pearl Sea Gate!"

The waves suddenly began to rise meter by meter. They grew to a height of one hundred meters, cutting the valley off from the sea outside.

"By the Sea God," Sea Dragon Douluo breathed. "And here I thought it was a legend!"

"Senior, what do you mean?" the six youths asked.

And so, he explained. When he had finished, Ru Shenqi returned to the ground and recalled her external spirit bone. She turned around to face them.

"That's also what Sea Witch Douluo told me. I figured that while we were here, and no Ocean spirit beasts come around, I could test the Penta Divine Pearl Diadem. This magical item is indeed very powerful. I don't even need to be by the sea to use it."

"EH, WHAT?!" her companions suddenly cried. "XIAO SHEN, HOW ARE YOU SO LUCKY?!"

She laughed. "I'm just glad we met the Purple Pearl Pirates."

The others nodded. Gu Xingyun spoke up, "At least we have one other way to deal with Spirit Empire now. If we're in a mass battle like our Seniors at Jialing Pass, that diadem of yours will be helpful."

Bai Shanxin agreed. "Sect Leader is the Sea God. Working with him, we can flood Spirit Empire!"

"Then let's get to work," Ming Yong said. "The Continent needs us."

The seven sat down to cultivate and rest before daring to try the Tidal Body Refining again.

<><><>

Five months later, seven bodies were still getting bullied by the crashing waves. Their hair was unkept. Their clothes were soaked. Their faces were etched with determination.

On the shore, Sea Dragon Douluo watched them carefully. Just then, five dark pillars of black exploded.

The regal voice boomed, "Second Trial, Tidal Body Refining, completed. Black Level Six Award: spirit power increased one rank, possessed spirit rings' power increased by five hundred years."

Black screens of light disappeared from Fang Youyou, Ming Yong, Shu Jiaxiang, Bai Shanxin, and Liao Suyin. Their spirit rings emerged, and saw that now, even their first spirit rings had turned purple. The waves suddenly stopped washing up at them, and they leapt back over to safety. Their four hours had passed, and they all had succeeded. Sea Dragon Douluo nodded, obviously pleased.

"Good work."

An hour later, one blood red pillar of light exploded.

The voice spoke again, "Second Trial, Tidal Body Refining, completed. Red Level Seven Award: spirit power increased by two ranks."

The red screens of light disappeared from Gu Xingyun's forehead. This time, he didn't get a spirit ring boost. The waves calmed, and they leapt from the pillars to safety, meeting his friends. Sea Dragon Douluo approached him with one pearl-like ball. He let it fly over towards Gu Xingyun, who sat down to absorb it.

"Congratulations."

Deep in his heart, he hoped for a century millennium year spirit ring. If even Ming Yong and Fang Youyou could survive absorbing them, then surely he could too. And plus, all seven had just passed their Tidal Body Refining Test. They were stronger physically than before.

The Shrek Six Tyrants waited and cultivated patiently. They knew from their own experiences that his absorption would take some time.

Immediately, the color went from white to yellow to purple to black. But, much sooner than the others, it turned to red. Of course, Gu Xingyun couldn't see it, but the others were happy for him. They all knew he was upset about his Spirit Avatar being from a decade millennium spirit beast while all of them had followed Ru Shenqi in getting century millennium rings. They hoped that now getting his red century millennium spirit ring for the eighth skill would please him.

His body began to bleed red, just like the others. Sweat beaded on his furrowed brows and soaked his clothes. He groaned in pain but held out.

Sea Dragon Douluo inwardly sighed. All seven got century millennium spirit rings for their God Bestowed Spirit Ring. Too powerful!

After two more hours, the last pillar exploded with red light. Ru Shenqi was pulled back to safety by Sea Dragon Douluo and the octagon on her forehead blazed.

"Second Trial, Tidal Body Refining, completed. Red Level Eight Award: spirit power increased by two ranks."

The red screen of light disappeared into her forehead as she smiled.

In the past five months, the Shrek Seven Tyrants had barely increased in spirit power at all. But with their reward, their current ranks were growing closer and closer to a new spirit rank. Ru Shenqi was at the eighty ninth rank. Gu Xingyun had passed the bottleneck and was now at the eighty first rank, thus getting his own God Bestowed Spirit Ring. Ming Yong had reached the eightieth rank and was ready for a new spirit ring. Liao Suyin, Bai Shanxin, Shu Jiaxiang, and Fang Youyou were all at the seventy eighth rank.

<><><>

After seven days and seven nights, the red light finally faded. Gu Xingyun stood, and the others woke from their cultivation.

"Xingyun, what's your eighth spirit skill?"

He was elated. He, too, now had a century millennium year spirit ring.

With a smile on his lips, he replied, "Let me show you the power of the Guang Kingdom's royal family. Eighth spirit skill, Royal Heavenly Lion!"

All of his attributes increased by one hundred percent. Suddenly, all seven spectators-including Sea Dragon Douluo-felt their movements be restricted. They were "frozen" and couldn't move a muscle. Neither could they release any spirit skills. But after ten seconds, this feeling faded away.

"Amazing!" Fang Youyou cried.

"So powerful!" Shu Jiaxiang exclaimed.

"Hell's Ambassador indeed!" Ru Shenqi chuckled.

Sea Dragon Douluo admitted, "Even I couldn't break your suppression. This is the benefit of a century millennium year spirit ring. Well done, you monsters. Now that your second Trial is over, I will take my leave then."

