[Nine Trials of Life, First Trial: Boundless Life Force.]
[Content: Before your sixteenth birthday, break through Spirit Power Rank 40, become a Spirit Ancestor, and successfully absorb a Spirit Ring with a cultivation of no less than 10,000 years.]
[Time Limit: Approximately two years.]
[Completion Reward: Affinity with the Goddess of Life’s divine position increases by 1%. Spirit Power rank increases by 3 levels.]
[Failure Penalty: None.]
Immediately following, the God of Destruction issued an even more direct and blunt declaration.
[Nine Trials of Destruction, First Trial: The Beginning of Destruction.]
[Content: Before your sixteenth birthday, personally kill a Spirit Beast with a cultivation of no less than 10,000 years. No direct external intervention is allowed during the killing process.]
[Time Limit: Approximately two years.]
[Completion Reward: Affinity with the God of Destruction’s divine position increases by 1%. The age of the all host’s Spirit Rings each increase by 2,000 years.]
[Failure Penalty: None.]
The information regarding the divine trials was imprinted clearly within their consciousness like branded marks.
Within the mental world, after a brief moment of shock, Ye Lingling and Ling Ye exchanged a glance.
Both saw surprise and delight in each other’s eyes.
“This first trial… is practically a free benefit tailor-made just for us!” Ling Ye’s voice carried a hint of laughter.
Although cultivating dual ultimate attributes would be extremely slow, they had Ling Ye’s guidance, as well as the foundation of the 100,000-year Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone he had left behind.
For the current Ye Lingling, cultivating from Rank 38 to Rank 40 within two years posed almost no pressure whatsoever.
As for the fourth ring at 10,000 years?
With Ling Ye’s protection, the greatest obstacle to absorbing a 10,000-year Spirit Ring—the spiritual shock— simply did not exist.
As for the remaining energy impact, with her current constitution and Ling Ye’s support, it was entirely manageable.
The requirements for the first Destruction Trial seemed even more stringent: “Personally kill a 10,000-year Spirit Beast.”
But one must not forget that Ye Lingling held the Destruction Begonia Emperor in her left hand.
Her first Spirit Skill, “Touch of Annihilation,” was a 100,000-year Spirit Skill, and her second Spirit Skill, “Tide of Destruction,” provided a terrifying 300% enhancement.
Killing a 10,000-year Spirit Beast before the age of sixteen would be as easy as turning over her hand.
“And the rewards are quite generous,” Ling Ye added.
Listening, Ye Lingling felt excitement surge within her heart.
She had originally thought the divine trials would be filled with unimaginable hardship and danger, but she hadn’t expected the first trial to be so “beginner-friendly,” nor the rewards so enticing.
“It seems the two God-Kings sincerely hope we will grow quickly,” Ye Lingling thought softly, feeling even more grateful towards the two God-Kings she had only met once.
“Alright, the divine trials have begun, and the path ahead is clear.” Ling Ye pulled his thoughts back to reality.
“The priority now is to finish the matters at hand, and then… go home.”
The group wasted no further time and immediately set off on their return journey to Heaven Dou City.
One week later, Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.
As one of the two most prosperous imperial capitals on the continent, Heaven Dou City was majestic and magnificent, bustling with traffic.
The towering city walls, broad streets, rows of shops, and the Spirit Masters visible everywhere all showcased the city’s historical depth and vibrant vitality.
The Ye family’s residence was located in a relatively quiet area in the eastern part of Heaven Dou City.
As a Spirit Master family possessing the top-tier support Spirit “Nine Heart Begonia,” although the Ye family was sparse in population (limited by the Spirit’s curse), with only two individuals per generation, they enjoyed an extremely high reputation and status within Heaven Dou City and even throughout the entire Spirit Master world.
After all, any power would eagerly seek an alliance with and the support of top-tier healing Spirit Masters.
The estate, though not particularly extravagant, exuded an air of elegance and refinement everywhere.
There were pavilions and terraces, small bridges spanning flowing water, and many exotic flowers and rare herbs planted around.
The air was filled with a faint fragrance of medicinal herbs and fresh botanical scents.
Returning here, Ye Lingling felt exceptionally comfortable and at peace.
Back in her own room, having dismissed the servants, Ye Lingling finally relaxed completely.
This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest involved too much information and too many changes; she needed time to digest it all.
“We’ve finally returned,” Ling Ye’s voice said with a hint of excitement.
“In the coming period, you need to calm your mind and cultivate, stabilize your surging Spirit Power, and familiarize yourself with your newly acquired Spirit Skills, especially the switching and coordination of your Twin Spirits. Although the time limits for the first trials of the Goddess of Life and God of Destruction are relatively lenient, the sooner you complete them, the better.”
“Mm, I understand.” Ye Lingling sat before her dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror—her aura had changed significantly—and nodded seriously.
“Brother Ling Ye, I will follow your arrangements.” Ye Lingling replied respectfully.
With Ling Ye by her side, she felt that all she needed to do was cultivate diligently; everything else could be left to him.
The room fell silent, save for the rustling of bamboo leaves outside the window in the wind.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Ling Ye’s tone turned somewhat mysterious: “Oh right, Lingling, there’s something… would you like to hear about it?”
“Hmm? What is it?” Ye Lingling turned curiously.
Though she couldn’t see Ling Ye, her consciousness was fully focused on the mental world.
“Where a Spirit Bone is hidden. A very, very special one, and one perfectly suited for you.”
“A Spirit Bone? And suited for me?” Ye Lingling’s eyes lit up.
Spirit Bones were exceedingly precious; each one was a supreme treasure sought after yet incredibly hard to find.
Although she already possessed the 100,000-year Torso Bone given to her by Ling Ye, one could never have too many Spirit Bones, especially attribute-matched ones that could comprehensively enhance a Spirit Master’s abilities.
“That’s right,” Ling Ye confirmed.
“It’s a 100,000-year Spirit Bone.”
“O-one… 100,000 years?!” Ye Lingling gasped sharply, covering her mouth with her small hands, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
Another one?
A 100,000-year Spirit Bone?
How was that possible?!
The appearance of a single 100,000-year Spirit Bone was enough to shake the entire continent and trigger a bloody massacre.
Why would someone obtain it only to hide it away instead of absorbing it?
“Yes, 100,000 years, and it’s one of the Spirit Bones most compatible with your Life attribute.” Ling Ye’s tone was full of confidence.
“Its source is the ‘Blue Silver Emperor.'”
“Blue Silver Emperor?” Ye Lingling found the name somewhat unfamiliar.
She certainly knew of Blue Silver Grass—the most common trash Spirit on the continent, possessing almost no combat ability.
Blue Silver Emperor?
Could it be the king among Blue Silver Grass?
“The Blue Silver Emperor is a true emperor among plant-type Spirit Beasts, the common sovereign of all Blue Silver Grass, possessing pure and majestic life force,” Ling Ye explained.
“This Spirit Bone was formed after the fall of a Blue Silver Emperor that cultivated for 100,000 years. For you, it is an excellent supplement, capable of greatly enhancing the foundation of your Life Begonia Emperor.”
Ye Lingling listened, her thoughts drifting to the possibilities.
Blue Silver Emperor, a Life Spirit Bone from a plant-type sovereign…
It truly sounded like a perfect match for her Life Spirit.
But an even greater question arose: “Why would such a precious Spirit Bone… be hidden? And why didn’t the person who obtained it absorb it themselves?”
Ling Ye fell silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, then spoke in a tone laced with a hint of mockery and profound meaning:
“The person who hid this Spirit Bone… perhaps has a problem with his head. Or rather, he was blinded by hatred and obsession.”