"Let me try first," Gu Xingyun said.

He launched his third spirit skill, Battering Heavenly Lion and dashed for the stairs. When he entered the light, an immense pressure hit him. He was thrown back at the same intensity at which he barreled into it. His body plunged into the ring of water.

"Xingyun!" the others cried and ran to the edge of the platform they were standing on.

He slowly pulled himself out, drenching wet. Shaking his head, he sighed.

"It rebounds you. No force can be used. Our spirit skills are basically useless as well."

Fang Youyou's eyes glinted. "Jiaxiang, go on up. I want to see if my skills work on you."

She nodded, and the two stared up at the thousand and one stairs. They stepped onto the first step and immediately felt the pressure Gu Xingyun had been talking about. After ten steps, Fang Youyou was sweating. Shu Jiaxiang climbed to the twenty second step before needing Fang Youyou's stamina and strength boosts. Afterwards, she felt a bit better and was able to make it to the thirtieth step.

Ru Shenqi's eyes narrowed. She approached the stairs.

"Xiao Shen, be careful," Bai Shanxin murmured.

She nodded. "I know my limits."

Taking her first step, she started her ascent. Immediately, the pressure from the Sea God's Light bored down on her. Her Fire Dragon Domain subconsciously released. The warmth spread over her, and the pressure lessened. Eyes widening, she came to the same realization that Tang San had back then.

Domains can help relieve us.

But currently, Ru Shenqi was the only one who had any domains. A plan started to formulate in her mind.

<><><>

As the Shrek Seven Tyrants tried climbing the steps this first day, they all realized that had underestimated this trial. Since Ma Hongjun hadn't told them anything going in, they were clueless as to the true difficulty of the Sea God's Challenges. By the end of the first day, the seven had all reached different degrees of success.

Gu Xingyun: forty steps

Ru Shenqi: thirty seven steps

Shu Jiaxiang: thirty three steps

Bai Shanxin: thirty steps

Liao Suyin: thirty steps

Ming Yong: thirty steps

Fang Youyou: twenty seven steps

Though they had all made fair progress... these numbers were still far from one hundred and eight and one hundred and thirty six steps.

All seven collapsed on the twentieth step on their last try of the night. Their bodies were protesting, but the stress was actually creeping their cultivation up higher. They had unanimously chosen to cultivate within the pressure from the Sea God's Light.

As night fell, Sea Dragon Douluo appeared to them. "So it seems that within a day, you have figured out the secret to this trial."

Their eyes opened. "Senior, what do you mean?"

His jaw dropped. They don't realize?!

He coughed and cleared his throat. "The pressure from Sea God's Light. Surely you feel your cultivation rising?"

They nodded. "Is this supposed to be? Does this trial hone our cultivation?"

Sea Dragon Douluo hummed in agreement. "That's right. If you wish to grow stronger, take advantage of this capability as much as you can."

With that, he disappeared. His words fell on curious ears.

"Xiao Shen... should we not rush this Challenge then?" Liao Suyin asked.

"No. If we want to grow as strong as we can, we'll use this Sea God's Light to cultivate. Perhaps the higher we go, the more pressure; but if we can sit and cultivate on higher steps, then our cultivation surely will not lack."

The others nodded in agreement. They returned to their cultivation for the night, choosing to climb higher in the morning.

<><><>

Vast Sea City... a couple weeks later.

The Five Terrors stood across from the Platinum Generation and the Storm Douluo.

"What does Spirit Empire want with us Ocean Spirit Masters?"

"Where are the Shrek Seven Tyrants?"

Li Zhonghe's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"

Duan Zheliang answered, "We have our orders from the Supreme Pontiff. Don't stand in our way, or else we won't let you off!"

Just then, Bing Dadao, Cang Huaban, and Qing Qiangda came running out of Vast Sea City Primary Academy. They stood in front of the Five Terrors.

"You're not welcome here," Bing Dadao spoke coldly. "Leave and return to your Spirit City."

"You-!" Ruo Yingyue spat.

Duan Zheliang held her back. "Not yet."

Mu Jingmu growled. "Where are those damn Tyrants? Are they such cowards now that they won't even come out and fight us?!"

Cang Huaban clenched her hands into fists. "The Shrek Seven Tyrants have left Vast Sea City. They're not here. You've come all this way for nothing."

Lei Jiyu's eyes twitched. If they're not here, then did they return to Heaven Dou City? We can't just barge into Heaven Dou Empire's capital. Even the Supreme Pontiff won't do it recklessly. It's a suicide mission otherwise.

The Platinum Generation snarled. "They dare to leave on us? No way. We must find them. We can't fail Her Majesty."

Sun Tianzhao glared at the Ocean Spirit Masters. "This isn't over! We'll be back for Vast Sea City eventually! Even the Ocean can't stop Spirit Empire!"

The eight leapt up and sped away. Qing Qiangda sighed and shook his head as they left.

Li Zhonghe looked towards his former teachers. "Why do they want Xiao Shen and her friends?"

Bing Dadao and Cang Huaban shook their heads. "We don't know. It might be because they've offended Spirit Empire. They're also such strong spirit masters for being so young."

"It's not just that," Qing Qiangda cut in. "It has to do mostly with Xiao Shen."

Cang Huaban asked, "What do you mean?"

"Her mother was a Limit Douluo under Spirit Empire's command. When Ru Zuanshi defected and fled here to Vast Sea City, I helped hide her. But if Supreme Pontiff Hu Liena finds out that Xiao Shen is Ru Zuanshi's only child, she will never let her off. So far, I don't think Her Majesty has put the pieces together, but it's only a matter of time."