He disappeared, letting the Shrek Seven Tyrants celebrate.

"We did it! We passed the Second Trial!"

"And we only took five months for this one. It's not as bad."

"What's our Third Trial?"

All of them closed their eyes. When they opened them again, the five with the Black Level Tests said, "Ours says Third Trial, Sea Ring Battle."

Gu Xingyun and Ru Shenqi nodded. "Ours does as well."

"What does this mean?" all seven asked.

With Sea Dragon Douluo already gone, the seven decided to return to Sea Witch City.

"We've been working ourselves hard this past year and a half. A few days' break should be good for us. Let us return to Sea Witch City first. Then, we can tackle the third test," Ru Shenqi proposed.

The others agreed, and they started away from Furious Waves Straight. It took them the whole day to return to Sea Witch City.

<><><>

In Sea Witch City, the Shrek Seven Tyrants indulged in delicacies. The girls went shopping for new clothes, while the guys ate some seafood in a good restaurant. As the four girls approached with many bags on their arms, three pairs of eyed bugged.

"Aiya! Girls can shop!"

Ru Shenqi, Liao Suyin, Shu Jiaxiang, and Bai Shanxin laughed. "We got something for everyone. Come on, let's go on back to the City Lord's Mansion."

They returned, and the girls distributed the bags. There were two bags per person, so altogether they had carried fourteen shopping bags. Gu Xingyun, Fang Youyou, and Ming Yong couldn't believe it.

Everyone went to their own rooms to change into their new outfits. When they all came out, they admired each other's appearances.

The girls wore an array of things. Shu Jiaxiang was in a plum purple, leather catsuit with black, lace-up, heeled, combat boots. Liao Suyin wore a three-quarter sleeve, emerald green, chiffon sundress that went just below her knees with nude flared heels. Bai Shanxin had a long sleeve, peony pink, satin dress that was cut just above her knees with white tights and white block heels. Ru Shenqi wore a floor length, long-sleeve, scarlet red, satin dress that had dark silver mesh fabric sewn at the waist as an outer layer with dark silver stiletto heels.

Three sets of jaws dropped. The girls smiled and twirled.

"How do we look?"

"Good."

"Beautiful."

"We're going to have to beat all the guys who try to snatch you up!"

Liao Suyin, Shu Jiaxiang, Bai Shanxin, and Ru Shenqi laughed and assessed their friends. Compared to them, the guys wore body-fitting pants, but Gu Xingyun's were white whereas Ming Yong's were black and Fang Youyou's were beige. Their undershirts were white, but the long-sleeve leather vests were different. Gu Xingyun's was a sun yellow with white gold hemming. Ming Yong's was ocean blue with black hemming. Fang Youyou's was copper with silver hemming. Gu Xingyun wore white socks and white shoes while Ming Yong had black socks and black shoes. Fang Youyou had beige socks and caramel brown shoes.

The four girls' eyes widened.

Bai Shanxin breathed, "Girls all over the island are going to fawn."

Shu Jiaxiang agreed, "I think we did too well."

Liao Suyin chuckled, "Our guys are just too handsome to begin with. It's not our fault if some Ocean spirit masters follow us home."

The three guys went red. They choked and turned their heads away.

Finally Ru Shenqi spoke. "Well, I can't speak for Youyou or Yong, but Xingyun's already taken."

His eyes met hers, and she smiled at him. The others all coughed. They broke from their trance and cleared their throats.

Bai Shanxin said, "This is good. We needed some cooler clothes to suit Haishen Island's tropical climate. We'll still be here a while, it's best to be comfortable."

"Plus, our old clothes have been soaked in sweat, blood, and sea water. It was time we got some new clothes," Ming Yong added.

The five others agreed.

They looked outside and noticed that the sun was setting. Heading into the dining room, the Shrek Seven Tyrants sat down for their evening meal. Purple robed Ocean spirit masters brought out trays of food and drink. As they ate, they discussed future plans.

"When we return to the Continent, we'll make sure Vast Sea City is alright first," Ru Shenqi spoke up. "I want to make sure Teacher Cang, Headmaster Bing, and Senior Qing are okay. Especially if Spirit Empire threatened them like Sect Leader mentioned in the letter."

"We can do that," Gu Xingyun quickly agreed. The others nodded as well.

Fang Youyou sighed, "Then we might have to part for a while. Xingyun, won't you have to return to Star Luo Empire?"

He nodded. "I need to meet up with the troops from Guang Kingdom. My father and brothers are probably already helping Royal Prince Dai Weisi and Royal Princess Zhu Zhuyun. Once everything there is settled, I'll see if I can come back and meet up with you all."

"The rest of us will return to Heaven Dou City and join forces with Tang Sect and Shrek Academy," Bai Shanxin added. "With us there, Emperor Xue Beng can be a little more at ease."

"Xiao Shen, who are you going to go with?" Liao Suyin asked.

Ru Shenqi bit her lip. She looked down at her plate. "I'll stay in Vast Sea City a while. If I can quietly recruit the Ocean Spirit Masters there to help the Heaven Dou Army, then our numbers will increase. Though they're limited on land, if we can fight by water, then we might be able to gain the upper hand."

Her friends caught the underlying meaning in her words. If she reappeared on Douluo Continent, Spirit Empire would do everything in their power to kill her. She might be stronger and have a magical item to help her, but in the end, it was still one against an army. The longer she hid away, the better. They accepted her choice quickly.

With their plans begun, they turned their focus towards their next Trial, Sea Ring Battle.