"Become... become a god?"
Dai Mubai muttered to himself. He exchanged a look with Zhu Zhuqing beside him, and both saw the undisguised shock in the other's eyes, along with a spark of unspeakable fervor ignited by this heaven-shaking opportunity.
They knew their talents, enhanced by the Immortal Herbs, were no longer what they used to be, but they had never truly dared to aspire to the legendary, remote position of a God.
Oscar's mouth hung open, and the sausage in his hand nearly fell. The God of Cookery? Could he, a Food Spirit Master, actually touch a divine position? Massive surprise and disbelief assaulted his mind.
Ning Rongrong covered her lips with a slender hand, her beautiful eyes sparkling. The Nine-Colored Goddess... the name of this divine position was so perfectly congruent with her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Ma Hongjun was even more excited, rubbing his hands, his plump face flushed with excitement. God of the Phoenix—listen to that, how majestic, how fitting for his future heroic self.
Tang San gripped Xiao Wu's hand tightly, his knuckles slightly white from the effort, his eyes sharp.
Sea God? Asura God? This information pointed out the path for his revenge and becoming stronger.
The dying instruction and blood feud imparted by his father, Tang Hao, were like a brand carved into his heart. He now knew what had happened in the past and the deep-seated hatred between his family and the Spirit Hall.
Therefore, he craved power, longed to destroy the Spirit Hall, and yearned to return to that foul place to utterly annihilate Hei Castorice, who had brought death to his father.
Xiao Wu felt the churning determination and pain in his heart and clung to him tighter, silently conveying her unwavering support.
However, not everyone's reaction was one of simple joy and excitement.
The Star Luo Empire's First Prince, Dai Weisi, and his fiancée, Zhu Zhuyun, instantly changed color upon hearing the history, and a turbulent storm raged in their hearts.
While Xuan Zi had not explicitly detailed the specifics of the royal succession battle, the outcome of Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing both becoming gods clearly indicated that, in this cruel Star Luo Imperial succession war, they were the undeniable losers.
And under the Star Luo Empire's iron-blooded rules, losers often had no future to speak of.
They became gods, radiating glory and achieving eternal life... So what about Zhu Yun? What about me, Dai Weisi? In the original timeline, did we not only lose the throne, but perhaps even our lives...? Thinking of this, Dai Weisi clenched his fists tightly, his nails nearly digging into his palms.
In the past, although he was ruthless towards Dai Mubai, and even pressured him in certain ways, there was ultimately a trace of brotherhood and margin beneath the veneer of royal pride. He had even, in terms of cultivation and spirit, offered Dai Mubai support.
Zhu Zhuyun was similar. She knew in her heart how many of her repeated attempts to hunt down Zhu Zhuqing were genuine killing attempts and how many times she had held back.
Otherwise, given Zhu Zhuqing's strength back then, how could she have repeatedly escaped by chance and finally arrived safely at Shrek Academy, traversing the perilous Star Dou Great Forest?
At this moment, a strong sense of unwillingness and humiliation flooded Dai Weisi's heart.
He absolutely refused to accept such a fate.
Since history could be altered by outsiders, since the divine position could be inherited, why couldn't he, Dai Weisi, do the same?
He was the legitimate Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire. He believed his talent, disposition, and political acumen were in no way inferior to Dai Mubai's.
A powerful ambition to seize this opportunity and defy fate, like a wildfire, fiercely grew and spread in his heart.
His gaze towards Dai Mubai, though he tried hard to maintain a calm facade, held a fleeting coldness, decisiveness, and a hint of undetectable jealousy, which was captured by Dai Yutian, who sat high on the throne and observed everything keenly.
However, the Star Luo Emperor's face remained impassive. The Star Luo Imperial family had always adhered to the "raising-gu" style competition rule: the winner is king, the loser is a bandit.
Dai Weisi's competitive ambition was something he was happy to see.
Moreover, that was only the history of a parallel world. Who could assert that this world would necessarily follow the same trajectory?
Heaven Dou Prince Xue Beng was also overwhelmed with emotion at this moment, unable to control himself.
He was already a disgraced prince whose kingdom was destroyed and who had fled south in haste, with slim hope of restoration.
But now, Xuan Zi's words ignited his hope.
Since Tang San and the others could become gods and defeat the invincible Spirit Empire, could he, Xue Beng, as the legitimate bloodline of the Heaven Dou Royal family, also secure a share in this once-in-a-millennium divine position feast?
Even if he himself was not destined for a divine position, as long as he tightly embraced the thighs of these future gods, the restoration of Heaven Dou would no longer be a distant dream.
