You Have Courted Death

God Realm, God Realm Core.

A magnificent palace floated in the endless void, golden light radiating from every corner and illuminating the surging sea of clouds around it.

Deep within the palace, a man in blue robes sat before the control console of the God Realm Core.

He looked to be around thirty, handsome and composed, with long dark-blue hair draped over his shoulders. Golden light occasionally flashed through his eyes.

Tang San, the God Realm's Law Enforcer, the Sea God, the Asura God.

His fingers lightly traced across the light screen of the God Realm Core, and golden threads representing the destinies of the lower realms unfurled before him.

Suddenly, his fingers stopped.

A golden thread of fate had shifted slightly.

Tang San frowned.

He knew this thread of fate all too well.

It belonged to the central figure of his ten-thousand-year plan—Huo Yuhao, the Child of Fortune in the lower realm. According to his arrangements, Huo Yuhao should have encountered Bei Bei and Tang Ya of the Tang Sect in the Great Star Dou Forest, then naturally joined the Tang Sect and followed the path Tang San had laid out for him step by step.

But this thread had deviated.

It was not a minor fluctuation, but a clear and undeniable shift.

The Child of Fortune had not joined the Tang Sect. What exactly had changed?

Tang San's brow furrowed deeper. He closed his eyes and extended his divine sense toward the lower realm, intending to inspect what unforeseen event had occurred there.

But at that moment, the doors to the God Realm Core were violently shoved open.

A wild and terrifying aura surged into the palace like a tidal wave, making every light screen in the God Realm Core flicker violently.

Tang San opened his eyes and calmly looked toward the doorway.

A tall man stood there, his dark-green hair moving without wind and his eyes burning with furious flames. Clad in blackish-purple armor, he radiated an aura that seemed capable of destroying everything.

It was the Destruction God.

"Sea God Tang San!" The Destruction God's voice boomed like thunder through the palace. "What are you doing? Interfering with the lower realm as you please—do you still have any regard for the rules of the God Realm?"

Tang San slowly rose to his feet, his blue hair drifting gently behind him. His expression did not change, and his tone was as calm as if he were discussing something utterly insignificant.

"Destruction, what nonsense are you talking about? I have not interfered with the lower realm. I was merely investigating an anomaly."

"Investigating an anomaly?" The Destruction God sneered and strode into the palace, each step leaving a deep footprint in the floor. "Tang San, do you really think I do not know? How many pieces have you arranged on Douluo Star? You know perfectly well. The Clear Sky Sect, the Tang Sect, and that Child of Fortune."

Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Destruction God walked up to the control console of the God Realm Core and slammed his palm against the light screen, scattering the thread of fate Tang San had just summoned for observation.

"From today onward, I will temporarily take control of the God Realm Core." The Destruction God stared into Tang San's eyes and spoke each word distinctly. "You are no longer qualified to touch it. Come with me to the God Realm Committee first. We need to talk."

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the palace dropped to freezing point.

Tang San remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly. "Destruction, you have overstepped your bounds."

"You are the one who has overstepped."

The two men stared at each other, neither willing to yield.

My ten-thousand-year plan! Damn Destruction God, and whoever caused the Child of Fortune to change—you have both courted death.

Tang San clenched his fist, thinking angrily.

Seeing Tang San look as though he wanted to explode but was forcibly suppressing his rage, the Destruction God curled his lips disdainfully.

"Coward! Trash!"

In the void behind them, the threads of fate in the lower realm continued to flow silently. The golden thread belonging to Huo Yuhao had already veered from the path Tang San had set for it, stretching toward a completely unknown direction.

Lower realm, above Shrek City.

Yan Jingzhe descended from the sky with the three of them. He casually tossed Huo Yuhao a storage ring and said,

"Yuhao, there are ten thousand Gold Soul Coins in this ring, as well as your teacher's identity token. Go handle your enrollment registration first. There are also two Blackwater Pills and one Soul Ascension Pill. As for their effects, Bei Bei, explain them to him. While you are at it, show Yuhao around Shrek Academy. I have some matters to attend to. Once I am done, I will come find you. Understood?"

"Yes, Teacher." "Yes, Dean Yan."

Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei answered respectfully at the same time.

"Good. Then I'll be leaving first."

As soon as Yan Jingzhe finished speaking, he vanished from where he stood without leaving behind even the slightest fluctuation of soul power.

Huo Yuhao held the storage ring tightly, still unable to process everything, when Bei Bei's smiling voice sounded beside him.

"Dean Yan has always been like this. When he says he is leaving, he leaves—decisive and straightforward." Bei Bei patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll take you to handle your enrollment registration first, and introduce you to our Shrek Academy along the way."

The three of them headed toward the academy along Shrek City's main road. Bei Bei walked at the front, gesturing around him as he spoke.

"Shrek Academy, the number one academy on the continent—you have heard of it, right?" Bei Bei's tone carried a natural pride. "The academy covers a vast area and is divided into the Inner Court and the Outer Court. The Outer Court is further divided into the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department—Dean Yan is the dean of the Soul Guidance Department."

Tang Ya added from the side, "The Martial Soul Department is stricter and has more rules, but its dean is your teacher's younger brother, Yan Shaozhe, the ninety-fifth-ranked Bright Phoenix Douluo. You will have to call him Martial Uncle, so there is no need to worry."

"Teacher has a younger brother?" Huo Yuhao asked in surprise.

Bei Bei nodded firmly and continued, "Outer Court students are divided into classes by grade, with six grades in total. You have to pass an assessment to advance each grade. If you fail, you repeat the year—there is no room for favors. Since you are just entering, you should be placed in the first grade. But with Dean Yan as your master, the Soul Guidance Department will definitely give you special instruction."

As he spoke, he pointed toward a cluster of gray-white buildings ahead.

"That is the teaching area. The Martial Soul Department and Soul Guidance Department do not have classes in the same building. The Soul Guidance Department building is farther back, beside the Soul Guidance Testing Grounds—you will definitely be going there for Soul Guidance lessons in the future."

Huo Yuhao followed his finger and looked over, but all he could see were layers upon layers of rooftops and towers of varying heights. For the moment, he could not tell which building was which.

Huo Yuhao lowered his head and looked at the storage ring in his palm. His thumb rubbed the ancient pattern carved into its surface, and a little more warmth and reassurance filled his heart.

"Oh, right." Bei Bei suddenly stopped and turned to Huo Yuhao, his expression becoming more serious. "There is one rule at Shrek you need to remember clearly—fighting is forbidden inside the academy, but once you enter the Soul Duel District, fight as much as you want. If you have a grievance, settle it on the Soul Duel Platform. No one will interfere."

Huo Yuhao nodded. "I'll remember that."

"Good. Let's handle the enrollment procedures first." Bei Bei started walking again toward the academy gates. "Dean Yan told you to get settled first, so do not overthink things. Cultivate when it is time to cultivate, rest when it is time to rest. With Dean Yan backing you, there is nothing to worry about. Oh, and those pills are good stuff. The two Blackwater Pills can raise your innate soul power by two levels, and the Soul Ascension Pill can raise your soul power by one level. None of them have any side effects."

"Ah, they are that precious?" Huo Yuhao said in surprise.

"What is so special about that? To Dean Yan, these resources are less than a drop in the bucket."

Tang Ya tilted her head and said playfully, "Alright, alright. Let's get you registered first, then we'll take you to your dormitory."

"Mm, alright, Senior Sister Xiaoya."

Huo Yuhao gripped the ring a little tighter, followed the two of them, and walked through the gates of Shrek Academy.