Douluo Continent Villain Simulator: Persecuting Qian Renxue at the Start

Chapter 171 Three Questions for the High Priest (Part 2)

The memorial service for Starfish Douluo did not last very long.

The residents of Poseidon Island were already mentally prepared for his death.

Moreover, in the eyes of the people of Seagod Island, the Holy Pillar Douluos would return to the embrace of the Seagod after their deaths, so it was not considered a tragedy.

The other Saint Pillar Douluos were already used to life and death, so they weren't too saddened.

After the ceremony, Su Cheng followed the Sea Maiden City's procession back to his own holy city.

Soon, a purple-clad Soul Master came to his door and told him that the Sea Maiden Douluo wanted him to come over.

Upon receiving the news, Su Cheng immediately understood the situation and quickly arrived at the city lord's mansion without delay.

As expected, Poseidon had already arrived here ahead of time and was standing with the Sea Maiden Douluo.

Although the hall of the city lord's mansion was not magnificent, the sight of two stunning beauties standing side by side immediately made the place appear infinitely beautiful.

Poseidon at this time was very different from when they first met more than half a year ago.

Poseidon possessed a profound and noble aura, giving people a sense of unapproachable vastness.

But now, he seems more like a living, breathing person.

Upon seeing this, Su Cheng quickly bowed and greeted, "Greetings, High Priest, Greetings, Sea Maiden."

"Su Cheng, didn't you say that all the people of the Sea God are equal and don't need to be addressed as 'Sir'?"

Poseidon spoke calmly, her eyes fixed on Su Cheng, a strange light shining in her deep blue eyes.

The Sea Maiden Douluo standing to the side showed a slight change in expression upon hearing this, but did not speak, and quietly looked at him as well.

Su Cheng was not surprised to hear this.

His actions on Poseidon Island could not possibly have escaped the notice of the high priest.

The other party didn't know before, simply because they were too lazy to learn about those trivial matters.

When she actually started to investigate, no information could escape her notice.

Su Cheng himself was very careful. He never said or did anything that was shameful, and he would not leave any evidence against himself.

However, he did not expect that Poseidon would ask about this matter first.

"The glory of the Sea God shines on every believer. The people of the Sea God are naturally without distinction of rank or status," Su Cheng said frankly. "But to me, the High Priest and the Sea Maiden Douluo are both respectable elders, so they are naturally different."

"You certainly know how to talk." A hint of a smile appeared in Poseidon's eyes, her attitude completely different from when they last met.

At that time, although Su Cheng was a devout believer, he was nothing special to Poseidon.

Having lived on Poseidon Island for decades and served as its high priestess for just as long, she had seen all sorts of people, including countless devout believers.

It is indeed surprising that Su Cheng has such awareness at such a young age, but that is all that is surprising.

On this continent, for Soul Masters, especially powerful ones, ultimately only those with strength have a voice.

Su Cheng's pitifully poor talent was clearly not enough for her to treat him differently.

The offer to take on apprentices is merely to fulfill a past promise.

"But you really do surprise me." Poseidon looked Su Cheng up and down, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "How did you do that?"

Now, upon closer examination, she is increasingly aware of Su Cheng's transformation.

Not only did his cultivation level increase by more than ten levels in less than a year, but the quality of his martial soul also improved significantly.

This change is unnoticed by ordinary people, but it cannot be hidden from Poseidon.

In her eyes, Su Cheng's aura was pure and agile, something that could not have been created by an inferior martial soul.

"High Priest, as I have said before, in the face of the glory of the Sea God, the level of innate soul power is just a trivial obstacle."

Noticing the change in Poseidon's expression, Su Cheng felt more confident about his future plans.

The high priest's mind was much more active than he had imagined.

But that makes sense when you think about it. Compared to her terrifying level of 99, Poseidon's actual age isn't that old.

