: Sacrifice or be killed by me?

Seeing the direction Fang Yuancheng was heading after escaping from the Spirit Hall, the God of Life's usually gentle and peaceful eyes finally showed concern.

Am I... going to be snatched away by that Poseidon guy?

Fang Yuan was clearly just an ordinary person, yet at such a young age, he had already faintly touched upon the laws of life.

With such talent, it would be a complete waste to have him inherit the position of some sea god.

She secretly observed the boy.

From his imprisonment in the Spirit Hall to his brazen escape...

Should we... immediately unleash the divine test of life?

She was, after all, a dignified god-king, in charge of all life in the world, and held a revered position.

Once she personally descends to test the gods and designates the successor, even if the sea god is unwilling, he shouldn't be so shameless as to compete with her for it.

No wonder the god of life is so eager.

Fang Yuan's current talent is truly enough to move even the gods.

An eight-year-old Soul Emperor!

Such a speed of cultivation is nothing short of a miracle!

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Time flows on, and the sun and moon alternate.

Fang Yuan rode in an inconspicuous carriage for nearly two months, traversing most of the Tian Dou Empire, and finally arrived at the eastern coast of the continent after a bumpy journey.

In the Douluo Continent today, technology is in the medieval period.

The road construction on the mainland is shockingly backward.

Flat and wide roads are extremely rare; most routes are rugged, muddy, and difficult to traverse. The wilderness is even more fraught with danger, with low- to mid-level soul beasts frequently appearing to attack passersby.

Ordinary merchants and travelers had to form large caravans to have the courage to travel and ensure their safety.

However, none of these posed any threat to Fang Yuan, who was already a Soul Emperor.

He doesn't need to waste time traveling with others to get on the road.

Even so, the poor road conditions still slowed down the journey, making this part of the trip take nearly two months.

Inside the carriage, Fang Yuan slowly stopped circulating his soul power, ending his cultivation.

He reached out and gently lifted the carriage curtain.

A cool sea breeze, carrying a faint salty smell, rushed towards him, ruffling the hair on his forehead.

Outside the window, a magnificent city built along the sea is already close at hand.

The coachman skillfully reined in the carriage, merging it into the queue of people entering the city, and the carriage moved slowly forward.

Sensing movement from the carriage behind him, the driver immediately put on a respectful and obsequious smile, turned around, and enthusiastically announced, "Distinguished guest, we've arrived! Ahead lies Hanhai City! Hanhai City is the largest seaport city in the eastern part of our Heavenly Dou Empire. Living off the sea, it's a bustling hub with countless merchant ships, offering a wealth of marine treasures and overseas specialties..."

The coachman drove the carriage slowly along the coastal official road, the wheels rolling over the smooth bluestone slabs, making a steady and regular sound.

Fang Yuan leaned against the carriage wall, listening to the driver's rambling introduction of the coastal city, while lifting the curtain and quietly looking out the window.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept over us. In the distance, the vast sea merged with the horizon into a deep blue expanse, and wave after wave crashed against the steep cliffs, their roar echoing in the distance.

Stepping into the city reveals a completely different scene.

Soul Masters came and went in an endless stream on the streets, most of whom were Sea Soul Masters.

They possess unique and peculiar qualities—some have faint, translucent blue fish fins visible behind their ears, while others have fine, lustrous scales covering their forearms and necks, shimmering softly in the sunlight.

Their accessories also reflect the characteristics of the city: smooth pearls strung into pendants, colorful corals carved into ornaments, and various intricately patterned seashells cleverly crafted into earrings, pendants, and waist ornaments, blending seamlessly with the sea breeze atmosphere of the entire city.

There is also a Soul Arena in the city, but the arena, atmosphere, and even the style of the Soul Skills are completely different from those in the inland areas.

This is the home ground of the Sea Soul Masters.

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Fang Yuan didn't linger and found a hotel nearby to stay in.

He planned to rest for the night to recover from the fatigue of his journey, and then look for a boat to rent or board the next day to continue his journey.

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the window and fell on the bed.

Fang Yuan was awakened by the continuous sound of waves outside the window.

He slowly sat up, stretched his arms, and exerted a little force.

A series of fine, crisp cracking sounds came from the joints of the bones.

Fang Yuan casually clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, feeling the vitality and soul power flowing within his body.

