The new task rewards are quite generous compared to most of the tasks You Chen has completed before, but for Bo Saixi's original level, this reward is far too low.
There is no doubt now; the current Bo Saixi is being evaluated based on her Soul Saint rank for the task rewards.
The task completion condition is "humiliation"!
You Chen glanced at the unconscious Bo Saixi, his expression calm.
Making a prisoner, especially a woman, feel humiliation is not too difficult.
Moreover, even though he hasn't done anything yet after triggering the task, the basic condition for this humiliation task has already been fulfilled; only the additional conditions need to be met.
Whether it's being rendered armless or being captured as the High Priestess of Seagod Island, both are significant psychological blows for Bo Saixi.
Bo Saixi's fate might not be as strong as Yu Xiaogang's, but she still belongs to the T2 tier of characters.
This makes it easy to trigger the task, and her high strength can bring additional task scores, so You Chen has no intention of ruining her all at once.
Furthermore, before this...
"Li Na, wake her up."
"As you command."
At You Chen's order, Li Na unhesitatingly conjured a stream of water, wrapping it around Bo Saixi's head. A water helmet created by a ten-thousand-year soul beast, even Bo Saixi couldn't instantly absorb it while unconscious, and it directly choked her awake.
Once she regained consciousness, it seemed she correctly recognized that she was powerless to change her situation, and Bo Saixi finally lost her initial madness.
Her eyes stared blankly at the ground, like a toy that had been broken, showing no reaction even when awakened in such a terrible manner.
Even though the people of Douluo don't pay much attention to spiritual cultivation, how could the High Priestess of the Sea God be so fragile?
You Chen certainly didn't believe it.
"Speak, why did you attack me?"
You Chen said lightly, "Don't think you can brush it off with excuses like 'I captured the merfolk.' Your obvious intent was directed at me; I'm not blind."
Bo Saixi's long eyelashes trembled involuntarily.
You Chen's words... directly hit her most sensitive spot.
Was she really going to tell You Chen that she had made a mistake?
The High Priestess of Seagod Island got into a fight with someone because of a misunderstanding, suffered a miserable defeat, and then had her arms cut off?
What a new-age joke! If the fool in this story were someone else, Bo Saixi would question her own composure.
But...
Bo Saixi recalled the Sea God's oracle.
Even with her physical shortcomings, her faith in the Sea God remained devout, allowing her to momentarily forget that a significant part of her current tragic situation stemmed from the Sea God's command, and she continued to ponder.
As she gradually calmed down, she couldn't help but hesitate: 'The Sea God wants me to bring him to the Seagod Temple. But is it really appropriate to do so now?'
Regardless of whether it was a misunderstanding, the conflict between her and You Chen was already a fact.
Her goal of forcibly bringing You Chen back was certainly unattainable.
But if she told You Chen that the Sea God had immense wealth to offer him, would he go? Given their prior conflict, he would likely suspect it was a trap!
So...
'I can't tell him about the Sea God's oracle.'
In a situation where friendliness had become a luxury, revealing this information could lead to unpredictable actions from the other party, potentially endangering the Sea God.
What she feared most was that You Chen's thoughts would shift to "it's not Bo Saixi who has ulterior motives, but the Sea God who has designs on him."
This was the situation Bo Saixi could not accept.
After already messing up the task the Sea God had assigned her, how could she allow herself to make another mistake!?
Even if such a situation might ultimately have no impact on the Sea God, Bo Saixi could not accept the possibility of the Sea God's dignity being compromised because of her mistakes!
Thus, Bo Saixi raised her head, her sea-blue hair cascading down, and despite her fallen state, she exuded a sickly beauty that sharply contrasted with her sacred and dignified image as the High Priestess of the Sea God, leaving even Li Ya, another woman, momentarily stunned.
However, the next moment, Bo Saixi revealed a mad smile as she looked at You Chen: "Don't get too full of yourself, you scum! From the evil deeds you've done to me, everything is already clear; you can't possibly be a good person trying to help the merfolk! Even in front of me, a prisoner, you still pretend to be the victim!? How hypocritical and nauseating!"
The more Bo Saixi spoke, the more inexplicably confident she became.
Indeed, from the previous attitudes of the few merfolk towards You Chen, it was clear that it was definitely not an equal and friendly attitude!
Although she didn't know the specifics, this man... had clearly become the ruler here!
Out of self-protection and to prevent her mind from collapsing, Bo Saixi completely denied the possibility that You Chen had earned the respect and recognition of the merfolk through legitimate means.
Because if she thought in that direction, combined with the oracle given to her by the Sea God, it would be easy to reach a conclusion—The Sea God did not want to capture You Chen to present him before the statue to apologize, but rather viewed You Chen as a successor to the divine position! He wanted Bo Saixi to take You Chen back to initiate the Godhood Trial!
