Ming Yong seemed to melt away, blending in with his qin. A melodious tune rang from the golden strings, as if they were playing themselves. The Shrek Six Tyrants started to feel their minds go blank. Even Sea Dragon Douluo started to become affected. As the song resonated all across Haishen Island, everyone fell under Ming Yong's spell. This spirit skill wasn't restricted by the number of strings on his qin, which was a great benefit.
Complete control. This was the tyranny of a century millennium seventh spirit ability.
When the song drew to a close, Ming Yong reappeared. The Shrek Six Tyrants slowly came to.
"Aiya, this is too much!" they cried.
Even Ru Shenqi hadn't been able to block Ming Yong's skill. She figured that if she had launched her own spirit avatar, her immunity would keep her safe, but even she hadn't been expecting such a spirit skill.
"What's your spirit rank at you?" Fang Youyou asked.
Ming Yong grinned. "I'm a seventy third ranked Spirit Saint."
Jaws dropped. "Three extra ranks?! Century millennium year spirit rings truly are the best!"
Sea Dragon Douluo regained his composure and cleared his throat. "I will return when the next one of you breaks through. Until then, keep tackling this test."
Then, he was gone.
Taking his words to heart, the Shrek Seven Tyrants dashed up the stairs. This time, they tried things differently. Gu Xingyun used his Demonic Whale skull bone's ability, Sonic Union, to connect the minds of all seven of them. Then, they each clasped one another's hands, placing their trust in one person: Ru Shenqi.
She launched her seventh spirit skill, body becoming crystalline. Then, her Clear Crystal Domain released. They had figured out that even though her domain drained one's senses, Gu Xingyun's skull bone could keep them connected. And since Ru Shenqi was the only one who could see still, they trusted her to lead them up the stairs. Without the sense of touch, how could they feel the pressure of the Sea God's Light?
Using this method, they all reached the ninetieth step. Ru Shenqi dared to draw her friends a few steps higher before her domain began to break. She slowly recalled it to gradually increase the pressure back on them so they weren't flung out of the Sea God's Light. Once everyone had recovered their senses, they dropped down on the ninetieth, ninety first, and ninety second steps to cultivate.
<><><>
In Haishen Hall, the Seven Guardians of the Sacred Pillars watched them with curiosity. Sea Lance Douluo's eyebrows furrowed.
"How did they gain so many steps so quickly?"
Seahorse Douluo replied, "The youngest's domain. We've never seen her use it before. It must have some sort of pressure alleviating-affect like Tang San's Death God Domain?"
"This domain doesn't seem as cruel as the Death God Domain though. It must be her spirit domain," Sea Witch Douluo added. "But it seems she can only call it when she's in her spirit avatar state."
"These youngsters are going to outdo their seniors," Sea Ghost Douluo muttered. "If only Master Bo Saixi was still here to see this."
All seven bowed their heads reverently.
Finally, Sea Witch Douluo admitted the truth about Ru Shenqi. When the others realized just whose daughter she was, things started to become clearer.
"No wonder..." Sea Fantasy Douluo breathed. "She's Bo Zuanshi's daughter. It makes sense now. At seventeen, she's already tackling the Sea God's Challenges. Truly this generation is more powerful than the last."
But what no one on Haishen Island knew was that Bo Zuanshi had managed to attain Godhood and the God seat had been passed down to her daughter as its chosen successor.
<><><>
One month later...
Bright light exploded from four people. Fang Youyou, Bai Shanxin, Liao Suyin, and Shu Jiaxiang all stood. Their eyes were bright, sparkling with happiness. The other three Tyrants came out of their cultivation.
Ru Shenqi smiled. "Good work, now you four can receive God Bestowed Spirit Rings as well."
Just as she had finished speaking, Sea Dragon Douluo appeared at the platform below. The Shrek Seven Tyrants all ran down from the one hundredth step where they had been cultivating. They left the Sea God's Light and felt the pressure release instantly.
Sea Dragon Douluo waved his hand and four pearl-like objects flew out. Spirit rings descended around Fang Youyou, Shu Jiaxiang, Bai Shanxin, and Liao Suyin. The color immediately switched from white to yellow to purple to black.
"I will watch them. Continue."
Ru Shenqi, Gu Xingyun, and Ming Yong nodded in acceptance and started back up the stairs. They sat down on the hundredth step and restarted their cultivation.
Ru Shenqi could feel her breakthrough. She was at the very edge, but still hadn't tipped over yet. This rank eighty bottleneck was annoying her. Determination set between her eyebrows.
I must break through and get my own God Bestowed Spirit Ring. I must become a Titled Douluo as soon as possible so that I can use my God powers again.
After three days and three nights, the light of the spirit rings around four of the Shrek Tyrants changed from pitch black to a blood red. Their bodies quivered and bled from their pores. Sea Dragon Douluo's eyes twitched.