Although she underwent the top-tier Eight Trials, her talent was astonishing. Unlike ordinary Sea Soul Masters who took ten years to complete the trials in the early stages, she passed all eight trials ahead of schedule, taking less than forty years in total.

In her fifties, she had already become a level 99 Peerless Douluo.

In addition, since accepting the ultimate test, she has lived in the Sea God Temple on Sea God Mountain for many years, with little contact with people, and even fewer people are qualified to talk to her.

Therefore, at this time, Poseidon's mindset was far from being as dry as an ancient well.

Upon hearing Su Cheng's similar answer to that given more than six months ago, Poseidon felt a different emotion this time.

After thinking for a moment, she didn't rush to ask further questions, but instead said, "I've heard that many people now call you 'the messenger of the gods'?"

"Yes." Su Cheng nodded, his eyes filled with purity.

"My lifelong pursuit is to spread the glory of the sea god and to spread his kindness and love to his people."

"A messenger of the gods... a messenger of the sea god..." Poseidon pursed her lips and looked at Su Cheng. "I, the high priest of Seagod Island, only dare to call myself a servant of the sea god."

Upon hearing this, Su Cheng bowed slightly again and replied earnestly, "High Priest, your understanding of the spirit of the Sea God is still lacking."

"..." The Sea Maiden Douluo standing to the side watched this conversation unfold, and his eyes twitched slightly.

Looking at the child who was not yet seven years old in front of him, and then turning his head to look at Poseidon beside him, he felt a strange feeling in his heart.

"Something's missing?" A look of surprise flashed across Poseidon's face, then her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, revealing a different kind of charm on her sculpted, beautiful face.

"Then tell me, where am I lacking?"

"In many ways." Su Cheng's tone was calm and his voice was unhurried, not at all like a child under seven years old.

His solemn expression while speaking truly gave him the air of a "messenger of the sea god".

"You have not grasped the true will of the Sea God, nor have you comprehended the true power of the Sea God, nor have you understood the good intentions behind the Sea God's various trials for his believers and people."

"Six months ago, when I told you that the spirit of the sea god was guiding me forward, you did not believe it."

"In your view, innate talent can determine a Soul Master's future, and faith in the Sea God cannot affect the consequences it causes."

"..." Upon hearing these words, Poseidon was immediately speechless, because that was indeed what she had thought at the time.

"So, you really felt the guidance of the Sea God?"

"It's just a little bit." Su Cheng's expression fell. "My understanding of the Sea God's will is still too shallow."

"..." Poseidon looked slightly bewildered upon hearing this.

How come she didn't feel anything at all?

Could this child be the chosen successor of the sea god?

Is he the one I'm destined to wait for?

Is he the one that Poseidon Island is destined to wait for?

Poseidon tightened her grip on the scepter, hesitated for a moment, and then asked again, "Su Cheng, I'll ask you one more time, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Su Cheng raised his head to meet her gaze and said solemnly, "It is my honor, teacher."

Seeing that he did not refuse, Poseidon felt a surge of joy.

She quickly realized what was happening and couldn't help but laugh at herself.

She actually felt anxious and insecure about a child; she's really wasted all these years of her life.

Su Cheng and Poseidon left the City of the Sea Maidens together and were on their way to Mount Poseidon.

The entire Poseidon Island is over four hundred miles in diameter, and Poseidon Mountain is also not close to the Sea Maiden City, which used to be about two hundred miles away.

That place was known as the forbidden area of ​​Poseidon Island.

Generally speaking, only the Holy Pillar Douluos or the High Priest himself can go there.

Just like the Papal Mountain in Wuhun City, unless under special circumstances, outsiders are absolutely not allowed to approach it.

Of course, if the high priest Poseidon were to speak up, bringing one or two people along wouldn't be a big problem.

Two hundred li is a distance that would take an ordinary person a whole day, even on horseback. But for a Soul Master running at full speed, it obviously wouldn't take that long.

At this moment, Poseidon floated in the air ahead like a red cloud, controlling her speed of movement.

