Douluo Dalu: Lucky Star

In the Sea God's palace atop Sea God Mountain, Bo Saixi watched through a projection as the three individuals, led by Sea Dragon Douluo, leisurely ascended the steps. Her expression was unreadable, revealing neither joy nor anger, though an occasional glimmer in her eyes hinted at some unspoken thoughts.

Soon, the four reached the top of the stairs. Aside from the vast, empty plaza, the grand Sea God's palace dominated the mountaintop. Unlike the intricate and holy atmosphere of the Worship Hall, the Sea God's palace, while majestic, had a rugged and imposing appearance, representing a distinctly different style.

Han Li admired the unique architecture, finding it refreshing in its way.

"Sea Dragon, you may leave now."

A slightly authoritative female voice echoed from the palace doors, and Bo Saixi emerged. Sea Dragon Douluo respectfully bowed, nodded to Han Li and the others, and then turned to descend the mountain.

Turning toward the voice, Han Li finally saw the famous Sea God High Priestess. She was the tallest female soul master Han Li had ever encountered, standing nearly 1.8 meters tall. She wore a long crimson robe that enveloped her figure, and her sea-blue hair cascaded down her back, almost touching the ground. Her gentle features made her appear no older than thirty, yet her beauty lay in her noble and graceful demeanor, exuding a warmth that felt almost maternal.

In her right hand, she held a three-meter golden staff, intricately carved with magical runes. At the top of the staff was a diamond-shaped, spear-like protrusion, just below which was embedded a golden, diamond-shaped gemstone.

In short, her presence was a more refined version of Bibi Dong—equally stunning, but with a profound air of melancholy that made her even more captivating. A woman like fine wine—rich and full of depth. It was no wonder she had drawn the admiration of both Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen.

"Qian Daoliu, it's been a long time."

Her gaze swept over Han Li and Ye Lingling before settling on Qian Daoliu. The corners of her mouth shifted slightly as if smiling, though her expression seemed unchanged. It was a smile, yet not quite.

What a fine cup of tea, Han Li thought, labeling her in his mind. Perhaps she didn't mean anything by it, but he had already formed his opinion, which added a touch of bias.

Qian Daoliu, however, remained as calm as Han Li expected. He simply nodded, his expression serene.

"It has indeed been a long time. You remain unchanged, Bo Saixi."

"Aren't you going to introduce them?"

After their brief exchange, Bo Saixi seemed to notice the two young ones beside Qian Daoliu. She shifted her gaze to Han Li and Ye Lingling.

In response, Qian Daoliu didn't introduce them directly as she might have expected. Instead, he looked at Han Li, signaling for him to introduce himself.

This gesture caused Bo Saixi's grip on her staff to tighten slightly.

Since their arrival on Sea God Island, she had been observing them. She had sensed that the young man was the group's leader, but she hadn't expected Qian Daoliu to hand over control so early on.

"Holy Son of Spirit Hall, Han Li."

"Spirit Hall, Ye Lingling."

"Greetings, High Priestess of the Sea God."

Han Li exchanged a glance with Ye Lingling, and the two courteously introduced themselves, adhering to the formalities. In the absence of overt hostility, Han Li didn't mind going through the motions; if things took a turn, at least they could say they'd followed protocol.

"Where did you obtain the inheritance?"

Bo Saixi nodded slightly, turning her gaze directly to Ye Lingling.

When the changes had occurred on Sea God Island earlier, even she had only been able to discern the results, not the details.

Under Han Li's mental guidance, Ye Lingling raised her hand slightly and retrieved the Sea God's Heart from her necklace soul tool.

"To answer your question, Senior, I obtained the inheritance of Lord Sea God from this soul tool, the Sea God's Heart."

The Sea God's Heart in Ye Lingling's hand resonated with the faint golden trident mark on her forehead, which, in turn, caused a hum to emanate from the Sea God's Trident housed in the Sea God's temple. The artifact seemed to convey a sense of joy.

"You've already passed the first trial?"

