Ascension Is a Trap, the Divine Examination Is a Conspiracy

"That's right. I look down on you."

Her voice dripped with contempt.

She could hardly tell him she was a Soul Beast with no Martial Soul and couldn't wear Battle Armor, could she?

"If I need to go all out to kill a cripple who hasn't recovered from his wounds, how am I supposed to rule the Holy Spirit Cult?"

"Such arrogance!"

Yun Ming roared.

He held nothing back. His Soul Power surged, and golden light blazed across his body.

His Four-Word Battle Armor, Heavenly Sky, shone with dazzling brilliance.

He pushed his Four-Word Battle Armor to its limit, driving his presence to its peak.

Heaven-Reaching Realm Breaker, Ten Thousand Spears Return to the Source, Mountain-Shaking Heaven-Reacher...

He unleashed a torrent of spear strikes, each powerful enough to devastate heaven and earth.

The sea of blood filling the sky shattered under his assault, scattering into crimson mist.

But to the Demon Empress, those attacks barely tickled.

Had Yun Ming started lashing out blindly?

She raised a hand, and dense purple-black Soul Power surged from her palm.

A colossal hand descended from the sky and swatted away every one of Yun Ming's attacks.

A deafening impact rang out, and a shockwave burst outward from the two of them.

The Life-and-Death Arena remained unscathed, but the space above it shattered and repaired itself again and again. After several exchanges, Yun Ming felt the web of his hand split around his spear.

Despite his furious assault, he was the one getting hurt.

The shockwave sent his blood churning and tore open his old wounds. A trickle of golden-tinged blood escaped the corner of his mouth.

"I told you. You haven't recovered from your wounds. You're no match for me.

If you want to keep some dignity, kill yourself now."

"Never!"

"Then I'll help you."

As soon as the Demon Empress spoke, the purple-black Soul Power around her surged tenfold.

The scattered sea of blood instantly gathered again, forming the immense phantom of a Deep Sea Demon Whale.

Its colossal body stretched hundreds of meters across the arena.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but this phantom seemed almost solid, far more substantial than the one she had summoned at the start.

The moment it appeared, it opened its cavernous jaws and unleashed a terrifying suction.

This was the Deep Sea Demon Whale clan's supreme ability—Demonic Whale Devour.

Its irresistible devouring force locked onto Yun Ming.

The space around him, his surging Soul Power, the domain he had unleashed, even the unstoppable force of his spear strikes—all were dragged toward those jaws.

Yun Ming's pupils contracted. His heart jolted.

Without hesitation, he drove his spearhead into the arena floor and used the shaft to steady himself. At the same time, his Four-Word Battle Armor erupted with a counterforce to offset the pull.

But he had still underestimated the Demon Empress.

She was one step from perfection, one step from becoming a god.

She had held back for so long because she knew who her true enemy was and had kept a low profile.

But now, there was no need.

The Dragon God's Ten Trials had descended, throwing the world into chaos. Even the Divine Realm was in turmoil.

If she did not reap her harvest now, when would she?

Once the Divine Examination ended, she would destroy the world.

For now, she would collect a little interest from Shrek.

Seeing Yun Ming in such a wretched state, the Demon Empress felt no pity. A wicked smile curved her lips as she poured out more Soul Power.

Behind her, the giant whale's suction grew even more terrifying.

The tremendous force dragged Yun Ming off his feet.

The Heaven-Reaching Spear scraped across the arena in a shower of sparks, gouging a massive trench through the floor.

He roared and unleashed another burst of power.

Only then did he steady himself, barely resisting the pull as he clung on.

"Wouldn't it be better to die with some dignity?

Can't you see it yet?

This is a conspiracy against Shrek.

The Dragon God is targeting Shrek. So what if you win?

So what if someone from Shrek lasts until the end?

Do you think the Dragon God will give you that position?

When the time comes, he'll probably make up some excuse to keep you stuck at the Divine Examination.

Accept your fate. Shrek is doomed to fall.

It is the will of a god."

"Damn it, why is that woman telling him everything?"

The golden Baby Dragon in charge of the Legend of the Dragon King world froze when he heard the Demon Empress.

Fortunately, this was his first arena broadcast, so he had not transmitted the sound. If the other worlds had heard that, what then?

It would not change the results of the Divine Examination, but it would certainly dampen Shrek's enthusiasm.

If they all gave up, wouldn't that be a disaster?

Next time, he would have to set up a keyword filter.

The Heavenly Screen's broadcasts were meant to let everyone watch thrilling matches. They would be dull without sound.

So he could not mute everything. Instead, anything about the Divine Examination or anyone's theories about it would have to be blocked.

Anything about ascension being a conspiracy—no, the Divine Examination being a conspiracy—would be blocked.

Meanwhile, Yun Ming's eyes had turned red as he listened to the Demon Empress.

"I don't believe you. We've done nothing to the Dragon God. Why would he target us like this?

I won't accept this! I'm a man!"

With that, determination flashed in Yun Ming's eyes.

He roared and deliberately let go of his spear, allowing the suction to drag him forward.

In that instant, the pieces of his Four-Word Battle Armor ignited one after another, blazing and cracking apart. He was burning his Battle Armor.

At the same time, his nine Spirit Rings—six red and three gold—began merging from the outermost ring inward, one after another, until they became a vast red-gold sun.

Finally, a golden slit opened between his brows, and he personally ignited the last trace of Power of Faith within him.

He also detonated his Demigod Position. As it burned, Yun Ming's aura soared, and he stepped halfway into godhood.

At that moment, he stood at the peak of Quasi-God.

Break!

His spear thrust out. The point struck before its roar arrived.

Its power seemed enough to destroy the world.

The Deep Sea Demon Whale, just about to close its jaws, was pierced straight through from its mouth by Yun Ming's spear. A golden fissure tore all the way to its tail, and thick blood boiled into clouds of crimson mist.

Beyond the phantom, the edge of the spear's radiance grazed the Demon Empress and left a wound. Her gaze finally sharpened.

At last, she was about to get serious.

Yun Ming's strike also set the other worlds ablaze with excitement.

In the world of Soul Land I, Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, and Bo Saixi stared in horror.

They alone knew of the gods and could tell what Yun Ming was doing: burning his Demigod Position.

He truly had no intention of surviving!

That spear strike had the power of a god.

In the world of The Unrivaled Tang Sect, Xuan Zi gripped his wine gourd and took a fierce swig.

"What a Heavenly Douluo. And what a Demon Empress—a demon empress who could destroy the world.

If the Demon Empress were the pope of the Holy Spirit Cult in our era, we might as well give up and wait to die."

"Yuhao, look closely. This is the peak combat power of another continent.

Now do you understand the gap between us?

You alone can break this deadlock.

If they want to cross between worlds, they can only do so through Shrek Academy's transport system. That means they can only come after us by issuing challenges.

Against anyone your own age, you're invincible. That's why I wanted you to receive the Red-Level Nine Trials. So don't feel guilty. Their sacrifices were worth it.

Everything is for Shrek."