Climbing the staircase, Di Tian and the other soul beasts moved swiftly, surpassing the others and quickly reaching the middle section.
Then, inevitably, their speed began to slow.
The higher they climbed, the colder it became.
And uncontrollable distracting thoughts began to appear in their minds.
Fear, arrogance, greed… all kinds of negative emotions began to assault them.
Since Di Tian and the others weren't human and had little contact with human society, they weren't very sensitive to complex emotional disturbances.
But fear—that was their Achilles' heel.
The fear of the Heavenly Tribulation was something engraved deep into the very bones of soul beasts.
Every hundred thousand years, they had to face a catastrophic, annihilating Heavenly Tribulation.
Even a once peerless soul beast like Di Tian, once revered as a Beast God, couldn't break through to the next tribulation stage!
The Myriad Demon King trembled uncontrollably, unable to go any further.
He lifted his foot, but then set it back down.
His eyes shook with panic as he looked at the stairs ahead, face pale, and shook his head, "No, I can't go any further. Di Tian, I'll die, I'll definitely die!"
The Myriad Demon King had fallen to the rear—yet he was still ahead of nearly everyone else.
He had already passed most of the emotional hurdles.
But fear alone was enough to stop him dead in his tracks.
Di Tian glanced back at him with a slight frown, "You've already endured four-fifths of the fear. Just push a little further, and you'll reach the top."
The Myriad Demon King shook his head repeatedly, "I—I'm too scared! I…"
A few steps ahead, the demon spirit also said, "Honestly, I can't keep going either. Di Tian, it feels just like facing a Heavenly Tribulation. It's too oppressive, too terrifying—I just can't take it…"
The Red King sighed, "I don't think I can go much farther either. Di Tian, I didn't expect these stairs to be so difficult…"
…
Di Tian furrowed his brow. He was near the highest point now—only about a hundred meters from the top.
He glanced upward, enduring enormous pressure himself.
But he was still holding on. Even so, the strain on him was immense.
"We've come this far ahead of everyone. It would be a shame to give up now. No matter what, we should finish climbing these stairs so we can report back to the Lord."
Di Tian said.
"Alright, alright… Let's rest a bit, then give it one last push!"
The Myriad Demon King quickly agreed.
But in truth, he had no intention of continuing. It was just too terrifying!
At that moment, Red King suddenly said: "Why is Bi Ji heading back down?"
The beasts all turned to look—Bi Ji, who had been at the very back, was now turning to leave.
Bi Ji explained, "Brother-in-law said we came here to explore different kinds of trials. Since I've tried this one, I'm going to check the other staircases."
…
The soul beasts looked at each other.
Red King couldn't help saying, "This is only the first trial. Bi Ji, if we have to rely on Brother-in-law even for this, wouldn't that be too shameful?"
"Exactly. And Brother-in-law isn't even coming in here. Even if you report back and he gives advice, would it really suit us?"
Myriad Demon King also tried to dissuade her.
Bi Ji shook her head gloomily, "I believe in Brother-in-law."
Apparently angry at their words, Bi Ji didn't look back and simply turned and walked down the stairs.
"…Did Bi Ji just get mad?"
The Myriad Demon King asked, confused.
"Bi Ji's always been gentle. Was that… anger? Did we do something wrong?"
Red King blinked in confusion.
They didn't say anything harsh, right?
Di Tian shook his head, "Don't overthink it. Since Bi Ji is gathering intel for Brother-in-law, we'll split up and act separately."
"At least for this trial, we'll rely entirely on ourselves!"
At the top of the Sea God Tower.
Peering through the water mirrors at the people below,
Poseidon, the Sea God, chuckled, "A bunch of brainless soul beasts, and they actually think they can pass the God Staircase by themselves?"
"If it weren't for Dan Heng's sake, I would've already smitten them into dust for offending divine authority."
"No wonder the other gods are so confident—soul beasts won't be able to get through even the Fear trial. The fear of the Heavenly Tribulation alone will stop them!"
Poseidon stretched lazily, mumbling a bit. A throne appeared beneath him, and soon enough, he nodded off and fell asleep.
At Dan Heng's home.
During dinner, the family talked about the Sea God Tower.
Bi Ji described the thirteen staircases.
"…We were fine at first, but the last part is fear—it forces us to recall what we least want to face."