This speed was determined by her based on Su Cheng's current soul power level.

She also wanted to see what Su Cheng's true strength was, and whether his power matched his cultivation level.

But to Poseidon's surprise, Su Cheng also seemed to be in complete ease, following along without any effort or strain.

As the sun set and painted the sky with a faint afterglow, the two arrived near their destination.

After passing through a dense forest, the view suddenly opened up before us.

Su Cheng was somewhat surprised as he looked at the beautiful scenery before him.

The shimmering seawater, bathed in the glow of the sunset, reflects a dazzling array of colors, and nestled within that embrace of the sea, a small island stands tall in the center of the ring-shaped waterway.

The island is quite high, about 500 meters above sea level, and what's even more remarkable is that it's enveloped in a faint golden light. Although the light isn't intense, it has nothing to do with the sunset; it's a light emanating from the island itself.

At the top of the island stands a square-domed white jade palace, surrounded by massive white stone pillars, giving it an exceptionally sacred appearance.

Poseidon landed on the shore and looked at the palace on the island not far away.

"That is the Sea God Temple, where the Sea God is enshrined, and it is also the true core of Sea God Island."

She turned to look at Su Cheng and explained softly, "Those white jade steps at the foot of the mountain are the stairs to the island, there are a total of 1,001 steps. After you turn eighteen and take the test, if you get a black-level or higher, you will be qualified to come here and step onto the stairs to be tested by the light of the sea god."

"The Light of the Sea God?" Su Cheng's eyes flickered slightly as he looked up.

Surrounding Mount Poseidon is a ring of sea, about two hundred meters wide. The waves are not large, making it resemble a circular lake, except that it is entirely filled with seawater.

In front of the Temple of Poseidon, stone steps extend downwards, and under the glow of the sunset, the white stone steps resemble a jade belt gently draped over Poseidon Mountain.

"That's right." Poseidon nodded, but didn't elaborate.

He simply said, "However, even without taking the test, it's not impossible to experience the light of the sea god, but the prerequisite is that you can cross the ring-shaped sea. Moreover, enduring the pressure of the light of the sea god is no small feat."

Su Cheng silently gazed at the distant hill, a sudden realization dawning on him: "This fluctuation... I see!"

It looks just like the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire!

The soul power surging like a tide, though extremely concentrated with almost no residual waves dissipating, was still perceived by Su Cheng's keen senses.

However, the difference lies in the extreme attributes of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes, while the Light of the Sea God contains extremely high density.

A sense of joy welled up in Su Cheng's heart; this place could help him condense his own soul ring.

He turned to look at Poseidon, "Teacher, that was not a test, but a blessing bestowed upon believers by the Sea God."

He seemed to be deep in thought, but what came out of his mouth was something else entirely.

"The Sea God is happy to guide his followers and offer help. But this is not like raising a pet; it is like training and nurturing."

"Heaven helps those who help themselves. If you don't try, you will naturally be abandoned by the Sea God."

"Like me, my innate soul power is weak, and this is also a test. If I accept reality, then I am not worthy of the Sea God's guidance."

Poseidon was taken aback again upon hearing this. "I see..."

She was fully aware of the effects of the Light of the Sea God, but she had never considered this aspect.

Combined with Su Cheng's own experiences, it suddenly gave her a sense of enlightenment.

Looking at Su Cheng, Poseidon said solemnly, "However, it's too early for you to want to come into contact with the Light of the Sea God. From now on, you can come here once a month, and I will teach you the knowledge you wish to learn."

Clearly, even if Su Chengzhen became her disciple, the Sea God Temple was not a place that could be entered casually.

Normally, the Sea God Temple requires at least seven Saint Pillar Douluos to open together; apart from that, only Poseidon can open it alone.

However, she couldn't possibly break the rules and cheat to bring Su Cheng into the Sea God Temple.

In fact, Su Cheng had no intention of letting her break the rules, nor did he plan to enter the Sea God Temple.