Bo Saixi's eyes widened slightly, and her grip on the staff tightened.

The reaction of the Sea God's Trident confirmed one thing: mere binding alone wouldn't elicit such a response.

"Yes. To be precise, my second and third trials are happening simultaneously. Gaining the recognition of the Sea God's Heart and pulling out the Sea God's Trident is part of my next two trials."

Feeling uncomfortable under Bo Saixi's scrutinizing gaze, Ye Lingling edged closer to Han Li before answering.

Bo Saixi's expression stiffened, and her gaze toward Ye Lingling grew somewhat inscrutable. Did this mean that simply entering the temple and merging the Sea God's Heart with the trident would complete a third of the trials?

This was unlike any divine trial Bo Saixi had witnessed; she didn't even know what Ye Lingling's first trial entailed, or how she had completed it. It all felt preordained, yet Lord Sea God himself had provided no direct insight, leaving her feeling frustrated.

The Sea God's Nine Tests were tied to her own life, and as High Priestess, it was her duty to oversee them. Yet Ye Lingling had bypassed the usual procedures, leaving Bo Saixi with the unsettling sense that her life was now in someone else's hands—a feeling she couldn't accept.

"Mm."

After Ye Lingling's response, Bo Saixi replied only with a cool "mm," before turning her gaze back to Qian Daoliu.

"I didn't expect our meeting to happen under such circumstances. I've arranged accommodations for you at the base of the mountain. Rest there for now."

Qian Daoliu was about to nod when Han Li stepped forward.

"High Priestess, shouldn't we let Lingling attempt it now?"

He pointed to the Sea God's Temple behind her, where the hum of the trident could still be heard.

Bo Saixi gave him a cold look.

"I must await the Sea God's divine decree before arranging her trial."

Han Li raised an eyebrow, sensing the hidden meaning—confirming his earlier suspicions.

Wait for the Sea God's response.

In the Divine Realm, a day could equate to a year in the mortal world. Waiting for a response might take months, even years!

Perhaps for a standard divine trial, waiting wouldn't be an issue. But was Han Li in a hurry? He was. And with the trident mark glowing plainly on Ye Lingling's forehead, how could the High Priestess simply say "wait"?

Who did she think she was?

Han Li glanced at Bo Saixi, then pointed to the mark on Ye Lingling's forehead.

"Do you recognize this?"

Bo Saixi didn't understand his intent but nodded.

"Yes, it's the mark of the Sea God's Nine Trials, signifying the Sea God's chosen heir."

Seeing her quick response, Han Li took the Sea God's Heart from Ye Lingling and held it up.

"And this?"

Bo Saixi frowned, answering, "The Sea God's Heart."

"And him?"

Han Li gestured toward Qian Daoliu beside him.

"Recognized."

Bo Saixi's expression darkened, and her tone grew colder. If she still didn't understand Han Li's implications, her hundred-plus years of life would have been wasted.

"So, we have the Sea God's mark, the Sea God's Heart, and the High Priestess, the mortal representative of a deity. Where, exactly, do you get the nerve to delay this trial?"

Han Li nearly shouted, pointing directly at her.

He had struck a deal with the Sea God himself. Though his words were harsh, Ye Lingling's divine trial was, at its core, a transaction. The Sea God had already agreed to it, even going out of his way to make things easier for them. Now, was a mere gatekeeper going to cause trouble?

Would Han Li tolerate that?

In his weaker days, he might have endured. But now that he was strong, would he keep swallowing his pride? No. He hadn't brought Ye Lingling to Sea God Island to plead for anything. He came to take what was rightfully theirs, standing tall. How could he allow a mere servant to stand in their way?

From the moment Ye Lingling received the trident mark, her status had risen above that of Bo Saixi's.

The fact that Bo Saixi hadn't greeted them upon arrival was forgivable. Even the minor tests along the way hadn't bothered Han Li. But now, at the threshold of the Sea God's Temple, she was blocking them from pulling the trident? That was intolerable.

Respect is mutual. Since she didn't want it, he wouldn't give it.