Bi Ji trailed off. The Heavenly Tribulation… That was the greatest obstacle for all soul beasts.
Zhu Zhuyun looked at Bi Ji in surprise, opened her mouth, but said nothing.
She had already gotten stuck at an earlier emotional trial!
Dan Heng fell silent, thinking deeply.
Gu Yuena raised her brow and asked, "Are Di Tian and the others still inside?"
Bi Ji nodded, "They said they'd try to pass the first trial on their own first. If they fail, they'll come back and consult you."
Gu Yuena scoffed, "They really think they're something special? Ridiculous!"
"To think they can succeed in the Sea God Tower without your guidance?"
She was visibly displeased.
Dan Heng suddenly said, "The human heart is the most unpredictable thing. Even gods can only reflect it during rare, special stages. Most of the time, it needs external cues to draw it out."
"The reason fear or arrogance manifests isn't because your heart has been seen through. Rather, the staircase first amplifies your emotions and then makes you project your inner feelings outward."
"So, to pass the stairway, there's a shortcut—deception."
Dan Heng paused, then looked at the women.
Gu Yuena frowned slightly, "Deception? What kind?"
"I could shut down my emotions, but wouldn't that cause worse problems?"
Dan Heng said, "No need to suppress anything. I mean—actively project your emotions first. People aren't only afraid of one thing. And some fears can be overcome. As long as you direct your fear outward during the climb, the staircase will calibrate to that emotion instead."
"!!!"
Bi Ji and the other women couldn't help showing joy.
This method was simple—and effective!
And they could definitely do it. After all, many women were especially talented at this kind of emotional manipulation.
"But… Wouldn't that anger the gods?" Zhu Zhuyun asked, a bit concerned.
"Gods aren't omnipotent. They're just stronger beings…" Dan Heng replied casually.
To him, gods had no particular grandeur.
Zhu Zhuyun was stunned for a moment, staring at Dan Heng with a stormy feeling inside.
In Douluo Continent, reverence for gods was absolute.
Yet Dan Heng was an outlier in every sense!
"That's right," Gu Yuena sneered, "Gods are just powerful creatures. They have limits, emotions, selfishness, fear—and even ugliness."
The others dared not respond.
After all, unlike this couple, they didn't treat gods so flippantly.
Gu Yuena snorted softly, clinging to Dan Heng's arm, thinking: My husband is the best—he truly understands me. Gods? We've crushed plenty on our first meeting!
Unfortunately… now I'm pregnant…
Gu Yuena gently rubbed her belly.
Though still flat, she could feel a life beginning to form within.
That night.
The other two rooms had already gone dark.
Only the Zhu sisters' room was still lit.
Zhu Zhuyun stood in front of a mirror, twisting to examine her fair, rosy skin.
Her plump body made her dark red lingerie stretch tightly, looking like it could burst at any moment.
"Zhuqing, don't you think I need new clothes?" Zhu Zhuyun asked, a bit distressed.
Busty girls usually had some softness on them—and she was very full!
Lately, staying at Dan Heng's house, she'd been eating heartily every day.
It would be odd not to put on a little weight!
"Everything feels tight lately… See?" She pinched her belly, showing a red mark from tight clothing.
Zhu Zhuqing lay on the bed, her cold face expressionless. She gave a perfunctory "Mm."
Zhu Zhuyun leaned closer, bending over to look into Zhu Zhuqing's face.
"Zhuqing, Mr. Dan Heng already told us how to pass the first trial. Let's go tomorrow? We can skip straight to the second floor!"
"I'm not going. I'll go when Master tells me to," Zhu Zhuqing pulled the blanket over her head, not wanting to talk anymore.
"…"
Zhu Zhuyun puffed out her cheeks and huffed, "You're just so stubborn. Who knows when Mr. Dan Heng will even think of you?"
She climbed into bed, thought for a moment, then slung a smooth, white leg over Zhu Zhuqing.
"Zhuqing, what kind of boys do you like?"
Zhu Zhuyun asked curiously, "We're no longer affiliated with the Star Luo Royal Family, but we'll have to get married someday, right?"
"If anyone's getting married, it's you! I'm going to sleep now!"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice suddenly grew irritable.
A hand shot out from under the covers and gave Zhu Zhuyun's thick thigh a vicious pinch.