Although the chances are slim, going there would still draw attention.

When facing deities, one can never be too cautious.

If the sea god notices his presence, he will be completely powerless to resist and could easily run into serious trouble.

Even without the Sea God's intervention, the divine will transmitted through the Seven Sacred Pillars would be enough to render him immobile.

What area of ​​knowledge would you like to learn right now?

Poseidon said calmly. She was also somewhat curious about what choice the child would make.

To her surprise, Su Cheng didn't ask anything about Soul Master cultivation. Instead, he said, "I'd like to hear about Lord Sea God's past experiences."

Poseidon was unaware that this was a plan he had made long ago.

Su Cheng doesn't need anyone's guidance; no one can teach him about his own situation, not even Poseidon.

The master-disciple relationship was merely a means to gain a title and a bridge to be close to Poseidon.

However, when getting along, one should try to seek balance and equality.

If one's thinking is inferior, it will be difficult for him to try to influence the other person's thoughts.

There are many kinds of geniuses in this world: cultivation geniuses, combat geniuses, management geniuses, and so on.

But who says that being able to deeply understand the spirit and will of the gods isn't a skill?

Even the believers, including the High Priest of Seagod Island, a peerless Douluo of level ninety-nine, were more worthy of their respect for Su Cheng's talent.

Poseidon didn't know what he was thinking, but he still patiently explained.

"Su Cheng, do you know how big the ocean is?"

"Of course I know." Su Cheng nodded. "The area of ​​the sea is more than four times that of the Douluo Continent. Even if we include other scattered islands and other continents, the area of ​​the sea is more than twice that of the land."

Poseidon nodded slightly.

"In this vast and boundless ocean, there live far more creatures than on land. If these marine creatures were to lose their restraint and continue to wage war, the consequences would be even more chaotic than on land."

"Many, many years ago, the sea was just like that. Turbulent times produce heroes. Among the many sea spirit masters, there emerged a genius of extraordinary talent. He devoted his entire life to traveling to every corner of the sea."

"He wielded a trident and conquered one sea race after another with his immense strength and unparalleled charisma."

"After a thousand and one years, he finally unified the ocean and was revered as the sea god by all sea creatures, creating an immortal myth."

"A thousand years..." Su Cheng repeated softly.

"That's right, a thousand years. Are you a little surprised? The Sea God back then spent more than a thousand years conquering the sea with his level ninety-nine strength."

"Level 99?" Su Cheng looked at Poseidon. "Teacher, you're also at level 99, right?"

"It's different." Poseidon chuckled softly, her eyes filled with longing.

"Once your soul power exceeds level 95, unless there is a special opportunity, according to the normal absorption of soul power for cultivation, the time required to advance to the next level is based on a hundred years."

"But once you reach level 97 or above, that becomes an absolute bottleneck. Under normal circumstances, it's impossible for a human to cultivate to level 99. It takes a full three hundred years to go from level 97 to 98, and a full six hundred years of tireless, arduous cultivation to go from level 98 to 99."

"I was able to reach level ninety-nine because I passed the top eight trials and received the honor bestowed by the Sea God, thus being promoted to High Priest. The vast majority of my strength also comes from the Sea God's bestowal."

Su Cheng nodded upon hearing this.

After a moment of silence, he continued, "But the Sea God eventually became a god, not just a level 99 Title Douluo."

"That's right. Even someone with the strength of the Sea God took a full thousand years to break through level 100 and achieve the position of Sea God."

"Because our world has its own rules, and the strength of a level 99 Title Douluo is the upper limit of these rules. Once you reach this level, don't even think about advancing any further."

"Once you break through this level, it's equivalent to breaking through the rules and transcending them, which is what is known as being a god. But that can no longer be accomplished by individual strength."

"The Sea God was able to break through thanks to the power of faith of countless sea spirit beasts and sea spirit masters."

