The scene before them sharpened abruptly. Gu La, Xiao Xiao, and Ye Guyi found themselves on a rugged mountain path.
Surrounding them were soldiers in White Tiger Royal Guard uniforms. Ahead, seated on a majestic warhorse, was a burly, imposing middle-aged man—the Star Luo Empire's White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao.
Among the guards, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er stood disguised as royal guards.
A cold prompt echoed simultaneously in the trio's ears: "Deep Trial begins… Trial requirement… If any one dies, the trial fails. Punishment: death. Trial commences."
Gu La inwardly cursed: 'Babysitting duty?'
Though his relevant memories were temporarily sealed, instinct told him this arrangement reeked of malicious manipulation.
Had his memories been intact, he'd immediately recognize Tang San's handiwork. Since Dai Huabin—the pawn meant to torment Huo Yuhao and dilute his hatred—was now useless, Tang San was forcing opportunities for Huo Yuhao to "reluctantly" rescue his mother's killer, Dai Hao. This would twist Huo Yuhao's will, paving the way for him to later "accept a villain as father."
And the powerful Gu La? Assigned as the key safeguard ensuring this play unfolded.
Bottling his frustration, Gu La chose to bide his time, observing the situation.
Soon, Huo Yuhao's spiritual detection silently connected with them, discovering Gu La's trio. Surprised but pressed for time, Huo Yuhao immediately took command via spiritual link. Gu La responded according to the "identity" implanted in his mind, agreeing to follow orders.
Huo Yuhao set his plan—to feign a Titled Douluo's aura and retreat the enemy, guiding Dai Hao's withdrawal.
But the Sun Moon Empire's surveillance soul devices detected the ruse. Piercing alarms wailed as countless soul device beams and projectiles rained down like meteors!
Huo Yuhao strained to intercept them with soul skills, yet as a Soul King, he faltered against battlefield-grade sixth- and seventh-grade soul device barrages. Lethal coverage was imminent—
'Hmph!'
Gu La snorted coldly. Finally acting.
No grand spectacle—just a casual hand press downward. An invisible yet intensely hot force surged from him.
Sun Nuclear Fusion Explosion!
No earth-shattering blast—only a bizarre ripple as if space had been vacuumed, then compressed and released.
Incoming projectiles and beams, upon entering an invisible field, destabilized internally. Like firecrackers igniting, they erupted in a rapid series of micro-explosions, dissolving into scattered metal fragments and chaotic energy!
This strike carved a brief safe zone within the death storm.
"Go!"
Huo Yuhao seized the chance, barking orders as he shielded Dai Hao's retreat.
But the true killing blow emerged now. Shadowy figures lunged from forest darkness—Soul Saints and Soul Douluos, assassins targeting White Tiger Duke Dai Hao.
Royal guards fought desperately but crumbled under the power gap, casualties mounting.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er didn't hesitate. Their martial soul fusion skill flared—a brilliant Light Goddess Butterfly and Spirit Eyes phantom merging, unleashing powerful force to repel the first wave, saving Dai Hao from mortal peril.
Yet against waves of high-level soul masters, they remained perilously outmatched.
Xiao Xiao instantly released her Azure Phoenix martial soul. A melodious phoenix cry spread healing and enhancement over allies. Her Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron crashed down, attempting to block attacks.
Ye Guyi shouted, activating Holy Angel martial soul attachment. Sacred light, purifying evil, shone as she swung her Angel Holy Sword. Razor-sharp blades forced back two assassins trying to flank them.
Gu La's gaze turned icy. No more delays. His form blurred—he switched martial souls. A profound spatial fluctuation enveloped Dai Hao, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Ye Guyi, and the few surviving guards.
Instant Teleportation!
The next moment, their figures faded from the battlefield, reappearing miles away—temporarily escaping the deadliest zone.
Simultaneously, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er received their trial prompt: pass the test, or sacrifice rewards to revive fallen guards and continue the "Deep Trial." Both chose revival, unable to bear the cost.
For Gu La, the prompt declared directly: "Trial passed. Reward: Gu La gains two soul power levels; Ye Guyi and Xiao Xiao gain one level each."
Pure, vast Love God divine power flowed into them, following the valley's rules. Xiao Xiao and Ye Guyi's soul power surged visibly, smoothly advancing one level.
But as divine energy entered Gu La, a flicker of insight flashed in his eyes. His sealed memories flooded back like a tidal wave!
Time Power—Distortion!
Borrowing his Groudon clone's strength, he activated time power within. Not resisting the divine energy—but subtly creating a microscopic time-loop barrier inside himself.
Externally, the divine infusion lasted an instant. But within Gu La, that energy underwent repeated cycles: infusion-absorption-simulated effect-reinfusion!
Each cycle, a sliver of primal divine power was siphoned, devoured—converted into pure energy. All his avatars gained significant strength, with enough left over to push one avatar to Soul Saint level.
In a flash, most of the energy prepared as Gu La's reward was stolen through this silent temporal trickery.
The process was "diluted" across normal infusion time. Tang San—the behind-the-scenes manipulator—felt only a momentary sense of unusually high consumption, failing to detect the subtle anomaly.
Gu La's soul power rose to Level 77 as planned, but his true gain far exceeded this.
The trio was teleported to the third trial: True Adventure. By rules, lovers should be sent to past regrets for redemption.
Yet Gu La's goal was achieved. Soul power gained, memories restored, vast divine power stolen—he had no patience for Tang San's dog-training emotional games.
Watching golden-silver light trying to build illusions before him, Gu La sneered. His formidable spiritual power, mixed with freshly stolen, unrefined Love Goddess divine energy, surged outward violently!
"Break!"
The encroaching illusion shattered like fragile glass. He wrapped an arm around each bewildered girl—Xiao Xiao and Ye Guyi. Spatial energy swirled beneath his feet.
"Boring tricks. Time to leave."
Before his words faded, their figures warped and blurred. The next moment, they vanished completely from the valley's gold-silver space.
Only the valley remained—still operating by its rules, yet inexplicably feeling "depleted"—and somewhere in the shadows, a god-king's brow might have furrowed slightly.
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