Once she reached such a conclusion... Bo Saixi would naturally realize that her actions, which she believed were just and righteous, were actually completely contrary to the interests of the Sea God, pushing the Sea God's successor further away from the divine position!
As the Sea God's most loyal believer, if Bo Saixi understood this point, she would instantly collapse mentally!
Therefore, to maintain her self-awareness, this survival instinct made Bo Saixi subconsciously ignore this possibility without any hesitation.
She was convinced that You Chen must be an evil person. Only in this way could she barely maintain her already crumbling mind.
Most people in this world live like this, mistaking facts that benefit them as the truth, because only in this way can they survive...
Yet those beneficial facts often contradict reality.
But it must be said... Bo Saixi actually made a correct judgment by accident this time.
However, she also completely eliminated any possibility of easing the relationship between You Chen and the Sea God.
Even considering You Chen's prejudice against Sea God Poseidon, this possibility would ultimately require navigating through many low-probability branches, making the chance of realization less than 1%. But now, that 1% has been completely severed.
"Bold!"
Li Ya saw Bo Saixi daring to mock You Chen and immediately changed her expression. Without waiting for You Chen to react, she used her water manipulation to directly pour a special Water Spirit Power into Bo Saixi's mouth.
Bo Saixi instinctively wanted to absorb this Water Spirit Power through her Ocean Domain to recover from her injuries.
But she forgot the current disparity in strength between the two sides; even though she controlled the ultimate water, Li Ya, with her Golden Bloodline inheriting the Sea Princess position, had a comparable strength of Water Spirit Power. At least with the gap in cultivation, Bo Saixi couldn't suppress it.
That inexplicably heavy Water Spirit Power surged deep into her throat, as if an invisible hand had shoved into her throat, choking her, causing Bo Saixi to roll her eyes in pain.
"Enough, Li Ya. You're being a bit hasty." You Chen glanced at Li Ya indifferently.
"Forgive me for my overstep."
Li Ya quickly bowed and withdrew the Water Spirit Power.
"Cough, cough!"
Bo Saixi collapsed on the ground, like a fish washed ashore, lacking vitality, but she still defiantly raised her head to look at You Chen, saying, "You really have tamed them well, huh? You scum, I can already imagine the filthy methods you've used!"
"Filthy methods?"
You Chen's expression remained indifferent as he calmly said, "In that case, let you personally experience the filthy methods you speak of."
He turned to Li Ya, and without You Chen needing to say more, she understood and respectfully withdrew, saying, "Master, this cell is maintained by a Space Sealing Magic Gold array. Not only do you not have to worry about the prisoner escaping, but as long as the door is closed, you can interrogate inside without a sound escaping."
You Chen smiled and nodded: "You're thoughtful."
"W-What are you going to do!?"
Bo Saixi's already pale face turned even whiter when she saw Li Ya leave and close the door, leaving only her and You Chen alone.
She had realized what was about to happen, but still, she was unwilling to believe it.
You Chen did not use his speed but instead walked slowly towards her, deliberately using this slow movement to heighten Bo Saixi's psychological pressure.
Finally, he approached Bo Saixi, revealing a meaningful smile as he slowly leaned down, using his finger to lift Bo Saixi's chin: "What I'm going to do, haven't you already guessed?"
Bo Saixi's eyes widened; she never expected that You Chen could still lay hands on someone as incomplete as herself!?
"You... demon! Pervert! Scum!"
Before her was a face almost divine, yet Bo Saixi felt no fluttering of the heart, only fear and trepidation.
Then, in the dark, damp cell, the sounds of a woman's painful and mournful cries gradually echoed, accompanied by the clanking of chains as she struggled violently, her voice shifting from angry resistance to sorrowful sobs, and finally transforming into beast-like gasps.
In the dim light of the prison, Bo Saixi's figure, once again bound by chains, was reflected on the wall, her silhouette twisted and distorted, occasionally flashing by in a way that even a Sea Soul Beast would find hard to believe...
However, no matter how You Chen conducted the interrogation, even as she uncontrollably begged for mercy or as You Chen offered leniency as a temptation, whenever You Chen asked Bo Saixi how she found him and why she sought him out, she would always grit her teeth and refuse to say a word.
However, reaching this point, Bo Saixi was unwilling to relent, and from this, You Chen had already guessed the reason.
What could make Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of the Sea God, conceal it, if not something related to the Sea God?
Only the foolish and straightforward Bo Saixi herself couldn't see this point.
No, at this point, perhaps it had nothing to do with whether she was foolish. Because once Bo Saixi could understand, she would return to the issue of protecting her self-awareness.
Thus, Bo Saixi had to become foolish, whether truly or feigned.