How is this possible? Four more with century millennium year spirit rings for their seventh ring?! Too much! Too much! If we have to fight them later, how are us Seven Children of the Sea God going to survive?
Dread pooled in his heart. He hadn't felt this way since Tang San had challenged him on his fifth trial. But these juniors could do it on the first trial!
Meanwhile, the other three were still in closed-eye cultivation and hadn't seen the change below. When the four red lights faded, the four people slowly stood. They looked up at their friends on the hundredth step.
Sea Dragon Douluo called to them, "Your friends have awakened! Come on down!"
Upon hearing his words, Ru Shenqi, Gu Xingyun, and Ming Yong stood. They flew down the stairs and met their friends on the platform.
"Let us see your rings!"
Four faces smirked. "Yong, do you think we're any less than you?"
"Huh?"
Shu Jiaxiang released her spirit first. As her cheetah ears appeared and her nails lengthened, her seven rings descended. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, red.
Ru Shenqi, Gu Xingyun, and Ming Yong choked. "SINCE WHEN?!"
She smirked. "Seventh spirit skill, Shadow Cheetah Spirit Avatar."
Her red century millennium spirit ring glowed brightly as she became a Shadow Cheetah. They watched her disappear, and even Ru Shenqi struggled to keep an eye on her. She released her spirit, eyes turning silver-white.
"Seventh spirit skill, Needle-Tailed Swift Spirit Avatar."
Bai Shanxin shrunk. She grew to the real size of a Needle-Tailed Swift and shot off. Shock filled the three as they saw her red ring appear. This time, even Ru Shenqi's gaze couldn't keep up with her.
"Seventh spirit skill, Jade Poison Tarantula Spirit Avatar."
Red light glowed as Liao Suyin's seventh ring appeared. Her magnificent jade legs stretched out and she became a Jade Poison Tarantula.
Regret began to fill Gu Xingyun's heart. If only we hadn't hurried to get my seventh ring. Then I could possibly have a century millennium one too.
Ru Shenqi grinned. "Now you're all becoming as tyrannical as me. That's good! We can show Spirit Empire the power of Shrek monsters!"
Ming Yong chuckled, "Show-offs."
They heard three feminine voices rise and say, "All of our attributes are increased by two hundred percent while we're in our spirit avatar states."
"EH, WHAT?! TWO HUNDRED PERCENT?!"
The Triple Beauties appeared before them, nodding. "We're quite lucky to have such a powerful boost skill. Now, we can all fight longer and faster and stronger."
"That's not all. Seventh spirit skill, Rainbow Colored Flowering Lotus Spirit Avatar!"
Three petals flew out from a large, sparkling, spinning Rainbow Colored Flowering Lotus behind them. At some point, Fang Youyou had released his seventh spirit skill. A dazzling red ring danced around the flower.
The Triple Beauties shot out, boosted by two hundred percent from their own spirit avatars with an extra one hundred percent from Fang Youyou.
His voice rang out, "Not only has my spirit power consumption decreased, but I can boost everyone with a one hundred percent increase in attributes and boost myself with two hundred percent."
Disbelief splashed across Ru Shenqi's face, Gu Xingyun's face, Ming Yong's face, and Sea Dragon Douluo's face. All four paled.
"TOO TYRANNICAL!"
"Hahaha! Xiao Shen, are we qualified to be your teammates now?"
She laughed and said, "You've always been qualified. It doesn't matter how strong you are, it's that you're my friends and my family. You've all stood by me through thick and thin. I'm honored to be your Captain and Soul, but I wouldn't be who I am today without all of you."
Just then, the four spirit skills disappeared. The Shrek Seven Tyrants gathered together again.
"What are your spirit ranks?" Ming Yong asked.
"Our rings must still be little lesser than yours, Yong," Liao Suyin, Bai Shanxin, and Shu Jiaxiang lamented. "We're at the seventy second rank."
"That's still good though. In less than a year, five of you have gone from being in the mid-rank Spirit Emperors to low rank Spirit Saints. That's still quite a feat," Sea Dragon Douluo countered. "Many of us Ocean Spirit Masters cannot compare to you."
Fang Youyou smirked. "I'm a seventy fourth ranked Spirit Saint."
"Aiya, what?!"
After the month, Ming Yong's spirit power had increased another rank, so he, too, was at the seventy fourth rank. But for Fang Youyou to have already catch up with him... was shocking to say the least. Gu Xingyun inwardly sighed. He had increased to the seventy sixth level while cultivating under the Sea God's Light for these months. But he still wished he had gotten a century millennium spirit ring for his seventh.
"Good, good," Ru Shenqi said. "With everyone now being Spirit Saints, we stand a chance here on Haishen Island. Come on, guys, let's show this Sea God's Light what the Shrek Seven Tyrants are made of."
