Golden Crocodile Douluo immediately checked Ban Shu's condition and found everything normal. Yet Ban Shu still wouldn't wake up, leaving him completely baffled.
"This... I'm not sure either. By all rights, this shouldn't be happening."
The two could only keep watch beside the unconscious Ban Shu.
Meanwhile, Ban Shu, still unconscious, had arrived in a strange space.
"Where am I?"
Ban Shu's spiritual body walked through the space, glancing around from time to time. It stretched as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight.
Unable to find a way out, Ban Shu had no choice but to stop and think about his situation.
"I remember the sphere entered my forehead, and then I lost consciousness. After that, I ended up here."
Ban Shu looked around. "That means this must be some kind of spiritual world. My body is still at the hotel."
"You're pretty perceptive."
Just then, a figure in a purple robe slowly approached Ban Shu.
Ban Shu hurriedly stood up and instinctively brushed himself off. "Who are you?"
"My name is God of Destruction."
God of Destruction raised his scepter and held it out before Ban Shu. "Let's skip the small talk, young man. Do you want to inherit my position and become the Destruction God King?"
"..."
Ban Shu blinked at God of Destruction. "Isn't this happening a little too fast?"
"Enough nonsense!"
God of Destruction rudely shoved the scepter into Ban Shu's hands. "And that settles it! From now on, you'll become God of Destruction. Work hard, young man. A wonderful future is waiting for you!"
"Um, I haven't agreed yet..."
All these events had caught Ban Shu completely off guard, and he could only stand there dumbly clutching the scepter.
"Enough with the nonsense! Once you reach level fifty and obtain a Soul Bone, I'll come find you again!"
God of Destruction reached out and gave him a slap to the chest. "That's your second divine test. Do your best!"
"Hey! What the heck is this? When did I complete the first divine test?"
Ban Shu only had time to say that before God of Destruction sent him flying, and he disappeared from sight.
"Phew~"
Watching Ban Shu vanish from the space, God of Destruction breathed a sigh of relief, then began muttering to himself.
"You think you can steal my person, Asura? Dream on! I'm definitely going to be the one who wins in the end! I can finally retire! Hahahaha!"
Amid his hearty laughter, God of Destruction gradually disappeared.
"Ah! God of Destruction, you're playing dirty!"
In the real world, Ban Shu's eyes flew open, and he sprang up from the bed.
"Xiao Ban!"
Bibi Dong and Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had been keeping watch over Ban Shu, hurried to his side when they saw him wake.
"How are you feeling?"
"I..."
Ban Shu touched his chest. He didn't seem to feel anything unusual.
"Is God of Destruction in such a hurry to get off work?"
Ban Shu grumbled helplessly, then broke into a smile. No matter what, he now had a divine test.
And it was from God of Destruction, a God King! This was incredible.
Seeing Ban Shu mutter a few words and then start grinning foolishly, Bibi Dong clutched her chest with both hands, worry filling her brow. Oh no, Xiao Ban had hit his head.
After grinning to himself for a while, Ban Shu suddenly noticed two strange gazes fixed on him, and finally came to his senses.
He hurriedly coughed twice and nodded solemnly. "Dong'er, Grandpa Golden Crocodile, I'm fine. I've got some wonderful news."
"Oh?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo froze. "What good news?"
Bibi Dong pointed at Ban Shu's forehead. "Hey, Xiao Ban, how did that mark appear on your forehead?"
"A mark?"
Ban Shu took out a mirror and looked. Sure enough, there was a purple lightning-shaped mark. It must be the imprint of God of Destruction's divine test.
"That's what I wanted to tell you. I've been chosen by a god."
Ban Shu didn't think there was any need to hide this from them. With God of Destruction backing him, as long as he didn't go looking for trouble, he probably wouldn't die.
Besides, judging by how impatient God of Destruction had seemed, he was practically itching to leave at once. How could he let anything happen to his successor?
He was probably eager to personally help Ban Shu complete all the divine tests in one fell swoop.
As it happened, that was exactly what God of Destruction was thinking. If not for the fact that God of Life's successor had yet to be found, and Asura and the others were holding him back, he might already have stepped in himself.
"How did I not realize it before? One had a scepter and the other a tree. It was obviously them." Ban Shu mused silently.
"God of Destruction?"
Golden Crocodile searched his memories, trying to figure out who this great being was, but he couldn't recall the slightest clue.
"So that ruin from before belonged to God of Destruction?" Bibi Dong asked curiously.
"That's right."
Ban Shu touched the mark on his forehead and nodded.
Golden Crocodile pondered for a long while, then nodded. "All right. I'll have to go back and discuss this with Big Brother. Xiao Ban, you two should come back with me."
"This matter is of great importance. For the time being, don't go out."
"Okay."
Ban Shu nodded, then added, "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, there's one more thing. I've reached level forty."
"What?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo stared. "Weren't you level thirty-eight? How did you advance so quickly?"
"Oh, it seems to be because I completed the first divine test and unlocked the Casket of Destruction Inheritance. The first divine test's rewards were one level of Soul Power and an increase of five hundred years to the age of all my Soul Rings."
"Really? The divine test is that miraculous?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes widened in astonishment. No one in this era had ever truly possessed a divine test, so naturally no one knew what its contents or rewards might be.
"Yeah."
Ban Shu summoned his Martial Soul. Three purple Soul Rings hovered quietly in the air. His first Soul Ring had been seven hundred years old; with another five hundred years added, it had reached a thousand-year quality.
"So it really is true!"
After seeing Ban Shu's Soul Rings, Golden Crocodile had no choice but to believe that divine tests were real.
"In that case, let's hurry back to Spirit Hall and get you a Soul Ring."
Golden Crocodile Douluo didn't want to waste another second. He urged the two to leave in a rush.
"Actually, there's one more thing."
Taking the opportunity, Ban Shu planned to use the divine test as a way to bring up the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. He was sure God of Destruction wouldn't mind.
"God of Destruction told me that there's a miraculous spring in Sunset Forest. It has all kinds of rare medicinal herbs, even Immortal Herbs."
"Immortal Herbs?"
Golden Crocodile had heard of Immortal Herbs, too. He pondered for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Let's report what happened today to Spirit Hall first, then head to Sunset Forest."
"Okay."
And so, the three hurried back at full speed, reaching Spirit Hall in less than two weeks.
Before you continue