Towering colossal pillars pierced the sea, enduring the relentless assault of ceaseless waves. Yet, no matter how many times the waves crashed, through how many ages, these pillars cast from deep-sea silver remained unscathed, eternal.
"This is where the Tide Body Refining takes place," Hai Die said, hands clasped behind her back, standing serenely on the sea's surface. The most tumultuous waves posed no threat to her.
"Do I have to stand on top of the pillar?" Wang Zhong asked, gazing at the distant colossus and the churning sea, his curiosity piqued.
"Not at all."
"You must stand in the sea beneath the pillar. That is where you will truly feel the power of the ocean's tides."
"Moreover, here, you cannot use any spirit power, spirit skills, or spirit bones. You can only endure with your own strength and willpower."
"In the history of Sea God Island, countless candidates have come here, both land spirit masters and sea spirit masters, yet very few have succeeded."
"While the power of each wave is not immense, their continuous, unending, and ceaseless assault is the true challenge."
"What you must contend with is not just the waves, but also your own fragile will."
"As long as you persevere until the required time is met, you will pass this trial."
Hai Die explained earnestly, doing her best to assist Wang Zhong within the scope of her abilities and the rules.
Wang Zhong turned his head, looking at the little fish beside him, her tone and demeanor filled with gentleness and care. His gaze was incredibly soft.
"Yes, I understand," Wang Zhong replied seriously.
Tide Body Refining was related to physical training, but he had absolute confidence in his own body. Furthermore, the current tides, from his perspective, were insignificant compared to his own weight-bearing training.
It could be said that Wang Zhong was certain to pass this trial. However, this was, after all, a god's assessment, and Wang Zhong did not want to be too presumptuous. There might be other hidden challenges he was unaware of.
"Come, I'll take you."
Hai Die took Wang Zhong's hand and plunged into the sea. A peculiar power enveloped them both. Within this embrace, Wang Zhong faintly felt a sense of restraint, targeting his martial soul and spirit bones.
"Is this why Hai Die said I couldn't use spirit power, spirit skills, or spirit bones? Upon entering the sea, a force completely seals these three, allowing the candidate to participate only with their physical strength."
"But this restraint feels rather weak!"
"Because this is not a legitimate Sea God trial, this restraint is negligible. Or is there some other reason?"
Feeling the restraint, as thin as a membrane, which he could break free from at any moment, Wang Zhong was filled with questions.
However, when he sensed that Hai Die's spirit power was also sealed and not leaking out at all, he seemed to understand something.
This sealing force originated from the Sea God's divine power. Everyone who entered Tide Body Refining would be sealed by this divine power, treated equally, even Hai Die, who had already passed.
But Wang Zhong's martial souls were existences beyond the world's imagination. Whether it was the little fox or the tree martial soul, their power far surpassed that of so-called gods. Even the Sea God himself would not dare to claim he could imprison them, let alone this sea, which was only governed by a portion of the Sea God's divine power and rules.
Before long, they arrived beneath the deep-sea silver pillar. There was a flattened area here, surprisingly, the churning waves on the surface were completely calm beneath the water.
Looking around, Wang Zhong discovered the reason: a faint blue light membrane surrounded a large area around the deep-sea silver pillar. When the turbulent waves struck it, they were silently dissolved.
"This is the assessment point."
"You must be careful."
Hai Die brought Wang Zhong here and said solemnly.
As soon as she finished speaking, four deep blue chains shot out from the deep-sea silver pillar, firmly binding Wang Zhong's limbs.
Several more chains had been heading towards Hai Die, but a red seven-pointed star suddenly appeared on her forehead. As the red light flashed, the chains naturally retreated.
Having already completed Tide Body Refining, Hai Die did not need to participate again.
The moment the chains locked onto Wang Zhong, the deep blue light membrane protecting the deep-sea silver pillar vanished. Waves, one after another, surged forward without pause.
Under this onslaught, Hai Die, who had been steadily positioned in the ocean, also began to lose her balance, swaying with the constant rise and fall of the waves.
"Little fish, you should go up now," Wang Zhong said, seeing Hai Die's struggle.
"Okay, I know."
"Wang Zhong, you can do it!"
Knowing she could do nothing here, Hai Die nodded in agreement. With a flick of her tail fin, she left the area around the deep-sea silver pillar and watched from a distance.
Feeling the endless, relentless impact of the waves hitting him, Wang Zhong frowned, a sense of disappointment settling in.
It was merely a simple wave baptism, with no other hidden trials.
"If this is all the power it holds, it's not even enough to warm me up. It's far less useful than the pressure from the Sea God's Light."
"The only unique characteristic here is perhaps this incessant, forward-surging tide."
Standing in the surging sea, Wang Zhong faced the rolling waves and sighed softly.
"I'll wait and see if anything changes."
The Sea God's Light increased in pressure with each ascended step. Would the waves also change in a similar manner?
With this thought, Wang Zhong did not immediately withdraw from the assessment. Instead, he stood like an eternal reef before the deep-sea silver pillar, allowing the waves to crash upon him.
However, his hopes were destined to be dashed. After nearly five full hours, the power of the waves remained unchanged, even their speed was the same.
"This trial is of no use to me."
"In terms of strength and willpower, I lack neither."
"The Eight Gates and Ba Ji Tian cultivation techniques have already honed both to an extreme. Mere waves are far from enough."
Wang Zhong shook his head, having lost all interest in this so-called Tide Body Refining.
Just as he was about to withdraw from this useless assessment, he looked at the incessant waves before him, and a faint spark of inspiration flashed through his mind. It was weak and fleeting.
Gone in an instant.
That sliver of inspiration made Wang Zhong pause. He had grasped something, even if it was only a trace of its residual essence.
"Waves, power, unending..."
"Methods of exertion..."
These words spun and echoed in Wang Zhong's mind. Looking at the endlessly rolling, unending waves before him, he felt a dawning realization.
Was the way the waves exerted their power another form of using force?
It did not excel in sheer power, but rather surged through the world with its vastness and continuity.
If one could express the surging, continuous characteristic of waves with physical strength, what would that bring?