The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 354 Poseidon Trial
David stepped into the hall, his eyes attracted by the dazzling decorations and mysterious carvings.

The surrounding walls were engraved with magnificent legends of the sea god, and the ancient stories seemed to tell him the glory and sorrow of those lost times.

"This... is the place that Poseidon once protected." David thought to himself.

He could feel that there were countless unsolved mysteries sleeping in this hall, as well as powerful forces hidden deep inside.

The mermaid warriors followed closely behind. Although they were amazed by the ruins, they were more in awe of the power displayed by David.

"We can't stop here."

Poseidon finally came to his senses, anger and fear intertwined on his face, "He opened the ruins, which means we must control him, otherwise we will lose too much."

"If you want to stop him, you have to get through this door first."

One of the mermaid warriors said calmly, she knew that now was not the time to confront David, but to deal with this sudden situation carefully.

But before they could react, a low and distant echo suddenly came from the hall, as if some power was awakening.

David felt a strong sense of uneasiness. He turned around and looked into the depths of the open door. He saw a column of light rising into the sky, illuminating the entire hall like daylight.

"This is... the ancient guardian!"

He exclaimed, realizing that this place was not just a relic, but more like a place that sealed ancient existence and wisdom.

As the beam of light gradually condensed, a tall figure walked out of the light. It was a huge creature covered in scales, with a coral crown on its head, and eyes as clear and transparent as crystal.

He is the legendary guardian of the sea god, whose majesty and power make everything around him tremble.

"Who woke me up?"

The guardian's deep and rich voice echoed throughout the hall like waves, "Why do you disturb my thousand years of peace?"

David's heart tightened.

"I...I'm David, and I just want to understand everything you carry."

He said, responding to the Guardian in as calm and respectful a tone as possible.

He knew that at this moment only sincerity could win trust, rather than using force to solve the problem.

"Understanding? Or desire?"

The guardian smiled slightly, and that smile was profound and unfathomable.

"Your bloodline power allows me to sense a long-lost aura, but this place is not simple."

At this moment, a hurried and chaotic voice was heard outside the hall. It was the mermaids gathering together to protect their rights.

They obviously did not want to see this stranger approach their once glorious place, and were even less willing to entrust their fate to the hands of a foreigner.

"Silence!" The guardian roared like a dragon. His words penetrated the chaos and made all the voices stop abruptly. "I only allow sincerity and courage to enter this holy land."

Seeing this, Poseidon was unwilling to remain passive. He shouted, "We need you to restore our glory! If you allow, this young prince will be our bridge!"

But before his voice fell, a low tremor came from the ground, and the interior of the hall seemed to be affected by their words.

Those ancient runes began to flicker and tremble. At the same time, an irresistible tide surged in, causing the souls of all living beings to shake continuously - this was a time to make a choice!
At this moment, David felt a strong and strange energy enveloping him, plunging him into endless darkness.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a completely different new world.

This is a vast ocean with towering islands, strangely twisted mountains, and small monsters vaguely visible cruising in the distance.

However, the difference is that everything here is shrouded in a mysterious and dangerous atmosphere, making people feel like they are being watched all the time.

At this moment, a faint whisper echoed in the air:
"Brave ones, show your faith and wisdom."

"In this land, you will be greeted with challenges that will determine whether you can obtain the inheritance."

David was startled by this sudden voice, knowing that this must be the test left by Poseidon.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and continued to analyze his surroundings.

Then, he suddenly noticed a ray of light shooting into the distance, and liquid water began to flow from a platform on the top of a towering mountain, pouring down like a waterfall.

David took a deep breath and kept calm.

The trial process is not only a test of strength, but also a challenge to his inner beliefs.

As he gradually approached the water flowing like a waterfall, a light suddenly appeared on the towering platform.

It was a phantom wearing ancient sea clan armor and with a majestic face. She seemed to be the guardian of this trial area.

"Welcome, brave one." She said in a low but clear voice, "You have entered the trial ground, and your first test is about to begin. Please be prepared to face your heart!"

Before he finished speaking, the phantom waved his hand lightly, and the surroundings became blurred in an instant. Then David found himself being swept into a deep and dark sea.

There was no light around him, so he could only swim based on his intuition, but to his horror, he suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness, an uneasiness that came from deep within his heart.

"This is... my fear."

David realized that he was facing his deepest insecurities and doubts.

In the endless darkness, the memories that once troubled him came flooding back like a tide.

One's own loneliness, the guilt caused by being powerless when the tribe is being hunted, the uncertainty about the future in an unknown world, and the conflicting struggle between power and responsibility.

"Can I shoulder this responsibility?" David muttered to himself in the dark.

He tried to remember everything he had been through, and the hope and trust placed in him.

The powerful emotions contained in these memories gradually freed him from his fear.

"I'm not alone!" David opened his eyes.

As he shouted, a dazzling and warm light flashed in the dark sea. The power dispelled the darkness and made the surroundings gradually brighter.

The negative emotions that had troubled him before began to transform into a tenacious belief, like a turbulent but endless sea, making him more determined!

Suddenly, a new scene appeared before his eyes.

A huge vortex is forming, and in the center of the vortex is a stone tablet shining with blue fluorescence, engraved with the words from the sea god.

This is the path to the second test!

"We must catch it!" David swam towards the whirlpool with all his strength.