The others' eyes widened. They hadn't know about Ru Shenqi's past.

"Does Xiao Shen know?" Bing Dadao wondered.

"I believe so. But even so, she needs to be careful who she reveals her identity to. When she came to me for her spirit awakening, I knew exactly who she was. That's why, when I registered her at the Lord Spirit Hall, I put her name under her father's. She's listed as Huo Shenqi instead of Ru. Only on her badge is she named Ru Shenqi."

"While she was here," Cang Huaban began. "Xiao Shen told us one of her teachers made her throw the badge into the lake in Star Dou Great Forest. No one should be able to find it."

"That's good. The less things that tie her to her mother is for the better."

<><><>

Haishen Island... four months later.

Seven figures sat cultivating on the seventieth step of one thousand and one. Just then, one of the seven stood up. He took a deep breath and smiled. The others opened their eyes and looked at him.

"Yong, have you broken through?"

He nodded, grinning.

After four months of rigorous cultivation under the pressure of the Sea God's Light, these Shrek Seven Tyrants had all grown. Ru Shenqi was at the edge, tackling the eightieth rank bottleneck. Gu Xingyun had risen from the seventy second rank to the seventy sixth. Liao Suyin, Shu Jiaxiang, and Bai Shanxin all rose from the sixty fifth rank to the sixty ninth. Fang Youyou had risen from the sixty seventh rank to the sixty ninth, currently hitting his bottleneck.

The skies changed, and Sea Dragon Douluo appeared at the base platform. The Shrek Seven Tyrants leapt down and bowed.

"Greetings to Senior."

"You," he said pointing to Ming Yong. "Come here."

Ming Yong stepped forward. A large pearl-shaped object appeared in Sea Dragon Douluo's hand.

He explained, "Every Black Test Trial Taker has the opportunity to receive one God Bestowed Spirit Ring when they break through the next rank. Since you've broken through, this God Bestowed Spirit Ring is for you. I will stay here and watch while you absorb it."

"Many thanks to Senior," Ming Yong said as he took the God Bestowed Spirit Ring. He sat down and closed his eyes. Bright light suddenly surrounded him. The light changed from white to yellow to purple to black. Everyone assumed Ming Yong was starting to absorb a spirit ring of the decade millennium level.

"Don't worry about your friend. Go try the stairs. I'll keep an eye over him."

The Shrek Six Tyrants bowed. "Many thanks to Senior."

They stared up at the thousand and one stairs. All six started up the stairs. Ru Shenqi released her Fire Dragon Domain, stretching it as far as she could. Fang Youyou released his first, third, fourth, and fifth spirit skills, boosting them with stamina, spirit power, strength, and speed. Ru Shenqi and Gu Xingyun slowed by the eighty second step. Shu Jiaxiang, Bai Shanxin, and Liao Suyin started sweating at the seventy seventh step. Fang Youyou started to strain himself by the seventy fourth. Each of the six only made it two more steps each before being shot out of the Light. They all plunged into the sea ring and had to claw their way out.

"Xingyun and I will try to continue cultivating on the eightieth step. Suyin, Jiaxiang, Shanxin, you three try cultivating on the seventy fifth step. If it's too much go back to the seventieth. Youyou, stay on the seventieth for now."

Everyone nodded in accord with Ru Shenqi's orders. They all trusted her to push them as far as they could go, but also not to hurt them.

Just as they were about to go up, the light around Ming Yong turned from black to red. His body broke out in a cold sweat and began to bleed from his pores. Sea Dragon Douluo gasped.

"Senior, what is it?" they asked hurriedly.

"Don't worry about him; he'll be fine. You all are monsters indeed. If I'm not mistaken, the spirit ring he's now absorbing should be above the century millennium grade."

Six pairs of eyes widened. A century millennium year spirit ring for Ming Yong's seventh ring?! How tyrannical!

The others who had not broken through silently began to hope for century millennium year spirit rings as their seventh ring as well. How tyrannical that would be! But Gu Xingyun silently moped in his heart. He wished that his seventh ring would be a century millennium one as well. He knew he had no hope of ever surpassing Ru Shenqi, but he had always been the second strongest of the Shrek Seven Tyrants. But now, Ming Yong was gradually getting stronger and now was even getting a better seven spirit ring!

The Shrek Six Tyrants headed up the stairs and sat down to cultivate. Indeed, the eightieth step was much more pressure than the seventieth, and the two Peak Level Seven test Takers suffered at the beginning. The Triple Beauties felt their own difference on the seventy fifth step compared to the seventieth. Meanwhile, Fang Youyou sat somewhat peacefully at the seventieth step.

After a day and a half, the red light exploded. The Shrek Six Tyrants ended their cultivation and sped down the stairs. They burst out of the Sea God's Light and ran over to Ming Yong who was just standing up. A wide grin spread across his lips.

"Show us your spirit ring!" they all demanded.

Chuckling, he released his spirit. His qin appeared in front of him. It seemed shinier and more resilient. The seven strings had turned from plain white to a dazzling gold, standing out against the ebony board underneath. Then, his spirit rings descended.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, red.

Seven pairs of eyes widened.

The Shrek Six Tyrants cried, "SO IT'S TRUE! YOU REALLY DO HAVE A CENTURY MILLENNIUM YEAR SPIRIT RING!!!!"

Ming Yong smirked. "Seventh spirit skill, Seven Stringed Dragon Qin Spirit Avatar!"