After confirming the information she needed, You Chen actually no longer needed to interrogate, but on the other hand, the humiliation progress bar had not yet filled, so he continued to torment Bo Saixi.
While continuously humiliating Bo Saixi, You Chen's mind was as clear as a sage.
'Even as I humiliate his High Priest, she shows no reaction or warning. It's clear what the situation is now.'
You Chen considered himself not particularly clever, aside from having some talent in research, but it was always easy to deduce from the results.
Bo Saixi possessed the Seagod Spirit, and there must be some connection with the Sea God Poseidon.
Therefore, what was happening here, even if he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, she would certainly know what was occurring.
Although the rules of the divine realm were in place, having his High Priest humiliated like this would likely only result in a warning, and it probably wouldn't lead to direct retribution.
The reason Poseidon hadn't acted was likely not because he didn't want to, but because... he couldn't.
Why could Bo Saixi find him so quickly?
At the time, he hadn't had the time to think it through, but now that he calmed down, it was easy to understand.
No one but a deity could accomplish such a feat.
Bo Saixi must have used the Sea God's power to find him so quickly.
Even attacking him without careful consideration must be related to the Sea God.
From You Chen's understanding of the Sea God from the original text, he was capable of such shameless acts of bullying mortals with his divine form.
If his actions went unnoticed, seeing Bo Saixi defeated by You Chen, and an unknown objective failing, he would certainly intervene.
And not intervening could only be explained by either being discovered by the divine realm's enforcers or being caught red-handed.
Thus, later, when Bo Saixi was humiliated, it wasn't that the Sea God didn't want to intervene, but rather that he feared violating the divine realm's rules in a short time and facing punishment.
Ordinary mortals couldn't clarify these matters, but for You Chen, who had no information gap, it wasn't surprising to deduce to this extent.
And the facts were largely as You Chen thought.
A day in the divine realm equated to a year in the mortal realm. Just as Sea God Poseidon and the God of Asura were engaged in a stalemate, and after much effort to send the God of Asura away, You Chen had already defeated and captured Bo Saixi.
When the Sea God saw this scene, he was instantly dumbfounded.
He couldn't fathom how things had developed to this point.
Through the medium of the Seagod Spirit, the Sea God could observe Bo Saixi's surroundings and even directly converse with nearby individuals without attracting the attention of the divine realm.
Bo Saixi actively communicated with him, wasting a large amount of sentient power, but conversely, with the Sea God's control over power, if he took the initiative, it would consume little energy.
Of course, if he couldn't do this, his backup plan would be of little use.
But it was just a conversation. With the God of Asura closely watching him, even a slight deviation could easily lead to being caught.
The reason the Sea God didn't directly communicate with You Chen afterward, explaining that he wanted to pass the divine position to You Chen and lure him to Seagod Island, was that as soon as he extended a hint of Divine Sense, You Chen noticed something was off.
'This kid, in such a short time, has transformed his Divine Power into Divine Sense!?'
Poseidon was shocked, and the more he was surprised by You Chen's qualities exceeding expectations, the more he lamented the missed opportunity.
From Bo Saixi's current state, You Chen and Bo Saixi must have had a fierce conflict.
At this moment, if he actively extended his Divine Sense, it would certainly provoke a strong reaction from You Chen.
If Poseidon concealed his abnormality with Divine Sense and engaged in consciousness communication with You Chen within a close range of one or two meters, he could achieve effects similar to Tang San recognizing the Sea God's heart, avoiding the God of Asura's scrutiny.
If two Divine Senses clashed upon contact, it would definitely be caught by the God of Asura.
Moreover, since Poseidon had just committed a similar offense, he would almost certainly be brought up in a divine realm meeting for impeachment. Losing face was one thing, but being penalized and confined for a decade or two in the mortal realm, missing out on You Chen as the "best successor," was a major issue!
This was why Poseidon dared not recklessly engage with You Chen and could only place his hopes on the captured Bo Saixi.
The moment Poseidon extended his divine thought, it triggered You Chen's vigilance, and he directly used Divine Sense to scan Bo Saixi's body and even the depths of her spiritual sea, scaring Poseidon so much that he didn't dare leave even a trace of Divine Sense linked to Bo Saixi, fearing that You Chen would discover it, leading to a series of chain reactions that would sever the link.
Returning to the divine realm, Poseidon, filled with regret, contemplated various methods to turn the situation around.
Whether Poseidon could come up with a solution was another matter.
Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, You Chen only pretended to be somewhat suspicious on the surface, but in reality, he had already guessed that what had triggered his vigilance was likely Poseidon's gaze.
The subsequent interrogation of Bo Saixi was also a further test.