"Are all these things passed down from history?" Su Cheng suddenly asked. "I haven't seen many stories about the Sea God becoming a god in the various records of the Sea Maiden City."

Poseidon was taken aback by his question, then hesitated and said, "Not entirely. Some things were told to me by my teacher, the previous high priest."

Su Cheng nodded and did not pursue the matter further.

He stood there in deep thought for a long time.

Poseidon was not in a hurry and stood aside patiently waiting.

After a long silence, Su Cheng finally spoke, "Teacher, I have three questions for you."

"you say."

"I have consulted ancient texts and know that there is a powerful soul beast overlord in the sea called the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. Do you know anything about it?"

Poseidon found it a bit strange, wondering why Su Cheng's first question was about this sea spirit beast, but she still answered it anyway.

"I know about it. That Deep Sea Demon Whale King is extremely powerful, arguably the strongest soul beast in the world. Even I am not confident of defeating it."

"If measured by human strength, it should also be a level 99 Title Douluo. It has even broken through the limit of a 100,000-year soul beast life, and is only one step away from transforming into a dragon."

"The so-called transformation into a dragon refers to its ability to become a true sea dragon. If this step is successful, it will become an existence second only to the gods."

"But for soul beasts, this step is incredibly difficult. It would take a full million years to achieve this, during which they would have to overcome nine tribulations, making it even more difficult than a soul master cultivating to become a god."

"A million years?" Su Cheng asked, feigning surprise.

"That's right. But that guy didn't live that long." Poseidon shook her head. "It cultivated for about 300,000 years. But by devouring other sea spirit beasts and with its own special skills, it broke through eight tribulations, which is equivalent to nearly a million years of cultivation. Apart from being afraid of the Sea God, it is the true overlord of the ocean."

"I see." Su Cheng nodded slowly.

Then, looking at Poseidon, he asked, "Teacher, my first question is, Lord Sea God, you were clearly capable of killing the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, so why didn't you kill it back then?"

Upon hearing Su Cheng's words, Poseidon's expression paused slightly.

She truly didn't know why the Sea God hadn't killed the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.

Actually, Su Cheng himself had some guesses about this issue.

Perhaps it was a gift prepared by the sea god for his future successor to the divine throne, or perhaps this deep-sea demon whale king was originally prepared by the sea god for himself, but he hadn't had a chance to use it yet. Of course, it's also possible that he took pity on it at the time and let it go because he felt that its cultivation was not easy.

But these reasons were clearly not ones that Poseidon could have come up with.

In fact, Poseidon himself had always had some doubts about the existence of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.

Seeing that Su Cheng was still staring at her, a hint of embarrassment flashed in her eyes, and she shook her head and sighed softly, "I don't know either."

"Teacher, I have some thoughts on this matter," Su Cheng said softly.

"As I said before, the Sea God is kind to his believers, but he is also strict with them."

"The Sea God is omnipotent, but everyone is an independent individual. The Sea God will not allow his followers to lose their independent will and become domesticated pets."

"God helps those who help themselves; the existence of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King is a case in point. There are always some difficulties that we need to overcome on our own."

"The spirit of the Sea God will guide me, but it will not command me. Whether we can achieve anything in the end depends on our own efforts."

"..." Upon hearing his explanation, Poseidon frowned and pondered for a moment.

That seems to make some sense.

But isn't it a bit too harsh for the Sea God to leave behind such a huge hidden danger?

Su Cheng did not wait for her reply.

Just pose this question to her first; there will be plenty of time for her to think about it later.

Su Cheng then posed his next question.

"Teacher, my second question is, since the Sea God traveled all over the world and explored the seas back then, why did you, as the High Priest of the Sea God, reside in the Sea God Temple year after year? Does the Sea God really need you to serve him day and night on Sea God Mountain?"

"Although I am still young, I know a lot and understand the desires in the hearts of the people of the sea god."

"If one is always high above, only able to look down upon all living beings, how can one truly know the inner desires of the sea god's people?"

(End of this chapter)