His gaze instantly became immensely fervent. His mind raced, calculating how to maximize the advantage of this foreknowledge and how to bind his interests and those of Tang San's group more closely together.
Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School, exchanged glances with Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo beside him. Both saw the solemnity and deep contemplation in the other's eyes.
The Sect's future close relationship with the God of Cookery and the Nine-Colored Goddess was naturally a highly desirable boon that would greatly consolidate the Sect's status.
However, Xuan Zi's words also vaguely revealed that they had suffered heavy losses in this catastrophe.
Now that they knew the future, they must spare no effort, utilizing all resources and connections, to prevent the Sect's tragedy from reoccurring.
Concurrently, ensuring Ning Rongrong successfully obtained the Nine-Colored Goddess divine position would become the Sect's core strategy for the future.
This was not just an expectation born of familial affection, but the key to occupying an advantageous position in the potential new world order.
As for Oscar... Ning Fengzhi's eyes flickered. This young man's talent and disposition were superior, and his relationship with Rongrong was profound. He could be strongly supported, but the core resources still needed to be tilted towards Rongrong.
Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang was plunged into both immense ecstasy and deep anxiety.
The disciple he personally nurtured would achieve dual divine positions in the future, and the rest of his students would all become gods. Such a great accomplishment was undoubtedly the greatest verification of his research theories.
How could he not be excited and proud? However, beneath the ecstasy, a trace of uneasiness lingered.
Why did Xuan Zi choose to openly disclose such a crucial, continent-shaking secret concerning godhood, rather than informing them privately in this mixed company?
What was his intention in laying this irresistible temptation bare before everyone?
Behind Xuan Zi, the Shrek Academy members from the parallel world were far from calm beneath their placid exteriors.
Han Ruoruo glanced thoughtfully at Xuan Zi, who was still pouring himself a drink.
They had already confirmed that this world, although highly similar to their world ten thousand years ago, was not their true past but a parallel world—the most obvious evidence being that this world entirely lacked the existence of the ten great fierce beasts they were familiar with.
But this world genuinely contained undeniable Divine Position inheritances.
The appearance of the Angel God and the Rakshasa God was ironclad proof.
Since the counterparts of their ancestors, such as Tang San, could achieve godhood through the Divine Trial, then... why couldn't that person be one of them?
In terms of talent, Tang San and his companions were indeed stunning, but was Ma Hongjun's talent truly stronger than Ma Xiaotao's, who had already evolved the Truefire Phoenix? Perhaps not.
Even she, Han Ruoruo, and Xu Sanshi, had talents and strength that were absolutely not inferior to the Oscar and Ning Rongrong of this world.
Not to mention Elder Xuan, who already stood at the peak of the Rank 98 Titled Douluo realm.
Since the divine position could be inherited, why must this opportunity be politely handed over to these ancestors who were merely counterparts?
They had no genuine blood or legacy relationship with the Shrek Seven Monsters of this world.
Han Ruoruo absolutely did not believe that Elder Xuan would willingly abandon this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a god merely because the others were the ancestors recorded in the ten-thousand-year history.
In their world, divine signs had been absent for ten thousand years. If one of them could achieve godhood in this world, they would not only gain eternal power and life themselves, but upon return, they would also elevate the prestige of Shrek Academy to an unprecedented height, sufficient to cope with any crisis.
Whether it was finding a way back home or confronting the Sun Moon Empire and the Spirit Empire, they needed greater power, and the divine position was their only choice now.
This thought was not unique to Han Ruoruo. Ma Xiaotao, Xu Sanshi, and others exchanged glances, revealing similar intentions.
They were not fools. If Elder Xuan truly intended only to support the初代 (First Generation) Shrek Seven Monsters, given their group's strength, he could have secretly taken Tang San and the others to Seagod Island. Why would he openly discuss the matter here, placing the opportunity in plain sight and inviting covetousness?
Meanwhile, Tang Xiao, the Sect Master of the Clear Sky School, was secretly overjoyed.
Tang San, the blood of his brother Tang Hao, actually possessed the potential for dual divine positions.
Once Tang San successfully inherited the divine positions, the Clear Sky School would not only have a chance for revenge but could also completely solidify its supreme reputation as the number one sect in the world, no longer having to fear the threat of the Spirit Empire.
He had already begun to mentally outline how to dedicate the entire Sect's resources to assist Tang San in ascending to godhood, and then defeat the Spirit Empire to avenge the disciples and relatives who had died because of the Spirit Hall.
