The next day, the Shrek Seven Tyrants headed to the Sea Witch Sacred Pillar. There, they met with the Sea Witch Douluo who explained their Third Trial.
Pointing out in front of her, she asked, "Do you see this Sea Ring here? Inside of it is a very powerful Ocean Spirit Beast. You will have to fight this spirit beast in its own territory. If you can last for an hour without getting thrown out of the Sea Ring, it will be counted as you passing. Whatever you do, do not kill any Ocean Spirit Beasts within this Sea Ring."
The seven youths bowed their heads. "We understand."
They turned around and faced the Sea Within a Sea. Their eyes peered into the clear blue water, but even Ru Shenqi couldn't see any activity beneath the lolling waves.
"Xiao Shen?"
Her mind analyzed many different scenarios. But without knowing just what Ocean Spirit Beast they would be fighting, how could she fully prepare?
Her seventh sprit ring lit up. As her body became crystalline, her White Wolf Emperor left leg bone emerged. She shot forward into the Sea Within a Sea. Within seconds, she was blasted out of the water by a surge of light. Twisting, she landed on her feet on the Sacred Pillar platform. The other six rushed over to her.
"Century millennium Ocean Spirit Beast," she breathed.
Gu Xingyun, Ming Yong, Fang Youyou, Bai Shanxin, Liao Suyin, and Shu Jiaxiang froze. "What?!"
"That is the power of an Ocean Spirit Beast with one hundred thousand years of cultivation."
They all gave a slight shudder. Just then, the waters rippled. Out sprang a giant, twenty five meter long white shark. She transformed in mid-air and when she landed on the platform, was already a tall young woman with fair skin, gray-blue hair, and matching eyes.
Of course, the other six Tyrants had already met this Great White Shark King, Xiao Bai. But Ru Shenqi had technically not and was dumbfounded. Xiao Bai turned to look at her, eyes widening. She hadn't seen Ru Shenqi after her appearance changed and was shocked to find her so closely resembling Bo Saixi.
"Y- you're the century millennium Ocean Spirit Beast?"
Xiao Bai nodded and introduced herself. "You were unconscious the last time I saw you. It seems you've already changed. But don't think I'm not scared of you!"
But Xiao Bai had never seen Ru Shenqi's spirit rings. The other Six Tyrants snickered.
"You don't wanna mess with Xiao Shen," Bai Shanxin warned.
"She's not called Hell's Little Empress and Little God for nothing," Fang Youyou added.
"Don't say we didn't warn you," Gu Xingyun advised.
Now, Xiao Bai was even more curious. "Tell, what rank are you? Ma Hongjun didn't say before, just that you were already a Spirit Saint. I can tell you have strong spirit power."
Ru Shenqi smirked. "I am an eighty sixth ranked Spirit Douluo."
Shock splashed all over the Great White Shark King's face. She stammered, "Wha? How?"
A bright light flashed. A pair of eyes turned silver-white. Then, the spirit rings appeared slowly, one-by-one.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
A tyrannical configuration for a little Tyrant. Xiao Bai couldn't believe what she was seeing. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't mistaken. But she wasn't.
"H- how?! Even Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi wasn't this scary!"
A fairy laugh escaped Ru Shenqi's lips. Delight glinted in her eyes at Xiao Bai's composure. She smiled mysteriously.
"I just have luck is all."
Xiao Bai frowned. "I don't want to deal with you seven. You're worse than Lord Tang San and his friends."
She turned away and leapt back into the Sea Within a Sea, becoming a shark once more. The seven looked between one another and shrugged helplessly. Ru Shenqi walked back and approached her friends.
"If she's who we have to battle to pass this Third Trial, then how are we going to do this?"
They shook their heads. "Xiao Shen, you make everyone unwilling to fight you, unless it's Spirit Empire."
A plan started to formulate in her mind. "Guys, I have an idea."
<><><>
After hashing out a battle plan back in the City Lord Mansion in Sea Witch City, the Shrek Seven Tyrants returned to the Sacred Pillar platform. They stared out over the Sea Within a Sea. Determination burned in their hearts.