"Ah—!!!"
Zhu Zhuyun let out a scream, hugging her plush thigh. A bright red mark had formed.
It hurt so badly her eyes nearly welled with tears.
"Zhuqing, fine, don't tell me. But why get so mad…"
Zhu Zhuyun pouted, aggrieved.
She had been thinking the Sea God Tower trial was a chance.
Maybe she could meet someone worthy of inheriting a god position—and even develop a new romantic relationship!
The Next Morning
More people headed to Sunset Forest.
It had even developed into a small, makeshift settlement.
Even many students from Blue Tyrant Academy had come, including the Blue Tyrant Battle Team led by Gu Yuena.
She had given them all leave—not for any official reason, but simply so she could spend more private time with Dan Heng today!
The two of them strolled hand-in-hand down the streets.
Like a pair of love-struck newlyweds.
In reality, they were already an "old married couple."
There weren't many people on the streets, and it wasn't exactly bustling—but the two of them were thoroughly enjoying themselves. They could spend forever just browsing the shop signs on either side.
"Husband, look at this blacksmith shop—it's even selling… what's this… 'hidden weapons'?"
Gu Yuena spotted something interesting and tugged Dan Heng inside.
In the world of Douluo, the concept of "hidden weapons" didn't really exist.
Of course, there were similar weapons, but not as a formal system.
Dan Heng followed Gu Yuena into the blacksmith shop. The temperature inside was noticeably warmer than outside.
"Ah, honored customers!"
A thin, wiry old man in work clothes quickly greeted them.
Gu Yuena glanced at the weapons hanging on the wall and asked:
"The sign outside says 'hidden weapons'—what's that?"
The thin old man chuckled, "Ah, dear guest, you're asking the right person! I dare say, in the entire Heaven Dou Empire, only our blacksmith shop carries hidden weapons!"
"What is a hidden weapon, you ask? Look here!"
The old man pulled a cylindrical device from under the counter. The body was brass, shining gold, and crafted with exquisite detail.
The tip had a small blade protruding.
"This is called a sleeve arrow—as the name suggests, it's hidden in your sleeve…" The old man began explaining how it worked.
Gu Yuena raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Interesting. Husband, what do you think? For ordinary people, this kind of hidden weapon could be useful for self-defense…"
Dan Heng took it, examined it for a bit, then nodded:
"Not bad. Its power is on par with small crossbows of the same size, and since it strikes from concealment, it's hard to guard against."
Gu Yuena's eyes lit up instantly. "How many of these do you have? Any other hidden weapons?"
She was already thinking about equipping the Fontaine Empire with them.
That way, even the average soldier could quickly close the gap with the Star Luo Empire!
The old man, however, shook his head. "Ah… actually, these hidden weapons were consigned here by someone else. There are only ten sleeve arrows, and ten of each other type as well. The prices are also quite high…"
"Alright… we'll take two each. Install them for us."
Gu Yuena said calmly.
Others may not know how to make more, but with her and Dan Heng's intellect, just taking a prototype back was enough to reproduce it!
Then she'd deliver the schematics to the Fontaine Empire…
"Of course, of course…!"
The old man immediately complied.
Elsewhere, inside the Sea God Tower
After an entire day, Di Tian and the other soul beasts still hadn't reached the top—they were stuck on the final few steps.
Di Tian was drenched in sweat, pale, and his clothes were soaked through.
Yet the last three meters remained an insurmountable chasm.
He didn't even have the strength to lift his foot.
The other soul beasts like the Crimson King were in even worse condition—some of them had collapsed on the stairs entirely.
And what discouraged them even more was this:
Someone who had started climbing after them had already passed them and reached the top!
"I can't take it anymore… If I force myself forward, I'll definitely die! The gods must have noticed us and won't allow us to obtain godly inheritance…"
"Maybe we should just go back and ask Brother-in-law for guidance. I really can't keep this up…"
"..."
Several of the soul beasts were ready to give up.
They simply didn't have the strength to reach the summit.
Di Tian's face was grim. At this point, he didn't bother blaming them—he himself wasn't confident he could make it either!
He even began to wonder if the gods were deliberately making things difficult for them.
"…Is that Bi Ji coming?"
Crimson King suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
(End of Chapter)