Since his martial soul awakened at the age of six, his body has entered a stage of rapid growth; later, his Blue Silver Emperor martial soul fully awakened, drawing upon the power of his bloodline, and his body underwent a second transformation, with his muscles, bones, blood, and physique far surpassing those of his peers.

Although he is only eight years old, his face is already gradually developing.

His height has already reached 1.6 meters, which is extremely outstanding among children of the same age.

Fang Yuan walked to the mirror.

The boy in the mirror had long, smooth, jet-black hair that reached his waist, the strands of which shimmered with a warm luster in the morning light like ink satin; his eyes were deep and dark, as still as a deep pool, and his skin was fair and delicate, without a single blemish.

Her features were so exquisite they were almost unreal, and she was beautiful to the extreme. At first glance, it was even difficult to tell whether she was male or female.

At this moment, Fang Yuan's expression was calm, with a calm and aloof air that was beyond his years. He had a noble and refined demeanor, just like a young nobleman from a prestigious family.

However, if someone gazes into his eyes for a long time, they will discover that beneath that calm surface lies a subtly surging, highly aggressive, and bewitching beauty—unassuming yet captivating, making it difficult to look away once the gaze falls upon him, and compelling one to want to get closer and explore.

Xiao Wu, who was standing nearby, had woken up early and her gaze kept involuntarily falling on Fang Yuan.

She bit her lower lip hard, desperately trying to suppress the inexplicable flutter in her heart, and forced her gaze to the window, pretending to watch the sunrise over the sea.

Even so, his peripheral vision would still involuntarily drift back to Fang Yuan time and time again.

Fang Yuan took in Xiao Wu's every move, and couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a faint smile that was enough to amaze the morning light.

In that instant, it was as if the bright moon had suddenly fallen to earth, its coolness and gentleness intertwined, seemingly so close yet unattainable.

It makes one want to reach out and touch that bright moon that should only exist in the heavens, regardless of everything.

Xiao Wu froze instantly, staring blankly at him, her breathing becoming lighter, unable to look away.

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Another person who is blinded by appearances and lacks willpower!

A faint, indifferent sneer crossed Fang Yuan's mind, but he remained outwardly calm.

He looked up and once again casually examined himself in the mirror.

Despite being a man, he possessed such an excessively striking appearance, something he sometimes couldn't understand.

As a child, she was merely considered pretty and cute, at most someone would compliment her on her looks, and she would at most evoke affection and pity, but she wouldn't stir up any dark and greedy thoughts in other people's hearts.

But as he grew older, his features became more defined, and his temperament gradually took shape. The covetousness, infatuation, and even malicious scrutiny hidden deep in his eyes appeared more and more frequently on him.

No wonder, in the simulation, one's destiny is always involved with the opposite sex.

Such a physical appearance is itself the most conspicuous source of trouble.

Fang Yuan stopped thinking about it, quickly packed his belongings, and headed towards the sea, intending to inquire about sailing and rent a boat to go to Poseidon Island.

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When Fang Yuan arrived at the port and inquired, he was told that all the available ships in the vicinity had been booked by a wealthy and powerful force.

Nowadays, it's almost impossible to find a boat that can be rented or purchased on its own in the entire sea area.

The matchmaker leaned against a wooden post by the harbor, marveling at the rows of large ships in the distance. His voice was full of envy as he kept muttering, "Incredible, truly incredible... He just waved his hand and booked all the ships in the nearby harbor that could sail the sea. He spends money like water. We probably won't see so much money piled up together in our entire lives."

His eyes shone with longing for this grand project, and he talked on and on for quite a while before finally stopping, still not quite finished.

Fang Yuan stood to the side, his fingertips lightly rubbing his cuff, and asked, "Which power is behind this, with such a large-scale operation?"

Upon hearing this, the agent immediately dropped his sentimental expression and looked around with his cloudy eyes.

The young man before him was excessively handsome, and his clothes were made of high-quality materials, suggesting he wasn't from an ordinary family. However, he didn't give up easily, only rubbing his rough hands together and vaguely laughing it off: "Hey, that's hard to say. They have a lot of influence, and we little people wouldn't dare to gossip."

Fang Yuan saw through his thoughts at a glance. Without saying anything more, he simply turned to the side and quietly slipped a few heavy silver soul coins into the other man's palm.