Sitting in front of the Sacred Pillar, Sea Witch Douluo watched them carefully. I wonder how'll they'll pass this test?
Ru Shenqi stepped forward. Gu Xingyun flanked her right side, and Liao Suyin flanked her left. Bai Shanxin and Shu Jiaxiang were behind them, ready to take off into the air. Furthest back were Fang Youyou and Ming Yong.
"Seventh spirit skill, Rainbow Colored Flowering Lotus Spirit Avatar." Fang Youyou merged with his spirit as his voice echoed, "First spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Blossom. Fourth spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Ten Ton. Fifth spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Run."
After the seven friends gained stamina, strength, speed, and attribute boosts, Ru Shenqi chuckled. "Xiao Bai, we've come for our test. Please don't blame us if we offend you!"
The water rippled as the Great White Shark King's head popped up. "Let's see what you can do against a century millennium spirit beast!"
"Xingyun, now."
He nodded, and their voices blended to say, "Death God Domain, Evolved Skill: Demon Hell!"
Ice spread from them rapidly. It started to freeze over the whole Sea Within a Sea. Alarmed, Xiao Bai released her own domain to counter. She launched her Despair Light Wave almost simultaneously.
"Break!" Ru Shenqi cried to have them avoid the attack.
Her third spirit ring lit up as she roared, "Third spirit skill, Clear Crystal Armor!"
Five minutes. She and her friends had five minutes of protection from her shields. They would take the advantage within that period.
Gu Xingyun and Liao Suyin shot forward across the ice, releasing their spirit avatars. His twenty four round strike began gathering power. Her sixth spirit ring lit up as poisonous needle-like hairs flew out. Bai Shanxin and Shu Jiaxiang flew up into the air, transforming into their spirits as well. Bai Shanxin's fourth spirit skill, Swift Dance launched, leading to her lockdown skill Air Strike. Shu Jiaxiang's third spirit ring lit up as Shadow Cheetah Fog launched. Then, she used her fifth spirit skill to copy herself twenty times over.
Fang Youyou stepped out onto the ice in order to fulfill his test requirement, but he stayed behind otherwise, watching his friends deal with Xiao Bai. Ming Yong stood back with him, waiting for the most opportune moment to act.
Ru Shenqi released her Ultimate Darkness Wings and flew forward. Suddenly, her fourth spirit ring lit up.
Fourth spirit skill, Clear Crystal Time.
She chose to slow time, which made it easier on her friends to anticipate Xiao Bai's next moves.
Xiao Bai knew Ru Shenqi was the glue that held the Shrek Seven Tyrants together. So, she launched her Devil Shark's Teeth at her. Energy light condensed into lines of sharp teeth that attacked in layers and aimed straight for Ru Shenqi. But the shields did well enough. As hers began to crack from the onslaught, Ru Shenqi launched her Fire Dragon Domain and used Ultimate Darkness Straight Line to counterattack. Once Xiao Bai was distracted, Bai Shanxin's sixth spirit skill, Swift Winds, launched.
The air above the Sea Within a Sea began to circle. The sea was drawn up into the forming whirlwind, becoming a tornado of wind and water. When she sent it out, it moved oppressively, picking up smaller Ocean spirit beasts. Xiao Bai's eyes narrowed.
You dare!
She launched the third evolved ability of her domain, Crystallization. Once the moving water tornado was halted and no longer a threat, Xiao Bai turned her attention towards all twenty Shu Jiaxiangs. She sent out her Devil Shark's Teeth again, destroying the copies and forcing Shu Jiaxiang to use her fourth spirit skill, Shadow Cheetah Ether, to protect herself.
Gu Xingyun attacked with his first spirit skill, Heavenly Lion Roar, temporarily deafening Xiao Bai. His skull bone appeared, connecting the Shrek Seven Tyrants' minds.
Xiao Shen, she's stronger than we thought. How are we going to beat her? Liao Suyin asked.
She replied, We need to hold out for a little longer. Youyou, give us spirit power.