But at this moment, an unusually strong pulling force came, dragging him deeper. In an instant, various distorted, unclear, and hostile small monsters jumped out from the edge of the vortex, attacking with their sharp fins like blades.

Faced with the sudden attack, David was not afraid.

He concentrated his mind, turned all his emotions into strength, and fought against the monsters.

During the battle, he gradually comprehended the fighting skills and rhythm, constantly dodging and counterattacking, repelling the monsters one by one, and at the same time using the surrounding environment to fight back.

After a fierce battle, he finally succeeded in reaching the blue fluorescent stone tablet and placed his palm on it.

In an instant, the stone tablet emitted a burning energy that enveloped him and also made all the enemies disappear into thin air.

At this moment, a new voice sounded: "You have passed the first test."

When David opened his eyes again, he found himself in another environment.

Above the towering island, different colors interweave into wonderful patterns, which look particularly beautiful under the sunlight.

However, after arriving here, a stern voice came to my ears: "This is your second test. You need to find your true faith and prove your worth."

The island is filled with various complex mazes and traps.

It is filled with a suffocating yet beautiful and charming atmosphere.

Every step needs to be taken with caution, because there are both temptations and difficult challenges here.

This is not only a physical challenge, but also a double test of wisdom and patience!

With courage and determination, he began a new journey of exploration.

Every choice is full of unknowns, but every step makes his soul stronger.

David soon stood on the towering island. The scene around him was like a dream, colorful yet confusing.

He knew that this was the beginning of the second trial, and he had to rely on wisdom and courage to find his true faith.

"Where do I start?" David thought to himself as he looked around.

The island is full of winding paths, and each road seems to lead in a different direction.

Just then, he noticed a huge stone tablet in the distance, engraved with ancient and complex runes.

David took a deep breath and swam towards the stone tablet. This might be the important clue that would guide him to find his faith.

As he approached, he could clearly see the words on the stone tablet: "True faith comes from deep within, and the truest desire in your heart will guide you to the light."

This sentence made him think deeply.

Indeed, what really drives him is not only strength, but also the goals and pursuits in his heart.

Just as he was immersed in thought, a gorgeous and dazzling golden light flashed out from the stone tablet, illuminating the entire island like a sacred light.

As the light spread, the environment on the island also changed.

In an instant, those paths that once seemed beautiful began to become twisted and blurred, and some hidden and sinister new paths suddenly emerged!
"I must find the path to the truth." David said to himself.

He closed his eyes and allowed the truest and most desired message in his heart to emerge.

“I know what I believe in!”

David opened his eyes and walked towards one of the clear and wide paths with a determined look on his face.

The road emits a faint but warm glow, like the feeling of sunlight shining through the treetops.

Although there was still anxiety all around him, his heart had already calmed down, and he moved forward more determinedly.

As we went deeper, the path became narrower and narrower, and the two sides were as dark as ink and suffocating.

However, with his footsteps, the darkness was gradually dispelled, and every step made the path brighter.

Not long after, he finally arrived at an empty platform, on which stood a huge crystal tower, towering above the clouds.

"This is... the Crystal Tower!" David said in surprise, "The legendary remains of Poseidon!"

At this moment, a low but warm and gentle voice like a spring breeze came from the ethereal space in the crystal tower.

"Brave man, you are close to the truth, but to obtain the final inheritance, you need to face your most powerful enemy, that is yourself."

As soon as he finished speaking, countless phantoms suddenly emerged from the interior of the crystal tower. They were blurry and unclear, yet extremely real, just like all the negative memories he had made in the past.

These phantoms transformed into various human figures disguised as terrifying forms.

Some are weak when facing the inability to protect relatives and friends, some are afraid of not being able to control the power, and some are the guilt brought by the loss of important things...

"Don't run away!" the voice sounded again, "Face them, then you can overcome them."

These memories turned into terrible shadows that surged towards David, trying to devour him.

At this moment, he felt an extremely deep discomfort and pressure, but at the same time he also realized that this was his past and part of his growth process.

He must not be defeated by these shadows!
"I won't run away! These are my experiences and I must face them!" David gritted his teeth and started fighting with the phantoms.

He kept shuttling back and forth between these negative memories, using his own strength to resist, fight, and resolve them. No matter how painful it was, he had to face the past and no longer avoid anything!

With every collision and every struggle, the phantoms gradually dissipated, but at the same time also brought David new insights.

It turns out that all the anxiety and fear are due to the failure to face ourselves.

In this process, he learned to accept his shortcomings and turn them into motivation to move forward!

Finally, when the last shadow was defeated, the warm and powerful energy suddenly poured into his body, and all the memories at that moment merged into a new power!

At this moment, a new consciousness awakens and expands in an instant, illuminating the entire space.

This is his true belief and the indomitable will that comes from the depths of the ocean!

Immediately, a dazzling blue flame erupted from the top of the crystal tower, illuminating the entire space!

That warm and gentle voice like the spring breeze sounded again: "Congratulations, you have passed the second test! Your persistence and courage have earned you a part of the Sea God's inheritance!"

When the intense energy subsided, David found himself back in the vast and dark new space.

At this moment, next to the information stele engraved with the wisdom rune, there was a new stele flashing with faint blue fluorescence, and powerful energy fluctuations suddenly appeared.

(End of this chapter)