The middleman's fingers sank, quickly weighing the silver soul coins in his hand. A fawning, mercenary smile instantly spread across his face as he hurriedly stepped forward, lowering his voice as if afraid of being overheard: "Young Master, let me tell you, but don't tell anyone—it's the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild! You know? Behind the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild stands the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, one of the three upper sects, a top-tier sect throughout the entire Douluo Continent. They're incredibly wealthy and powerful; ordinary people can't afford to offend them!"

"So now there really isn't a single ship left?" Fang Yuan asked, frowning.

The agent glanced around furtively again, then leaned closer, lowering his voice even further: "But if you're really in a hurry to go to sea, there's still a way. I have a secret connection that can get you sneaked into the fleet and sail with the big ships, guaranteed no one will notice."

"The route you mentioned is the same as the route of this fleet."

Fang Yuan looked up towards the port and saw a vast fleet of ships anchored on the azure sea. The masts stood tall, the sails were half-furled, and each ship was huge, ready to set sail, and its imposing presence was truly remarkable.

He remained silent for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing across his dark eyes, before nodding slightly: "Alright, lead the way."

The agent was overjoyed at the sight and quickly led Fang Yuan toward one of the large ships, where they soon met the captain in charge of the ship.

The man had a thick, bushy beard that covered almost half his face. He wore a worn but still crisp captain's hat, and his shirt was wide open, revealing his muscular chest, tanned bronze by the sea wind and sun. The veins on his arms were bulging, and a deep scar ran from his brow bone to his jaw. He looked fierce and violent, exuding the ruthless aura of someone who had spent years risking his life at sea.

The captain caught sight of the two approaching men. His rough gaze first fell on the intermediary, then swept over Fang Yuan beside him. His brows furrowed instantly, and his tone was full of impatience and disdain as he boomed, "What are you doing bringing this kid here? So delicate and pale, like a girl, he looks so frail. He can't even lift a rope as a sailor. What noble young master has nothing better to do than come to the sea to suffer?"

This ship is huge. It can sail with the wind on its sails, but when it is against the wind, the sailors have to work hard to propel it.

His sailors were all skilled sea spirit masters, strong and powerful, and had spirit skills to assist them. Twenty or thirty men were enough to drive the giant ship.

What use would it be to bring this seemingly pampered child on the boat?

The agent quickly pulled the captain aside, whispered a few words, and the two exchanged glances, instantly understanding each other, and each revealed a meaningful smile.

"Okay, I understand," the captain replied in a low voice. "After it's done, you'll get half the money."

The agent nodded in satisfaction.

The two walked back, and the captain waved to Fang Yuan, his tone casual yet undeniably firm: "Come with me, kid. Remember, once you're on board, you have to listen to me. Keep your mouth shut and don't cause trouble."

As he spoke, his eyes, out of the corner of his eye, greedily scanned Fang Yuan's clothes and accessories, as if he were eyeing a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Fang Yuan still pretended to be an innocent and harmless young man, and quickly nodded obediently, replying, "Yes, Captain, I will do as you say."

But in his heart, he had already calmly calculated how to make this captain die in the most convenient way.

His physique far surpassed that of ordinary people, and his senses were even more acute. He heard every single word of the two people's supposedly secret, whispered conversation.

These two guys mistook him for a young nobleman who had secretly run away from home with a lot of money and was completely unsuspecting. They planned to tie him up and rob him once the ship was far away.

Fang Yuan felt helpless. It was just silver soul coins, which weren't particularly valuable to a soul master.

Just because of her face and her overly clean and refined appearance, she was judged by her appearance?

·············

There is still quite some time before the Qibao Chamber of Commerce's fleet officially sets sail.

Fang Yuan didn't want to linger in the crowded and noisy port, so he returned to the hotel and went back to his room to wait.

The door was gently closed, shutting out the sea breeze and voices outside, and the small space instantly became quiet.

Fang Yuan turned around and looked at Xiao Wu, who was quietly tied up.

He spoke calmly and in a flat tone, as if he were talking about something trivial, and slowly gave the last two options.

After a period of arduous training and consolidation, his soul power has already steadily broken through to level 70. Coupled with the powerful physique brought by the dual martial souls of Dark Blue Silver Emperor and Light Phoenix, he is now barely qualified to absorb a 100,000-year soul bone.

Next, he would be venturing deeper into the sea, where the road ahead was unknown and fraught with danger. He would also have to contend with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the undercurrents at sea, and his own numerous plans. It was simply inconvenient for him to bring Xiao Wu along again.

"So, is it a sacrifice, or are you to be killed by me?"