On it.
Aloud, he called, "Third spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Regrowth!"
Five petals flew out, replenishing Ru Shenqi, Gu Xingyun, Liao Suyin, Bai Shanxin, and Shu Jiaxiang's spirit power. Just then, Xiao Bai emerged from the water again and this time used her control over it to drag the Shrek Seven Tyrants into the Sea Within a Sea. She immediately launched her second spirit skill, Solidification, trapping them in the still water. They each tried to break out but couldn't break the domain of a century millennium spirit beast.
Finally, Ru Shenqi decided to use her trump card. With blazing eyes, she thought, Divine Pearl Sea Life.
Her diadem glowed brightly. All seven felt their fatigue fade away. Instead, they grew stronger, entering into a frenzied state. Their attack power increased by one hundred percent. This time, they didn't need Gu Xingyun's skull bone to share the same thought. They broke out of Xiao Bai's domain with a few tyrannical attacks, forcing her to spit out blood.
Xiao Bai's eyes widened. The Penta Divine Pearl Diadem.
Now, when Ru Shenqi had come up with a plan, she had made sure to ban one thing to leave some surprise for future Trials. For this Sea Ring Battle, none of them would display their spirit fusion skills, nor their Shrek Tyrants Seven-in-One. She left their win depending on the power of her Penta Divine Pearl Diadem and Ming Yong.
So while Xiao Bai was distracted by the magical item on Ru Shenqi's forehead, Ming Yong was free to escape to the surface. When he climbed back onto the platform, his seventh spirit ring lit up. He merged with his qin, and the strings began to play themselves.
Xiao Bai's mind became blank, and she couldn't remember what she was doing. She couldn't think either.
"Fifth spirit skill secondary ability, Clear Crystal Annihilation."
As Ru Shenqi's voice rang out, countless purple bubbles appeared in the air within a ten meter radius. They rained down towards the still-stunned Xiao Bai and exploded when they hit the sea. Water splashed up all over, nearly creating a tsunami. Sea Witch Douluo's eyes widened.
They really are tyrannical.
Five screens of black light and two screens of red light appeared.
Just then, the majestic voice returned and boomed, "Third Trial, Sea Ring Battle, completed. Black Level Six Test Award: spirit power increased one rank. Ming Yong, superimposed reward of one rank increase in spirit power. Red Level Seven Test Award: spirit power increased two ranks. Red Level Eight Test Award: spirit power increased two ranks."
Shu Jiaxiang, Liao Suyin, Bai Shanxin, Fang Youyou, and Ming Yong didn't receive spirit ring increases this time around. Their screens of light disappeared as Xiao Bai rose up from the Sea Within a Sea.
The Shrek Seven Tyrants turned and bowed. "We apologize if we've offended you."
She hmphed. "I don't want to test you all again! Take care."
Xiao Bai turned to go, but Ru Shenqi called out, "Wait, Xiao Bai!"
"What?"
"Youyou."
He nodded and said, "Second spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Eternity."
A rainbow colored petal flew over to Xiao Bai and landed on her, fully healing her from her external and internal wounds. Both Sea Witch Douluo and Xiao Bai were shocked. No one on Haishen Island had seen Fang Youyou's second spirit skill yet. To learn it could fully heal spirit masters and spirit beasts was a shock.
Xiao Bai thanked him before taking off. The Shrek Seven Tyrants turned towards each other.
"Xiao Shen, that diadem of yours is too much!" Ming Yong chuckled.
She shrugged. "I'm just glad it helped us out."
The others nodded and delighted in their rewards. Now, the Shrek Seven Tyrants were at the seventy ninth, eighty first, eighty third and eighty eighth ranks. Fang Youyou, Shu Jiaxiang, Bai Shanxin, and Liao Suyin eagerly looked forward to breaking through to the eightieth rank so they could get their eighth spirit rings. Ru Shenqi was only one Trial reward away from becoming a Titled Douluo and was hoping that their Fourth Trial wouldn't be too difficult.
Alas, everyone's luck will run out eventually.
