"Draw lots!"
With Jing Hongchen's command—
Four people stepped forward one after another.
Beibei took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Compared to the last tournament where Ma Xiaotao led the team and was stopped in the round of sixteen, his performance had already far surpassed that—at least they made it into the top four. But Elder Xuan's expectations, the academy's hopes, and the betrayal of a close friend weighed heavily on his heart.
He glanced down at the audience.
The students of Shrek Academy looked at him nervously. Even the always chill and carefree Elder Xuan refrained from drinking, instead gnawing on a chicken leg. Dean Xian Lin'er was filled with hope.
On the other hand, the disciples of Haotian Sect appeared calm. Whether it was confidence or something else was unclear.
And then there was Xu Tianzhen's sister, standing off to the side looking smug. Regardless of whether they won or lost, Mingdu Soul Engineering Academy had already profited enormously—eliminating Shrek to make the top four…
"Phew…"
Beibei exhaled deeply and forced himself to look away from her.
At that moment, Jing Hongchen's slow voice rang beside him.
"Begin the draw!"
Jing Hongchen tossed four white spheres into the air.
Several figures leapt into the sky and each caught one.
"First match."Xu Tianzhen curled her lip as she opened her ball.
Before Beibei could even open his, the Haotian Sect disciple beside him landed lightly and said coldly: "First."
"…"
Beibei's heart sank into an ice pit.
He slowly closed his eyes.
There was no need to open the ball—they were facing the strongest force in the entire tournament:
The Demon King—the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy.
And this was before their true trump card had even been deployed.
The ideal draw would have been Mingdu Soul Engineering Academy—revenge. Second best would've been Haotian Sect. But…
Seeing Beibei walk down in a daze, the crowd fell silent.
No one said a word.
The result had already been displayed on the giant screen above the arena.
They would face the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy.
A near-nightmarish opponent. There was no avoiding it after all.
"Alright, prepare for the match."
Elder Xuan waved his hand and left.
Dean Xian Lin'er's face was grim.
The rest of the team—main and reserve alike—were emotionally crushed.
They had already been weaker. And now, they were missing two of their core members: Xu Sanshi, a Soul Douluo, and Tiantian, a Soul King-level reserve member.
"Should we make tactical arrangements, Senior Beibei?" Dai Huabin asked softly.
"Of course," Beibei forced a smile. "Shrek's honor rests on our shoulders. Why give up before the fight even begins?"He turned to Xian Lin'er. "Dean, can you help us with strategies? Even if we lose, Shrek Academy must lose with dignity, right?"
"She's pregnant?"
Electus, dressed in formal black robes, looked wistful but smiled warmly.
"Yes, Teacher,"Xu Cheng smiled and wrapped an arm around Xu Lexuan's slender waist.
"Hahaha, doesn't that mean this old man needs to prepare a gift early?" Old Man Cheng laughed heartily.
Aside from his missing father, both of Xu Cheng's teachers were present.
"Let me think…"Old Cheng rubbed his chin. "Kids love toys, right? I'll design a custom soul-tool mecha for the baby. Since it's your child, surely they'll have the same soul-tool talent you do."
"Maybe…" Xu Cheng scratched his head, a little unsure.
After all, most of his soul-tool abilities came from the system. Whether his child could inherit that… was really uncertain.
"Hehe, I've also prepared a gift—and mine is ready-made."Electus smiled gently. He pointed at Xu Lexuan's belly, and a formation instantly enveloped the entire room. A complex six-pointed star array spun continuously in the air.
Xu Cheng, with sharp senses, immediately recognized the aura of divine authority.
"Buzz…"
As the black mist dissipated—
That faint life inside Lexuan's belly grew stronger. Xu Cheng could feel it—Electus had bestowed a fragment of the Death Authority to the unborn child.
This was divine authority.
Unless one was a direct descendant within two generations of a god, no one could touch it. And unlike other gods, Electus wasn't a traditional god—he was a self-made deity, the God of Death.
But more important than the gift… was its meaning.
Xu Cheng knew this gift would only be given once.
There would be no second chance.
In other words, this child had been designated as the heir to the God of Death's divine throne.
Even Xu Cheng couldn't help but smack his lips—how could he not be jealous?
"Haha… Once we devour the Abyssal Plane and make it a tributary of the River of the Underworld, I'll merge the mortal world under the God Realm into the Underworld and pass down the godhood to her.Then, once I regain my true form, I'll roam the universe freely."
Electus chuckled.
"What was once a forced exile is now a voluntary journey…"
"You're leaving?"Xu Cheng's voice carried a trace of sadness.
Electus had helped him so much—from nothing, to entering his spiritual sea with Tianmeng, mastering death magic, undead contracts (like his pact with the Silver Dragon King)—he had even played matchmaker for them.
"Haha, I won't be going far."
Electus laughed.
"At most, I'll wander the mortal realm under the God Realm's rule—just to enjoy life. The universe is too dangerous. I don't want to become a fugitive again, hunted by wild gods."
"And besides, that's still years from now. Why worry now?"
"I've never liked being restrained… but—"
Electus hesitated a little:"I might stay a few more years. I'm quite interested in this little girl. If she can become my disciple, that would be perfect."
He looked at Xu Cheng.
Xu Cheng's mouth twitched.
He let out a soft sigh.
What a lucky daughter.
Not even born yet, and she's already receiving starter packs and top-tier mentors.
"You're happy, I'm happy. I've got no objections."
"Hahahahaha! I was afraid you wouldn't agree! Who knows—maybe she'll end up calling you 'Senior Brother' in the future!"
Electus laughed heartily, clearly in a great mood.
Because he could already feel it—this child's talent was extraordinary.
Exceptionally well-suited for the Death Authority.
A worthy next—or next-next—God of Death.
"I am the sun!"
With a clear, confident cry—
The audience felt the air heat up, as though a blazing sun had descended from the heavens. The ground simmered like magma. Even their vision warped from the intensity.
Xu Tianzhen bared her little tiger teeth playfully.
She glanced toward the Sun Moon Empire rest area—where Xu Cheng had appeared at some point—and her smile deepened. Ever since she had first seen him rise to prominence five years ago, she had remembered him.
And now, under the gaze of nearly a million spectators, she shined too.
It felt like she had followed in Xu Cheng's footsteps all along—clumsily copying his every move.
"Heh…"
Xu Cheng chuckled lightly.
But this little "sun" of hers was still a bit lacking. Her dramatic entrance was immediately shattered by a full-force attack from the Soul Douluo of Haotian Sect.
Xu Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, glancing at the proud disciple.
He tilted his head and asked softly:
"What's his name?"(End of Chapter)