Just as the battle on one side was about to erupt, deep within Sea God Island, two individuals were also engaged in a tense standoff.
These two were none other than the Grand Worship of Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu, and the High Priestess of Sea God Island, Bo Saixi.
They represented the strongest forces on their respective sides, yet at this moment, they both tacitly chose not to intervene in the battles between their juniors.
"Bo Saixi, it seems your people are about to collapse," Qian Daoliu finally spoke after a long silence.
Bo Saixi's expression remained cold. "It's fine."
Despite her words, the corner of her eyes couldn't help but glance in that direction. She tried her best to maintain her composure and expression, ensuring that the old man across from her wouldn't notice any cracks.
"Since you've personally come to my humble Sea God Island as a guest, you must have some purpose," Bo Saixi said, her head held high, exuding an extraordinary aura. "Speak your mind. Perhaps I might agree."
"Oh?" Qian Daoliu was somewhat surprised by her words. This didn't sound like the Bo Saixi he knew. Had she changed after decades apart?
"I came here mainly to find someone," he probed.
"Who?" Bo Saixi was also puzzled by his question. "You should know very well that Sea God Island never takes in outsiders. Even if someone from the outside enters, they are rarely allowed to leave."
At this point, Qian Daoliu was already certain that Spirit Hall had been deceived. He had suspected from the beginning that the so-called Spider God Envoy had no connection to Sea God Island.
However, to further his greater plans, he had decided to play along.
Though he understood the situation, he still pretended to know nothing. "Oh, is that so? But the Spider God Envoy himself told us to come to Sea God Island to find him."
"What Spider God Envoy? There is no such person on Sea God Island," Bo Saixi replied firmly, without hesitation.
"Speak plainly. What do you really want? Stop beating around the bush."
Though she appeared to be in her thirties, she was actually of the same generation as Qian Daoliu, both being over a hundred years old. How could she not see through Qian Daoliu's little schemes?
Qian Daoliu, having his intentions exposed, wasn't surprised. "Haha, since we're old acquaintances of several decades, I won't stand on ceremony."
"I came here mainly to borrow your Sea God Island's Sacred Stone."
The Sacred Stone he referred to was the Nine-Star Jade, one of the nine foundation stones at the center of Sea God Island's Nine-Star Sea. It was also the resting place for the souls of over a hundred thousand-year sea soul beasts.
This item was the foundation of Sea God Island. Without it, many of the Sea God's mechanisms left on the island would lose their effectiveness.
The reason Qian Daoliu wanted it was because it was one of the trials his granddaughter, Qian Renxue, would need to undergo to inherit her godhood.
Though it might still be early, since the opportunity and excuse were present, he naturally decided to take advantage of it.
"Sacred Stone? You really dare to ask," Bo Saixi said, laughing in anger, though internally she was filled with anxiety.
Currently, she was severely injured and would undoubtedly be no match for Qian Daoliu in a fight. Her people had also just suffered a near-catastrophic blow and were completely unable to resist the forces he had brought.
If Qian Daoliu had asked for something else, she might have considered handing it over as a temporary measure to buy peace.
But now, he was asking for the very foundation of Sea God Island...
Even in the past, she would never have given it to him, and now, with the Sea Spider Clan eyeing Sea God Island, it was even more crucial.
If they lost the protections left by the Sea God, it would be a disaster of unimaginable proportions!
"Some things aren't about whether one dares or not, but about having no choice," Qian Daoliu sighed. "If I had a choice, I wouldn't have risked coming to your Sea God Island."
He even began to suspect that there might be some conflict between the Angel God and the Sea God, which was why such a trial had been included in the successor's test.
Bo Saixi gritted her teeth. In the past, she would have already attacked Qian Daoliu by now.
But her injuries were too severe, and she was no match for him. She could only bide her time.
Qian Daoliu, on the other hand, grew increasingly puzzled. Bo Saixi's behavior today was completely different from her usual demeanor, as if she were deliberately hiding something.
Moreover, the population on Sea God Island seemed much smaller than before...
When he and another man had come here decades ago, the island had been far more lively.
Below, the forces of Spirit Hall had already engaged the remaining sea soul masters of Sea God Island.
The weaker sea soul masters, facing land soul masters who outnumbered and outpowered them, could only rely on a certain formation on the island to form a defensive barrier, buying some time.
Meanwhile, Sea Horse Douluo and Sea Devil Douluo each faced off against two of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluos and quickly fell into a disadvantage.
In less than half an hour, Sea Horse Douluo and Sea Devil Douluo were completely defeated and captured by Spirit Hall's experts.
The defensive barrier formed by the sea soul masters also collapsed at this moment, leaving them surrounded by Spirit Hall's forces, unable to make any further moves.
Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at the defiant Sea Horse Douluo. "You knew this would be the outcome. Why did you resist? Now, hurry and send someone into the island to report and hand over the Spider God Envoy."
Sea Horse Douluo bit his lip, his nostrils flaring. They had no idea who the Spider God Envoy was. Today's events were nothing but a disaster for them.
"Fight if you want, kill if you want. There are no cowards on Sea God Island."
"I've already told you, there is no such person as the Spider God Envoy on Sea God Island. If you don't believe me, go ahead and search the island."
"Tch, even now you're still pretending? Do you really think we'd fall for that?" Ghost Douluo sneered. "If we entered the island, who knows what traps you'd set for us."
Sea Horse Douluo was utterly speechless. What kind of people were these? They didn't believe him when he said there was no such person, and when he told them to search the island, they were afraid of traps.
At this point, he had nothing more to say to them. The two sides remained at a standstill.
Deep within Sea God Island, seeing that his side had succeeded, Qian Daoliu once again taunted Bo Saixi. "Your people aren't doing so well. It didn't take long for them to become prisoners."
Bo Saixi snorted coldly, turning her head away to hide the panic on her face.
Yet, after a long time, Spirit Hall's forces remained on the shore, locked in a stalemate with the sea soul masters.
Qian Daoliu could only continue to "hold off" Bo Saixi, and the battle situation became increasingly strange.
Outside the island, Fang Chang was growing impatient, wondering how he could make the two sides fight more fiercely.
After a long while, he finally activated his "Shadow Clone" skill, creating three spider clones that quietly infiltrated Sea God Island from another direction.