Inside the main hall, the discussions sparked by Xuan Zi's words stirred up far more than just a united resolve to resist the enemy; they also unleashed underlying ambitions, calculations, and the craving for the ultimate divine position.
Beneath the facade of cooperation, the desires of the human heart had been utterly ignited.
The meeting in the Star Luo Imperial Palace, which concerned the fate of the continent yet seethed with undercurrents, finally concluded.
Factions departed, each harboring different thoughts: some were excited by the ethereal chance at godhood, some were anxious about the Spirit Empire's dual divine pressure, and others had already begun secretly plotting and strategizing.
The impact of the news brought by Xuan Zi extended far beyond the meeting itself; it was like a massive stone cast into a calm lake, and the ripples were quietly changing the destiny trajectories of countless individuals and powers.
In the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's temporary residence in Star Luo City, a secluded and elegant courtyard isolated from external noise, Ning Fengzhi was conducting an emergency consultation with Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Bone Douluo Gu Rong, and his beloved daughter Ning Rongrong.
The sheer volume of information revealed in the previous meeting was too enormous. They desperately needed time to digest it and formulate targeted strategies, especially regarding Ning Rongrong's Nine-Colored Goddess divine position, which was of paramount importance.
Just as the atmosphere grew heavy, light but clear footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
The gatekeepers did not obstruct them, recognizing that the newcomers were the two young women who had already caught Ning Fengzhi's attention during the earlier meeting.
They had remained quietly among Xuan Zi's group of visitors claiming to be from a parallel world, their unique temperaments making them impossible to ignore.
The girl leading the way wore a simple yet elegant and luxurious long dress. Her posture was upright like an orchid, and her features were exquisitely beautiful.
Most striking were her clear and translucent eyes, which not only bore a surprising resemblance to Ning Fengzhi's but also faintly shone with the same Glazed Tile brilliance as Ning Rongrong's. However, her temperament, compared to Ning Rongrong's spirited charm, possessed more of an age-transcending composure, wisdom, and an almost innate nobility.
Beside her closely followed a red-haired girl with a tall, lithe figure and sharp eyes, subtly emitting an aura as fiery as flame. Her steps were firm, like the most loyal personal guard, silently protecting the girl in front of her.
Ning Fengzhi looked at them with a gentle gaze, already harboring some guesses, especially regarding the girl whose temperament was similar to his and whose eyes flowed with a familiar brilliance.
"May I ask why the two young ladies have come at this time?"
His voice was calm and soothing, carrying a reassuring warmth, yet it also held the authority of a Sect Master.
The leading girl took a deep breath, seemingly preparing herself for something important.
She stepped forward, her posture elegant and solemn, and offered an ancient and extremely standard Sect ceremony with utmost reverence to Ning Fengzhi, who was seated, and to Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong, who stood to the sides, as well as Ning Rongrong, who was observing her with curiosity.
The moment this ceremony was performed, the eyes of Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluos, Sword and Bone, instantly changed.
They were intimately familiar with this ceremony; it was the ancient ritual passed down among the core members of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School. Some subtle hand gestures and angles could only be known to direct descendants, and outsiders could never mimic them with such precision and spirit.
"Junior Ning Tian."
The girl raised her head. Her voice was clear and pleasant, yet she couldn't suppress a trace of excitement and a slight tremor.
"I pay my respects to Sect Master Ancestor, Sword Douluo Ancestor, and Bone Douluo Ancestor."
She paused slightly, then turned her gaze to Ning Rongrong, whose bright, clever eyes were filled with curiosity and astonishment. A warm, affectionate, yet somewhat peculiar smile bloomed on her face.
"And... Rongrong Ancestor."
"Ning Tian?!"
"Sect Master Ancestor?!"
Ning Rongrong gasped in shock, instinctively covering her cherry-red mouth, her beautiful eyes wide open, filled with disbelief.
She was actually called "Ancestor" by a beautiful girl who looked to be around the same age and whose temperament was even more composed than hers?
The feeling was too strange, leaving her momentarily stunned.
A sharp gleam flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. His inner guess was practically confirmed.
He raised his hand, making a gentle gesture to invite them to rise. His tone remained steady, but the intent to probe was growing increasingly obvious:
"Young Lady Ning Tian... the 'Ancestors' you speak of, and this Sect ancient ritual which is absolutely impossible to transmit externally... Could it be that you have a profound connection with my Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School?"
Although he asked this, he already had the answer in his heart. After all, since even that Ma Hongjun had descendants in the Shrek Academy ten thousand years later, it was impossible for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School not to have any.
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