Although the possibility of Poseidon directly attacking him, disregarding the rules of the divine realm, was minuscule, You Chen still remained cautious.
Knowing that the Sea God had inexplicably set his sights on him, at this moment, he had already regarded the Sea God as a hypothetical enemy.
Thus, before formally confronting him, testing the other party's bottom line became very important.
This test also related to some of his subsequent arrangements.
After this interrogation, You Chen's Divine Sense remained maximally activated, yet he no longer sensed anything amiss as he had before.
Unless one considered the possibility that the Sea God's Divine Sense was so powerful that even under the scrutiny of enforcers and the weakening in the mortal realm, it could completely evade You Chen's perception, the Sea God indeed had not shown himself again.
Whether it was due to the Creator's setting or something else.
After this experiment, You Chen also discovered that he seemed temporarily unable to become the true deity he imagined, one who was indifferent to carnal desires.
At least, regarding his spoils and toys, he had a peculiar aversion to letting others touch them.
Although he felt no emotions for Bo Saixi, at this moment, he inexplicably developed a sense of possessiveness.
You Chen looked at the unconscious Bo Saixi, who had been tormented by him, and cast a glance at the task bar that had completed the additional conditions, his gaze deepening.
A puppet that harbored strong hostility towards him yet could not resist was undoubtedly the best tool for task completion.
Moreover, even if he killed Bo Saixi, with the Seagod Spirit as a medium, her soul would likely be rescued by Poseidon.
When Tang San died after becoming a god, the deities could intervene to resurrect him, and the difficulty of resurrecting mortals was even lower for deities.
In the case where the Sea God had intentions towards him, he could not possibly allow Bo Saixi, the strongest force of Seagod Island, to be resurrected.
Thus, it was not about fearing the Sea God's wrath by not
killing Bo Saixi, but rather preventing Bo Saixi from being saved through resurrection; he had to ensure her life to prevent her from committing suicide.
At least, before his own paper strength reached its limit, he could not kill Bo Saixi.
Even...
'I can remove this important anchor point for the Sea God to exert Divine Power on Douluo Star.'
Killing Bo Saixi would likely not eliminate this anchor point.
However, causing Bo Saixi's Martial Soul to regress, or rather, eliminating the Sea God's interference, is another matter entirely.
Bo Saixi's Seagod Spirit is likely born from intense faith.
So... if Bo Saixi's faith were to be weakened, shedding the influence of the meme, would it be possible for her Seagod Spirit to regress into a sea or ocean Martial Soul?
You Chen was very curious about this.
This not only relates to removing the Sea God's anchor point but also concerns You Chen's further research on Martial Souls.
Regardless of the type of power used in Martial Soul Origin, could a pure transformation on the spiritual level, relying solely on faith, mental state, and obsession, lead to changes or evolution in Martial Souls?
The successful evolution from Star Corpse Dragon to Stardust Dragon somewhat validated this hypothesis, but that was clearly not comprehensive.
You Chen knew that his obsession, imagination, and other mental intentions during that process were only one aspect of the success.
That evolution could not exclude the influence of numerous accumulations prior to it.
In the original work, the process of evolving from Stardust Dragon to Meteor Dragon explicitly required a spiritual state known as the "Heart of Serene Stillness" to achieve that sublimation. This serves as the best material to validate this aspect of the hypothesis.
Before conducting a real experiment, it is very necessary to first experiment with the Seagod Spirit to accumulate experience and knowledge.
For You Chen, the results and validation of the experiment are the goals, just as the evolution of Stardust Dragon is a goal.
From his rough experience, You Chen judged that simply shedding the influence of the meme might not guarantee success; it might also require some manipulation of Bo Saixi's Martial Soul Origin afterward.
As for confirming whether Bo Saixi has somewhat let go of her faith in the Sea God, it is quite simple—just observe whether she has any intense emotional reactions when You Chen stimulates her with her faith.
As long as she does not produce tasks in such a situation, it would likely indicate that the timing is right, and he can proceed to the next step.
There is nothing much to say about Bo Saixi's task rewards this time.
At this point, You Chen is no longer like he was at the beginning, where he would be surprised by a few flashes of inspiration; now, rewards that he once considered special have gradually fallen into the category of "ordinary cultivation resources."
Items like the year limit card have also been slowly accumulated.
As for ordinary pills, they are practically useless to him.
Aside from being used as cultivation resources, they are more for training subordinates and developing the business association.
However, Bo Saixi's first blood reward deserves special attention from You Chen.
Alas, the power of fate and the author's strong characters is too overwhelming. Even if You Chen has stepped into the realm of the Heart of Serene Stillness, what does it matter? Wasn't it just a moment of carelessness, thinking he had humiliated the other party, when in fact he had offered his nearly divine perfect body to a mere slave captive!?
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